Patents by Inventor Kazuhiro Umemoto

Kazuhiro Umemoto 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: 11339695
    Abstract: The exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine comprises a catalyst 20 arranged in an exhaust passage and able to store oxygen, and an air-fuel ratio control device configured to control an air-fuel ratio of inflowing exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst. The catalyst has a precious metal and the precious metal has a property of a vapor pressure at a predetermined temperature becoming lower when oxidized. If a temperature of the catalyst is equal to or greater than a threshold temperature or if predicting a rise in temperature of the catalyst, the air-fuel ratio control device is configured to make the air-fuel ratio of the inflowing exhaust gas leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that an oxygen storage amount of the catalyst becomes equal to or greater than an upper side reference amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Ueda, Kazuhiro Umemoto
  • Publication number: 20210180491
    Abstract: The exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine comprises a catalyst 20 arranged in an exhaust passage and able to store oxygen, and an air-fuel ratio control device configured to control an air-fuel ratio of inflowing exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst. The catalyst has a precious metal and the precious metal has a property of a vapor pressure at a predetermined temperature becoming lower when oxidized. If a temperature of the catalyst is equal to or greater than a threshold temperature or if predicting a rise in temperature of the catalyst, the air-fuel ratio control device is configured to make the air-fuel ratio of the inflowing exhaust gas leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that an oxygen storage amount of the catalyst becomes equal to or greater than an upper side reference amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Ueda, Kazuhiro Umemoto
  • Patent number: 11028757
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine is provided with: an exhaust purification catalyst supporting a precious metal and able to store oxygen; and a control device controlling an amount of fuel fed to a combustion chamber. When a predetermined condition for performing a fuel cut operation stands, the control device is configured to perform fuel feed control in which fuel is temporarily fed to the combustion chamber so that the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst is a rich air-fuel ratio richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, then start fuel cut control stopping the feed of fuel to the combustion chamber in the state the internal combustion engine is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Umemoto
  • Patent number: 10753249
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine according to the present disclosure includes an exhaust emission control catalyst provided in an exhaust passage in an internal combustion engine and divided into a preceding catalyst and a succeeding catalyst, and a heating device provided in the exhaust passage between the preceding catalyst and the succeeding catalyst. The exhaust emission control catalyst is divided into the preceding catalyst and the succeeding catalyst so that a ratio of a capacity of the preceding catalyst to a total displacement of the internal combustion engine is from 0.3 to 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryohei Ono, Masaaki Sato, Katsuhiro Ito, Akira Mikami, Kazuhiro Umemoto, Daichi Imai
  • Patent number: 10677125
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes the adsorbent, the catalyst and the heat generating element, wherein in cases where the residual capacity of the battery is smaller than a first predetermined value required for raising the temperature of the catalyst to an activation temperature thereof, and in cases where the residual capacity of the battery is larger than a second predetermined value which is smaller than the first predetermined value and which is required for raising the temperature of the adsorbent to a predetermined temperature at which the adsorbent exhibits adsorption performance required at the time of starting of the internal combustion engine, an amount of electric power to be supplied to the heat generating element from the battery is adjusted such that the temperature of the adsorbent becomes the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryohei Ono, Masaaki Sato, Katsuhiro Ito, Akira Mikami, Kazuhiro Umemoto, Daichi Imai
  • Patent number: 10648391
    Abstract: A controller estimates a first estimated adsorption amount which is an amount of adsorption of ammonia in the SCR catalyst at the time when the SCR catalyst is assumed to be in a predetermined abnormal state, estimates a second estimated adsorption amount at the time when the SCR catalyst is assumed to be in a predetermined normal state, calculates a first slip development temperature based on the first estimated adsorption amount, and calculates a second slip development temperature based on the second estimated adsorption amount. The controller, when carrying out an abnormality diagnosis based on a concentration of ammonia in an exhaust gas at the downstream side of the SCR catalyst, carries out diagnostic temperature control so as to control the temperature of the SCR catalyst to a temperature which is equal to or more than the first slip development temperature and is less than the second slip development temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryohei Ono, Masaaki Sato, Katsuhiro Ito, Akira Mikami, Kazuhiro Umemoto, Daichi Imai
  • Publication number: 20200080458
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine is provided with: an exhaust purification catalyst supporting a precious metal and able to store oxygen; and a control device controlling an amount of fuel fed to a combustion chamber. When a predetermined condition for performing a fuel cut operation stands, the control device is configured to perform fuel feed control in which fuel is temporarily fed to the combustion chamber so that the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst is a rich air-fuel ratio richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, then start fuel cut control stopping the feed of fuel to the combustion chamber in the state the internal combustion engine is operating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro UMEMOTO
  • Patent number: 10550779
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus includes a fuel injection device, a NOx occlusion reduction catalyst, a fuel addition valve, an inflow gas adjustment device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit executes a low flow rate reduction treatment for removing NOx occluded in the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst after fuel supply from the fuel injection device is stopped. The electronic control unit controls the inflow gas adjustment device such that a ratio of oxygen to the fuel added to the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst at a time when a temperature of the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst is below an activation temperature becomes higher than a ratio of oxygen to the fuel added to the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst at a time when the temperature of the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst is equal to or higher than the activation temperature during the low flow rate reduction treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Umemoto, Toshihiro Mori, Hiromasa Nishioka
  • Patent number: 10487713
    Abstract: The exhaust gas purification apparatus is applied to an internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas purification apparatus includes a SCR catalyst, a reducing agent addition valve, an oxidation catalyst, a fuel addition valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to add fuel into the exhaust gas through the fuel addition valve, in a case where the reducing agent is added to the exhaust gas through the reducing agent addition valve in a state where the temperature of the SCR catalyst is higher than a predetermined threshold value. The controller is further configured to control the fuel addition valve so that the amount of fuel added through the fuel addition valve is smaller in a case where the degree of deterioration of the SCR catalyst is smaller than in a case where the degree of deterioration is larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Umemoto
  • Patent number: 10450923
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided. The exhaust gas control apparatus is equipped with a NOx reduction catalyst, a reducing agent tank, a reducing agent supply device, a booster, a heater, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform control of raising a temperature of a reducing agent to a first target temperature such that the reducing agent supplied by the reducing agent supply device is brought into a gas-liquid mixed state in an exhaust passage, when energy of exhaust gas is lower than a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, The Doshisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Umemoto, Toshihiro Mori, Hiromasa Nishioka, Jiro Senda, Eriko Matsumura
  • Patent number: 10443468
    Abstract: The fuel addition system comprises: a fuel addition valve, a fuel tank, a first pressure storage chamber storing fuel to be supplied to a fuel injector, a supply pump increasing a pressure of fuel inside the fuel tank and supplying the fuel to the first pressure storage chamber, a pressure reduction valve discharging fuel stored in the first pressure storage chamber, a pressure reduction fuel passage supplying fuel discharged from the first pressure storage chamber to the fuel addition valve, and a control device controlling the fuel addition valve and the pressure reduction valve. The control device detects or estimates a temperature of fuel supplied to the fuel addition valve and, when injecting fuel from the fuel addition valve, controls an amount of fuel discharged from the first pressure storage chamber through the pressure reduction valve so that the temperature of the fuel becomes a reference temperature or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignees: Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuro Serai, Kenichi Tomomatsu, Takayoshi Kojima, Naoki Toda, Kazuhiro Umemoto, Toshihiro Mori, Hiromasa Nishioka
  • Publication number: 20190271248
    Abstract: The exhaust gas purification apparatus is applied to an internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas purification apparatus includes a SCR catalyst, a reducing agent addition valve, an oxidation catalyst, a fuel addition valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to add fuel into the exhaust gas through the fuel addition valve, in a case where the reducing agent is added to the exhaust gas through the reducing agent addition valve in a state where the temperature of the SCR catalyst is higher than a predetermined threshold value. The controller is further configured to control the fuel addition valve so that the amount of fuel added through the fuel addition valve is smaller in a case where the degree of deterioration of the SCR catalyst is smaller than in a case where the degree of deterioration is larger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventor: Kazuhiro UMEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20190234269
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine according to the present disclosure includes an exhaust emission control catalyst provided in an exhaust passage in an internal combustion engine and divided into a preceding catalyst and a succeeding catalyst, and a heating device provided in the exhaust passage between the preceding catalyst and the succeeding catalyst. The exhaust emission control catalyst is divided into the preceding catalyst and the succeeding catalyst so that a ratio of a capacity of the preceding catalyst to a total displacement of the internal combustion engine is from 0.3 to 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryohei ONO, Masaaki SATO, Katsuhiro ITO, Akira MIKAMI, Kazuhiro UMEMOTO, Daichi IMAI
  • Publication number: 20190195114
    Abstract: A controller estimates a first estimated adsorption amount which is an amount of adsorption of ammonia in the SCR catalyst at the time when the SCR catalyst is assumed to be in a predetermined abnormal state, estimates a second estimated adsorption amount at the time when the SCR catalyst is assumed to be in a predetermined normal state, calculates a first slip development temperature based on the first estimated adsorption amount, and calculates a second slip development temperature based on the second estimated adsorption amount. The controller, when carrying out an abnormality diagnosis based on a concentration of ammonia in an exhaust gas at the downstream side of the SCR catalyst, carries out diagnostic temperature control so as to control the temperature of the SCR catalyst to a temperature which is equal to or more than the first slip development temperature and is less than the second slip development temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryohei ONO, Masaaki Sato, Katsuhiro Ito, Akira Mikami, Kazuhiro Umemoto, Daichi Imai
  • Publication number: 20190186316
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes the adsorbent, the catalyst and the heat generating element, wherein in cases where the residual capacity of the battery is smaller than a first predetermined value required for raising the temperature of the catalyst to an activation temperature thereof, and in cases where the residual capacity of the battery is larger than a second predetermined value which is smaller than the first predetermined value and which is required for raising the temperature of the adsorbent to a predetermined temperature at which the adsorbent exhibits adsorption performance required at the time of starting of the internal combustion engine, an amount of electric power to be supplied to the heat generating element from the battery is adjusted such that the temperature of the adsorbent becomes the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryohei ONO, Masaaki Sato, Katsuhiro Ito, Akira Mikami, Kazuhiro Umemoto, Daichi Imai
  • Patent number: 10316776
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas purification device which is arranged in an exhaust passage and includes a NOx storage reduction (NSR) catalyst. The control apparatus, when the air fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture is shifted from a lean air fuel ratio to the stoichiometric air fuel ratio, determines a predetermined NOx amount so as to be larger when the temperature detected by the first detection unit is high in comparison with when the detected temperature is low, and when the storage amount of NOx in the NSR catalyst is larger than the predetermined NOx amount, performs the rich spike processing and then controls the air fuel ratio to the stoichiometric air fuel ratio, whereas when otherwise, controls the air fuel ratio to the stoichiometric air fuel ratio without performing the rich spike processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Kazuhiro Umemoto, Toshihiro Mori, Shigeki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10184379
    Abstract: A particulate filter for trapping the particulate matter which is contained in the exhaust gas is provided inside an engine exhaust passage. Additional fuel is secondarily injected from a fuel injector in an engine expansion stroke or exhaust stroke or hydrocarbons are secondarily added from an addition valve which is provided upstream of the particulate filter in the exhaust pipe. An amount of hydrocarbons which come from the fuel injector or addition valve and then adhere in the form of a liquid to the inflow end of the particulate filter, and an amount of particulate matter which reaches the inflow end of the particulate filter are respectively estimated. A degree of clogging at the inflow end of the particulate filter is estimated based on the amount of hydrocarbons and the amount of particulate matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Umemoto, Kohei Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20180372012
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus includes a fuel injection device, a NOx occlusion reduction catalyst, a fuel addition valve, an inflow gas adjustment device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit executes a low flow rate reduction treatment for removing NOx occluded in the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst after fuel supply from the fuel injection device is stopped. The electronic control unit controls the inflow gas adjustment device such that a ratio of oxygen to the fuel added to the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst at a time when a temperature of the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst is below an activation temperature becomes higher than a ratio of oxygen to the fuel added to the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst at a time when the temperature of the NOx occlusion reduction catalyst is equal to or higher than the activation temperature during the low flow rate reduction treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro UMEMOTO, Toshihiro Mori, Hiromasa Nishioka
  • Publication number: 20180238218
    Abstract: The fuel addition system comprises: a fuel addition valve, a fuel tank, a first pressure storage chamber storing fuel to be supplied to a fuel injector, a supply pump increasing a pressure of fuel inside the fuel tank and supplying the fuel to the first pressure storage chamber, a pressure reduction valve discharging fuel stored in the first pressure storage chamber, a pressure reduction fuel passage supplying fuel discharged from the first pressure storage chamber to the fuel addition valve, and a control device controlling the fuel addition valve and the pressure reduction valve. The control device detects or estimates a temperature of fuel supplied to the fuel addition valve and, when injecting fuel from the fuel addition valve, controls an amount of fuel discharged from the first pressure storage chamber through the pressure reduction valve so that the temperature of the fuel becomes a reference temperature or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicants: SOKEN INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro SERAI, Kenichi TOMOMATSU, Takayoshi KOJIMA, Naoki TODA, Kazuhiro UMEMOTO, Toshihiro MORI, Hiromasa NISHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20180128143
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided. The exhaust gas control apparatus is equipped with a NOx reduction catalyst, a reducing agent tank, a reducing agent supply device, a booster, a heater, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform control of raising a temperature of a reducing agent to a first target temperature such that the reducing agent supplied by the reducing agent supply device is brought into a gas-liquid mixed state in an exhaust passage, when energy of exhaust gas is lower than a first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, THE DOSHISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro UMEMOTO, Toshihiro MORI, Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Jiro SENDA, Eriko MATSUMURA