Patents by Inventor Tatsuya Imamura

Tatsuya Imamura 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: 11162582
    Abstract: A control system for a power transmission unit configured to shift an operating mode smoothly by manipulating engagement devices, and to simplify a structure of the power transmission unit. The control system is configured to reduce a speed difference between an axially stationary engagement element and a reciprocatable engagement element of a second engagement device when shifting from a first continuously variable mode to a second continuously variable mode by engaging the second engagement device. After the second engagement device has been engaged completely, a first engagement device is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroyuki Shioiri, Takahito Endo, Hidekazu Nagai, Yoichiro Isami, Hirotsugu Yoshino, Hiroki Yasui
  • Publication number: 20210309204
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle that reduces a change in an engine torque when warming a catalyst. The hybrid vehicle comprises a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas, a first motor, a differential mechanism having a plurality of rotary elements, and an engagement device that selectively connects the first motor to an engine. A controller is configured to determine whether it is necessary to warm the catalyst, and disengage the engagement device while retarding an ignition timing of the engine when it is necessary to warm the purifying device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Tatsuya IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210172517
    Abstract: A control system for a power transmission unit configured to shift an operating mode smoothly by manipulating engagement devices, and to simplify a structure of the power transmission unit. The control system is configured to reduce a speed difference between an axially stationary engagement element and a reciprocatable engagement element of a second engagement device when shifting from a first continuously variable mode to a second continuously variable mode by engaging the second engagement device. After the second engagement device has been engaged completely, a first engagement device is disengaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya IMAMURA, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroyuki SHIOIRI, Takahito ENDO, Hidekazu NAGAI, Yoichiro ISAMI, Hirotsugu YOSHINO, Hiroki YASUI
  • Patent number: 11027721
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle that prevents an unintentional mode change when a command signal cannot be transmitted to an engagement device. In the vehicle, HV-Lo mode is established by connecting a carrier to a carrier by a first clutch while disconnecting the carrier from a ring gear by a second clutch, and HV-Lo mode is established by disconnecting the carrier from the carrier by the first clutch while connecting the carrier to the ring gear by the second clutch. A normally stay clutch is used as at least one of the first clutch and the second clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Hideaki Komada, Akiko Nishimine, Yosuke Suzuki, Hidekazu Nagai, Takahito Endo, Hirotsugu Yoshino, Kensei Hata, Hiroki Yasui
  • Patent number: 11007997
    Abstract: A control system for preventing engine stall due to slippage of a wheel during propulsion in a fixed mode in which an engine and the wheel are rotated at a fixed ratio. When a wheel slips in a first mode in which an engine and the wheel are rotated at a predetermined ratio, an operating mode is shifted to a second mode in which a torque transmission between the engine and the wheel is interrupted and the vehicle is propelled by torque of driving machine connected to the wheel, or to a third mode in which the vehicle is propelled by delivering torque of the engine to the wheel while establishing a reaction torque by a predetermined rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukari Okamura, Yasuhiro Oshiumi, Tatsuya Imamura, Kazuma Aoki
  • Patent number: 10955050
    Abstract: A drive control device for a vehicle is configured: to determine whether or not a sound pressure level inside a vehicle cabin becomes a predetermined value or less, under a state where it is predicted that a meshing-type engagement mechanism is changed from a disengaged state to an engaged state; and to prohibit the meshing-type engagement mechanism from entering the disengaged state, when it is determined that the sound pressure level becomes the predetermined value or less. In the disengaged state, transmission of a power output from a driving force source to driving wheels as drive energy is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Yasuhiro Oshiumi, Kazuma Aoki, Yukari Okamura
  • Patent number: 10946853
    Abstract: A control system for hybrid vehicles to prevent a reduction in a brake force when an electrical input to a battery is restricted. A controller is configured to execute a regeneration control to deliver a regenerative torque resulting from operating second motor as a generator to the drive wheels, and an engine brake control to deliver a brake torque resulting from a power loss of an engine to the output member. The controller is further configured to select an HV-Lo mode when an input power allowed to accumulate in the battery is smaller than a threshold power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma Aoki, Tatsuya Imamura, Yasuhiro Oshiumi, Yukari Okamura
  • Publication number: 20210039626
    Abstract: There are provided a controller and a control method for a hybrid vehicle including an engine with a supercharger serving as a drive power source for travel, a rotary machine serving as a drive power source for travel, and a power storage device configured to transmit and receive electric power to and from the rotary machine. The controller determines whether an operation of the supercharger is limited, compensates for a torque shortage of the engine due to limitation of the operation of the supercharger by a torque of the rotary machine when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited, and curbs a decrease in an amount of electric power stored in the power storage device more when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited than when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is not limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tooru MATSUBARA, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Yasutaka Tsuchida, Kenta Kumazaki, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Patent number: 10906524
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular power transmitting system includes a power transmission switching portion configured to selectively establish a first drive mode by placing one of the first and second coupling elements in an engaged state, a second drive mode by placing the other of the first and second coupling elements in an engaged state, or a third drive mode by placing both of the first and second coupling elements in the engaged states. The power transmission switching portion switches the vehicular power transmitting system between the first and second drive modes through the third drive mode, where a predetermined condition is not satisfied, and switches the vehicular power transmitting system between the first and second drive modes with concurrent engaging and releasing actions of the first and second coupling elements, where the predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi Yamamoto, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura, Koichi Okuda, Kota Fujii
  • Publication number: 20210016767
    Abstract: A vehicle control system configured to limit damage to an electric storage device even if a speed of a motor is changed abruptly. The control system is applied to a vehicle comprises: a differential mechanism connected to an engine, the motor, and drive wheels; and a clutch. A controller is configured to: calculate an upper limit power possible to be applied or discharged to/from the electric storage device when a condition to engage the clutch is satisfied; and restrict the electric power to be applied or discharged to/from the electric storage device equal to or less than a maximum allowable power that is less than the upper limit power before the clutch is engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tatsuya IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20200391720
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle that accurately determines actual engagement states of clutches to shift an operating mode properly by manipulating the clutches. The control system is applied to a hybrid vehicle comprising a first clutch and a second clutch. A controller shifts the operating mode from Low mode to High mode by shifting from the Low mode to a fixed mode by engaging the second clutch while maintaining engagement of the first clutch, and thereafter shifting from the fixed mode to High mode by disengaging the first engagement device while maintaining engagement of the second clutch. After the operating mode has been shifted from the Low mode to the fixed mode, the controller fixes a command signal to shift the operating mode from the Low mode to the High mode to complete the shifting operation to the High mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Tatsuya IMAMURA
  • Patent number: 10850600
    Abstract: A drive force control system for hybrid vehicles to prevent a reduction in drive force during reverse propulsion while operating an engine. An operating mode of a transmission mechanism can be selected from a first mode in which the output torque of the engine is delivered to the output member at a first predetermined ratio and a second mode in which the output torque of the engine is delivered to the output member at a second predetermined ratio that is smaller than the first predetermined ratio. A controller is configured to restrict selection of the first mode when the engine generates a power greater than a predetermined power during propulsion of the hybrid vehicle in the reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukari Okamura, Tatsuya Imamura, Yasuhiro Oshiumi, Kazuma Aoki
  • Patent number: 10836373
    Abstract: A control system for hybrid vehicles configured to improve energy efficiency by controlling a speed difference in a coupling. The hybrid vehicle comprises: a power split mechanism; an engine connected to a first rotary element; a first motor connected to the second rotary element; a second motor connected to the third rotary element; drive wheels to which a torque is delivered from the third rotary element; and a coupling comprising a drive member and a driven member. A controller is configured to change the speed difference in the coupling, and to change a speed or a torque of at least one of the first motor and the second motor after changing the speed difference in the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Atsushi Tabata
  • Publication number: 20200307549
    Abstract: A control device includes a controller that is configured to control a transmission mechanism. The controller is configured to; detect an abnormality that causes a rotation of an engine to stop while a hybrid vehicle is traveling with the engine being driven; determine whether a predetermined condition that does not allow the rotation of the engine to stop is satisfied when the abnormality is detected; start, when determining that the predetermined condition is satisfied, mode setting control for setting a travel mode that is set by a transmission mechanism to a travel mode in which the predetermined condition is not satisfied; and stop the rotation of the engine after the mode setting control is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroaki EBUCHI, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Takahito ENDO
  • Patent number: 10759410
    Abstract: A control system for hybrid vehicles to prevent a reduction in a drive force when an output power of a battery is restricted. A first motor translates an output power of the engine partially into an electric power. A transmission mechanism distributes an output torque of the engine to the first rotary machine side and an output member side. A second motor is operated by one of the electric power translated by the first rotary machine and an electric power accumulated in the battery to generate a power. An operating mode can be selected from a first mode in which the output torque of the engine is delivered to the output member side at a first ratio, and a second mode in which the output torque of the engine is delivered to the output member side at a second ratio. The second ratio is smaller than the first ratio. A controller is configured to restrict selection of the first mode when an available output power of the battery to be supplied to the second rotary machine is smaller than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma Aoki, Tatsuya Imamura, Yasuhiro Oshiumi, Kentaro Kanzaki, Yukari Okamura
  • Patent number: 10759413
    Abstract: A control system for hybrid vehicles to eliminate the shortage of drive force within the low-to-mid speed range in the hybrid mode. In a differential mechanism, a first rotary element is connected to an engine, a second rotary element is connected to a first motor, a third rotary element is connected to a second motor, and a fourth rotary element is connected to an output unit. A third motor is connected to the output unit. When the controller determines that the hybrid vehicle is propelled by the torque of the engine, the first motor and the second motor generate torques in a same direction as an engine torque to propel the vehicle in a forward direction, and the third motor generates a torque in the forward direction to propel the vehicle together with the engine torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kensei Hata, Akira Murakami, Hideaki Komada, Tatsuya Imamura, Takahito Endo
  • Patent number: 10737682
    Abstract: A drive force control system for hybrid vehicles configured to reduce a change in a drive force simultaneous execution of a starting operation of an engine and a shifting operation of a transmission. The drive force control is applied to a hybrid vehicle comprising: an engine connected to front wheels; a first motor connected to rear wheels; and a transmission that changes a speed ratio between the first motor and the rear wheels. A controller restricts execution of any one of an engine staring operation and a shifting operation of the transmission during execution of other one of the engine staring operation and shifting operation of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Yasuhiro Oshiumi, Kazuma Aoki, Yukari Okamura
  • Publication number: 20200223427
    Abstract: A speed change control system for a vehicle configured to reduce uncomfortable feeling of a driver when shifting an operating mode via the fixed mode. When a required drive force to propel the vehicle is increased, a controller shifts the operating mode from a first continuously variable mode to a second continuously variable mode via a fixed mode. In this case, the controller increases an engine speed to a first target speed from a point when shifting from the fixed mode to the second continuously variable mode, and further increase the engine speed to a second target speed calculated based on the required drive force. In addition, the controller reduces the first target speed with an increase in at least any one of a first elapsed time and a second elapsed time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Soichiro SHIMURA, Tatsuya IMAMURA
  • 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: 10682904
    Abstract: A drive unit for a hybrid vehicle capable of improvement of fuel efficiency during HV running is provided. The drive unit includes an engine, a first motor, a second motor, a first planetary gear unit, a second planetary gear unit, a first engagement unit, and a second engagement unit. In a case where an operation state of the vehicle is high vehicle speed and a low driving force in which a requested driving force is small, by bringing the first engagement unit to an engaged state and the second engagement unit to the disengaged state, a first state where a gear ratio which is a rotation number ratio between an input element and an output element of a complex planetary gear unit becomes a first gear ratio ?2 smaller than “1” is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahito Endo, Hideaki Komada, Tatsuya Imamura, Kensei Hata, Akiko Nishimine