Patents by Inventor Norihiro Tsukamoto

Norihiro Tsukamoto 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: 10808835
    Abstract: A shift control device of a vehicle including an internal combustion engine and a multi-speed transmission in series, the shift control device comprises: a control portion providing a downshift control in which an input shaft rotation speed of the multi-speed transmission is increased through a torque-up of the internal combustion engine toward a post-shift input shaft rotation speed in a neutral state where a release-side engagement device to be released during a downshift of the multi-speed transmission is released, so as to engage an engagement-side engagement device to be engaged after the shift. In the case of a shift pattern having a large internal inertia of the multi-speed transmission, the control portion controls a torque capacity of the engagement-side engagement device to a value greater than zero before starting a torque-up control of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami, Hiromasa Takai, Masataka Hirano, Daiki Fukuda, Takuma Sugino
  • Patent number: 10774902
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle including a multi-speed automatic transmission includes a first engagement control portion selecting a selected gear shift position having a synchronous rotation speed lower than an actual input rotation speed of the multi-speed automatic transmission at the time of return from the coasting running due to the depressing operation of the accelerator pedal and increasing an engagement force of an engagement element establishing the selected gear shift position to immediately increase a drive force of the vehicle; and a second engagement control portion engaging the engagement element establishing the target gear shift position when the actual input rotation speed of the multi-speed automatic transmission reaches a determination rotation speed set for determination of attainment to the synchronous rotation speed of the target gear shift position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Tsukamoto, Masakazu Owatari
  • Patent number: 10711890
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus which includes a gear mechanism and a continuously-variable transmission mechanism and which establishes selectively a first state in which a drive force is transmitted by the gear mechanism and a second state in which the drive force is transmitted by the continuously-variable transmission mechanism. The control apparatus sets a shift-up-action permitted gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism, which makes a state-switch-requiring shift-up action is permitted to be executed. When a running speed of the vehicle is not higher than a given value, a predetermined high gear ratio value is set as the shift-up-action permitted gear ratio. When the running speed is higher than the given value, a predetermined gear ratio range ranging from the predetermined high gear ratio value to a predetermined low gear ratio value is set as the shift-up-action permitted gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Murakami, Masakazu Owatari, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Kengo Nagai, Satoshi Kato, Susumu Moritomo
  • Patent number: 10683933
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus which establishes selectively a first state in which a drive force is transmitted by a gear mechanism and a second state in which the drive force is transmitted by a continuously-variable transmission mechanism. The control apparatus executes a shift-up action requiring the first state to be switched to the second state, in (a) a case in which a state of the drive-force transmitting apparatus satisfies a first condition that a gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is not lower than a first gear ratio value and in (b) a case in which the state of the drive-force transmitting apparatus satisfies a second condition that a lap-down control is executed with the gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism being not lower than a second gear ratio value that is lower than the first gear ratio value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kato, Susumu Moritomo, Masakazu Owatari, Norihiro Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 10563737
    Abstract: An automatic transmission, which is configured such that there is no difference of rotation between a third sun gear and an intermediate shaft in a state where a second clutch is brought into a release state and a seventh speed stage is established, is provided. In the automatic transmission, at the time of a gear shift from a tenth speed stage where second and third clutches and a first brake are brought into an engagement state to a seventh speed stage where first, third, and fourth clutches are brought into an engagement state, the fourth clutch is engaged and the first brake is released to establish the seventh speed stage with the second clutch in the engagement state. Then, the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is released to make transition to the seventh speed stage with the second clutch in the release state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio Hasegawa, Masakazu Owatari, Norihiro Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 10487939
    Abstract: An automatic transmission control device is configured to execute a first shifting between a pre-shifting gear position and an intermediate gear position, and a second shifting between the intermediate gear position and a post-shifting gear position such that each of the first and second shiftings is executed by releasing one of engagement devices and engaging one of the engagement devices, and is configured, upon transition from the first shifting to the second transition, to gradually changing an engagement torque of an engagement-maintained engagement device as one of the engagement devices which is engaged upon completion of the first shifting and is maintained in the engaged state during the second shifting, such that the engagement torque of the engagement-maintained engagement device is changed gradually from a required engagement torque required upon completion of the first shifting, to a required engagement torque which is required in the second shifting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Ota, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Masami Kondo, Yuji Kajiyama, Daiki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10464567
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine and a multi-speed transmission in series, the shift control device comprising: a control portion providing a downshift control input shaft rotation speed of the multi-speed transmission is increased through a torque-up control of the internal combustion engine toward a post-shift input shaft rotation speed in a neutral state where a release-side frictional engagement device during a downshift of the multi-speed transmission is released, an engagement-side frictional engagement device to be engaged after the shift; and a torque setting portion setting a required torque of the internal combustion engine in the torque-up control of the internal combustion engine increasing rate of an actual torque of the internal combustion engine becomes smaller in the case of a shift pattern having a large internal inertia of the multi-speed transmission during the downshift as compared to the case of a shift pattern in which the internal inertia is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami
  • Patent number: 10442437
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle including a multi-speed transmission having gear positions switched by executing release of a release-side engagement device out of a plurality of engagement devices and engagement of an engagement-side engagement device out of the plurality of engagement devices, and an engine of which a power is transmitted through the multi-speed transmission to drive wheels, the control device performing a shift of the multi-speed transmission by using a predefined shift model for determining control operation amounts of a torque at an input rotating member of the multi-speed transmission, a torque capacity of the release-side engagement device, and a torque capacity of the engagement-side engagement device, the control operation amounts achieving shift target values that are a target value of a torque at an output rotating member of the multi-speed transmission and a target value of angular acceleration of the input rotating member of the multi-speed transmission, the control device comprisi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami
  • Publication number: 20190285146
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle including a multi-speed automatic transmission includes a first engagement control portion selecting a selected gear shift position having a synchronous rotation speed lower than an actual input rotation speed of the multi-speed automatic transmission at the time of return from the coasting running due to the depressing operation of the accelerator pedal and increasing an engagement force of an engagement element establishing the selected gear shift position to immediately increase a drive force of the vehicle; and a second engagement control portion engaging the engagement element establishing the target gear shift position when the actual input rotation speed of the multi-speed automatic transmission reaches a determination rotation speed set for determination of attainment to the synchronous rotation speed of the target gear shift position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro TSUKAMOTO, Masakazu OWATARI
  • Patent number: 10415701
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to control a hydraulic pressures of engaging element and disengaging element in accordance with a preset target output shaft torque during a power-on downshift. The electronic control unit is configured to delay a start of decrease in the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element from a start of a torque phase while maintain the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element at the start of the torque phase. The electronic control unit is configured to start decreasing the hydraulic pressure of the disengaging element when the electronic control unit determines that overspeed of an input shaft is occurring during the torque phase and a predetermined condition is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Chimbe, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Keisuke Ota, Tomohiro Asami, Hiromasa Takai, Daiki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10408338
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a stepped automatic transmission in which one of a plurality of shift speeds is established by selectively engaging a plurality of frictional engagement elements, the stepped automatic transmission mounted on a vehicle, the control apparatus includes: an electronic control unit configured to perform a control of prohibiting a plurality of shift that is transitioning from an upshift speed change to a downshift speed change, for a predetermined period, when a downshift speed change requirement is requested by an occurrence of an accelerator depression operation during an inertia phase of the upshift speed change in a driven state of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Ota, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Masami Kondo
  • Patent number: 10323743
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle including a motor and a multi-speed type automatic transmission including a plurality of engagement devices, the control device engaging the engagement device to be engaged and releasing the engagement device to be released when the shift is determined, and controlling an engagement pressure of an engagement device to be released during an upshift in a driven state and a downshift in a driving state and controlling an engagement pressure of an engagement device to be engaged during an upshift in the driving state and a downshift in the driven state so as to control a rotation speed of a rotating element of the automatic transmission, the control device increasing an instruction pressure of the engagement device to a target surge pressure for a target surge time when switching is performed during the upshift and the downshift in the driven state, to the driving state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami, Keisuke Ota, Hiromasa Takai
  • Publication number: 20190162303
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus which establishes selectively a first state in which a drive force is transmitted by a gear mechanism and a second state in which the drive force is transmitted by a continuously-variable transmission mechanism. The control apparatus executes a shift-up action requiring the first state to be switched to the second state, in (a) a case in which a state of the drive-force transmitting apparatus satisfies a first condition that a gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is not lower than a first gear ratio value and in (b) a case in which the state of the drive-force transmitting apparatus satisfies a second condition that a lap-down control is executed with the gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism being not lower than a second gear ratio value that is lower than the first gear ratio value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi KATO, Susumu MORITOMO, Masakazu OWATARI, Norihiro TSUKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20190145516
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus which includes a gear mechanism and a continuously-variable transmission mechanism and which establishes selectively a first state in which a drive force is transmitted by the gear mechanism and a second state in which the drive force is transmitted by the continuously-variable transmission mechanism. The control apparatus sets a shift-up-action permitted gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism, which makes a state-switch-requiring shift-up action is permitted to be executed. When a running speed of the vehicle is not higher than a given value, a predetermined high gear ratio value is set as the shift-up-action permitted gear ratio. When the running speed is higher than the given value, a predetermined gear ratio range ranging from the predetermined high gear ratio value to a predetermined low gear ratio value is set as the shift-up-action permitted gear ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki MURAKAMI, Masakazu OWATARI, Norihiro TSUKAMOTO, Kengo NAGAI, Satoshi KATO, Susumu MORITOMO
  • Patent number: 10288131
    Abstract: A vehicle control device including a multi-speed transmission switching gear shift positions in accordance with a combination of hydraulic friction engagement devices operations and pressure control solenoid valves, the control device shifting gears by providing a shift output signal including a quick-apply signal to the valves after a first time from a shift request, the control device has: a pulsation drive control portion to control selectively pulsating the pressure control solenoid valves in a cycle; and a quick-apply control prohibiting portion to prohibit a provision of a quick-apply control using the quick-apply signal for a second time from a time of termination of the pulsation drive control, and to permit the provision of the quick-apply control after the elapse of the second time, for a valve having undergone the control, the pulsation drive control portion to terminate the control for a valve when the shift request is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Kitamura, Hironobu Aratake, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami, Hiromasa Takai, Daiki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10281040
    Abstract: When an engagement-side clutch taking charge of rotation control in a downshift is the same as a rotation control clutch in the previous gear shift or a clutch of which the engagement has been switched in the previous gear shift, there is a likelihood that clutch hydraulic controllability will decrease and the clutch hydraulic controllability is secured by delaying start of the gear shift. It is possible to execute a gear shift which is a downshift without unnecessary waiting by setting a delay time by which the start of the gear shift is delayed depending on an accelerator depression amount such that the delay time is shorter when the accelerator depression amount is small than when the accelerator depression amount is large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami, Keisuke Ota
  • Patent number: 10274079
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to set a target torque phase time which is used in torque phase control based on an output shaft torque difference. The electronic control unit sets the target torque phase time to be longer when the output shaft torque difference is large than when the output shaft torque difference is small. Accordingly, since the target torque phase time can be appropriately set, it is possible to achieve both of preventing a sudden change in driving force and torsion vibration of an output shaft and preventing a decrease in drivability due to hesitation at the same time. Sudden change in driving force and torsion vibration of the output shaft occur when the difference in driving force between before and after a gear shift is large. Hesitation occurs when the difference in driving force between before and after the gear shift is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Chimbe, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Keisuke Ota, Tomohiro Asami
  • Patent number: 10267414
    Abstract: In a controller for an automatic transmission, when a jump gear shift via a plurality of intermediate shift stages is executed, a first and a second target intermediate shift stages are extracted, and a target input shaft rotation speed change rate is calculated from a difference in synchronous rotation speed between a shift stage before a current gear shift and the second target intermediate shift stage as a target shift stage of a gear shift which is executed after the current gear shift. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a shifting time in the gear shift control of the step before the second target intermediate shift stage becomes very short and thus packing of a clutch pack is not executed in a timely manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Ota, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Ayumu Sagawa
  • Patent number: 10239540
    Abstract: A vehicle control device in a vehicle including an engine and a multi-speed transmission having a plurality of gear positions, each gear position out of the plurality of gear positions established by engaging predetermined engagement devices out of a plurality of engagement devices, the vehicle control device including a shift control portion configured to control release of a release-side engagement device of the plurality of engagement devices and engagement of an engagement-side engagement device of the plurality of engagement devices so as to switch the gear position established in the multi-speed transmission, and an engine control portion configured to provide idling-reduction control of temporarily stopping the operation of the engine based on a predetermined engine stop condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Miura, Seiji Masunaga, Tomohiro Chimbe, Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami, Yuji Kajiyama, Kazuki Imanishi
  • Patent number: 10197155
    Abstract: When an engagement-side clutch taking charge of rotation control in an upshift is the same as a rotation control clutch of a previous gear shift, it is determined that there is a likelihood that a thermal load of a clutch friction material will increase, and the thermal load of the clutch friction material is decreased by delaying gear shift start. By setting a delay time by which the gear shift start is delayed when an accelerator depression amount is small to be shorter than when the accelerator depression amount is large depending on the accelerator depression amount, a gear shift which is an upshift can be performed without unnecessary waiting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Asami, Keisuke Ota