Patents by Inventor Shinichi Kitajima

Shinichi Kitajima 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: 20020108794
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of charging the battery device when the state of charge of the battery device tends to decrease and the initial state of charge of the battery device is reduced by a predetermined amount. The present device comprises a lower limit threshold value setting device S060, an upper limit threshold value setting device for setting the lower limit and upper limit threshold values of the discharge amount of the battery device, a mode setting device S054 for increasing the state of charge when the state of charge is reduced to the lower limit threshold value, a mode setting release device S062 for releasing the mode setting changed by the mode setting device, and a discharge depth detecting device S063 for detecting the discharge amount of the present state of charge by comparison with the initial state of charge. The threshold value for determining whether it is necessary for the motor to assist the engine is modified depending upon the discharge depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6430482
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which increases electric power supply to a power storage unit to reduce the discharge amount from the power storage unit in the case where electric power consumption of the low voltage system is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Hideyuki Oki
  • Publication number: 20020095932
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having an intake system and an exhaust system is disclosed. The exhaust system includes a catalyst, and the intake system includes a throttle valve. The engine is mounted on a vehicle having a brake booster to which an intake pressure at downstream of the throttle valve is introduced. The catalyst temperature rise control in which the intake air amount is increased after starting of the engine and the ignition timing is retarded according to a rotational speed of the engine is performed. When a pressure difference between the detected intake pressure and the atmospheric pressure during the catalyst temperature raising control is less than a predetermined pressure, the increased intake air amount and the retard amount of the ignition timing is gradually decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Izumiura, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6414401
    Abstract: A regeneration control system and method applied to a hybrid vehicle is disclosed, by which sufficient energy can be stored during deceleration regeneration, and engine stall can be prevented when the amount of load imposed on the engine increases during deceleration regeneration. The method includes (i) determining a quantity of regeneration performed using the motor during deceleration of the vehicle, and for making the motor execute regeneration based on the determined quantity; (ii) detecting a variation (decrement) of the engine speed; (iii) detecting the engine speed, and (iv) stopping regeneration executed by the motor during deceleration of the vehicle if the detected variation of the engine speed is larger than a predetermined value, or if the detected engine speed is equal to or below a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Atsushi Izumiura, Shinichi Kitajima, Teruo Wakashiro, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6408968
    Abstract: In vehicle operation under cruise mode, the battery, which is in a low temperature state, is caused to rise in temperature at an early stage, and the assistance amount and the regeneration power generation amount by means of the motor are caused to increase. During vehicle operation in cruise mode, in the case in which one or the other of the battery temperature and the engine water temperature have failed to reach a predetermined temperature, the cruise power generation amount is raised to a predetermined level, and charging of the battery is continued until both the battery temperature and the engine water temperature have reached predetermined temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kan Nakaune, Morio Kayano, Kazunori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6404332
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shift position indicating device for indicating a recommended shift position to a driver of a hybrid vehicle having an engine for driving a drive shaft of the vehicle, a motor for assisting a drive force applied to the drive shaft by electrical energy, and a battery for supplying power to the motor and storing electrical energy output from the motor. The motor having a regenerative function of converting kinetic energy of the drive shaft into electrical energy. According to the shift position indicating device, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is in a high-load running condition, and when the vehicle is in the high-load running condition, the shift-down is recommended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken-Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi, Asao Ukai, Hironao Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 6397585
    Abstract: A catalyst temperature estimating apparatus is provided, capable of estimating the temperature of the catalyst installed in an internal combustion engine on a vehicle by providing various catalyst temperature estimating parameters, when the internal combustion engine is in an idle stop. When it is determined that the internal combustion engine is stopped by determining whether the internal combustion engine is stopped, the temperature of the catalyst is estimated based on temperature coefficients during the engine stop. Estimation of the catalyst temperature even when the engine is in an idle stop makes it possible to accurately and promptly estimate the catalyst temperature when the engine is restarted from the idle stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Matsubara, Shigetaka Kuroda, Takashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 6390083
    Abstract: The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the present invention comprises: a fuel supply device for supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine; a fuel tank for retaining fuel; a purge device for purging fuel vapor, produced in the fuel tank, into an intake system of the internal combustion engine; a purge correction amount updating device for calculating a purge correction amount for correcting an amount of fuel to be supplied by the fuel supply device, depending on the amount of fuel vapor purged by the purge device; a target air-fuel ratio setting device for setting a target air-fuel ratio depending on a running state of the internal combustion engine; and an update amount setting device for updating the purge correction amount depending on the target air-fuel ratio set by the target air-fuel ratio setting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Fumihiko Konno, Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Hideyuki Takahashi, Hironao Fukuchi, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6382192
    Abstract: An evaporating fuel processing apparatus of an internal combustion engine is disclosed, which can reliably determine the presence or absence of leakage even if stopping and restarting operations of the internal combustion engine are alternately repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Oki, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 6380641
    Abstract: This invention relates to an engine stall prevention apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. This engine stall prevention apparatus comprises a clutch operation detection device which detects an operation of a clutch; a clutch state determination device which determines the state of the clutch based on the relationship between the vehicle speed and the engine speed; a throttle opening degree determination device which determines the degree of throttle opening of the engine; a first engine speed modification device (S010) which modifies a charging/regeneration allowing lower limit engine speed value above which deceleration regeneration by the electric motor is allowed; and a half-engaged clutch determination maintaining device (S008) which outputs a determination signal indicating that the clutch is half-engaged for a predetermined period of time when the throttle is completely closed and the clutch is determined to be half-engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6371889
    Abstract: The engine automatic start stop control apparatus that controls an engine to be automatically stopped or started in response to driving conditions of a vehicle, comprises: a clutch detector for detecting depression of a clutch pedal; an accelerator detector for detecting depression of an accelerator pedal; an automatic stop detector for detecting an automatic stop of the engine; a stop history checker for checking a history of stopping of the vehicle when the automatic stop detector detects the stop of the vehicle; and an automatic start device for terminating the automatic stop of the engine and starting the engine when the automatic stop detector detects the automatic stop, when the clutch detector detects the depression of the clutch pedal, when the stop history checker finds no stop history, and when the accelerator detector detects depression of the accelerator pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Takashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 6366059
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of charging the storage battery, when the residual capacity of the storage battery is decreasing and when a predetermined amount of the initial residual capacity is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Takashi Iwamoto, Shinichi Kitajima, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 6362536
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power generation control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle comprises an engine which outputs a driving force for the hybrid vehicle; a motor which outputs an assistant driving force so as to assist the driving force of the engine; a power storage unit; and a power generation control apparatus which controls the power generation by the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Izumiura, Takashi Kiyomiya, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6356818
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control apparatus for improving fuel consumption ratio by making appropriate the deceleration perception of the hybrid vehicle is provided. It is determined whether the flag setting of a brake ON determination flag is “1”. If the brake is OFF, a brake OFF regeneration amount is obtained, and is assigned to the deceleration regeneration computed value. It is determined whether a remaining batter charge is greater than or equal to a predetermined normal power generation mode execution upper limit remaining charge. In the case where the determination result is yes, it is determined whether a control vehicle speed is greater than or equal to a predetermined high speed deceleration regeneration reduction lower limit vehicle speed. In the case where the determination result is yes, the value obtained by multiplying the deceleration regeneration computed value by a predetermined high speed deceleration regeneration reduction coefficient, for example 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6343246
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle with a combustion engine is provided for outputting driving force, an electric motor for generating a force for assisting the output from the engine, and a power storage unit for supplying a power to the motor and for storing energy regenerated by the motor when the vehicle decelerates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Hiroyuki Makino, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Publication number: 20020007626
    Abstract: A catalyst temperature estimating apparatus is provided, capable of estimating the temperature of the catalyst installed in an internal combustion engine on a vehicle by providing various catalyst temperature estimating parameters, when the internal combustion engine is in an idle stop. When it is determined that the internal combustion engine is stopped by determining whether the internal combustion engine is stopped, the temperature of the catalyst is estimated based on temperature coefficients during the engine stop. Estimation of the catalyst temperature even when the engine is in an idle stop makes it possible to accurately and promptly estimate the catalyst temperature when the engine is restarted from the idle stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Matsubara, Shigetaka Kuroda, Takashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 6334079
    Abstract: A determination method and apparatus for permitting deceleration regeneration or charge of a hybrid vehicle, by which erroneous determination relating to the clutch operation can be prevented. The method includes a first determination step of detecting clutch operation performed by a driver and determining a connection state of the clutch; a second determination step of determining a connection state of the clutch based on a correspondence relationship between vehicle speed and engine speed; and a permission determining step of permitting the deceleration regeneration or charge by the motor when it is determined that the clutch is connected both in the first and second determination steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kan Nakaune, Takashi Iwamoto, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Publication number: 20010042648
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided, which executes charging of a capacitor when a depth-of-discharge of a capacitor exceeds a predetermined depth-of-discharge which is set based on a vehicle speed. The control device of the hybrid vehicle, provided with an engine, a motor for assisting the output of the engine, and a capacitor for supplying electric power to the motor and for storing regenerative energy, comprises a depth-of-discharge detecting device (S063) for detecting a depth-of-discharge DOD of the capacitor, wherein when the depth-of-discharge DOD of the capacitor falls below the depth-of-discharge limit value DODLMT (053), the capacitor is charged so as to recover the depth-of-discharge of the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Atsushi Izumiura, Shinichi Kitajima, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki
  • Publication number: 20010040437
    Abstract: In order to effectively prevent generation of a counter electromotive voltage during cruising, the present invention provides a control system of a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine, motor, and a capacitor, including an engine rotational speed sensor for detecting the engine rotational speed NE, a target voltage setting device for setting a charge target voltage (target capacitor voltage), and a motor ECU for controlling the charge of said power storage unit. A target capacitor voltage VCAPCMD is set based on the detected engine rotational speed NE (step S300), and when the capacitor voltage VCAP<the target capacitor voltage VCAPCMD (step S311 is “YES”), a charging operation is executed until the target capacitor voltage VCAPCMD≦the capacitor voltage VCAP. Thereby, it is possible to maintain the counter electromotive voltage<the capacitor voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6314346
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle with an engine for producing a driving force for the vehicle, a motor for producing an assist driving force to assist the output from the engine, and a power storage unit for supplying electric energy to the motor and storing regenerated energy produced by regeneration of the motor when the vehicle decelerates. The control system includes a charge zone determining device for determining whether a state of charge (SOC) is within the normal use range, temporary use range, over-discharge range, or over-charge range; a generation mode selector for selecting one of a normal generation mode corresponding to normal use zone, a low generation mode corresponding to temporary use zone, a high generation mode corresponding to over-discharge zone, and a generation stop mode corresponding to over-charge zone, based on the determination by the charge zone determining device; and a generation amount setter for setting the amount of electric power generation corresponding to each mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Keisuke Uchida, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Asao Ukai, Hironao Fukuchi