Patents by Inventor Shinji ASOU

Shinji ASOU 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: 11621430
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a controller that controls actions of the fuel cell system. The controller includes a freezing presence-absence determination unit that performs freezing presence-absence determination, a temperature raising execution unit that performs temperature raising processing for raising a temperature of an exhaust and drain valve, and a thawing presence-absence determination unit. In the freezing presence-absence determination, freezing determination is made when the exhaust flow rate of gas is equal to or lower than a first threshold. In the thawing presence-absence determination, thawing determination indicating that the exhaust and drain valve is thawed is made when the exhaust flow rate of gas is higher than a second threshold. The second threshold shows a flow rate higher than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomio Yamanaka, Tomotaka Ishikawa, Shinji Asou, Tsuyoshi Maruo
  • Patent number: 11171349
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell, a power storage device, a drive motor, a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the fuel cell, a detector configured to detect an operation condition of the fuel cell, and a controller. At a start time of the fuel cell, in a case where the temperature of the fuel cell detected by the temperature sensor is below a freezing point, when an output condition of the fuel cell shown by the detected operation condition of the fuel cell continuously corresponds to a predetermined low output condition for a predetermined reference time period or longer, the controller sets a driving state of the fuel cell vehicle to a first driving state that stops power generation of the fuel cell, drives the drive motor by using only the power storage device as a power source and limits a motor output of the drive motor to be equal to or lower than a predetermined first upper limit output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ogawa, Tomotaka Ishikawa, Shinji Asou, Tomio Yamanaka, Junichi Matsuo, Ryosuke Oya
  • Publication number: 20200044269
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a controller that controls actions of the fuel cell system. The controller includes a freezing presence-absence determination unit that performs freezing presence-absence determination, a temperature raising execution unit that performs temperature raising processing for raising a temperature of an exhaust and drain valve, and a thawing presence-absence determination unit. In the freezing presence-absence determination, freezing determination is made when the exhaust flow rate of gas is equal to or lower than a first threshold. In the thawing presence-absence determination, thawing determination indicating that the exhaust and drain valve is thawed is made when the exhaust flow rate of gas is higher than a second threshold. The second threshold shows a flow rate higher than the first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomio YAMANAKA, Tomotaka ISHIKAWA, Shinji ASOU, Tsuyoshi MARUO
  • Publication number: 20200036023
    Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell, a power storage device, a drive motor, a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the fuel cell, a detector configured to detect an operation condition of the fuel cell, and a controller. At a start time of the fuel cell, in a case where the temperature of the fuel cell detected by the temperature sensor is below a freezing point, when an output condition of the fuel cell shown by the detected operation condition of the fuel cell continuously corresponds to a predetermined low output condition for a predetermined reference time period or longer, the controller sets a driving state of the fuel cell vehicle to a first driving state that stops power generation of the fuel cell, drives the drive motor by using only the power storage device as a power source and limits a motor output of the drive motor to be equal to or lower than a predetermined first upper limit output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Tomohiro OGAWA, Tomotaka ISHIKAWA, Shinji ASOU, Tomio YAMANAKA, Junichi MATSUO, Ryosuke OYA