Patents by Inventor Kan Nakaune

Kan Nakaune has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6568175
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having an intake system and an exhaust system is disclosed. The exhaust system includes a catalyst, and the intake system includes a throttle valve. The engine is mounted on a vehicle having a brake booster to which an intake pressure at downstream of the throttle valve is introduced. The catalyst temperature rise control in which the intake air amount is increased after starting of the engine and the ignition timing is retarded according to a rotational speed of the engine is performed. When a pressure difference between the detected intake pressure and the atmospheric pressure during the catalyst temperature raising control is less than a predetermined pressure, the increased intake air amount and the retard amount of the ignition timing is gradually decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Izumiura, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kan Nakaune
  • Publication number: 20030054919
    Abstract: An engine control system for hybrid vehicles, so as to smoothly switch the driving operation from the cylinder-deactivated engine operation, in which at least a part of the total number of cylinders of the engine is deactivated, to the all-cylinder-activated engine operation while considering the driver's intention. When the vehicle is decelerated, the cylinder-deactivated engine operation is performed and regeneration using the motor is performed. The system includes a cylinder deactivation release determining section for releasing the cylinder-deactivated engine operation when an engine speed decreases to a reference engine speed with respect to the cylinder-deactivated engine operation; and a brake operation detecting section for detecting whether a brake pedal is depressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hironao Fukuchi, Kan Nakaune, Shigeo Hidai, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20030051930
    Abstract: A control system and method for accelerating the warm-up operation of a hybrid vehicle while preferably using the characteristics of the hybrid vehicle. The system comprises a warm-up accelerating section for accelerating warm-up of the engine by controlling the ignition timing of the engine according to a temperature of water for cooling the engine; and a power generation control section for performing power generation using the motor according to a remaining charge of a battery of the vehicle. The warm-up accelerating section has an ignition timing correcting section for correcting the ignition timing according to an amount of generated power which is controlled by the power generation control section. Therefore, in comparison with the case of performing the warm-up operation by simply using both the ignition timing retardation and the power generation, the ignition timing can be close to the optimum point, thereby improving the combustion efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kan Nakaune, Toshinari Shinohara, Naoya Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6532926
    Abstract: An engine automatic start stop control apparatus for controlling an engine of a vehicle to be automatically stopped or started in response to driving conditions of a vehicle, which is equipped with a manual transmission, an automatic transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The apparatus makes a determination whether or not to allow stop (or idle stop) of the engine in consideration of a relationship between outside air temperature and engine water temperature. This prevents a catalyst from being deteriorated in performance as a result of a temperature reduction of the catalyst occurs when the engine idling is carelessly stopped. Thus, it is possible to effectively reduce discharge gas of the vehicle. The outside air temperature can be estimated based on intake air temperature which is detected after the vehicle runs for a prescribed time. The idle stop of the engine is inhibited in response to a request from an air conditioner or to avoid cool-down of the engine to be restarted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Teruo Wakashiro, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune, Hideyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6529818
    Abstract: There is provided a control device for an engine including an automatic stop and start function, wherein detected data taken prior to an engine stop or results of an operation carried out based on the detected data are retained in executing an engine automatic stop control. In particular, in a case where the technology is applied to an engine including a thermostat proper operation determination function, a thermostat proper operation determination process is constructed so as to continue to be executed in executing an engine automatic stop control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Kan Nakaune
  • Publication number: 20030028295
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle includes an actual intake gas negative pressure detection unit which detects an intake air negative pressure for the engine, an estimated intake gas negative pressure calculation unit which estimates an intake air negative pressure based on a revolution number of the engine and an opening degree of a throttle, and an engine control unit which compares an actual intake gas negative pressure obtained by the actual intake gas negative pressure detection unit with an estimated intake gas negative pressure obtained by the estimated intake gas negative pressure calculation unit. The engine control unit prohibits a fuel supply to the engine until the actual intake gas negative pressure matches the estimated intake gas negative pressure, and carries out the fuel supply to the engine when the actual intake gas negative pressure matches the estimated intake gas negative pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Tomoharu Kamo, Kan Nakaune, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6516254
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle includes an actual intake gas negative pressure detection unit which detects an intake air negative pressure for the engine, an estimated intake gas negative pressure calculation unit which estimates an intake air negative pressure based on a revolution number of the engine and an opening degree of a throttle, and an engine control unit which compares an actual intake gas negative pressure obtained by the actual intake gas negative pressure detection unit with an estimated intake gas negative pressure obtained by the estimated intake gas negative pressure calculation unit. The engine control unit prohibits a fuel supply to the engine until the actual intake gas negative pressure matches the estimated intake gas negative pressure, and carries out the fuel supply to the engine when the actual intake gas negative pressure matches the estimated intake gas negative pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Tomoharu Kamo, Kan Nakaune, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20020112903
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor as a driving source, the control apparatus stops fuel supply to the engine by a fuel supply stop device during deceleration, and performs regenerative braking by the motor depending on the deceleration state, wherein the engine is a type of engine capable of executing cylinders deactivated operation for at least one cylinder, and the control apparatus comprises the cylinders deactivated operation execution flag F_ALCS for determining whether it is appropriate for cylinders to enters into the deactivated operation based on the traveling conditions of a vehicle and a variable valve timing mechanism for deactivating the operation of the cylinders of the engine when the cylinders deactivated operation is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Yasuo Nakamoto, Shigeo Hidai, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune
  • Publication number: 20020112902
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided which comprises an all cylinder deactivated operation execution flag F_ALCS for executing the all cylinders deactivated operation, when it is determined that the all cylinders deactivated operation is appropriate by the all cylinders deactivation standby flag F_ALCSSTB for determining the appropriateness of the all cylinders deactivated operation and the all cylinders deactivation release conditions realization flag F_F_ALCSSTP for determining the appropriateness of releasing the all cylinders deactivated operation, based on the all cylinders deactivation solenoid flag F_ALCSSOL for operating a spool valve, steps S110 and S117 for determining an appropriateness of the operation of the solenoid valve, the all cylinder deactivation standby flag F_ALCSSTB, the all cylinder deactivation conditions realization flag F_ALCSSTP, the all cylinder deactivation solenoid flag F_ALCSSOL, and steps S110 and S112.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Shinichi Kitajima, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20020115532
    Abstract: The invention provides a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle for generating an appropriate amount of regeneration energy during deceleration. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine and electric motor for driving the hybrid vehicle wherein the engine comprises cylinders capable of deactivated operations and the motor executes regenerative braking when the vehicle is decelerating. The control apparatus of the present invention comprises a cylinder deactivation determination device for determining whether or not the vehicle speed is appropriate for executing the cylinder deactivated operation, a regeneration amount calculating device for detecting whether the vehicle state is appropriate for regeneration and calculates the amount of regeneration; and further comprises a compensation amount calculating device that compensates the amount of regeneration based on an all cylinder deactivated operation and the engine rotation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Toshinari Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20020108794
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of charging the battery device when the state of charge of the battery device tends to decrease and the initial state of charge of the battery device is reduced by a predetermined amount. The present device comprises a lower limit threshold value setting device S060, an upper limit threshold value setting device for setting the lower limit and upper limit threshold values of the discharge amount of the battery device, a mode setting device S054 for increasing the state of charge when the state of charge is reduced to the lower limit threshold value, a mode setting release device S062 for releasing the mode setting changed by the mode setting device, and a discharge depth detecting device S063 for detecting the discharge amount of the present state of charge by comparison with the initial state of charge. The threshold value for determining whether it is necessary for the motor to assist the engine is modified depending upon the discharge depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Publication number: 20020095932
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having an intake system and an exhaust system is disclosed. The exhaust system includes a catalyst, and the intake system includes a throttle valve. The engine is mounted on a vehicle having a brake booster to which an intake pressure at downstream of the throttle valve is introduced. The catalyst temperature rise control in which the intake air amount is increased after starting of the engine and the ignition timing is retarded according to a rotational speed of the engine is performed. When a pressure difference between the detected intake pressure and the atmospheric pressure during the catalyst temperature raising control is less than a predetermined pressure, the increased intake air amount and the retard amount of the ignition timing is gradually decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Izumiura, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6408968
    Abstract: In vehicle operation under cruise mode, the battery, which is in a low temperature state, is caused to rise in temperature at an early stage, and the assistance amount and the regeneration power generation amount by means of the motor are caused to increase. During vehicle operation in cruise mode, in the case in which one or the other of the battery temperature and the engine water temperature have failed to reach a predetermined temperature, the cruise power generation amount is raised to a predetermined level, and charging of the battery is continued until both the battery temperature and the engine water temperature have reached predetermined temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kan Nakaune, Morio Kayano, Kazunori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6362536
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power generation control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle comprises an engine which outputs a driving force for the hybrid vehicle; a motor which outputs an assistant driving force so as to assist the driving force of the engine; a power storage unit; and a power generation control apparatus which controls the power generation by the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Izumiura, Takashi Kiyomiya, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6358180
    Abstract: An engine control system and method is disclosed, which reduces driver's feeling of unease relating to the operation of driving a vehicle which is idle-controlled so as to reduce the exhaust gas discharge, thereby improving the driving operability. The method comprising the steps of detecting a switch of the driving mode of the vehicle from a first normal driving range to a second normal driving range different from the first normal driving range; detecting whether the engine is currently in a stopped state due to an automatic stop operation; detecting whether a brake for stopping the vehicle is currently being operated; and automatically starting the engine if it is determined that the engine is currently in a stopped state due to the automatic stop operation, and that the driving mode has been switched to the second normal driving range, and that the brake is not currently being operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Izumiura, Kazutomo Sawamura, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune, Takashi Kiyomiya
  • Patent number: 6343246
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle with a combustion engine is provided for outputting driving force, an electric motor for generating a force for assisting the output from the engine, and a power storage unit for supplying a power to the motor and for storing energy regenerated by the motor when the vehicle decelerates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Hiroyuki Makino, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6334499
    Abstract: An output control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of preventing stopping of the engine at the time of recovering from a deceleration fuel cut and improving the acceleration capability. In a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine, a motor for assisting the driving power of the engine, and a battery for supplying electric power for the motor, the output control apparatus comprises an engine speed sensor, an idle stop execution judgement flag F_FCEX, and a motor ECU for judging whether the output assistance by the motor is to be executed, and the motor ECU comprises a deceleration fuel cut returning time permission judgement device (S026) for permitting the output assistance by the motor, when it is judged to return from the deceleration fuel cut by the flag value of the idle stop execution judgement flag F_FCEX, and when it is detected that the engine speed at the time of returning from the deceleration fuel cut is lower than a predetermined engine speed #NEMGMOT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Asao Ukai, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6334079
    Abstract: A determination method and apparatus for permitting deceleration regeneration or charge of a hybrid vehicle, by which erroneous determination relating to the clutch operation can be prevented. The method includes a first determination step of detecting clutch operation performed by a driver and determining a connection state of the clutch; a second determination step of determining a connection state of the clutch based on a correspondence relationship between vehicle speed and engine speed; and a permission determining step of permitting the deceleration regeneration or charge by the motor when it is determined that the clutch is connected both in the first and second determination steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kan Nakaune, Takashi Iwamoto, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Publication number: 20010005807
    Abstract: There is provided a control device for an engine including an automatic stop and start function, wherein detected data taken prior to an engine stop or results of an operation carried out based on the detected data are retained in executing an engine automatic stop control. In particular, in a case where the technology is applied to an engine including a thermostat proper operation determination function, a thermostat proper operation determination process is constructed so as to continue to be executed in executing an engine automatic stop control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Kan Nakaune