Patents by Inventor Tomoaki Sugiura

Tomoaki Sugiura 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: 11458951
    Abstract: A driving system includes an engine, a motor generator, an output unit, a power transmission mechanism, and a controller. The output unit outputs at least one of an engine driving force generated by the engine or a motor driving force generated by the motor generator. The power transmission mechanism selects a first drive mode in which both of the engine driving force and the motor driving force are transmitted to the output unit, and a second drive mode in which only the engine driving force is transmitted to the output unit. The controller controls the power transmission mechanism to select the first drive mode when a first fuel consumption rate of the engine in the first drive mode is or is estimated to be lower than a second fuel consumption rate of the engine in the second drive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Nabeshima, Tomoaki Sugiura, Satoshi Inoue, Takuya Machida
  • Patent number: 11407403
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a controller that selects an electric vehicle (EV) mode where an output clutch is disengaged and a wheel is driven by a motor, or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode where the output clutch is engaged and the wheel is driven by an engine and the motor. The controller engages the output clutch during the EV mode to adjust a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission, and switches, in accordance with a battery state, an adjustment mode for the gear ratio, during the EV mode, between a first adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted in accordance with a vehicle speed, and a second adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted to and kept at a reference gear ratio smaller than a lowest speed gear ratio regardless of the vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Inoue, Tomoaki Sugiura, Akihiro Nabeshima, Takuya Machida
  • Patent number: 11383697
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for a vehicle provided with an engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) coupled to an output shaft of the engine, a motor coupled to a wheel, and an output clutch that transmits power from an output shaft of the CVT and the motor to the wheel includes a controller that is able to switch and execute either of an EV mode that allows, upon disengagement of the output clutch, power outputted from the motor to drive the wheel, and an HEV mode that allows, upon engagement of the output clutch, power outputted from the engine and the motor to drive the wheel, and that, in an adjustment of a gear ratio of the CVT during the EV mode, engages the output clutch and adjusts the gear ratio of the CVT, and thereafter disengages the output clutch before the gear ratio reaches a target gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Inoue, Tomoaki Sugiura, Akihiro Nabeshima, Takuya Machida
  • Publication number: 20200298829
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a controller that selects an electric vehicle (EV) mode where an output clutch is disengaged and a wheel is driven by a motor, or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode where the output clutch is engaged and the wheel is driven by an engine and the motor. The controller engages the output clutch during the EV mode to adjust a gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission, and switches, in accordance with a battery state, an adjustment mode for the gear ratio, during the EV mode, between a first adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted in accordance with a vehicle speed, and a second adjustment mode that allows the gear ratio to be adjusted to and kept at a reference gear ratio smaller than a lowest speed gear ratio regardless of the vehicle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Satoshi INOUE, Tomoaki SUGIURA, Akihiro NABESHIMA, Takuya MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20200298830
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for a vehicle provided with an engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) coupled to an output shaft of the engine, a motor coupled to a wheel, and an output clutch that transmits power from an output shaft of the CVT and the motor to the wheel includes a controller that is able to switch and execute either of an EV mode that allows, upon disengagement of the output clutch, power outputted from the motor to drive the wheel, and an HEV mode that allows, upon engagement of the output clutch, power outputted from the engine and the motor to drive the wheel, and that, in an adjustment of a gear ratio of the CVT during the EV mode, engages the output clutch and adjusts the gear ratio of the CVT, and thereafter disengages the output clutch before the gear ratio reaches a target gear ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Satoshi INOUE, Tomoaki SUGIURA, Akihiro NABESHIMA, Takuya MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20200298828
    Abstract: A driving system includes an engine, a motor generator, an output unit, a power transmission mechanism, and a controller. The output unit outputs at least one of an engine driving force generated by the engine or a motor driving force generated by the motor generator. The power transmission mechanism selects a first drive mode in which both of the engine driving force and the motor driving force are transmitted to the output unit, and a second drive mode in which only the engine driving force is transmitted to the output unit. The controller controls the power transmission mechanism to select the first drive mode when a first fuel consumption rate of the engine in the first drive mode is or is estimated to be lower than a second fuel consumption rate of the engine in the second drive mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Akihiro NABESHIMA, Tomoaki SUGIURA, Satoshi INOUE, Takuya MACHIDA
  • Patent number: 10240637
    Abstract: A bearing structure includes a shaft member coupled to a motor, two bearings on the shaft member with a distance therebetween in an axial direction, and a housing rotatable relative to the shaft member by means of the bearings, and an electrically-conductive seal member provided between the shaft member and the housing and abutting on the shaft member and the housing. The bearings include inner and outer rings fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral surface of the housing, respectively. The shaft member, housing, and seal member constitute an oil passage. At least one of an abutment portion where the seal member abuts on the shaft member or an abutment portion where the seal member abuts on the housing has a guide groove that guides oil entering the abutment portion from the oil passage to an external space of the oil passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuya Kuramoto, Tomoaki Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20180180100
    Abstract: A bearing structure includes a shaft member coupled to a motor, two bearings on the shaft member with a distance therebetween in an axial direction, and a housing rotatable relative to the shaft member by means of the bearings, and an electrically-conductive seal member provided between the shaft member and the housing and abutting on the shaft member and the housing. The bearings include inner and outer rings fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral surface of the housing, respectively. The shaft member, housing, and seal member constitute an oil passage. At least one of an abutment portion where the seal member abuts on the shaft member or an abutment portion where the seal member abuts on the housing has a guide groove that guides oil entering the abutment portion from the oil passage to an external space of the oil passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuya KURAMOTO, Tomoaki SUGIURA
  • Patent number: 9452792
    Abstract: A vehicle collision energy absorbing member is excellent in collision energy absorbing performance in the axial direction upon collision. The vehicle collision energy absorbing member is formed of a high strength thin steel sheet having TS of at least 980 MPa and having an n-value and a limit bending radius Rc satisfying the following Formula: Rc/t?1.31×ln(n)+5.21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignees: JFE Steel Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Takagi, Kaneharu Okuda, Yoshikiyo Tamai, Takeshi Fujita, Yoshitaka Okitsu, Tadashi Naito, Naoki Takaki, Tomoaki Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20150274218
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle collision energy absorbing member formed by shaping a thin steel sheet. At least one of the thin steel sheet and the vehicle collision energy absorbing member has tensile properties of a tensile strength TS of 980 MPa or more and a yield point elongation Y-El of 2% or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicants: JFE STEEL CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shusaku Takagi, Kaneharu Okuda, Yoshikiyo Tamai, Takeshi Fujita, Yoshitaka Okitsu, Tomoaki Sugiura, Naoki Takaki
  • Publication number: 20140103684
    Abstract: A vehicle collision energy absorbing member is excellent in collision energy absorbing performance in the axial direction upon collision. The vehicle collision energy absorbing member is formed of a high strength thin steel sheet having TS of at least 980 MPa and having an n-value and a limit bending radius Rc satisfying the following Formula: Rc/t?1.31×ln(n)+5.21.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Shusaku Takagi, Kaneharu Okuda, Yoshikiyo Tamai, Takeshi Fujita, Yoshitaka Okitsu, Tadashi Naito, Naoki Takaki, Tomoaki Sugiura