Patents by Inventor Shusaku Katakura

Shusaku Katakura 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: 7840329
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes at least an input section, an output section, first and second frictional engagement elements, and a controller. The input section receives an input torque from a drive unit. The first frictional engagement element has an engaged state allowing the output section to rotate at a first transmission gear ratio with respect to the input section. The second frictional engagement element has an engaged state allowing the output section to rotate at a second transmission gear ratio with respect to the input section. The controller controls at least a gear shift from the first transmission gear ratio to the second transmission gear ratio. The controller controls the first and second frictional engagement elements and the drive unit so as to cancel an inertia torque resulting from the gear shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Masaaki Uchida, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Tomoaki Honma, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7771316
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an automatic transmission having first and second frictional engagement elements that achieve lower and higher speed gear stages respectively, includes a target value determination section setting a rotation speed difference between input and output sides of the frictional engagement element, a total torque capacity calculation section calculating a total torque capacity, a distribution ratio determination section setting a distribution ratio of the total torque capacity to the first and second frictional engagement elements, an individual torque capacity calculation section calculating individual torque capacities respectively required of the first and second frictional engagement elements, and an engagement control section controlling engagement conditions of the first and second frictional engagement elements in accordance with the individual torque capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7666113
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an automatic transmission having first and second frictional engagement elements that achieve higher and lower speed gear stages respectively, includes a target value determination section setting a rotation speed difference between input and output sides of the frictional engagement element, a total torque capacity calculation section calculating a total torque capacity, a distribution ratio determination section setting a distribution ratio of the total torque capacity to the first and second frictional engagement elements, an individual torque capacity calculation section calculating individual torque capacities respectively required of the first and second frictional engagement elements, and an engagement control section controlling engagement conditions of the first and second frictional engagement elements in accordance with the individual torque capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20090145253
    Abstract: A shifting control system has two gear shift stage groups, two clutches, a clutch release detection section, a pre-shift controller, a clutch oil level detection section and a pre-shift inhibiting section. The clutches are alternately engaged to selectively transmit power from an engine to a wheel. The clutch release detection section detects a release-side clutch which corresponds to the clutch that is in a released state. The pre-shift controller operates a meshing mechanism of the gear shift stage group corresponding to the release-side clutch, so as to undergo pre-shifting when the other clutch is engaged as an engage-side clutch. The clutch oil level detection section determines whether an oil level in the release-side clutch is equal to or greater than a preset oil level. The pre-shift inhibiting section inhibits pre-shifting while the oil level in the release-side clutch is equal to or greater than a preset oil level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku KATAKURA, Sadamu FUJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20090143195
    Abstract: A rapid acceleration control apparatus has a rapid acceleration prime mover rotational speed control section and a rapid acceleration start clutch capacity control section. The rapid acceleration prime mover rotational speed control section executes a rapid acceleration start prime mover rotational speed control that control a rotational speed of the prime mover to a target rotational speed required to achieve the rapid acceleration start when a rapid acceleration start condition exists in which both an accelerator and a brake are simultaneously operated while the vehicle is stopped. The rapid acceleration start clutch capacity control section executes a rapid acceleration start clutch capacity control that decreases a connection capacity of the clutch during the rapid acceleration start prime mover rotational speed control executed by the rapid acceleration prime mover rotational speed control section to suppress heating of the clutch due to the rapid acceleration start primer mover rotational speed control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shusaku KATAKURA, Kazuhiro TANIAI, Masami MURAYAMA, Yoshinobu KAWAMOTO, Youhei MIZUTA
  • Patent number: 7500932
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus includes an automatic transmission provided with a first friction-engagement element and a second friction-engagement element; and a friction-engagement element control section configured to control the first and second friction-engagement elements. The friction-engagement element control section includes a target-value setting section configured to set a first target differential speed; a first control section configured to bring a rotational speed difference of the first friction-engagement element gradually close to the first target differential speed; and a second control section. The second control section includes a torque-capacity calculating section configured to calculate a total transfer-torque capacity, and a distribution ratio setting section configured to set a distribution ratio between transfer-torque capacities of the first and second friction-engagement elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Masaaki Uchida, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Tomoaki Honma
  • Patent number: 7445107
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch control system includes a clutch, a hydraulic circuit that supplies a hydraulic pressure to a piston of the clutch so as to cause a stroke of the piston for engagement of the clutch, a primary hydraulic pressure signal generation unit that generates a primary hydraulic pressure signal to regulate a magnitude of the hydraulic pressure, a secondary hydraulic pressure signal generation unit that generates a secondary hydraulic pressure signal to induce fluctuations in the hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic pressure control unit that operates the hydraulic circuit to control the hydraulic pressure according to the primary and secondary hydraulic pressure signals, a detection unit that detects the amount of fluctuations in the hydraulic pressure and a piston stroke judgment unit that judges the piston stroke based on the hydraulic pressure fluctuation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Tomoaki Honma
  • Publication number: 20080096721
    Abstract: An automatic transmission control apparatus is provided with a control scheme that focuses on the rotational speed differences of the frictional engaging elements and the distribution of torque transferred by the frictional engaging elements. When the automatic transmission is upshifted while in a power-off state, the individual torque capacity of a frictional engaging element being released and the individual torque capacity of a frictional engaging element being connected are corrected by adding a prescribed torque capacity amount to each of the individual torque capacities during an inertia phase of the shift control in which a compensation is executed for inertia related to changing the gear ratio. In this way, frictional losses are induced in the frictional engaging elements so as to absorb the inertia torque and lower the input rotational speed more quickly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: JATCO LTD
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7356400
    Abstract: A clutch control apparatus for a power transmission system including an input rotating member and an output rotating member. The clutch control apparatus includes a friction clutch, and a control unit. The control unit sets a first desired clutch torque setting in accordance with a clutch slip indicator; sets a second desired clutch torque setting to an amount of torque input from the input rotating member to the friction clutch; controls the clutch torque to be the first desired clutch torque setting during a starting stage of the friction clutch; controls the clutch torque to be the second desired clutch torque setting during a steady-state stage of the friction clutch; and controls the clutch torque to gradually change from the first desired clutch torque setting to the second desired clutch torque setting during a transition stage between the starting stage and the steady-state stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto
  • Publication number: 20080026910
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes a target-value setting section configured to set a target rotational-speed difference between input and output rotational speeds of at least one of first and second friction-engagement elements to cause the input rotational speed to be higher than the output rotational speed, when a downshift is carried out during a power-on running; a total torque-capacity calculating section configured to calculate a total torque capacity of the first and second friction-engagement elements by adding a transmission input torque to a correction value calculated from a deviation between the target rotational-speed difference and an actual rotational-speed difference, so as to bring the actual rotational-speed difference to the target rotational-speed difference; a distribution-ratio setting section configured to set a distribution ratio; an individual torque-capacity calculating section configured to calculate individual torque capacities of both second friction-engag
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20080020897
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an automatic transmission having first and second frictional engagement elements that achieve lower and higher speed gear stages respectively, includes a target value determination section setting a rotation speed difference between input and output sides of the frictional engagement element, a total torque capacity calculation section calculating a total torque capacity, a distribution ratio determination section setting a distribution ratio of the total torque capacity to the first and second frictional engagement elements, an individual torque capacity calculation section calculating individual torque capacities respectively required of the first and second frictional engagement elements, and an engagement control section controlling engagement conditions of the first and second frictional engagement elements in accordance with the individual torque capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Tomoaki HONMA, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20080017467
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an automatic transmission having first and second frictional engagement elements that achieve higher and lower speed gear stages respectively, includes a target value determination section setting a rotation speed difference between input and output sides of the frictional engagement element, a total torque capacity calculation section calculating a total torque capacity, a distribution ratio determination section setting a distribution ratio of the total torque capacity to the first and second frictional engagement elements, an individual torque capacity calculation section calculating individual torque capacities respectively required of the first and second frictional engagement elements, and an engagement control section controlling engagement conditions of the first and second frictional engagement elements in accordance with the individual torque capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20080021622
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes at least an input section, an output section, first and second frictional engagement elements, and a controller. The input section receives an input torque from a drive unit. The first frictional engagement element has an engaged state allowing the output section to rotate at a first transmission gear ratio with respect to the input section. The second frictional engagement element has an engaged state allowing the output section to rotate at a second transmission gear ratio with respect to the input section. The controller controls at least a gear shift from the first transmission gear ratio to the second transmission gear ratio. The controller controls the first and second frictional engagement elements and the drive unit so as to cancel an inertia torque resulting from the gear shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Masaaki Uchida, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Tomoaki Honma, Sadamu Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20070012538
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus includes an automatic transmission provided with a first friction-engagement element and a second friction-engagement element; and a friction-engagement element control section configured to control the first and second friction-engagement elements. The friction-engagement element control section includes a target-value setting section configured to set a first target differential speed; a first control section configured to bring a rotational speed difference of the first friction-engagement element gradually close to the first target differential speed; and a second control section. The second control section includes a torque-capacity calculating section configured to calculate a total transfer-torque capacity, and a distribution ratio setting section configured to set a distribution ratio between transfer-torque capacities of the first and second friction-engagement elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Masaaki Uchida, Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Tomoaki Honma
  • Publication number: 20060272919
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch control system includes a clutch, a hydraulic circuit that supplies a hydraulic pressure to a piston of the clutch so as to cause a stroke of the piston for engagement of the clutch, a primary hydraulic pressure signal generation unit that generates a primary hydraulic pressure signal to regulate a magnitude of the hydraulic pressure, a secondary hydraulic pressure signal generation unit that generates a secondary hydraulic pressure signal to induce fluctuations in the hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic pressure control unit that operates the hydraulic circuit to control the hydraulic pressure according to the primary and secondary hydraulic pressure signals, a detection unit that detects the amount of fluctuations in the hydraulic pressure and a piston stroke judgment unit that judges the piston stroke based on the hydraulic pressure fluctuation amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Kawamoto, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Tomoaki Honma
  • Publication number: 20060212204
    Abstract: A clutch control apparatus for a power transmission system including an input rotating member and an output rotating member. The clutch control apparatus includes a friction clutch, and a control unit. The control unit sets a first desired clutch torque setting in accordance with a clutch slip indicator; sets a second desired clutch torque setting to an amount of torque input from the input rotating member to the friction clutch; controls the clutch torque to be the first desired clutch torque setting during a starting stage of the friction clutch; controls the clutch torque to be the second desired clutch torque setting during a steady-state stage of the friction clutch; and controls the clutch torque to gradually change from the first desired clutch torque setting to the second desired clutch torque setting during a transition stage between the starting stage and the steady-state stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masaaki Uchida, Shusaku Katakura, Yoshinobu Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 6763295
    Abstract: In apparatus and method for controlling a driving force for an automotive vehicle, a manipulated variable of an accelerator is detected, a vehicular velocity is detected, a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force is calculated from an absolute value of the manipulated variable of the accelerator and the vehicular velocity, an acceleration control purpose target driving force is calculated from either at least one of an absolute value of the accelerator manipulated variable and a variation velocity of the manipulated variable of the accelerator or from at least one of an absolute value of a result of calculation of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and a variation velocity of the result of calculation of the same, and both of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and the acceleration control purpose target driving force are synthesized to achieve a target driving force of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Mikio Nozaki, Daisuke Yoshinoya
  • Patent number: 6741923
    Abstract: The vehicle driving force control apparatus includes a target driving force computing component that is configured to calculate a target driving force. The vehicle driving force control apparatus further includes a zone attribute detecting component that is configured to detect zone attributes and a requested driving force detecting component that is configured to detect a requested driving force. The target driving force computing component has a zone attribute compensation control section that is configured to calculate a compensation driving force according to the zone attribute being detected and a compensation driving force upper limit value setting section that is configured to set an upper limit value for the compensation driving force in response to the requested driving force. The compensation driving force limited with the upper limit value is used as a final compensation driving force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Daisuke Yoshinoya, Yasuhito Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20030216854
    Abstract: The vehicle driving force control apparatus includes a target driving force computing component that is configured to calculate a target driving force. The vehicle driving force control apparatus further includes a zone attribute detecting component that is configured to detect zone attributes and a requested driving force detecting component that is configured to detect a requested driving force. The target driving force computing component has a zone attribute compensation control section that is configured to calculate a compensation driving force according to the zone attribute being detected and a compensation driving force upper limit value setting section that is configured to set an upper limit value for the compensation driving force in response to the requested driving force. The compensation driving force limited with the upper limit value is used as a final compensation driving force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Daisuke Yoshinoya, Yasuhito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6640179
    Abstract: An automatic transmission (5) converts the output torque of an engine (4) into a drive torque for the vehicle. The automatic transmission (5) is provided with a first gear and a second gear which has a smaller speed reduction ratio than the first gear. The gears are selectively applied according to the vehicle speed and the accelerator pedal depression amount. A controller (3) stores a first map (11, 12) which prescribes the transmission target output torque with the first gear according to the vehicle speed and the depression amount, and a second map (12, 13) which prescribes the transmission target output torque with the second gear according to the vehicle speed and the depression amount. The first map applies a larger transmission target output torque than the second map at a given vehicle speed and depression amount. The transmission target output torque is calculated by looking up either of these maps corresponding to the gear applied by the automatic transmission (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Katakura, Daisuke Yoshinoya