Patents by Inventor Kazushi Akimoto

Kazushi Akimoto 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: 8527154
    Abstract: In an inverted pendulum type vehicle, a manipulated variable for control of a traveling motion unit is determined using adjustment parameters Ki_x, Ki_y (i=1, 2, 3) and ?b_x_obj, ?b_y_obj, which changes its value in accordance with whether it is in the loaded state in which an object to be transported is loaded on a loading part of the inverted pendulum type vehicle, or whether it is in the non-loaded state in which the object to be transported is not loaded thereon. The adjustment parameters are changed at a faster rate of change in the case of the transition from the loaded state to the non-loaded state, than in the case of the transition from the non-loaded state to the loaded state. The adjustment parameters for control are changed appropriately during transition while suppressing occurrence of slipping of the traveling motion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hideo Murakami, Toru Takenaka
  • Patent number: 8521395
    Abstract: Provided is a control device of an inverted pendulum type mobile apparatus capable of support the body of a user on a base body with a foot of the user standing on the floor in a reclining state. If the reclining state where the user has the body supported by the base body with a foot thereof standing on the floor when the mobile apparatus 1 is in halt state is detected, a control unit 50 determines a manipulated variable for control (imaginary wheel rotational angular acceleration command) so as to drive a travelling motion unit 5 toward a direction for the base body 9 to support the body of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hideo Murakami, Yuichi Uebayashi
  • Patent number: 8521396
    Abstract: To provide a control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of making an occupant perform boarding action or dismounting action easily. A traveling motion unit controlling element 50 of an inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 controls a traveling motion of a traveling motion unit 5 so that, in a mode for transition period at the time when the occupant intends to board or dismount from vehicle, a sensitivity of change of a traveling velocity or a sensitivity of change of a traveling acceleration of the traveling motion unit 5 with respect to a change in the actual tilt angle of a payload supporting part 3 (at least a tilt angle about an axis in one direction), at least in a part of the period, to be smaller than that in the during-boarding mode when the occupant is aboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kobashi, Kazushi Akimoto, Toru Takenaka
  • Patent number: 8513917
    Abstract: A recharging system for a rechargeable battery (281) of an inverted pendulum type vehicle (1) comprises a stand (86) for holding the vehicle in a substantially upright posture by using a supporting member (91, 96) that engages a prescribed part of the vehicle, a power feed device (95, 152) is provided on the stand, and a power take device (88, 151) provided on the vehicle. The power take device is positioned so as to couple with the power feed device when the prescribed part of the vehicle is engaged by the supporting member of the stand. The stand allows the vehicle to be placed in an upright posture simply leaning the vehicle against a part of the supporting member, and the electric connection between the rechargeable battery of the vehicle and the power source can be established at the same time without requiring any extra effort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gomi, Kazushi Hamaya, Kazushi Akimoto, Yuichi Uebayashi, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hironori Waita
  • Patent number: 8494746
    Abstract: A desired travelling velocity of a representative point of a vehicle 1 is set under such a condition that it does not exceed a velocity permissible range which is defined to have anisotropy according to a posture of an occupant seated on a seat 3. An operation of a travelling motion unit 5 is controlled by controlling an operation of an actuator 7 on the basis of the desired travelling velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushi Akimoto, Hideo Murakami, Toru Takenaka
  • Patent number: 8478490
    Abstract: A control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of controlling fluctuation of a traveling velocity of a vehicle according to operating state of the vehicle. A traveling motion unit controlling element 50 of an inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 includes a first processing mode and a second processing mode. In the first processing mode, determines a manipulated variable for control so as to bring a tilt angle of a payload supporting part 3 and a traveling velocity of a representative point of the vehicle 1 closer to a desired value. In the second processing mode, the traveling motion unit controlling element 50 determines the manipulated variable for control while making a sensitivity to change of the manipulated variable for control with respect to a measured value of the traveling velocity of the representative point to be relatively lower than that in the first processing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hideo Murakami, Yuichi Uebayashi
  • Patent number: 8467948
    Abstract: A vehicle target velocity calculator of an omnidirectional moving body converts a manipulated vector which is a manipulated variable of the omnidirectional moving body instructed by an operator by using an operation portion of an operation device to a manipulated vector of the omnidirectional moving body in the relative coordinate system based on an angle difference between the presence direction of the omnidirectional moving body detected by the operation device sensor unit and the presence direction of the operation device detected by the vehicle sensor unit, and determines the target moving velocity vector according to the converted manipulated vector. The wheel velocity command calculator instructs a wheel drive unit to drive the base body according to this target moving velocity vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Hideo Murakami
  • Patent number: 8463523
    Abstract: An inverted pendulum type vehicle includes a loaded mode in which an object to be transported is loaded on a boarding unit, and a non-loaded state mode in which the object to be transported is not loaded thereon. When traveling velocities of a representative point of the vehicle in a steady-state, in which tilt errors ?be_x_s, ?be_y_s between actual tilt angles of a boarding unit and desired tilt angles thereof are maintained, constant are Vb_x_stb, Vb_y_stb, a traveling motion of a traveling motion unit is controlled such that at least a ratio of a magnitude of Vb_x_stb with respect to a magnitude of ?be_x_s becomes a smaller ratio in the non-loaded state mode than in the loaded state mode. Such inverted pendulum type vehicle is difficult to move in the non-loaded state mode, and is easy to move in the loaded mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushi Akimoto, Hideo Murakami, Toru Takenaka
  • Patent number: 8381859
    Abstract: An inverted pendulum type vehicle (1) includes a lower frame incorporated with load sensor having an input portion 60 for receiving an external force and an upper frame (3) provided with a saddle 11 for supporting a load of a rider or a cargo and a grip handle (31) for enabling a user not riding the vehicle to support the vehicle (1), the upper frame being connected to the lower frame via the input portion of the load sensor. Therefore, in the vehicle including the lower frame supporting a propelling unit for the vehicle and the upper frame detachably attached to the lower frame, by using a single force sensor, not only the force acting on a load support portion of the upper frame can be detected in an accurate manner, but also the force acting on the load support portion when the user is transporting the vehicle can be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushi Hamaya, Hironori Waita, Hiroshi Gomi, Joonheon Shin, Kazushi Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8386159
    Abstract: According to a vehicle 1 of the present invention, coordinate systems of a past estimated value and an instantaneous provisional value of a two-dimensional floor inclination are conformed, by coordinate converting at least one of the “past estimated value” and the “instantaneous provisional value” of the two-dimensional floor inclination, using an orientation of the vehicle 1 or a rate of change thereof. Thereafter, a new estimated value of the two-dimensional floor inclination is calculated, by calculating a weighed mean value or a low-pass filter value using the past estimated value and the instantaneous provisional value of the two-dimensional floor inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto
  • Patent number: 8353378
    Abstract: A frictional drive device comprises a pair of drive disks (48) each rotatably supported by a frame (2, 42) around a central axial line (A) in a mutually opposing relationship, and a pair of actuators (64) supported by the frame for individually rotatively actuating the drive disks and coaxially disposed with respect to the corresponding drive disks, a plurality of drive rollers (56) arranged along an outer periphery of each drive disk and each having a rotational center line so as to be rotatable along a plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the central axial line, and an annular main wheel (85) disposed approximately coaxially with respect to the central axial line and engaged by the drive rollers of the drive disks, the main wheel comprising an annular member (86) and a plurality of driven rollers (92) supported along the annular member so as to be rotatable around a tangential line of the annular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gomi, Shinichiro Kobashi, Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Hamaya, Wataru Yada, Kazushi Akimoto, Yuichi Uebayashi, Hironori Waita
  • Publication number: 20120179352
    Abstract: Provided is a control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of adjusting a deviation of a tilt angle of a base body from a desired tilt angle so as to maintain the vehicle in a normal state where the tilt angle matches the desired tilt angle and the vehicle is in halt. When an update condition for updating a tilt offset adjusting variable ?b_xy_offset is satisfied (STEP 21), a posture control calculator 80 performs a first mode arithmetic process (STEP 22) to update the tilt offset adjusting variable ?b_xy_offset, and meanwhile determines imaginary wheel rotational angular acceleration commands ?wdot_x_cmd and ?wdot_y_cmd via a second mode arithmetic process (STEP 23) by using the tilt offset adjusting variable ?b_xy_offset updated in the first mode arithmetic process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hideo Murakami, Yuichi Uebayashi
  • Publication number: 20120175176
    Abstract: An inverted pendulum type vehicle (1) includes a lower frame incorporated with load sensor having an input portion 60 for receiving an external force and an upper frame (3) provided with a saddle 11 for supporting a load of a rider or a cargo and a grip handle (31) for enabling a user not riding the vehicle to support the vehicle (1), the upper frame being connected to the lower frame via the input portion of the load sensor. Therefore, in the vehicle including the lower frame supporting a propelling unit for the vehicle and the upper frame detachably attached to the lower frame, by using a single force sensor, not only the force acting on a load support portion of the upper frame can be detected in an accurate manner, but also the force acting on the load support portion when the user is transporting the vehicle can be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazushi Hamaya, Hironori Waita, Hiroshi Gomi, Joonheon Shin, Kazushi Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20120173043
    Abstract: To provide a control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of making an occupant perform boarding action or dismounting action easily. A traveling motion unit controlling element 50 of an inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 controls a traveling motion of a traveling motion unit 5 so that, in a mode for transition period at the time when the occupant intends to board or dismount from vehicle, a sensitivity of change of a traveling velocity or a sensitivity of change of a traveling acceleration of the traveling motion unit 5 with respect to a change in the actual tilt angle of a payload supporting part 3 (at least a tilt angle about an axis in one direction), at least in a part of the period, to be smaller than that in the during-boarding mode when the occupant is aboard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kobashi, Kazushi Akimoto, Toru Takenaka
  • Publication number: 20120173109
    Abstract: A desired travelling velocity of a representative point of a vehicle 1 is set under such a condition that it does not exceed a velocity permissible range which is defined to have anisotropy according to a posture of an occupant seated on a seat 3. An operation of a travelling motion unit 5 is controlled by controlling an operation of an actuator 7 on the basis of the desired travelling velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazushi Akimoto, Hideo Murakami, Toru Takenaka
  • Publication number: 20120173088
    Abstract: Provided is a controller for an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of moving the vehicle smoothly. The inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 is provided with a grip 18 at a upper end portion of a base body 9. A grip-acting external force F acting on the grip 18 is detected by a force sensor 55. According to the detected grip-acting external force F, a required center-of-gravity velocity generator 74 determines required center-of-gravity velocities Vb_x_aim and Vb_y_aim, and on the basis thereof, a traveling motion unit controller determines a manipulated variable for control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Kobashi, Kazushi Akimoto, Hideo Murakami, Toru Takenaka, Hiroshi Gomi
  • Publication number: 20120173114
    Abstract: Provided is a control device of an inverted pendulum type mobile apparatus capable of support the body of a user on a base body with a foot of the user standing on the floor in a reclining state. If the reclining state where the user has the body supported by the base body with a foot thereof standing on the floor when the mobile apparatus 1 is in halt state is detected, a control unit 50 determines a manipulated variable for control (imaginary wheel rotational angular acceleration command) so as to drive a travelling motion unit 5 toward a direction for the base body 9 to support the body of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hideo Murakami, Yuichi Uebayashi
  • Publication number: 20120173042
    Abstract: A control device of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of easily performing a circling movement of the vehicle, without requiring complex maneuvering operation. A control unit 50 of an inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 determines a desired tilt angle of a payload supporting part 3 according to a yaw rate measured value by a yaw rate sensor 53 equipped to the vehicle 1, and controls a traveling motion of a traveling motion unit 5 so as to bring an actual tilt angle close to the desired tilt angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hideo Murakami
  • Publication number: 20120173106
    Abstract: Provided is a controller of an inverted pendulum type vehicle capable of being moved smoothly by a guided subject as a support. In the inverted pendulum type vehicle 1, an upper portion of a base body 9 is fixed with a grip 18 extending vertically, and a joystick 20 is disposed at an upper end of the grip 18 and is configured to be held by a guided subject to issue commands to every direction of 360° according to thumb operations thereof. A manipulated variable of the joystick 20 is detected by a position sensor 55, a required center-of-gravity velocity generator 74 determines required center-of-gravity velocities of Vb_x_aim and Vb_y_aim according to the detected manipulated variable of the joystick 20, and on the basis thereof, a traveling motion unit controller determines a manipulated variable for control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Hideo Murakami
  • Publication number: 20120173107
    Abstract: Provided is a control device capable of imparting a driving force appropriate for controlling a tilt angle of a loading part to a traveling motion unit, despite the weight of an object to be transported mounted on the loading part capable of freely tilting of an inverted pendulum type vehicle. Velocity command values for defining a desired value of a traveling velocity of a traveling motion unit 5 so as to bring an tilt error between a measured value of the tilt angle of a loading part 3 of an inverted pendulum type vehicle 1 and a desired tilt angle of a predetermined value close to 0 is sequentially determined, and an actuator 7 is controlled so as to make the actual traveling velocity of the traveling motion unit 5 follow a desired value of the traveling velocity defined by the velocity command value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Kazushi Akimoto, Shinichiro Kobashi