Patents by Inventor Takanobu Ichihara
Takanobu Ichihara 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: 20080319636Abstract: An engine control system for an internal combustion engine with a fuel injector, comprises a combustion fuel quantity computing means for computing a combustion fuel quantity in a combustion cycle; and a residual fuel quantity computing means for computing a residual fuel quantity in the combustion cycle based on a difference between an injection fuel quantity of the fuel injector and the combustion fuel quantity.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2007Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shinji NAKAGAWA, Kazuhiko Kanetoshi, Kozo Katogi, Takanobu Ichihara, Minoru Osuga
-
Publication number: 20080228383Abstract: Exhaust emission control is exercised to restrict the exhaust amounts [g] of HC, CO, NOx, and the like. However, since the intake air amount for startup unduly increases due to an engine speed overshoot for startup, the exhaust amounts of HC, CO, and NOx increase excessively. Therefore, there is a need for optimizing the intake air amount for startup. The present invention proposes an engine startup control method that assures excellent startability and low exhaust emissions (small gas amount). Disclosed is an engine control device for starting an engine (from its stop state). The engine control device includes a section for setting a target engine operating state of each combustion; a section for detecting an actual engine operating state of each combustion; and a section for computing a control parameter for each subsequent combustion in accordance with the target engine operating state of each combustion and the actual engine operating state of each combustion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2008Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Kazuhiko Kanetoshi, Kozo Katogi, Takanobu Ichihara, Minoru Osuga
-
Publication number: 20070261671Abstract: An engine controller comprises a combustion state detection or estimation means for detecting or estimating a combustion state in the combustion chamber, a combustion air-fuel ratio estimation means for estimating a combustion air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber according to an exhaust air-fuel ratio and the detected or estimated combustion state, and a means for calculating engine control parameters according to the estimated combustion air-fuel ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2007Publication date: November 15, 2007Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Kazuhiko Kanetoshi, Kozo Katogi, Takanobu Ichihara, Minoru Ohsuga
-
Patent number: 7270118Abstract: In an engine having a premixed combustion mode, an EGR flow rate estimating precision is deteriorated at a transient time, and a torque fluctuation and an exhaust gas deterioration are caused. In an engine control apparatus having a premixed combustion mode and a diffusion combustion mode, a sensor detecting an EGR flow rate is arranged in an EGR flow path of the engine, and a cylinder state of the engine is estimated by using an output value of the sensor detecting the EGR flow rate at a time when the engine is in the premixed combustion mode. Since it is possible to accurately detect the EGR flow rate at the transient time and feed back the EGR flow rate at a high response, it is possible to prevent a torque fluctuation and an exhaust gas deterioration.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2006Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shiro Yamaoka, Yoshihiro Sukegawa, Noboru Tokuyasu, Shinya Igarashi, Katsuaki Fukatsu, Takashi Kadohiro, Hidefumi Iwaki, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Publication number: 20070169757Abstract: An engine control apparatus which can ensure and maintain a stability and constant exhaust emission characteristics even in such a condition that a nature of a fuel used as present is unsure, and which is robust among different fuel natures, comprising a plurality of different nature fuel quantity computing means and an operating condition detecting means for detecting an operating condition of an engine, wherein a first nature fuel quantity computing means among the plurality of different nature fuel quantity computing means is used as a fuel quantity computing means during an engine start, and the first nature fuel quantity computing means is forcibly changed over into a second nature fuel quantity computing means if an engine operating condition detected by the operating condition detecting means satisfies a predetermined term.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2007Publication date: July 26, 2007Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Kazuhiko Kanetoshi, Kozo Katogi, Takanobu Ichihara, Minoru Ohsuga
-
Publication number: 20070000473Abstract: In an engine having a premixed combustion mode, an EGR flow rate estimating precision is deteriorated at a transient time, and a torque fluctuation and an exhaust gas deterioration are caused. In an engine control apparatus having a premixed combustion mode and a diffusion combustion mode, a sensor detecting an EGR flow rate is arranged in an EGR flow path of the engine, and a cylinder state of the engine is estimated by using an output value of the sensor detecting the EGR flow rate at a time when the engine is in the premixed combustion mode. Since it is possible to accurately detect the EGR flow rate at the transient time and feed back the EGR flow rate at a high response, it is possible to prevent a torque fluctuation and an exhaust gas deterioration.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2006Publication date: January 4, 2007Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shiro Yamaoka, Yoshihiro Sukegawa, Noboru Tokuyasu, Shinya Igarashi, Katsuaki Fukatsu, Takashi Kadohiro, Hidefumi Iwaki, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Patent number: 7093426Abstract: To improve startability and reduce the amount of HC emission at start-up with the aid of a construction where vaporized fuel is supplied to the bypass passage that bypasses the main passage. The main air control valve 16 is installed near the intake port 10 of the main air passage 3, and the main air control valve is closed or throttled at the time of start-up or additional injection from the port injection valve 5 is given in the beginning of start-up cranking. With a apparatus equipped with the main air control valve, vaporization of the fuel injected from the auxiliary injection valve 6 is facilitated in the beginning of cranking and also intake delay of the vaporized fuel is reduced, and hence startability can improve and the amount of HC emission at the time of start-up can decrease.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2003Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takanobu Ichihara, Masami Nagano, Kozo Katogi, Hiroaki Saeki
-
Publication number: 20060086080Abstract: An engine exhaust gas cleaning method and system, which can effectively reduce emission amounts of particular components, such as NOx, contained in exhaust gas by adding an additive, such as urea water or light oil, into an exhaust passage, which is adaptable for a reduction of the cleaning rate caused by deterioration of a catalyst, which can always maintain a high cleaning rate during acceleration and deceleration as well, and which can minimize environmental pollution with use of the additive in the least necessary amount. The engine exhaust gas cleaning system comprises a catalyst for removing a particular component, represented by NOx, contained in exhaust gas of an engine, an additive adding unit for adding, to the exhaust gas, an additive for reducing the particular component represented by NOx, and an EGR amount adjusting unit for adjusting an EGR amount. An addition amount of the additive and the EGR amount are set depending on an operating state and deterioration of the catalyst with time.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2005Publication date: April 27, 2006Applicant: Hitachi Ltd.Inventors: Kozo Katogi, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Patent number: 7013869Abstract: The present invention provides an electronically-controlled fuel injector, for an internal combustion engine, comprising a downstream fuel injection valve located near an air intake port of each cylinder or inside a cylinder, an air intake passage which bypasses the throttle valve located upstream of a downstream fuel injection valve, and a fuel vaporizing section including an upstream fuel injection valve, and a heater which vaporizes fuel injected from the upstream fuel injection valve; and further having an air intake port located upstream of the throttle valve, air flow control section for controlling an amount of air, said fuel vaporizing section, vaporized-fuel branch section for supplying vaporized fuel to each cylinder, and a vaporized-fuel distribution passage which extends from the vaporized-fuel branch section to an opening located in each air intake pipe located downstream of the throttle valve.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2003Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masami Nagano, Takanobu Ichihara, Hiroaki Saeki
-
Publication number: 20050268891Abstract: A fuel supply system for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising: an intake passage; a downstream fuel injection valve near the port of each cylinder of the engine and downstream of the intake passage; and a controller, wherein the intake passage includes a fuel injection/evaporation device which has an upstream fuel injection valve; a heater for evaporating injected fuel; and an air passage for supplying the injected fuel with air. The controller is adapted to control the amount of fuel injected from the downstream fuel injection valve and the upstream fuel injection valve, thereby controlling the fuel-air ratio of the injected fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2005Publication date: December 8, 2005Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masami Nagano, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Publication number: 20050066939Abstract: To offer a fuel supply system and fuel supply method for direct injection engine that realizes higher output. In a fuel supply system for direct injection engine of the present invention, equipped with a primary fuel injector that injects fuel directly into the cylinder of the direct injection engine and supercharger that increase the intake air quantity of the engine, a secondary fuel injector is installed in addition to the primary fuel injector. In a specified engine load area, fuel is supplied using the primary fuel injector and secondary fuel injector. Even though the fuel quantity injected from the primary fuel injector into the cylinder is limited, the fuel supply system for direct injection engine constructed as above can increase the engine output because the fuel insufficiency can be supplied by the secondary fuel injector.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2004Publication date: March 31, 2005Inventors: Kosaku Shimada, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Publication number: 20050022783Abstract: The present invention provides an electronically-controlled fuel injector, for an internal combustion engine, comprising a downstream fuel injection valve located near an air intake port of each cylinder or inside a cylinder, an air intake passage which bypasses the throttle valve located upstream of a downstream fuel injection valve, and a fuel vaporizing section including an upstream fuel injection valve, and a heater which vaporizes fuel injected from the upstream fuel injection valve; and further having an air intake port located upstream of the throttle valve, air flow control section for controlling an amount of air, said fuel vaporizing section, vaporized-fuel branch section for supplying vaporized fuel to each cylinder, and a vaporized-fuel distribution passage which extends from the vaporized-fuel branch section to an opening located in each air intake pipe located downstream of the throttle valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2003Publication date: February 3, 2005Inventors: Masami Nagano, Takanobu Ichihara, Hiroaki Saeki
-
Patent number: 6820864Abstract: Atomization and vaporization of spray in a fuel supply system is promoted at the time of cold startup and the amount of fuel depositing on the inner wall of the intake manifold is reduced, thereby ensuring improved startability of an internal combustion engine of a car, reduced fuel costs and improved purification of exhaust gas. A very fine groove is formed on a heat transfer surface in a fuel vaporization promoting apparatus, wherein this groove is shaped in such a way that fuel is dispersed by the surface tension of the heat transfer surface and the fuel. This configuration ensures uniform dispersion of fuel on the heat transfer surface and effective promotion of vaporization.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2002Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiyoshi Amou, Yuzo Kadomukai, Hiroaki Saeki, Kenji Watanabe, Takanobu Ichihara, Masami Nagano
-
Patent number: 6776142Abstract: On supplying fuel in an internal combustion engine, a control signal for changing a degree of vaporization of the fuel passing the air intake valve in accordance with the opening degree of the air intake valve or a load of the internal combustion engine so that the fuel of liquid state is restrained from existing in the combustion chamber is generated, and subsequently a vaporizing speed of the supplied fuel is changed in accordance with the control signal to adjust the degree of vaporization of the fuel.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2003Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihiro Sukegawa, Toshiharu Nogi, Takanobu Ichihara, Hiroaki Saeki
-
Patent number: 6718960Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus for gas mixture supply apparatus and diagnostic method thereof characterized in that, when any trouble has occurred to gas mixture from a gas mixture supply apparatus, it can be identified as an error; and at least engine startup is ensured, continued operation of the engine can be made enabled without any problem which may cause stalling of the engine, and deterioration of exhaust gas can be prevented. The above object can be attained by the present invention comprising a gas mixture state detecting means for detecting the state of gas mixture when gas mixture is supplied from the aforementioned gas mixture supply means during the operation of the aforementioned evaporation means, and evaluation means for evaluating an error of the aforementioned gas mixture supply means based on the result of detection by the aforementioned gas mixture state detecting means.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2002Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadashi Someno, Kiyoshi Amou, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Publication number: 20040045533Abstract: On supplying fuel in an internal combustion engine, a control signal for changing a degree of vaporization of the fuel passing the air intake valve in accordance with the opening degree of the air intake valve or a load of the internal combustion engine so that the fuel of liquid state is restrained from existing in the combustion chamber is generated, and subsequently a vaporizing speed of the supplied fuel is changed in accordance with the control signal to adjust the degree of vaporization of the fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihiro Sukegawa, Toshiharu Nogi, Takanobu Ichihara, Hiroaki Saeki
-
Publication number: 20040040550Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus for gas mixture supply apparatus and diagnostic method thereof characterized in that, when any trouble has occurred to gas mixture from a gas mixture supply apparatus, it can be identified as an error; and at least engine startup is ensured, continued operation of the engine can be made enabled without any problem which may cause stalling of the engine, and deterioration of exhaust gas can be prevented. The above object can be attained by the present invention comprising a gas mixture state detecting means for detecting the state of gas mixture when gas mixture is supplied from the aforementioned gas mixture supply means during the operation of the aforementioned evaporation means, and evaluation means for evaluating an error of the aforementioned gas mixture supply means based on the result of detection by the aforementioned gas mixture state detecting means.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2002Publication date: March 4, 2004Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadashi Someno, Kiyoshi Amou, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Publication number: 20040031472Abstract: A fuel supply system for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising: an intake passage; a downstream fuel injection valve near the port of each cylinder of the engine and downstream of the intake passage; and a controller, wherein the intake passage includes a fuel injection/evaporation device which has an upstream fuel injection valve; a heater for evaporating injected fuel; and an air passage for supplying the injected fuel with air. The controller is adapted to control the amount of fuel injected from the downstream fuel injection valve and the upstream fuel injection valve, thereby controlling the fuel-air ratio of the injected fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2003Publication date: February 19, 2004Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Masami Nagano, Takanobu Ichihara
-
Publication number: 20040016416Abstract: To improve startability and reduce the amount of HC emission at start-up with the aid of a construction where vaporized fuel is supplied to the bypass passage that bypasses the main passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2003Publication date: January 29, 2004Applicants: HITACHI, LTD., HITACHI CAR ENGINEERING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takanobu Ichihara, Masami Nagano, Kozo Katogi, Hiroaki Saeki
-
Publication number: 20030217739Abstract: The present invention is to present a fuel-heating type fuel injection apparatus, at the startup of the engine, able to prevent fuel-attaching on the wall of the intake passage and eliminate hydro carbons in the exhaust.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2003Publication date: November 27, 2003Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Saeki, Takanobu Ichihara, Kenji Watanabe