Patents by Inventor Masayuki Itou
Masayuki Itou 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: 11476489Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes: a first case housing a fuel cell stack; a second case housing a power converter; an adapter fixing the first and second cases together; and a conductive member connecting between the fuel cell stack and the power converter. A first flange portion, surrounding a first opening portion, of the first case and a second flange portion, surrounding a second opening portion, of the second case are different in at least one of shape and size. The adapter includes: a third flange portion corresponding to the first flange portion; a fourth flange portion corresponding to the second flange portion; a surrounding wall portion continuous from the third flange portion to the fourth flange portion to define an internal space communicating with openings inside the third and fourth flange portions; and a partition wall portion between the first opening portion and the second opening portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayuki Itou, Keita Kinoshita
-
Patent number: 11463038Abstract: A control device for a multi-phase converter including converter circuits of m phases of which each includes a switching element includes: a driven phase number control unit configured to control the multi-phase converter in n-phase driving or m-phase driving; a storage unit configured to store first and second patterns; a selection unit configured to select the first or second pattern while the multi-phase converter is stopped, an on/off control unit configured to perform on/off control on the switching elements of the number of driven phases; and a prediction unit configured to predict a predicted correlation value which is correlated with a time ratio which is a ratio of a time in which control in the m-phase driving is predicted to be performed to a time in which control in the n-phase driving is predicted to be performed in a predetermined time.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2020Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayuki Itou, Tomohiko Kaneko
-
Patent number: 11431017Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes: a fuel cell stack including: a cell stack; a first terminal respectively disposed at a first end of the cell stack in the first direction; and a second terminal disposed at a second end of the cell stack in the first direction, an end plate disposed at a side opposite to the cell stack with respect to the first terminal; a power converter that converts output power of the fuel cell stack; a stack case that houses the fuel cell stack; a power converter case that houses the power converter and is fixed to the stack case; a first bus bar that electrically connects the first terminal and the power converter in the stack case and the power converter case; and a second bus bar that electrically connects the second terminal and the power converter in the stack case and the power converter case.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2020Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayuki Itou, Hiroshi Arisawa, Atsushi Hayashi, Shinsuke Aoyagi, Keita Kinoshita
-
Patent number: 11316182Abstract: A fuel cell module has: a first stacked body including a plurality of unit cells stacked on each other; and a second stacked body including a plurality of magnetic body sheets stacked on each other. The magnetic body sheets includes a coil. The first stacked body is superposed on the second stacked body so as to be electrically connected to the coil. A conductor serving as a part of the coil is embedded in each magnetic body sheet. The conductor has a first end portion and a second end portion exposed from surfaces of each magnetic body sheet on opposite sides from each other. The first end portion of the conductor of one of a set of magnetic body sheets adjacent to each other, among the magnetic body sheets, contacts the second end portion of the conductor of the other of the set of magnetic body sheets.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomohiko Kaneko, Masayuki Itou
-
Patent number: 11264627Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a first fuel cell having first unit cells stacked together, a second fuel cell having second unit cells stacked together, a first voltage detector, a second voltage detector, and a controller. The first voltage detector detects voltage of the first unit cells for every “N” unit cells on average, and the second voltage detector detects voltage of the whole second fuel cell, or detects voltage of the second unit cells for every “M” unit cells on average. The controller determines whether any of the first unit cells is in a fuel deficiency state, by referring to a detection result of the first voltage detector, and performs a cancellation process to cancel the fuel deficiency state, on the first fuel cell that is in a power generating state, while stopping power generation of the second fuel cell, when an affirmative decision is obtained.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayuki Itou, Yasushi Araki
-
Patent number: 11264909Abstract: A control device of a multi-phase converter having N converter circuits connected in parallel includes: a determination unit configured to determine each share ratio of the N converter circuits to unevenly share input current to the multi-phase converter among the N converter circuits such that a conversion efficiency indicating a ratio of output power from the multi-phase converter with respect to input power to the multi-phase converter is higher in the case where the input current is unevenly shared by the N converter circuits compared to the case where the input current is evenly shared by the N converter circuits when the number of driven converter circuits is one or more and N?1 or less and the start condition is satisfied; and a diagnosis unit configured to diagnose an abnormality of the N converter circuits when the N converter circuits are driven in accordance with the determined share ratios.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomohiko Kaneko, Masayuki Itou
-
Patent number: 11245128Abstract: A second flange is separated from at least one of ribs located at one end and the other end out of a plurality of ribs of a plurality of first cases which are located next to each other in a second direction, and is fixed to one of the ribs except for the at least one of the ribs.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2020Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masayuki Itou
-
Patent number: 11233258Abstract: In a control device for a power converter converting electric power of a fuel cell stack, the power converter includes first and second reactors, a first switching element connected to the first reactor, and a second switching element connected to the second reactor. The second reactor is located closer to a cooling water discharge manifold than the first reactor. The control device configured to: set first and second duty cycles of the first and second switching element; and execute limit control in which, by controlling the setting of the first and second duty cycles, a second amount of heat generated by the second reactor due to a second current is limited to a value smaller than a first amount of heat generated by the first reactor due to a first current within a period of at least multiple ON-OFF cycles of the first and second switching elements.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masayuki Itou
-
Patent number: 11139496Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a first fuel cell, second fuel cell, first voltage detector, second voltage detector, and controller. The first voltage detector detects voltage of first unit cells of the first fuel cell for every “N” unit cells on average, and the second voltage detector detects voltage of the second fuel cell as a whole, or detects voltage of second unit cells of the second fuel cell for every “M” unit cells on average, where “M” is larger than “N”. The controller determines whether any of the second unit cells is in a fuel deficiency state, based on the detection result of the first voltage detector, when a predetermined condition under which states of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell are regarded as being close to each other is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayuki Itou, Yasushi Araki
-
Publication number: 20210194404Abstract: A control device for a multi-phase converter including converter circuits of m phases of which each includes a switching element includes: a driven phase number control unit configured to control the multi-phase converter in n-phase driving or m-phase driving; a storage unit configured to store first and second patterns; a selection unit configured to select the first or second pattern while the multi-phase converter is stopped, an on/off control unit configured to perform on/off control on the switching elements of the number of driven phases; and a prediction unit configured to predict a predicted correlation value which is correlated with a time ratio which is a ratio of a time in which control in the m-phase driving is predicted to be performed to a time in which control in the n-phase driving is predicted to be performed in a predetermined time.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2020Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki ITOU, Tomohiko KANEKO
-
Publication number: 20210159797Abstract: A control device of a multi-phase converter having N converter circuits connected in parallel includes: a determination unit configured to determine each share ratio of the N converter circuits to unevenly share input current to the multi-phase converter among the N converter circuits such that a conversion efficiency indicating a ratio of output power from the multi-phase converter with respect to input power to the multi-phase converter is higher in the case where the input current is unevenly shared by the N converter circuits compared to the case where the input current is evenly shared by the N converter circuits when the number of driven converter circuits is one or more and N?1 or less and the start condition is satisfied; and a diagnosis unit configured to diagnose an abnormality of the N converter circuits when the N converter circuits are driven in accordance with the determined share ratios.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2020Publication date: May 27, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomohiko KANEKO, Masayuki ITOU
-
Publication number: 20210111419Abstract: In a control device for a power converter converting electric power of a fuel cell stack, the power converter includes first and second reactors, a first switching element connected to the first reactor, and a second switching element connected to the second reactor. The second reactor is located closer to a cooling water discharge manifold than the first reactor. The control device configured to: set first and second duty cycles of the first and second switching element; and execute limit control in which, by controlling the setting of the first and second duty cycles, a second amount of heat generated by the second reactor due to a second current is limited to a value smaller than a first amount of heat generated by the first reactor due to a first current within a period of at least multiple ON-OFF cycles of the first and second switching elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2020Publication date: April 15, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masayuki ITOU
-
Publication number: 20210043961Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes: a first case housing a fuel cell stack; a second case housing a power converter; an adapter fixing the first and second cases together; and a conductive member connecting between the fuel cell stack and the power converter. A first flange portion, surrounding a first opening portion, of the first case and a second flange portion, surrounding a second opening portion, of the second case are different in at least one of shape and size. The adapter includes: a third flange portion corresponding to the first flange portion; a fourth flange portion corresponding to the second flange portion; a surrounding wall portion continuous from the third flange portion to the fourth flange portion to define an internal space communicating with openings inside the third and fourth flange portions; and a partition wall portion between the first opening portion and the second opening portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki ITOU, Keita KINOSHITA
-
Publication number: 20210043960Abstract: A second flange is separated from at least one of ribs located at one end and the other end out of a plurality of ribs of a plurality of first cases which are located next to each other in a second direction, and is fixed to one of the ribs except for the at least one of the ribs.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masayuki ITOU
-
Publication number: 20210036344Abstract: A fuel cell module has: a first stacked body including a plurality of unit cells stacked on each other; and a second stacked body including a plurality of magnetic body sheets stacked on each other. The magnetic body sheets includes a coil. The first stacked body is superposed on the second stacked body so as to be electrically connected to the coil. A conductor serving as a part of the coil is embedded in each magnetic body sheet. The conductor has a first end portion and a second end portion exposed from surfaces of each magnetic body sheet on opposite sides from each other. The first end portion of the conductor of one of a set of magnetic body sheets adjacent to each other, among the magnetic body sheets, contacts the second end portion of the conductor of the other of the set of magnetic body sheets.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomohiko KANEKO, Masayuki ITOU
-
Publication number: 20200403257Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a first fuel cell having first unit cells stacked together, a second fuel cell having second unit cells stacked together, a first voltage detector, a second voltage detector, and a controller. The first voltage detector detects voltage of the first unit cells for every “N” unit cells on average, and the second voltage detector detects voltage of the whole second fuel cell, or detects voltage of the second unit cells for every “M” unit cells on average. The controller determines whether any of the first unit cells is in a fuel deficiency state, by referring to a detection result of the first voltage detector, and performs a cancellation process to cancel the fuel deficiency state, on the first fuel cell that is in a power generating state, while stopping power generation of the second fuel cell, when an affirmative decision is obtained.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki ITOU, Yasushi ARAKI
-
Publication number: 20200403256Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a first fuel cell, second fuel cell, first voltage detector, second voltage detector, and controller. The first voltage detector detects voltage of first unit cells of the first fuel cell for every “N” unit cells on average, and the second voltage detector detects voltage of the second fuel cell as a whole, or detects voltage of second unit cells of the second fuel cell for every “M” unit cells on average, where “M” is larger than “N”. The controller determines whether any of the second unit cells is in a fuel deficiency state, based on the detection result of the first voltage detector, when a predetermined condition under which states of the first fuel cell and the second fuel cell are regarded as being close to each other is satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki Itou, Yasushi Araki
-
Publication number: 20200388872Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes: a fuel cell stack including: a cell stack; a first terminal respectively disposed at a first end of the cell stack in the first direction; and a second terminal disposed at a second end of the cell stack in the first direction, an end plate disposed at a side opposite to the cell stack with respect to the first terminal; a power converter that converts output power of the fuel cell stack; a stack case that houses the fuel cell stack; a power converter case that houses the power converter and is fixed to the stack case; a first bus bar that electrically connects the first terminal and the power converter in the stack case and the power converter case; and a second bus bar that electrically connects the second terminal and the power converter in the stack case and the power converter case.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki ITOU, Hiroshi ARISAWA, Atsushi HAYASHI, Shinsuke AOYAGI, Keita KINOSHITA
-
Patent number: 7968837Abstract: An object is to provide a separated sensor capable of synchronizing a light transmitting unit with a light receiving unit, without using a control line. There is provided a separated sensor including a light transmitting unit that transmits detection light to a monitoring area, and a light receiving unit that receives detection light transmitted by the light transmitting unit, the light transmitting unit and the light receiving unit laid out separately from each other. On one of the light transmitting unit and the light receiving unit, there is provided a synchronization-light transmitting unit that transmits, by wireless, synchronization light to synchronize the light transmitting unit with the light receiving unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2006Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Hochiki CorporationInventors: Satoshi Nakajima, Masayuki Itou
-
Publication number: 20090026354Abstract: [Object] An object is to provide a separated sensor capable of synchronizing a light transmitting unit with a light receiving unit, without using a control line. [Solving means] There is provided a separated sensor including a light transmitting unit that transmits detection light to a monitoring area, and a light receiving unit that receives detection light transmitted by the light transmitting unit, the light transmitting unit and the light receiving unit laid out separately from each other. On one of the light transmitting unit and the light receiving unit, there is provided a synchronization-light transmitting unit that transmits, by wireless, synchronization light to synchronize the light transmitting unit with the light receiving unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2006Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicant: Hochiki CorporationInventors: Satoshi Nakajima, Masayuki Itou