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).

  • Publication number: 20120318473
    Abstract: A cooling device for a vehicle includes a first radiator and a second radiator. The first radiator includes first tubes through which first coolant flows, and the second radiator includes second tubes through which second coolant flows. The second radiator is arranged downstream of the first radiator in a flow direction of cooling air, and the second tubes are elongated in a longitudinal direction different from a longitudinal direction of the first tubes. The second radiator is configured to cause a flow amount of the second coolant flowing respectively in the second tubes to be gradually increased with respect to a flow direction of the first coolant flowing in the first tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi
  • Publication number: 20120210954
    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: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Michio NISHIKAWA, Takeo Matsumoto, Mitsuo Hara, Mitsunobu Uchida
  • Publication number: 20120180989
    Abstract: A heating-use heat exchanger which includes a first heater core which exchanges heat between a first liquid and air blown into a passenger compartment and a second heater core which exchanges heat between a second liquid which is higher in temperature and smaller in flow rate than the first liquid and blown air which is heated by the first heater core is held in an air-conditioning case so that an inlet side tank part is at the bottom and an exit side tank part is at the top and the tube longitudinal direction is slanted. Due to this, the high temperature second liquid flowing into the second heater core is stored inside of the inlet side tank part in a region above the tube inlet side ends over the entire stacking direction of the plurality of tubes, then flows into the plurality of tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Ota, Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi
  • Publication number: 20110259287
    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: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicants: Nippon Soken, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuharu Kakehashi, Michio Nishikawa, Mitsunobu Uchida
  • Publication number: 20110214627
    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: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio NISHIKAWA, Nobuharu KAKEHASHI, Koji OTA
  • Patent number: 7950230
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery apparatus including a Rankine cycle which includes a heater for heating an operation fluid by waste heat from a heat-generating device, an expansion unit for converting energy of expansion of the operation fluid flowing out from the heater into mechanical energy, and a condenser for condensing and liquefying the expanded operation fluid, a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the operation fluid on the inlet side of the expansion unit, a pressure detector for detecting inlet-side pressure of the expansion unit, a pressure detector for detecting outlet-side pressure of the expansion unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls a command rotational speed of the expansion unit based on superheated degree information at the inlet of the expansion unit obtained from the operation fluid temperature and the inlet-side pressure, and pressure information in which the outlet-side pressure is considered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Kouji Yamashita, Hiroshi Kishita, Keiichi Uno
  • Publication number: 20110120146
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes first and second heating heat exchangers disposed to heat air by using a cooling fluid for cooling an engine as a heat source, a heater disposed to heat the cooling fluid flowing to the second heating heat exchanger, and a controller that outputs an operation request signal to the engine when a temperature of the cooling fluid is lower than a predetermined temperature. The first and second heating heat exchangers are arranged in parallel with respect to a flow direction of the cooling fluid. In the air conditioner, the controller controls a flow amount of the cooling fluid flowing into the second heating heat exchanger to be, smaller than a flow amount of the cooling fluid flowing into the first heating heat exchanger when the heater heats the cooling fluid flowing to the second heating heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Ota, Manabu Maeda, Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi
  • Publication number: 20110114739
    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. Thus, an electric power consumed by an electric motor of a blower can be reduced, thereby realizing energy saving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haruki Misumi, Takuya Kataoka, Koji Ota, Michio Nishikawa, Shinichirou Hirai, Yoshiaki Suzuki, Akihiro Haraguchi, Katsuji Kuwada, Yasuhiro Sagou
  • Publication number: 20110048671
    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: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Nobuharu Kakehashi
  • Patent number: 7578139
    Abstract: A controller reduces a rotational speed of a Rankine cycle from a predetermined normal rotational speed during an operation of a compressor in a predetermined state when the controller determines that a predicted refrigerant flow quantity, which is predicted by assuming that the compressor is operated in a sole operation of the Rankine cycle at the predetermined normal rotational speed of the Rankine cycle, exceeds a predetermined flow quantity. The predetermined state is a state that satisfies a predetermined condition, which relates to the sole operation of the Rankine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Atsushi Inaba, Hironori Asa, Hiroshi Kishita
  • Publication number: 20090071156
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery apparatus including a Rankine cycle which includes a heater for heating an operation fluid by waste heat from a heat-generating device, an expansion unit for converting energy of expansion of the operation fluid flowing out from the heater into mechanical energy, and a condenser for condensing and liquefying the expanded operation fluid, a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the operation fluid on the inlet side of the expansion unit, a pressure detector for detecting inlet-side pressure of the expansion unit, a pressure detector for detecting outlet-side pressure of the expansion unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls a command rotational speed of the expansion unit based on superheated degree information at the inlet of the expansion unit obtained from the operation fluid temperature and the inlet-side pressure, and pressure information in which the outlet-side pressure is considered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Kouji Yamashita, Hiroshi Kishita, Keiichi Uno
  • Publication number: 20090031749
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device mounted on a vehicle includes a refrigeration cycle for allowing a refrigerant for refrigeration to circulate therethrough, and a Rankine cycle for allowing a refrigerant for the Rankine cycle to circulate therethrough. The refrigeration-cycle condenser and the Rankine-cycle condenser are disposed in predetermined positions of the vehicle in series with respect to a flow direction of external air for cooling, and the refrigeration-cycle condenser is disposed on an upstream side of the external air with respect to the Rankine-cycle condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Hironori Asa, Keiichi Uno, Hiroshi Kishita
  • Publication number: 20090013705
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus with an exhaust heat recovery device mounted on a vehicle includes a refrigeration cycle for allowing a refrigerant for refrigeration to circulate therethrough, and a Rankine cycle for allowing a refrigerant for the Rankine cycle to circulate therethrough. The Rankine-cycle condenser and the refrigeration-cycle condenser are disposed in predetermined positions of the vehicle in series with respect to a flow direction of external air for cooling, and the Rankine-cycle condenser is disposed on an upstream side of the external air with respect to the refrigeration-cycle condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Hironori Asa, Keiichi Uno, Hiroshi Kishita
  • Publication number: 20070289326
    Abstract: A controller reduces a rotational speed of a Rankine cycle from a predetermined normal rotational speed during an operation of a compressor in a predetermined state when the controller determines that a predicted refrigerant flow quantity, which is predicted by assuming that the compressor is operated in a sole operation of the Rankine cycle at the predetermined normal rotational speed of the Rankine cycle, exceeds a predetermined flow quantity. The predetermined state is a state that satisfies a predetermined condition, which relates to the sole operation of the Rankine cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Michio Nishikawa, Atsushi Inaba, Hironori Asa, Hiroshi Kishita
  • Publication number: 20070245737
    Abstract: A waste heat utilization device includes a Rankine cycle in which an operation fluid circulates, and a control unit which controls an operation of the Rankine cycle. The Rankine cycle has a heater for heating the operation fluid using a waste fluid with a waste heat from a heat engine, an expander that expands the heated operation fluid to recover a mechanical energy, and a condenser for cooling and condensing the expanded operation fluid. The control unit operates the Rankine cycle when a waste fluid temperature is not less than a predetermined temperature and when the waste fluid is in a flowing state in the heat engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Inaba, Michio Nishikawa, Hironori Asa, Keiichi Uno, Takahisa Suzuki, Hiroshi Kishita