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).

  • Patent number: 8965612
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Takaya Soma, Tomoko Shimana
  • Patent number: 8825252
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Shimana
  • Publication number: 20140137702
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsukashima, Hirotaka Kamijo, Tomoko Shimana, Daisuke Umiguchi
  • Patent number: 8631894
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinjiro Ashida, Kenji Yamada, Makoto Nakamura, Tomoko Shimana, Takaya Soma
  • Publication number: 20130204477
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Sakata, Tomoko Shimana
  • Publication number: 20130046426
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsukashima, Hirotaka Kamijo, Tomoko Shimana, Daisuke Umiguchi
  • Publication number: 20120330487
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto NAKAMURA, Takaya SOMA, Tomoko SHIMANA
  • Publication number: 20120309588
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinjiro Ashida, Kenji Yamada, Makoto Nakamura, Tomoko Shimana, Takaya Soma
  • Patent number: 8054026
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Shimana, Hironari Kimura
  • Patent number: 8040081
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoko Shimana
  • Publication number: 20100263953
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoko Shimana
  • Publication number: 20090284198
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Shimana, Hironari Kimura