Patents by Inventor Masakazu Tabata

Masakazu Tabata 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: 11614018
    Abstract: An exhaust passage structure of an internal combustion includes a first merging passage, a second merging passage, and a third merging passage connecting a third gathering portion in which the exhaust gas flowing through the first merging passage and the exhaust gas flowing through the second merging passage gather and a turbine of a turbocharger. The first merging passage and the second merging passage have respective narrowed portions in which passage cross-sectional areas are minimized. When a total value of passage cross-sectional areas of inlets of exhaust ports in one cylinder is set as a reference passage cross-sectional area A, and the passage cross-sectional areas of the narrowed portions of the first merging passage and the second merging passage are set as narrowed cross-sectional areas B, the exhaust passage structure is configured such that the relationship of 0.5?(B/A)?1 is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takato Hatano, Masakazu Tabata
  • Patent number: 11603088
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to reduce electricity consumption by a motor in a condition where a maximum output torque of an engine is restricted. A controller is configured to: calculate a current maximum torque of the engine when increasing a speed of the engine to achieve an acceleration demand; determine whether the current maximum torque of the engine is less than an inertia torque required to increase the speed of the engine; and adjust the reaction torque of the first motor to a value less than a predetermined value, if the current maximum torque of the engine is less than the inertia torque required to increase the speed of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu Tabata
  • Publication number: 20220178297
    Abstract: An exhaust passage structure of an internal combustion includes a first merging passage, a second merging passage, and a third merging passage connecting a third gathering portion in which the exhaust gas flowing through the first merging passage and the exhaust gas flowing through the second merging passage gather and a turbine of a turbocharger. The first merging passage and the second merging passage have respective narrowed portions in which passage cross-sectional areas are minimized. When a total value of passage cross-sectional areas of inlets of exhaust ports in one cylinder is set as a reference passage cross-sectional area A, and the passage cross-sectional areas of the narrowed portions of the first merging passage and the second merging passage are set as narrowed cross-sectional areas B, the exhaust passage structure is configured such that the relationship of 0.5?(B/A)?1 is established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takato HATANO, Masakazu TABATA
  • Publication number: 20210237713
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to reduce electricity consumption by a motor in a condition where a maximum output torque of an engine is restricted. A controller is configured to: calculate a current maximum torque of the engine when increasing a speed of the engine to achieve an acceleration demand; determine whether the current maximum torque of the engine is less than an inertia torque required to increase the speed of the engine; and adjust the reaction torque of the first motor to a value less than a predetermined value, if the current maximum torque of the engine is less than the inertia torque required to increase the speed of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu TABATA
  • Patent number: 10774675
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is equipped with a turbocharger that includes: a centrifugal compressor impeller; an axial flow turbine wheel coupled to the compressor impeller via a rotational shaft; a bearing that supports the rotational shaft; and a housing that houses at least the compressor impeller and the bearing among the compressor impeller, the bearing and the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel is coupled to the rotational shaft such that an outlet of turbine blades of the turbine wheel is located on the side of the compressor impeller. The compressor impeller is arranged such that an inlet of the compressor impeller becomes closer to the turbine wheel than an outlet of the compressor impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu Tabata
  • Patent number: 10648388
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust system component having excellent properties to be located in an exhaust flow path from an internal combustion engine, particularly, an exhaust system component having an extended use-life. The exhaust system component of the present invention for an internal combustion engine has a self-healing ceramic material and an electric heater for heating the self-healing ceramic material. In particular, the exhaust system component of the present invention is an oxygen sensor having a detection element and an electric heater, wherein the detection element has a solid electrolyte layer, a reference-side electrode layer, an exhaust-side electrode layer, and a diffusion layer and/or a trap layer each composed of a self-healing ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Takeuchi, Noriaki Kumagai, Go Hayashita, Masakazu Tabata, Hirokazu Ito, Kazuhiro Sugimoto, Hiroki Murata
  • Patent number: 10581356
    Abstract: An exhaust turbine power generating system includes an internal combustion engine, an exhaust turbine power generator configured to perform electric power generation by rotating a turbine by using exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform electric power generation control in which the exhaust turbine power generator is caused to perform electric power generation by controlling the exhaust turbine power generator and the electronic control unit is configured to perform powering control in which the exhaust turbine power generator is caused to perform powering such that the turbine is rotated by controlling the exhaust turbine power generator until a predetermined termination condition is satisfied after the internal combustion engine is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiki Fukuhara, Masakazu Tabata
  • Patent number: 10486680
    Abstract: The energization control apparatus can select a supercharging mode in which the energization control apparatus controls energization to an electric compressor so as to rotate the electric compressor to supercharge an intake air and an electric power consumption mode in which the energization control apparatus controls the energization to the electric compressor so as to deteriorate efficiency of a motor of the electric compressor than the supercharging mode to increase electric power consumption of the electric compressor. The energization control apparatus supplies regenerated electric power to the electric compressor and control the energization to the electric compressor with the electric power consumption mode when regenerative braking is performed by a generator and regenerated electric power for obtaining demand regenerative braking force is more than an input limiting level of a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohei Hosokawa, Masakazu Tabata, Naruto Yamane, Tatsuhiro Hashida
  • Publication number: 20190309676
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas passage, a water-cooled cylinder head and a turbocharger. The turbocharger includes: a compressor impeller; an axial flow turbine wheel coupled to the compressor impeller through a rotational shaft; a bearing that supports a portion of the rotational shaft located between the compressor impeller and the turbine wheel; and a housing that houses at least the compressor impeller and the bearing among the compressor impeller, the bearing and the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel is coupled to the rotational shaft such that the outlet of turbine blades of the turbine wheel is located on the side of the compressor impeller. The housing is fastened to the cylinder head, directly or with a first gasket interposed between the housing and the cylinder head, such that the turbine wheel is opposed to the cylinder head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu TABATA
  • Publication number: 20190309648
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is equipped with a turbocharger that includes: a centrifugal compressor impeller; an axial flow turbine wheel coupled to the compressor impeller via a rotational shaft; a bearing that supports the rotational shaft; and a housing that houses at least the compressor impeller and the bearing among the compressor impeller, the bearing and the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel is coupled to the rotational shaft such that an outlet of turbine blades of the turbine wheel is located on the side of the compressor impeller. The compressor impeller is arranged such that an inlet of the compressor impeller becomes closer to the turbine wheel than an outlet of the compressor impeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu TABATA
  • Patent number: 10343529
    Abstract: The control apparatus closes the throttle, opens the bypass valve and supplies electric power to the electric compressor in a case where the remaining battery power of the battery is larger than the reference level when regenerative braking is performed with the first motor generator. The electric compressor is provided on the intake passage upstream of the throttle. The bypass valve is provided on the bypass passage that bypasses the electric compressor. According to the hybrid vehicle configured as above, regenerative braking force to be required can be obtained by performing electric power regeneration using the generator even when there is a constraint on regenerated electric power that the battery can accept.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohei Hosokawa, Masakazu Tabata, Naruto Yamane, Tatsuhiro Hashida
  • Patent number: 10329999
    Abstract: A compressor includes an impeller, a housing, and a connecting shaft. An inlet for introducing gas into a suction side of the impeller, and an annular groove formed in an outer periphery of the inlet are formed in the housing. The groove communicates with the inlet on the intake passage side. The groove is blocked on the impeller side. A gas outlet of an EGR passage is connected with a middle of the groove. An inner diameter of the groove is machined to be larger than an inner diameter of an end part of the gas outlet of the intake passage (an end part on the inlet side).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu Tabata
  • Patent number: 10247079
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust gas purification system applied to an internal combustion engine. The engine has a turbocharger including a turbine wheel and a housing for housing the turbine wheel. The housing defines a turbine outlet passage communicating with an exhaust gas discharging part of the turbine wheel. The engine further has an exhaust passage part communicating with an exhaust gas outlet of the turbine outlet passage. The system comprises an exhaust gas purification apparatus disposed in the exhaust passage part at a position adjacent to the exhaust gas outlet of the turbine outlet passage. Further, the apparatus includes an exhaust gas purification member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu Tabata
  • Patent number: 10190484
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine in which a first compressor and a second compressor are arranged in parallel in an intake passage may be configured, in a situation where supercharging by the second compressor is required at a time of a request to increase the engine torque, to start supercharging by the second compressor upon the elapse of a delay time that is started when the power of the first compressor is increased to a designated power value or more using an exhaust energy adjustment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masakazu Tabata
  • Publication number: 20180287535
    Abstract: An exhaust turbine power generating system includes an internal combustion engine, an exhaust turbine power generator configured to perform electric power generation by rotating a turbine by using exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform electric power generation control in which the exhaust turbine power generator is caused to perform electric power generation by controlling the exhaust turbine power generator and the electronic control unit is configured to perform powering control in which the exhaust turbine power generator is caused to perform powering such that the turbine is rotated by controlling the exhaust turbine power generator until a predetermined termination condition is satisfied after the internal combustion engine is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiki FUKUHARA, Masakazu TABATA
  • Publication number: 20180222327
    Abstract: The control apparatus closes the throttle, opens the bypass valve and supplies electric power to the electric compressor in a case where the remaining battery power of the battery is larger than the reference level when regenerative braking is performed with the first motor generator. The electric compressor is provided on the intake passage upstream of the throttle. The bypass valve is provided on the bypass passage that bypasses the electric compressor. According to the hybrid vehicle configured as above, regenerative braking force to be required can be obtained by performing electric power regeneration using the generator even when there is a constraint on regenerated electric power that the battery can accept.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohei HOSOKAWA, Masakazu TABATA, Naruto YAMANE, Tatsuhiro HASHIDA
  • Publication number: 20180215372
    Abstract: The energization control apparatus can select a supercharging mode in which the energization control apparatus controls energization to an electric compressor so as to rotate the electric compressor to supercharge an intake air and an electric power consumption mode in which the energization control apparatus controls the energization to the electric compressor so as to deteriorate efficiency of a motor of the electric compressor than the supercharging mode to increase electric power consumption of the electric compressor. The energization control apparatus supplies regenerated electric power to the electric compressor and control the energization to the electric compressor with the electric power consumption mode when regenerative braking is performed by a generator and regenerated electric power for obtaining demand regenerative braking force is more than an input limiting level of a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohei HOSOKAWA, Masakazu TABATA, Naruto YAMANE, Tatsuhiro HASHIDA
  • Patent number: 10006350
    Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for an internal combustion engine that includes a turbosupercharger, an electric supercharger, and a waste gate valve configured to open and close an exhaust bypass passage. In a single-supercharging range in which an engine torque is less than a torque boundary value, a WGV opening degree is controlled so as to decrease accompanying an increase in the engine torque. Further, in a twin-supercharging range in which the engine torque is equal to or greater than the torque boundary value, the WGV opening degree is controlled so as to increase accompanying an increase in the engine torque, and the electric motor is actuated for supercharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masakazu Tabata, Sho Tomita
  • Publication number: 20170107885
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust gas purification system applied to an internal combustion engine. The engine has a turbocharger including a turbine wheel and a housing for housing the turbine wheel. The housing defines a turbine outlet passage communicating with an exhaust gas discharging part of the turbine wheel. The engine further has an exhaust passage part communicating with an exhaust gas outlet of the turbine outlet passage. The system comprises an exhaust gas purification apparatus disposed in the exhaust passage part at a position adjacent to the exhaust gas outlet of the turbine outlet passage. Further, the apparatus includes an exhaust gas purification member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu TABATA
  • Publication number: 20170030259
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine in which a first compressor and a second compressor are arranged in parallel in an intake passage may be configured, in a situation where supercharging by the second compressor is required at a time of a request to increase the engine torque, to start supercharging by the second compressor upon the elapse of a delay time that is started when the power of the first compressor is increased to a designated power value or more using an exhaust energy adjustment device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu TABATA