Patents by Inventor Takuro SHIMAZU

Takuro SHIMAZU 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: 11498549
    Abstract: The hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor connected to the engine, and an electronic control unit configured to control the motor to execute motoring to rotate a crankshaft of the engine. The electronic control unit is configured to execute speed-drop offset control when a rotation speed of the engine falls below a first rotation speed that is lower than a self-sustaining rotation speed of the engine while the engine is operated in a self-sustaining manner at the self-sustaining rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichiro Muta, Yukio Kobayashi, Takuro Shimazu, Yusuke Saigo
  • Patent number: 10851890
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus including a gear mechanism and a continuously-variable transmission mechanism and defining first and second drive-force transmitting paths. When the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is in a failure state in which an actual gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is not the highest gear ratio as a target gear ratio, the control apparatus sets the target gear ratio to a transient target gear ratio that is gradually changed toward the highest gear ratio, for causing the actual gear ratio to be gradually changed toward the highest gear ratio. A rate of change of the transient target gear ratio is higher in a state in which a drive force is transmitted through the first drive-force transmitting path by the gear mechanism, than in a state in which the drive force is transmitted through the second drive-force transmitting path by the continuously-variable transmission mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunio Hattori, Taichi Washio, Takuro Shimazu
  • Publication number: 20200369260
    Abstract: The hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a motor connected to the engine, and an electronic control unit configured to control the motor to execute motoring to rotate a crankshaft of the engine. The electronic control unit is configured to execute speed-drop offset control when a rotation speed of the engine falls below a first rotation speed that is lower than a self-sustaining rotation speed of the engine while the engine is operated in a self-sustaining manner at the self-sustaining rotation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichiro MUTA, Yukio KOBAYASHI, Takuro SHIMAZU, Yusuke SAIGO
  • Patent number: 10683931
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a drive-force transmitting apparatus that includes a transmission having primary and secondary pulleys. When a detection accuracy of rotational speed of the primary and secondary pulley is not assured, the control apparatus sets each of (i) a secondary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value used for calculation of a secondary thrust that is to be applied to the secondary pulley and (ii) a primary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value used for calculation of a primary thrust that is to be applied to the primary pulley, such that each of the secondary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value and the primary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value is dependent on a result of a determination as to whether an actual gear ratio of the transmission is the highest gear ratio and a result of a determination as to whether an input torque inputted to the transmission is lower than a given torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunio Hattori, Taichi Washio, Takuro Shimazu
  • Patent number: 10663061
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus including a continuously-variable transmission mechanism whose gear ratio is calculated based on a detected value of an input rotational speed of the transmission mechanism and a processed output-rotational-speed value that is a detected value of an output rotational speed of the transmission mechanism subjected to a filter processing. Updating the gear ratio of the transmission mechanism is inhibited (i) when the processed output-rotational-speed value is in a low rotational speed range with an absolute value of a rate of change of the processed output-rotational-speed value being not smaller than a given value, and also (ii) when the processed output-rotational-speed value is in the low rotational speed range with the absolute value of the rate of change of the processed output-rotational-speed value being smaller than the given value, if a certain operation that increases the absolute value is being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunio Hattori, Akihide Ito, Takuro Shimazu
  • Publication number: 20190316674
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus including a gear mechanism and a continuously-variable transmission mechanism and defining first and second drive-force transmitting paths. When the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is in a failure state in which an actual gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is not the highest gear ratio as a target gear ratio, the control apparatus sets the target gear ratio to a transient target gear ratio that is gradually changed toward the highest gear ratio, for causing the actual gear ratio to be gradually changed toward the highest gear ratio. A rate of change of the transient target gear ratio is higher in a state in which a drive force is transmitted through the first drive-force transmitting path by the gear mechanism, than in a state in which the drive force is transmitted through the second drive-force transmitting path by the continuously-variable transmission mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunio HATTORI, Taichi WASHIO, Takuro SHIMAZU
  • Publication number: 20190271393
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus including a continuously-variable transmission mechanism whose gear ratio is calculated based on a detected value of an input rotational speed of the transmission mechanism and a processed output-rotational-speed value that is a detected value of an output rotational speed of the transmission mechanism subjected to a filter processing. Updating the gear ratio of the transmission mechanism is inhibited (i) when the processed output-rotational-speed value is in a low rotational speed range with an absolute value of a rate of change of the processed output-rotational-speed value being not smaller than a given value, and also (ii) when the processed output-rotational-speed value is in the low rotational speed range with the absolute value of the rate of change of the processed output-rotational-speed value being smaller than the given value, if a certain operation that increases the absolute value is being executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunio HATTORI, Akihide ITO, Takuro SHIMAZU
  • Publication number: 20190195359
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a drive-force transmitting apparatus that includes a transmission having primary and secondary pulleys. When a detection accuracy of rotational speed of the primary and secondary pulley is not assured, the control apparatus sets each of (i) a secondary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value used for calculation of a secondary thrust that is to be applied to the secondary pulley and (ii) a primary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value used for calculation of a primary thrust that is to be applied to the primary pulley, such that each of the secondary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value and the primary-thrust calculation thrust ratio value is dependent on a result of a determination as to whether an actual gear ratio of the transmission is the highest gear ratio and a result of a determination as to whether an input torque inputted to the transmission is lower than a given torque value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunio HATTORI, Taichi WASHIO, Takuro SHIMAZU
  • Patent number: 9821806
    Abstract: When neutral control is started by placing a CVT drive clutch in a semi-engaged state while a vehicle is decelerating in a state where a second power transmission path is established, a clutch mechanism that is semi-engaged in neutral control while the vehicle is decelerating is changed from the CVT drive clutch to a forward clutch before a stop of the vehicle, so it is possible to continue the neutral control until a stop of the vehicle. At a stop of the vehicle, a power transmission path is already changed to a first power transmission path that establishes a gear ratio (EL) higher than a highest gear ratio (?max) that can be established by the second power transmission path. Thus, right after a stop of the vehicle, it is possible to execute idle stop control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuro Shimazu, Mitsuhiro Fukao, Hiromitsu Nitani, Akira Hino, Hiroki Kondo, Atsushi Ayabe
  • Publication number: 20170151949
    Abstract: When neutral control is started by placing a CVT drive clutch in a semi-engaged state while a vehicle is decelerating in a state where a second power transmission path is established, a clutch mechanism that is semi-engaged in neutral control while the vehicle is decelerating is changed from the CVT drive clutch to a forward clutch before a stop of the vehicle, so it is possible to continue the neutral control until a stop of the vehicle. At a stop of the vehicle, a power transmission path is already changed to a first power transmission path that establishes a gear ratio (EL) higher than a highest gear ratio (?max) that can be established by the second power transmission path. Thus, right after a stop of the vehicle, it is possible to execute idle stop control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuro SHIMAZU, Mitsuhiro FUKAO, Hiromitsu NITANI, Akira HINO, Hiroki KONDO, Atsushi AYABE
  • Patent number: 9664278
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes a transmission mechanism capable of setting a fixed transmission gear ratio, a continuously variable transmission provided in parallel with the transmission mechanism, and a path switching mechanism for selectively blocking a torque transmission path that includes the transmission mechanism and that is configured to dampen vibration. The control device further includes a clutch mechanism where the continuously variable transmission and the transmission mechanism capable of setting constant transmission gear ratio are arranged in parallel between an input shaft and the output shaft, that selectively connects torque transmission path stretching from an internal combustion engine to drive wheels via transmission mechanism, and one clutch and other clutch are arranged in series, the other clutch is arranged on a relatively downstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Toyoda, Hirofumi Nakada, Michio Yoshida, Daisuke Inoue, Atsushi Ayabe, Motonori Kimura, Akira Hino, Hiroki Kondo, Kenji Matsuo, Takuro Shimazu
  • Patent number: 9568098
    Abstract: A controller for a vehicle transmission is disclosed. The controller may include an electronic control unit configured to carry out a change shift for changing a path of the transmission of power between a first transmission path and a second transmission path by engaging a predetermined clutch mechanism. The electronic control unit may also be configured to set a change speed ratio region that defines a range of a speed ratio of the first transmission mechanism such that a rotation speed difference between engagement members of the clutch mechanism, which are engaged with each other in carrying out the change shift, is smaller than or equal to a predetermined value. When a speed ratio outside the change speed ratio region is set in the first transmission mechanism, the change shift is not carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motonori Kimura, Daisuke Inoue, Atsushi Ayabe, Shuhei Ishikawa, Hiroki Kondo, Akira Hino, Kenji Matsuo, Takuro Shimazu
  • Publication number: 20160131256
    Abstract: A control device for vehicle is includes: transmission mechanism capable of setting fixed transmission gear ratio; continuously variable transmission provided in parallel with transmission mechanism; and path switching mechanism for selectively blocking torque transmission path that includes transmission mechanism and that is configured to dampen vibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro TOYODA, Hirofumi NAKADA, Michio YOSHIDA, Daisuke INOUE, Atsushi AYABE, Motonori KIMURA, Akira HINO, Hiroki KONDO, Kenji MATSUO, Takuro SHIMAZU
  • Publication number: 20160091090
    Abstract: A controller for a vehicle transmission in which a first transmission path including a first transmission mechanism that is able to continuously change its speed ratio and a second transmission path including a second transmission mechanism having a set speed ratio different from that of the first transmission mechanism are provided in parallel with each other between an input shaft to which torque is input from a driving force source of a vehicle and an output shaft that outputs torque to an output member, the vehicle transmission carrying out transmission of power between the input shaft and the output shaft via one of the first transmission path and the second transmission path, includes: performing means for carrying out a change shift for changing a path of the transmission of power between the first transmission path and the second transmission path by engaging a predetermined clutch mechanism; and setting means for setting a change speed ratio region that defines a range of a speed ratio of the first t
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motonori KIMURA, Daisuke INOUE, Atsushi AYABE, Shuhei ISHIKAWA, Hiroki KONDO, Akira HINO, Kenji MATSUO, Takuro SHIMAZU