Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Kaneko

Kunihiro Kaneko 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: 10711718
    Abstract: A control unit decides whether or not a first condition that a service brake is released, a parking brake is actuated, and a transmission is shifted into neutral is established at a vehicle stopping time. In addition, the control unit decides whether or not a second condition that the service brake is actuated, and the transmission is shifted to an ahead stage is established at the vehicle stopping time. Then, the control unit stops the engine when the first condition or the second condition is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Shirai, Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9663093
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a clutch disengagement control mechanism that is for a mechanical automatic transmission and that can perform clutch disengagement control at an optimal timing during both ordinary driving and low-speed driving at the verge of stopping. To this end, the present invention is provided with a vehicle speed measurement device (3 and 6, or 4), a brake-operation-speed measurement device (8), a clutch operation device (9), and a control device (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: UD TRUCKS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20160369725
    Abstract: A control unit decides whether or not a first condition that a service brake is released, a parking brake is actuated, and a transmission is shifted into neutral is established at a vehicle stopping time. In addition, the control unit decides whether or not a second condition that the service brake is actuated, and the transmission is shifted to an ahead stage is established at the vehicle stopping time. Then, the control unit stops the engine when the first condition or the second condition is established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Applicant: VOLVO LASTVAGNAR AB
    Inventors: Masafumi SHIRAI, Kunihiro KANEKO
  • Patent number: 9393948
    Abstract: An object is to provide a vehicle start-up control, mechanism capable of preventing the occurrence of clutch judder with no need of paying excessive attention thereto for a driver. For this purpose, the present invention is provided with a clutch judder detection device (1) for detecting the occurrence of clutch judder, a clutch state detection, device (3) for detecting a partially engaged clutch state, and a control unit, (10), wherein the control unit (10) has a function, for storing an accelerator opening (position) in the partially engaged clutch state in a case where the clutch judder has occurred during start-up and a function, for comparing an accelerator opening during next start-up with an accelerator opening in case where the clutch judder has occurred during previous start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: UD TRUCKS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9168909
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a vehicle control device which does not require a complicated operation to start an engine even if an idle-stop function has been executed. Thus, the present invention includes a mechanical automatic transmission, an idle-stop device (1) for stopping the engine when the vehicle is stopped, a slope detection device (2) for detecting a slope of a road, and a control unit (10), and is characterized in that the control unit (10) has a function for disengaging a clutch and selecting a gear appropriate for the detected slope, when the slope detected by the slope detection device (2) is at or above a threshold value and an operation of the idle-stop device (1) has been requested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: UD TRUCKS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20140249726
    Abstract: An object is to provide a vehicle start-up control, mechanism capable of preventing the occurrence of clutch judder with no need of paying excessive attention thereto for a driver. For this purpose, the present invention is provided with a clutch judder detection device (1) for. detecting the occurrence of clutch judder, a clutch state detection, device (3) for detecting a partially engaged clutch state, and a control unit, (10), wherein the control unit (10) has a function, for storing an accelerator opening (position) in the partially engaged clutch state in a case where the clutch judder has occurred during start-up and a function, for comparing an accelerator opening during next start-up with an accelerator opening in case where the clutch judder has occurred during previous start-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: UD TRUCKS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20140228171
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a vehicle control device which does not require a complicated operation to start an engine even if an idle-stop function has been executed. Thus, the present invention includes a mechanical automatic transmission, an idle-stop device (1) for stopping the engine when the vehicle is stopped, a slope detection device (2) for detecting a slope of a road, and a control unit (10), and is characterized in that the control unit (10) has a function for disengaging a clutch and selecting a gear appropriate for the detected slope, when the slope detected by the slope detection device (2) is at or above a threshold value and an operation of the idle-stop device (1) has been requested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: UD TRUCKS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20130237373
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a clutch disengagement control mechanism that is for a mechanical automatic transmission and that can perform clutch disengagement control at an optimal timing during both ordinary driving and low-speed driving at the verge of stopping. To this end, the present invention is provided with a vehicle speed measurement device (3 and 6, or 4), a brake-operation-speed measurement device (8), a clutch operation device (9), and a control device (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: UD Trucks Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8006960
    Abstract: One end of a humidify element 12 which has a plurality of humidify segments 24 connected to be free to extend and contract is fixed to a first case portion 28. One end of another humidify element 12 having the same structure is fixed to a second case portion 30. Each other end of the two humidify elements 12 is connected by a connect member 48. An inner space 42 as a water reservoir is formed at the first case portion 28 and the second case portion 30. At the time of non-usage, the first case portion 28 and the second case portion 30 are closed, and the humidify elements 12 and the connect member 48 are stored in the inner space 42. At the time of usage, the first case portion 28 and the second case portion 30 are opened, and the humidify elements 12 are extended. By supplying water to the inner space 42, one end of the plurality of humidify segments 24 is soaked in the water, and the whole humidify element 12 is moistened by capillary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Mikuni Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Okada, Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20070182034
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a natural evaporation type humidifier which has enough humidifying capability and which is less expensive and portable, and a humidify element thereof and a humidify case thereof. One end of a humidify element 12 which has a plurality of humidify segments 24 connected to be free to extend and contract is fixed to a first case portion 28. One end of another humidify element 12 having the same structure is fixed to a second case portion 30. Each other end of the two humidify elements 12 is connected by a connect member 48. An inner space 42 as a water reservoir is formed at the first case portion 28 and the second case portion 30. At the time of non-usage, the first case portion 28 and the second case portion 30 are closed, and the humidify elements 12 and the connect member 48 are stored in the inner space 42. At the time of usage, the first case portion 28 and the second case portion 30 are opened, and the humidify elements 12 are extended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Okada, Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6216070
    Abstract: A passenger protecting apparatus for inflating an air bag or tightening a seat belt is provided that is smaller in size and more reliable than any previously known passenger protecting apparatus. The passenger protecting apparatus has two switches connected in series with a squib. The switches are controlled by a control unit using independent program routines in a redundant manner. The control unit combines front collision and side collision detection in one unit. The control unit controls the switches based on the outputs of several acceleration sensors, by comparing their respective outputs to threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Haruyoshi Hayashi, Yasuo Saito, Kunihiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6169336
    Abstract: A crew protection apparatus includes a DC power source; a squib connected in series with the DC power source; a plurality of switch circuits inserted between the DC power source and the squib or between the squib and the ground side; an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration caused by a collision; a collision determination circuit for, when receiving an acceleration signal from the acceleration sensor, determining the scale of a collision on the basis of the acceleration signal and outputting an ignition control signal in coincident with the timing supplied to the switch circuit and further outputting a current control signal in synchronism with the ignition control signal when it is determined that the collision is a serious collision; and a current limit circuit for limiting the magnitude of an ignition current flowing through the squib in accordance with the ignition control signal and the current control signal from the collision determination circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Haruyoshi Hayashi, Yasuo Saito, Kunihiro Kaneko, Takayuki Kishi
  • Patent number: 6125313
    Abstract: A control circuit for an air-bag mounted in a motor vehicle comprises an acceleration sensor for producing an acceleration signal indicative of acceleration of the vehicle, an ignition timing circuit for processing the acceleration signal to predict the time when a passenger's head will reach a front surface of the air-bag in fully deployed condition and producing a first air-bag deploying signal in accordance with the predicted time, and a damage discrimination circuit for processing the acceleration signal and judging the need of activation of the air-bag when the cumulative effect of the acceleration exceeds a predetermined limit. The damage discrimination circuit produces a second air-bag deploying signal when judging the need of activation of the air-bag. A so-called AND circuit is further employed which actually activates the air-bag when receiving the first and second air-bag deploying signals concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Kanto Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kajiro Watanabe, Kazuyasu Kon, Shin-ichiro Tsurushima, Satoru Matsumori, Yasuo Saito, Kunihiro Kaneko, Katsushi Ohneda
  • Patent number: 5787377
    Abstract: A control circuit for an air-bag mounted in a motor vehicle comprises an acceleration sensor for producing an acceleration signal indicative of acceleration of the vehicle, an ignition timing circuit for processing the acceleration signal to predict the time when a passenger's head will reach a front surface of the air-bag in fully deployed condition and producing a first air-bag deploying signal in accordance with the predicted time, and a damage discrimination circuit for processing the acceleration signal and judging the need of activation of the air-bag when the cumulative effect of the acceleration exceeds a predetermined limit. The damage discrimination circuit produces a second air-bag deploying signal when judging the need of activation of the air-bag. A so-called AND means is further employed which actually activates the air-bag when receiving the first and second air-bag deploying signals concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Kanto Seiki Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kajiro Watanabe, Kazuyasu Kon, Shin-ichiro Tsurushima, Satoru Matsumori, Yasuo Saito, Kunihiro Kaneko, Katsushi Ohneda
  • Patent number: 5631834
    Abstract: An occupant protecting device for a motor vehicle, which inflates an air-bag system reliably to protect occupants in the event of a collision with high reliability. The occupant protecting device includes an acceleration sensor for sensing an acceleration signal of a vehicle in the event of collision with another vehicle or the like, a signal processor for detecting a collision waveform from an acceleration signal output from the acceleration sensor, a comparator for determining whether or not the output signal of the signal processor exceeds a preset level to produce a trigger signal when it exceeds the preset level, a latch circuit for latching the trigger signal from the comparator, and a firing circuit for operating an occupant protecting unit in response to a drive signal from the latch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-ichiro Tsurushima, Satoru Matsumori, Yasuo Saito, Kazuyasu Kon, Kunihiro Kaneko, Katsushi Ohneda
  • Patent number: 5506775
    Abstract: An occupant protecting device for a motor vehicle, which inflates an air-bag system reliably to protect occupants in the event of a collision with high reliability. The occupant protecting device includes an acceleration sensor for sensing an acceleration signal of a vehicle in the event of collision with another vehicle or the like, a signal processor for detecting a collision waveform from an acceleration signal output from the acceleration sensor, a comparator for determining whether or not the output signal of the signal processor exceeds a preset level to produce a trigger signal when it exceeds the preset level, a latch circuit for latching the trigger signal from the comparator, and a firing circuit for operating an occupant protecting unit in response to a drive signal from the latch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-ichiro Tsurushima, Satoru Matsumori, Yasuo Saito, Kazuyasu Kon, Kunihiro Kaneko, Katsushi Ohneda
  • Patent number: 5365114
    Abstract: The invention relates to circuits which increase the reliability of a passenger restraint system. In one embodiment, the connection layout with respect to a main power source, such as a vehicle battery, prevents accidental activation in the event certain portions of the wiring become grounded and which enables the activation when required even when some of the wiring is cut. Another embodiment increases the time for a which a diagnostic system can be maintained operative should the connection with the vehicle battery be lost. A third and more complex embodiment features circuits which can estimate the amount of damage which has occurred to the vehicle and predict the displacement of person under the influence of the acceleration (deceleration) caused by a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichiro Tsurushima, Satoru Matsumori, Kazuyasu Kon, Kunihiro Kaneko