Patents by Inventor Yoshimitsu Akuta

Yoshimitsu Akuta 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: 11673606
    Abstract: A driving support device includes: a trajectory deriving unit configured to derive a reference trajectory in a predetermined section corresponding to a predetermined curve shape; a frequency deriving unit configured to derive a first frequency which is determined according to a frequency component of a steering angle of a vehicle when it is assumed that the vehicle has passed through the predetermined section along the reference trajectory; a detection value acquiring unit configured to acquire a detection value of the steering angle; a component deriving unit configured to derive a frequency component of the steering angle acquired in the predetermined section when the vehicle has passed through the predetermined section; and a driving support unit configured to determine a driving support operation for a driver of the vehicle on the basis of a result of comparison between an integrated value of the frequency component in a first band equal to or greater than the first frequency and equal to or less than a s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Iitaka, Minoru Higuchi, Aya Sasaki, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Publication number: 20220297755
    Abstract: A driving support device includes: a trajectory deriving unit configured to derive a reference trajectory in a predetermined section corresponding to a predetermined curve shape; a frequency deriving unit configured to derive a first frequency which is determined according to a frequency component of a steering angle of a vehicle when it is assumed that the vehicle has passed through the predetermined section along the reference trajectory; a detection value acquiring unit configured to acquire a detection value of the steering angle; a component deriving unit configured to derive a frequency component of the steering angle acquired in the predetermined section when the vehicle has passed through the predetermined section; and a driving support unit configured to determine a driving support operation for a driver of the vehicle on the basis of a result of comparison between an integrated value of the frequency component in a first band equal to or greater than the first frequency and equal to or less than a s
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Ryo Iitaka, Minoru Higuchi, Aya Sasaki, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Patent number: 9387740
    Abstract: A rear wheel suspension device includes a knuckle configured to support a rear wheel, a trailing arm and upper arm and lower arm configured to link the knuckle to a vehicle body, and an actuator configured to drive the knuckle in the general width direction of the vehicle, so as to adjust the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. The knuckle is linked to the suspension arms via linking portion enabling turning of the knuckle in a direction of changing the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. A turning axis defined by the linking portion is tilted with respect to longitudinal direction of the vehicle such that the front portion thereof in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is tilted outward in plan view, and is tilted upward in side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Yamada, Yoshimitsu Akuta, Akira Kanehara
  • Patent number: 9061559
    Abstract: A rear wheel suspension device includes a knuckle configured to support a rear wheel, a trailing arm configured to link the knuckle to a vehicle body, and an actuator configured to drive the knuckle in the general width direction of the vehicle, so as to adjust the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. The knuckle is linked to the trailing arm via linking portions enabling turning of the knuckle in a direction of changing the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. A turning axis defined by the linking portions is set so as to be tilted with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Particularly, the turning axis defined by the linking portions is set so as to be tilted with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Yamada, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Publication number: 20150061251
    Abstract: A rear wheel suspension device includes a knuckle configured to support a rear wheel, a trailing arm and upper arm and lower arm configured to link the knuckle to a vehicle body, and an actuator configured to drive the knuckle in the general width direction of the vehicle, so as to adjust the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. The knuckle is linked to the suspension arms via linking portion enabling turning of the knuckle in a direction of changing the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. A turning axis defined by the linking portion is tilted with respect to longitudinal direction of the vehicle such that the front portion thereof in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is tilted outward in plan view, and is tilted upward in side view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Yamada, Yoshimitsu Akuta, Akira Kanehara
  • Publication number: 20150061250
    Abstract: A rear wheel suspension device includes a knuckle configured to support a rear wheel, a trailing arm configured to link the knuckle to a vehicle body, and an actuator configured to drive the knuckle in the general width direction of the vehicle, so as to adjust the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. The knuckle is linked to the trailing arm via linking portions enabling turning of the knuckle in a direction of changing the rear wheel camber angle and toe angle. A turning axis defined by the linking portions is set so as to be tilted with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Particularly, the turning axis defined by the linking portions is set so as to be tilted with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in side view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Yamada, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Patent number: 8775025
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a steering system which does not cause the driver to feel the steering reactive force shock when the operation of the steering wheel is stopped, and which enables the driver to operate the steering wheel comfortably. In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a steering system in which a transfer ratio of a steering angle of a steering wheel to a turning angle of a turning wheel is changed by a variable transfer ratio mechanism, and an auxiliary power is generated during steering by an electric power steering, including: a transfer ratio variable motor for changing the transfer ratio, in which a steering angular velocity of the steering wheel is calculated, and when an absolute value of the steering angular velocity becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, a current value flowing through the transfer ratio variable motor is set to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Yamaguchi, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Patent number: 8180530
    Abstract: In a steer-by-wire steering control device for a vehicle using a model following control based on yaw rate or lateral acceleration, the target steering angle(s) of front wheels and/or rear wheels (Sfbs, Srbs) are corrected according a roll rate (Rre) of the vehicle which may be either detected or estimated from a lateral acceleration or yaw rate. Thereby, the roll rate gain can be reduced, and the damping property and response property of the yaw rate can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 8086374
    Abstract: There is provided a steering system allowing a comfortable steering operation even if a driver quickly turns a steering wheel when a transfer ratio is quickened in a low vehicle speed range. In the steering system that changes the transfer ratio of a steering angle of the steering wheel to a turning angle of a turning wheel by a variable transfer ratio mechanism and generates auxiliary power by an electric power steering unit, a variable transfer ratio mechanism controlling ECU has a switching section for switching a transfer ratio modulating mode of setting a rotational angle of a transfer ratio variable motor used in the variable transfer ratio mechanism so that the transfer ratio is set at a target transfer ratio corresponding to vehicle speed with a steering torque modulating mode of reducing an electric current for driving the motor so as to reduce steering power of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Yamaguchi, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Patent number: 8046133
    Abstract: This steering apparatus is capable of changing and controlling a ratio of a turning angle of a steered wheel to an operation amount of an operation member, wherein the ratio is reduced when an operation speed of the operation member is higher than a predetermined operation speed; and if the operation speed is reduced thereafter, then the reduced ratio is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Shunsuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7922181
    Abstract: A first rotor (24; 124) and a second rotor (25; 125) are arranged in a coaxial and mutually rotatable relationship and are provided with a first driven gear (41; 141) and a second driven gear (42; 142), respectively. A drive shaft (31; 131) is also provided with a first drive gear (43; 143) and a second drive gear (44; 144) which are commonly connected to an output shaft of an electric motor (32; 132), and mesh with the first and second driven gears, respectively, at slightly different gear ratios. The first and second rotors are connected via a thread feed mechanism (36; 136) that converts a relative rotation between the first and second rotors into an axial linear movement between the first and second rotors that is used for changing a distance between a vehicle body part and a corresponding end of a suspension spring in a vehicle height adjusting system (9; 109).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Hakui, Hajime Hirata, Hajime Kajiwara, Kiyoshi Nakajima, Yoshimitsu Akuta, Kunimichi Hatano
  • Patent number: 7832522
    Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes a steering wheel, a steering angle detector that detects a steering angle of the steering wheel, a steering angular speed calculator that calculates a steering angular speed of the steering wheel, a vehicle speed detector that detects a vehicle speed, a target rudder angle finding device, a modifying device, and an actuator. The target rudder angle finding device finds a target rudder angle based on the steering angle, the steering angular speed and the vehicle speed. The target rudder angle is a sum of a proportional term proportional to the steering angle and a differential term proportional to the steering angular speed. The modifying device modifies the differential term when the steering angular speed is negative to reduce a value of the differential term from that when positive. The actuator turns at least one wheel of the vehicle in accordance with the target rudder angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Takuya Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7726439
    Abstract: An apparatus for steering a vehicle includes a hand steering device, a road wheel steering device, a steering motor and a connection device. The hand steering device is a device which a driver of the vehicle manipulates for steering road wheels. The road wheel steering device actuates the road wheels. The steering motor, which is attached to the road wheel steering device, produces an assist force for the road wheels. The connection device selectively connects and disconnects the hand steering device and the road wheel steering device. In the apparatus, a ratio of a displacement made by the hand steering device to a displacement generated by the road wheel steering device increases as a speed of the vehicle becomes greater while the vehicle is traveling in a predetermined range of speed, and a gradient of the ratio is adapted to be greater when the speed is lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Nobuo Sugitani
  • Publication number: 20100070137
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a steering system which does not cause the driver to feel the steering reactive force shock when the operation of the steering wheel is stopped, and which enables the driver to operate the steering wheel comfortably. In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a steering system in which a transfer ratio of a steering angle of a steering wheel to a turning angle of a turning wheel is changed by a variable transfer ratio mechanism, and an auxiliary power is generated during steering by an electric power steering, including: a transfer ratio variable motor for changing the transfer ratio, in which a steering angular velocity of the steering wheel is calculated, and when an absolute value of the steering angular velocity becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, a current value flowing through the transfer ratio variable motor is set to zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya YAMAGUCHI, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Publication number: 20090248248
    Abstract: In a steer-by-wire steering control device for a vehicle using a model following control based on yaw rate or lateral acceleration, the target steering angle(s) of front wheels and/or rear wheels (Sfbs, Srbs) are corrected according a roll rate (Rre) of the vehicle which may be either detected or estimated from a lateral acceleration or yaw rate. Thereby, the roll rate gain can be reduced, and the damping property and response property of the yaw rate can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 7533757
    Abstract: A steering system includes a steering wheel, a steering angle sensor detecting a steering angle, a steering motor steering road-wheels, a reaction motor imparting a reaction force to the steering wheel, an ECU driving the steering motor with respect to a detected steering angle and a temperature detecting unit detecting temperatures of the steering motor, the reaction motor or a constituent member involved in the temperatures of the motors. When the temperature detected is larger than a predetermined value, the ECU performs such that a ratio of the rotating angle to the steering angle is made smaller than one that is to result when the temperature is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value, or a reaction force that is to be imparted to the steering wheel is made larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Sugitani, Yoshimitsu Akuta, Hisao Asaumi, Hitoshi Iwai, Masaaki Kawano, Takashi Nishimori
  • Publication number: 20090105907
    Abstract: There is provided a steering system allowing a comfortable steering operation even if a driver quickly turns a steering wheel when a transfer ratio is quickened in a low vehicle speed range. In the steering system that changes the transfer ratio of a steering angle of the steering wheel to a turning angle of a turning wheel by a variable transfer ratio mechanism and generates auxiliary power by an electric power steering unit, a variable transfer ratio mechanism controlling ECU has a switching section for switching a transfer ratio modulating mode of setting a rotational angle of a transfer ratio variable motor used in the variable transfer ratio mechanism so that the transfer ratio is set at a target transfer ratio corresponding to vehicle speed with a steering torque modulating mode of reducing an electric current for driving the motor so as to reduce steering power of the steering wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Yamaguchi, Yoshimitsu Akuta
  • Publication number: 20080201040
    Abstract: This steering apparatus is capable of changing and controlling a ratio of a turning angle of a steering wheel to an operation amount of an operation member, wherein the ratio is reduced when an operation speed of the operation member is higher than a predetermined operation speed; and if the operation speed is reduced thereafter, then the reduced ratio is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Shunsuke Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080185212
    Abstract: A vehicle steering system includes a steering wheel, a steering angle detector that detects a steering angle of the steering wheel, a steering angular speed calculator that calculates a steering angular speed of the steering wheel, a vehicle speed detector that detects a vehicle speed, a target rudder angle finding device, a modifying device, and an actuator. The target rudder angle finding device finds a target rudder angle based on the steering angle, the steering angular speed and the vehicle speed. The target rudder angle is a sum of a proportional term proportional to the steering angle and a differential term proportional to the steering angular speed. The modifying device modifies the differential term when the steering angular speed is negative to reduce a value of the differential term from that when positive. The actuator turns at least one wheel of the vehicle in accordance with the target rudder angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Takuya Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20070210539
    Abstract: A first rotor (24; 124) and a second rotor (25; 125) are arranged in a coaxial and mutually rotatable relationship and are provided with a first driven gear (41; 141) and a second driven gear (42; 142), respectively. A drive shaft (31; 131) is also provided with a first drive gear (43; 143) and a second drive gear (44; 144) which are commonly connected to an output shaft of an electric motor (32; 132), and mesh with the first and second driven gears, respectively, at slightly different gear ratios. The first and second rotors are connected via a thread feed mechanism (36; 136) that converts a relative rotation between the first and second rotors into an axial linear movement between the first and second rotors that is used for changing a distance between a vehicle body part and a corresponding end of a suspension spring in a vehicle height adjusting system (9; 109).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Takehiko Hakui, Hajime Hirata, Hajime Kajiwara, Kiyoshi Nakajima, Yoshimitsu Akuta, Kunimichi Hatano