Patents by Inventor Keiji Imamura

Keiji Imamura 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: 8047064
    Abstract: An apparatus or a method for detecting an abnormality of inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio dispersion in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine according to the invention is equipped with a catalytic element that purifies exhaust gas of hydrogen, a first air-fuel ratio sensor that detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas that has not passed through the catalytic element, a second air-fuel ratio sensor that detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas that has passed through the catalytic element, a device that detects an abnormality of inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio dispersion on the basis of a divergence state of a detected value of a second air-fuel ratio to a lean side from a detected value of a first air-fuel ratio, and a device that forcibly reduces fuel injection amounts in cylinders individually when an abnormality on dispersion is detected by the abnormality detector, detects a divergence state of the detected value of the second air-fuel ratio to the lean side from the detected value of the first air-fue
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Iwazaki, Toru Kidokoro, Hiroshi Sawada, Keiji Imamura, Fumihiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8024105
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine are provided. The apparatus includes: a catalyst that is provided in an exhaust passage of the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine; a catalyst temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the catalyst; a catalyst temperature estimation unit that estimates a temperature of the catalyst based on an engine operating state; and an abnormality detection unit that determines whether abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders has occurred based on the detected temperature of the catalyst and the estimated temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Iwazaki, Toru Kidokoro, Hiroshi Sawada, Keiji Imamura, Fumihiko Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20110191005
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting an abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine includes: a catalyst that is arranged in an exhaust passage of the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine; a catalyst temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the catalyst; and an abnormality detecting unit that detects an abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders on the basis of the detected catalyst temperature, wherein the abnormality detecting unit calculates a temperature parameter on the basis of the detected catalyst temperature, and the abnormality detecting unit detects the abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders on the basis of the temperature parameter at the time when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after a cold start of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Iwazaki, Mie Sasai, Hiroshi Sawada, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Keiji Imamura
  • Publication number: 20100211290
    Abstract: A fuel injection amount from fuel injection valves is actively controlled and an input air-fuel ratio is caused forcibly to oscillate. A system from the fuel injection valves to the air-fuel ratio sensor is simulated by a first order delay system, and a gain and time constant are identified on the basis of the input air-fuel ratio relating to the model and an output air-fuel ratio obtained from the air-fuel ratio sensor. The presence of an air-fuel ratio abnormal variation is diagnosed on the basis of whether or not the identified values of the gain and the time constant are less than a first and second predetermined values respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toru KIDOKORO, Hiroshi SAWADA, Yasushi IWAZAKI, Koichi KIMURA, Hiroshi MIYAMOTO, Fumihiko NAKAMURA, Keiji IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20090260347
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine are provided. The apparatus includes: a catalyst that is provided in an exhaust passage of the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine; a catalyst temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the catalyst; a catalyst temperature estimation unit that estimates a temperature of the catalyst based on an engine operating state; and an abnormality detection unit that determines whether abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders has occurred based on the detected temperature of the catalyst and the estimated temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi IWAZAKI, Toru KIDOKORO, Hiroshi SAWADA, Keiji IMAMURA, Fumihiko NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20090211350
    Abstract: An apparatus or a method for detecting an abnormality of inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio dispersion in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine according to the invention is equipped with a catalytic element that purifies exhaust gas of hydrogen, a first air-fuel ratio sensor that detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas that has not passed through the catalytic element, a second air-fuel ratio sensor that detects an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas that has passed through the catalytic element, a device that detects an abnormality of inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio dispersion on the basis of a divergence state of a detected value of a second air-fuel ratio to a lean side from a detected value of a first air-fuel ratio, and a device that forcibly reduces fuel injection amounts in cylinders individually when an abnormality on dispersion is detected by the abnormality detector, detects a divergence state of the detected value of the second air-fuel ratio to the lean side from the detected value of the first air-fue
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi IWAZAKI, Toru Kidokoro, Hiroshi Sawada, Keiji Imamura, Fumihiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5198617
    Abstract: A distributing box for laying a cable duct in the construction field in is sealed, after laying the cable duct, with mortar and then buried in the ground. Accordingly, setting up the distributing box is simplified. Also, underground water must not permeate the distributing box. In the present invention, therefore, a duct laying fixture is constructed includes a box-shaped barrel of a water-expansible elastic material attached to the bellows type cable duct, and a water-expansible sheet which is stuck on the outer surface of the barrel. The barrel includes a duct mounting port in which the bellows type cable duct is mounted. Ribs are formed on the peripheral wall surface of the port to come into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the bellows type cable duct. A slit permits spreading the barrel. The sheet is stuck on the outer surface of the barrel after the duct has been passed by spreading the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignees: Saito Denki Sangyo Co., Ltd., Fukuoka Kurosu Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Ozeki, Masakazu Kawanabe, Keiji Imamura, Makoto Nakayama