Patents by Inventor Satoru Wakuta

Satoru Wakuta 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: 20070173373
    Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus for a transmission includes a line pressure regulating device that enables control in which an oil pressure from an oil pump is regulated so as to attain a line pressure, and that enables control in which the line pressure is switched stepwise between a low pressure state in a lower pressure range and a high pressure state in a higher pressure range; a plurality of hydraulic servos that engage and disengage friction engaging elements using engagement pressures that are based on the line pressure; and a high pressure state detecting device that detects that the line pressure regulating device is outputting the line pressure in the high pressure state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiichi Kinugasa, Kazuhito Enomoto, Kiyotomo Miura, Kazuyuki Noda, Satoru Wakuta, Hiroatsu Endo, Masatoshi Adachi, Masato Fujikawa, Kazuo Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20070151546
    Abstract: A vehicular transmission includes a gear-change mechanism section that shifts power from a driving source and outputs the power to an output shaft; and a hydraulic system that supplies hydraulic pressure from an oil pump to the gear-change mechanism section via a check valve. The check valve includes a cylindrical valve case in which a passage is formed, a valve stored within the valve case so as to be freely movable in an axial direction of the valve case, a valve seat that is formed at one end portion of the passage in the valve case and that closes the passage when the valve sits thereon, a spring for urging the valve so as to sit on the valve seat, and a spring seat fixed on an axially opposite side of the valve seat in the valve case to support the spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta, Shinji Kawakami, Masato Fujikawa, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Patent number: 7228926
    Abstract: A control unit for a vehicle including a controller that determines whether shifting of a stepped transmission is necessary, and increases output torque of a first drive unit and decreases output torque of a second drive unit in correspondence with an increase of the output torque of the first drive unit, the increase and the decrease being performed prior to shifting of the stepped transmission when a determination is made that shifting is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Takami, Kiyotomo Miura, Satoru Wakuta
  • Patent number: 7227332
    Abstract: A driving control device for an electric vehicle includes an electric machine which is driven by a current supplied from a battery, a transmission which is coupled with the electric machine and performs shifting at a predetermined gear ratio, a charging state detecting portion which detects an electric variable that shows a charging state of the battery, a fail determination processing device which determines whether the electric variable exceeds a threshold value and makes a fail determination when the electric variable exceeds the threshold value, and a charging control processing device which decreases a rotational speed of the electric machine and reduces the electric variable when the fail determination is made. The fail determination is made to decrease the rotational speed of the electric machine when field weakening control becomes unperformable and the electric variable exceeds the threshold value, which makes it possible to prevent an overcurrent from being supplied to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Suzuki, Yasuo Yamaguchi, Satoru Wakuta
  • Publication number: 20070111847
    Abstract: A planetary gear train includes a carrier having a first side plate, a second side plate disposed in parallel to the first side plate and pinions rotatably supported by the first and second side plates; and a ring member secured to an outer edge of the second side plate. The first side plate has a plurality of first convex portions whose edge portion form an outer edge and a plurality of first concave portions formed between adjacent first convex portions. The second side plate has a plurality of second convex portions whose edge portion form an outer edge and whose width in a peripheral direction is wider than the first convex portion, and a plurality of carrier bridges axially extended from a part between the plurality of second convex portions to the plurality of first concave portions and secured to the first concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Inagaki, Takuya Komatsu, Katsutoshi Shimizu, Satoru Wakuta, Junji Matsushita, Kazutoshi Motoike, Masatoshi Adachi, Kinya Yoshii
  • Patent number: 7201690
    Abstract: A drive unit for a vehicle structured so as to be able to attain an interrupting state of inertia of a drive motor under a predetermined condition. Therefore, the drive unit for a vehicle has a drive motor able to transmit driving force to a drive wheel, and an operation lever for selecting a shift range for switching the drive motor between drive and non-drive. Further, the drive unit for a vehicle has a control section having a shift position detector for detecting the shift range selected by the operation lever. The drive unit for a vehicle also has brakes for attaining a neutral state by interrupting the power transmission between the drive motor and the drive wheel when the selection of a parking range is detected by the shift position detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyotomo Miura, Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta, Kazutoshi Motoike, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Patent number: 7174978
    Abstract: A hybrid drive unit including a first motor, a first planetary gear and a second motor, wherein the first planetary gear distributes and transmits a drive force transmitted from an input shaft to the first motor and an output shaft, a power output from the output shaft and the second motor are synthesized and the first motor and the first planetary gear are housed in a transmission case with the second motor spaced from the transmission case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Taniguchi, Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Kozo Yamaguchi, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Takeshi Inuzuka, Satoru Wakuta
  • Patent number: 7128676
    Abstract: A failsafe hydraulic circuit designed to avoid simultaneous engagement of two friction engagement elements (e.g., clutches, brakes, etc.) incorporated in a speed change apparatus of a motor vehicle or the like. If a first failsafe valve is in the open position state and a first engaging pressure is supplied to a first hydraulic servo via the first failsafe valve, the first engaging pressure is also input to a first oil pressure switch via a second failsafe valve being in the closed position state. Therefore, using the first oil pressure switch, it can be detected that the first engaging pressure is supplied to the first hydraulic servo. Furthermore, if the first engaging pressure is, for example, greater than the set pressure of the first oil pressure switch, this situation can also be detected. Such detections provide confirmation of normal operation of the first failsafe valve and the second failsafe valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., LTD, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiichi Kinugasa, Masanori Onoda, Kazuhito Enomoto, Kiyotomo Miura, Naoyuki Fukaya, Satoru Wakuta, Masatoshi Adachi, Akira Murakami
  • Publication number: 20060231339
    Abstract: Drain holes are arranged in positions offset from valve holes of a valve body. The drain holes have a long chimney-shaped space such that even if insulation material, that has peeled off of an electric motor, is suspended in oil, it is less likely to enter drain chambers through the drain holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Applicants: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhito Enomoto, Kiyotomo Mirua, Satoru Wakuta, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Nobuyuki Nagashima, Masato Fujikawa, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Publication number: 20060219051
    Abstract: A vehicular drive apparatus includes a case, a first brake having a first friction plate set and a second brake having a second friction plate set wherein the first friction plate set and the second friction plate set are sequentially arranged on a single axis, and a first hydraulic servo arranged to correspond to the first brake and a second hydraulic servo arranged to correspond to the second brake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihiro Mae, Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Kinya Yoshii, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Publication number: 20060223665
    Abstract: A planetary gear lubrication unit includes a planetary gear unit having a sun gear and a carrier that has a plurality of pinion shafts, wherein each of the plurality of pinion shafts rotatably supports a pinion, a plurality of side plates that support the plurality of pinion shafts, and a rotating shaft arranged in a center portion of the planetary gear unit, in which lubrication oil supplied from the rotating shaft is led to a portion of the pinion shafts that support the pinions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Applicants: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junji Matsushita, Satoru Wakuta, Yoshio Kintou, Seigo Kano, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Kinya Yoshii, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Publication number: 20060201725
    Abstract: A hybrid driving unit in which a first electric motor (20), a second electric motor (23), a transmission (22) and a power splitting planetary gear (21) are disposed in order from the front side (the side of an internal combustion engine) on an axis within a casing member (14). Since the first electric motor (20) and the second electric motor (23) are disposed adjacently to each other, partial cases for storing these first and second electric motors (20) and (23) may be combined, thus facilitating the accommodation for producing the unit in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Seigo Kano, Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta, Tomochika Inagaki, Masatoshi Adachi, Masahiro Kojima
  • Publication number: 20060169502
    Abstract: A hybrid driving unit (7) is mounted to a vehicle by coupling a coupling section (14d) at the front end of a casing member (14) with an internal combustion engine (5) and by mounting a mounting section (14c) at the rear end of the casing member (14) to a part (4a) of a body (4). Still more, a second electric motor (23), i.e., a heavy device, is disposed in the rearmost part among a first electric motor (20), a power splitting planetary gear (21), the second electric motor (23) and a transmission disposed on an axis (13) in the casing member (14). Thereby, the vibration occurring in the casing member (14) is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Seigo Kano, Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta, Tomochika Inagaki, Masatoshi Adachi, Masahiro Kojima
  • Publication number: 20060166772
    Abstract: A hybrid driving unit (7) in which a second electric motor (23) is disposed on the side closer to the front (the side closer to an internal combustion engine (5)) than a first electric motor (20). A casing member (14) is formed such that an inner diameter of a part thereof in which a stator (28) of the second electric motor (23) is fixed is larger than that of a part in which a stator of the first electric motor (20) is fixed. It allows the second electric motor (23) to be constructed so as to have a large radial dimension and to that extent, allows the length thereof in the longitudinal direction to be suppressed. Accordingly, it allows the length of the whole hybrid driving unit (7) to be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Seigo Kano, Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta, Tomochika Inagaki, Masatoshi Adachi, Masahiro Kojima
  • Patent number: 7056260
    Abstract: The drive unit for a vehicle has an engine driving control element for driving a first motor on the basis of an engine driving signal, and driving a second motor so as to restrain a reaction force in a power distributing planetary gear due to the driving of the first motor in a state in which the stepped speed change gear connects the second motor and an output shaft by brakes. Further, the drive unit has an electrically operated oil pump for generating an operating oil pressure of the brakes, and also has a control section having an electrically operated oil pump operation control element for operating the electrically operated oil pump prior to the control of the engine driving control element on the basis of an engine starting signal outputted in a vehicle stopped state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukinori Nakamori, Kiyotomo Miura, Satoru Wakuta, Kazutoshi Motoike, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Publication number: 20060081406
    Abstract: An output shaft is divided into a first output shaft and a second output shaft. Torque from a motive power distributing planetary gear is transferred to the first output shaft. The first output shaft is supported on partition walls by a both-end support structure via bearings. Assist torque from a transmission is applied to the second output shaft. The second output shaft is also supported on partition walls by a both-end support structure via bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seigo Kano, Satoru Wakuta, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Toshiharu Ikeda, Atsushi Ishibashi, Masahiro Kojima, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Publication number: 20060081404
    Abstract: A front end portion of an output shaft is supported by a bearing mounted to an inner peripheral surface of a partition that separates a power distributing planetary gear and a speed change unit. A rear end portion of the output shaft is supported via a bearing which is interposed along a portion of the same plane along which also lies a mounting surface of a bearing in a rear wall that supports a rear end portion of a rotor of a second motor. As a result, the output shaft is supported by a twin support structure via the bearings by the partition and the rear wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seigo Kano, Satoru Wakuta, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Toshiharu Ikeda, Atsushi Ishibashi, Masahiro Kojima, Masatoshi Adachi
  • Patent number: 7017693
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle drive system is designed to have dimensions that are shorter in an axial direction and improved centering accuracy of a rotor, in order to prevent deterioration of motor performance. A rotor support plate (15) has a flat-plate shaped disk portion (15b), and is fixed to a front cover (32) of a take off device (5), such as a torque converter, or the like, at the disk portion with a set block (67) and a bolt (69). A forward portion of the take off device is centered and supported by fitting a center piece (33) to a crankshaft (3). A support-plate hub (15a) is in contact with the center piece (33) at a small area (33c) in a vicinity of a fixing plane P of the disk portion (15b) and the set block (67), and thus centering of the rotor (13) is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta
  • Patent number: 6935450
    Abstract: A motor/generator is arranged radially outward of a middle portion of a front cover of a torque converter so that at least a part of the motor/generator axially overlaps the torque converter, with a predetermined gap (C) between the front cover and the rotor of the motor/generator. The rotor of the motor/generator is supported by either the torque converter or an engine crankshaft or by any two of the torque converter, a motor housing and the crankshaft. The rotor is not affected by the torque converter and the efficiency of the motor is not reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Tsuzuki, Takeshi Inuzuka, Satoru Wakuta, Takahiro Kido, Takao Taniguchi, Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Kenji Omote
  • Patent number: 6932176
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle that is capable of absorbing an inertial force which is generated during shifting of a stepped transmission. During shift control of the stepped transmission by a shift control device and before the shift control is completed, a during-shift drive control element controls a driving force which is output from a second drive unit such that a total driving force which is output from first and second drive units to the drive wheels equals a driver request output. Further, the during-shift drive control elements executes control so as to reduce a difference between the total driving force output to a drive wheel and the driver request output based on a change in a transmission force of the stepped transmission caused by a switch-over between a first brake and a second brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignees: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd., Toytoa Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Takami, Kiyotomo Miura, Satoru Wakuta, Hiroatsu Endo, Tatsuya Ozeki