Patents by Inventor Makio Tsuchiyama

Makio Tsuchiyama 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: 11642969
    Abstract: A regenerative torque control unit is configured to reduce a regenerative torque and increase a rising gradient of the regenerative torque at a start of regeneration when a road surface friction coefficient acquired by a road surface friction coefficient acquisition unit is low as compared to when the road surface friction coefficient is high. Thus, it is possible to suppress occurrence of a slip on a low ? road, and it is less likely to provide a feeling of strangeness from a change between a low ? road and a high ? road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Publication number: 20220297670
    Abstract: A controller of a hybrid system including an internal combustion engine and a motor generator connected to each other via a belt includes processing circuitry configured to execute a power generation process that applies a load to the engine by controlling the motor generator to generate power when a first execution condition of an idling stop is satisfied, a slip rate calculation process that calculates a slip rate of the belt based on a rotational speed of the engine and a rotational speed of the motor generator while the power generation process is being executed, a determination process that determines whether or not a second execution condition of the idling stop is satisfied after waiting until a predetermined period elapses, when the slip rate is equal to or more than a threshold, and an idling stop process, when determining that the second execution condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Kensuke KITAGAWA, Yasuyuki TERADA, Makio TSUCHIYAMA
  • Patent number: 11312223
    Abstract: A vehicle controller is configured to execute a duty cycle control process of alternately repeating an electric power generation execution period and an electric power generation stop period of an electric generator and controlling a duty cycle, which is a ratio of the electric power generation execution period to a single cycle of repeated cycles, when determining that an anomaly has occurred in a driving circuit. The duty cycle control process includes at least one of two processes, a process of setting the duty cycle to be larger when a member in an overheatable region, in which overheating is possibly performed by the heater, has a low temperature than when the member has a high temperature and a process of setting the duty cycle to be larger when an internal combustion engine has a large intake air amount than when the engine has a small intake air amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Publication number: 20210316614
    Abstract: A regenerative torque control unit is configured to reduce a regenerative torque and increase a rising gradient of the regenerative torque at a start of regeneration when a road surface friction coefficient acquired by a road surface friction coefficient acquisition unit is low as compared to when the road surface friction coefficient is high. Thus, it is possible to suppress occurrence of a slip on a low ? road, and it is less likely to provide a feeling of strangeness from a change between a low ? road and a high ? road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makio TSUCHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20190366827
    Abstract: A vehicle controller is configured to execute a duty cycle control process of alternately repeating an electric power generation execution period and an electric power generation stop period of an electric generator and controlling a duty cycle, which is a ratio of the electric power generation execution period to a single cycle of repeated cycles, when determining that an anomaly has occurred in a driving circuit. The duty cycle control process includes at least one of two processes, a process of setting the duty cycle to be larger when a member in an overheatable region, in which overheating is possibly performed by the heater, has a low temperature than when the member has a high temperature and a process of setting the duty cycle to be larger when an internal combustion engine has a large intake air amount than when the engine has a small intake air amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makio TSUCHIYAMA
  • Patent number: 9423390
    Abstract: In order to estimate the cetane number of a fuel, fuel injection is executed by controlling the driving of a fuel injection valve by a prescribed amount. The amount of change in the rotation of a diesel engine generated in response to the fuel injection is detected, and the cetane number of the fuel is estimated on the basis of this amount of change in the rotation. The actual amount of fuel injected from the fuel injection valve is detected, and when the difference between the amount actually detected and the prescribed amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the execution of the fuel cetane number estimation process is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makio Tsuchiyama, Yoshiyasu Ito, Takeshi Miyaura
  • Patent number: 9127608
    Abstract: An electronic control unit detects an index value of an amount of generated heat of fuel to be combusted in a diesel engine. The electronic control unit also executes the injection of a predetermined amount of the fuel to estimate a cetane number of the fuel and calculates an index value of output torque of the diesel engine generated with that execution. Then, the electronic control unit calculates an estimated value of the cetane number of the fuel based on the index value of the output torque and the index value of the amount of generated heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Ito, Takeshi Miyaura, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Patent number: 9051895
    Abstract: This apparatus is applied to an engine equipped with a fuel supply system that supplies pressure-increased fuel to a fuel injection valve, and performs the fuel injection from the injection valve in one combustion cycle by a multiple injection process that includes a pre-injection and a main injection that are executed with an interval therebetween. The apparatus calculates a deviation between a required value (one-dot chain line) and an actual value (solid line) regarding the end timing of the pre-injection, based on the manner of fluctuation of the fuel pressure in the fuel injection that is detected by a pressure sensor. A target main injection timing and a target pre-interval are individually set on the basis of the state of operation of the engine. Based on the deviation, the target main injection timing and the target pre-interval, the apparatus sets control target values regarding the execution period of the pre-injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyaura, Yoshiyasu Ito, Makio Tsuchiyama, Yoshihiro Furuya
  • Patent number: 8820151
    Abstract: A cetane number estimation apparatus injects fuel from a fuel injection valve in a diesel engine based on a target fuel injection amount, calculates an indicator of output torque of the diesel engine produced through fuel injection, and estimates the cetane number of the fuel using the calculated indicator. The cetane number estimation apparatus includes a pressure sensor for detecting fuel pressure varied by variation in actual fuel pressure in the fuel injection valve at the time of the fuel injection. The cetane number estimation apparatus also has a pressure correcting section that is adapted to calculate actual operating characteristics of the fuel injection valve based on a variation waveform of the detected fuel pressure and corrects the target fuel injection amount based on the difference between the calculated actual operating characteristics and prescribed reference operating characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Ito, Takeshi Miyaura, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Publication number: 20140013832
    Abstract: In order to estimate the cetane number of a fuel, fuel injection is executed by controlling the driving of a fuel injection valve by a prescribed amount. The amount of change in the rotation of a diesel engine generated in response to the fuel injection is detected, and the cetane number of the fuel is estimated on the basis of this amount of change in the rotation. The actual amount of fuel injected from the fuel injection valve is detected, and when the difference between the amount actually detected and the prescribed amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the execution of the fuel cetane number estimation process is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makio Tsuchiyama, Yoshiyasu Ito, Takeshi Miyaura
  • Publication number: 20130311063
    Abstract: An electronic control unit detects an index value of an amount of generated heat of fuel to be combusted in a diesel engine. The electronic control unit also executes the injection of a predetermined amount of the fuel to estimate a cetane number of the fuel and calculates an index value of output torque of the diesel engine generated with that execution. Then, the electronic control unit calculates an estimated value of the cetane number of the fuel based on the index value of the output torque and the index value of the amount of generated heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Ito, Takeshi Miyaura, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Publication number: 20130220006
    Abstract: A cetane number estimation apparatus injects fuel from a fuel injection valve in a diesel engine based on a target fuel injection amount, calculates an indicator of output torque of the diesel engine produced through fuel injection, and estimates the cetane number of the fuel using the calculated indicator. The cetane number estimation apparatus includes a pressure sensor for detecting fuel pressure varied by variation in actual fuel pressure in the fuel injection valve at the time of the fuel injection. The cetane number estimation apparatus also has a pressure correcting section that is adapted to calculate actual operating characteristics of the fuel injection valve based on a variation waveform of the detected fuel pressure and corrects the target fuel injection amount based on the difference between the calculated actual operating characteristics and prescribed reference operating characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Ito, Takeshi Miyaura, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Patent number: 8428850
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a total fuel injection amount is calculated from a torque required by an engine. A division ratio of a pre-injection amount that achieves both suppression of ignition delay of fuel from a main injection and suppression of a peak value of a heat production ratio of combustion from the main injection is calculated. Upper and lower limit guards are given to the obtained divided amount, and the divided injection amount is calculated. The injection amount of the main injection is obtained by subtracting the divided injection amount from the total fuel injection amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nada, Akio Matsunaga, Yasuyuki Terada, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Patent number: 8387586
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a determination is made of whether or not in a condition in which a compressed gas temperature will reach a fuel self-ignition temperature by only a compression operation in the compression stroke, and in a case where the compressed gas temperature will reach the fuel self-ignition temperature, pilot injection is judged to be unnecessary, so this pilot injection is prohibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Matsunaga, Mitsuhiro Nada, Yasuyuki Terada, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Publication number: 20120323468
    Abstract: This apparatus is applied to an engine equipped with a fuel supply system that supplies pressure-increased fuel to a fuel injection valve, and performs the fuel injection from the injection valve in one combustion cycle by a multiple injection process that includes a pre-injection and a main injection that are executed with an interval therebetween. The apparatus calculates a deviation between a required value (one-dot chain line) and an actual value (solid line) regarding the end timing of the pre-injection, based on the manner of fluctuation of the fuel pressure in the fuel injection that is detected by a pressure sensor. A target main injection timing and a target pre-interval are individually set on the basis of the state of operation of the engine. Based on the deviation, the target main injection timing and the target pre-interval, the apparatus sets control target values regarding the execution period of the pre-injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyaura, Yoshiyasu Ito, Makio Tsuchiyama, Yoshihiro Furuya
  • Publication number: 20110005491
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a total pilot injection amount is calculated from the difference between a compressed gas temperature in a cylinder and a fuel self-ignition temperature. As pilot injection, a plurality of instances of divided pilot injection are performed, and by setting the injection amount per one instance of divided pilot injection to an injector minimum limit injection amount, each divided pilot injection amount is suppressed, and the penetration of fuel is suppressed to a low level so that attachment of fuel to a wall face is avoided, and also, fuel is caused to accumulate in the center portion of the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Terada, Mitsuhiro Nada, Akio Matsunaga, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Publication number: 20100312454
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a total fuel injection amount is calculated from a torque required by an engine. A division ratio of a pre-injection amount that achieves both suppression of ignition delay of fuel from a main injection and suppression of a peak value of a heat production ratio of combustion from the main injection is calculated. Upper and lower limit guards are given to the obtained divided amount, and the divided injection amount is calculated. The injection amount of the main injection is obtained by subtracting the divided injection amount from the total fuel injection amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nada, Akio Matsunaga, Yasuyuki Terada, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Publication number: 20100305833
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a determination is made of whether or not in a condition in which a compressed gas temperature will reach a fuel self-ignition temperature by only a compression operation in the compression stroke, and in a case where the compressed gas temperature will reach the fuel self-ignition temperature, pilot injection is judged to be unnecessary, so this pilot injection is prohibited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akio Matsunaga, Mitsuhiro Nada, Yasuyuki Terada, Makio Tsuchiyama