Patents by Inventor Michio Nishikawa

Michio Nishikawa 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: 9511647
    Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle with an equipment controlled in accordance with a traveling state of the vehicle, a first heater is disposed to heat air to be blown into a vehicle compartment by using a coolant of the equipment as a heat source, and a second heater is adapted as an auxiliary heater to further heat the air heated by the first heater. A heating capacity of the first heater is controlled such that a temperature of the equipment is approached to a predetermined temperature when the thermal fluid after passing through the first heater returns the equipment, and a heating capacity of the second heater is controlled such that a temperature of air to be blown into the vehicle compartment becomes a desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi
  • Patent number: 9404410
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a cylinder-head-passage through which an engine coolant flows toward a water jacket when a water pump is operated. The water pump is an electric water pump utilizing the electric power charged in the battery. A radiator is provided in the cylinder-head-passage. Even after the engine is shut off, the water pump is kept driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Koji Ota
  • Publication number: 20160153343
    Abstract: A vehicle thermal management system includes a heat medium-heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat between a first heat medium drawn into and discharged from a first pump and a second pump, and a second heat medium circulating through an engine cooling circuit. A first switching valve switches between a state in which the first heat medium discharged from the first pump flows, and another state in which the first heat medium discharged from the second pump flows, with respect to the plurality of devices and the heat medium-heat medium heat exchanger. The second switching valve switches between a state in which the first heat medium flows into the first pump, and another state in which the first heat medium flows into the second pump, with respect to the plurality of devices and the heat medium-heat medium heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Nobuharu KAKEHASHI, Yoshiki KATOH, Norihiko ENOMOTO, Michio NISHIKAWA, Kengo SUGIMURA
  • Publication number: 20160109163
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioning apparatus includes: a heat exchanger adjustment unit which adjusts the flow rate of at least one of a heat medium and outside air flowing through a heat medium-to-outside air heat exchanger in such a way that a temperature related to a surface temperature of an air-cooling heat exchanger approaches a first target temperature, and a refrigerant flow rate adjustment unit which adjusts the flow rate of a refrigerant discharged from the compressor in such a way that a temperature related to a temperature of blast air, which has been adjusted in at least one of the air-cooling heat exchanger and an air-heating heat exchanger and which is blown out into a vehicle interior, approaches a second target temperature. Accordingly, a surface temperature of the air-cooling heat exchanger and the temperature of the blast air into the vehicle interior can be properly controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Norihiko ENOMOTO, Nobuharu KAKEHASHI, Michio NISHIKAWA, Yoshiki KATOH, Kengo SUGIMURA, Takashi YAMANAKA, Masamichi MAKIHARA
  • Publication number: 20160075213
    Abstract: A vehicle heat management device applied to a refrigeration cycle includes a pump that suctions and discharges a heat medium, a heat medium cooler that exchanges heat between the heat medium discharged by the pump and low-pressure side refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle to evaporate the low-pressure side refrigerant and to cool the heat medium, a heat medium circulation device through which the heat medium whose heat is exchanged in the heat medium cooler flows and in which the heat medium absorbs heat by its sensible heat change, and a heat medium flow control part that increases a flow rate of the heat medium flowing through the heat medium circulation device when an amount of the heat absorbed by the heat medium in the heat medium circulation device is determined to be larger than a predetermined amount of heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Kengo SUGIMURA, Nobuharu KAKEHASHI, Yoshiki KATOH, Michio NISHIKAWA, Norihiko ENOMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160031288
    Abstract: A heat medium circulation equipment, a first pump, and a second pump are connected to a first switching valve and a second switching valve. A heater core is connected to at least one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve, and connected to a heat medium circuit. A state, in which the heat medium discharged by a third pump flows into the heater core, is selected by switching of a switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Michio NISHIKAWA, Nobuharu KAKEHASHI, Norihiko ENOMOTO, Yoshiki KATOH, Kengo SUGIMURA
  • Publication number: 20160031291
    Abstract: In a thermal management system for a vehicle, a first switching valve is connected to at least one device in a group of a plurality of devices, a heat medium discharge side of a first pump, and a heat medium discharge side of a second pump in parallel with each other; and a second switching valve is connected to at least one device in the device group, a heat medium suction side of the first pump, and a heat medium suction side of the second pump in parallel with each other. Heat medium circulating through a first device included in the device group allows to flow through the second device. One side of a heat medium inlet side and a heat medium outlet side of the second device is connected to between one of the first switching valve and the second switching valve and the first device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: Norihiko ENOMOTO, Michio NISHIKAWA, Nobuharu KAKEHASHI
  • Publication number: 20150273976
    Abstract: A heat medium circuit including a first path and a heat medium circuit including a second path are formed independently from each other by operating a first switching valve and a second switching valve in conjunction with each other to make each of multiple flow passages of a first flow passage group communicate with either the first path or the second path. A heat medium circuit in which the first path and the second path are connected to each other in series is formed by operating the first switching valve and the second switching valve in conjunction with each other to make each of the multiple flow passages of the first flow passage group communicate with both the first path and the second path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20150258875
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a first pump and a second pump, temperature adjustment target devices, heat exchangers, numerous flow paths including a first pump arrangement flow path, a second pump arrangement flow path, and device arrangement flow paths, a first switching portion for allowing the numerous flow paths to selectively communicate with each other, a second switching portion for allowing the numerous flow paths to selectively communicate with each other, and a reserve tank for storing therein heat medium. The reserve tank is configured to set the pressure of the liquid surface of the stored heat medium to a predetermined pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure), and is connected to one flow path of the numerous flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa, Masamichi Makihara, Kazutoshi Kuwayama, Yoshiki Katoh, Kengo Sugimura
  • Publication number: 20150217622
    Abstract: A first-pump arrangement flow path, temperature-adjustment target-device arrangement flow paths, and a second-pump arrangement flow path are connected to a communication flow path in this order from one end side to the other end side of the communication flow path. A first heat exchanger is disposed in the first-pump arrangement flow path among numerous flow paths, which is connected to the communication flow path at a position on a side of the first-pump arrangement flow path, rather than the flow path in which a second heat exchanger is disposed. The switching portion is operated to establish communication between plural flow paths, starting from the flow path connected to the communication flow path at the position closest to the one end side among the numerous flow paths, up to the flow path connected to the communication flow path at an n-th position counted from the one end side among the numerous flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20150129161
    Abstract: A heat medium discharge side of a first pump and a heat medium discharge side of a second pump are connected to a first switching valve in parallel. Heat medium inlet sides of the respective target devices for heat exchange included in a first target device group for heat exchange are connected to a first switching valve in parallel. The heat medium inlet side of the first pump and the heat medium inlet side of the second pump are connected to a second switching valve in parallel. The heat medium outlet sides of the respective target devices for heat exchange included in the first target device group for heat exchange are connected to the second switching valve in parallel. Furthermore, switching is performed between a state of circulation of the heat medium between the first pump and the target device, and a state of circulation of the heat medium between the second pump and the target device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Norihiko Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20150101693
    Abstract: A flow passage switching unit includes side-by-side arranged rotary valve parts. The valve part includes a casing, side walls, a peripheral wall, first fluid ports, a second fluid port, a rotary shaft, and a valving element. A flow passage, through which the first fluid ports and the second fluid port selectively communicate, is formed by rotation of the valving element. The unit includes a driving mechanism driving each valving element by its corresponding predetermined rotation angle. The driving mechanism includes one driving source, and a motive power transmission member transmitting rotation motive power of the driving source respectively to the valve parts. Motive power of the driving source is transmitted to each rotary shaft of the valve parts to drive each valving element to a position, which position of the valving element relative to the first and second fluid ports is different from one another among the valve parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Kengo Sugimura, Yoshiki Katoh
  • Publication number: 20150101789
    Abstract: First circulation portions switch a flow of a heat medium such that one of the heat media for two systems selectively circulates through a radiator flow path or a first bypass flow path. Second circulation portions switch the flow of the heat medium such that the heat media for the two systems selectively circulate with respect to a second flow path group. The first circulation portions and the second circulation portions are adapted to switch the flow of the heat medium so as to form a first circulation circuit for allowing the heat medium to circulate among a first flow path group, the second flow path group, and a first pump, as well as a second circulation circuit for allowing the heat medium to circulate among the first flow path group, the second flow path group, and a second pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Norihiko Enomoto, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa, Yasumitsu Omi, Takashi Yamanaka, Masayuki Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20150072259
    Abstract: A radiator cap is connected to a circulating circuit at a connecting point located upstream of a water pump in a flow direction of coolant and that regulates a pressure in the circulating circuit to be within a predetermined pressure range that is higher than or equal to an atmospheric pressure at the connecting point. A rotary valve is disposed in the circulating circuit at upstream of the connecting point of the radiator cap in the flow direction of coolant. Accordingly, a cavitation is restricted from occurring, and the water pump can perform enough efficiency. A communication passage that has an upstream end and a downstream end connected to the circulating circuit may be disposed instead of the radiator cap. In this case, a pressure regulating valve is disposed in the communication passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takurou Furukoshi, Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Shunjiro Kikawa
  • Publication number: 20150056530
    Abstract: A fuel cell is used for generating driving energy for a vehicle. The reserve-tank inlet valve is located between a suction side of the coolant pump and a position in the coolant circuit at which a pressure of the coolant controlled by the reserve-tank inlet valve is an intermediate value between a discharge pressure of the coolant pump and a suction pressure of the coolant pump during an operation of the coolant pump. Even if the fuel cell is stopped generating electric power, the coolant pump is made continue operating even when the vehicle is traveling in a case that a coolant temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature. The coolant pump is made stop rotating after the coolant temperature becomes lower than or equal to the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Takurou Furukoshi, Shunjiro Kikawa, Keigo Suematsu
  • Patent number: 8899311
    Abstract: When there is no occupant in seats other than a driver seat during a foot mode, an air-conditioning controller executes a single seat concentration mode to prevent blowing of warm air to a passenger seat and a backseat by closing foot outlets on a passenger seat side and a backseat side. In this case, in order to maintain an air volume blown from the foot outlet on a driver seat side when the controller changes the mode from the normal foot mode to the single seat concentration mode, the controller sets a blower level to be lower than in the case of the normal foot mode with respect to the same target blown air temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Haruki Misumi, Takuya Kataoka, Koji Ota, Michio Nishikawa, Shinichirou Hirai, Yoshiaki Suzuki, Akihiro Haraguchi, Katsuji Kuwada, Yasuhiro Sagou
  • Patent number: 8695541
    Abstract: During engine warm-up, a flow regulating unit in a cooling system operates in a fuel efficiency priority mode. In this mode, a head-side cooling water flow rate (Qhd) is regulated to be equal to or smaller than a first upper limit; a block-side cooling water flow rate (Qbk) is regulated to be equal to or smaller than a second upper limit; and cooling water flowing out of a block-side passage and a head-side passage flows mainly into a bypass passage. When a heating request to heat blown air is made during engine warm-up, the regulating unit operates in a heating priority mode. In this mode, Qhd is regulated to be equal to or smaller than a third upper limit; Qbk is regulated to be equal to or smaller than a fourth upper limit; and at least cooling water flowing out of the head-side passage flows into a heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Takeo Matsumoto, Mitsuo Hara, Mitsunobu Uchida
  • Publication number: 20140041826
    Abstract: A vehicle temperature control apparatus for controlling temperature of a temperature control object, which is at least one of inside air of a vehicle compartment and a vehicle component, includes a heat capacitive element capable of storing heat, a refrigeration cycle in which heat is absorbed from a low temperature side and is dissipated to a high temperature side, a heat exchanger that causes the heat capacitive element to exchange heat with refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle, and a heat dissipation portion which dissipates heat in the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle to the temperature control object. Thus, a temperature control by using the heat capacitive element can be effectively performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Takeuchi, Hiroshi Kishita, Yasumitsu Omi, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Hideaki Okawa, Kouji Miura, Michio Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20130298851
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a cylinder-head-passage through which an engine coolant flows toward a water jacket when a water pump is operated. The water pump is an electric water pump utilizing the electric power charged in the battery. A radiator is provided in the cylinder-head-passage. Even after the engine is shut off, the water pump is kept driven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Michio NISHIKAWA, Nobuharu Kakehashi, Koji Ota
  • Patent number: 8561580
    Abstract: In an engine, a block-side flow path for circulating cooling water to cool a cylinder block, and a head-side flow path for circulating cooling water to cool a cylinder head are formed. A head-side outlet temperature of cooling water flowing out of the head-side flow path is adjusted by using a water pump that pressure sends the cooling water to both the block-side flow path and the head-side flow path. A block-side outlet temperature of cooling water flowing out of the block-side flow path is adjusted by a first thermostat that changes a flow amount of the cooling water flowing out of the block-side flow path. The cooling water flowing out of the block-side flow path is used as a heat source of first and second heater cores for heating air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa, Mitsunobu Uchida