Patents by Inventor Seiji Kuwahara
Seiji Kuwahara 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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Patent number: 11225147Abstract: In a drive unit for four-wheel drive vehicle that allows a motor for driving front wheels to be easily installed, a torque of an engine is transmitted to a rear wheel axle via a transmission and a rear propeller shaft, and a torque of a front drive motor is transmitted to a front wheel axle via a front propeller shaft. A front drive unit is disposed between the transmission and the rear wheel axle. A case of the front drive unit houses: a main shaft that transmits to the rear propeller shaft an output torque of the transmission; the front drive motor; and a sub-shaft that is disposed in a position shifted in a vehicle width direction with respect to the main shaft and transmits to the front propeller shaft an output torque of the front drive motor.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2018Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji Kuwahara, Norifumi Takada
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Patent number: 11198367Abstract: Provided is a hybrid vehicle including: an engine longitudinally positioned on a front side of a vehicle body; a first motor; a rear wheel to which output torque of the engine and the first motor is transmitted to generate driving power; a second motor; and a front wheel to which output torque of the second motor is transmitted to generate driving power. Both the first motor and the second motor are disposed between the engine and an automatic transmission, coaxially with the engine and the automatic transmission. A power transmission mechanism that increases or decreases the driving power of the front wheel is provided. The second motor is coupled to the power transmission mechanism without being coupled to the engine and the automatic transmission.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yohei Habata, Seiji Kuwahara, Akira Ijichi
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Patent number: 11046169Abstract: A four-wheel drive hybrid vehicle, in which all wheels are driven by an engine, and in which a spatial restriction to arrange a front motor is reduced. The hybrid vehicle comprises: an engine disposed on a side of front wheels; a first motor; an exhaust pipe for discharging exhaust gas from a rear side of the vehicle; a first propeller shaft that delivers output power of the engine to rear wheels; a transfer that distributes the output power of the engine to the front wheels; a second propeller shaft that delivers a drive force from the transfer to the front wheels; and a second motor that applies torque to the front wheels. The second propeller shaft is arranged on the other side of the exhaust pipe across the first propeller shaft while being connected to the second propeller shaft.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Seiji Kuwahara
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Patent number: 10787072Abstract: A vehicular control system for reducing shocks by inhibiting switching operation of a dog clutch when drive force cannot be assisted by an engine. A controller determines that an increase in the drive force by the engine is restricted. In a case that an increase in the drive force is not restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a first gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle, and shift to the second gear stage upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition during propulsion while increasing the drive force. In a case that an increase in the drive force is restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a second gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2019Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Norifumi Takada, Seiji Kuwahara
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Patent number: 10703368Abstract: A hybrid vehicle without having a torque converter that can be launched rapidly and accelerated sharply in a WOT condition. The hybrid vehicle comprises a motor operated by an engine torque to generate electricity, and a clutch for selectively transmitting power between the first motor and drive wheels. The hybrid vehicle is launched by engaging the clutch to deliver the engine torque to the drive wheels. A torque absorbing control is executed to reduce the engine torque delivered to the clutch by operating the motor by the torque of the engine, when the clutch is disengaged and an accelerator pedal is depressed.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Taku Segawa, Seiji Kuwahara
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Publication number: 20200062128Abstract: Provided is a hybrid vehicle including: an engine longitudinally positioned on a front side of a vehicle body; a first motor; a rear wheel to which output torque of the engine and the first motor is transmitted to generate driving power; a second motor; and a front wheel to which output torque of the second motor is transmitted to generate driving power. Both the first motor and the second motor are disposed between the engine and an automatic transmission, coaxially with the engine and the automatic transmission. A power transmission mechanism that increases or decreases the driving power of the front wheel is provided. The second motor is coupled to the power transmission mechanism without being coupled to the engine and the automatic transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yohei HABATA, Seiji KUWAHARA, Akira IJICHI
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Patent number: 10513253Abstract: A shift control device is configured to control switching between shift stages in a multi-stage automatic transmission such that a gear ratio selected at a predetermined vehicle speed and selected in a regenerative traveling mode that is a boundary region with respect to an EV traveling mode becomes greater than a gear ratio selected at the predetermined vehicle speed and selected in an HV traveling mode that is a boundary region with respect to the EV traveling mode, and is configured to control the switching between the shift stages such that a gear ratio of a shift stage selected when the traveling mode is switched from the regenerative traveling mode to the EV traveling mode is greater than a gear ratio of a shift stage selected when the traveling mode is switched from the HV traveling mode to the EV traveling mode under the same vehicle speed and parameter.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2017Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji Kuwahara, Yusuke Suzuki, Naoki Nakanishi, Kunihiko Usui
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Publication number: 20190299766Abstract: A vehicular control system for reducing shocks by inhibiting switching operation of a dog clutch when drive force cannot be assisted by an engine. A controller determines that an increase in the drive force by the engine is restricted. In a case that an increase in the drive force is not restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a first gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle, and shift to the second gear stage upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition during propulsion while increasing the drive force. In a case that an increase in the drive force is restricted when launching the vehicle, the controller establishes a second gear stage in the transmission to launch the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Norifumi TAKADA, Seiji KUWAHARA
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Patent number: 10295001Abstract: A control device of a lock-up clutch according to the disclosure is mounted on a vehicle including an engine, a transmission, a fluid-type power transmitting device interposed between the engine and the transmission, and the lock-up clutch provided on the fluid-type power transmitting device. The control device includes: a controller configured to slip-engage the lock-up clutch when accelerator opening of the vehicle changes in an accelerating direction, and configured to make a slip-engagement amount larger when a state of the fluid-type power transmitting device when the accelerator opening of the vehicle changes in the accelerating direction is a driven state than the slip-engagement amount when the state of the fluid-type power transmitting device is a driving state.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takayuki Ando, Seiji Kuwahara, Seiji Masunaga, Tsubasa Kato, Yuki Aratsu
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Publication number: 20190077268Abstract: In a drive unit for four-wheel drive vehicle that allows a motor for driving front wheels to be easily installed, a torque of an engine is transmitted to a rear wheel axle via a transmission and a rear propeller shaft, and a torque of a front drive motor is transmitted to a front wheel axle via a front propeller shaft. A front drive unit is disposed between the transmission and the rear wheel axle. A case of the front drive unit houses: a main shaft that transmits to the rear propeller shaft an output torque of the transmission; the front drive motor; and a sub-shaft that is disposed in a position shifted in a vehicle width direction with respect to the main shaft and transmits to the front propeller shaft an output torque of the front drive motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji KUWAHARA, Norifumi TAKADA
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Publication number: 20190009781Abstract: A hybrid vehicle without having a torque converter that can be launched rapidly and accelerated sharply in a WOT condition. The hybrid vehicle comprises a motor operated by an engine torque to generate electricity, and a clutch for selectively transmitting power between the first motor and drive wheels. The hybrid vehicle is launched by engaging the clutch to deliver the engine torque to the drive wheels. A torque absorbing control is executed to reduce the engine torque delivered to the clutch by operating the motor by the torque of the engine, when the clutch is disengaged and an accelerator pedal is depressed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Taku SEGAWA, Seiji KUWAHARA
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Publication number: 20180304738Abstract: A four-wheel drive hybrid vehicle, in which all wheels are driven by an engine, and in which a spatial restriction to arrange a front motor is reduced. The hybrid vehicle comprises: an engine disposed on a side of front wheels; a first motor; an exhaust pipe for discharging exhaust gas from a rear side of the vehicle; a first propeller shaft that delivers output power of the engine to rear wheels; a transfer that distributes the output power of the engine to the front wheels; a second propeller shaft that delivers a drive force from the transfer to the front wheels; and a second motor that applies torque to the front wheels. The second propeller shaft is arranged on the other side of the exhaust pipe across the first propeller shaft while being connected to the second propeller shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Seiji KUWAHARA
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Patent number: 10093300Abstract: A vehicle control system to reduce shocks under an autonomous mode is provided. The vehicle control system is configured to select an operating mode of a vehicle from a manual mode in which a driving force and a braking force are controlled manually by a driver, and an autonomous mode in which the driving force and the braking force are controlled autonomously. A controller is configured to execute a fuel cut-off control, and a threshold selected under the autonomous mode is set in such a manner as to terminate the fuel cut-off control earlier than under the manual mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji Kuwahara, Kazumi Hoshiya, Norimi Asahara, Yoshio Ito, Takahito Endo, Tadashi Fujiyoshi
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Patent number: 10040457Abstract: A driving force control system of a vehicle installed with an automatic transmission that transmits torque generated by an engine to drive wheels while changing the speed is provided for controlling driving force based on the vehicle speed and the accelerator operation amount. In the driving force control, an acceleration characteristic that defines the relationship between re-acceleration-time acceleration as a control index used when the vehicle travels while being re-accelerated after deceleration traveling, and the vehicle speed, is stored, and the re-acceleration-time acceleration corresponding to the current vehicle speed is obtained, based on traveling data of the vehicle obtained before the deceleration traveling, and the acceleration characteristic. Then, the speed ratio of the automatic transmission which can realize the obtained re-acceleration-time acceleration is set, before the re-acceleration traveling is started.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2016Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Seiji Kuwahara
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Patent number: 10012269Abstract: A meshing-type engagement device includes a first member, a second member, a pressing mechanism, and a reaction force mechanism. The first member is provided with a plurality of first dog teeth. The second member is provided with a plurality of second dog teeth. The pressing mechanism is configured to press the first member to the second member side. The reaction force mechanism is configured to generate a reaction force with respect to a pressing force pressing the first member for the first dog teeth and the second dog teeth to mesh with each other such that the amount of increase in the reaction force with respect to a movement of the first member is larger at a position further on the second member side than a predetermined position compared to the amount of increase to the predetermined position when the first member is pressed.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirotsugu Yoshino, Motoki Tabuchi, Takaho Kawakami, Seiji Kuwahara, Isamu Shiotsu
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Publication number: 20180178776Abstract: A shift control device is configured to control switching between shift stages in a multi-stage automatic transmission such that a gear ratio selected at a predetermined vehicle speed and selected in a regenerative traveling mode that is a boundary region with respect to an EV traveling mode becomes greater than a gear ratio selected at the predetermined vehicle speed and selected in an HV traveling mode that is a boundary region with respect to the EV traveling mode, and is configured to control the switching between the shift stages such that a gear ratio of a shift stage selected when the traveling mode is switched from the regenerative traveling mode to the EV traveling mode is greater than a gear ratio of a shift stage selected when the traveling mode is switched from the HV traveling mode to the EV traveling mode under the same vehicle speed and parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2017Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji KUWAHARA, Yusuke SUZUKI, Naoki NAKANISHI, Kunihiko USUI
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Patent number: 9981664Abstract: A control device includes a controller configured to perform control to increase a rotational speed of a power source when a brake is stepped on and accelerator opening becomes a predetermined value or larger while a vehicle stops, and thereafter, when the brake is stepped off, engage a plurality of engaging units to transmit a power, and start the vehicle. The controller includes: a parameter obtaining unit configured to obtain a parameter indicating requested acceleration when the vehicle starts; and a slip control unit configured to perform slip control on at least one of the plurality of engaging units such that difference in rotational speed occurs between frictionally engaging elements and set number of engaging units on which the slip control is performed according to a value of the obtained parameter when the vehicle starts.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji Masunaga, Seiji Kuwahara, Takayuki Ando, Yuki Aratsu
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Patent number: 9976604Abstract: A translational force Fh to one side in a rotational axis direction is caused to act from a hydraulic piston to a sleeve when an engaged stage between an engagement tooth and an engaged tooth is maintained, so that translation of the sleeve to the other side in the rotational axis direction and consequent disengagement of the engagement tooth and the engaged tooth can be prevented. Therefore, the engaged state between the engagement member and the engaged member can be stably maintained regardless of the condition of the torque acting from the drive source to the engagement member.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2015Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Isamu Shiotsu, Hirotsugu Yoshino, Motoki Tabuchi, Fusahiro Tsukano, Takaho Kawakami, Atsushi Honda, Seiji Kuwahara
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Patent number: 9975556Abstract: A control device for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a transmission and an engine configured to input a torque into the transmission. The transmission has multiple transmission stages and includes a first engagement mechanism and a second engagement mechanism. The control device includes an ECU configured to: (a) control the second engagement mechanism when a second transmission stage is set such that the capacity of torque transmission of the second engagement mechanism is increased and a thrust for separating a first member and a second member of the first engagement mechanism from each other in an axial direction is generated; (b) calculate a decrement in an output torque of the transmission when the capacity of torque transmission of the second engagement mechanism is increased; and (c) increase a torque input into the transmission by the engine based on the decrement in the output torque by controlling the engine.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2015Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Seiji Kuwahara, Seiji Masunaga, Takayuki Ando, Yuki Aratsu, Hirotsugu Yoshino
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Patent number: 9915342Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes an ECU. The ECU stores a N?1 speed downshift/a N?2 speed downshift/a N?1 speed upshift/and a hysteresis lines. The hysteresis line is a predetermined distance above the N?1 speed upshift line, and is below the N?2 speed downshift line. The ECU controls the speed of the automatic transmission based on a quantity of state of a vehicle, and the plurality of stored shift lines, and execute, when an N speed is established, a first downshift that changes a speed from the N speed to an N?2 speed, when the quantity of state of the vehicle is in a region above the hysteresis line, after the quantity of state of the vehicle has risen above the N?1 speed downshift line.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2015Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koshiro Kosaka, Seiji Kuwahara, Takahiro Kondo