Patents by Inventor Youichi Kowatari

Youichi Kowatari 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: 20140375814
    Abstract: This invention discloses an around surveillance device for an automotive industrial machine to display camera images taken by plural cameras disposed on the automotive industrial machine having a display controller which comprises a view point convertor to convert the view point of the camera images to upper view point to create a bird's eye image, an image selector one or more images to be displayed on the monitor from a plural number of camera images and the bird's eye image, an image composite devise to compose an icon to indicate the position of the camera to be selected image from the image selector, and an image creator to create an composite image of the image composited said icon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Hidefumi Ishimoto, Youichi Kowatari, Yoshihiro Inanobe, Eitaro Ito, Kenta Tsukijishin, Takaaki Ishii
  • Patent number: 8494733
    Abstract: A prime mover rotation speed control system for hydraulically driven vehicle includes: a hydraulic pump driven by a prime mover; a hydraulic motor for traveling driven with pressure oil supplied from the hydraulic pump; an operation member that outputs a travel command in accordance with an amount of operation by the operation member; a flow control device that controls one of a flow of the pressure oil from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor and a flow rate of the pressure oil discharged from the hydraulic motor, based on the travel command that is output in accordance with the amount of operation by the operation member; a target rotation number outputting device that outputs a target rotation number of the prime mover based on a command; a rotation number control device that controls a rotation number of the prime mover to be the target rotation number; a vehicle speed detection device that detects a vehicle speed; and a vehicle speed calculation device that calculates a target vehicle speed in acco
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Kodaka, Hidetoshi Satake, Youichi Kowatari, Yuuki Gotou, Kazuhiro Ichimura
  • Patent number: 8424298
    Abstract: A pump torque control system is capable of preventing hunting due to interference between speed sensing control and control of an engine speed of a prime mover when the temperature of a hydraulic fluid is low. A maximum absorption torque is set in a regulator 31 that controls displacement volumes of hydraulic pumps 2 and 3 based on a deviation between target and actual engine speeds of a prime mover 1. A second modification factor calculating section 45 and a control gain modifying section 49, which are included in a controller 23 that performs speed sensing control to ensure that the maximum absorption torque of the hydraulic pumps 2 and 3 is reduced, change a control gain of the speed sensing control based on a value detected by the hydraulic temperature sensor 34 to ensure that the control gain is reduced as the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuei Ariga, Kouji Ishikawa, Hideo Karasawa, Yasuo Okano, Kazunori Nakamura, Youichi Kowatari
  • Patent number: 8359140
    Abstract: A pedal lock control device for work vehicle includes: a motor driving device that drives a travel hydraulic motor in response to an operation amount of a travel pedal; a locking device that locks the travel pedal in a state of being operated; an instruction device that instructs lock and unlock of the travel pedal by the locking device upon an operation by an operator; a first detection device that detects a first signal change according to an unlock operation which is an operation that reflects an intention of an operator to release the locking device and is other than an unlock operation by the instruction device; a second detection device that detects a second signal change according to an unlock operation which is an operation that reflects an intention of an operator to release the locking device and is other than the unlock operation by the instruction device, with the second signal change being different from the first signal change; and a lock control device that unlocks the locking device when an un
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Kodaka, Hidetoshi Satake, Youichi Kowatari, Yuuki Gotou, Kazuhiro Ichimura
  • Patent number: 8355846
    Abstract: A pedal lock control device for work vehicle includes: a motor driving device that drives a travel hydraulic motor according to an operation amount of a travel pedal; a locking device that locks the travel pedal in a state of being operated; an instruction device that instructs lock and unlock of the travel pedal by the locking device upon an operation by an operator; a lock intention detection device that detects an intention of an operator to permit lock of the travel pedal; and a lock control device that locks the travel pedal by the locking device when an intention of the operator to permit lock is detected by the lock intention detection device and lock of the travel pedal is instructed by the instruction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Kodaka, Hidetoshi Satake, Youichi Kowatari, Yuuki Gotou, Kazuhiro Ichimura
  • Patent number: 7970522
    Abstract: A work machine gear shifting control system provides gear shifting conditions for an automatic gear shifting mode in accordance with work site conditions. An area 62 of a display device 49 displays a permissible velocity setting range and setup operation guidance, and another area 64 shows guidance to indicate whether the setting is acceptable or unacceptable. When the traveling velocity falls within the permissible velocity setting range, the displayed guidance changes to indicate that the setting is acceptable. When, in this instance, an operator presses a setup switch 23 with desired timing, a transmission gear shifting control section 45 acquires the prevailing vehicle velocity and velocity ratio (or vehicle velocity), and stores adjustment values in an adjustment value storage section 43 so that the vehicle velocity and velocity ratio become the gear shifting control threshold values for normal gear shifting control (steps S535 to S545).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tsukada, Kazunori Nakamura, Youichi Kowatari, Masaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 7912616
    Abstract: A work machine gear shifting control device is capable of readily identifying the cause of failure in learning the clutch hydraulic pressure for operating a transmission clutch. A transmission gear shifting control section 46 is provided for each of clutches 61-65, and performs a learning process in which each of a plurality of handling processes learns the clutch hydraulic pressure for each of the clutches 61-65 and determines the clutch hydraulic pressure characteristic values for operating the individual clutches. Further, the transmission gear shifting control section 46 performs a learning monitoring process in each of the plurality of handling processes to formulate an error judgment, which indicates whether learning has failed in each of the plurality of subprocesses, and displays the result of the judgment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tsukada, Youichi Kowatari, Kazunori Nakamura, Masaki Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20100274436
    Abstract: A pedal lock control device for work vehicle includes : a motor driving device that drives a travel hydraulic motor in response to an operation amount of a travel pedal; a locking device that locks the travel pedal in a state of being operated; an instruction device that instructs lock and unlock of the travel pedal by the locking device upon an operation by an operator; a first detection device that detects a first signal change according to an unlock operation which is an operation that reflects an intention of an operator to release the locking device and is other than an unlock operation by the instruction device; a second detection device that detects a second signal change according to an unlock operation which is an operation that reflects an intention of an operator to release the locking device and is other than the unlock operation by the instruction device, with the second signal change being different from the first signal change; and a lock control device that unlocks the locking device when an u
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Kodaka, Hidetoshi Satake, Youichi Kowatari, Yuuki Gotou, Kazuhiro Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20100217492
    Abstract: A pedal lock control device for work vehicle includes: a motor driving device that drives a travel hydraulic motor according to an operation amount of a travel pedal; a locking device that locks the travel pedal in a state of being operated; an instruction device that instructs lock and unlock of the travel pedal by the locking device upon an operation by an operator; a lock intention detection device that detects an intention of an operator to permit lock of the travel pedal; and a lock control device that locks the travel pedal by the locking device when an intention of the operator to permit lock is detected by the lock intention detection device and lock of the travel pedal is instructed by the instruction device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Kodaka, Hidetoshi Satake, Youichi Kowatari, Yuuki Gotou
  • Publication number: 20100186402
    Abstract: A pump torque control system is capable of preventing hunting due to interference between speed sensing control and control of an engine speed of a prime mover when the temperature of a hydraulic fluid is low. A maximum absorption torque is set in a regulator 31 that controls displacement volumes of hydraulic pumps 2 and 3 based on a deviation between target and actual engine speeds of a prime mover 1. A second modification factor calculating section 45 and a control gain modifying section 49, which are included in a controller 23 that performs speed sensing control to ensure that the maximum absorption torque of the hydraulic pumps 2 and 3 is reduced, change a control gain of the speed sensing control based on a value detected by the hydraulic temperature sensor 34 to ensure that the control gain is reduced as the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuei Ariga, Kouji Ishikawa, Hideo Karasawa, Yasuo Okano, Kazunori Nakamura, Youichi Kowatari
  • Publication number: 20100106382
    Abstract: A prime mover rotation speed control system for hydraulically driven vehicle includes: a hydraulic pump driven by a prime mover; a hydraulic motor for traveling driven with pressure oil supplied from the hydraulic pump; an operation member that outputs a travel command in accordance with an amount of operation by the operation member; a flow control device that controls one of a flow of the pressure oil from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor and a flow rate of the pressure oil discharged from the hydraulic motor, based on the travel command that is output in accordance with the amount of operation by the operation member; a target rotation number outputting device that outputs a target rotation number of the prime mover based on a command; a rotation number control device that controls a rotation number of the prime mover to be the target rotation number; a vehicle speed detection device that detects a vehicle speed; and a vehicle speed calculation device that calculates a target vehicle speed in acco
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd
    Inventors: Katsuaki Kodaka, Hidetoshi Satake, Youichi Kowatari, Yuuki Gotou, Kazuhiro Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20100004834
    Abstract: A work machine gear shifting control device is capable of readily identifying the cause of failure in learning the clutch hydraulic pressure for operating a transmission clutch. A transmission gear shifting control section 46 is provided for each of clutches 61-65, and performs a learning process in which each of a plurality of handling processes learns the clutch hydraulic pressure for each of the clutches 61-65 and determines the clutch hydraulic pressure characteristic values for operating the individual clutches. Further, the transmission gear shifting control section 46 performs a learning monitoring process in each of the plurality of handling processes to formulate an error judgment, which indicates whether learning has failed in each of the plurality of subprocesses, and displays the result of the judgment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tsukada, Youichi Kowatari, Kazunori Nakamura, Masaki Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20090055062
    Abstract: A work machine gear shifting control system provides gear shifting conditions for an automatic gear shifting mode in accordance with work site conditions. An area 62 of a display device 49 displays a permissible velocity setting range and setup operation guidance, and another area 64 shows guidance to indicate whether the setting is acceptable or unacceptable. When the traveling velocity falls within the permissible velocity setting range, the displayed guidance changes to indicate that the setting is acceptable. When, in this instance, an operator presses a setup switch 23 with desired timing, a transmission gear shifting control section 45 acquires the prevailing vehicle velocity and velocity ratio (or vehicle velocity), and stores adjustment values in an adjustment value storage section 43 so that the vehicle velocity and velocity ratio become the gear shifting control threshold values for normal gear shifting control (steps S535 to S545).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tsukada, Kazunori Nakamura, Youichi Kowatari, Masaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6101456
    Abstract: A control system wherein a reverse characteristic having a reverse input/output relationship to a target input/output characteristic of a control object, is preset, and a target value for an output of the control object is calculated. A command signal corresponding to the target value then is determined based on the preset reverse characteristic, and the command signal is output to the control object. The control system includes first means for calculating a command signal corresponding to a given target value for the output of the control object based on the preset reverse characteristic, outputting the command signal to the control object, measuring an output of the control object and estimating a deviation between an actual input/output characteristic of the control object and the target input/output characteristic therefor, and storing data on the deviation between the input/output characteristics as learning correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichi Kowatari, Toichi Hirata, Hidefumi Takegahara, Tsukasa Toyooka, Kouji Ishikawa, Genroku Sugiyama, Shigehiro Yoshinaga
  • Patent number: 5934879
    Abstract: An engine torque, which corresponds to a target engine speed inputted in a controller, is determined by a functional computing function unit. A torque correction value is added to the engine torque, followed by the multiplication with a constant. The product is divided by a pump delivery pressure to determine a pump displacement. A target tilting corresponding to this value is determined by another functional computing function unit, and is then compared with another target tilting which has been determined from a negative control pressure. The smaller one is selected and is outputted as a target tilting. The torque correction value is set at an EEPROM through an input device as desired. Selection of a negative value as the torque correction value makes it possible to prevent occurrence of stalling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Konno, Toichi Hirata, Genroku Sugiyama, Shigehiro Yoshinaga, Youichi Kowatari, Kouji Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5890303
    Abstract: A pilot pressure sensor detects a pilot pressure from an arm operating unit and outputs a pilot pressure signal. A drive signal corresponding to the pilot pressure signal is then outputted from a controller to a solenoid-operated proportional valve. Through the solenoid-operated proportional valve, a pilot pressure is fed to an auxiliary selector valve so that an opening of said auxiliary selector valve becomes greater. Of pressure oil delivered from a first hydraulic pump, a flow rate of the pressure oil to be branched to a side of a by-pass circuit is hence increased. The pressure oil fed through the by-pass circuit passes through a merging directional control valve and is caused to merge with pressure oil fed from a second hydraulic pump. The thus-merged pressure oil is then fed to a hydraulic arm cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Ishikawa, Toichi Hirata, Genroku Sugiyama, Tsukasa Toyooka, Youichi Kowatari
  • Patent number: 5848531
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a construction machine includes a hydraulic pump driven by a prime mover, actuators driven by a hydraulic fluid delivered from the hydraulic pump, flow control valves for controlling flow of the hydraulic fluid to the actuators and operation means for operating the flow control valves. A relief value sets a relief pressure for limiting the maximum delivery pressure of the hydraulic pump and relief pressure change means increase or decrease the relief pressure set by the relief valve. The relief pressure change means automatically increase or decrease the relief pressure in accordance with the input amount of the operation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Toichi Hirata, Genroku Sugiyama, Tsukasa Toyooka, Youichi Kowatari, Kouji Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5813311
    Abstract: A controller 520 has a data portion 520c in which the relationship between a pump delivery pressure and a target opening area of a variable throttle 300a of a control valve 300 is set such that the target opening area is large when the pump delivery pressure is low, and small when the pump delivery pressure is high. An input portion 520a takes in a detection signal from a pump pressure sensor 700, a processing portion 520b reads the data from the data portion 520c and calculates a signal output to a solenoid proportional valve 590, and an output portion 520d converts the calculated signal into a command signal for the solenoid proportional valve 590 and outputs the command signal. Upon receiving the command signal from the controller 520, the solenoid proportional valve 590 produces a command pilot pressure for the control valve 300 corresponding to the input signal and controls the opening area of the variable throttle 300a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Toyooka, Toichi Hirata, Genroku Sugiyama, Shigehiro Yoshinaga, Kouji Ishikawa, Youichi Kowatari, Tsuyoshi Nakamura