Patents by Inventor Toshio Inoue

Toshio Inoue 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).

  • Publication number: 20200296887
    Abstract: A charging control system includes a lawn mower that has a battery and performs a lawn mowing work while traveling autonomously, and a charging station for charging the battery. The lawn mower includes a period calculator for calculating a shutoff period of supply power supplied from the charging station, and a first communication unit. The charging station includes a second communication unit communicating with the first communication unit, an information acquisition unit for acquiring shutoff period information indicating the shutoff period from the first communication unit via the second communication unit, a switch for shutting off the supply power, and a shutoff controller for controlling the operation of the switch. The shutoff controller releases the shutoff of the power supply to the lawn mower based on the shutoff period information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kawakami, Atsushi Sotome, Toshio Inoue, Takumi Shiiyama
  • Publication number: 20200286459
    Abstract: An active vibration noise control system is applied to a vehicle provided with an EPS motor to change behavior of the vehicle. The active vibration noise control system includes an ANC processor configured to receive acoustic information at a predetermined position in a vehicle compartment as an error signal and control a vibration noise based on a reference signal correlate with the vibration noise and the error signal that is received and an inverse electromotive force information receiving section receiving information on an inverse electromotive force induced on the EPS motor by behavior change of the vehicle. The ANC processor utilizes as a reference signal the information on the inverse electromotive force received by the inverse electromotive force information receiving section. The active vibration noise control system actively controls the vibration noise generated in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Toshio INOUE, So NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 10767722
    Abstract: Flows of magnetorheological fluid inside a mount are controlled to be stopped in the direction of the axis of the mount and in directions perpendicular to the axis by applying coil excitation current to an exciting coil, and thus the elastic properties of the mount are adjusted such that the mount is hardened in the axial direction and in the directions perpendicular to the axis. As a result, a variable damping force can be exerted on the external forces applied to the mount in the axial direction and in the directions perpendicular to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200269672
    Abstract: A variable stiffness vibration damping device includes a first support member, a second support member, a main elastic member, a diaphragm, a partition elastic member, a first communication passage, a coil, a yoke, and a magnetic fluid. The first communication passage is provided in one of the first support member and the second support member such that a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber communicate with each other via the first communication passage. The first communication passage includes a first circumferential passage. The coil is wound coaxially with the one of the first support member and the second support member. The yoke is included in the one of the first support member and the second support member and forms a first magnetic gap overlapping at least partially with the first circumferential passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200271187
    Abstract: A variable stiffness vibration damping device includes a first support member, a second support member, a pair of main elastic members, a partition elastic member, a communication passage, a coil, a yoke, and a magnetic fluid. The second support member includes an axial portion and a pair of outer flanges. The communication passage is provided in one of the first support member and the axial portion such that a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber communicate with each other via the communication passage. The communication passage includes a circumferential passage. The coil is wound coaxially with the one of the first support member and the axial portion. The yoke is included in the one of the first support member and the axial portion and forms a magnetic gap overlapping at least partially with the circumferential passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200271188
    Abstract: A variable stiffness vibration damping device includes a first support member, a second support member, a pair of main elastic members, a partition elastic member, a first communication passage, a pair of first radial walls, a second communication passage, a coil, a yoke, and a magnetic fluid. The second support member includes an axial portion. The first communication passage is provided in one of the first support member and the axial portion such that a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber communicate via the first communication passage. The pair of first radial walls partition one of the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber into a pair of third liquid chambers. The second communication passage is provided in the one of the first support member and the axial portion such that the pair of third liquid chambers communicate via the second communication passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200263751
    Abstract: A variable stiffness bushing assembly includes an inner tubular member, an outer tubular member coaxially surrounding the inner tubular member, and an elastic member connecting the inner and outer tubular members. The elastic member defines a pair of first liquid chambers that are on opposite sides of an axial line of the inner tubular member and communicate with each other via a first circumferentially extending communication passage defined between one of the outer yokes and the annular large diameter portion, and a pair of second liquid chambers that are on opposite sides of the axial line and communicate with each other via a second circumferentially extending communication passage defined between another one of the outer yokes and the annular large diameter portion. The magnetic fields generated by the two coils are selectively applied to a magnetic fluid flowing through the first communication passage and the second communication passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200262286
    Abstract: Provided is a torque rod (1, 101, 202, 301) configured to be connected between a vehicle body (2) and an engine (3) to restrict a movement of the engine relative to the vehicle body. The torque rod includes a rod main body (11, 211, 307), and a bushing assembly provided at one end (14) of the rod main body. The bushing assembly includes a mounting bracket (21, 203, 303) configured to be mounted to the vehicle body or the engine via a bolt (22) passed therethrough in an axial direction, a magneto-elastic member (31, 204, 322) made of magneto-elastic material axially interposed between the one end of the rod main body and the mounting bracket, and a coil (32, 205, 323) configured to apply a magnetic flux to the magneto-elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200262260
    Abstract: Provided is a damper mount (1, 101, 201) configured to be interposed between a damper (11) of a wheel suspension device and a vehicle body (9). The damper mount includes: an annular outer member (22) fixed to the vehicle body; an annular inner member (21) fixed to the damper, one of the outer member and the inner member being received in another of the outer member and the inner member; a first magneto-elastic member (24) radially interposed between the inner member and the outer member; and a coil (25) configured to apply a magnetic flux to the first magneto-elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200263756
    Abstract: A variable stiffness bushing includes: inner and outer tubular members; and an elastic member connecting these tubular members. At least one pair of liquid chambers axially separated from each other is defined in the elastic member. The liquid chambers are connected by a communication passage including a circumferential passage provided in one of the inner and outer tubular members. The one of the inner and outer tubular members includes a coil wound coaxially therewith and a yoke provided with a gap constituting the circumferential passage. A magnetic fluid fills the liquid chambers and the communication passage. Upper and lower end walls and an axially intermediate partition wall of the elastic member are configured such that when the tubular members are axially displaced relative to each other, a difference is created between volumes of the axially separated liquid chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Toshio INOUE, Yuho ITO
  • Publication number: 20200263755
    Abstract: A liquid filled bushing assembly includes an inner tubular member (11), an outer tubular member (12) disposed in a coaxial relation to the inner tubular member, and an elastic member (13) interposed between the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member, wherein not only the stiffness of the liquid filled bushing assembly in the lateral directions can be freely selected but also the stiffness of the liquid filled bushing assembly in the rotational direction and/or the axial direction can be freely selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200263730
    Abstract: A variable stiffness bushing assembly includes: an inner tubular member; an outer tubular member coaxially surrounding the inner tubular member; and an elastic member connected between the inner and outer tubular members. The inner tubular member includes a tubular inner yoke, a coil coaxially wound around the inner yoke, and a pair of outer yokes each attached to the inner yoke at an axially outer end thereof and opposing the other outer yoke at an axially inner end thereof so as to define an annular gap therebetween, and the elastic member internally defines a pair of first liquid chambers which communicate with each other via a first communication passage provided by the annular gap. The first liquid chambers and the first communication passage are filled with a magnetic fluid having a viscosity that changes in dependence on an intensity of a magnetic field applied thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Publication number: 20200263731
    Abstract: A variable stiffness bushing includes: inner and outer tubular members; an elastic member connecting these tubular members. At least one pair of circumferentially separated liquid chambers is defined in the elastic member such that first axial ends and second axial ends of the liquid chambers are defined by first and second end walls of the elastic member, respectively. The liquid chambers of each pair communicate with each other by a corresponding communication passage including a circumferential passage provided in one of the tubular members, which includes a coil wound coaxially therewith and a yoke provided with at least one gap constituting the circumferential passage. A magnetic fluid fills the liquid chambers and the communication passage(s). The first and second end walls are configured such that when the tubular members are axially displaced relative to each other, a difference is created between volumes of the liquid chambers of each pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Yuho ITO, Toshio INOUE
  • Patent number: 10731725
    Abstract: An active vibration control device includes: a housing; a movable part including at least one movable mass member; an exciting coil that generates a magnetic field with an intensity corresponding to a current supplied to the exciting coil; a magnetic viscoelastic elastomeric member whose viscoelastic property changes in accordance with a magnitude of the magnetic field generated by the exciting coil; and a support member made of a non-magnetic material. The housing and the movable part are elastically connected with each other by both the magnetic viscoelastic elastomeric member and the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshio Inoue, Osamu Terashima
  • Patent number: 10699692
    Abstract: Sound effects are generated from a speaker inside a vehicle compartment repeatedly between a lower limit frequency and an upper limit frequency in accordance with an increase in the vehicle velocity. Consequently, the frequency is increased with respect to an increase in the vehicle velocity, in a manner so that audible sound effects, that is, sound effects at a so-called infinite scale, are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xun Wang, Toshio Inoue, Takuma Maesaka
  • Patent number: 10630158
    Abstract: An active vibration controller includes: a housing; a first magnetic member on the housing, the first magnetic member including a first tip portion extending from a first base end of the first magnetic member and including a first connecting surface extending from the base end on the first tip portion; a movable member including a second magnetic member including a second tip portion extending from a second base end of the second magnetic member and a second connecting surface extending from the second base end on the second tip portion; an exciting coil; a magnetic viscoelastic elastomer having a magnetic viscoelastic property varying according to a magnetic field magnitude between the first and second tip portions, and connects the first connecting surface to the second connecting surface. The first and second tip portions are thinner than the first and second base ends, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Terashima, Toshio Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200109761
    Abstract: A mount bush includes a tube member, a shaft member disposed coaxially with an axis of the tube member and having a coil, a first liquid chamber disposed at an upper side in an internal space between the tube member and the shaft member, a second liquid chamber in communication with a lower side of the first liquid chamber and containing a magnetic viscoelastic fluid, and a third liquid chamber in communication with a lower side of the second liquid chamber and having a porous body, wherein the coil is disposed such that a magnetic path that passes through the second liquid chamber in an orientation along at least one of an axial direction and a radial direction is formed through electrical conduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Toshio Inoue, Toshihiko Komatsuzaki
  • Publication number: 20200109762
    Abstract: A mount bush includes a tubular member, a shaft member disposed inside the tubular member coaxially with an axis of the tubular member and including a coil, a permanent magnet provided on at least one of the tubular member and the shaft member, a magnetic viscoelastic fluid filled in an internal space, a first liquid chamber disposed in the internal space at a first side, a second liquid chamber communicating with the first liquid chamber, and a third liquid chamber communicating with the second liquid chamber, wherein the coil is disposed such that a magnetic path passing through the second liquid chamber in an orientation along at least one of the axial direction and the radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction is formed through electrical conduction, and the permanent magnet is disposed such that a magnetizing direction is formed along the magnetic path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Toshio Inoue, Toshihiko Komatsuzaki
  • Patent number: 10569757
    Abstract: A control device is configured to, in a case that an internal combustion engine is made to start up before travel start of a vehicle in a parked state, when an auxiliary battery has at least a predetermined value of battery voltage, make the internal combustion engine start up after executing fuel heating processing for heating fuel by glow plugs to which electric power is transmitted, or when the battery voltage of the auxiliary battery is less than the predetermined value, execute the fuel heating processing after executing charge processing for charging the auxiliary battery using a main battery and then start up the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Inoue, Makoto Yamazaki, Tomoaki Honda, Hidekazu Nawata
  • Patent number: 10544848
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dynamic damper control device. A control unit includes a first acceleration sensor configured to obtain a first acceleration of a mass member, a second acceleration sensor configured to obtain a second acceleration of a vibration control target member, and a target amplitude amplification ratio calculating unit configured to calculate a target amplitude amplification ratio of the mass member and the vibration control target member based on the first acceleration and the second acceleration, and is configured to change a magnetic force produced from an electromagnet based on the target amplitude amplification ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshio Inoue