Patents by Inventor Koichi Kato

Koichi Kato 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).

  • Publication number: 20160251010
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having an engine and a motor configured to reduce torque pulses and vibrations. The control system is comprised of a determining means that determines a target operating point of the engine at which a target engine power based on a required driving force is generated while improving fuel economy (step S1); and an electric vehicle mode setting means that shift a driving mode to the EV mode to drive the vehicle by the motor, if a target engine speed to be achieved at the target operating point determined by the determining means is lower than a predetermined threshold value (steps S2, S6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Kensei Hata, Yuji Iwase, Yosuke Suzuki, Koichi Kato, Hirotatsu Kitabatake, Seitaro Nobuyasu, Taro Moteki
  • Publication number: 20160240873
    Abstract: An apparatus using fuel gas is provided, ensuring charge amount of a battery. The apparatus includes battery, fuel gas reservoir unit, fuel lid, open/close detection unit for detecting open/close state of fuel lid, fuel gas condition detection unit for detecting pressure and/or temperature being condition of fuel gas reserved in the fuel gas reservoir unit, communication unit for communication with fuel gas supply device, and control unit for, upon reception of signal notifying that fuel lid is in open state from open/close detection unit, performing dispensing communication to notify the fuel gas supply device, via communication unit, of condition of fuel gas having been input from fuel gas condition detection unit. The control unit stops dispensing communication when control unit has determined, according to signal received from open/close detection unit that predetermined time has elapsed with the fuel lid remaining in open state after starting dispensing communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Koichi KATO, Koichi TAKAKU, Taneaki MIURA, Hiroyasu OZAKI, Saneto ASANO
  • Patent number: 9404622
    Abstract: A first fluid channel of a first body has a first inner diameter part and a second inner diameter part in an order that an inner diameter becomes smaller from a side where a nozzle is inserted. A second body has a second fluid channel capable of communicating with the first fluid channel and further has a first outer diameter part and a second outer diameter part which are inserted in the second inner diameter part in an order that an outer diameter becomes larger from the first fluid channel side. When the tip part of the second body is inserted in the first fluid channel, a wall surface provided at an end of the second inner diameter part along an axial direction, an end surface of the tip part of the second body and an inner circumferential surface of the second inner diameter part form a sealing groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Ozaki, Koichi Takaku, Taneaki Miura, Koichi Kato, Saneto Asano
  • Patent number: 9395191
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes: a map information storage unit that stores road information; a position estimation unit that estimates the position of the vehicle; a map matching unit that specifies link candidate points corresponding to the position of the vehicle; a parallel roads determination unit that detects links of parallel roads that extend mutually parallel to one another; a traveling link determination unit that, for each link of the parallel roads, determines whether it is a traveling link upon which the vehicle is traveling, or a parallel link that extends parallel to the traveling link; and a link position correction unit that obtains position correction amounts for nodes of the traveling link and of the parallel link on the basis of the distance between the link candidate point that corresponds to the traveling link and the position of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Aoki, Koichi Kato, Akihiro Kawabata, Zhixing Liu
  • Publication number: 20160193938
    Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, a clutch being provided in a power transmission path leading from an engine to drive wheels, the clutch transmitting torque between the engine and the drive wheels when engaged, the clutch interrupting the transmission of torque between the engine and the drive wheels, the control apparatus including an ECU configured to execute drive control for consuming electric power of a storage device by driving a first motor, when the clutch is kept in a released state and the clutch cannot be engaged and an amount of electrical charge of the storage device is higher than a prescribed first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensei HATA, Yuji IWASE, Yosuke SUZUKI, Koichi KATO, Seitaro NOBUYASU, Taro MOTEKI
  • Publication number: 20160176396
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle capable of selecting between a state where a clutch coupling an engine and a motor is engaged and the vehicle travels by drive power of the engine, and a state where the clutch is released and the vehicle travels with the engine stopped, wherein, if there is a request to restart the engine while the engine is rotating after control to release the clutch and stop the engine has been started, then upon the condition that the engine number of revolutions is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, and in a state where the output torque of the motor is limited to a previously established torque or less, control to increase the transmission torque capacity of the clutch is implemented, whereupon the output torque of the motor is increased to a torque that cranks the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensei HATA, Yuji IWASE, Yosuke SUZUKI, Koichi KATO, Seitaro NOBUYASU, Taro MOTEKI
  • Publication number: 20160176395
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a first motor, a second motor, a differential mechanism, and a clutch. The control system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to: (a) set an EV mode in which a vehicle travels at least by drive power of the second motor among the first motor and the second motor in a state that the engine stops, (b) prohibit setting of the EV mode in a state that the clutch is fully engaged when a vehicle speed is at least equal to a predetermined first vehicle speed threshold value, and (c) prohibit setting of the EV mode in a state that the clutch is disengaged when the vehicle speed of the vehicle that travels in the EV mode is at most equal to a predetermined second vehicle speed threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensei HATA, Yuji IWASE, Yosuke SUZUKI, Koichi KATO, Seitaro NOBUYASU, Taro MOTEKI
  • Publication number: 20160160939
    Abstract: A release mechanism includes a clutch, a bearing, a hydraulic actuator, and a return spring. The clutch transmits a torque between an input-side rotational member and an output-side rotational member by pressing the pressure plate against a clutch disc by an elastic force of a diaphragm spring. The bearing transmits a load in a direction in which a pressure plate is separated from the clutch disc. The bearing is placed on an outer peripheral side of the hydraulic actuator in a radial direction of the output-side rotational member. The hydraulic actuator transmits, to the bearing, a load to separate the pressure plate from the clutch disc. The return spring, the hydraulic actuator, and the bearing are placed so as to overlap with each other in an axis direction of the output-side rotational member. The return spring is placed on an outer peripheral side of the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensei HATA, Yuji IWASE, Yosuke SUZUKI, Koichi KATO, Seitaro NOBUYASU, Taro MOTEKI
  • Publication number: 20160159344
    Abstract: At the time of changing from an EV mode, in which a hybrid vehicle travels with the use of a second motor provided on an output side of a differential mechanism while torque that acts on any one of rotating elements of the differential mechanism is interrupted by a clutch, to an HV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels while transmitting output torque of an engine to a drive wheel, when the engine is started in a state where the clutch is slipped and torque is transmitted from the engine so as to increase the rotation speed of the first rotating element while the clutch is slipped, torque starts being output from a first motor such that torque input from the first rotating element to the differential mechanism to increase the rotation speed of the drive wheel is output from the third rotating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensei HATA, Yuji WASE, Yosuke SUZUKI, Koichi KATO, Seitaro NOBUYASU, Taro MOTEKI
  • Patent number: 9360101
    Abstract: A power transmission unit for preventing malfunction and deterioration in durability of a locking device arranged in a housing by preventing the ingress of foreign matters into the locking device. In the power transmission unit, a one-way brake 10 for selectively stopping a rotation of an output shaft 1a of an engine 1 is disposed between the housing 11 of a transmission mechanism and an engine block 1b. A fixed member 10a is fixed to the housing 11 or to the engine block 1b, and a movable member 10b is attached to the output shaft 1a. A through hole 21 is formed on the housing at a vertically lowest portion and axially outside of a region where the one-way brake 10 is situated, so as to provide a communication between an inner space and an outer space of the housing 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Iwase, Yosuke Suzuki, Koichi Kato, Kensei Hata, Seitaro Nobuyasu, Taro Moteki
  • Patent number: 9349876
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to an embodiment includes: a semiconductor region; a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor region; a charge storage film formed on the first insulating film; a hydrogen diffusion preventing film formed on the charge storage film; a second insulating film formed on the hydrogen diffusion preventing film; a control gate electrode formed on the second insulating film; a hydrogen discharge film formed on the control gate electrode; and a sidewall formed on a side surface of a multilayer structure including the first insulating film, the charge storage film, the hydrogen diffusion preventing film, the second insulating film, and the control gate electrode, the sidewall containing a material for preventing hydrogen from diffusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Izumi Hirano, Yuichiro Mitani, Masayasu Miyata, Yasushi Nakasaki, Koichi Kato, Daisuke Matsushita, Akira Takashima, Misako Morota
  • Publication number: 20160131349
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a light source; a drive circuit that drives the light source to emit a light, and includes a circuit element and a circuit board, on which the circuit element and the light source are arranged; and a case that covers the drive circuit. The circuit board includes a radiation member, disposed in a region where the light source is arranged, for radiating heat generated from the light source. The case is connected with the circuit element, and radiates heat generated from the circuit element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventor: Koichi KATO
  • Patent number: 9293774
    Abstract: A fluid supply system includes a tank, a shutoff valve, a fluid fill channel, a fluid supply channel, a fill detector, a pressure detector, and a controller. The shutoff valve includes a shared channel to enable fluid to flow from a fill hole to the tank and to flow from the tank to a fluid usage device. The pressure detector is provided in the fluid supply channel. The controller is configured to output a close instruction to the shutoff valve and configured to execute a processing to determine open valve malfunctions in the shutoff valve based on changes in pressure values which are input from the pressure detector. The controller stops the processing to determine open valve malfunctions when the fill detector detects that the fluid supply system is in the supplying state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Saneto Asano, Koichi Takaku, Koichi Kato, Taneaki Miura, Hiroyasu Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9291218
    Abstract: A vehicle control system to prevent deterioration in controllability of the engagement device resulting from temporal deterioration of the engagement device. The vehicle control system is configured to switch a driving mode selectively between a first driving mode in which the engagement device is disengaged, and a second driving mode in which the engagement device is engaged. The vehicle control system comprises: an estimation means that estimates deterioration in an engagement property of the engagement device; and an engagement means that engages the engagement device after achieving synchronization between an input speed and an output speed, in case the estimation means estimates that the engagement property of the engagement device is deteriorated, and the driving mode is shifted from the first driving mode to the second driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kensei Hata, Yuji Iwase, Yosuke Suzuki, Koichi Kato, Seitaro Nobuyasu, Taro Moteki
  • Publication number: 20160033920
    Abstract: A surface processor processing the surface of a recording medium before a toner image is formed thereon includes a surface reformer to reform the surface of the recording medium a toner image is formed on; and an applicator to apply the surface of the recording medium after reformed with a toner affinity ingredient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Masahide YAMASHITA, Koichi KATO, Mayumi YOSHIHARA, Sayaka KATOH
  • Patent number: 9243713
    Abstract: A sealing structure permits easy fitting of the insertion member into the reception member and that prevents damage to the insertion member and the reception member. The insertion member includes a first larger-diameter columnar portion, a first smaller-diameter columnar portion, and a first step portion. The reception member includes a second larger-diameter cylindrical portion, a second smaller-diameter cylindrical portion, and a second step portion. An accommodation region for accommodating an O-ring is defined by an outer circumferential surface of the first smaller-diameter columnar portion, an outer surface of the first step portion, an inner circumferential surface of the second larger-diameter cylindrical portion, and an inner surface of the second step portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taneaki Miura, Hiroyasu Ozaki, Koichi Takaku, Koichi Kato, Saneto Asano
  • Publication number: 20150380641
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a dielectric film provided between the first and the second conductive layers. The dielectric film including a fluorite-type crystal and a positive ion site includes Hf and/or Zr, and a negative ion site includes O. In the dielectric film, parameters a, b, c, p, x, y, z, u, v and w satisfy a predetermined relation. The axis length of the a-axis, b-axis and c-axis of the original unit cell is a, b, and c, respectively. An axis in a direction with no reversal symmetry is c-axis, a stacking direction of atomic planes of two kinds formed by negative ions disposed at different positions is a-axis, the remainder is b-axis. The parameters x, y, z, u, v and w are values represented using the parameter p.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsunehiro INO, Riichiro Takaishi, Koichi Kato, Yasushi Nakasaki, Takamitsu Ishihara, Daisuke Matsushita
  • Patent number: 9217478
    Abstract: In a release mechanism for a friction clutch that includes a cylinder portion formed by an inner body and an outer body, a piston that moves in a front-back direction in accordance with a fluid pressure supplied to the cylinder portion, and a plate that is formed on the piston and receives an elastic force from elastic members provided on an outer peripheral side of the cylinder portion in a circumferential direction at a predetermined interval, a fastening member that fixes flanges of the inner body and the outer body so as to clamp a sealing member therebetween in an axial direction is provided, and a region in the radial direction in which the fastening member is arranged and a region in the radial direction in which the elastic members are arranged overlap each other at least in part, in the flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seitaro Nobuyasu, Yuji Iwase, Yosuke Suzuki, Koichi Kato, Kensei Hata, Taro Moteki
  • Publication number: 20150352021
    Abstract: Provided is a functional nonwoven fabric that has good feeling upon use, such as hand feeling (softness) or texture, and is capable of stably exhibiting the characteristics of hydroxyapatite (for example, microbe adsorption property). Disclosed is a functional nonwoven fabric in which sintered hydroxyapatite particles are fixed by thermal fusion bonding to a surface of a nonwoven fabric containing fibers, at least surfaces of the fibers being mainly composed of a thermoplastic resin, wherein a shearing rigidity of the functional nonwoven fabric is 8.5 gf/cm/degree or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicants: Japan Vilene Company, Ltd., Sofsera Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuko Matsubayashi, Koichi Kato, Yasumichi Kogai, Hisashi Hattori, Karl Kazushige Kawabe
  • Patent number: 9157749
    Abstract: A position calculation method includes: by using a current position of a mobile object, a link candidate point position, an error variance of positions of a plurality of links included in a region around the current position, and an error variance of azimuths of the plurality of links, calculating, an evaluation value that corresponds to a probability that the mobile object is traveling upon a road corresponding to each link candidate point, for each link including the each link candidate point; and calculating the current position based upon the evaluation value, by taking the mobile object as being positioned at a link candidate point, among a plurality of link candidate points, for which the probability is highest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Aoki, Mikio Bando, Tomoaki Hiruta, Hiroyuki Kohida, Koichi Kato, Akihiro Kawabata