Patents by Inventor Naohiro Sato

Naohiro Sato 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: 20220226763
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control filter is provided that can reduce the pressure loss and has a high exhaust conversion performance and particulate matter capturing performance. An exhaust emission control filter includes: a filter base material having a wall flow structure; and an exhaust conversion catalyst carried on partitions of the filter base material. The median gas pore diameter (D50) of the filter base material after the exhaust conversion catalyst is carried on the filter base material is 17 ?m or more. The half width of the gas pore distribution of the filter base material ranges from 7 to 15 ?m. The exhaust conversion catalyst is ununiformly carried in a high-density layer having a relatively high density of the exhaust conversion catalyst and a low-density layer having a relatively low density of the exhaust conversion catalyst. The maximum gas pore diameter of the high-density layer is 11.7 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Chiaki SEKI, Masanori HASHIMOTO, Naohiro SATO, Tomoko TSUYAMA, Michiya YANO, Yoshiaki HATAKEYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220193649
    Abstract: Provided is an exhaust purification filter that is able to reduce pressure loss and that has high exhaust purification performance and particulate matter trapping performance. This exhaust purification filter comprises a filter substrate having a wall flow structure, and an exhaust purification catalyst supported on a partition wall of the filter substrate. The volume-based median pore diameter (D50) of the filter substrate is 18 ?m or greater, the full width at half maximum of the pore distribution of the filter substrate is 7 ?m to 15 ?m, and the exhaust purification catalyst is supported in an unevenly distributed manner in a high-density layer in which the density of the exhaust purification catalyst is relatively high and a low-density layer in which the density of the exhaust purification catalyst is relatively low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Chiaki SEKI, Yusuke IMAI, Atsushi FURUKAWA, Yuichi MATSUO, Naohiro SATO
  • Publication number: 20220170397
    Abstract: The present invention provides an exhaust purification filter with which pressure loss can be reduced, the filter having high exhaust purification performance and granular-substance-filtering performance. The exhaust purification filter comprises a filter base material having a wall flow structure, and an exhaust purification catalyst supported on a dividing wall of the filter base material, the exhaust purification filter being such that: a median pore diameter (D50) of the filter base material according to a volumetric basis is 15 ?m or greater; and the exhaust purification catalyst is unevenly supported on a high-density layer, in which the density of the exhaust purification catalyst is relatively high, and a low-density layer, in which the density of the exhaust purification catalyst is relatively low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Chiaki SEKI, Yusuke IMAI, Atsushi FURUKAWA, Yuichi MATSUO, Naohiro SATO
  • Patent number: 9783225
    Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a restricting portion that is provided on at least one of surfaces of a housing and a worm wheel, the surfaces facing each other. The restricting portion is configured to restrict movement of the worm wheel to maintain a meshing relationship between a worm and the worm wheel that allows torque transmission between the worm and the worm wheel, when fixing of the worm wheel to an output shaft of a power assist actuator in an axial direction of the output shaft is released and the worm wheel is moved in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Suzuki, Shingo Ougita, Tatsuya Kawai, Toshinobu Maeda, Naohiro Sato, Yasutaka Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20160176438
    Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a restricting portion that is provided on at least one of surfaces of a housing and a worm wheel, the surfaces facing each other. The restricting portion is configured to restrict movement of the worm wheel to maintain a meshing relationship between a worm and the worm wheel that allows torque transmission between the worm and the worm wheel, when fixing of the worm wheel to an output shaft of a power assist actuator in an axial direction of the output shaft is released and the worm wheel is moved in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki SUZUKI, Shingo OUGITA, Tatsuya KAWAI, Toshinobu MAEDA, Naohiro SATO, Yasutaka FUKUMOTO
  • Patent number: 9032714
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system is provided that can decrease the load acting on a device treating PM, even when switched to stoich operation. The exhaust purification system includes: a PM treatment device, a three-way purification catalyst, an LAF sensor, and an ECU (3) that performs feedback control so that an LAF sensor output (Vex) becomes a target value (Vop) determined so that the three-way purification reaction is optimized during stoich operation. The ECU (3) includes a fuel controller (32) that determines a fuel injection amount (Gfuel) so that a state in which an air/fuel ratio of the air/fuel mixture is leaner than stoich and a state richer than stoich are alternately realized by modulating a fuel correction amount (dGfuel) determined so as to cause the LAF sensor output (Vex) to converge to the target value (Vop) by employing a predetermined modulation algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Hideki Matsunaga, Naohiro Sato, Masafumi Sakota
  • Patent number: 8978367
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying system includes: a SCR catalyst which has a function of reducing NOx and absorbing NO2; an upstream catalyst which is provided at the upstream side of the SCR catalyst and has a three-way purification function; and an air-fuel ratio controller which controls the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture. The controller calculates the NO2 storage amount of the SCR catalyst (S2), calculates a value of the NOx correlation parameter that increases in response to the NOx discharge amount (S4), sets the stoichiometry determination threshold value to a small value as the NO2 storage amount increases (S5), and changes the operation mode of the engine to the stoichiometry operation mode in which the air-fuel ratio is controlled to stoichiometry when the value of the NOx correlation parameter is larger than the stoichiometry determination threshold value (S6, S9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Matsunaga, Yuji Yasui, Naohiro Sato, Masafumi Sakota, Eiji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8875497
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system for an internal combustion engine is provided that can steadily maintain a NOx purification rate of a selective reduction catalyst to be high without allowing the fuel economy or marketability to deteriorate. The exhaust purification system includes a NO2—NOx ratio adjustment mechanism that causes a NO2—NOx ratio to change; and a NO2—NOx ratio perturbation controller that executes NO2—NOx ratio perturbation control so that a NO2 balance of the selective reduction catalyst in a predetermined time period, with NO2 adsorption being positive and NO2 release being negative, is 0. Herein, NO2—NOx ratio perturbation control is defined as control that alternately executes NO2 increase control to cause the NO2—NOx ratio to be greater than a reference value near 0.5, and NO2 decrease control to cause the NO2—NOx ratio to be less than the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Matsunaga, Yuji Yasui, Eiji Hashimoto, Hisao Haga, Naohiro Sato, Masafumi Sakota
  • Publication number: 20140069097
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system is provided that can decrease the load acting on a device treating PM, even when switched to stoich operation. The exhaust purification system includes: a PM treatment device, a three-way purification catalyst, an LAF sensor, and an ECU (3) that performs feedback control so that an LAF sensor output (Vex) becomes a target value (Vop) determined so that the three-way purification reaction is optimized during stoich operation. The ECU (3) includes a fuel controller (32) that determines a fuel injection amount (Gfuel) so that a state in which an air/fuel ratio of the air/fuel mixture is leaner than stoich and a state richer than stoich are alternately realized by modulating a fuel correction amount (dGfuel) determined so as to cause the LAF sensor output (Vex) to converge to the target value (Vop) by employing a predetermined modulation algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji YASUI, Hideki MATSUNAGA, Naohiro SATO, Masafumi SAKOTA
  • Publication number: 20130318949
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying system includes: a SCR catalyst which has a function of reducing NOx and absorbing NO2; an upstream catalyst which is provided at the upstream side of the SCR catalyst and has a three-way purification function; and an air-fuel ratio controller which controls the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture. The controller calculates the NO2 storage amount of the SCR catalyst (S2), calculates a value of the NOx correlation parameter that increases in response to the NOx discharge amount (S4), sets the stoichiometry determination threshold value to a small value as the NO2 storage amount increases (S5), and changes the operation mode of the engine to the stoichiometry operation mode in which the air-fuel ratio is controlled to stoichiometry when the value of the NOx correlation parameter is larger than the stoichiometry determination threshold value (S6, S9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Hideki MATSUNAGA, Yuji YASUI, Naohiro SATO, Masafumi SAKOTA, Eiji HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8425869
    Abstract: Disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst which is capable of removing NOx sufficiently efficiently even during operations at low temperatures such as operations in diesel cars. Specifically disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst for processing NOx in an exhaust gas by performing lean/rich control of air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas. This NOx purifying catalyst comprises at least a first catalyst layer containing a ? zeolite containing iron element and a second catalyst layer containing a noble metal, a cerium oxide material and a specific zirconium oxide material. The second catalyst layer and the first catalyst layer are sequentially arranged on a carrier in such a manner that the first catalyst layer forms the uppermost layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Sato, Osami Yamamoto, Koichi Inaba
  • Patent number: 8413426
    Abstract: An exhaust cleaning method and exhaust cleaning apparatus for an internal combustion engine (1) in which a fuel is fed and burned under periodical rich/lean combustion conditions. In a fuel reformer (18) disposed independently of an exhaust channel (11) in the engine (1), the fuel for the internal combustion engine (1) is reformed to produce a reformed gas containing carbon monoxide. The reformed gas is supplied to the exhaust to be introduced into an exhaust converter (17) having, disposed therein, a catalyst which adsorbs and reduces nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas are adsorbed and reduced. Thus, the nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust are removed at a high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Iwamoto, Go Motohashi, Naohiro Sato, Hiroshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 8372366
    Abstract: Disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst which is capable of removing NOx sufficiently efficiently even during operations at low temperatures such as operations in diesel cars. Specifically disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst for processing NOx in an exhaust gas by performing lean/rich control of air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gas. This NOx purifying catalyst comprises at least a first catalyst layer containing a ? zeolite containing iron element and a cerium oxide material and a second catalyst layer containing a noble metal, a cerium oxide material and a heat-resistant inorganic oxide. The second catalyst layer and the first catalyst layer are sequentially arranged on a carrier in such a manner that the first catalyst layer forms the uppermost layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Sato, Osami Yamamoto, Koichi Inaba
  • Publication number: 20120255286
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system for an internal combustion engine is provided that can steadily maintain a NOx purification rate of a selective reduction catalyst to be high without allowing the fuel economy or marketability to deteriorate. The exhaust purification system includes a NO2—NOx ratio adjustment mechanism that causes a NO2—NOx ratio to change; and a NO2—NOx ratio perturbation controller that executes NO2—NOx ratio perturbation control so that a NO2 balance of the selective reduction catalyst in a predetermined time period, with NO2 adsorption being positive and NO2 release being negative, is 0. Herein, NO2—NOx ratio perturbation control is defined as control that alternately executes NO2 increase control to cause the NO2—NOx ratio to be greater than a reference value near 0.5, and NO2 decrease control to cause the NO2—NOx ratio to be less than the reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki MATSUNAGA, Yuji Yasui, Eiji Hashimoto, Hisao Haga, Naohiro Sato, Masafumi Sakota
  • Patent number: 8205449
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a turbocharger is provided. The engine includes a turbine of the turbocharger located in an exhaust system of the engine, an upstream side catalyst located upstream of the turbine, a catalyst bypass passage bypassing the upstream side catalyst, a catalyst bypass passage on/off valve for opening and closing the catalyst bypass passage, and a first exhaust gas recirculation passage for recirculating a part of exhaust gases from a portion between the upstream side catalyst and the turbine to an intake system of the engine. The engine, that further includes a second exhaust gas recirculation passage for recirculating a part of exhaust gases from an upstream side of the upstream side catalyst to the intake system, and a switching valve for switching between the first exhaust recirculation passage and the second exhaust recirculation passage, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Mondori, Naohiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7992378
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying device for an internal combustion engine, comprises: an exhaust purifying catalyst; a NOx purifying catalyst disposed downstream of the exhaust purifying catalyst; upstream and downstream A/F detecting sensors disposed on upstream and downstream sides of the exhaust purifying catalyst, respectively; means for supplying a reducing agent to the NOx purifying catalyst when conducting a reduction control of the NOx; means for calculating an amount of reduced NOx in the NOx purifying catalyst; means for terminating the reduction control when the amount of reduced NOx exceeds a prescribed reduction termination threshold value; means for detecting a degree of deterioration of the exhaust purifying catalyst based on an output from the upstream and downstream A/F detecting sensors; a threshold value correcting means for correcting the reduction termination threshold value according to the degree of deterioration of the exhaust purifying catalyst; and a correction prohibiting means for prohibit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoko Morita, Norio Suzuki, Naohiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7794679
    Abstract: The invention provides a catalyst for catalytically reducing nitrogen oxides in diesel engine exhaust gas by use of unburnt carbon contained in the diesel engine exhaust gas as a reducing agent, the catalyst comprising: (a) an acid zeolite, or (b) an alkali metal- and/or alkaline earth metal-containing zeolite, or (c) a rare earth metal-containing zeolite, or (d) a zeolite containing at least one transition metal selected from Fe, Co, Ni and Cu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadao Nakatsuji, Naoki Oya, Naohiro Sato
  • Publication number: 20100224142
    Abstract: An exhaust cleaning method and exhaust cleaning apparatus for an internal combustion engine (1) in which a fuel is fed and burned under periodical rich/lean combustion conditions. In a fuel reformer (18) disposed independently of an exhaust channel (11) in the engine (1), the fuel for the internal combustion engine (1) is reformed to produce a reformed gas containing carbon monoxide. The reformed gas is supplied to the exhaust to be introduced into an exhaust converter (17) having, disposed therein, a catalyst which adsorbs and reduces nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas are adsorbed and reduced. Thus, the nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust are removed at a high efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jun Iwamoto, Go Motohashi, Naohiro Sato, Hiroshi Ohno
  • Publication number: 20100204036
    Abstract: Disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst which is capable of removing NOx sufficiently efficiently even during operations at low temperatures such as operations in diesel cars. Specifically disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst for processing NOx in an exhaust gas by performing lean/rich control of air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas. This NOx purifying catalyst comprises at least a first catalyst layer containing a ? zeolite containing iron element and a second catalyst layer containing a noble metal, a cerium oxide material and a specific zirconium oxide material. The second catalyst layer and the first catalyst layer are sequentially arranged on a carrier in such a manner that the first catalyst layer forms the uppermost layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Naohiro Sato, Osami Yamamoto, Koichi Inaba
  • Publication number: 20100190634
    Abstract: Disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst which is capable of removing NOx sufficiently efficiently even during operations at low temperatures such as operations in diesel cars. Specifically disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst for processing NOx in an exhaust gas by performing lean/rich control of air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gas. This NOx purifying catalyst comprises at least a first catalyst layer containing a ? zeolite containing iron element and a cerium oxide material and a second catalyst layer containing a noble metal, a cerium oxide material and a heat-resistant inorganic oxide. The second catalyst layer and the first catalyst layer are sequentially arranged on a carrier in such a manner that the first catalyst layer forms the uppermost layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Sato, Osami Yamamoto, Koichi Inaba