Patents by Inventor Yukitsugu Hirota

Yukitsugu Hirota 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: 7694602
    Abstract: An automatic transmission apparatus (1) for a vehicle includes: a shift lever (11) for changing the range of an automatic transmission (50); a position gate (13) which restricts the position of the shift lever (11) and which releases the restriction to allow the position of the shift lever (11) to be changed when an operation button (14) provided on the shift lever (11) is pressed; a torque sensor (30) which detects an operation force of the shift lever (11); and a motor (M) for power-assisting the operation of the shift lever (11) based on a detected value of the torque sensor (30), wherein, when the shift lever (11) is operated and brought into contact with the position gate (13), and the detected value of the torque sensor (30) is reversed to any one of a positive value and a negative value, a driving force of the motor (M) is limited to prevent the shift lever (11) from being power-assisted in a reversed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Nagano, Yuzou Shimamura, Yukitsugu Hirota, Hitoshi Kidokoro
  • Publication number: 20090082932
    Abstract: A control unit 3 of a select assist device includes a start halt judging part 31 for judging a start halt by comparing a relative displacement amount and a start threshold value, a target relative displacement amount part 32 for setting a target relative displacement amount so that it is set to be a predetermined value when an assist actuator starts and then it is gradually decreased toward zero, and a drive command value computing part 33 for computing a drive command value so that approximate the relative displacement amount to the target relative displacement amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2006
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Shinya Kobayashi, Yukitsugu Hirota, Masaharu Nagano, Kensuke Osamura
  • Publication number: 20090072792
    Abstract: An internal-state estimating device of a secondary battery has an electric current detecting means, a secondary-battery terminal voltage detecting means, a running state judging means, an electric-current random-noise impressing means and a secondary-battery internal-state estimating means. The electric current detecting means detects an electric current for a vehicle drive motor and a load-motor as one of a total current thereof and each current thereof. The running state judging means judges a substantially constant vehicle-speed running state of a motor vehicle. The electric-current random-noise impressing means superimposes a random noise on a load-motor electric current when the running state judging means judges the substantially constant vehicle-speed running state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Shinya Kobayashi, Yukitsugu Hirota, Toru Aoki
  • Publication number: 20090030583
    Abstract: An operation range selection mechanism of an automatic transmission 100 according to the present invention includes an input operation force detector 21 that detects an operation force generated by an operation applied to a select lever 2, an assist actuator 9 that adds an assist force to the select lever 2 to carry out an operation assist for the select lever 2, and an assist force control device 22 that controls the assist actuator 9 to start the operation assist for the select lever 2 upon the value of the operation force detected by the input operation force detector 21 being equal to or more than a predetermined value. The assist force control device 22 stops the operation assist upon the operation force being less than the predetermined value or the select lever 2 having reached a predetermined position, and then temporarily sets the predetermined value to a higher value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Yuzo Shimamura, Yukitsugu Hirota, Masaharu Nagano, Hitoshi Kidokoro
  • Patent number: 7426881
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, a mechanically connecting means connecting them, and an assist actuator to assist a select lever. A control unit that controls the actuator is electrically connected to an operating position sensor detecting an operating position of the select lever and an operating force sensor detecting operating force acting on the lever. The control unit has an improper halt detecting part detecting the improper halt of the lever between the select positions and an improper halt preventing part preventing the lever from being kept halted improperly between the select positions to provide the lever with adjustment force so that the lever moves to one of the select positions when the improper halt of the select lever is detected during select operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Kozu, Masaharu Nagano, Yukitsugu Hirota, Mitsuo Kikkawa, Yuichi Tanii, Hiroyuki Ikari, Takehiro Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20080016978
    Abstract: An automatic transmission apparatus (1) for a vehicle includes: a shift lever (11) for changing the range of an automatic transmission (50); a position gate (13) which restricts the position of the shift lever (11) and which releases the restriction to allow the position of the shift lever (11) to be changed when an operation button (14) provided on the shift lever (11) is pressed; a torque sensor (30) which detects an operation force of the shift lever (11); and a motor (M) for power-assisting the operation of the shift lever (11) based on a detected value of the torque sensor (30), wherein, when the shift lever (11) is operated and brought into contact with the position gate (13), and the detected value of the torque sensor (30) is reversed to any one of a positive value and a negative value, a driving force of the motor (M) is limited to prevent the shift lever (11) from being power-assisted in a reversed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., CALSONIC KANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Nagano, Yuzou Shimamura, Yukitsugu Hirota, Hitoshi Kidokoro
  • Patent number: 7313980
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, and an assist actuator controlled by a control unit. A first connecting member of the select lever and a second connecting member of the mode shift unit are relatively movable to a limit amount to each other and integrally movable beyond the limit amount with each other. The positions of the members are detected by an operating position sensor and an assist position sensor, respectively. The actuator is driven so that a difference between an operating position and an assist position may be reduced, but prohibited from driving when the difference is kept out of a permissible range for a predetermined period during rest of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Otsuka, Yukitsugu Hirota, Kensuke Osamura, Masaharu Nagano, Shinya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7243567
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, a mechanically connecting means connecting them, and an assist actuator to apply assist force to a select lever of the select lever unit. A control unit for controlling the actuator is electrically connected to an operating state sensor detecting an operating state of the select lever. The control unit executes assist control to control the assist actuator based on the operating state signal of the operating state sensor, and maintains the assist control for a predetermined period after the ignition switch is turned to OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Kensuke Osamura, Yukitsugu Hirota, Yuzo Shimamura, Masaharu Nagano
  • Patent number: 7194927
    Abstract: An operating position select device for an automatic transmission has a select lever unit having a select lever operated by a driver; a mode shift unit mounted on the automatic transmission to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission; a first and second control cables and others for mechanically connecting the select lever and the mode shift unit, and an actuator for outputting assist torque to shift the mode shift unit. An operating angle sensor detects an operating angle of the select lever and an assist angle sensor detects an assist angle of the assist actuator. A control unit controls a drive current supplied to the assist actuator based on the operating angle and the assist angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Kozu, Yukitsugu Hirota, Eiji Yamatani
  • Publication number: 20060094565
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, and an assist actuator controlled by a control unit. A first connecting member of a select lever and a second connecting member of the mode shift unit are relatively movable to a limit amount to each other and integrally movable beyond the limit amount with each other. The actuator is controlled to decrease a relative displacement of the members. When the turn-on of an ignition key is detected, a start-up threshold value is used for judging the assist control and set larger than a normal value for a predetermined period to prevent miss-assist control when a driver touches the lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Yutaka Sato, Kensuke Osamura, Yukitsugu Hirota
  • Publication number: 20060081085
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, and an assist actuator controlled by a control unit. A first connecting member of the select lever and a second connecting member of the mode shift unit are relatively movable to a limit amount to each other and integrally movable beyond the limit amount with each other. The positions of the members are detected by an operating position sensor and an assist position sensor, respectively. The actuator is driven so that a difference between an operating position and an assist position may be reduced, but prohibited from driving when the difference is kept out of a permissible range for a predetermined period during rest of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Takashi Otsuka, Yukitsugu Hirota, Kensuke Osamura, Masaharu Nagano, Shinya Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20060011003
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, a mechanically connecting means connecting them, and an assist actuator controlled be a control unit to assist a select lever. The control unit includes an improper-halt judging part for judging an improper halt of the lever based on an operating position, a basic target reaction-force setting part for setting a basic target reaction-force based on the operating position, a target reaction-force compensating part for computing a reaction-force compensation-amount based on the improper-halt state and the operating position, a target reaction-force computing part for computing a target reaction-force based on the basic target reaction-force and reaction-force compensation-amount, and an assist force computing part for computing an assist force based on the target reaction-force and operating force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Kensuke Osamura, Yukitsugu Hirota, Yuzo Shimamura, Masaharu Nagano
  • Publication number: 20050257637
    Abstract: An operating position select device includes a select lever unit having a select lever, an operating position sensor detecting an operating position of the lever, a mode shift unit of an automatic transmission, a shift position sensor detecting a shift position of the mode shift unit. A mechanically connecting means connects the lever and the mode shift unit. A control unit controls an assist actuator arranged between the lever and the mode shift unit for assisting the lever. The connecting means has a torque transmittable adjuster at its intermediate part, and it has play for changing its length and an elastic member disposed into the play so as to transmit force through the torque transmittable adjuster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Inventors: Kensuke Osamura, Yukitsugu Hirota
  • Publication number: 20050247154
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, a mechanically connecting means connecting them, and an assist actuator to assist a select lever. A control unit that controls the actuator is electrically connected to an operating position sensor detecting an operating position of the select lever and an operating velocity detector detecting operating velocity of the lever. The control unit includes a target reaction-force characteristic setting part, a feedback control part determining feedback assist force by multiplying gain by a variation between target reaction force obtained based on the target operating reaction-force characteristic and the operating force obtained based on the operating force signal, and a gain changing part that changes gain used for determining the feedback assist force based on the operating speed signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Kensuke Osamura, Yukitsugu Hirota, Yuzo Shimamura, Masaharu Nagano
  • Publication number: 20050176555
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, a mechanically connecting means connecting them, and an assist actuator to apply assist force to a select lever of the select lever unit. A control unit for controlling the actuator is electrically connected to an operating state sensor detecting an operating state of the select lever. The control unit executes assist control to control the assist actuator based on the operating state signal of the operating state sensor, and maintains the assist control for a predetermined period after the ignition switch is turned to OFF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Kensuke Osamura, Yukitsugu Hirota, Yuzo Shimamura, Masaharu Nagano
  • Publication number: 20050160849
    Abstract: An operating position select device has a select lever unit, a mode shift unit to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, a mechanically connecting means connecting them, and an assist actuator to assist a select lever. A control unit that controls the actuator is electrically connected to an operating position sensor detecting an operating position of the select lever and an operating force sensor detecting operating force acting on the lever. The control unit has an improper halt detecting part detecting the improper halt of the lever between the select positions and an improper halt preventing part preventing the lever from being kept halted improperly between the select positions to provide the lever with adjustment force so that the lever moves to one of the select positions when the improper halt of the select lever is detected during select operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Tadao Kozu, Masaharu Nagano, Yukitsugu Hirota, Mitsuo Kikkawa, Yuichi Tanii, Hiroyuki Ikari, Takehiro Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20050081670
    Abstract: An operating position select device for an automatic transmission has a select lever unit having a select lever operated by a driver; a mode shift unit mounted on the automatic transmission to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission; a first and second control cables and others for mechanically connecting the select lever and the mode shift unit, and an actuator for outputting assist torque to shift the mode shift unit. An operating angle sensor detects an operating angle of the select lever and an assist angle sensor detects an assist angle of the assist actuator. A control unit controls a drive current supplied to the assist actuator based on the operating angle and the assist angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Tadao Kozu, Yukitsugu Hirota, Eiji Yamatani
  • Publication number: 20050066759
    Abstract: An operating position select device for an automatic transmission has a select lever unit having a select lever, a mode shift unit mounted on the automatic transmission to shift operation modes of the automatic transmission, a first and second control cables and others for mechanically connecting the select lever and the mode shift unit, and an actuator for outputting assist torque to shift the mode shift unit. An operating angle sensor detects an operating angle of the select lever and an assist angle sensor detects an assist angle of the assist actuator. A control unit computes a non-coupling amount of the control cables and others to determine a compensation amount and controls drive current supplied to the assist actuator based on the operating angle, the assist angle, and the compensation amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventors: Yukitsugu Hirota, Takashi Otsuka
  • Patent number: 5629704
    Abstract: In a radar target position detecting apparatus, beams (, for example, light beams) irradiated from a transmitter(, for example, LED) have a predetermined divergence angle, a plurality of light (beam) receiving elements such as photodiode arrays each having a different receiving angle (directivity) are arranged in an array form, and a direction of a reflected wave (beam) is identified according to a position of the arrayed beam (wave) receiving elements in the array at which the reflected wave (beam) is captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kraisorn Throngnumchai, Teruyoshi Mihara, Hiroshige Fukuhara, Yukitsugu Hirota
  • Patent number: 5184204
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which the breakdown voltages of the cell unit and the guard ring can easily be matched, and the surge endurance of the device can be improved. This semiconductor device includes a guard ring region surrounding the cell diffusion layers which is formed from an array of a plurality of guard ring cells, where each of the guard ring cells is identical to each of the cell diffusion layers and the guard ring cells are electrically connected mutually, so that the diffusion depths of each of the cells of the guard ring region and the cell diffusion layers are identical, and consequently the breakdown voltages for the guard ring region and the cell diffusion layers can be made equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruyoshi Mihara, Tsutomu Matsushita, Kenji Yao, Masakatsu Hoshi, Yutaka Enokido, Yukitsugu Hirota