Patents by Inventor Ken Itou

Ken Itou 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: 10972020
    Abstract: The control method for an electric vehicle sets a motor torque command value based on vehicle information and controls torque of a first motor connected to a first drive wheel which is one of a front drive wheel and a rear drive wheel. The control method for an electric vehicle calculates a first torque command value by a feedforward computation based on the motor torque command value, detects a rotation angular velocity of the first motor, and estimates a rotation angular velocity of the first motor based on the first torque command value by using a vehicle model Gp(s) that simulates a transfer characteristic from a torque input to the first drive wheel to a rotation angular velocity of the first motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Sawada, Ken Itou, Kengo Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20200259431
    Abstract: The control method for an electric vehicle sets a motor torque command value based on vehicle information and controls torque of a first motor connected to a first drive wheel which is one of a front drive wheel and a rear drive wheel. The control method for an electric vehicle calculates a first torque command value by a feedforward computation based on the motor torque command value, detects a rotation angular velocity of the first motor, and estimates a rotation angular velocity of the first motor based on the first torque command value by using a vehicle model Gp(s) that simulates a transfer characteristic from a torque input to the first drive wheel to a rotation angular velocity of the first motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Sawada, Ken Itou, Kengo Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10715077
    Abstract: A method of controlling a motor having windings of a plurality of phases includes an estimation step of calculating a current vector norm from d-axis current and q-axis current flowing in the motor, calculating power loss from the current vector norm and the entire heat resistance of the motor, and estimating the maximum temperature of the windings of the plurality of phases based on the power loss and a transfer function having first or higher-order transfer characteristics, in the case where the motor is in a low rotation state, and a limiting step of limiting input power based on the maximum temperature estimated in the estimation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Itou, Kohei Murota, Tomoaki Mori, Naoki Takahashi, Hiromichi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10710463
    Abstract: The control device for the electric vehicle determines whether or not the starting operation of the vehicle has been performed by the driver, calculates the disturbance torque estimated value Td necessary for maintaining the vehicle stop state corresponding to the disturbance acting on the vehicle, and performs a control such that the driving torque of the motor converges to the disturbance torque estimated value Td when the vehicle is determined to be just before stop of the vehicle during running or determined to have undergone the starting operation. Then, the control device for the electric vehicle controls the responsiveness of the driving torque to the disturbance acting on the vehicle, and increases the responsiveness of the driving torque of the motor compared with the responsiveness of the driving torque just before stop of the vehicle when the starting operation is determined to have been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Sawada, Ken Itou, Takashi Nakajima, Yuji Katsumata, Hiroyuki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 10507819
    Abstract: The control method for the hybrid vehicle includes a rotation speed control torque calculation step of, based on a rotation speed command value for the electric generator and a rotation speed detection value of the electric generator, calculating a torque command value for controlling the rotation speed of the electric generator, and an electric generator control step of controlling the electric generator according to the torque command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kengo Fujiwara, Ken Itou
  • Publication number: 20190305713
    Abstract: A method of controlling a motor having windings of a plurality of phases includes an estimation step of calculating a current vector norm from d-axis current and q-axis current flowing in the motor, calculating power loss from the current vector norm and the entire heat resistance of the motor, and estimating the maximum temperature of the windings of the plurality of phases based on the power loss and a transfer function having first or higher-order transfer characteristics, in the case where the motor is in a low rotation state, and a limiting step of limiting input power based on the maximum temperature estimated in the estimation step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Itou, Kohei Murota, Tomoaki Mori, Naoki Takahashi, Hiromichi Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20190299967
    Abstract: The control method for the hybrid vehicle includes a rotation speed control torque calculation step of, based on a rotation speed command value for the electric generator and a rotation speed detection value of the electric generator, calculating a torque command value for controlling the rotation speed of the electric generator, and an electric generator control step of controlling the electric generator according to the torque command value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kengo FUJIWARA, Ken ITOU
  • Patent number: 10328803
    Abstract: the control device for electric vehicle in the first embodiment, in the electric vehicle including the motor that functions as the traveling driving source and provides a regenerative braking force to the vehicle, and the friction brakes that provide the friction braking force to the vehicle, detects the motor rotation speed proportionate to a running speed of this electric vehicle, estimates the disturbance torque that acts on the motor, and performs the control such that the motor torque command value converges to the disturbance torque estimated value as the motor rotation speed decreases. Then, when the motor rotation speed becomes almost 0, the control device performs the control such that the friction-braking-amount command value with respect to the friction brakes converges to a value determined on the basis of the disturbance torque estimated value, and causes the motor torque command value to converge to almost 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Komatsu, Ken Itou, Takashi Nakajima, Yuuji Katsumata, Akira Sawada
  • Patent number: 10195945
    Abstract: A control device is provided for an electric vehicle that generates a braking force corresponding to an opening degree of an accelerator pedal to decelerate the electric vehicle. The control device for the electric vehicle includes a motor configured to generate a driving force or a regenerative braking force of the electric vehicle, a friction braking unit configured to generate a friction braking force, and a controller configured to control at least one of the motor and the friction braking unit corresponding to the opening degree of the accelerator pedal. The controller determines whether all of regenerative electric power generated by the motor is consumed in the electric vehicle when the motor is caused to perform a regenerative braking. The controller causes the motor to perform the regenerative braking when the regenerative electric power is determined to be consumed in the electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Hirakawa, Ken Itou, Yuji Katsumata, Hiroyuki Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20180244157
    Abstract: A control device is provided for an electric vehicle that generates a braking force corresponding to an opening degree of an accelerator pedal to decelerate the electric vehicle. The control device for the electric vehicle includes a motor configured to generate a driving force or a regenerative braking force of the electric vehicle, a friction braking unit configured to generate a friction braking force, and a controller configured to control at least one of the motor and the friction braking unit corresponding to the opening degree of the accelerator pedal. The controller determines whether all of regenerative electric power generated by the motor is consumed in the electric vehicle when the motor is caused to perform a regenerative braking. The controller causes the motor to perform the regenerative braking when the regenerative electric power is determined to be consumed in the electric vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi HIRAKAWA, Ken ITOU, Yuji KATSUMATA, Hiroyuki KOMATSU
  • Publication number: 20180244158
    Abstract: the control device for electric vehicle in the first embodiment, in the electric vehicle including the motor that functions as the traveling driving source and provides a regenerative braking force to the vehicle, and the friction brakes that provide the friction braking force to the vehicle, detects the motor rotation speed proportionate to a running speed of this electric vehicle, estimates the disturbance torque that acts on the motor, and performs the control such that the motor torque command value converges to the disturbance torque estimated value as the motor rotation speed decreases. Then, when the motor rotation speed becomes almost 0, the control device performs the control such that the friction-braking-amount command value with respect to the friction brakes converges to a value determined on the basis of the disturbance torque estimated value, and causes the motor torque command value to converge to almost 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOMATSU, Ken ITOU, Takashi NAKAJIMA, Yuuji KATSUMATA, Akira SAWADA
  • Publication number: 20180154797
    Abstract: The control device for the electric vehicle determines whether or not the starting operation of the vehicle has been performed by the driver, calculates the disturbance torque estimated value Td necessary for maintaining the vehicle stop state corresponding to the disturbance acting on the vehicle, and performs a control such that the driving torque of the motor converges to the disturbance torque estimated value Td when the vehicle is determined to be just before stop of the vehicle during running or determined to have undergone the starting operation. Then, the control device for the electric vehicle controls the responsiveness of the driving torque to the disturbance acting on the vehicle, and increases the responsiveness of the driving torque of the motor compared with the responsiveness of the driving torque just before stop of the vehicle when the starting operation is determined to have been performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira SAWADA, Ken ITOU, Takashi NAKAJIMA, Yuji KATSUMATA, Hiroyuki KOMATSU
  • Patent number: 9726065
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a vehicle body, a guiding pipe, a first heating section, and a second heating section. The vehicle body has a partition wall that partitions a space in an inner section into a first region and a second region. The guiding pipe is configured to guide a reducing agent. The guiding pipe has a first pipe section and a second pipe section. The first pipe section is positioned inside the first region. The second pipe section is positioned in the second region. The first heating section heats the first pipe section. The second heating section heats the second pipe section and adjusts the temperature independently from the first heating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Kiichirou Kouno, Ken Itou, Jin Yogita, Kozo Okuda, Yasuyuki Onodera, Hideo Oguri, Shouhei Nagasaka, Minato Tomuro
  • Patent number: 9492949
    Abstract: When compression molding is performed continuously, lumps of molten synthetic resin (drops), which are supplied by extrusion, are continuously, accurately, and rapidly inserted into plurality of compression molding dies which are rotatingly movable. A method and device for continuously supplying drops into female moldings which are rotatingly movable for manufacturing moldings, wherein synthetic resin in molten condition extruded from an extrusion opening is cut by a cutter attached to a holding mechanism to form the molten resin into drops in a determined quantity, the drops are held and conveyed by the holding mechanism, and the drops are forcibly inserted and supplied into the concaves of the female moldings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: TOYO SEIKAN GROUP HOLDINGS, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Nemoto, Yoshihiko Kimura, Ken Itou, Shoichiro Takano, Hiroyuki Hashimoto, Masayuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9315114
    Abstract: A device for controlling an electric vehicle includes: a feedforward computation unit that is configured to input a motor torque instruction value and compute a first torque target value by feedforward computation; and a motor torque control unit that is configured to control a motor torque according to the first torque target value. The feedforward computation unit includes: a vehicle model which is configured to input the motor torque instruction value to model a characteristic from the motor torque to a drive shaft torsional angular velocity; and a drive shaft torsional angular velocity feedback model which is configured to feed back the drive shaft torsional angular velocity output from the vehicle model to the motor torque instruction value to compute the first torque target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shou Oono, Ken Itou
  • Publication number: 20150308313
    Abstract: A work vehicle is provided with a vehicle body, a pipe, a first heating section, and a second heating section. The vehicle body has a first region and a second region which is partitioned from the first region. The pipe has a first pipe section and a second pipe section. The first pipe section is positioned inside the first region. The second pipe section is positioned in the second region. The first heating section heats the first pipe section. The second heating section heats the second pipe section and adjusts the temperature independently from the first heating section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Kiichirou KOUNO, Ken ITOU, Jin YOGITA, Kozo OKUDA, Yasuyuki ONODERA, Hideo OGURI, Shouhei NAGASAKA, Minato TOMURO
  • Patent number: 9150117
    Abstract: A vehicle vibration suppression control device includes: a first torque target value calculation unit that inputs a motor torque instruction value and that uses a previously modeled transmission characteristic of the vehicle to calculate a first torque target value; a second torque target value calculation unit that includes a filter having a characteristic of a model H(s)/Gp(s) formed with a model Gp(s) of a transmission characteristic of a torque input to the vehicle and a motor angular velocity and a bandpass filter H(s) in which a frequency in the vicinity of a torsional vibration frequency in the vehicle is a center frequency, that inputs a deviation between a detection value of the vehicle state amount and an estimation value of the vehicle state amount and that calculates a second torque target value; and a motor torque control unit that controls a motor torque according to a final torque target value obtained by adding the first torque target value and the second torque target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ken Itou
  • Publication number: 20150127202
    Abstract: A vehicle vibration suppression control device includes: a first torque target value calculation unit that inputs a motor torque instruction value and that uses a previously modeled transmission characteristic of the vehicle to calculate a first torque target value; a second torque target value calculation unit that includes a filter having a characteristic of a model H(s)/Gp(s) formed with a model Gp(s) of a transmission characteristic of a torque input to the vehicle and a motor angular velocity and a bandpass filter H(s) in which a frequency in the vicinity of a torsional vibration frequency in the vehicle is a center frequency, that inputs a deviation between a detection value of the vehicle state amount and an estimation value of the vehicle state amount and that calculates a second torque target value; and a motor torque control unit that controls a motor torque according to a final torque target value obtained by adding the first torque target value and the second torque target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ken Itou
  • Publication number: 20150112532
    Abstract: A device for controlling an electric vehicle includes: a feedforward computation unit that is configured to input a motor torque instruction value and compute a first torque target value by feedforward computation; and a motor torque control unit that is configured to control a motor torque according to the first torque target value. The feedforward computation unit includes: a vehicle model which is configured to input the motor torque instruction value to model a characteristic from the motor torque to a drive shaft torsional angular velocity; and a drive shaft torsional angular velocity feedback model which is configured to feed back the drive shaft torsional angular velocity output from the vehicle model to the motor torque instruction value to compute the first torque target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shou Oono, Ken Itou
  • Publication number: 20150082774
    Abstract: A work vehicle includes a vehicle body, a guiding pipe, a first heating section, and a second heating section. The vehicle body has a partition wall that partitions a space in an inner section into a first region and a second region. The guiding pipe is configured to guide a reducing agent. The guiding pipe has a first pipe section and a second pipe section. The first pipe section is positioned inside the first region. The second pipe section is positioned in the second region. The first heating section heats the first pipe section. The second heating section heats the second pipe section and adjusts the temperature independently from the first heating section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Kiichirou Kouno, Ken Itou, Jin Yogita, Kozo Okuda, Yasuyuki Onodera, Hideo Oguri, Shouhei Nagasaka, Minato Tomuro