Patents by Inventor Yutaka Hotta
Yutaka Hotta 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: 20090267427Abstract: A mounting structure for a vehicle driving apparatus includes a housing fixed to a vehicle body and including a first internal space and a second internal space formed below the first internal space in the state of being separated from the first internal space; a motor generator provided in the first internal space of the housing; an inverter provided in the second internal space of the housing; and a terminal electrically connecting the motor generator and the inverter. Oil used for cooling the motor generator is stored in the bottom of the first internal space. The portion in the terminal located in the first internal space is located above the highest liquid level of the oil stored in the first internal space.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2007Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Tadafumi Yoshida, Masaki Yoshino, Yutaka Hotta
-
Publication number: 20090250272Abstract: A vehicle drive mechanism includes a power transmission mechanism which has a rotary electric motor and a gear mechanism for transmitting mechanical power from the rotary electric motor to a drive shaft disposed coaxially with an output shaft of the rotary electric motor, and a control unit formed of a plurality of elements and controlling an operation of the rotary electric motor. At least one of the elements which constitute the control unit is disposed on a periphery of at least one of the rotary electric motor, the drive shaft, and the gear mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2007Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadafumi Yoshida, Yutaka Hotta
-
Publication number: 20090130519Abstract: Ribs (41a, 43a) are formed on a cathode plate (41) and an anode plate (43) of a fuel cell (10). The ribs (41a, 43a) protrude toward a contact surface of porous members (26, 27), and provided along an outer periphery of the porous members (26, 27) to surround the outer periphery of the porous members (26, 27). The rib (41a) of the cathode plate (41) and the rib (43a) of the anode plate (43) are arranged to face each other when separator (40) and the porous members (26, 27) are stacked on both sides of a power generating portion (20). The power generating portion (20), the porous members (26, 27), and the separator (40) are stacked such that a seal gasket (30) on the power generating portion (20) is partially sandwiched between the ribs (41a, 43a).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2007Publication date: May 21, 2009Inventors: Hiromichi Sato, Takashi Kajiwara, Yutaka Hotta, Satoshi Futami
-
Publication number: 20090098434Abstract: A fuel cell including a separator (40), a porous body (27) through which reaction gas flows, and a power generating unit (20) having a built-in seal gasket, in which the porous body (27) has a prevention section (50) formed on its outer perimeter, the porosity of the prevention section (50) being lower than the porosity of the porous body (27).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2007Publication date: April 16, 2009Inventors: Seiji Sano, Takashi Kajiwara, Hiromichi Sato, Yutaka Hotta, Yoshifumi Ota, Fumishige Shizuku
-
Publication number: 20090087720Abstract: A fuel cell includes: two end plates that sandwich a cell stack from both ends thereof in a stacking direction; a side member that defines a distance between the two end plates; a connecting bolt that connects the end plates and the side member by a bolt axial force acting substantially in the stacking direction; and a stopper portion that is provided in at least one of the end plates, and that contacts a surface of the side member that extends in the stacking direction and that is located substantially opposite from the cell stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2008Publication date: April 2, 2009Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Okabe, Yutaka Hotta
-
Publication number: 20090068540Abstract: A fuel cell has a plurality of constituent members that constitute the fuel cell. The constituent members have first positioning portions and a second positioning portion that is provided on an outer peripheral portion, which are used for positioning during stacking.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomokazu Hayashi, Yutaka Hotta, Junichi Shirahama
-
Publication number: 20090004540Abstract: In a seal gasket-integrated MEA (45) in which a frame (450) having a sealing part (459) is integrally formed around a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA section 451), a high-rigidity member (458) having higher rigidity than the frame (450) is provide around a frame (450) having relatively low rigidity.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2007Publication date: January 1, 2009Inventors: Fumishige Shizuku, Seiji Sano, Takashi Kajiwara, Hiromichi Sato, Yutaka Hotta, Yoshifumi Ohta
-
Patent number: 6803142Abstract: A housing case that houses a fuel cell is provided with mounts for fixing two ends of a lower surface of an end plate that retains stacked unit cells of the fuel cell, and a mount for fixing a central portion of a lower surface of another end plate. Using these three mounts, the fuel cell is fixed to the housing case.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2002Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideyuki Tanaka, Toru Bisaka, Akira Aoto, Hiroaki Nishiumi, Yutaka Hotta, Shunichi Shibasaki, Susumu Oda
-
Patent number: 6653008Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus is formed by connecting four stacks via a supply/discharge box. A cooling water supply opening and a cooling water discharge opening are short-circuited by a cable so as to eliminate the electric potential difference therebetween. To avoid hindrance of gas flow due to water droplets, a drain port for discharging water droplets is provided near a fuel gas discharge opening of the supply/discharge box. Each stack is formed by clamping end plates disposed on opposite ends of stacked cells through the use of upper and lower tension plates. The thus-formed fuel cell apparatus is housed in an outer case that has a sealed construction for preventing penetration of foreign substances. Thus, the apparatus achieves a size reduction and an improvement in practicality.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2000Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Syuji Hirakata, Shin Nishida, Akira Aoto, Toru Bisaka, Hideyuki Tanaka, Yutaka Hotta
-
Publication number: 20020187382Abstract: A mounting structure of a vehicle body and a fuel cell assembly installed on the vehicle body, wherein a fuel-cell stack is disposed in a front portion of the vehicle body such that the direction of lamination of fuel-cells of the stack is parallel to the lateral direction of the vehicle and such that the power output portion of the stack faces generally in the lateral direction. Terminals of electrodes of the stack partially extend outwardly of the stack, through openings formed through an end plate of the stack, and the terminals are connected through a flexible bus bar to a relay attached to the end plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Inventors: Hiroaki Nishiumi, Yutaka Hotta
-
Publication number: 20020187380Abstract: A housing case that houses a fuel cell is provided with mounts for fixing two ends of a lower surface of an end plate that retains stacked unit cells of the fuel cell, and a mount for fixing a central portion of a lower surface of another end plate. Using these three mounts, the fuel cell is fixed to the housing case.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Inventors: Hideyuki Tanaka, Toru Bisaka, Akira Aoto, Hiroaki Nishiumi, Yutaka Hotta, Shunichi Shibasaki, Susumu Oda
-
Patent number: 6323613Abstract: A drive unit includes an electric motor as a power source, and a simplified coolant circuit for cooling the electric motor. The drive unit further includes, in the drive unit case, a circulation passage L for coolant for cooling the motor M. A circulation passage F for a second coolant is provided separate from the circulation passage L for coolant. A heat exchange portion C within the circulation passage L for the first coolant is provided in the drive unit case for heat exchange with the second coolant in the circulation passage F, and the first coolant for cooling the electric motor is cooled by heat transfer to the second coolant in that heat exchange portion C. Accordingly, the coolant circuit in the drive unit case is simplified.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2000Date of Patent: November 27, 2001Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Hara, Yutaka Hotta, Masayuki Takenaka, Hiromichi Agata, Kozo Yamaguchi, Takahiro Kido, Naruhiko Kutsuna
-
Patent number: 6201365Abstract: A drive unit which uses an electric motor as a power source and has an integrated inverter, with a cooling circuit for the electric motor and the inverter. The drive unit includes a drive unit case, the electric motor housed within the case, and the inverter fixed to the case. A coolant flow passage is provided between the drive unit case and the inverter. The inverter is fixed to the drive unit case through a panel wall, and a partition divides the coolant flow passage into chambers which are coextensive in parallel. As a result, the coolant which flows through the coolant flow passage acts as a two-stage heat shield, barring the heat generated by the electric motor from being transmitted to the inverter.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2000Date of Patent: March 13, 2001Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Hara, Yutaka Hotta, Masayuki Takenaka, Hiromichi Agata, Kozo Yamaguchi, Takahiro Kido, Naruhiko Kutsuna
-
Patent number: 6166498Abstract: In a drive unit for a hybrid vehicle, a generator-motor is arranged on a first axis and a drive motor is arranged on a second axis in parallel with the first axis. A drive unit casing houses the generator-motor, the drive motor, an inverter unit for the generator-motor and the drive motor and a smoothing condenser for smoothing power source voltage of the inverter unit. The inverter unit is attached to the drive unit casing and is diametrically disposed relative to the generator-motor and the drive motor. The smoothing condenser is attached to the inside of the drive unit casing from which an end portion thereof projects. The inverter unit can be attached to the drive unit casing as a subassembly. By the invention, the drive unit can be made more compact, and the wiring can be simplified.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1999Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kozo Yamaguchi, Yutaka Hotta, Takeshi Hara, Masayuki Takenaka, Koya Maki, Hiromichi Agata
-
Patent number: 5934398Abstract: A current instruct value generating section including a motor speed range determining unit for detecting a locked state of a motor; a time calculating unit for, if the locked state of the motor is detected, calculating a time required for the transistor junction temperature to reach a preset upper limit; a timer unit for setting the timer to the calculated time and counting the set time; and a current limiting unit for limiting the current instruct value when the timer times out. When the locked state of the motor is detected, the time calculating unit calculates a time required for the transistor junction temperature to reach the upper limit. When the timer counts up that time, the current limiting unit limits the current instruct value, thereby preventing concentration of excessively large loads on the transistors even when the motor is locked while the motor is being supplied with phase current.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 1996Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 5825146Abstract: A motor drive device including a substrate, a control unit packaged over the substrate for generating a pulse width modulation signal; insulation means packaged over the substrate, a gate drive circuit packaged over the substrate and connected through the insulation means with the control unit for generating a transistor drive signal in response to the pulse width modulation signal coming from the control unit, and an inverter including a plurality of transistors for generating a phase current by turning ON/OFF the transistors in response to the transistor drive signal coming from the gate driver circuit. A wiring pattern and a substrate ground are formed at the side of the substrate closer to the control unit. Only the wiring pattern is formed at the side of the substrate closer to the gate drive circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 1997Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiromichi Agata, Yoshihiko Minatani, Akira Suzuki, Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 5691611Abstract: An abnormality detecting system, for detecting an abnormality in a rotor position detector for detecting a magnetic pole position of a motor, includes a speed calculator for calculating the speed of the motor, and an abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality in the rotor position detector. A method for detecting an abnormality in rotor position includes calculating a instantaneous speed and average speed of the motor, judging whether or not the absolute value of a difference between the instantaneous speed and the average speed is greater than a set value, and, when it has been judged that the absolute value of the difference therebetween is greater than the set value, detecting an abnormality in the rotor position detecting means. A motor control system includes the rotor position detector, torque instruction value detector, a PWM signal control device, an inverter, the speed calculator, the abnormality detector, and a PW signal interrupter.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 1995Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Akira Suzuki, Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 5541494Abstract: A motor control system for an electric car includes a detector for determining when an input voltage or an output voltage of a DC power circuit falls below a respective predetermined value to operate a switching signal stopper circuit which interrupts or prevents the application of pulse width modulated (PWM) signals to current control elements switching DC currents to generate three-phase AC currents in coils of the motor. The detection of an abnormal drop in the input voltage or the output voltage indicates a malfunction causing excessive currents which could burn out the control elements and/or the power circuit in the absence of prompt interruption of the PWM switching signals.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 1994Date of Patent: July 30, 1996Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Teruo Sannomiya, Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 5365431Abstract: An electric motor vehicle having a plurality of motors mounted thereon as a driving force source includes a detector for detecting the vehicle speed; a detector for detecting the load applied to the wheels; a calculating device for selecting a detected value of either one of these detectors and for determining driving force command values for respective motors corresponding to the wheels on the basis of the detected value selected and driving force values required of the electric motor vehicle; and a controller for controlling the driving forces of the motors on the basis of the driving force command values of the calculating device.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1991Date of Patent: November 15, 1994Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yukihiro Minezawa, Mutsumi Kawamoto, Hidemitsu Inagaki, Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 5176213Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle in which the front or rear set of wheels is driven by an engine (7) and the other set of wheels is driven by a motor (8), a traveling mode deciding unit (4) is provided with a table for deciding engine throttle opening and motor output, with driving force being distributed in accordance with the engine throttle opening and motor output decided by referring to the table. The table decides the traveling mode based on signals from a detector (2) which detects the remaining life of a battery, a vehicle velocity sensor (1) and an accelerator opening sensor (3). By deciding the traveling mode using such a table, it is possible to distribute driving efficiently in dependence upon the remaining life of the battery.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 1990Date of Patent: January 5, 1993Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masao Kawai, Yukihiro Minezawa, Yutaka Hotta