Patents by Inventor Tsutomu Tamura

Tsutomu Tamura 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: 20240383526
    Abstract: A motor control device includes: an assist torque instruction value generation unit that generates an assist torque instruction value using steering torque; a manual steering instruction value generation unit that generates a manual steering instruction value using the steering torque and the assist torque instruction value; an integrated angle instruction value computation unit that computes an integrated angle instruction value by adding the manual steering instruction value to an automatic steering instruction value for driving assist; and a switching unit that switches between a first control mode, in which the electric motor is controlled based on the assist torque instruction value or the manual steering instruction value, and a second control mode, in which the electric motor is controlled based on the integrated angle instruction value, according to the steering torque when in a driving assist mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS, Mitsuko YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 12044997
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing portion configured to heat the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming portion and fix the toner image to the sheet, a folding portion configured to fold the sheet having passed through the fixing portion such that a surface of the sheet to which the powder adhesive is applied is inside, and a bonding portion configured to heat the sheet folded by the folding portion and bond the sheet by the powder adhesive. A relationship of Tmax1>Tmax2 is satisfied, where Tmax1 (° C.) is a highest temperature of the powder adhesive when being heated by the fixing portion and Tmax2 (° C.) is a highest temperature of the powder adhesive when being heated by the bonding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Nishizawa, Shigeto Tamura, Takaaki Tsuruya, Tsutomu Shimano, Kohei Matsuda, Tetsuya Sano, Kenji Takagi, Tomoaki Nakai, Masaki Shimomura
  • Patent number: 11807313
    Abstract: A vehicle steering device includes a first setting portion 41 that sets a target assist torque in accordance with a steering torque, a second setting portion 42 that sets an angle controlling target torque for bringing an angular deviation between a target steering angle and an actual steering angle close to zero, an estimator that estimates a compensation object 43 load with respect to the angle controlling target torque, a first calculating portion 44 that calculates a target automatic steering torque based on the angle controlling target torque set by the second setting portion and the compensation object load estimated by the estimator, and a second calculating portion 44 that performs weighted addition of the target automatic steering torque and the target assist torque in accordance with a value that changes in accordance with a driver input to calculate a target motor torque that is a target value of a motor torque of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime Moreillon, Tsutomu Tamura, Robert Fuchs, Tomohiro Nakade
  • Patent number: 11691664
    Abstract: A vehicle steering device includes an electric motor applying a steering force to a vehicle turning mechanism, a first setting portion setting a target assist torque in accordance with a steering torque, a second setting portion setting an angle controlling target torque for bringing an angular deviation between a target steering angle and an actual steering angle close to zero, a restriction processing portion restricting the angle controlling target torque set by the second setting portion, a first calculating portion calculating a target automatic steering torque using the angle controlling target torque after the restriction process by the restriction processing portion, and second calculating portions performing weighted addition of the target automatic steering torque and the target assist torque in accordance with a value that changes in accordance with a driver input to calculate a target motor torque that is a electric motor target motor torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime Moreillon, Tsutomu Tamura, Robert Fuchs, Tomohiro Nakade
  • Patent number: 11427247
    Abstract: A steering determination device determines a steering state in which a driver of a vehicle is steering a steering wheel of the vehicle. The device includes a torque recognition unit configured to recognize a steering torque based on a measurement result of a torque sensor provided on a steering shaft, an acceleration recognition unit configured to recognize longitudinal acceleration or lateral acceleration, a threshold value setting unit configured to set a threshold value for the determination of the steering state, based on the longitudinal acceleration or the lateral acceleration, and a steering determination unit configured to determine that the driver is in the steering state if the steering torque is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value such that the threshold value decreases as an absolute value of the longitudinal acceleration or the lateral acceleration decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Kuwabara, Naoki Nishimura, Yoji Kunihiro, Takahiro Kojo, Hisaya Akatsuka, Maxime Moreillon, Tsutomu Tamura, Robert Fuchs
  • Patent number: 11267506
    Abstract: An electric power steering system includes a second shaft coupled to a first shaft via a torsion bar, a basic driver torque estimation unit (extended state observer) configured to estimate a basic driver torque by using a disturbance observer based on a torsion bar torque and a rotation angle of the second shaft, a gravity torque calculation unit configured to calculate, by using a rotation angle of a steering wheel, a gravity torque applied to the first shaft by gravity acting on the center of gravity of the steering wheel, and a driver torque estimation unit configured to estimate a driver torque by using the basic driver torque estimated by the basic driver torque estimation unit and the gravity torque calculated by the gravity torque calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime Moreillon, Tsutomu Tamura, Robert Fuchs, Naoki Shoji
  • Publication number: 20210362774
    Abstract: A vehicle steering device includes an electric motor applying a steering force to a vehicle turning mechanism, a first setting portion setting a target assist torque in accordance with a steering torque, a second setting portion setting an angle controlling target torque for bringing an angular deviation between a target steering angle and an actual steering angle close to zero, a restriction processing portion restricting the angle controlling target torque set by the second setting portion, a first calculating portion calculating a target automatic steering torque using the angle controlling target torque after the restriction process by the restriction processing portion, and second calculating portions performing weighted addition of the target automatic steering torque and the target assist torque in accordance with a value that changes in accordance with a driver input to calculate a target motor torque that is a electric motor target motor torque value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime MOREILLON, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS, Tomohiro NAKADE
  • Patent number: 11180187
    Abstract: A manual steering command value generation unit generates a manual steering command value using steering torque. An integrated angle command value computation unit computes an integrated angle command value by adding the manual steering command value to an automatic steering command value. A control unit performs angle control on an electric motor on the basis of the integrated angle command value. The control unit includes: a basic torque command value computation unit that computes a basic torque command value on the basis of the integrated angle command value; a disturbance torque estimation unit that estimates disturbance torque other than motor torque that is generated by the electric motor and acts on an object to be driven by the electric motor; and a disturbance torque compensation unit that corrects the basic torque command value in accordance with the disturbance torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Shoji, Robert Fuchs, Tsutomu Tamura, Mitsuko Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11001306
    Abstract: An isolation mount assembly includes a rubber isolator formed to be seated within an aperture in a supported member, with an extension located on an exterior surface of the isolator; and includes a washer containing an aperture corresponding with a location of the extension. The isolator may include a through-hole and an inner sleeve, and be seated within a supported member. A method for temporarily securing a washer to a rubber isolator includes aligning an aperture in the washer to a corresponding securing feature on the isolator, inserting the securing feature through the aperture, pulling a detached end of the securing feature, pushing the washer towards the isolator until it makes contact with the surface of the isolator, and releasing the detached end of the securing feature. An exemplary method may include trimming or deforming an excess part of the extension after releasing the detached end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignees: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., YUSA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Swapnil Kulkarni, Steven Spencer, Derek John Horton, Tsutomu Tamura, Brian S. Welch, Max B. Cruz Raygada
  • Patent number: 10988169
    Abstract: A steering device includes a steering wheel, a torsion bar, a spiral cable, a torque sensor, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to compute a rotational angle of the steering wheel. The electronic control unit is configured to compute, as driver torque, a value that includes a sum obtained by adding torsion bar torque, a steering wheel inertial torque compensation value and a spiral cable torque compensation value. The steering wheel inertial torque compensation value is the product of a steering wheel inertial moment and a second-order differential value of the rotational angle of the steering wheel. The spiral cable torque is torque that acts on the steering wheel because of the spiral cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime Moreillon, Tsutomu Tamura, Robert Fuchs
  • Patent number: 10843727
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a first shaft which is coupled to a steering wheel; a torsion bar; a second shaft which is coupled to the first shaft through the torsion bar; a torsion bar torque detection unit detecting a torsion bar torque which is applied to the torsion bar; and an electronic control unit configured to estimate a driver torque which is applied to the steering wheel by a driver. The electronic control unit is configured to: i) compute a steering wheel rotation angle which is a rotation angle of the steering wheel; and ii) compute a value including an added value, as the driver torque, the added value being a value resulting from adding the torsion bar torque, a steering wheel inertia torque compensation value, and a gravity torque compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime Moreillon, Tsutomu Tamura, Robert Fuchs, Naoki Shoji
  • Publication number: 20200290668
    Abstract: A vehicle steering device includes a first setting portion 41 that sets a target assist torque in accordance with a steering torque, a second setting portion 42 that sets an angle controlling target torque for bringing an angular deviation between a target steering angle and an actual steering angle close to zero, an estimator that estimates a compensation object 43 load with respect to the angle controlling target torque, a first calculating portion 44 that calculates a target automatic steering torque based on the angle controlling target torque set by the second setting portion and the compensation object load estimated by the estimator, and a second calculating portion 44 that performs weighted addition of the target automatic steering torque and the target assist torque in accordance with a value that changes in accordance with a driver input to calculate a target motor torque that is a target value of a motor torque of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime MOREILLON, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS, Tomohiro NAKADE
  • Publication number: 20200172159
    Abstract: A steering determination device determines a steering state in which a driver of a vehicle is steering a steering wheel of the vehicle. The device includes a torque recognition unit configured to recognize a steering torque based on a measurement result of a torque sensor provided on a steering shaft, an acceleration recognition unit configured to recognize longitudinal acceleration or lateral acceleration, a threshold value setting unit configured to set a threshold value for the determination of the steering state, based on the longitudinal acceleration or the lateral acceleration, and a steering determination unit configured to determine that the driver is in the steering state if the steering torque is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The threshold value setting unit is configured to set the threshold value such that the threshold value decreases as an absolute value of the longitudinal acceleration or the lateral acceleration decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Takahiko KUWABARA, Naoki NISHIMURA, Yoji KUNIHIRO, Takahiro KOJO, Hisaya AKATSUKA, Maxime MOREILLON, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS
  • Patent number: 10668948
    Abstract: A vehicle steering device includes a steering wheel, an input shaft, an output shaft coupled to the input shaft via a torsion bar, an electric motor, a torque detector that detects a torsion bar torque applied to the torsion bar, a rotational angle detector that detects a rotational angle of the electric motor, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer is configured to estimate a driver torque applied to the steering wheel using at least (i) the torsion bar torque detected by the torque detector, (ii) the rotational angle of the electric motor detected by the rotational angle detector, and (iii) a physical model that is constructed with a torsion bar viscosity and a torsion bar rigidity, and determine whether the steering wheel is operated in a hands-on state or a hands-off state based on the estimated driver torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederic Wilhelm, Tsutomu Tamura, Robert Fuchs, Maxime Moreillon
  • Publication number: 20200108858
    Abstract: A steering device includes a steering wheel, a torsion bar, a spiral cable, a torque sensor, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to compute a rotational angle of the steering wheel. The electronic control unit is configured to compute, as driver torque, a value that includes a sum obtained by adding torsion bar torque, a steering wheel inertial torque compensation value and a spiral cable torque compensation value. The steering wheel inertial torque compensation value is the product of a steering wheel inertial moment and a second-order differential value of the rotational angle of the steering wheel. The spiral cable torque is torque that acts on the steering wheel because of the spiral cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime MOREILLON, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS
  • Publication number: 20200108853
    Abstract: A driver torque estimation device includes: a transfer ratio variation device and a torsion bar; an electric motor; a torque sensor; an input shaft rotation acquisition unit configured to acquire the rotational angle of an input shaft of the transfer ratio variation device; and an electronic control unit configured to acquire the rotational angle of an output shaft of the transfer ratio variation device. The electronic control unit is configured to compute an estimated value of first disturbance. The electronic control unit is configured to compute an estimated value of second disturbance. The electronic control unit is configured to compute an estimated value of driver torque based on the torsion bar torque, the estimated value of the first disturbance, and the estimated value of the second disturbance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime MOREILLON, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS
  • Publication number: 20200017141
    Abstract: A contact state detection device that detects the state of contact with a steering wheel of a vehicle steering device includes: a torque sensor that detects torque generated in a steering shaft; a rotational angle sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the steering wheel; a contact sensor that detects whether or not the steering wheel is contacted; and a determination unit that determines which of a hands-on state and a hands-off state is established for the steering wheel based on the results of detection by the torque sensor, the rotational angle sensor, and the contact sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime MOREILLON, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS
  • Publication number: 20190329818
    Abstract: A manual steering command value generation unit generates a manual steering command value using steering torque. An integrated angle command value computation unit computes an integrated angle command value by adding the manual steering command value to an automatic steering command value. A control unit performs angle control on an electric motor on the basis of the integrated angle command value. The control unit includes: a basic torque command value computation unit that computes a basic torque command value on the basis of the integrated angle command value; a disturbance torque estimation unit that estimates disturbance torque other than motor torque that is generated by the electric motor and acts on an object to be driven by the electric motor; and a disturbance torque compensation unit that corrects the basic torque command value in accordance with the disturbance torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki SHOJI, Robert FUCHS, Tsutomu TAMURA, Mitsuko YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20190315398
    Abstract: An electric power steering system includes a second shaft coupled to a first shaft via a torsion bar, a basic driver torque estimation unit (extended state observer) configured to estimate a basic driver torque by using a disturbance observer based on a torsion bar torque and a rotation angle of the second shaft, a gravity torque calculation unit configured to calculate, by using a rotation angle of a steering wheel, a gravity torque applied to the first shaft by gravity acting on the center of gravity of the steering wheel, and a driver torque estimation unit configured to estimate a driver torque by using the basic driver torque estimated by the basic driver torque estimation unit and the gravity torque calculated by the gravity torque calculation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxime MOREILLON, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS, Naoki SHOJI
  • Publication number: 20190248412
    Abstract: A vehicle steering device includes a steering wheel, an input shaft, an output shaft coupled to the input shaft via a torsion bar, an electric motor, a torque detector that detects a torsion bar torque applied to the torsion bar, a rotational angle detector that detects a rotational angle of the electric motor, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer is configured to estimate a driver torque applied to the steering wheel using at least (i) the torsion bar torque detected by the torque detector, (ii) the rotational angle of the electric motor detected by the rotational angle detector, and (iii) a physical model that is constructed with a torsion bar viscosity and a torsion bar rigidity, and determine whether the steering wheel is operated in a hands-on state or a hands-off state based on the estimated driver torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederic WILHELM, Tsutomu TAMURA, Robert FUCHS, Maxime MOREILLON