Patents by Inventor Ryo Tadokoro

Ryo Tadokoro 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: 20140245978
    Abstract: In a valve timing control system of an internal combustion engine employing both an electric-motor-driven intake valve timing control device (VTC) and an electric-motor-driven exhaust VTC having similar fundamental configurations, a maximum drive-efficiency motor-speed range of a first electric motor of the intake VTC and a maximum drive-efficiency motor-speed range of a second electric motor of the exhaust VTC are set to differ from each other depending on two different working ranges respectively suitable for the intake VTC and the exhaust VTC such that the maximum drive-efficiency motor-speed range of the intake VTC is set higher than that of the exhaust VTC. A reduction ratio of a first speed reducer configured to reduce a rotational speed of the first electric motor is set higher than that of a second speed reducer configured to reduce a rotational speed of the second electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Shinichi KAWADA, Atsushi YAMANAKA, Hiroyuki NEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140224197
    Abstract: A valve timing control system for an internal combustion engine, comprises: an electric intake valve timing control apparatus to vary an intake valve timing with torque produced by an electric motor with electric power supplied through a power supply mechanism; and an electric exhaust valve timing control apparatus to vary an exhaust valve timing with torque produced by an electric motor with electric power supplied through a power supply mechanism. A heat generating portion in the power supply mechanism of the intake valve timing control apparatus is made of a heat resisting material whereas a heat generating portion in the power supply mechanism of the exhaust valve timing control apparatus is made of a material lower in heat resistance than the heat resisting material of the intake valve timing control apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Shinichi KAWADA, Atsushi YAMANAKA, Hiroyuki NEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140216202
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, including a drive rotation member, a follower rotation member, an electric motor serving to change a relative rotational phase of the drive rotation member and the follower rotation member, a torsion spring accommodated in an annular accommodation space having an axial closed end which is formed between an inner periphery of the drive rotation member and an outer periphery of the follower rotation member, and a stop plate fixed to the drive rotation member so as to cover a part of an axial open end of the annular accommodation space, the stop plate cooperating with the follower rotation member or a camshaft to restrict relative rotation of the drive rotation member and the follower rotation member within a predetermined angular range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Tadokoro, Shinichi Kawada, Atsushi Yamanaka, Hiroyuki Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20140216372
    Abstract: In a valve timing control system of an internal combustion engine employing both an electric-motor-driven intake valve timing control device for changing intake valve timing and an electric-motor-driven exhaust valve timing control device for changing exhaust valve timing, the intake valve timing control device includes a less-friction roller speed reducer having a toothed gear and configured to transmit torque by repeated relocations of each of rollers rolling and relocating from one of two adjacent teeth of the toothed gear to the other. In contrast, the exhaust valve timing control device includes a planetary-gear speed reducer having a friction greater than a friction of the roller speed reducer and configured to transmit torque by meshed-engagement of toothed gears in mesh with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Shinichi Kawada, Atsushi Yamanaka, Hiroyuki Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20140216374
    Abstract: In a valve timing control system for an internal combustion engine, brushes and slip rings are disposed within a space formed between each of an intake air side and an exhaust side device main frames and each of intake air side and exhaust side cover members and partitioned by means of the respective seal members and the respective cover members are configured to enable radial directional position adjustments by a predetermined quantity and are fixed to the internal combustion engine in a state in which the radial directional position adjustments of the respective cover members have been made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Shinichi Kawada, Atsushi Yamanaka, Hiroyuki Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20140182532
    Abstract: A valve-timing control apparatus includes a phase change mechanism configured to change a valve timing, a cover member provided near a front end side of the phase change mechanism; slip rings provided to one of a front end portion of the phase change mechanism and a facing surface of the cover member which faces the phase change mechanism; a pair of brushes provided to another of the front end portion of the phase change mechanism and the facing surface of the cover member to be axially slidable. One end portion the pigtail harness is connected with the corresponding brush. Another end portion of the pigtail harness is connected with a connector terminal under a deflected state, at a location radially shifted from an axis of the corresponding brush. The another end portions of the pair of pigtail harnesses are separated from each other by a partition wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi KAWADA, Ryo Tadokoro, Hiroyuki Nemoto, Atsushi Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20140165938
    Abstract: A valve-timing control apparatus includes a drive rotating member; a driven rotating member fixed to a cam shaft; an electric motor configured to rotate the driven rotating member relative to the drive rotating member; a motor housing connected integrally with the drive rotating member; a cover member located to face a front portion of the housing; a tubular motor output shaft provided inside the housing to be rotatable relative to the housing; and a plug member fixed to an inner circumferential surface of a tip portion of the tubular motor output shaft and configured to inhibit lubricating oil supplied into the tubular motor output shaft from leaking to an external. The plug member includes a core member formed in a bottomed tubular shape and formed with a through-hole in its bottom portion, and an elastic body coating at least the through-hole and an outer circumferential surface of the core member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi KAWADA, Ryo TADOKORO, Atsushi YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 8752515
    Abstract: A variable valve timing control apparatus has a drive rotary member, a driven rotary member fixed to a camshaft, an electric motor relatively rotating a motor drive shaft with respect to the drive rotary member, a speed reduction mechanism transmitting rotation of the motor drive shaft to the driven rotary member a housing connected integrally with the drive rotary member and housing therein the electric motor, a cover member fixed to an engine so as to cover at least a front end part of the housing, a power feed mechanism having a slip ring and a power-feed brush that touches the slip ring and feeding power to the electric motor, and a ring-shaped member. The ring-shaped member is fixed to either one side of the cover member and the motor drive shaft, and makes sliding contact with the other side of the cover member and the motor drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamanaka, Naoki Kokubo, Ryo Tadokoro, Shinichi Kawada
  • Publication number: 20140137821
    Abstract: In an electrically-driven valve timing control apparatus employing a housing and a cover member axially opposed to each other, a cylindrical-hollow motor output shaft is installed in the housing, and configured to rotate relative to the housing by electricity-feeding to the electric motor, and also configured such that lubricating oil is supplied into the motor output shaft. A plug is fitted to the inner periphery of an axial opening end of the motor output shaft for suppressing a leakage of lubricating oil from the motor output shaft to the outside. One of two opposing faces of the cover member and the plug is formed with a protruding portion configured to prevent the plug's slipping out of the axial opening end. A part of the inside face of the cover member, opposed to the plug, is formed integral with the protruding portion partially disposed within the axial opening end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Hiroyuki Nemoto, Atsushi Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20140123922
    Abstract: In a valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, a plurality of projection sections projected toward a cover member are integrally mounted on a bearing member configured to rotatably journalize a camshaft and a plurality of positioning pins are mounted across (or extended over) the cover member and the respective projection sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Hiroyuki NEMOTO, Atsushi YAMANAKA
  • Publication number: 20140014052
    Abstract: In a variable valve actuation apparatus with a speed reducer between a timing sprocket and a camshaft for changing a phase of the camshaft relative to the sprocket, while reducing normal-rotation/reverse-rotation of an electric motor, the speed reducer includes an eccentric rotation member connected to an output shaft of the motor, an annular member connected to the sprocket, a plurality of rollers installed between an inner toothed portion of the annular member and an outer peripheral surface of the eccentric rotation member, and a cage connected to the camshaft for circumferentially partitioning the respective rollers, while permitting a radial displacement of each roller. Depending on a dimension of a clearance space between the eccentric rotation member and the annular member, a suitable one of a plurality of roller sets, each having a different outside diameter, is selected, and then the selected rollers are installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Atsushi YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 8544432
    Abstract: In a variable valve actuation apparatus with a speed reducer between a timing sprocket and a camshaft for changing a phase of the camshaft relative to the sprocket, while reducing normal-rotation/reverse-rotation of an electric motor, the speed reducer includes an eccentric rotation member connected to an output shaft of the motor, an annular member connected to the sprocket, a plurality of rollers installed between an inner toothed portion of the annular member and an outer peripheral surface of the eccentric rotation member, and a cage connected to the camshaft for circumferentially partitioning the respective rollers, while permitting a radial displacement of each roller. Depending on a dimension of a clearance space between the eccentric rotation member and the annular member, a suitable one of a plurality of roller sets, each having a different outside diameter, is selected, and then the selected rollers are installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Tadokoro, Atsushi Yamanaka, Shinichi Kawada
  • Publication number: 20130206087
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, including a drive rotation member, a follower rotation member, an electric motor, and a speed reducer including an internal gear portion, an eccentric cam on an inner peripheral side of the internal gear portion, rollers disposed between the internal gear portion and the eccentric cam, and a cage rotatable relative to the internal gear portion by rotation of the eccentric cam. A motor output shaft is arranged in series relative to the eccentric cam in an axial direction thereof. A needle bearing is rollably disposed on a part of an outer peripheral surface of the follower rotation member. The eccentric cam and the motor output shaft are press-fitted onto an outer peripheral portion of the needle bearing. The needle bearing extends over both the eccentric cam and the motor output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Naoki Kokubo, Atsushi Yamanaka, Shinichi Kawada
  • Publication number: 20120312259
    Abstract: A variable valve timing control apparatus has a drive rotary member, a driven rotary member fixed to a camshaft, an electric motor relatively rotating a motor drive shaft with respect to the drive rotary member, a speed reduction mechanism transmitting rotation of the motor drive shaft to the driven rotary member a housing connected integrally with the drive rotary member and housing therein the electric motor, a cover member fixed to an engine so as to cover at least a front end part of the housing, a power feed mechanism having a slip ring and a power-feed brush that touches the slip ring and feeding power to the electric motor, and a ring-shaped member. The ring-shaped member is fixed to either one side of the cover member and the motor drive shaft, and makes sliding contact with the other side of the cover member and the motor drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Atsushi YAMANAKA, Naoki Kokubo, Ryo Tadokoro, Shinichi Kawada
  • Patent number: 8161944
    Abstract: A control device of an internal combustion engine that can accurately estimate an NOx concentration in exhaust gas by using a cylinder internal pressure as basic data. A cylinder internal pressure sensor provided to the internal combustion engine detects a cylinder internal pressure P?. An internal energy correlation value (?V·dP?/d?·??) having correlation with internal energy consumed in the cylinder is calculated based on the cylinder internal pressure P? and an in-cylinder volume V? (? represents a crank angle). The internal energy correlation value is standardized by a load ratio KL, then corrected by a function f(kl) as for a load factor KL so as to calculate an NOx concentration estimated value [NOx]={(?V·dP?/d?·??)/KL}×f(kl).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Moriya, Ryo Tadokoro
  • Publication number: 20110301828
    Abstract: In a control apparatus, when an engine is cranked, “an air-fuel mixture (an air-fuel mixture used for determination of fuel property) including fuel in a first predetermined fuel amount TAUm and air in a first predetermined air amount Mcm”, which generates torque that does not make the engine autonomously operate, is formed in a first cylinder (cylinder used for determination of the fuel property), and the air-fuel mixture is ignited and combusted by a spark at an ignition timing after a compression top dead center. Further, the control apparatus determines “an amount of heat generated per unit mass of the fuel” when the air-fuel mixture is combusted in the first cylinder, and determines a property of the fuel based on the amount of generated heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Moriya, Hiromichi Yasuda, Ryo Tadokoro, Ryusuke Ogino
  • Publication number: 20110265747
    Abstract: In a variable valve actuation apparatus with a speed reducer between a timing sprocket and a camshaft for changing a phase of the camshaft relative to the sprocket, while reducing normal-rotation/reverse-rotation of an electric motor, the speed reducer includes an eccentric rotation member connected to an output shaft of the motor, an annular member connected to the sprocket, a plurality of rollers installed between an inner toothed portion of the annular member and an outer peripheral surface of the eccentric rotation member, and a cage connected to the camshaft for circumferentially partitioning the respective rollers, while permitting a radial displacement of each roller. Depending on a dimension of a clearance space between the eccentric rotation member and the annular member, a suitable one of a plurality of roller sets, each having a different outside diameter, is selected, and then the selected rollers are installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Ryo TADOKORO, Atsushi Yamanaka, Shinichi Kawada
  • Patent number: 8046156
    Abstract: This control apparatus estimates a full combustion correspondence period CP, which is the period from an ignition timing SA to a combustion completion time CAe, and controls a VVT advancement amount (burnt gas quantity, overlap period, intake valve open timing) such that the estimated full combustion correspondence period CP coincides with a constant target full combustion correspondence period CPtgt. The full combustion correspondence period CP substantially maintains a one-to-one relation with the VVT advancement amount at which HC, CO2, etc. start to increase, even when the ignition timing SA changes. Thus, even when the ignition timing changes, the burnt gas quantity (overlap period) can be properly controlled. As a result, without increasing the discharge quantities of HC and CO, the discharge quantity of NOX can be reduced. In addition, pumping loss can be reduced, whereby fuel consumption can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Moriya, Ryo Tadokoro
  • Patent number: 8014935
    Abstract: In this apparatus, maintaining control (time t1 to t2) which instructs fixing of the open timing VVT of an intake valve is executed in a predetermined low load state. Subsequently, there are executed changing control which instructs changing of the open timing VVT by a predetermined amount (time t2), and maintaining control which again instructs fixing of the open timing VVT of the intake valve (time t2 to t3). An intake-valve control apparatus is determined to be “anomalous” when an change amount ?ave (=ave2?ave1) between the average ave1 of a large number of sample values of ?MFB? (combustion percentage increase amount within a predetermined crank angle range in an expansion stroke) during the maintaining control before execution of the changing control and the average ave2 of a large number of sample values of ?MFB? during the maintaining control after execution of the changing control is less than a predetermined value C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Moriya, Ryo Tadokoro
  • Patent number: 7870844
    Abstract: A control system includes: a detecting device that detects the transition in the cumulative amount of heat generated in a combustion chamber based on the pressure in the combustion chamber in an expansion stroke; and a controller that controls the amount of exhaust gas contained in an air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber such that the amount of change in the cumulative amount of heat generated in the combustion chamber through a predetermined crank angle range will become a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Moriya, Ryo Tadokoro