Patents by Inventor Kazutomo Sawamura

Kazutomo Sawamura 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: 6907948
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6702052
    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, respectively, 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6621244
    Abstract: Conditions for permitting operation of vibration control are that; a stored charge of a battery 17 for an electric motor detected by storage state monitoring devices 15 and 24 is larger than a predetermined storage charge threshold, a vehicle's engine is idling, engine speed is within a prescribed range, and engine load is within a prescribed range. When all these conditions are satisfied, vibration damping control by a vibration damping control device is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Izumiura, Shinichi Kitajima, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6561295
    Abstract: A control system and method applied to a hybrid vehicle by which an excessive decrease of the remaining battery charge can be prevented while driving in a traffic jam. In the method, the remaining battery charge of the battery device is detected; and whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam is determined; and the charging device is made to charge the battery device if the detected remaining battery charge of the battery device is below a first predetermined value, and if it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Teruo Wakashiro, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6550557
    Abstract: A control apparatus provided in a hybrid vehicle having a combustion engine for outputting a driving force, an electric motor for generating a force for assisting the output from the engine, depending on the driving conditions, a power storage unit for storing electric energy generated by the motor acting as a generator using the output from the engine and electric energy regenerated by the motor when the vehicle decelerates. The control apparatus includes: a speed limiter for decreasing the driving force produced by the motor when the vehicle speed exceeds a first threshold value while the engine and the motor produce the driving force; a generation starter for starting generation by the motor when the vehicle speed exceeds a second threshold value which is higher than the first threshold value; and a generation amount setting device for setting the amount of generation, depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle, when the generation starter starts the generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Fumihiko Konno
  • Patent number: 6522959
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle that can improve the fuel consumption ratio while providing a good drivability is provided. It is determined whether the temperature of a catalyst in an exhaust system is equal to or below a predetermined temperature, and if this condition is satisfied, a Wide Open Throttle determination degree of throttle opening value for determining whether to carry out the Wide Open Throttle control is looked up in a table. Next, it is determined whether a degree of throttle opening is above the Wide Open Throttle determination degree of throttle opening value, and if this condition is satisfied, it is determined whether a remaining battery charge is equal to or above one within the normal use region. If this condition is satisfied, it is determined whether an engine speed is equal to or above a degree of throttle opening Wide Open Throttle prohibiting upper limit engine speed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6430482
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which increases electric power supply to a power storage unit to reduce the discharge amount from the power storage unit in the case where electric power consumption of the low voltage system is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Hideyuki Oki
  • Patent number: 6414401
    Abstract: A regeneration control system and method applied to a hybrid vehicle is disclosed, by which sufficient energy can be stored during deceleration regeneration, and engine stall can be prevented when the amount of load imposed on the engine increases during deceleration regeneration. The method includes (i) determining a quantity of regeneration performed using the motor during deceleration of the vehicle, and for making the motor execute regeneration based on the determined quantity; (ii) detecting a variation (decrement) of the engine speed; (iii) detecting the engine speed, and (iv) stopping regeneration executed by the motor during deceleration of the vehicle if the detected variation of the engine speed is larger than a predetermined value, or if the detected engine speed is equal to or below a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Atsushi Izumiura, Shinichi Kitajima, Teruo Wakashiro, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6380641
    Abstract: This invention relates to an engine stall prevention apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. This engine stall prevention apparatus comprises a clutch operation detection device which detects an operation of a clutch; a clutch state determination device which determines the state of the clutch based on the relationship between the vehicle speed and the engine speed; a throttle opening degree determination device which determines the degree of throttle opening of the engine; a first engine speed modification device (S010) which modifies a charging/regeneration allowing lower limit engine speed value above which deceleration regeneration by the electric motor is allowed; and a half-engaged clutch determination maintaining device (S008) which outputs a determination signal indicating that the clutch is half-engaged for a predetermined period of time when the throttle is completely closed and the clutch is determined to be half-engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6371889
    Abstract: The engine automatic start stop control apparatus that controls an engine to be automatically stopped or started in response to driving conditions of a vehicle, comprises: a clutch detector for detecting depression of a clutch pedal; an accelerator detector for detecting depression of an accelerator pedal; an automatic stop detector for detecting an automatic stop of the engine; a stop history checker for checking a history of stopping of the vehicle when the automatic stop detector detects the stop of the vehicle; and an automatic start device for terminating the automatic stop of the engine and starting the engine when the automatic stop detector detects the automatic stop, when the clutch detector detects the depression of the clutch pedal, when the stop history checker finds no stop history, and when the accelerator detector detects depression of the accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Takashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 6366059
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of charging the storage battery, when the residual capacity of the storage battery is decreasing and when a predetermined amount of the initial residual capacity is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Takashi Iwamoto, Shinichi Kitajima, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Matsubara
  • 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: 6356818
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control apparatus for improving fuel consumption ratio by making appropriate the deceleration perception of the hybrid vehicle is provided. It is determined whether the flag setting of a brake ON determination flag is “1”. If the brake is OFF, a brake OFF regeneration amount is obtained, and is assigned to the deceleration regeneration computed value. It is determined whether a remaining batter charge is greater than or equal to a predetermined normal power generation mode execution upper limit remaining charge. In the case where the determination result is yes, it is determined whether a control vehicle speed is greater than or equal to a predetermined high speed deceleration regeneration reduction lower limit vehicle speed. In the case where the determination result is yes, the value obtained by multiplying the deceleration regeneration computed value by a predetermined high speed deceleration regeneration reduction coefficient, for example 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6352489
    Abstract: The engine control system for a hybrid vehicle, according to the present invention, having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as driving force sources, comprises: a clutch, provided between the engine and a transmission system, for disabling and enabling driving force transmission between the engine and the transmission system; clutch disengagement detector for detecting engagement/disengagement of the clutch; engine speed detector for detecting an engine speed; and fuel cutter for permitting stopping and restarting of the engine in accordance with at least a result of detection by the clutch disengagement detector among predetermined drive conditions, and cutting fuel supply to the engine when the vehicle decelerates, a fuel-supply restart engine speed at which fuel supply is resumed being set in the fuel cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Yoichi Iwata, Keisuke Uchida, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6329775
    Abstract: A control apparatus applied to a hybrid vehicle is disclosed, by which the output assist by the motor with respect to the engine output can be limited or stopped in the high speed driving mode. The control apparatus comprises a section for stopping the operation of the motor from assisting the engine output when the engine output is assisted by the motor and the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined first threshold value; and a section for starting the regenerating operation of the motor when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined second threshold value which is larger than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Hideyuki Oki, Hideyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: RE37895
    Abstract: An evaporative fuel processing system adapted to be capable of detecting abnormality of an evaporative emission control system for storing, in a canister, evaporative fuel from a fuel tank for holding fuel to be supplied to an internal combustion engine, and purging evaporative fuel into the intake system of the engine. A first control valve is arranged across a passage extending between the fuel tank and the canister. A second control valve is arranged across a passage extending between the canister and the intake system of the engine. A third control valve is provided for an air inlet part of the canister communicatable with the atmosphere. Through operating these control valves to open and close them, the evaporative emission control system is negatively pressurized, and abnormality of this system is detected based on the pressure detected in this negatively pressurized state thereof. Timing for carrying out abnormality determination is determined depending on conditions of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Masayoshi Yamanaka, Hiroshi Maruyama, Masataka Chikamatsu, Shoichi Nemoto, Takeshi Suzuki