Patents by Inventor Masaki Okamura
Masaki Okamura 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).
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Patent number: 11198426Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a first gear mechanism which transmits the power of the internal combustion engine to the motor generator side, while accelerating the power between the internal combustion engine and the motor generator; a second gear mechanism which transmits the power of the motor generator side to a vehicle drive shaft, while decelerating the power between the motor generator and the vehicle drive shaft; a third gear mechanism which transmits the power of the drive motor side to the vehicle drive shaft, while decelerating the power between the drive motor and the vehicle drive shaft; a clutch mechanism which switches connection and disconnection between the drive shaft of the motor generator and the first gear mechanism or the second gear mechanism; and a control device which controls the clutch mechanism. The motor generator is not connected to both the vehicle drive shaft and the internal combustion engine at the same time at the time of normal traveling.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kosuke Aiki, Kisaburo Hayakawa, Yoshiaki Ito, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Hideto Inagaki, Masaki Okamura
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Patent number: 11124231Abstract: Provided is a vehicle including a plurality of wheels, a steering device, and a direction indication system. The steering device is configured to steer the wheels at least either to such a first steering angle that the vehicle travels straight in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction or to such a second steering angle that the vehicle rotates around a vertical axis passing through a central portion of the vehicle body. The direction indication system is configured to, when the steering device steers the wheels to either the first steering angle or the second steering angle, indicate toward the outside of the vehicle body that the vehicle is going to travel straight in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction or that the vehicle is going to rotate around the vertical axis passing through the central portion of the vehicle body.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshihiko Hiroe, Masaki Okamura, Kensuke Yoshizue
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Patent number: 10744897Abstract: A power-supply apparatus includes: an energy storage unit including energy storage modules; switches conducting or shutting off a current and switching a connection state of the storage modules; a voltage control unit switching a voltage of the energy storage unit; drive units, connected to the energy storage unit in series, driving respective external rotating electrical machines; and a capacitor connected to the drive units. Further, the power-supply apparatus includes a control unit that, when the voltage control unit switches the voltages of the energy storage unit, supplies electric power regenerated in the drive units to the capacitor and discharges the capacitor, and after an absolute value of a voltage difference between a post-switching voltage of the energy storage unit and a voltage of the capacitor is less than a predetermined value, controls so that the post-switching voltage of the energy storage unit is applied to the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Yoshihiko Hiroe, Yoshitaka Niimi, Masaki Okamura
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Publication number: 20200254983Abstract: A brake force control system configured to allow a driver to control brake force finely only by operating an accelerator pedal, and to decelerate a vehicle to a target speed only by operating the accelerator pedal. The control system calculates a target deceleration to travel through a target site at a target speed in accordance with a decelerating factor. If a reference deceleration generated by returning the accelerator pedal to an initial position is equal to or less than the target deceleration, the control system increases the reference deceleration.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yusuke SUZUKI, Masaki OKAMURA, Junichi MURASE, Fumito ITOH
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Publication number: 20200189656Abstract: Provided is a vehicle including a plurality of wheels, a steering device, and a direction indication system. The steering device is configured to steer the wheels at least either to such a first steering angle that the vehicle travels straight in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction or to such a second steering angle that the vehicle rotates around a vertical axis passing through a central portion of the vehicle body. The direction indication system is configured to, when the steering device steers the wheels to either the first steering angle or the second steering angle, indicate toward the outside of the vehicle body that the vehicle is going to travel straight in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction or that the vehicle is going to rotate around the vertical axis passing through the central portion of the vehicle body.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshihiko HIROE, Masaki OKAMURA, Kensuke YOSHIZUE
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Patent number: 10556593Abstract: A series hybrid vehicle is equipped with an engine, a first motor generator, and a second motor generator. The vehicle has a reduction gear that is a first power transmission mechanism for engaging the engine with the first motor generator, a reduction gear that is a second power transmission mechanism for engaging the first motor generator with a vehicle drive shaft, and a clutch that is capable of engaging the first motor generator with one of the two reduction gears in a switching manner. The vehicle further has a transmission that switches between transmission gear ratios and engages the second motor generator with the vehicle drive shaft.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2018Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshiaki Ito, Kosuke Aiki, Kisaburo Hayakawa, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Hideto Inagaki, Masaki Okamura
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Patent number: 10491122Abstract: A relative maximum point and a relative minimum point, are provided in a first reactor current and a second reactor current within one control cycle as a result of control of on and off of switching elements. At least one of the inflection points in the first and second reactor currents, a plurality of switching elements to simultaneously be turned on or and off are controlled to be turned on or off in a prescribed order with a time lag being set. At the inflection point with the time lag being set, a switching loss is produced in a switching element turned on later or a switching element turned on earlier in accordance with the prescribed order.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shigeaki Goto, Shuji Tomura, Naoki Yanagizawa, Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu
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Patent number: 10483853Abstract: A DC-DC converter may include a first lower FET and a first upper FET connected in series between a high potential output wiring and a low potential wiring, and a second lower FET and a second upper FET connected in series between the high potential output wiring and the low potential wiring. Diodes may be connected to the upper FETs in parallel. A main reactor may be connected to the high potential input wiring. A first sub-reactor may be connected between the main reactor and the first lower FET. A second sub-reactor may be connected between the main reactor and the second lower FET. The first upper FET and the second upper FET are not turned on during a zero-cross mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2018Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ken Toshiyuki, Masaki Okamura
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Patent number: 10363831Abstract: A power system has a first converter; a second converter; a first controller for generating a first command and a second command, controlling the first converter on the basis of the first command, and transmitting the second command to a second controller; and the second controller for controlling the second converter on the basis of the second command. The first controller adjusts the first command to cancel at least one of shortage and excess of second current by first current. The second controller controls the second converter on the basis of the second command when the first command is smaller than first upper limit. The second controller controls the second converter on the basis of second upper limit when the first command reaches the first upper limit.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2016Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshifumi Yamakawa, Masaki Okamura
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Publication number: 20190217853Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a first gear mechanism which transmits the power of the internal combustion engine to the motor generator side, while accelerating the power between the internal combustion engine and the motor generator; a second gear mechanism which transmits the power of the motor generator side to a vehicle drive shaft, while decelerating the power between the motor generator and the vehicle drive shaft; a third gear mechanism which transmits the power of the drive motor side to the vehicle drive shaft, while decelerating the power between the drive motor and the vehicle drive shaft; a clutch mechanism which switches connection and disconnection between the drive shaft of the motor generator and the first gear mechanism or the second gear mechanism; and a control device which controls the clutch mechanism. The motor generator is not connected to both the vehicle drive shaft and the internal combustion engine at the same time at the time of normal traveling.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2019Publication date: July 18, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kosuke AIKI, Kisaburo HAYAKAWA, Yoshiaki ITO, Hiroyuki YAMAGUCHI, Hideto INAGAKI, Masaki OKAMURA
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Publication number: 20190168761Abstract: A series hybrid vehicle is equipped with an engine, a first motor generator, and a second motor generator. The vehicle has a reduction gear that is a first power transmission mechanism for engaging the engine with the first motor generator, a reduction gear that is a second power transmission mechanism for engaging the first motor generator with a vehicle drive shaft, and a clutch that is capable of engaging the first motor generator with one of the two reduction gears in a switching manner. The vehicle further has a transmission that switches between transmission gear ratios and engages the second motor generator with the vehicle drive shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2018Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshiaki ITO, Kosuke AIKI, Kisaburo HAYAKAWA, Hiroyuki YAMAGUCHI, Hideto INAGAKI, Masaki OKAMURA
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Patent number: 10250171Abstract: An electric motor control apparatus controls an electric motor system that includes a power converter including switching elements and a three-phase alternating-current motor. The electric motor control apparatus includes generating devices for generating modulation signals by respectively adding corresponding triple harmonic signals to phase voltage command signals and a control device for controlling switching elements on the basis of a magnitude relation between each of the modulation signals and a carrier signal. Each of the triple harmonic signals includes a signal component that increases the absolute value of a peak value of a signal level of the corresponding modulation signal above the absolute value of a peak value of a signal level of the carrier signal in a corresponding one of phases.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshifumi Yamakawa, Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu
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Publication number: 20190089169Abstract: A power supply device includes 1 to N-th power storage modules, a first switch group, a second switch group, and a third switch group. 1st to N-th first switch mechanisms are connected respectively between the 1st to N-th power storage modules and the positive electrode-side input output unit. 1st to N-th second switch mechanisms are connected respectively between the 1st to N-th power storage modules and the negative electrode-side input output unit. 1st to N-1-th third switch mechanisms are connected respectively between positive electrodes of the 1st to N-1-th power storage modules and negative electrodes of the 2nd to N-th power storage modules. An N-th third switch mechanism is connected between a positive electrode of an N-th power storage module and a negative electrode of the 1st power storage module.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masaki OKAMURA, Yoshihiko HIROE, Naoyoshi TAKAMATSU, Yoshitaka NIIMI
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Publication number: 20190089253Abstract: A DC-DC converter may include a first lower FET and a first upper FET connected in series between a high potential output wiring and a low potential wiring, and a second lower FET and a second upper FET connected in series between the high potential output wiring and the low potential wiring. Diodes may be connected to the upper FETs in parallel. A main reactor may be connected to the high potential input wiring. A first sub-reactor may be connected between the main reactor and the first lower FET. A second sub-reactor may be connected between the main reactor and the second lower FET. The first upper FET and the second upper FET are not turned on during a zero-cross mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ken TOSHIYUKI, Masaki OKAMURA
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Publication number: 20190084438Abstract: A power-supply apparatus includes: an energy storage unit including energy storage modules; switches conducting or shutting off a current and switching a connection state of the storage modules; a voltage control unit switching a voltage of the energy storage unit; drive units, connected to the energy storage unit in series, driving respective external rotating electrical machines; and a capacitor connected to the drive units. Further, the power-supply apparatus includes a control unit that, when the voltage control unit switches the voltages of the energy storage unit, supplies electric power regenerated in the drive units to the capacitor and discharges the capacitor, and after an absolute value of a voltage difference between a post-switching voltage of the energy storage unit and a voltage of the capacitor is less than a predetermined value, controls so that the post-switching voltage of the energy storage unit is applied to the capacitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Naoyoshi TAKAMATSU, Yoshihiko HIROE, Yoshitaka NIIMI, Masaki OKAMURA
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Patent number: 10232807Abstract: A control apparatus for the boost converter to reduce the total loss is proposed. The control apparatus for the boost converter which controls the boost converter in a power system, the system has a DC power source having source voltage; the boost converter including a switching device and boosting the source voltage by predetermined boost control including change of switching state of the switching device based on boost instruction voltage and outputs the boosted voltage to a load apparatus; and a voltage detecting device detecting output voltage of the boost converter, the control apparatus has: a boost controlling device performing the boost control; and an intermittent controlling device performing intermittent process of the boost control based on the detected output voltage to keep the output voltage within range including the boost instruction voltage which is used when the last boost control is performed.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2012Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Kosuke Hirano
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Patent number: 10224857Abstract: Provided is a motor controller that controls a motor system including: a power converter, a smoothing capacitor, a three-phase AC motor, and a current sensor. The motor controller is provided with an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit specifies a target phase that is a phase of a second phase voltage command signal having a largest difference from a first phase voltage command signal having a signal level that is neither a maximum nor a minimum signal level, based on three phase voltage command signals generated from the detection value of the current sensor, and corrects the detection value of the current sensor, which detects the phase current of the target phase, such that a terminal voltage of the smoothing capacitor matches the desired voltage value.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2014Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshifumi Yamakawa, Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu
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Patent number: 10199155Abstract: A core has first to third magnetic leg portions. First and second windings wound on the first and second magnetic leg portions, respectively, are connected in series to constitute a first reactor. A third winding wound on the third magnetic leg portion constitutes a second reactor. A magnetic field produced from the first reactor and a magnetic field produced from the second reactor reinforce each other in the second magnetic leg portion, but weaken each other in the first magnetic leg portion. In accordance with increase in currents, the operation of the first and second reactors changes from a magnetically uncoupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically non-interfering state to a magnetically coupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically interfering state.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masanori Ishigaki, Shuji Tomura, Naoki Yanagizawa, Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu
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Patent number: 10170988Abstract: An operation mode selection unit selects an operation mode of a power converter and generates a mode selection signal indicating the result of selection, in accordance with a load condition and a power supply condition. An operation mode switching control unit generates a mode control signal designating an operation mode of the power converter. When the operation mode currently selected by the mode control signal is different from an operation mode indicated by the mode selection signal, the operation mode switching control unit adjusts a power distribution ratio between a plurality of DC power supplies or an output voltage on an electric power line so as not to change abruptly, and then permits a transition of operation mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2014Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masanori Ishigaki, Shuji Tomura, Naoki Yanagizawa, Masaki Okamura
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Patent number: 10164551Abstract: A boost control apparatus is provided with: a controlling device configured (i) to perform first duty control by a first control parameter if output current that flows through a reactor is not near zero, and (ii) to perform second duty control by a second control parameter if the output current is near zero, during one-side element control for driving only one of a first switching element and a second switching element, each of which is connected to a reactor in series. A rate calculating device is provided that is configured to calculate a change rate of the output current to a change amount of a duty value in the first duty control and the second duty control. A control determining device is also provided that is configured to control the controlling device to perform the second duty control regardless of the output current, if the change rate is less than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2016Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshifumi Yamakawa, Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu