Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro Nishina

Mitsuhiro Nishina 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: 8033096
    Abstract: A temperature-sensitive type urea sensor 74 is adopted for use in an engine exhaust gas purifying apparatus. The magnitude of convection of urea aqueous solution generated in a storage tank 41 is determined based on temperature information detected by the urea sensor 74. For detection of abnormality, a detected concentration Dn is adopted when the percentage GRDt of temperature change of urea aqueous solution is small, so that convection is small and it is determined not to affect accurate detection of an abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 7842267
    Abstract: A technology for purifying an exhaust emission from an engine is provided, in which a misjudgment caused by a time lag between the abnormality detection and an abnormality judgment is avoided, in the case where a plurality of abnormalities is judged on the aqueous solution of a reducing agent or the like. After a first abnormality judgment (Femp=1: the time t2) is made, when a second abnormality is detected as a result that the concentration Dn as a state parameter is directly shifted from a first region A to a second region C (the time t3), the first abnormality judgment is maintained for a predetermined period of time PRD after the second abnormality detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Toshikazu Katou
  • Patent number: 7805930
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to defrost a reducing agent with cooling water of an engine and to prevent water scale from being deposited and accumulated on a cooling water pipe for circulating the cooling water. A frozen reducing agent is defrosted by being heated with cooling water of an engine. A cooling water pipe for guiding the cooling water to a reducing agent tank is provided with a cutoff valve. To defrost the reducing agent, the cutoff valve is opened. Even in the case where the reducing agent is not frozen, the cutoff valve is opened for a predetermined period after start of the cutoff valve to circulate the cooling water in the cooling water pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Satou, Mitsuhiro Nishina
  • Publication number: 20100236220
    Abstract: A technology for purifying an exhaust emission from an engine is provided, in which a misjudgment caused by a time lag between the abnormality detection and an abnormality judgment is avoided, in the case where a plurality of abnormalities is judged on the aqueous solution of a reducing agent or the like. After a first abnormality judgment (Femp=1: the time t2) is made, when a second abnormality is detected as a result that the concentration Dn as a state parameter is directly shifted from a first region A to a second region C (the time t3), the first abnormality judgment is maintained for a predetermined period of time PRD after the second abnormality detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Toshikazu Katou
  • Patent number: 7743603
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus of an engine, capable of preventing erroneous detection of an injection nozzle clogging, and having a reducing catalytic converter disposed in an exhaust system, for reducing and purifying nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gas using urea water; a urea water tank storing the urea water; a urea water supply unit sucking up the urea water from the urea water tank and mixes it with high-pressure air for delivery; and an injection nozzle injecting the urea water mixed with the high-pressure air, into an exhaust gas moving upstream side of the reducing catalytic converter in an exhaust gas passage, and further having a clogging detection unit capable of detecting clogging of the injection nozzle based on each detection output of a pressure of the air introduced into the urea water supply unit, and a temperature of the injection nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 7658093
    Abstract: A concentration sensor for detecting a concentration of a liquid reducing agent through heat transfer characteristics between separate two points is provided in a storage tank for storing a liquid supplied to an NOx reduction catalyst. When the concentration read from the concentration sensor is 0% or less, the liquid is discriminated to be water, that is, it is utilized that when water is converted to the concentration of a liquid reducing agent, it is 0%, and it is also 0% even when the concentration is reduced by convection. When the concentration is greater than a predetermined value, it is discriminated that no liquid is present, since it is considered that the output of the sensor is abnormal because of the absence of a liquid in the tank. On the other hand, when the concentration is greater than 0% and less than a predetermined value, the liquid is discriminated to be the liquid reducing agent, provided that the concentration value may include an error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Toshikazu Katou, Hiroyuki Kurita
  • Patent number: 7651262
    Abstract: A discriminating apparatus of liquid reducing agent is disclosed, in which, based on concentration of liquid reducing agent which is measured at each predetermined time after starting of engine, discrimination is processed whether the storage tank is filled with dissimilar aqueous solution, the storage tank is normally filled with the liquid reducing agent, or the storage tank is empty. When the empty discrimination or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination is performed, it is judged whether or not the discrimination is adequate according to the liquid condition in the storage tank. When the empty or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination is adequate, the empty discrimination frequency or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination frequency is counted up. When the empty discrimination frequency and the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination frequency become equal to or larger than the first predetermined frequency, the discrimination is upheld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 7617672
    Abstract: An engine C/U 51 detects an abnormality which has occurred in an engine, and outputs a signal that indicates the occurrence of this abnormality to an SCR-C/U 61. The SCR-C/U 61 increases and decreases the urea water injection quantity corresponding to the abnormality which has occurred. On the other hand, the SCR-CU 61 detects an abnormality that has occurred in the SCR device, and outputs a signal that indicates the occurrence of this abnormality to an engine C/U 51. The engine C/U 51 controls an engine part such as an EGR valve, to reduce the NOx emission amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hiroyuki Kurita, Toshikazu Katou
  • Patent number: 7618593
    Abstract: On an upper surface of a container body, there are disposed at least a base portion of a concentration meter configured to detect the concentration of a liquid reducing agent based on a heat transmission characteristic between two spaced points, and a heat exchanger configured to permit the engine coolant to circulate therein and arranged to surround a detecting section of the concentration meter, which hangs from the base portion of the concentration meter via a supporting column thereof, to thereby perform the heat exchange with the liquid reducing agent, and also, a protector or an encasing element of substantially box shape is arranged to surround a lower portion of the heat exchanger and the detecting section of the concentration meter, and further, a visor is attached on the supporting column of the concentration meter, which is positioned above the protector by a predetermined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignees: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd., Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideki Matsunaga, Shinichi Inoue, Toshimi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7587288
    Abstract: Each of a first and a second number of times is counted, in which the first number of times indicates a condition where a concentration of a liquid reducing agent indirectly measured based on a characteristic of heat transmission between two separated points is successively determined to be equal to or higher than an upper limit threshold for no agent, and the second number of times indicates a condition the concentration is successively determined to be equal to or lower than a lower limit threshold for different agent. When the former becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined value, determination is made that no liquid reducing agent remains. When, the latter becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined value, determination is made that the liquid reducing agent is a solution of a different kind. When the former and the latter is less than the predetermined value, determination is made that correct liquid reducing agent remains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Toshikazu Katou, Eitarou Asakawa
  • Patent number: 7499814
    Abstract: In a storage tank for storing a liquid reducing agent, a sensor for outputting a signal related to a concentration and a remaining amount of the liquid reducing agent based on a heat transfer characteristic between two points at a distance from each other is disposed. In a control unit which contains a built-in computer, it is determined that a vehicle state is stable when a stop time for which a vehicle is continuously in a stationary state reaches a predetermined determination time, the concentration of the liquid reducing agent is calculated based on the signal from the sensor when the vehicle state is stable, and the remaining amount of the liquid reducing agent is determined based on the signal from the sensor irrespective of the vehicle state, in response to a measurement trigger output every predetermined time after a start of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hiroyuki Kurita, Toshikazu Katou
  • Patent number: 7467512
    Abstract: In an SCR apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the concentration of a reducing agent or a precursor thereof contained in an aqueous solution of the reducing agent or the precursor is accurately detected. In sensing the concentration, whether or not the urea water stored in a storage tank is in a stationary state is determined. Only it is in a stationary state, the concentration is detected. The determination of whether or not it is in a stationary state or not is preferably determined by determining whether the vehicle is stopped (S207) and that the period of time TIM that has elapsed after the stoppage has reached a predetermined stationary time TIM1 (S211). The deceleration DCL of the vehicle before stoppage thereof is detected, and the stationary time TIM1 is altered in accordance with the deceleration DCL (S206).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Toshikazu Katou, Hiroyuki Kurita
  • Patent number: 7416511
    Abstract: In a hybrid-drive electric vehicle, upon request of gear shifting of a transmission (2), a clutch (3) is first disconnected and the transmission (2) is set to a neutral position. The rotating electric generator 4 is then operated in a motor mode or a power generating mode so that a rotational speed of an input shaft of the transmission (2) reaches a region of a synchronizing rotational speed in accordance with a requested gear position. When the rotational speed of the input shaft of the transmission (2) reaches the region of the synchronizing rotational speed, the gear position of the transmission (2) is changed over from the neutral position to the requested gear position. Thus the rotation synchronizing time for the gear shifting in the transmission (2) is reduced, making it possible to perform the gear shifting for a short period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki, Hideaki Gouda
  • Patent number: 7409276
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine (1) which constitutes a prime bar of a vehicle and an electricity storage device (10) serving as a main power source of the rotary electric machine (1) and composed of a plurality of capacitor modules (11) in which a plurality of capacitor cells make one set are provided. A hybrid control unit (3) which comprises a means for calculating assigned voltages of the capacitor modules, a means for calculating an average value of the assigned voltages of the capacitor module, and a means for equalizing the assigned voltages of the capacitor modules based on the average value. By restricting a difference among the assigned voltages of the capacitor modules (11), it is possible to fully utilize a capacity of the electricity storage device (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Tatsuji Miyata, Masayuki Nakane
  • Patent number: 7381146
    Abstract: A controller (10) of a hybrid vehicle determines an engine torque at a point on an engine torque high efficiency line at the current engine rotation speed as a target engine torque, and determines the current engine torque from the current engine rotation speed and current accelerator depression amount. Then, when the gear position of a transmission (2) is neutral, the vehicle is stationary and a storage device (9) requires charging, the controller (10) sets the difference between the target engine torque and the current engine torque as a target power generation torque of a motor generator (4), sets a transitional time period corresponding to the target power generation torque, and performs control over the transitional time period to raise the power generation torque of the motor generator gradually to the target power generation torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Gouda, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20080087009
    Abstract: A temperature-sensitive type urea sensor 74 is adopted for use in an engine exhaust gas purifying apparatus. The magnitude of convection of urea aqueous solution generated in a storage tank 41 is determined based on temperature information detected by the urea sensor 74. For detection of abnormality, a detected concentration Dn is adopted when the percentage GRDt of temperature change of urea aqueous solution is small, so that convection is small and it is determined not to affect accurate detection of an abnormality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideki Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20080089384
    Abstract: A discriminating apparatus of liquid reducing agent is disclosed, in which, based on concentration of liquid reducing agent which is measured at each predetermined time after starting of engine, discrimination is processed whether the storage tank is filled with dissimilar aqueous solution, the storage tank is normally filled with the liquid reducing agent, or the storage tank is empty. When the empty discrimination or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination is performed, it is judged whether or not the discrimination is adequate according to the liquid condition in the storage tank. When the empty or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination is adequate, the empty discrimination frequency or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination frequency is counted up. When the empty discrimination frequency and the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination frequency become equal to or larger than the first predetermined frequency, the discrimination is upheld.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro NISHINA, Hideki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 7328763
    Abstract: A hybrid electric drive system for a vehicle comprises a combustion engine (1), a transmission (2), a first clutch (3) disposed between the engine (1) and the transmission (2), a rotating electric machine (4) which serves as a motor as well as a generator, a second clutch (30) disposed between the rotating electric machine (4) and the transmission (2), and a storage device (9). When the second clutch (30) is commanded to connect the rotating electric machine (4) to the transmission (2), a control unit (10) controls the rotating electric machine (4) so as to decrease the difference between the rotation speeds of the rotating electric machine (4) and the transmission (2) (S2) and cause the second clutch (30) to connect the rotating electric machine (4) to the transmission (2) only after the difference decreases to a allowable value (S3, S4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Gouda, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20070266697
    Abstract: A technology for purifying an exhaust emission from an engine is provided, in which a misjudgment caused by a time lag between the abnormality detection and an abnormality judgment is avoided, in the case where a plurality of abnormalities is judged on the aqueous solution of a reducing agent or the like. After a first abnormality judgment (Femp=1: the time t2) is made, when a second abnormality is detected as a result that the concentration Dn as a state parameter is directly shifted from a first region A to a second region C (the time t3), the first abnormality judgment is maintained for a predetermined period of time PRD after the second abnormality detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Toshikazu Katou
  • Publication number: 20070240405
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus of an engine, capable of preventing erroneous detection of an injection nozzle clogging, and having a reducing catalytic converter disposed in an exhaust system, for reducing and purifying nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gas using urea water; a urea water tank storing the urea water; a urea water supply unit sucking up the urea water from the urea water tank and mixes it with high-pressure air for delivery; and an injection nozzle injecting the urea water mixed with the high-pressure air, into an exhaust gas moving upstream side of the reducing catalytic converter in an exhaust gas passage, and further having a clogging detection unit capable of detecting clogging of the injection nozzle based on each detection output of a pressure of the air introduced into the urea water supply unit, and a temperature of the injection nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideki Matsunaga