Patents by Inventor Kunio Morisawa

Kunio Morisawa 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: 6334498
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor to be controlled independently of each other for running the vehicle. This hybrid vehicle is given a braking demand detecting function to detect a braking demand through an idle ON of the engine while the vehicle is running, and a first braking function to suppress the rise in the vehicle speed of the vehicle by a regenerative braking force of the motor if the braking demand is detected by the braking demand detecting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Tatsuya Ozeki
  • Patent number: 6306057
    Abstract: A hybrid drive system comprising: a torque amplify mechanism coupled to an output member of an internal combustion engine and an output member of an electric motor, as energized by an electric power to output a torque, for amplifying and outputting the torque, as outputted from the internal combustion engine, by controlling the torque of the electric motor; and a continuously variable transmission arranged between torque amplify mechanism and the output shaft for increasing/decreasing and outputting the torque inputted from the torque amplify mechanism. Further comprised is a forward/backward switching mechanism between the torque amplify mechanism and the output shaft for setting a forward state, in which the inputted motive power is unreversed and outputted, and a backward state in which the inputted motive power is reversed and outputted. As a result, the reverse run can be made only with the motive power outputted from the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Hiroyuki Shioiri, Yuji Iwase, Hiroshi Itoh, Nobuyuki Nagashima, Mitsuhiro Umeyama, Yutaka Taga
  • Publication number: 20010008192
    Abstract: A control system of a vehicle including a fuel cell and an electric motor that drives drive wheels of the vehicle with electric energy generated by the fuel cell is provided wherein a traction controller controls the output of the drive wheels so as to secure tractive force of the vehicle when a certain traction control start condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: July 19, 2001
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunio Morisawa
  • Patent number: 6205379
    Abstract: A controller for controlling a hybrid front-and-rear-drive automotive vehicle including a front wheel and a rear wheel an engine, an electric generator operated by the engine, and an electric motor operable with an electric energy generated by the electric generator, and wherein one and the other of the front and rear wheels is driven by the engine and the electric motor, respectively, the controller includes an electric energy storage device, and a cooperative energy supply device for supplying an electric current from the electric energy storage device to the electric motor, concurrently with a supply of an electric energy from the electric generator to the electric motor, to operate the electric motor for driving the other of the front and rear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Eiji Ichioka, Tsuyoshi Mikami
  • Patent number: 6155364
    Abstract: Hybrid drive system for a motor vehicle, including (a) an engine operated by combustion of a fuel, (b) a planetary gear mechanism having a sun gear and a carrier one of which is connected to the engine, and a ring gear connected to an output member, (c) a motor/generator connected to the output member, and (d) a differential gear device including output shafts and an input member rotated by a drive force received from the output member, and wherein the motor/generator, the planetary gear mechanism and the output member are arranged coaxially with each other along a first axis, and the output shafts of the differential gear device are disposed along a second axis parallel to the first axis. The planetary gear mechanism is disposed in a radially inner space provided radially inwardly of a stator coil of the motor/generator, and the input member includes a radially outer portion which overlaps a radially outer portion of the motor/generator in the radial direction of the motor/generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Nagano, Kunio Morisawa, Hideaki Matsui, Ryuji Ibaraki
  • Patent number: 6119799
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor to be controlled independently of each other for running the vehicle. This hybrid vehicle is given a. braking demand detecting function to detect a braking demand through an idle ON of the engine while the vehicle is running, and a first braking function to suppress the rise in the vehicle speed of the vehicle by a regenerative braking force of the motor if the braking demand is detected by the braking demand detecting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Tatsuya Ozeki
  • Patent number: 6092633
    Abstract: A transmission for changing a path to transmit a torque by changing the state of torque transmission to a rotary member, comprising: an active material for changing its state when fed with an electric signal; and a coupling mechanism for effecting or intercepting the torque transmission to the rotary member in accordance with the state change of the active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunio Morisawa
  • Patent number: 6059064
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle including: an engine and a motor-generator for outputting drive forces to run a vehicle; and a brake pedal for applying a braking force to the running vehicle. While an engine braking force is being established, it is detected that the brake pedal is depressed. After this depression of the brake pedal, the vehicle speed is detected so that the regenerative braking is effected by the motor generator on the basis of the detected vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Nagano, Kunio Morisawa
  • Patent number: 6014605
    Abstract: A vehicular control system for enabling the driver to recognize in advance an obstructing state present in a plan route to be followed by the driver, even if the driver has a poor consciousness or a concentration on the driving operation. The vehicular control system comprises a mechanism for changing the gear stage of the automatic transmission of the vehicle and establishing the shift shock, if the presence of a traffic obstruction such as another vehicle obstructing the run of the vehicle on the plan route is detected, to notify the driver of the presence of another vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Kuniaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 5984034
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor to be controlled independently of each other for running the vehicle. This hybrid vehicle is given a braking demand detecting function to detect a braking demand through an idle ON of the engine while the vehicle is running, and a first braking function to suppress the rise in the vehicle speed of the vehicle by a regenerative braking force of the motor if the braking demand is detected by the braking demand detecting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Tatsuya Ozeki
  • Patent number: 5983154
    Abstract: A control system for executing a control of the output torque of an automatic transmission on the basis of any of a plurality of running modes. This control system is given a route selecting function to select a route to be followed by the vehicle, with reference to the running characteristics of the running mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunio Morisawa
  • Patent number: 5904631
    Abstract: A power output apparatus (100) includes an engine (102), a double-pinion planetary gear (110), a first motor (MG1), and a second motor (MG2). A ring gear (114), a planetary carrier (126), and a sun gear (112) of the double-pinion planetary gear (110) are respectively linked with a crankshaft (104) of the engine (102), a drive shaft (108), and the first motor (MG1). The engine (102), the second motor (MG2), the double-pinion planetary gear (110), and the first motor (MG1) are arranged sequentially along an axis running from the front to the rear of a vehicle. The second motor (MG2) is required to output a greater torque than that of the first motor (MG1) and accordingly has a larger size. The second motor (MG2) is, however, disposed closer to the engine (102) and thereby has a sufficient margin in the diametral direction. This configuration reduces the size of the whole power output apparatus (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Yutaka Taga, Shuji Nagano, Hideaki Matsui
  • Patent number: 5895333
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle drive system including an electric motor operated by electric energy, an engine operated by the combustion of a fuel, a transmission, and a synthesizer mechanism. The synthesizer includes a hydraulically operated clutch system and mechanically synthesizes the output of the engine and the output of the electric motor for transmitting a resultant of these outputs to the transmission. The synthesizer mechanism and the transmission are disposed adjacent to each other, to simplify piping arrangements for supplying the clutch system with a working fluid and lubricating the synthesizer mechanism and transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Seitoku Kubo, Yutaka Taga
  • Patent number: 5772552
    Abstract: A gear transmission unit for an automatic transmission comprises: a single pinion type first planetary gear unit including a first sun gear, a first ring gear arranged concentrically with the first sun gear, and a first carrier retaining a pinion meshing with both the sun gear and the ring gear; a single pinion type second planetary gear unit including a second sun gear, a second ring gear arranged concentrically with the second sun gear and connected to the first carrier, and a second carrier retaining a pinion meshing with both the second sun gear and the second ring gear and connected to the first ring gear; and a double pinion type third planetary gear unit including a third sun gear connected to the first sun gear, a third ring gear arranged concentrically with the third sun gear, and a third carrier retaining both one pinion meshing with the third sun gear and another pinion meshing with the one pinion and the third ring gear. The first carrier is connected to the third ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuji Ibaraki, Kunio Morisawa, Jiro Yoshizumi
  • Patent number: 5525117
    Abstract: A gear transmission which is enabled to set six forward gear stages by spraying a Ravigneaux planetary gear mechanism and a double-pinion planetary gear mechanism coaxially with an input shaft. The double-pinion planetary gear mechanism and its associated frictional engagement elements are arranged at the side of the input shaft across a partition protruded from the inner face of a casing, whereas tile Ravigneaux planetary gear mechanism is arranged at the opposite side to the double-pinion planetary gear mechanism. Moreover, the Ravigneaux planetary gear mechanism has a ring gear acting as an output element, and a counter gear is connected to the ring gear and arranged adjacent to the partition while being supported by the partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Ryuji Ibaraki, Hideaki Otsubo
  • Patent number: 5478291
    Abstract: A gear shift system for an automatic transmission, in which a plurality of planetary gear sets arrayed on a common axis and each including a plurality of rotating elements are arranged in a casing, and in which an extension housing is attached to the axial end portion of the casing. The gear shift system comprises: a one-way clutch arranged in the extension housing for selectively fixing the rotating elements of a predetermined one of the planetary gear sets arranged at the end side of the casing; and a multi-disc brake in a parallel relation to the one-way clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Ryuji Ibaraki, Hideaki Otsubo
  • Patent number: 5313794
    Abstract: A fluid coupling has capacity coefficients in forward and reverse driving which can be arbitrarily selected to comply with demand for a wide variety of characteristics in accordance with the intended application. Pump blades Bp and/or turbine blades Bt are inclined in the direction of rotation of pump impeller P and a turbine runner T with inclination angles .theta..sub.2p and .theta..sub.2t with respect to normal lines Lp and Lt of the pump and turbine, respectively. Transfer of working fluid between the pump impeller P and the turbine runner T is thereby smoothened or suppressed in accordance with the inclination angles .theta..sub.2p and .theta..sub.2t, and thus the capacity coefficients in both forward and reverse driving can be arbitrarily selected and fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Hara, Koji Maeda, Kunio Morisawa, Ryoji Habuchi
  • Patent number: 5279118
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is a fluid coupling which comprises: a pump impeller connected to the output shaft of an engine; and a turbine runner for transferring a working fluid to and from the pump impeller. On the pump impeller and the turbine runner, respectively, there are arranged a pump blade and a turbine blade without any inner core for guiding the flow of the working fluid inside of the pump impeller and the turbine runner. By bending at least one of the working fluid outlet side of the pump blade and the working fluid inlet side of the turbine blade, there is formed transfer limit means for limiting the transfer of the working fluid when the fluid coupling is in a stalling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hara, Koji Maeda, Kunio Morisawa, Ryoji Habuchi
  • Patent number: 5086672
    Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus for a vehicle power transmission for transmitting power from an engine to a drive wheel a reversing mechanism having a reverse position established by a hydraulic actuator. The apparatus includes a reverse inhibit valve disposed in a hydraulic line leading to the hydraulic actuator and having a reverse inhibit position for inhibiting the mechanism from being placed in the reverse position and a non-inhibit position for permitting the mechanism to be placed in the reverse position. The apparatus uses a first and a second pilot pressure generating device for producing a first and a second pilot pressure, respectively. A relay valve is provided for producing a first hydraulic signal for establishing the reverse inhibit position of the reverse inhibit valve, based on one of combinations of operating states of the two pilot pressure generating devices, and a second hydraulic signal for establishing the non-inhibit position, based on the other combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1992
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kato, Ryoji Habuchi, Kunio Morisawa, Hiroshi Itoh
  • Patent number: 5085104
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a power transmitting system for an automotive vehicle having a continuously variable transmission including an actuating device for controlling a speed ratio thereof, the transmission transmitting power from an engine to drive wheels. The apparatus includes a device for determining a running speed of the vehicle, a device for determining a deceleration value of the vehicle, and a controller for determining a deceleration reference value based on the determined vehicle speed, and according to a predetermined relationship between the determined vehicle speed and the deceleration reference value. If the deceleration value exceeds the reference value, the controller commands the actuating device of the transmission to lower the speed ratio in a rapid shift-down mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Kouno, Yuji Hattori, Kunio Morisawa