Patents by Inventor Toshikazu Ina

Toshikazu Ina 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: 4513627
    Abstract: A torque detector, for detecting a torque applied to a torque transmission shaft which is connected to a load of an automobile, comprises an elastic member which is interposed between a driving shaft and the torque transmission shaft so as to be connected thereto, rotating members, each of which is integrally provided with the shafts, have a plurality of teeth or notches in the outer periphery thereof so as to be positioned in each combustion stroke of each piston of an engine of the automobile, electromagnetic pickups for detecting the passing of the teeth or notches and a data processing circuit for calculating torque at a predetermined rotating angle from the angular phase difference between the above two shafts, the torque occurring due to the deformation of the elastic member caused by the increase or decrease of applied torque. The processing means adds the calculated torque in each combustion stroke of each piston and averages the added torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokio Kohama, Hideki Obayashi, Kimitaka Saito, Toshikazu Ina, Seiichi Narita
  • Patent number: 4513626
    Abstract: A torque detector for detecting a torque applied to a load from a driving shaft is disclosed. The torque detector comprises an elastic member which is interposed between a first shaft connected to the driving shaft and a second shaft connected to the load so as to be connected thereto, an angular phase difference detecting means for detecting an angular phase difference occurring between the first shaft and the second shaft when the torque is transmitted from the first shaft to the second shaft through the elastic member, and a data processing means for calculating the torque from the detected angular phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideki Obayashi, Tokio Kohama, Kimitaka Saito, Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina
  • Patent number: 4513628
    Abstract: A torque detector, for detecting a torque applied to a torque transmission shaft which is connected to a load such as a wheel of an automobile, comprises a first rotating member which is integrally connected to a driving shaft of an engine, a second rotating member which is integrally connected to a load so as to be opposed to the first rotating member, a plurality of elastic members for connecting the opposed surfaces of the first and second rotating members, an angular phase difference detecting circuit for detecting the angular phase difference between the first and second rotating members, a no load condition detecting circuit for detecting a no load condition of the engine, and a data processor for calculating torque from the angular phase difference between the first and second rotating members under the load condition and under the no load condition. An accurate value of applied torque is detected by subtracting the angular phase difference under the no load condition from the load condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Nippondenso Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Tokio Kohama, Hideki Obayashi, Toshikazu Ina, Seiichi Narita
  • Patent number: 4513721
    Abstract: In an air-fuel ratio control device, a torque detector for detecting torque variations which indicate combustion variations in an engine is mounted at the supporting portions of the internal combustion engine. A detecting signal from the torque detector is introduced into an electronic control unit which controls the amount of injecting fuel, namely the air-fuel ratio. The electronic control unit controls the air-fuel ratio toward the lean side by the signal from the torque detector so that the combustion variations (torque variations) in the engine does not become large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshikazu Ina, Hideki Obayashi, Hisasi Kawai, Tokio Kohama, Daisaku Sawada, Takashi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 4503713
    Abstract: A torque detector, particularly a torque detector for detecting a torque applied to a torque transmission shaft which is connected to a load such as a wheel of an automobile, comprises a first shaft connected to a driving shaft, a second shaft connected to a torque transmission shaft, and a plurality of elastic members, each of which is interposed between the first shaft and the second shaft for transmitting the torque of the first shaft to the second shaft while receiving the compression force between the first shaft and the second shaft when the driving shaft is driven. The first shaft comprises a flange portion wherein a plurality of long grooves are formed so as to extend in the rotating direction thereof. The second shaft comprises a flange portion wherein a plurality of long holes are formed so as to extend in the rotating direction thereof and penetrate therethrough at such positions as to be substantially opposed to said long grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideki Obayashi, Tokio Kohama, Kimitaka Saito, Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina
  • Patent number: 4478185
    Abstract: A method for regulating the air-fuel ratio and an ignition fiming in an internal combustion engine, using a device for sensing the engine running state, a device for detecting the variation in engine combustion, a device for correcting the air-fuel ratio supplied in the engine according to the detected combustion variation, and an device for controlling the ignition timing. The ignition timing control device calculates the interpolated basic advance angle value .theta..sub.b, the corrected advance angle value .DELTA..theta., and, hence, the resultant advance angle value .theta. for use in the ignition timing control, so as to attain the air-fuel ratio giving the best rate of fuel consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Obayashi, Tokio Kohama, Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina, Daisaku Sawada, Takashi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 4442820
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas recirculation system including a recirculation passage to provide a communication between an intake pipe and an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, a flow control valve associated with a pneumatic servomotor to control the quantity of exhaust gas flowing through the recirculation passage in accordance with the pneumatic pressure applied to the servomotor, and first and second electrically operated valves to selectively apply negative pressure and the atmospheric pressure to the servomotor, a digital computer is adapted to calculate a desired opening degree of the flow control valve in response to an electric signal indicative of operating conditions of the engine, to calculate each energization time of the valves defined by a difference between the actual opening degree of the flow control valve and the calculated value in response to an electric signal indicative of the actual opening degree of the flow control valve, and to generate an output signal indicative of the calculated
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshikazu Ina, Hisasi Kawai, Tokio Kohama, Akira Nishimatsu, Yasuhiko Ishida, Souichi Matsusita
  • Patent number: 4433665
    Abstract: The degree of opening of the choke valve in a carburetor for an internal combustion engine is controlled in accordance with the temperature of at least one predetermined position of temperature adjustment devices in the air intake manifold portion of the engine, whereby emission of harmful exhaust gas is reduced and the rated fuel consumption of the engine is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiko Abe, Toshihiko Igashira, Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina, Masayoshi Tokoro
  • Patent number: 4324217
    Abstract: An electronically controlled ignition system for internal combustion engines. Reference position detecting means generates reference signals and angular position detecting means generates angular signals indicative of the angular positions of an engine at every predetermined angle of its rotation. Computing means responsive to engine operating condition parameters computers a proper ignition coil energization starting timing data and a proper ignition coil de-energizing timing data. An ignition coil control circuit comprising latch circuits, comparator circuits and counting means converts the ignition coil energization starting timing data and the ignition coil de-energization timing data into pulses having a corresponding pulse width with respect to the rotational angle of the engine to supply an ignition coil energization starting timing signal and an ignition coil de-energizing timing signal to said ignition coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1982
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Ina, Hisasi Kawai
  • Patent number: 4322799
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system comprises a speed detector for generating an engine rotational speed signal and a reference rotational position detection signal, a pressure sensor for detecting the negative pressure in the intake pipe of an engine to generate a negative pressure signal, a microcomputer responsive to the negative pressure signal and the rotational speed signal generated at the reference rotational position of the engine to compute an amount of exhaust gas recirculation in synchronism with the reference rotational position detection signal, and an electronic control circuit for controlling the opening of an exhaust gas recirculation control valve in accordance with the computed amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1982
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokio Kohama, Takeshi Matsui, Hisasi Kawai, Akira Nishimatsu, Toshikazu Ina, Hidetaka Nohira, Kiyoshi Kobashi
  • Patent number: 4285322
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an ignition coil of internal combustion engines including a power transistor connected to the primary winding of an ignition coil for controlling the energization and deenergization of the primary winding in response to a signal applied to the base of the power transistor. A feedback circuit, including a constant voltage diode, a capacitor and a resistor, is connected between the collector and base of the power transistor. When the power transistor becomes conductive from a nonconductive condition, a collector current of the power transistor flows through the capacitor and constant voltage diode due to the Miller integrator effect and the transition from nonconduction to conduction of the power transistor is made gradual thereby reducing a voltage generated in the secondary winding of the ignition coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1981
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Ina, Hisasi Kawai, Takeshi Matsui
  • Patent number: 4257382
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas recirculation system adapted to an internal combustion engine, the system comprises a servomotor to be operated by pneumatic pressure and a control valve actuated by the servomotor to control the quantity of exhaust gases recirculated into an intake manifold from an exhaust pipe. The pneumatic pressure applied to the servomotor is electrically controlled without undesired errors to satisfy the following function in relation to the engine intake manifold vacuum and the engine speed:Pe=f(Pv, N)where Pe is the pneumatic pressure applied to the servomotor, Pv and N respectively indicate the engine intake manifold vacuum and the engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1981
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Matsui, Tokio Kohama, Hisasi Kawai, Akira Nishimatsu, Toshikazu Ina, Hidetaka Nohira, Kiyoshi Kobashi
  • Patent number: 4250855
    Abstract: In a carburetor for an internal combustion engine, a control valve is disposed with an air passage through the carburetor structure to control the flow quantity of air to be mixed with fuel from a float chamber and a pneumatic servo-motor is operatively connected with the control valve to control the opening degree of the valve. The pneumatic pressure applied to the servo-motor is electrically controlled to satisfy the following function in relation to the engine intake manifold vacuum and the engine speed.Pd=f(Pv, N)where the character Pd is the pneumatic pressure applied to the servo-motor, and the characters Pv and N respectively indicate the engine intake manifold vacuum and the engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1981
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokio Kohama, Takeshi Matsui, Akira Nishimatsu, Kiyoshi Kobashi, Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina, Hidetaka Nohira
  • Patent number: 4248187
    Abstract: In a carburetor and an exhaust gas recirculation system adapted to an internal combustion engine, the system comprises a first servomotor to be operated by pneumatic pressure and a first control valve actuated by the first servomotor to control the quantity of exhaust gases recirculated into an intake manifold from an exhaust pipe, and the carburetor comprises a second servomotor to be operated by pneumatic pressure and a second control valve actuated by the second servomotor to control the flow quantity of air to be mixed with fuel from a float chamber. The pneumatic pressure applied to the first and second servomotors is electrically controlled to satisfy the following function in relation to the engine intake manifold vacuum and the engine speed.Pe=f(Pv, N)where Pe is the pneumatic pressure applied to the servomotors, Pv and N respectively indicate the engine intake manifold vacuum and the engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1981
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Matsui, Tokio Kohama, Hisasi Kawai, Akira Nishimatsu, Toshikazu Ina, Hidetaka Nohira, Kiyoshi Kobashi
  • Patent number: 4226222
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine, the flow quantity of exhaust gases recirculated from an exhaust pipe into an induction pipe through a recirculation pipe is controlled in relation to exhaust pressure in the recirculation pipe in accordance with pneumatic pressure defined by a value calculated in a digital computer taking account of negative pressure in the induction pipe and rotational speed of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokio Kohama, Takeshi Matsui, Hisasi Kawai, Akira Nishimatsu, Toshikazu Ina, Hidetaka Nohira, Kiyoshi Kobashi
  • Patent number: 4201159
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling a combustion engine, a digital computer is adapted to calculate first and second values corresponding to optimal settings of fuel injectors and spark plugs in a time sequence by detecting changes of the amount of air flowing into the engine and the rotation speed of the engine. The computer is programmed to calculate the first and second values from first and second functions describing desired relationships among each setting of the fuel injectors and the spark plugs, the amount of air flowing into the engine and the rotation speed of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina
  • Patent number: 4176629
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling a combustion engine, a digital computer is adapted to calculate first and second values corresponding to optimal settings of fuel injectors and spark plugs in a time sequence by detecting changes of the amount of air flowing into the engine and the rotation speed of the engine. The computer is programmed to calculate the first and second values from functions describing desired relationships among each setting of the fuel injectors and the spark plugs, the amount of air flowing into the engine and the rotation speed of the engine, thereby to eliminate a conventional negative pressure detecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina
  • Patent number: 4148090
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an electromagnetic valve which is adapted for use with the fuel injection systems of internal combustion engines, after the expiration of a predetermined time the control of the energization of the electromagnetic coil of the electromagnetic valve is changed from constant-voltage control to constant-current control, and any surge voltage caused during the control change is selectively absorbed, thereby ensuring stable energization of the electromagnetic valve despite variations in the supply voltage or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1979
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Hisasi Kawai, Toshikazu Ina