Patents by Inventor Minoru Akita

Minoru Akita 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: 9534548
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a closing valve provided in a vapor path connecting an adsorbent canister to the fuel tank, a pressure sensor configured to detect the inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit configured to determine whether the amount of increase in the inner pressure of the fuel tank is within an acceptable range or not, to learn a valve opening start position of the closing valve when the inner pressure of the fuel tank is reduced by an amount not less than a predetermined value, and to stop or prohibit the learning of the valve opening start position of the closing valve when the amount of increase in the inner pressure of the fuel tank is not within the acceptable range during or before the learning of the valve opening start position of the closing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Akita, Yoshikazu Miyabe, Naoyuki Tagawa
  • Patent number: 9523316
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a canister capable of adsorbing vaporized fuel generated in a fuel tank, a closing valve provided in the vapor path connecting the canister and the fuel tank and having a valve seat and a valve movable portion, a pressure sensor configured to detect inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit. The electric control unit is configured to set a learning value that is an axial distance between the valve seat and the valve movable portion at a valve opening start position at a fail-safe value such that the closing valve is in the valve closing state when the inner pressure of the fuel tank decreases by less than a predetermined value after repeating a stroke control process more than predetermined times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki Tagawa, Minoru Akita, Yoshikazu Miyabe
  • Publication number: 20160356227
    Abstract: A fuel vapor processing apparatus includes a canister housing an adsorbent material that adsorbs fuel vapor from a tank, and a valve in a passage connecting the canister and tank. When a stroke amount is within a range, the valve is closed to close the tank and a valve opening start position is learned. In the learning, the stroke amount is varied in the opening direction by repeatedly changing in the opening direction by a first stroke and maintaining for a first time period, and subsequently changing in a closing direction by a second stroke and maintaining for a second time period. The valve opening start position is determined based on the stroke amount in the second time period when the tank pressure is reduced by the predetermined value or more or in a preceding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE, Naoyuki TAGAWA, Junya KIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9470161
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a canister loaded with an adsorbent capable of adsorbing vaporized fuel generated in a fuel tank, a closing valve provided a vapor path connecting the canister and the fuel tank and having a valve seat and a valve movable portion such that a distance between the valve seat and the valve movable portion is stroke amount, a pressure sensor configured to detect inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit. The electric control unit is configured to perform abnormal state depressurization control of the fuel tank, in a state that the pressure sensor cannot detect the inner pressure of the fuel tank, by setting the stroke amount of the closing valve at a fail-safe value in which the closing valve is closed, and then changing the stroke amount in a valve opening direction of the closing valve from the fail-safe value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Akita, Yoshikazu Miyabe, Naoyuki Tagawa
  • Publication number: 20160281655
    Abstract: An engine, an intake passage to introduce intake air to the engine, an exhaust passage to discharge exhaust air from the engine, and a high-temperature duct connected to the intake passage to introduce high-temperature air around the exhaust passage into the engine are provided in an engine compartment. The intake passage includes an intake-air inlet port to introduce outside air as low-temperature air. A passage switching valve provided between the intake passage and the high-temperature duct switches passages of the high-temperature air from the high-temperature duct and the low-temperature air from the intake air inlet port so as to selectively flow the air downstream of the intake passage. A valve control unit controls switching according to the temperature inside the compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mamoru YOSHIOKA, Minoru AKITA, Tsutomu KUNIYOSHI
  • Patent number: 9421490
    Abstract: A fuel vapor processing apparatus may include a canister, a closing valve provided in a vapor passage connecting the canister and the fuel tank, an actuator coupled to the movable valve member, and a control device coupled to the actuator. The control device may perform a learning control, in which a valve opening start position is learned based on a stroke distance of the movable valve member, which is given at the time when an internal pressure of the fuel tank is reduced by a predetermined pressure value while the moving distance of the movable valve member is changed such that (a) the movable valve member moves from the reference position to a learning start position at a first speed in a valve opening direction and (b) the movable valve member moves further from the learning start position at a second speed in the valve opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya Kimoto, Yuzuru Ito, Naoyuki Tagawa, Yoshikazu Miyabe, Minoru Akita
  • Publication number: 20160237959
    Abstract: In an apparatus for heating an intake system for an engine of a vehicle by hot water, the vehicle having an engine compartment placed in a front part, in which a radiator is placed on a front side, and the engine and the intake system are placed behind the radiator. The intake system includes an intake passage and a throttle device. A hot water passage is provided to circulate hot water around the throttle device to heat the throttle device, the hot water having been warmed by cooling the engine. In the hot water passage, a hot water control valve is provided. In the hot water control valve, an expanding-contracting member made of shape-memory alloy is provided to control opening and closing of the hot water control valve in response to the internal temperature of the engine compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mamoru YOSHIOKA, Minoru AKITA, Tsutomu KUNIYOSHI
  • Patent number: 9382866
    Abstract: A fuel supplier for a motor vehicle, having a fuel tank and an internal combustion engine, includes a fuel pump pumping fuel from the fuel tank to the internal combustion engine, a motor driving the fuel pump, and a control unit carrying out feedback control of duty ratio of voltage applied to the motor such that the actual fuel pressure comes close to a target fuel pressure. The control unit increases a low limit value of the duty ratio in accordance with the change of an accelerator open ratio in an opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Akita, Naoyuki Tagawa
  • Publication number: 20160108865
    Abstract: A fuel vapor processing apparatus may include a canister, a purge passage connecting the canister and an engine, a vapor passage connecting the canister and a fuel tank, a closing valve disposed in the vapor passage, a pressure detection device for detecting a pressure within the fuel tank, and a controller coupled to the closing valve and the pressure detection device. The controller may output a control signal to the closing valve for opening the closing valve or for closing the closing valve. The controller may include an abnormality determination device that may determine whether or not the pressure detection device is operating properly based a detection value of the pressure detection device detected at a time when the engine is inactive and after the controller outputs the control signal to the closing valve for opening the closing valve or for closing the closing valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAGAWA, Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE
  • Publication number: 20160076495
    Abstract: A fuel-supply system has a fuel pump, a pressure controller, a signal output device and a power switch. The pressure controller adjusts the observed fuel pressure of the fuel and may electronically communicate with a motor driving the fuel pump to regulate the supply of fuel from a fuel tank of the fuel-supply system to an engine. In detail, the pressure controller performs feedback control of a voltage applied to the motor such that the pressure of a fuel pumped from the fuel pump approaches to have a first target and/or ideal fuel pressure value. Further, the signal output device outputs the first target fuel pressure value to the pressure controller. Activation of the power switch supplies power, from a power source, to the pressure controller, the motor and the signal output device. Further, the pressure controller may perform feedback control based on a second target fuel pressure value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAGAWA, Minoru AKITA
  • Publication number: 20160057698
    Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus reducing power consumption of a large circuit size switch unit, includes a demultiplexing unit that separates an input multiplexed signal into plural signals for each input port, a prestage rearrangement unit that rearranges the plural signals input from the demultiplexing unit and outputs plural prestage rearranged signals for each input port, a switch unit that inputs the plural prestage rearranged signals output from the prestage rearrangement unit provided for each input port as plural signals before switching and applies switching processes to the plural signals before the switching to be output as plural switched signals for each output port, a poststage rearrangement unit that inputs and rearranges the plural switched signals output from the switch unit for each output port and outputs plural poststage rearranged signals for each output port, and a multiplexing unit that multiplexes the plural poststage rearranged signals for each output port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minoru AKITA, Akinori FUJIMURA
  • Publication number: 20150330346
    Abstract: A fuel supply system may include a fuel pump configured to supply fuel from a fuel tank to a target, a motor for driving the fuel pump, and a controller coupled to the motor. The controller may determine a duty ratio of a control signal through a feedback control and to output the control signal to the motor, so that a fuel pressure of the fuel supplied from the fuel tank approaches a target fuel pressure. The controller may estimate the duty ratio based on the target fuel pressure and information regarding a fuel pressure of the fuel supplied from the fuel tank, and may guard an upper limit of the duty ratio by an upper limit guard value. The upper limit guard value may be determined based on a rotational speed of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAGAWA, Minoru AKITA
  • Publication number: 20150330337
    Abstract: A fuel vapor processing apparatus may include a vapor passage connecting a canister and a fuel tank of an engine system. An opening and closing valve may be disposed in the vapor passage. A valve opening device may be coupled to the opening and closing valve and may forcibly open the valve when the internal pressure of the fuel tank detected by a pressure has reached to a set pressure value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAGAWA, Yoshikazu MIYABE, Minoru AKITA
  • Publication number: 20150322902
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel treating device having a canister that is configured to adsorb vaporized fuel in a fuel tank and to feed the adsorbed vaporized fuel to an engine may include a pressure sensor that is configured to periodically detect an inner pressure of the fuel tank, and a pressure sensor failure determination device that is configured to determine that the pressure sensor has failed when a change of the inner pressure detected by the pressure sensor in a unit of time is not less than a predetermined pressure value that is greater than a maximum value of possible pressure changes within the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE, Naoyuki TAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20150292447
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a fuel tank, a canister configured to adsorb vaporized fuel, a vapor path connecting the canister to the fuel tank, a closing valve provided in the vapor path, a pressure sensor measuring inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit connected with the closing valve and the pressure sensor. The electric control unit is configured to close or open the closing valve in order to initialize the closing valve or open the closing valve in order to release the vaporized fuel from the fuel tank. Further, the electric control unit is configured to detect failure of the closing valve depending on change in the inner pressure of the fuel tank within a predetermined time from when the closing valve is opened or is closed for initialization of the closing valve or release of the vaporized fuel from the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAGAWA, Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE
  • Publication number: 20150159567
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a canister loaded with an adsorbent capable of adsorbing vaporized fuel generated in a fuel tank, a closing valve provided a vapor path connecting the canister and the fuel tank and having a valve seat and a valve movable portion such that a distance between the valve seat and the valve movable portion is stroke amount, a pressure sensor configured to detect inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit. The electric control unit is configured to perform abnormal state depressurization control of the fuel tank, in a state that the pressure sensor cannot detect the inner pressure of the fuel tank, by setting the stroke amount of the closing valve at a fail-safe value in which the closing valve is closed, and then changing the stroke amount in a valve opening direction of the closing valve from the fail-safe value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE, Naoyuki TAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20150159598
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a canister capable of adsorbing vaporized fuel generated in a fuel tank, a vapor path connecting the canister to the fuel tank, a closing valve provided in the vapor path, a purge path connecting the canister to an intake path of an engine, a pressure sensor for detecting the inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit controlling the vaporized fuel processing apparatus. When the inner pressure of the fuel tank is in excess of the measurement range of the pressure sensor, the learning of the valve opening start position is prohibited, and pre-learning depressurization control is performed through change of the stroke amount of the closing valve in the valve opening direction until the inner pressure of the fuel tank is within the measurement range of the pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAGAWA, Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE
  • Publication number: 20150159577
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine has a fuel pump capable of pumping fuel from a fuel tank to the internal combustion engine, a motor driving the fuel pump, a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure of the fuel pumped from the fuel pump, and a control unit configured to output control signals to the motor. The control unit is configured to perform feedback control of duty ratio of the control signals for the motor, and to control the duty lower limit guard value in order to limit an amount of decreases of the duty lower limit guard value in the step-like manner when a duty lower limit guard value decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru AKITA, Naoyuki TAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20150159566
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a closing valve provided in a vapor path connecting an adsorbent canister to the fuel tank, a pressure sensor configured to detect the inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit configured to determine whether the amount of increase in the inner pressure of the fuel tank is within an acceptable range or not, to learn a valve opening start position of the closing valve when the inner pressure of the fuel tank is reduced by an amount not less than a predetermined value, and to stop or prohibit the learning of the valve opening start position of the closing valve when the amount of increase in the inner pressure of the fuel tank is not within the acceptable range during or before the learning of the valve opening start position of the closing valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE, Naoyuki TAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20150159568
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a canister capable of adsorbing vaporized fuel generated in a fuel tank, a closing valve provided in the vapor path connecting the canister and the fuel tank and having a valve seat and a valve movable portion, a pressure sensor configured to detect inner pressure of the fuel tank, and an electric control unit. The electric control unit is configured to set a learning value that is an axial distance between the valve seat and the valve movable portion at a valve opening start position at a fail-safe value such that the closing valve is in the valve closing state when the inner pressure of the fuel tank decreases by less than a predetermined value after repeating a stroke control process more than predetermined times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAGAWA, Minoru AKITA, Yoshikazu MIYABE