Patents by Inventor Susumu Kojima

Susumu Kojima 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: 9683496
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that can be a four-cycle engine including cylinders into which fuel is directly injected, the control apparatus includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute a fuel injection and an ignition for the cylinder in an expansion stroke on a condition that a stop of the piston in any one of the cylinders at vicinity of a top dead center after a compression stroke is predicted when the electronic control unit is configured to stop the fuel injection and the ignition for the internal combustion engine upon fulfillment of a predetermined stop condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Susumu Kojima
  • Publication number: 20170138286
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a four-cycle internal combustion engine that includes a plurality of cylinders into which fuel is directly injected, includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to: (i) execute stop control that stops rotation of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine by stopping fuel injection and ignition in the internal combustion engine when a predetermined stop condition is fulfilled; and (ii) carry out fuel injection and ignition in a second cylinder of the plurality of the cylinders when the stop control is executed, the second cylinder being in an exhaust stroke when the internal combustion engine is stopped, when a piston of a first cylinder of the plurality of the cylinders is estimated to stop at a top dead center.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Susumu KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20170078403
    Abstract: A terminal connection device includes: a storage unit configured to store a priority based on a type of processing information for performing input or output of information; a communication unit configured to receive from another device a processing request in which the processing information is identified; and an input and output path assignment unit configured to acquire, when the communication unit has received the processing request, the type of the processing information identified in the processing request, to identify, by using an external processing information priority, which is a priority based on the type, and candidates of usable input and output paths for each piece of the processing information, the input and output path for executing the processing information relating to the processing request, and to assign the processing information to the identified input and output path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi OBATA, Takashi MATSUMOTO, Yasushi NAGAI, Susumu KOJIMA
  • Patent number: 9546638
    Abstract: A control device (7) of a cylinder direct injection type internal combustion engine (1) controls a fuel injection device (4) and an ignition device (5), executes injection of the fuel and ignition over multiple times, and executes a control of varying an interval between a timing of the injection of the fuel and a timing of the ignition, at the time of an ignition start in which the fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (3) in an expansion stroke with rotation of an output shaft (6) is stopped state and the fuel is ignited to start the rotation of the output shaft (6). The control device (7) varies the interval between the timing of the injection of the fuel and the timing of the ignition by adjusting a correlation of a pitch of the injection of the fuel over multiple times and a pitch of the ignition over multiple times. Therefore, the internal combustion engine (1) and the control device (7) have an effect of being able to enhance the starting property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Naoki Nakanishi, Yukihiko Ideshio
  • Patent number: 9518543
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine includes a heat exchanger that has a heat exchanging wall between a liquefied fuel passage and an engine coolant passage. Heated and vaporized fuel flowing out from the liquefied fuel passage of the heat exchanger is supplied to the internal combustion engine. A flow rate of liquefied fuel supplied to the liquefied fuel passage of the heat exchanger is set. A flow rate of engine coolant supplied to the engine coolant passage of the heat exchanger is determined on the basis of a temperature of the engine coolant supplied to the engine coolant passage of the heat exchanger such that nucleate boiling or transition boiling of the liquefied fuel in the set flow rate occurs near a boundary between nucleate boiling and transition boiling in the liquefied fuel passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NIPPON SOKEN, INC., AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Kosuge, Susumu Kojima, Rio Shimizu, Tomojiro Sugimoto, Masayuki Akita, Jin Tanaka, Makoto Nakagawa, Masaki Ikeya
  • Publication number: 20160332628
    Abstract: A control device according to the present invention performs an automatic stop control in which an injection of fuel from a fuel injection valve is stopped and a rotation of an engine is stopped when an automatic stop condition is satisfied. Furthermore, the control device controls an injection operation of fuel and an ignition operation to the fuel in consideration of compression when the fuel is actually ignited in an expansion stroke cylinder, when a re-start demand occurs after an initiation of the automatic stop control and the engine is to be re-started by an ignition start-up. Specifically, the control device predicts a crank angle at an actual ignition time point in a case where processing for performing the ignition start-up at the present time whenever a predetermined time period has passed. Then, the control device initiates the ignition start-up when the crank angle falls within a predetermined range in which a sufficient compression can be attained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke SUZUKI, Susumu KOJIMA
  • Patent number: 9481356
    Abstract: When a K0 clutch 34 is interrupted to stop a direct injection engine 12 during vehicle running, if a stop position of a crankshaft 114 is out of a range of a target stop range ?target, the once interrupted K0 clutch 34 is temporarily frictionally engaged to slightly rotate the crankshaft 114. As a result, the crankshaft 114 stopped near compression TDC (top dead center) is rotated to and stopped in a minimum region of pumping energy in combination with a pumping action. Since the minimum region of the pumping energy overlaps with the target stop range ?target suitable for ignition start associated with a small assist torque at the time of engine start, the ignition start can properly be performed at the next engine start and the assist torque at the time of engine start can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Nakanishi, Yasuyuki Kato, Yukihiko Ideshio, Susumu Kojima
  • Publication number: 20160273505
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The control device starts executing an ignition engine start control to restart the engine operation when a predetermined engine restart request is generated, a last signal output from a crank angel sensor corresponds to the compression TDC and a signal is output from the sensor before a time elapsing from the output of the last signal reaches a predetermined time. The control device starts executing a starter engine start control when the engine restart request is generated, the last signal output from the sensor corresponds to the compression TDC and no signal is output from the sensor before a time elapsing from the output of the last signal reaches the predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu KOJIMA, Yusuke SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20160265463
    Abstract: The control device executes a first control for controlling a throttle valve opening degree to a first opening degree when a particular condition is satisfied. The particular condition is a condition that it is predicted upon a satisfaction of an engine stop condition that a level of one of noise and vibration generated in an interior of a vehicle from a source other than an engine is equal to or larger than a predetermined level when an engine rotation stops. The control device executes a second control for controlling the throttle valve opening degree to a second opening degree larger than the first opening degree without executing the first control when the particular condition is not satisfied upon the satisfaction of the engine stop condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu KOJIMA, Yusuke SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20160265500
    Abstract: A control unit according to the present invention performs an automatic stop control in which an injection of fuel from a fuel injection valve is stopped to stop a rotation of an engine when an automatic stop condition is satisfied. Furthermore, the control unit performs a first injection, in which fuel is injected from the fuel injection valve of a cylinder in an expansion stroke, and an ignition operation for igniting the fuel injected by the first injection, when a restart demand occurs after an initiation of the automatic stop control. In addition, the control unit performs a second injection, in which fuel is injected from the fuel injection valve of a cylinder in a compression stroke, and an ignition operation for igniting the fuel injected by the second injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke SUZUKI, Susumu KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20160245206
    Abstract: A control device for an engine of the invention executes an automatic stop control for stopping stop a rotation of a crank shaft when a predetermined automatic stop condition is satisfied. The device acquires a focused peak value of the engine speed appearing after a time when a rotation direction of the crank shaft first reverses while the automatic stop control has been executed, determines, based on the focused peak value, whether there will be an excessive peak value expected to depart from a predetermined permission range after the focused peak value appears, and executes a starter start control for driving the starter, restarting the fuel supply and igniting the fuel to restart an operation of the engine when a predetermined restart condition is satisfied, the engine speed is within the predetermined permission range and it has been determined that there will be no excessive peak value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke SUZUKI, Susumu KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20160245196
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device of a vehicle provided with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising a catalyst in an exhaust passage. When a state of an ignition switch has been changed from an on-state to an off-state and a rotation of the engine has stopped, the control device causes a fuel injector to inject fuel into a combustion chamber of a particular cylinder in which an intake valve is closed and an exhaust valve is open and causes an ignition device to ignite the fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Yusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9409569
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle drive device includes a direct injection engine, an electric motor, and a clutch selectively coupling the direct injection engine to a power transmission path from the electric motor to drive wheels, the control device slips the clutch and starts the direct injection engine by an ignition start with fuel injected into a cylinder of the direct injection engine and ignited from a start of rotation of the direct injection engine if the direct injection engine is started during a running mode using only the electric motor as a drive source, the control device weakens an engagement force of the clutch if a shaft torque of the direct injection engine goes through a first negative torque extreme value after initiation of a start of the direct injection engine and becomes zero from a negative torque as compared to before becoming the zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Nakanishi, Susumu Kojima, Shintaro Matsutani
  • Patent number: 9334825
    Abstract: A drive circuit (52) that is commonly provided with respect to two fuel injection valves (24R and 24L) for the same cylinder, and drive the two fuel injection valves (24R and 24L) for the same cylinder on the basis of a command from an ECU (40), is provided. An electric conduction line (52) that electric current supplied to the two fuel injection valves (24R and 24L) flows through, is provided. The electric conduction line (52) includes a common section (56a) one end of which is connected to the drive circuit (52), and branch sections (56b) which are sections following the other end of the common section (56a) that the electric conduction line (56) branches off at and on which the two fuel injection valves (24R and 24L) for the same cylinder are respectively installed. The electric current value I flowing through the common section (56a) is detected. An electric resistance (58) that is inserted in the branch section (56b) for the fuel injection valve (24L), is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Susumu Kojima
  • Patent number: 9303551
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, when using an ignition start to start a direct injection engine while any one of the cylinders has stopped near top dead center, engine revolutions are raised by producing a first explosion in a first cylinder, which is situated before a second cylinder in an ignition sequence and is in an expansion stroke and in which an exhaust value is not open, by directly injecting fuel into the first cylinder and igniting the fuel. Furthermore, assistance in increasing the engine revolutions is started by transmitting assist torque output from a motor-generator to the direct injection engine via a clutch, in a peak section immediately after the start of increase in the engine revolutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Naoki Nakanishi, Yukihiko Ideshio
  • Patent number: 9266523
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus that can concurrently achieve an improved drivability and an excellent restart performance of an internal combustion engine. The vehicle control apparatus includes an eco-run system that automatically stops the engine when an automatic stop condition is established and restarts the engine when a restart condition is established, a throttle motor that opens and closes a throttle valve adjusting air amount to be sucked into the engine, and a vehicle speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed. The vehicle control apparatus is adapted to control the throttle motor to enlarge the throttle valve opening degree in response to the higher vehicle speed, according to the vehicle speed information from the vehicle speed sensor (Step S3 to Step S7), when the engine is automatically stopped while the vehicle is travelling (Step S2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukihiko Ideshio, Susumu Kojima, Naoki Nakanishi, Akihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9194353
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a technology enabling to determine the saturation vapor pressure of used fuel in a fuel injection control system for an internal combustion engine equipped with a low pressure fuel pump and a high pressure fuel pump. In the invention, to achieve the object, in the fuel injection control system for an internal combustion engine that controls the duty cycle of the high pressure fuel pump by proportional-integral control based on the difference between the discharge pressure of the high pressure fuel pump and a target pressure, generation of vapor is detected based on a tendency of change in an integral term used in the proportional integral control, and the saturation vapor pressure of used fuel is calculated from the fuel temperature and the engine speed at that time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Keisuke Komori
  • Patent number: 9188077
    Abstract: A fuel injection control system for an internal combustion engine in which a driving signal for a high pressure fuel pump is calculated by using proportional plus integral control based on a difference between a delivery pressure of the high pressure fuel pump and a target pressure thereof. A delivery pressure of a low pressure fuel pump is caused to decrease when an amount of change per unit time of an integral term shows a decreasing tendency or zero, whereas the delivery pressure of the low pressure fuel pump is caused to increase when the amount of change per unit time of the integral term shows an increasing tendency. In cases where an increase in the integral term resulting from a change in the target delivery pressure of the high pressure fuel pump has occurred, the increase in the delivery pressure of the low pressure fuel pump is prohibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Susumu Kojima
  • Patent number: 9162203
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator into which a mixed gas is run and out of which a reformed gas including hydrogen is discharged, which can reliably control the hydrogen concentration in the reformed gas to a desired concentration. The hydrogen generator is provided with an upstream side oxidation unit and a downstream side decomposition unit, burns part of the compound in the mixed gas in the oxidation unit using the oxygen in the mixed gas so as to generate heat of combustion, and uses the heat of combustion to break down another part of the compound in the mixed gas in the decomposition unit so as to generate hydrogen. The hydrogen generator is provided with a first temperature sensor controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyagawa, Makoto Koike, Kiyoshi Yamazaki, Keiji Toh, Shohei Matsumoto, Tomojiro Sugimoto, Rioh Shimizu, Susumu Kojima
  • Patent number: 9156468
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for a hybrid vehicle capable of attaining an assist torque generated by a clutch mechanism at an appropriate timing, upon starting the engine. Since an electronic control device outputs an engagement command for engaging a clutch (clutch mechanism) at a time preceding an (ignition) start command time for igniting an engine by a preceding-sending time, the clutch becomes engaged when the engine speed starts to increase, and the assist torque generated by the clutch mechanism can thus be obtained at an appropriate timing. Because the engine speed that was once increased upon starting the engine is not decreased, the energy that was consumed for starting the engine can be effectively used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukihiko Ideshio, Susumu Kojima, Naoki Nakanishi, Akihiro Sato