Patents by Inventor Takahiro Yokokawa

Takahiro Yokokawa 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: 20250251037
    Abstract: A gear structure of a vehicle, which is rotatably provided on a first gear meshing with each other in a rotational direction, and rotates by being pressed by a tooth flank of a second gear when meshed with the second gear, and a sliding member which is connected to the pivoting member so as to be movable in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the first gear and is pressed by the pivoting member and slides in a direction opposite to the rotational direction, and a protruding member which is rotatably provided along the rotational direction and is pressed by the sliding member and protrudes between the tooth flanks of the second gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2024
    Publication date: August 7, 2025
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke MORIMOTO, Takahiro Yokokawa, Yoshio Ueno, Hiroyuki Amano
  • Publication number: 20200207327
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to smoothly engage an engagement device while reducing a collision noise of the engagement device. The control system is configured to apply torque to a set of teeth on one half of the engagement device to shift a phase of the set of teeth in the event of teeth interference. After the completion of engagement of the engagement device, the control system further applies torque to the set of teeth on one half of the engagement device to reduce backlash between the set of teeth on one half of the engagement device and a set of teeth on the other half of the engagement device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya IMAMURA, Takahiro YOKOKAWA, Hideo WATANABE, Kazumi HOSHIYA, Hirokazu KATO, Minoru KATO, Kensei HATA
  • Patent number: 9981663
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: a coasting control unit configured to, during normal traveling at a low speed within a predetermined range, cause a vehicle to travel through inertia by blocking power transmission between an engine and driving wheels by disengaging a power transmitting/blocking device that includes a first engaging portion connected to the engine and a second engaging portion connected to the driving wheels, and by stopping the engine; and a return control unit configured not to full-engage the power transmitting/blocking device while the engine is cranking by a motor in a case of returning from coasting traveling to normal traveling and to full-engage the power transmitting/blocking device after the motor stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Takahiro Yokokawa, Yoshio Ito
  • Patent number: 9969397
    Abstract: A clutch disposed between an engine and an automatic transmission and including a first engagement element connected to the engine and a second engagement element connected to the automatic transmission. The electronic control unit is configured to, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, execute predetermined control in which the engine is stopped, the clutch is disengaged, and the vehicle is caused to travel. The electronic control unit is configured to start the engine when the predetermined condition is not satisfied during execution of the predetermined control, and execute downshift of the automatic transmission such that the rotational speed of the second engagement element becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined rotational speed when the predetermined condition is not satisfied during the execution of the predetermined control and the rotational speed of the second engagement element is lower than the predetermined rotational speed, and then engage the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 9896081
    Abstract: A travel control device includes: an engine; an automatic transmission including a plurality of engagement elements and a rotary element, the automatic transmission being configured to block power transmission between the engine and a drive wheel of a vehicle and set a transmission gear ratio in accordance with an engagement element to be engaged out of the plurality of engagement elements; and a controller configured to perform free-running by blocking power transmission between the engine and the drive wheel while traveling at a predetermined transmission gear ratio and stopping the engine. The controller is configured to increase speed of a rotary element inside the automatic transmission during the free-running, and start the engine at a time speed of the engine becomes higher than a predetermined speed at a time of returning from the free-running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masami Kondo, Takahiro Yokokawa, Youhei Hareyama
  • Patent number: 9815464
    Abstract: A controller of a vehicle that includes a return control unit configured to carry out a complete engagement control of a power connecting/disconnecting device. At the time a return condition from inertia traveling to normal traveling is established and a down shift of an automatic transmission is requested, the return control unit carries out a down shift control of the automatic transmission so that a difference between an increasing gradient of a rotating speed of a first engaging portion and an increasing gradient of a rotating speed of a second engaging portion is within a predetermined range. At the time it can be regarded that the rotating speed of the first engaging portion and the rotating speed of the second engaging portion are synchronized, the return control unit completely engages the power connecting/disconnecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Takahiro Yokokawa, Yoshio Ito
  • Patent number: 9771076
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to allow cranking of an engine by increasing clutch torque at a time a deceleration request is detected during free running in which a vehicle is allowed to run in a state in which a clutch is disengaged and the engine is stopped, and makes an increasing rate of the clutch torque larger at a time when a negative pressure of a brake booster is small than at a time when the negative pressure of the brake booster is large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Yokokawa, Masami Kondou, Youhei Hareyama
  • Patent number: 9707969
    Abstract: A vehicle control system configured to carry out an energy saving control is provided. The vehicle control system is applied to a vehicle having an engine, a torque converter, a transmission and a clutch device selectively connecting a turbine runner to the transmission. The vehicle control system executes the energy saving control by controlling both an operating condition of the engine and an engagement condition of the clutch device or only the engagement condition of the clutch device. The vehicle control system comprises a clutch control means configured to increase the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch device using an increasing amount of a speed of the turbine runner as a target value, when bringing the clutch device into engagement being in disengagement during execution of the energy saving control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Takahiro Yokokawa, Yoshio Ito
  • Publication number: 20170028990
    Abstract: A clutch disposed between an engine and an automatic transmission and including a first engagement element connected to the engine and a second engagement element connected to the automatic transmission. The electronic control unit is configured to, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, execute predetermined control in which the engine is stopped, the clutch is disengaged, and the vehicle is caused to travel. The electronic control unit is configured to start the engine when the predetermined condition is not satisfied during execution of the predetermined control, and execute downshift of the automatic transmission such that the rotational speed of the second engagement element becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined rotational speed when the predetermined condition is not satisfied during the execution of the predetermined control and the rotational speed of the second engagement element is lower than the predetermined rotational speed, and then engage the clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro YOKOKAWA
  • Patent number: 9452756
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes an internal combustion engine capable of switching an operating state and a non-operating state while a vehicle travels, an engaging device capable of switching an engaged state in which the internal combustion engine is engaged with a driving wheel so that a power can be transmitted therebetween and a release state in which the engagement is released, and a controller configured to control the internal combustion engine and the engaging device based on a vehicle speed parameter as to a traveling speed of the vehicle and a determination parameter different from the vehicle speed parameter, place the engaging device in a release state at the time stop permission conditions of the internal combustion engine as to the determination parameter have been established while the vehicle travels at deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Yokokawa, Yoshio Itou
  • Publication number: 20160272208
    Abstract: A controller of a vehicle that includes a return control unit configured to carry out a complete engagement control of a power connecting/disconnecting device. At the time a return condition from inertia traveling to normal traveling is established and a down shift of an automatic transmission is requested, the return control unit carries out a down shift control of the automatic transmission so that a difference between an increasing gradient of a rotating speed of a first engaging portion and an increasing gradient of a rotating speed of a second engaging portion is within a predetermined range. At the time it can be regarded that the rotating speed of the first engaging portion and the rotating speed of the second engaging portion are synchronized, the return control unit completely engages the power connecting/disconnecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi YAMANAKA, Takahiro YOKOKAWA, Yoshio ITO
  • Patent number: 9434390
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a control unit configured to execute free-run traveling in which an engine is stopped and a clutch that transmits power of the engine to a drive wheel is disengaged, at a time acceleration is not requested during traveling. The control unit is configured to prohibit upshifting of a continuously variable transmission at least during execution of the free-run traveling, drive the engine from the free-run traveling state in response to an acceleration request, and upshift the continuously variable transmission at a time of returning to a normal traveling state in which the clutch is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Yokokawa, Masami Kondo, Youhei Hareyama
  • Publication number: 20160221580
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: a coasting control unit configured to, during normal traveling at a low speed within a predetermined range, cause a vehicle to travel through inertia by blocking power transmission between an engine and driving wheels by disengaging a power transmitting/blocking device that includes a first engaging portion connected to the engine and a second engaging portion connected to the driving wheels, and by stopping the engine; and a return control unit configured not to full-engage the power transmitting/blocking device while the engine is cranking by a motor in a case of returning from coasting traveling to normal traveling and to full-engage the power transmitting/blocking device after the motor stops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi YAMANAKA, Takahiro YOKOKAWA, Yoshio ITO
  • Patent number: 9394992
    Abstract: A sheave positioning device is provided. A valve element is arranged on a flow path to close the flow path when pushed in a direction against a pressure from hydraulic chambers, and a valve closing mechanism is also arranged on the flow path to generate a thrust force for pushing the valve element in the direction against a pressure from the hydraulic chambers. The valve closing mechanism is adapted to generate the thrust force, which is larger than a load to be applied to the valve element to push the valve element in a direction to open the valve element in case a predetermined speed change ratio is being set, but smaller than a load to be applied to the valve element to push the valve element in a direction to open the valve element in case the pressure in the hydraulic chambers is raised to the maximum pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Fujimura, Takahiro Yokokawa, Takaho Kawakami, Yuji Hattori
  • Publication number: 20160052520
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to allow cranking of an engine by increasing clutch torque at a time a deceleration request is detected during free running in which a vehicle is allowed to run in a state in which a clutch is disengaged and the engine is stopped, and make an increasing rate of the clutch torque larger at a time a negative pressure of a brake booster is small than at a time the negative pressure of the brake booster is large.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro YOKOKAWA, Masami KONDOU, Youhei HAREYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160052504
    Abstract: A travel control device includes: an engine; an automatic transmission including a plurality of engagement elements and a rotary element, the automatic transmission being configured to block power transmission between the engine and a drive wheel of a vehicle and set a transmission gear ratio in accordance with an engagement element to be engaged out of the plurality of engagement elements; and a controller configured to perform free-running by blocking power transmission between the engine and the drive wheel while traveling at a predetermined transmission gear ratio and stopping the engine. The controller is configured to increase speed of a rotary element inside the automatic transmission during the free-running, and start the engine at a time speed of the engine becomes higher than a predetermined speed at a time of returning from the free-running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masami KONDO, Takahiro YOKOKAWA, Youhei HAREYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160009292
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a control unit configured to execute free-run traveling in which an engine is stopped and a clutch that transmits power of the engine to a drive wheel is disengaged, at a time acceleration is not requested during traveling. The control unit is configured to prohibit upshifting of a continuously variable transmission at least during execution of the free-run traveling, drive the engine from the free-run traveling state in response to an acceleration request, and upshift the continuously variable transmission at a time of returning to a normal traveling state in which the clutch is engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro YOKOKAWA, Masami Kondo, Youhei Hareyama
  • Publication number: 20150274172
    Abstract: A vehicle control system configured to carry out an energy saving control is provided. The vehicle control system is applied to a vehicle having an engine, a torque converter, a transmission and a clutch device selectively connecting a turbine runner to the transmission. The vehicle control system executes the energy saving control by controlling both an operating condition of the engine and an engagement condition of the clutch device or only the engagement condition of the clutch device. The vehicle control system comprises a clutch control means configured to increase the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch device using an increasing amount of a speed of the turbine runner as a target value, when bringing the clutch device into engagement being in disengagement during execution of the energy saving control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Takahiro Yokokawa, Yoshio Ito
  • Patent number: 8965654
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine and a clutch configured to connect and disconnect a power transmission path between the engine and a drive wheel according to a supplied hydraulic pressure. The vehicle control device is configured to carry out neutral control that controls the hydraulic pressure supplied to the clutch to an N control study value for placing the clutch in a semi-engaged state while a vehicle stops and inertia control (free-run control, deceleration eco-run control, and N inertia control) that carries out an inertia travelling by releasing the clutch while the vehicle travels. At the time that the inertia control is executed, the vehicle control device controls the hydraulic pressure supplied to the clutch to the same value as the N control study value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Yoshio Ito, Takahiro Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 8845488
    Abstract: If it is determined that a malfunction has occurred in an electrical hydraulic pump and the hydraulic fluid is not supplied to a high hydraulic pressure supplied portion from the electrical hydraulic pump, the hydraulic fluid is supplied to the high hydraulic pressure supplied portion from a mechanical hydraulic pump that usually supplies the hydraulic fluid to a low hydraulic pressure supplied portion. In this case, the hydraulic pressure that is generated by the mechanical hydraulic pump is increased by increasing the output from the engine that drives the mechanical hydraulic pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaho Kawakami, Shinya Fujimura, Takahiro Yokokawa, Yuji Hattori