Patents by Inventor Shigenori Nakazato

Shigenori Nakazato 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: 9856846
    Abstract: Provided is a system of carrying out engagement of a pinion and a ring gear at optimal timing and suppressing a bite-in sound, in a vehicle including an idle stop system. In a vehicle control device including an automatic stop unit which automatically stops an engine on the basis of an operating state of a vehicle; an automatic start unit which controls a starter during a period until the engine completely stops after the automatic stop unit executes the automatic stop of the engine, and restarts the engine; and an engine rotation detection unit which detects or operates a crank phase or a rotation number of the engine, the automatic start unit determines a control command of the starter at an interval shorter than an update interval of a signal of the engine rotation detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Matsufuji, Toshio Hori, Koji Onishi, Yoshiaki Nagasawa, Shigenori Nakazato
  • Patent number: 9422904
    Abstract: Vehicle engine starting apparatus of automatically restarting an engine by quickly responding to a subsequent engine restart request even if engagement of a pinion gear with a ring gear is failed in the process of a stop of the engine. Pinion gear is displaced such that the pinion gear is engaged with the ring gear at a timing (when rotation speed of the pinion gear and rotation speed of the engine are nearly synchronized with each other with a signal from a control device when a predetermined condition is met. Where an engagement sensor has transmitted a signal “H” indicating engagement failure, when restart of the engine becomes necessary, the pinion gear is displaced toward a ring gear side by the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigehiko Omata, Shigenori Nakazato, Norio Yanagawa, Shingo Kitajima, Atsushi Saeki, Yoshiaki Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 9297347
    Abstract: An engine starting apparatus is provided which can start an engine without inducing malfunctions of various electronic components. The engine starting apparatus comprises a pinion adapted to be brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear linked to an engine, a magnet switch supplied with current from a battery to move the pinion in the direction of the ring gear, a starter motor supplied with the current to rotate the pinion, a control unit for instructing the starter motor to start the engine, and a starter control unit for controlling, on the basis of the instruction, a first semiconductor switch subject to PWM control, wherein the starter motor and the magnet switch are stored in a first housing, the starter control unit is stored in a second housing, and the first housing is integral with the second housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Kokubun, Shigehiko Omata, Shigenori Nakazato, Masato Saito
  • Publication number: 20160053736
    Abstract: Provided is a system of carrying out engagement of a pinion and a ring gear at optimal timing and suppressing a bite-in sound, in a vehicle including an idle stop system. In a vehicle control device including an automatic stop unit which automatically stops an engine on the basis of an operating state of a vehicle; an automatic start unit which controls a starter during a period until the engine completely stops after the automatic stop unit executes the automatic stop of the engine, and restarts the engine; and an engine rotation detection unit which detects or operates a crank phase or a rotation number of the engine, the automatic start unit determines a control command of the starter at an interval shorter than an update interval of a signal of the engine rotation detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Koji MATSUFUJI, Toshio HORI, Koji ONISHI, Yoshiaki NAGASAWA, Shigenori NAKAZATO
  • Patent number: 9203287
    Abstract: Starter for vehicle-use engine which can detect a rotational speed signal in a stable manner even when a clutch cover is mounted on an outer periphery of a clutch outer of a one-way clutch. The starter D for a vehicle-use engine which transmits a rotational drive force of a stator to a ring gear of a crankshaft by a pinion of the starter includes: a one-way clutch which is arranged between the pinion and an armature shaft of the stator; and a rotational speed detection device which detects a rotational speed of the pinion. A part to be detected for a rotational speed is formed of through holes formed on a circumference of the clutch cover, and a circular circumferential groove formed on an outer peripheral surface of a clutch outer along the circumference on which the through holes are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigehiko Omata, Koji Harada, Shigenori Nakazato, Mitsuhiro Arai, Shouta Ohkoshi
  • Publication number: 20150167618
    Abstract: An engine starting apparatus is provided which can start an engine without inducing malfunctions of various electronic components. The engine starting apparatus comprises a pinion adapted to be brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear linked to an engine, a magnet switch supplied with current from a battery to move the pinion in the direction of the ring gear, a starter motor supplied with the current to rotate the pinion, a control unit for instructing the starter motor to start the engine, and a starter control unit for controlling, on the basis of the instruction, a first semiconductor switch subject to PWM control, wherein the starter motor and the magnet switch are stored in a first housing, the starter control unit is stored in a second housing, and the first housing is integral with the second housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Shuichi KOKUBUN, Shigehiko OMATA, Shigenori NAKAZATO, Masato SAITO
  • Patent number: 8994299
    Abstract: An engine starting apparatus is provided which can start an engine without inducing malfunctions of various electronic components. The engine starting apparatus comprises a pinion adapted to be brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear linked to an engine, a magnet switch supplied with current from a battery to move the pinion in the direction of the ring gear, a starter motor supplied with the current to rotate the pinion, a control unit for instructing the starter motor to start the engine, and a starter control unit for controlling, on the basis of the instruction, a first semiconductor switch subject to PWM control, wherein the starter motor and the magnet switch are stored in a first housing, the starter control unit is stored in a second housing, and the first housing is integral with the second housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Kokubun, Shigehiko Omata, Shigenori Nakazato, Masato Saito
  • Publication number: 20140053684
    Abstract: Vehicle engine starting apparatus of automatically restarting an engine by quickly responding to a subsequent engine restart request even if engagement of a pinion gear with a ring gear is failed in the process of a stop of the engine. Pinion gear is displaced such that the pinion gear is engaged with the ring gear at a timing (when rotation speed of the pinion gear and rotation speed of the engine are nearly synchronized with each other with a signal from a control device when a predetermined condition is met. Where an engagement sensor has transmitted a signal “H” indicating engagement failure, when restart of the engine becomes necessary, the pinion gear is displaced toward a ring gear side by the control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shigehiko Omata, Shigenori Nakazato, Norio Yanagawa, Shingo Kitajima, Atsushi Saeki, Yoshiaki Nagasawa
  • Publication number: 20130268181
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided with an idle reduction system for performing automatic stopping and automatic starting of the internal combustion engine, where the idle reduction system includes a starter that separately causes movement of a pinion gear and driving of a motor, and a semiconductor switching element that controls the movement of the pinion gear and the driving of the motor, the control device being provided with a means for detecting or estimating that the internal combustion engine reversely rotates in a process in which the internal combustion engine stops rotating and a means for inhibiting the driving of the motor by the semiconductor switching element for a predetermined period of time in the case where the reverse rotation is detected or estimated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nagasawa, Eiichi Otsu, Koji Onishi, Kenichi Machida, Shigehiko Omata, Shigenori Nakazato
  • Publication number: 20130119831
    Abstract: Starter for vehicle-use engine which can detect a rotational speed signal in a stable manner even when a clutch cover is mounted on an outer periphery of a clutch outer of a one-way clutch. The starter D for a vehicle-use engine which transmits a rotational drive force of a stator to a ring gear of a crankshaft by a pinion of the starter includes: a one-way clutch which is arranged between the pinion and an armature shaft of the stator; and a rotational speed detection device which detects a rotational speed of the pinion. A part to be detected for a rotational speed is formed of through holes formed on a circumference of the clutch cover, and a circular circumferential groove formed on an outer peripheral surface of a clutch outer along the circumference on which the through holes are formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventors: Shigehiko Omata, Koji Harada, Shigenori Nakazato, Mitsuhiro Arai, Shouta Ohkoshi
  • Patent number: 8413635
    Abstract: A vehicle control device, including a vehicle control unit that controls engagement between an engine and a starter motor for starting the engine, wherein the vehicle control unit, along with cutting off fuel supply to the engine and causing the engine to rotate inertially, also, in a state in which fuel supply to the engine is cut off and the starter motor is not engaged with the engine, rotates the starter motor, and thereafter controls supply of electrical power to the starter motor so as to causes the starter motor to rotate inertially, and engages the starter motor to the engine while both the engine and the starter motor are performing inertial rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Machida, Eiichi Otsu, Minoru Ohsuga, Shigenori Nakazato, Yoshiaki Nagasawa
  • Publication number: 20120275078
    Abstract: An engine starting apparatus is provided which can start an engine without inducing malfunctions of various electronic components. The engine starting apparatus comprises a pinion adapted to be brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear linked to an engine, a magnet switch supplied with current from a battery to move the pinion in the direction of the ring gear, a starter motor supplied with the current to rotate the pinion, a control unit for instructing the starter motor to start the engine, and a starter control unit for controlling, on the basis of the instruction, a first semiconductor switch subject to PWM control, wherein the starter motor and the magnet switch are stored in a first housing, the starter control unit is stored in a second housing, and the first housing is integral with the second housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Kokubun, Shigehiko Omata, Shigenori Nakazato, Masato Saito
  • Publication number: 20100242905
    Abstract: A vehicle control device, including a vehicle control unit that controls engagement between an engine and a starter motor for starting the engine, wherein the vehicle control unit, along with cutting off fuel supply to the engine and causing the engine to rotate inertially, also, in a state in which fuel supply to the engine is cut off and the starter motor is not engaged with the engine, rotates the starter motor, and thereafter controls supply of electrical power to the starter motor so as to causes the starter motor to rotate inertially, and engages the starter motor to the engine while both the engine and the starter motor are performing inertial rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Machida, Eiichi Otsu, Minoru Ohsuga, Shigenori Nakazato, Yoshiaki Nagasawa
  • Publication number: 20030230271
    Abstract: The major object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion engine stating device capable of improving cost effectiveness and quality assurance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicants: HITACHI, LTD., HITACHI CAR ENGINEERNG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Maruhashi, Tatsumi Nishida, Shigenori Nakazato, Rikio Goto, Tadashi Sakuma