Patents by Inventor Yoshikuni Kurashima

Yoshikuni Kurashima 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: 20090125212
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an engine control apparatus that can perform combustion pattern changeover at a time point where fuel injection can be performed plural times in an engine operating state where fuel injection is performed plural times in each combustion. Each cylinder of the engine having an injector 112 performs fuel injection from the injector a predetermined number of times for each cylinder combustion. The control unit 200 controls fuel injection from the injector and the ignition timing from a spark plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikuni KURASHIMA, Toshio Hori, Hiroshi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20090082939
    Abstract: There is provided a control apparatus for a cylinder injection internal combustion engine which suppresses fuel pulsation caused by cam phase deviation and thereby prevents internal combustion engine exhaust deterioration, so that the reliability of a high-pressure fuel system using a high-pressure fuel pump is improved. The control apparatus for a cylinder injection internal combustion engine includes a high-pressure fuel pump that raises the pressure of fuel and discharges the fuel to a fuel rail, and a fuel pressure sensor that detects a pressure of fuel stored in the fuel rail. The control apparatus controls the high-pressure fuel pump based on the fuel pressure detected by the fuel pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori, Shin Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7489997
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising an adjusting device for adjusting a burning condition, a correction device for estimating or detecting an input or an output to and from the internal combustion engine so as to correct at least one of a throttle opening degree, a fuel injection pulse width, a fuel injection timing, an ignition timing and an exhaust gas recirculation quantity, a recording device for recoding a controlled correction value from the correction device at every predetermined time, and a fuel consumption evaluation means for evaluating a fuel consumption of the engine, being based upon the recorded data or log data as to the recorded data, wherein a deterioration of fuel consumption caused by an abnormality of the engine can been soon detected with no affection by an operating condition of the engine and unevenness of component parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20090012673
    Abstract: Any anomaly in energy transfer is appropriately diagnosed in a vehicle. The energy transfer system of a vehicle is provided with: an input energy computation means (e.g., the chemical energy of fuel computation means) for determining the input energy of the energy transfer system; an output energy computation means (e.g., the vehicle kinetic energy computation means) for determining the energy output of the energy transfer system; and a comparing means (e.g., the comparing means) for comparing the input energy with the output energy. Any anomaly in the energy transfer system (e.g., any anomaly in fuel efficiency) is determined based on the result of comparison by the comparing means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Yoichi Ilhoshi, Shin Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7441554
    Abstract: The invention provides an engine controller, which can determine a deterioration mode (gain deterioration or response deterioration) of an air/fuel (A/F) ratio sensor, can detect a degree of the deterioration with high accuracy, and can optimize A/F ratio feedback control in accordance with the diagnosis result. The controller includes a unit for computing frequency response characteristics in a range from an A/F ratio adjusting unit to the A/F ratio sensor, and it diagnoses the A/F ratio sensor based on a gain characteristic and a response characteristic given by the computed frequency response characteristics. In accordance with the diagnosis result, parameters (P- and I-component gains) used in A/F ratio feedback control (PI control) are optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Youichi Iihoshi, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori
  • Publication number: 20080236548
    Abstract: The present invention reduces exhaust emissions at startup, provides improved fuel pressure control performance in a low-load region, and detects high-pressure fuel system abnormalities. Disclosed is a high-pressure fuel system control device which includes a high-pressure pump for pressurizing fuel and discharging the pressurized fuel to a fuel rail, an injector for injecting the fuel stored in the fuel rail, and a fuel pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the fuel stored in the fuel rail, and controls the high-pressure pump and the injector in accordance with an output generated from the fuel pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi IIHOSHI, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori, Shin Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20080086257
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising an adjusting device for adjusting a burning condition, a correction device for estimating or detecting an input or an output to and from the internal combustion engine so as to correct at least one of a throttle opening degree, a fuel injection pulse width, a fuel injection timing, an ignition timing and an exhaust gas recirculation quantity, a recording device for recoding a controlled correction value from the correction device at every predetermined time, and a fuel consumption evaluation means for evaluating a fuel consumption of the engine, being based upon the recorded data or log data as to the recorded data, wherein a deterioration of fuel consumption caused by an abnormality of the engine can been soon detected with no affection by an operating condition of the engine and unevenness of component parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20080028828
    Abstract: A diagnostic device and method of an engine exhaust purifying system, which perform active control of an air-fuel ratio and can make diagnosis of air-fuel ratio sensors, catalysts, etc. in the engine exhaust purifying system with high accuracy and reliability while avoiding a worsening of exhaust emissions, an increase of revolution variations, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20070250230
    Abstract: In a diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine which determines the abnormality of a linear A/F sensor which is disposed on the upstream side of a catalyst of the engine and detects the A/F of exhaust gas, the apparatus includes a response/gain deterioration detection unit that separately detects the response deterioration in which the response of the linear A/F sensor is delayed and the gain deterioration in which the detection sensitivity of the linear A/F sensor is abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi IIHOSHI, Shin YAMAUCHI, Toshio HORI, Yoshikuni KURASHIMA
  • Patent number: 7266942
    Abstract: A diagnostic device and method of an engine exhaust purifying system, which perform active control of an air-fuel ratio and can make diagnosis of air-fuel ratio sensors, catalysts, etc. in the engine exhaust purifying system with high accuracy and reliability while avoiding a worsening of exhaust emissions, an increase of revolution variations, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20070186914
    Abstract: The invention provides an engine controller, which can determine a deterioration mode (gain deterioration or response deterioration) of an air/fuel (A/F) ratio sensor, can detect a degree of the deterioration with high accuracy, and can optimize A/F ratio feedback control in accordance with the diagnosis result. The controller includes a unit for computing frequency response characteristics in a range from an A/F ratio adjusting unit to the A/F ratio sensor, and it diagnoses the A/F ratio sensor based on a gain characteristic and a response characteristic given by the computed frequency response characteristics. In accordance with the diagnosis result, parameters (P- and I-component gains) used in A/F ratio feedback control (PI control) are optimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji NAKAGAWA, Youichi IIHOSHI, Yoshikuni KURASHIMA, Toshio HORI
  • Patent number: 7254474
    Abstract: In a diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine which determines the abnormality of a linear A/F sensor which is disposed on the upstream side of a catalyst of the engine and detects the A/F of exhaust gas, the apparatus includes a response/gain deterioration detection unit that separately detects the response deterioration in which the response of the linear A/F sensor is delayed and the gain deterioration in which the detection sensitivity of the linear A/F sensor is abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Patent number: 7225800
    Abstract: The invention provides an engine controller, which can determine a deterioration mode (gain deterioration or response deterioration) of an air/fuel (A/F) ratio sensor, can detect a degree of the deterioration with high accuracy, and can optimize A/F ratio feedback control in accordance with the diagnosis result. The controller includes a unit for computing frequency response characteristics in a range from an A/F ratio adjusting unit to the A/F ratio sensor, and it diagnoses the A/F ratio sensor based on a gain characteristic and a response characteristic given by the computed frequency response characteristics. In accordance with the diagnosis result, parameters (P- and I-component gains) used in A/F ratio feedback control (PI control) are optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Youichi Iihoshi, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori
  • Publication number: 20070095051
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine has an oxygen storage volume computing unit for computing an oxygen storage volume of a catalyst by using a real air/fuel ratio detected by an air/fuel ratio sensor installed on the upstream side of a catalyst, a center air/fuel ratio representing a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio and an estimated air flow volume or detecting a flow rate of air flowing into the catalyst. A center air/fuel ratio correcting unit for correcting a center air/fuel ratio based on output of a rear air/fuel ratio sensor provided on the downstream side of the catalyst, and an oxygen storage volume computed by an oxygen storage volume computing unit, and the oxygen storage volume computing unit computes an oxygen storage volume by using a center air/fuel ratio corrected by the center air/fuel ratio correcting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20070017212
    Abstract: A catalyst diagnosis apparatus comprises a reaction rate calculation unit for calculating a reaction rate of chemical reaction in a three-way catalyst based on an output of an oxygen sensor, and an OSC indicator calculation unit for calculating an OSC indicator indicating an oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of the three-way catalyst based on outputs of a linear air-fuel ratio sensor and the oxygen sensor, and a catalyst degradation determination unit for determining degradation of the three-way catalyst based on the reaction rate and the OSC indicator. The determination of the catalyst degradation can be performed with high accuracy in a manner adapted for influences of external environments, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Shin Yamauchi, Yoichi Iihoshi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20060190159
    Abstract: In a diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine which determines the abnormality of a linear A/F sensor which is disposed on the upstream side of a catalyst of the engine and detects the A/F of exhaust gas, the apparatus includes a response/gain deterioration detection unit that separately detects the response deterioration in which the response of the linear A/F sensor is delayed and the gain deterioration in which the detection sensitivity of the linear A/F sensor is abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20050262828
    Abstract: A diagnostic device and method of an engine exhaust purifying system, which perform active control of an air-fuel ratio and can make diagnosis of air-fuel ratio sensors, catalysts, etc. in the engine exhaust purifying system with high accuracy and reliability while avoiding a worsening of exhaust emissions, an increase of revolution variations, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20050161032
    Abstract: The invention provides an engine controller, which can determine a deterioration mode (gain deterioration or response deterioration) of an air/fuel (A/F) ratio sensor, can detect a degree of the deterioration with high accuracy, and can optimize A/F ratio feedback control in accordance with the diagnosis result. The controller includes a unit for computing frequency response characteristics in a range from an A/F ratio adjusting unit to the A/F ratio sensor, and it diagnoses the A/F ratio sensor based on a gain characteristic and a response characteristic given by the computed frequency response characteristics. In accordance with the diagnosis result, parameters (P- and I-component gains) used in A/F ratio feedback control (PI control) are optimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Youichi Iihoshi, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori
  • Patent number: 6543410
    Abstract: In a direct injection engine capable of reducing an amount of NOx discharged as much as possible, realizing EGR in a large amount, and enlarging a stable burning limit, fuel injection valves for directly injecting fuel into combustion chambers are arranged, ignition plugs are provided in the combustion chambers to face the same, intake ports for generating a tumble gas flow in the combustion chambers are provided. The intake ports are compartmented by partitions into high velocity port portions having a high flow velocity of intake air and low velocity port portions having a low flow velocity of intake air, passage valves for opening and closing the port portions are arranged near upstream ends of the low velocity port portions, and an EGR passage for introducing an EGR gas is connected to the low velocity port portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Hidefumi Iwaki, Toshio Hori, Kentarou Shiga, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20020011234
    Abstract: In a direct injection engine capable of reducing an amount of NOx discharged as much as possible, realizing EGR in a large amount, and enlarging a stable burning limit, fuel injection valves for directly injecting fuel into combustion chambers are arranged, ignition plugs are provided in the combustion chambers to face the same, intake ports for generating a tumble gas flow in the combustion chambers are provided. The intake ports are compartmented by partitions into high velocity port portions having a high flow velocity of intake air and low velocity port portions having a low flow velocity of intake air, passage valves for opening and closing the port portions are arranged near upstream ends of the low velocity port portions, and an EGR passage for introducing an EGR gas is connected to the low velocity port portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: Hitachi, LTD. and Hitachi Car Engineering co., LTD
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Hidefumi Iwaki, Toshio Hori, Kentarou Shiga, Yoshikuni Kurashima