Patents by Inventor Tomoko Shimana
Tomoko Shimana 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).
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Patent number: 8965612Abstract: A failure detection device for a vehicle that detects a failure of a motor system includes a controller that changes a sensitivity for detection of a failure in the motor system in accordance with at least one of an operational condition of the motor system and a situation in which the motor system is operating.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2012Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Makoto Nakamura, Takaya Soma, Tomoko Shimana
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Patent number: 8825252Abstract: After a collision has been detected, all the upper arm transistors of inverters (41, 42) are turned off, and all the lower arm transistors of the inverters are turned on. Then, when no counter electromotive force is generated in any one of motors (MG1, MG2), a gate voltage (V2) lower than a gate voltage (V1) at which each upper arm transistor completely turns on is applied to at least any one of the upper arm transistors of the inverters (41, 42), and at least any one of the lower arm transistors of the inverters (41, 42), which is serially connected to the at least any one of the upper arm transistors to which the gate voltage (V2) is applied, is turned on.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Shimana
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Publication number: 20140137702Abstract: A vehicle control system (100) includes a rotary electric machine unit (40), a PCU (14) including an inverter circuit, and a controller (18). The rotary electric machine unit (40) includes a casing defining an interior space and containing a rotary electric machine and a lubricating cooling fluid disposed therein and a cover, and a breather (70) which is connected to the interior space via an on-off valve (58). The on-off valve (58) is normally in an open state. The controller (18) outputs a valve-closing signal to the on-off valve (58) when a single phase short circuit fault occurs in the inverter circuit which drives the rotary electric machine. A mechanical mechanism can also be used to place the on-off valve (58) into a closed state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroyuki Tsukashima, Hirotaka Kamijo, Tomoko Shimana, Daisuke Umiguchi
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Patent number: 8631894Abstract: An electric vehicle includes: a motor to propel the electric vehicle; a secondary battery that exchanges power with the motor via a power line; a capacitor that is connected to the power line; a collision detection unit that detects a collision of the electric vehicle; a rotation speed detection unit that detects a rotation speed of the motor; and a control unit that, when a collision of the electric vehicle is detected and the detected rotation speed of the motor equals or exceeds a predetermined rotation speed, controls the motor such that the rotation speed of the motor falls below the predetermined rotation speed and then executes discharge control to discharge the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinjiro Ashida, Kenji Yamada, Makoto Nakamura, Tomoko Shimana, Takaya Soma
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Publication number: 20130204477Abstract: After a collision has been detected, all the upper arm transistors of inverters (41, 42) are turned off, and all the lower arm transistors of the inverters are turned on. Then, when no counter electromotive force is generated in any one of motors (MG1, MG2), a gate voltage (V2) lower than a gate voltage (V1) at which each upper arm transistor completely turns on is applied to at least any one of the upper arm transistors of the inverters (41, 42), and at least any one of the lower arm transistors of the inverters (41, 42), which is serially connected to the at least any one of the upper arm transistors to which the gate voltage (V2) is applied, is turned on.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2011Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Shimana
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Publication number: 20130046426Abstract: A vehicle control system (100) includes a rotary electric machine unit (40), a PCU (14) including an inverter circuit, and a controller (18). The rotary electric machine unit (40) includes a casing defining an interior space and containing a rotary electric machine and a lubricating cooling fluid disposed therein and a cover, and a breather (70) which is connected to the interior space via an on-off valve (58). The on-off valve (58) is normally in an open state. The controller (18) outputs a valve-closing signal to the on-off valve (58) when a single phase short circuit fault occurs in the inverter circuit which drives the rotary electric machine. A mechanical mechanism can also be used to place the on-off valve (58) into a closed state.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2010Publication date: February 21, 2013Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsukashima, Hirotaka Kamijo, Tomoko Shimana, Daisuke Umiguchi
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Publication number: 20120330487Abstract: A failure detection device for a vehicle that detects a failure of a motor system includes a controller that changes a sensitivity for detection of a failure in the motor system in accordance with at least one of an operational condition of the motor system and a situation in which the motor system is operating.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Makoto NAKAMURA, Takaya SOMA, Tomoko SHIMANA
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Publication number: 20120309588Abstract: An electric vehicle includes: a motor to propel the electric vehicle; a secondary battery that exchanges power with the motor via a power line; a capacitor that is connected to the power line; a collision detection unit that detects a collision of the electric vehicle; a rotation speed detection unit that detects a rotation speed of the motor; and a control unit that, when a collision of the electric vehicle is detected and the detected rotation speed of the motor equals or exceeds a predetermined rotation speed, controls the motor such that the rotation speed of the motor falls below the predetermined rotation speed and then executes discharge control to discharge the capacitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2012Publication date: December 6, 2012Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinjiro Ashida, Kenji Yamada, Makoto Nakamura, Tomoko Shimana, Takaya Soma
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Patent number: 8054026Abstract: A vehicle drive apparatus includes a battery that is a direct current power source, a converter that increases the voltage of the battery, an inverter connected to a motor that drives the vehicle, an inverter connected to a motor generator that functions as a motor or generator, and a motor control device that controls the motor. The vehicle drive device is also provided with a voltmeter, non-energized state determination devices that determine a non-energized state of the inverters, and ammeters that detect currents applied to a motor from each phase arm of the inverters. Signals of these devices and a signal from the non-energized state determination device are sent to the motor control device.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2009Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoko Shimana, Hironari Kimura
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Patent number: 8040081Abstract: If any short-circuit failure occurs in an inverter, then a motor generator is used to execute a safety driving. If the rotational speed of a motor generator calculated from a detection value of a position sensor exceeds a predetermined reference rotational speed during the safety driving, an MGECU turns on all of the switching elements connected in parallel to a switching element in which a short-circuit failure occurs with respect to a power supply line. If the rotational speed is equal to or less than the reference rotational speed, the MGECU turns on only the switching elements connected in series to the switching element in which the short-circuit failure occurs. In this way, any excessive currents can be prevented from occurring in the inverter without restricting the safety driving.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoko Shimana
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Publication number: 20100263953Abstract: If any short-circuit failure occurs in an inverter, then a motor generator is used to execute a safety driving. If the rotational speed of a motor generator calculated from a detection value of a position sensor exceeds a predetermined reference rotational speed during the safety driving, an MGECU turns on all of the switching elements connected in parallel to a switching element in which a short-circuit failure occurs with respect to a power supply line. If the rotational speed is equal to or less than the reference rotational speed, the MGECU turns on only the switching elements connected in series to the switching element in which the short-circuit failure occurs. In this way, any excessive currents can be prevented from occurring in the inverter without restricting the safety driving.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2008Publication date: October 21, 2010Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoko Shimana
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Publication number: 20090284198Abstract: A vehicle drive apparatus includes a battery that is a direct current power source, a converter that increases the voltage of the battery, an inverter connected to a motor that drives the vehicle, an inverter connected to a motor generator that functions as a motor or generator, and a motor control device that controls the motor. The vehicle drive device is also provided with a voltmeter, non-energized state determination devices that determine a non-energized state of the inverters, and ammeters that detect currents applied to a motor from each phase arm of the inverters. Signals of these devices and a signal from the non-energized state determination device are sent to the motor control device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2009Publication date: November 19, 2009Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoko Shimana, Hironari Kimura