Patents by Inventor Yoshimitsu Yokouchi

Yoshimitsu Yokouchi 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: 11479119
    Abstract: The controller is programmed to perform first control that controls a driving force distributor such as to decrease a distribution rate upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition that a frequency of at least one rotation fluctuation of an output member of the drive system, a main drive wheel and a sub drive wheel is within a predetermined area, compared with the distribution rate upon non-satisfaction of the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Satake, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Hiroki Saito
  • Publication number: 20210101481
    Abstract: The controller is programmed to perform first control that controls a driving force distributor such as to decrease a distribution rate upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition that a frequency of at least one rotation fluctuation of an output member of the drive system, a main drive wheel and a sub drive wheel is within a predetermined area, compared with the distribution rate upon non-satisfaction of the predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo SATAKE, Yoshimitsu YOKOUCHI, Hiroki SAITO
  • Patent number: 10300780
    Abstract: A support structure for rotating shafts of a vehicle, including: a drive shaft operatively connected to a power transmitting shaft to which a drive force of an engine is transmitted; and a rotor shaft of an electric motor spline-coupled to the drive shaft, each of the rotor shaft of the electric motor and the drive shaft is being supported by at least one bearing, in the support structure, one of the rotor shaft and the drive shaft is constituted by a first rotary shaft and a second rotary shaft which are operatively connected to each other, and an elastic member is interposed between the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft such that the first and second rotary shafts are operatively spline-connected to each other through the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Hiroki Kuwamoto, Haruo Isomura, Akitaka Ichikawa, Hiroatsu Endo
  • Publication number: 20180257476
    Abstract: A support structure for rotating shafts of a vehicle, including: a drive shaft operatively connected to a power transmitting shaft to which a drive force of an engine is transmitted; and a rotor shaft of an electric motor spline-coupled to the drive shaft, each of the rotor shaft of the electric motor and the drive shaft is being supported by at least one bearing, in the support structure, one of the rotor shaft and the drive shaft is constituted by a first rotary shaft and a second rotary shaft which are operatively connected to each other, and an elastic member is interposed between the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft such that the first and second rotary shafts are operatively spline-connected to each other through the elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu YOKOUCHI, Hiroki KUWAMOTO, Haruo ISOMURA, Akitaka ICHIKAWA, Hiroatsu ENDO
  • Patent number: 10017041
    Abstract: A power transmission structure of a vehicle, which is provided with a first rotor, a second rotor, and a metallic cylinder. In this power transmission structure, the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft receive reaction force from the cylindrical metallic member in radially opposite directions. The cylindrical metallic member is deformable elastically in a radial direction and press-fitted in a part where the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft of a second electric motor overlap each other in the radial direction adjacent to a spline fitting part of the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft. Therefore, misalignment between the axis of the reduction shaft and the axis of the second rotor shaft is restrained, and generation of tooth hitting sound is thus restrained. Since the cylindrical metallic member has high rigidity and is restrained from being deformed in a rotation direction, responsiveness of torque transmission is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Ichikawa, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Masataka Sugiyama, Haruo Isomura, Hiroki Kuwamoto
  • Publication number: 20160311305
    Abstract: A power transmission structure of a vehicle, which is provided with a first rotor, a second rotor, and a metallic cylinder. In this power transmission structure, the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft receive reaction force from the cylindrical metallic member in radially opposite directions. The cylindrical metallic member is deformable elastically in a radial direction and press-fitted in a part where the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft of a second electric motor overlap each other in the radial direction adjacent to a spline fitting part of the reduction shaft and the second rotor shaft. Therefore, misalignment between the axis of the reduction shaft and the axis of the second rotor shaft is restrained, and generation of tooth hitting sound is thus restrained. Since the cylindrical metallic member has high rigidity and is restrained from being deformed in a rotation direction, responsiveness of torque transmission is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka ICHIKAWA, Yoshimitsu YOKOUCHI, Masataka SUGIYAMA, Haruo ISOMURA, Hiroki KUWAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9132832
    Abstract: A vehicle power transmission device is disposed on a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric motor, the vehicle power transmission device includes a first member having one of outer circumferential teeth disposed around one axial center or inner circumferential teeth meshing with the outer circumferential teeth and a second member having the other teeth, the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth meshes with each other to limit relative rotation around the one axial center between the first member and the second member, the relative rotation between the first member and the second member is limited to transmit torque of the electric motor to drive wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Ichikawa, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Masahiro Kojima, Ryuji Ibaraki, Michitaka Tsuchida, Shinichiro Suenaga, Hiromichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9102319
    Abstract: A vehicle power transmission device is disposed on a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric motor, the vehicle power transmission device includes a first member having one of outer circumferential teeth disposed around one axial center or inner circumferential teeth meshing with the outer circumferential teeth and a second member having the other teeth, the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth meshes with each other to limit relative rotation around the one axial center between the first member and the second member, the relative rotation between the first member and the second member is limited to transmit torque of the electric motor to drive wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Ichikawa, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Masahiro Kojima, Ryuji Ibaraki, Michitaka Tsuchida, Shinichiro Suenaga, Hiromichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8909403
    Abstract: A powertrain includes: an engine provided with a plurality of cylinders; a first motor generator coupled to an output shaft of the engine; and an ECU for controlling them. When misfire in the engine is detected, the output shaft of the engine is rotated by driving the first motor generator with ignition and supply of fuel to the engine being suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Kenji Miyasaka, Tetsuo Hori, Hideto Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8909401
    Abstract: HV-ECU executes a program including a step of executing rattling noise avoidance control when an engine operating point falls within a rattling noise producing range and when a requested torque Treq2 falls within the rattling noise producing range, and a step of executing normal control when the engine operating point does not fall within the rattling noise producing range or when the requested torque Treq2 does not fall within the rattling noise producing range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Tetsuo Hori, Hideto Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140335998
    Abstract: A vehicle power transmission device is disposed on a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric motor, the vehicle power transmission device includes a first member having one of outer circumferential teeth disposed around one axial center or inner circumferential teeth meshing with the outer circumferential teeth and a second member having the other teeth, the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth meshes with each other to limit relative rotation around the one axial center between the first member and the second member, the relative rotation between the first member and the second member is limited to transmit torque of the electric motor to drive wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Ichikawa, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Masahiro Kojima, Ryuji Ibaraki, Michitaka Tsuchida, Shinichiro Suenaga, Hiromichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8645037
    Abstract: When the condition for starting an engine (50) is satisfied, the controller (90) executes the lock switching control in which the wheels (88) are forcibly locked by the brake device (86) and the parking lock mechanism (200) is released to unlock the driveshaft (step S4, step S5), and then the controller (90) executes the cranking control (step S6) in which the engine (50) is started by the motor-generator (MG1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Kato, Hideto Watanabe, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Kunio Takeda, Masayuki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130190962
    Abstract: A powertrain includes: an engine provided with a plurality of cylinders; a first motor generator coupled to an output shaft of the engine; and an ECU for controlling them. When misfire in the engine is detected, the output shaft of the engine is rotated by driving the first motor generator with ignition and supply of fuel to the engine being suspended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Kenji Miyasaka, Tetsuo Hori, Hideto Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8414404
    Abstract: In this damper mechanism, when small fluctuations in torque input to the damper mechanism occur, small hysteresis torque is produced as a result of pressure contact between a radial plate and a first friction section. Consequently, the small torque fluctuations can be damped between the radial plate and the first friction region of the damper mechanism and can be output to an input shaft. In addition, along the direction of relative rotation of an annular plate and the radial plate, the friction coefficients of the annular plate and the radial plate become larger as the torsion angles of both plates become larger. Therefore, even when torque fluctuations become large, the hysteresis torque can be produced in accordance with the magnitude of the torque fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsushi Takenaka, Yuichi Miwa, Taku Harada, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Takeshi Miyagawa, Koji Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20130073134
    Abstract: HV-ECU executes a program including a step of executing rattling noise avoidance control when an engine operating point falls within a rattling noise producing range and when a requested torque Treq2 falls within the rattling noise producing range, and a step of executing normal control when the engine operating point does not fall within the rattling noise producing range or when the requested torque Treq2 does not fall within the rattling noise producing range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Tetsuo Hori, Hideto Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8180510
    Abstract: A hybrid control controller stores vehicle speed influence values that have been set according to vehicle speeds, a first threshold value of a sum value of the vehicle speed influence values, a second threshold value lower than the first threshold value, and an engine start reference vehicle speed, and during EV running, sums the vehicle speed influence values from moment to moment. The hybrid control controller starts the engine in a case where the sum value is no less than the first threshold value, and in a case where the sum value is no less than the second threshold value and the vehicle speed is no more than an engine start reference vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Hideto Watanabe, Kunio Takeda, Masayuki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120115619
    Abstract: In this damper mechanism, when small fluctuations in torque input to the damper mechanism occur, small hysteresis torque is produced as a result of pressure contact between a radial plate and a first friction section. Consequently, the small torque fluctuations can be damped between the radial plate and the first friction region of the damper mechanism and can be output to an input shaft. In addition, along the direction of relative rotation of an annular plate and the radial plate, the friction coefficients of the annular plate and the radial plate become larger as the torsion angles of both plates become larger. Therefore, even when torque fluctuations become large, the hysteresis torque can be produced in accordance with the magnitude of the torque fluctuations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsushi Takenaka, Yuichi Miwa, Taku Harada, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Takeshi Miyagawa, Koji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8038569
    Abstract: A transmission includes: a plurality of rotating elements interposed between a driving source and an output portion; a rotating member that rotatably supports one of the rotating elements and is formed at a radially outer portion thereof with a plurality of recesses or protrusions; a support member having a surface, that is facing the rotating member, and a plurality of protrusions or recesses that are formed in a radially inner portion thereof and engage with the recesses or protrusions of the rotating member, the rotating member being mounted in the support member such that the rotating member is not able to rotate; and a friction producing mechanism that is provided between the rotating member and the above-indicated surface of the support member and is arranged to produce a frictional force between the rotating member and the surface of the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Hideto Watanabe, Kunio Takeda, Masayuki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100286883
    Abstract: When the condition for starting an engine (50) is satisfied, the controller (90) executes the lock switching control in which the wheels (88) are forcibly locked by the brake device (86) and the parking lock mechanism (200) is released to unlock the driveshaft (step S4, step S5), and then the controller (90) executes the cranking control (step S6) in which the engine (50) is started by the motor-generator (MG1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hajime Kato, Hideto Watanabe, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Kunio Takeda, Masayuki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100262322
    Abstract: A hybrid control controller stores vehicle speed influence values that have been set according to vehicle speeds, a first threshold value of a sum value of the vehicle speed influence values, a second threshold value lower than the first threshold value, and an engine start reference vehicle speed, and during EV running, sums the vehicle speed influence values from moment to moment. The hybrid control controller starts the engine in a case where the sum value is no less than the first threshold value, and in a case where the sum value is no less than the second threshold value and the vehicle speed is no more than an engine start reference vehicle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Hideto Watanabe, Kunio Takeda, Masayuki Tanaka