Patents by Inventor Yuji Nishi

Yuji Nishi 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: 20230131177
    Abstract: An estimation device configured to estimate a charge rate of a battery includes a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage of the battery, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the battery, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is connected to the voltage sensor and the temperature sensor and is configured to execute, while a vehicle is parked, an estimation process of estimating the charge rate of the battery based on a detection voltage and a detection temperature. The detection voltage is detected by the voltage sensor. The detection temperature is detected by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Miki MASUMOTO, Yuya ANDO, Yuji NISHI, Mai FUJIWARA
  • Publication number: 20230079073
    Abstract: A wire harness including an electric wire; a cover that covers an outer circumferential surface of the electric wire; and a clamp for fixing the electric wire to a vehicle body, wherein: a surface of the cover that is provided on a side opposite to the electric wire includes an uneven surface with a plurality of irregularities, and the clamp includes: an elastic member that is made of an elastic body and is brought into contact with the uneven surface; and a fixing member that presses the elastic member against the uneven surface and is fixed to the vehicle body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya MURATA, Yuji NISHI
  • Patent number: 11529912
    Abstract: A wire harness including: a wire; a cover that covers the wire; and a cushion provided between the wire and the cover, wherein: the cover is provided with a hole in an intermediate portion of the cover in an extension direction of the wire, and the cushion is provided between the hole and the wire in a first direction intersecting the extension direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Nishi, Yuki Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20220389746
    Abstract: A vehicle opening and closing body control device includes a full close control unit configured to cause first and second opening and closing bodies that are provided at an opening portion of a vehicle and execute opening and closing operations in opposite directions to execute the closing operations to a fully closed position. The full close control unit is configured to cause the second opening and closing body to execute the closing operation at an operation speed slower than that of the first opening and closing body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji NISHI, Isao HONDA, Kenta IZUMI, Takeshi NISHIKIBE
  • Publication number: 20220332240
    Abstract: A ramp-equipped vehicle includes a ramp that is provided so as to be deployable from a side portion of a vehicle body to the outside of the vehicle body, a controller that controls the operation of deploying the ramp, and a sensor that senses moving bodies present in a certain area that is away from a ramp deployment area. The controller detects the moving bodies approaching the ramp deployment area and determines the moving velocities of the moving bodies based on the results of sensing by the sensor. The controller stops the operation of deploying the ramp when, after the start of the operation of deploying the ramp, it detects the approaching moving body having a moving velocity higher than or equal to a predetermined reference velocity with which the approaching moving bodies may reach the ramp deployment area during the operation of deploying the ramp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junya FUKUTA, Kentaro OYA, Isao HONDA, Naoya ISHIDA, Chihiro DATE, Yuji NISHI, Takeshi NISHIKIBE
  • Patent number: 11433831
    Abstract: A wire harness including: a wire member; a protector that houses the wire member; a first corrugated tube that extends externally from an end of the protector and covers an outer circumference of the wire member; a second corrugated tube that is provided at a location that is on an opposite side to the protector with respect to the first corrugated tube and spaced apart from the first corrugated tube, and covers the outer circumference of the wire member; a first fixing member that fixes the wire member to the first corrugated tube and the second corrugated tube; and an exterior cover that covers the outer circumference of the wire member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Nishi, Yuki Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11325595
    Abstract: In vehicle platooning, when road surface information is received from a preceding vehicle, an ECU determines whether a specific spot on a road included in the road surface information can be avoided. That is, the ECU determines whether avoidance control can be performed. When it is determined that the avoidance control can be performed, the ECU transmits the road surface information received from the preceding vehicle to a following vehicle, and performs the avoidance control to avoid the specific spot on the road. In contrast, when it is determined that the avoidance control cannot be performed, the ECU ends a process without performing the avoidance control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayoshi Tanaka, Yuji Nishi, Tomoaki Koshikawa
  • Patent number: 11181583
    Abstract: A battery system includes a nickel hydride battery and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to store data indicating a corresponding relationship between an elapsed time from start of use of the nickel hydride battery and a memory quantity. The data are data determined in a classified manner individually for each of conditions of use that are defined in such a manner as to include an open circuit voltage and a temperature. The electronic control unit is configured to sequentially calculate, with reference to the data, the memory quantity within a time when classification of the conditions of use does not change. The memory quantity is a quantity indicating an amount of change in voltage resulting from a memory effect. The electronic control unit is configured to estimate a current memory quantity of the nickel hydride battery by integrating the calculated memory quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Takahashi, Masafumi Nose, Yuji Nishi, Nobuyasu Haga
  • Publication number: 20210291761
    Abstract: A wire harness including: a wire member; a protector that houses the wire member; a first corrugated tube that extends externally from an end of the protector and covers an outer circumference of the wire member; a second corrugated tube that is provided at a location that is on an opposite side to the protector with respect to the first corrugated tube and spaced apart from the first corrugated tube, and covers the outer circumference of the wire member; a first fixing member that fixes the wire member to the first corrugated tube and the second corrugated tube; and an exterior cover that covers the outer circumference of the wire member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji NISHI, Yuki MORIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210291759
    Abstract: A wire harness including: a wire; a cover that covers the wire; and a cushion provided between the wire and the cover, wherein: the cover is provided with a hole in an intermediate portion of the cover in an extension direction of the wire, and the cushion is provided between the hole and the wire in a first direction intersecting the extension direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji NISHI, Yuki MORIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200369269
    Abstract: In vehicle platooning, when road surface information is received from a preceding vehicle, an ECU determines whether a specific spot on a road included in the road surface information can be avoided. That is, the ECU determines whether avoidance control can be performed. When it is determined that the avoidance control can be performed, the ECU transmits the road surface information received from the preceding vehicle to a following vehicle, and performs the avoidance control to avoid the specific spot on the road. In contrast, when it is determined that the avoidance control cannot be performed, the ECU ends a process without performing the avoidance control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayoshi TANAKA, Yuji NISHI, Tomoaki KOSHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 10725108
    Abstract: [Summary] [Objective] Estimation accuracy in a battery status estimating device which estimates a charge status of a secondary battery should be improved further more. [Means for Solution] In an SOC estimation by integration of a charge-and-discharge current, influence of a sensor error cannot be disregarded, and the influence of such an error is accumulated as time passes. On the other hand, in an SOC estimation based on measured values of a battery voltage and a battery temperature, estimation accuracy largely depends on a load-generation pattern. Then, in accordance with the present invention, by mixing both, while one of them is reset based on a reliability in accordance with an operation situation and/or an input current value which will be the premise for an SOC estimate calculation in a battery model is set up based on the reliability, it becomes possible to compute an SOC estimate in high accuracy as much as possible in accordance with the operation situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Takahashi, Yuji Nishi, Nobuyasu Haga
  • Patent number: 10329829
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an opening/closing detection device, including: a plurality of sensors configured to be arranged along a predetermined portion of a mark attached to a vehicle; and a control unit configured to output an action trigger signal for instructing an opening action of an opening/closing body of the vehicle when detection signals representing a trace order of the predetermined portion are input from the plurality of sensors that detect an order of a motion of tracing the predetermined portion of the mark by a user of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seika Matsui, Takeshi Katsuda, Satoru Ishizaki, Yuji Nishi
  • Patent number: 10209319
    Abstract: A battery system includes a chargeable and dischargeable secondary battery and a controller that estimates the deterioration state or the charge state of the secondary battery. When estimating the deterioration state or the charge state, the controller uses an average ion concentration between a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The average ion concentration varies depending on an electric current flowing through the secondary battery. The average ion concentration between the electrodes can be calculated with a computing expression that includes a surface pressure of the secondary battery as a variable. The surface pressure of the secondary battery can be detected by a pressure sensor. The surface pressure of the secondary battery can also be estimated from an electric current flowing through the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kaiya, Kenji Takahashi, Yuji Nishi, Hiroki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10158241
    Abstract: An electricity storage system includes an electricity storage block including an electricity storage element for performing charging and discharging; a relay switched between an ON state in which the electric storage block is connected to a load and an OFF state in which a connection between the electricity storage block and the load is cut off; a controller for controlling the ON state and the OFF state of the relay; and a current cutoff circuit so as to cut off energization of the electricity storage block. The current cutoff circuit has an alarm circuit to indicate that the electricity storage block is in an overcharged state by comparing a voltage value of the electricity storage block and a threshold; a latch circuit retains the alarm signal; and a transistor receives an output signal of the latch circuit and switches the relay from the ON state to the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukinari Tanabe, Yuji Nishi, Hiroyuki Kaiya, Hiromasa Tanaka, Keiji Kaita, Motoi Ito
  • Patent number: 10096992
    Abstract: An electrical storage system includes an electrical storage device (10); a relay (SMR-B, SMR-G, SMR-P) switching between on/off states; a current interruption circuit (60) interrupting energization of the electrical storage device by causing the relay to switch from the on state to the off state; and a controller (30) executing drive control over the relay. The current interruption circuit includes an alarm circuit (63) outputting an alarm signal indicating overcharging/overdischarging of any one electrical storage block by comparing a voltage value of each electrical storage block with a threshold; a latch circuit (64) retaining the alarm signal; and a transistor (68) causing the relay to switch from the on state to the off state upon reception of an output signal of the latch circuit. The controller determines an energization state of the electrical storage device by executing control for turning on the relay while control for causing the alarm circuit to output the alarm signal is being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiji Kaita, Yuji Nishi, Yukinari Tanabe, Hiromasa Tanaka, Motoi Ito
  • Patent number: 10024919
    Abstract: A system for determining fixation of a relay has an electricity storage device, an electrical apparatus, a relay, a first insulation resistor, a second insulation resistor, a detection circuit, and a controller. When the relay is controlled to OFF, the controller determines, based on the voltage value detected by the detection circuit (the detected voltage value), whether or not the relay is fixed. When the detected voltage value is a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a combined resistance value and the reference resistance value, the controller determines that the relay is fixed. When the detected voltage value is a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by the first resistance value and the reference resistance value, the controller determines that the relay is not fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Nishi, Yukinari Tanabe, Hiroyuki Kaiya, Hiromasa Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9954454
    Abstract: A DC/DC converter is able to step down a voltage value of a high-voltage battery, and is able to step up a voltage value of a low-voltage battery. The low-voltage battery is a battery that provides a lower voltage value than the high-voltage battery. The DC/DC converter includes a transformer, a third diode and a reactor. The transformer includes a first coil and a second coil. The first coil is connected to the low-voltage battery. The second coil is connected to the high-voltage battery. An anode of the third diode is connected to one end of the first coil. One end of the reactor is connected to a cathode of the third diode, and the other end of the reactor is connected to a positive electrode terminal of the low-voltage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Nishi, Hiromasa Tanaka, Masanori Ishigaki, Shuji Tomura
  • Patent number: 9941712
    Abstract: An electrical storage system includes a relay switching between an on state where an electrical storage device (10) is connected to a load and an off state where connection of the electrical storage device with the load is interrupted; a controller controlling an on-off state of the relay; and a current interruption circuit (60) interrupting energization of the electrical storage device. The current interruption circuit includes an alarm circuit (63) outputting an alarm signal indicating that any one electrical storage block is in an overcharged state by comparing a voltage value of each electrical storage block with a threshold; a latch circuit (64) retaining the alarm signal; a transistor (66) causing the relay to switch from the on state to the off state upon reception of an output signal of the latch circuit; and a power supply circuit (63d) generating electric power for operating the latch circuit using electric power of the electrical storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiji Kaita, Yuji Nishi, Yukinari Tanabe, Hiromasa Tanaka, Motoi Ito
  • Patent number: 9933491
    Abstract: An electric storage system includes electric storage blocks and a controller determining the state of each of the electric storage blocks. The plurality of electric storage blocks are connected in series, and each of the electric storage blocks has a plurality of electric storage elements connected in parallel. Each of the electric storage elements has a current breaker breaking a current path within the electric storage element. The controller acquires at least one parameter of an internal resistance and a full charge capacity of each of the electric storage blocks, and uses a change rate between the acquired parameter and a reference value to specify the number of current breakers in a broken state (the number of breaks) in each of the electric storage blocks. The reference value refers to the value of the parameter in the electric storage block not including the current breaker in the broken state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Takahashi, Yuji Nishi, Hiroyuki Kaiya, Kenji Kimura