Patents by Inventor Naoki Tomi
Naoki Tomi 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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Publication number: 20240136554Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle may include: a fuel cell stack configured to generate electric power for a traction motor; a compressor configured to supply air to the fuel cell stack, the compressor including an impeller and a motor configured to rotate the impeller; and a controller configured to decrease a rotation speed of the motor when detecting accelerator-off. The controller may be configured to decrease the rotation speed at a first deceleration rate when an air outlet pressure of the compressor is higher than a pressure threshold, and decrease the rotation speed at a second deceleration rate when the air outlet pressure of the compressor is lower than the pressure threshold, the second deceleration rate being lower than the first deceleration rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Osamu HAMANOI, Masashi NAKAMURA, Naoki TOMI
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Patent number: 11757118Abstract: A fuel cell system 1 is provided with a fuel cell 10 provided with an air passage 10a, an air inflow path 21, an air outflow path 23, a compressor 22, a pressure regulating valve 24, a bypass passage 27, and a bypass valve 28. A first threshold value is calculated based on an FC inlet pressure-lower limit value. When it is judged that an FC inlet pressure-command value is lower than the first threshold value, feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve is suspended without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve if it is judged that the FC pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value, and feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve is suspended without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve if it is judged that the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the FC pressure loss-lower limit value.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Naoki Tomi, Shigeki Hasegawa
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Patent number: 11611094Abstract: A fuel cell system is equipped with a control unit that controls a rotational speed of the turbo compressor that supplies air to an air supply flow passage and an opening degree of at least one valve that adjusts a flow rate and a pressure of the air supplied to a fuel cell such that an operating point of the turbo compressor becomes a target operating point. The control unit sets the target operating point within an operating point range that is on the higher flow rate side than at least part of a first region where an amount of change in flow rate is larger than a predetermined value when a pressure ratio of the turbo compressor is changed by a predetermined amount at a same rotational speed, on a higher flow rate side than a surging region, when a predetermined condition is fulfilled.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2019Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke Miyamoto, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi, Nobukazu Mizuno, Masafumi Yamagata
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Patent number: 11482719Abstract: A system for providing oxygen to a fuel cell circuit includes a compressor and a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells. The system also includes a plurality of pipes and a pressure sensor designed to detect pressure at a first location. The system also includes a memory to store a model of the fuel cell circuit and an ECU. The ECU determines a control signal corresponding to desirable operation of the compressor and determines flow values of the gas through each component based on the detected pressure and the model of the fuel cell circuit. The ECU also determines pressure values of each component based on the determined flow values and the model of the fuel cell circuit. The ECU also controls operation of the compressor based on the control signal, at least one of the flow values, and at least one of the pressure values.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2017Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jared Farnsworth, Daniel Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Patent number: 11450871Abstract: A system for controlling gas flow in a fuel cell circuit includes a fuel cell stack and a valve designed to adjust gas flow through the circuit. The system further includes an ECU that is designed to determine a target flow rate of the gas through the valve. The ECU is further designed to determine a flow compensation value corresponding to an amount of compensation of the target flow rate of the gas through the valve that compensates for fluid accumulation or decumulation in the fuel cell circuit. The ECU is further designed to determine a compensated target flow rate of the gas through the valve based on the target flow rate and the flow compensation value. The ECU is further designed to determine a desired valve position of the valve based on the compensated target flow rate and to control the valve to have the desired valve position.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jared M. Farnsworth, Daniel C. Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Publication number: 20220271310Abstract: A system for controlling gas flow in a fuel cell circuit includes a fuel cell stack and a valve designed to adjust gas flow through the circuit. The system further includes an ECU that is designed to determine a target flow rate of the gas through the valve. The ECU is further designed to determine a flow compensation value corresponding to an amount of compensation of the target flow rate of the gas through the valve that compensates for fluid accumulation or decumulation in the fuel cell circuit. The ECU is further designed to determine a compensated target flow rate of the gas through the valve based on the target flow rate and the flow compensation value. The ECU is further designed to determine a desired valve position of the valve based on the compensated target flow rate and to control the valve to have the desired valve position.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2021Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Jared M. Farnsworth, Daniel C. Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Patent number: 11223057Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fuel cell system that achieves a stable operation of a turbo compressor. The fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; an air supply flow path; a turbo compressor; a bypass flow path configured to discharges air by branching off from the air supply flow path; a pressure regulating valve; a bypass valve; and a control unit, the pressure regulating valve, and the bypass valve, in which the control unit calculates, from a flow rate of air supplied based on an actual rotation speed of the turbo compressor and a target flow rate of air to the fuel cell, a flow rate of excess air discharged from the bypass flow path, and determines a degree of opening of the bypass valve based on the target flow rate of air and the flow rate of excess air.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2020Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke Miyamoto, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Publication number: 20210376360Abstract: A fuel cell system 1 is provided with a fuel cell 10 provided with an air passage 10a, an air inflow path 21, an air outflow path 23, a compressor 22, a pressure regulating valve 24, a bypass passage 27, and a bypass valve 28. A first threshold value is calculated based on an FC inlet pressure-lower limit value. When it is judged that an FC inlet pressure-command value is lower than the first threshold value, feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve is suspended without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve if it is judged that the FC pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value, and feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve is suspended without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve if it is judged that the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the FC pressure loss-lower limit value.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventors: Naoki TOMI, Shigeki HASEGAWA
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Patent number: 10971748Abstract: A system for controlling airflow through a fuel cell circuit includes a fuel cell stack. The system also includes a valve having a valve position that affects a pressure of the gas and a valve area corresponding to a cross-sectional area of the valve through which the gas may flow. The system also includes a memory designed to store a map or function that correlates the valve area to the valve position. The system also includes an ECU to determine or receive a desired mass flow rate of the gas through the valve, and calculate a desired valve area to achieve the desired mass flow rate. The ECU is also designed to compare the desired valve area to the map or function to determine a desired valve position that provides the desired valve area, and to control the valve to have the desired valve position.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jared Farnsworth, Daniel Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Patent number: 10930953Abstract: A control unit of a fuel cell system acquires a service operating point, repeats a process of calculating a distance between the service operating point and a surging region, while transferring an operating point of a turbo compressor from a first operating point to a second operating point outside the surging region, sets opening degrees of a pressure adjusting valve and a bypass valve such that the turbo compressor operates at a required operating point, when the distance exceeds a threshold, and corrects at least one of the opening degrees of the pressure adjusting valve and the bypass valve such that the at least one of the opening degrees becomes larger than an opening degree set such that the turbo compressor operates at the required operating point, when the distance is equal to or shorter than the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsuo Iio, Naoki Tomi, Yusuke Miyamoto, Masafumi Yamagata, Tomotaka Ishikawa
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Patent number: 10879546Abstract: When setting a requested operating point of a compressor that supplies oxidizing gas to a fuel cell by a target flow rate and a target pressure ratio, a control section of a fuel cell system sets the target pressure ratio to be equal to or higher than a minimum pressure ratio corresponding to the target flow rate using a predetermined operation characteristic in which a minimum pressure ratio that can be realized to the flow rate that can be discharged from the compressor. In the case where a condition under which it should be determined that the minimum value of the pressure ratio in an actual operation characteristic of the compressor differs from the minimum pressure ratio in the predetermined operation characteristic is satisfied, the control section updates the minimum pressure ratio in the predetermined operation characteristic using the minimum value of the pressure ratio in the actual operation characteristic.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoki Tomi, Shigeki Hasegawa
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Patent number: 10862143Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices of a control system. The control system includes a fuel cell stack. The control system includes a compressor that is configured to control and provide a total air flow within the vehicle. The compressor has an air pressure ratio and an air flow rate and operates at a speed. The control system includes an electronic control unit coupled to the fuel cell stack and the compressor. The electronic control unit is configured to determine a path associated with one or more adjustments to the air pressure ratio or the air flow rate. The electronic control unit is configured to determine a rate associated with the one or more adjustments based on the path and control at least one of the air pressure ratio, the speed or the air flow rate to operate the compressor based on the path and the rate.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2019Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jared M. Farnsworth, Daniel Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Publication number: 20200280083Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fuel cell system that achieves a stable operation of a turbo compressor. The fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; an air supply flow path; a turbo compressor; a bypass flow path configured to discharges air by branching off from the air supply flow path; a pressure regulating valve; a bypass valve; and a control unit, the pressure regulating valve, and the bypass valve, in which the control unit calculates, from a flow rate of air supplied based on an actual rotation speed of the turbo compressor and a target flow rate of air to the fuel cell, a flow rate of excess air discharged from the bypass flow path, and determines a degree of opening of the bypass valve based on the target flow rate of air and the flow rate of excess air.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2020Publication date: September 3, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke MIYAMOTO, Shigeki HASEGAWA, Naoki TOMI
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Publication number: 20200243880Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices of a control system. The control system includes a fuel cell stack. The control system includes a compressor that is configured to control and provide a total air flow within the vehicle. The compressor has an air pressure ratio and an air flow rate and operates at a speed. The control system includes an electronic control unit coupled to the fuel cell stack and the compressor. The electronic control unit is configured to determine a path associated with one or more adjustments to the air pressure ratio or the air flow rate. The electronic control unit is configured to determine a rate associated with the one or more adjustments based on the path and control at least one of the air pressure ratio, the speed or the air flow rate to operate the compressor based on the path and the rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2019Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Jared M. Farnsworth, Daniel Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Patent number: 10720655Abstract: A system includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells and designed to receive a fluid and to heat the fluid. The system also includes an actuator to increase or decrease a fluid temperature of the fluid and an ECU. The ECU can determine a temperature control signal corresponding to a desired temperature of the fluid and perform a feedforward control of the actuator to increase or decrease the fluid temperature towards the desired temperature. The ECU can also determine a temperature difference between the fluid temperature and the desired temperature, and can determine a sensitivity that corresponds a change in a parameter value or the actuator position to a change in the fluid temperature. The ECU can also apply the sensitivity to the temperature difference to determine an error signal, and control the actuator based on the error signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2017Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jared Farnsworth, Daniel Folick, Naoki Tomi, Shigeki Hasegawa, Kentaro Fukuda
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Publication number: 20190260048Abstract: When setting a requested operating point of a compressor that supplies oxidizing gas to a fuel cell by a target flow rate and a target pressure ratio, a control section of a fuel cell system sets the target pressure ratio to be equal to or higher than a minimum pressure ratio corresponding to the target flow rate using a predetermined operation characteristic in which a minimum pressure ratio that can be realized to the flow rate that can be discharged from the compressor. In the case where a condition under which it should be determined that the minimum value of the pressure ratio in an actual operation characteristic of the compressor differs from the minimum pressure ratio in the predetermined operation characteristic is satisfied, the control section updates the minimum pressure ratio in the predetermined operation characteristic using the minimum value of the pressure ratio in the actual operation characteristic.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2019Publication date: August 22, 2019Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoki Tomi, Shigeki Hasegawa
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Publication number: 20190260047Abstract: A fuel cell system is equipped with a control unit that controls a rotational speed of the turbo compressor that supplies air to an air supply flow passage and an opening degree of at least one valve that adjusts a flow rate and a pressure of the air supplied to a fuel cell such that an operating point of the turbo compressor becomes a target operating point. The control unit sets the target operating point within an operating point range that is on the higher flow rate side than at least part of a first region where an amount of change in flow rate is larger than a predetermined value when a pressure ratio of the turbo compressor is changed by a predetermined amount at a same rotational speed, on a higher flow rate side than a surging region, when a predetermined condition is fulfilled.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2019Publication date: August 22, 2019Inventors: Yusuke MIYAMOTO, Shigeki HASEGAWA, Naoki TOMI, Nobukazu MIZUNO, Masafumi YAMAGATA
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Publication number: 20190229356Abstract: A control unit of a fuel cell system acquires a service operating point, repeats a process of calculating a distance between the service operating point and a surging region, while transferring an operating point of a turbo compressor from a first operating point to a second operating point outside the surging region, sets opening degrees of a pressure adjusting valve and a bypass valve such that the turbo compressor operates at a required operating point, when the distance exceeds a threshold, and corrects at least one of the opening degrees of the pressure adjusting valve and the bypass valve such that the at least one of the opening degrees becomes larger than an opening degree set such that the turbo compressor operates at the required operating point, when the distance is equal to or shorter than the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2019Publication date: July 25, 2019Inventors: Atsuo IIO, Naoki TOMI, Yusuke MIYAMOTO, Masafumi YAMAGATA, Tomotaka ISHIKAWA
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Publication number: 20190181477Abstract: A system for controlling airflow through a fuel cell circuit includes a fuel cell stack. The system also includes a valve having a valve position that affects a pressure of the gas and a valve area corresponding to a cross-sectional area of the valve through which the gas may flow. The system also includes a memory designed to store a map or function that correlates the valve area to the valve position. The system also includes an ECU to determine or receive a desired mass flow rate of the gas through the valve, and calculate a desired valve area to achieve the desired mass flow rate. The ECU is also designed to compare the desired valve area to the map or function to determine a desired valve position that provides the desired valve area, and to control the valve to have the desired valve position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Jared Farnsworth, Daniel Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi
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Publication number: 20190181475Abstract: A system for providing oxygen to a fuel cell circuit includes a compressor and a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells. The system also includes a plurality of pipes and a pressure sensor designed to detect pressure at a first location. The system also includes a memory to store a model of the fuel cell circuit and an ECU. The ECU determines a control signal corresponding to desirable operation of the compressor and determines flow values of the gas through each component based on the detected pressure and the model of the fuel cell circuit. The ECU also determines pressure values of each component based on the determined flow values and the model of the fuel cell circuit. The ECU also controls operation of the compressor based on the control signal, at least one of the flow values, and at least one of the pressure values.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Jared Farnsworth, Daniel Folick, Shigeki Hasegawa, Naoki Tomi