Patents by Inventor Mitsuaki Hirakawa
Mitsuaki Hirakawa 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: 8037956Abstract: A vehicle is described that can efficiently cool or heat a group of components, in view of appropriate operating temperature ranges of respective components configuring a fuel cell power supply system, while realizing saving of a mounting space in the vehicle and cost of the vehicle. The vehicle mounted with a fuel cell power supply system includes at least a fuel cell, and an accumulating unit includes a capacitor and a secondary battery connected to the fuel cell. A motor serves as a power source for the vehicle to which output sections of the fuel cell and the accumulating unit are connected. A PDU provided between the output sections and the motor. A component group of the power supply system, including the fuel cell, the accumulating unit, and the PDU, is cooled by a cooling medium which flows inside the vehicle, in order from one having a lowest heating generation amount.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Minoru Noguchi, Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Takeshi Fujino, Eisuke Komazawa
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Patent number: 8013703Abstract: A multi-parallel magnetic-filed cancellation type transformer includes a plurality of coils which generate magnetic flux during energization and a core having a plurality of magnetic leg portions on which the coils are wound, and bases for fixing the magnetic leg portions. The plurality of coils are wound on the magnetic leg portions in such a manner that the magnetic flux generated from the coils are formed in the directions opposite to each other. A plurality of closed magnetic circuits of the magnetic flux are formed at the magnetic leg portions and the bases. The magnetic resistance of the closed magnetic circuits is homogeneous. Accordingly, the transformer can reduce the size thereof, and prevent the deterioration of electric power conversion efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2010Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Hashino, Masao Nagano, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
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Patent number: 8008801Abstract: A vehicle power supply device which prevents a lack of power supply to the motor and insufficient recovery of regenerative electric power of the motor at the time of switching between power running and regeneration. First input-output sections (3a, 3b) of a first DC-DC converter (3) are connected to second input-output sections (4d, 4e) of a PDU (4), second input-output sections (3c, 3d) of the first DC-DC converter (3) are connected to a fuel cell (1) and a capacitor (2), first input-output sections (20a, 20b) of a second DC-DC converter (20) are connected to second input-output sections (4d, 4e) of the PDU (4), and second input-output sections (20c, 20d) of the second DC-DC converter (20) are connected to a lithium-ion battery (21).Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Fujino, Minoru Noguchi, Eisuke Komazawa, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
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Patent number: 7994745Abstract: A power supply device for vehicles, output units (10a, 10b) thereof are connected to a motor (5), includes a fuel cell (1) which is connected to the output units (10a, 10b), a capacitor (2) which is connected in parallel to the fuel cell (1), a lithium ion battery (21) which is connected in parallel to the capacitor (2) through a DC/DC converter (20), and a current control means (32) which limits an output current of the lithium ion battery (21) to at most an output upper-limit current (Ibout_lmt) when power is supplied to the motor (5) from the lithium ion battery (21) during a power running operation of the motor (5), and limits an input current into the lithium ion battery (21) to at most an input upper-limit current smaller than the output upper-limit current (Ibin_lmt) through the DC/DC converter (20) when regenerative power of the motor (5) is recovered into the lithium ion battery (21) during a regenerative operation of the motor (5).Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Fujino, Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Minoru Noguchi, Eisuke Komazawa
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Patent number: 7994751Abstract: A fuel cell power supply device capable of externally supplying electric power in a stable manner is provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Minoru Noguchi, Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Takeshi Fujino, Eisuke Komazawa
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Publication number: 20110156642Abstract: Provided is a power system capable of assisting an appropriate connection to an external power and preventing inappropriate power charge from being carried out. The power system mounted in a vehicle (1) is provided with a secondary battery (110), an electric motor (120) connected to the secondary battery (110) for driving the vehicle (1), a plurality of external power connecting members (131, 132 and 133) connected respectively by plural types of power supplying connectors for supplying electric power from an external power to the secondary battery (110), and movable insulation plates (171, 172 and 173) configured to block a further connection of a power supplying connector to the other external power connecting members when either one of the external power connecting members (131, 132 and 133) is detected by the connection detecting member to have a connection to a corresponding power supplying connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: June 30, 2011Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Minoru NOGUCHI, Mitsuaki HIRAKAWA, Takeshi FUJINO, Eisuke KOMAZAWA
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Patent number: 7965069Abstract: The DC/DC converter is that which is constituted so as to have a failure detecting circuit in which a first capacitor and a second capacitor are connected in series, a plurality of switches are switched according to a predetermined operating mode to select an inductor, the first capacitor and the second capacitor, allowing them to function, thereby performing any one of the boost, buck, and conducting operations of input voltage.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2008Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuto Watanabe, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
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Patent number: 7948221Abstract: The invention provides an optimal electric power converter for a DC/DC converter which variably steps up a voltage successively with an optional magnification of one to two times or more and/or step down a voltage successively with a step-down ratio of one time or less. The converter includes a first input-output part, an inductor connected with a positive or a negative electrode side of the first input-output part, plural switches, plural capacitors, a second input-output part connected with plural capacitors, and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit controls the plural switches with operation mode and makes the inductor and plural capacitors selectively functional, wherein the electric power converter is of a switched capacitance type that performs any operation out of step-up, step-down, regeneration, and continuity, and wherein the control circuit controls to have a period for which two switches out of the plural switches are simultaneously turned ON.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2007Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuto Watanabe, Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Satoshi Hashino
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Publication number: 20110032733Abstract: A DC-DC converter has a first-voltage-side port, a second-voltage-side port, and a third-voltage-side port, and performs, at different timings, an operation of boosting a first voltage to a third voltage and an operation of bucking a second voltage to the third voltage. A power supplying system includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, an accessory system, the DC-DC converter, and another DC-DC converter connected between the fuel cell and a motor, and boosting the first voltage of the fuel cell to a fourth voltage to supply power to the motor through an inverter. The former DC-DC converter has the first-voltage-side port connected to the fuel cell, has the second-voltage-side port connected to the secondary battery, and has the third-voltage-side port connected to the accessory system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuto WATANABE, Mitsuaki HIRAKAWA
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Patent number: 7861812Abstract: A vehicle suitable in consideration of each of an electric power supply amount to a motor and a mounting space of a fuel cell or the like is provided. The outputs of a fuel cell and a battery are raised in voltage by a voltage raising device, and electric power of these raised voltages is supplied to a motor. A total output voltage of the fuel cell and the battery, and their total volume can be correspondingly reduced. The total volume of a group is reduced including the fuel cell, the battery and the voltage raising device, and a mounting space of the group in the vehicle. A space of a frame on an upper side of a floor panel and a lower side of a seat in a vehicle interior space can be utilized effectively as the mounting space of the group, without enlarging the space of the frame.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2008Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Takeshi Fujino, Minoru Noguchi, Eisuke Komazawa
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Publication number: 20100320994Abstract: A multi-parallel magnetic-filed cancellation type transformer includes a plurality of coils which generate magnetic flux during energization and a core having a plurality of magnetic leg portions on which the coils are wound, and bases for fixing the magnetic leg portions. The plurality of coils are wound on the magnetic leg portions in such a manner that the magnetic flux generated from the coils are formed in the directions opposite to each other. A plurality of closed magnetic circuits of the magnetic flux are formed at the magnetic leg portions and the bases. The magnetic resistance of the closed magnetic circuits is homogeneous. Accordingly, the transformer can reduce the size thereof, and prevent the deterioration of electric power conversion efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2010Publication date: December 23, 2010Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi HASHINO, Masao NAGANO, Mitsuaki HIRAKAWA
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Publication number: 20100320982Abstract: Combined type transformer includes: a transformer core; first and second coils provided with respect to the transformer core; first and second inductor cores provided around the first coil; and third and fourth inductor cores provided around the second coil. The transformer core and the first and second coils constitute a transformer, the first coil and the first and second inductor cores constitute a first inductor, and the second coil and the third and fourth inductor cores constitute a second inductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2010Publication date: December 23, 2010Inventors: Masao NAGANO, Mitsuaki HIRAKAWA, Toshihisa SHIMIZU
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Patent number: 7839255Abstract: A composite transformer, having first and second inductors and a transformer, includes a transformer core that has a core leg around which portions of first and second windings are wound, and a base fixing the core leg, a first inductor core that has a core leg around which a portion of the first winding is wound and a base fixing the core leg, and a second inductor core that has a core leg around which a portion of the second winding is wound and a base fixing the core leg. The first and second windings are wound in a manner that flux are cancelled with each other, and are wound around the core leg of the transformer core in a manner alternately overlapping with each other, and are wound around respective core legs of the first and second inductor cores so as to be apart from each other to suppress any interference of magnetic fluxes.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2009Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masao Nagano, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
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Patent number: 7808355Abstract: Combined type transformer includes: a transformer core; first and second coils provided with respect to the transformer core; first and second inductor cores provided around the first coil; and third and fourth inductor cores provided around the second coil. The transformer core and the first and second coils constitute a transformer, the first coil and the first and second inductor cores constitute a first inductor, and the second coil and the third and fourth inductor cores constitute a second inductor.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2008Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masao Nagano, Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Toshihisa Shimizu
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Publication number: 20100244798Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes first and second capacitors connected in series, a switching part, and a control circuit part which includes a voltage difference calculating part for calculating a difference between voltages of the first and second capacitors, a duty ratio controller for controlling duty ratio of on- and OFF-durations to decrease the voltage difference of the first and second capacitors on the basis of the calculated difference. A power supplying system including the DC-DC converter controls balance between first and second capacitors in voltage on the basis of the powering/regenerating discriminating signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Somei NAKATOMI, Yasuto WATANABE, Keigo ANDOH, Mitsuaki HIRAKAWA
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Patent number: 7804196Abstract: A multiple input/output power converter includes: at least two input/output circuits to be connected to electric units; a plurality of power converting circuits including switches and at least an inductor, a plurality of capacitors connected to the power converting circuits; and a control circuit for controlling the switches in a plurality of modes to selectively operate the inductor and the capacitors to operate the power converting circuits in either of stepping up, stepping down, or conducting operation. The capacitors are shared among the power converting circuits.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2007Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., LtdInventors: Yasuto Watanabe, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
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Patent number: 7796003Abstract: A multi-parallel magnetic-filed cancellation type transformer includes a plurality of coils which generate magnetic flux during energization and a core having a plurality of magnetic leg portions on which the coils are wound, and bases for fixing the magnetic leg portions. The plurality of coils are wound on the magnetic leg portions in such a manner that the magnetic flux generated from the coils are formed in the directions opposite to each other. A plurality of closed magnetic circuits of the magnetic flux are formed at the magnetic leg portions and the bases. The magnetic resistance of the closed magnetic circuits is homogeneous. Accordingly, the transformer can reduce the size thereof, and prevent the deterioration of electric power conversion efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2009Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Hashino, Masao Nagano, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
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Publication number: 20100104906Abstract: A fuel cell power supply device can include a fuel cell, a voltage boosting device with an input unit connected to the fuel cell, and an output unit connected to a first load. The boosting device can boost an output voltage and supply electric power to the first load. A storage device is connected to the input unit or the output unit, and a secondary battery can be connected to the output unit of the voltage boosting device via a voltage conversion device. An electric power supply control device controls operation of the voltage conversation device, to carry out supply of electric power to the first load from the secondary battery via the voltage conversion unit. The electric power supply control device also carries out charging of the secondary battery by the supply of electric power to the secondary battery from the voltage boosting device via the voltage conversion device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2008Publication date: April 29, 2010Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Mitsuaki Hirakawa, Takeshi Fujino, Minoru Noguchi, Eisuke Komazawa
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Publication number: 20100066341Abstract: A power converter includes an input unit, an output unit, first and second capacitors connected in series, a first electric conduction control device, a second electric conduction control device, a third electric conduction control device, and a fourth electric conduction control device, and a control circuit for performing on/off control on those electric conduction control devices. The first electric conduction control device and the fourth electric conduction control device have a first path through which a current flowing between the input unit and the output unit is allowed to flow in one direction, and a second path which has a switch function of allowing the current flowing between the input unit and the output unit to flow through or shutting off such a current.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: Yasuto WATANABE, Satoshi Hashino, Mitsuaki Hirakawa
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Publication number: 20090290269Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a power converter capable of not only boosting the voltage but also shutting-off the flowing current, by switching only the switch element. The power converter 1, comprises a first input-output portion 3, a second input-output portion 5, a first capacitor C1, a second capacitor C2 electrically connected with the first capacitor C1 in serial, a first current control block B1, a second current control block B2, a third current control block B3, a fourth current control block B4, and a switching controller 7 operable to switch certain current control blocks, wherein the current flowing direction is opposite to each other between a first current control element B1a (B2a, B3a, B4a) and a second current control element B1b (B2b, B3b, B4b) which compose the current control block B1 (B2, B3, B4).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2009Publication date: November 26, 2009Inventors: Yasuto Watanabe, Satoshi Hashino, Mitsuaki Hirakawa