Patents by Inventor Yutaka Tamagawa

Yutaka Tamagawa 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: 9475486
    Abstract: There is provided a controller for a hybrid vehicle which can improve fuel consumption performance and driveability. A controller for a hybrid vehicle which can run in an EV drive mode in which an electric motor 101 is driven by electric power of a battery 113 only and a series drive mode in which the electric motor 101 is driven by electric power generated by a generator 107 using power of an engine 109 includes a demanded driving force calculation unit, a demanded electric power calculation unit, an available uppermost outputting value setting unit, and an engine starting determination unit. The engine starting determination unit starts the engine 109 so that the vehicle runs in the series drive mode when the demanded electric power demanded of the electric motor 101 exceeds the available uppermost outputting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 9428041
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine control unit for controlling an engine, an engaging/disengaging control unit for engaging a clutch when the hybrid vehicle is shifted from a series drive mode to another drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source, a required output calculation unit for calculating a required output, and an engaging revolution speed calculation unit for calculating a revolution speed at a drive wheel side of the clutch. The engaging/disengaging control unit engages the clutch when the revolution speed of the engine coincides with the engaging revolution speed as a result of controlling the engine to follow the required output while the hybrid vehicle is running on the series drive mode at a predetermined vehicle speed or faster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 9085296
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle which runs on power from at least one of an electric motor and an engine includes a transmission ratio changing unit for changing a ratio of electrical transmission to mechanical transmission of an output of the engine, an engaging/disengaging control unit for releasing a clutch when the hybrid vehicle is shifted from a drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source to a series drive mode, and a required output calculation unit for calculating a required output based on an accelerator pedal opening and a running speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Publication number: 20140330467
    Abstract: There is provided a controller for a hybrid vehicle which can improve fuel consumption performance and driveability. A controller for a hybrid vehicle which can run in an EV drive mode in which an electric motor 101 is driven by electric power of a battery 113 only and a series drive mode in which the electric motor 101 is driven by electric power generated by a generator 107 using power of an engine 109 includes a demanded driving force calculation unit, a demanded electric power calculation unit, an available uppermost outputting value setting unit, and an engine starting determination unit. The engine starting determination unit starts the engine 109 so that the vehicle runs in the series drive mode when the demanded electric power demanded of the electric motor 101 exceeds the available uppermost outputting value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventor: Yutaka TAMAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20140249709
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle which runs on power from at least one of an electric motor and an engine includes a transmission ratio changing unit for changing a ratio of electrical transmission to mechanical transmission of an output of the engine, an engaging/disengaging control unit for releasing a clutch when the hybrid vehicle is shifted from a drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source to a series drive mode, and a required output calculation unit for calculating a required output based on an accelerator pedal opening and a running speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 8818595
    Abstract: There is provided a controller for a hybrid vehicle which can improve fuel consumption performance and driveability. A controller for a hybrid vehicle which can run in an EV drive mode in which an electric motor 101 is driven by electric power of a battery 113 only and a series drive mode in which the electric motor 101 is driven by electric power generated by a generator 107 using power of an engine 109 includes a demanded driving force calculation unit, a demanded electric power calculation unit, an available uppermost outputting value setting unit, and an engine starting determination unit. The engine starting determination unit starts the engine 109 so that the vehicle runs in the series drive mode when the demanded electric power demanded of the electric motor 101 exceeds the available uppermost outputting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 8761986
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle which runs on power from at least one of an electric motor and an engine. When a required output exceeds a sum of an output of the electric motor which is driven by electric power supplied from a battery and an output of the engine while the hybrid vehicle is running on a drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source with a clutch engaged, a transmission ratio changing unit increases a ratio of electrical transmission to mechanical transmission of the output of the engine, and an engaging/disengaging control unit releases the clutch at a time point when the mechanically-transmitted output of the engine becomes 0, with the clutch engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 8712636
    Abstract: A vehicle drive control system includes a motor, a rotational speed detector, an accelerator opening degree detector, a vehicle speed detector, a torque instruction outputting device, an attenuation filtering device, and a controller. The attenuation filtering device is configured to perform attenuation filtering to a torque instruction to attenuate a natural oscillation frequency component of a torque transmission system of a vehicle and configured to output a filtered torque instruction after the attenuation filtering. The attenuation filtering device is configured to identify an attenuation characteristic of the attenuation filtering if the rotational speed of the motor is smaller than or equal to a predetermined rotational speed and the torque of the motor is higher than or equal to a predetermined torque. The controller is configured to cause the motor to generate a torque corresponding to the filtered torque instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Publication number: 20140025247
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle which runs on power from at least one of an electric motor and an engine. When a required output exceeds a sum of an output of the electric motor which is driven by electric power supplied from a battery and an output of the engine while the hybrid vehicle is running on a drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source with a clutch engaged, a transmission ratio changing unit increases a ratio of electrical transmission to mechanical transmission of the output of the engine, and an engaging/disengaging control unit releases the clutch at a time point when the mechanically-transmitted output of the engine becomes 0, with the clutch engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka TAMAGAWA
  • Patent number: 8571737
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle which runs on power from at least one of an electric motor and an engine. When a required output exceeds a sum of an output of the electric motor which is driven by electric power supplied from a battery and an output of the engine while the hybrid vehicle is running on a drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source with a clutch engaged, a transmission ratio changing unit increases a ratio of electrical transmission to mechanical transmission of the output of the engine, and an engaging/disengaging control unit releases the clutch at a time point when the mechanically-transmitted output of the engine becomes 0, with the clutch engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 8417408
    Abstract: A drive control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which has an engine selectively set in one of a normal fuel-consumption operation mode and a low fuel-consumption operation mode for obtaining a lower fuel consumption; a generator selectively used for one of being driven by the engine and assisting driving of the engine; a motor for generating a driving force of the vehicle by electric power supplied by the generator or a battery device; and a clutch between the generator and wheels of the vehicle. The drive control apparatus has a control part for performing a low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode when the engine is set in the low fuel-consumption operation mode. In the low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode, the clutch is connected, and driving of the vehicle is assisted using one of the generator and the motor, which is selected in accordance with an operation state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Yutaka Tamagawa, Naohisa Morishita, Tetsuya Hasebe
  • Publication number: 20120330485
    Abstract: A vehicle drive control system includes a motor, a rotational speed detector, an accelerator opening degree detector, a vehicle speed detector, a torque instruction outputting device, an attenuation filtering device, and a controller. The attenuation filtering device is configured to perform attenuation filtering to a torque instruction to attenuate a natural oscillation frequency component of a torque transmission system of a vehicle and configured to output a filtered torque instruction after the attenuation filtering. The attenuation filtering device is configured to identify an attenuation characteristic of the attenuation filtering if the rotational speed of the motor is smaller than or equal to a predetermined rotational speed and the torque of the motor is higher than or equal to a predetermined torque. The controller is configured to cause the motor to generate a torque corresponding to the filtered torque instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka TAMAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20120253576
    Abstract: There is provided a controller for a hybrid vehicle which can improve fuel consumption performance and driveability. A controller for a hybrid vehicle which can run in an EV drive mode in which an electric motor 101 is driven by electric power of a battery 113 only and a series drive mode in which the electric motor 101 is driven by electric power generated by a generator 107 using power of an engine 109 includes a demanded driving force calculation unit, a demanded electric power calculation unit, an available uppermost outputting value setting unit and an engine starting determination unit. The engine starting determination unit starts the engine 109 so that the vehicle runs in the series drive mode when the demanded electric power demanded of the electric motor 101 exceeds the available uppermost outputting value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Publication number: 20120245785
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle which runs on power from at least one of an electric motor and an engine. When a required output exceeds a sum of an output of the electric motor which is driven by electric power supplied from a battery and an output of the engine while the hybrid vehicle is running on a drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source with a clutch engaged, the a transmission ratio changing unit increases a ratio of electrical transmission to mechanical transmission of the output of the engine, and an engaging/disengaging control unit releases the clutch at a time point when the mechanically-transmitted output of the engine becomes 0, with the clutch engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Publication number: 20120245783
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine control unit for controlling an engine, an engaging/disengaging control unit for engaging a clutch when the hybrid vehicle is shifted from a series drive mode to another drive mode in which at least the engine works as a drive source, a required output calculation unit for calculating a required output, and an engaging revolution speed calculation unit for calculating a revolution speed at a drive wheel side of the clutch. The engaging/disengaging control unit engages the clutch when the revolution speed of the engine coincides with the engaging revolution speed as a result of controlling the engine to follow the required output while the hybrid vehicle is running on the series drive mode at a predetermined vehicle speed or faster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventor: Yutaka TAMAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20120108386
    Abstract: A drive control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which has an engine selectively set in one of a normal fuel-consumption operation mode and a low fuel-consumption operation mode for obtaining a lower fuel consumption; a generator selectively used for one of being driven by the engine and assisting driving of the engine; a motor for generating a driving force of the vehicle by electric power supplied by the generator or a battery device; and a clutch between the generator and wheels of the vehicle. The drive control apparatus has a control part for performing a low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode when the engine is set in the low fuel-consumption operation mode. In the low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode, the clutch is connected, and driving of the vehicle is assisted using one of the generator and the motor, which is selected in accordance with an operation state of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Teruo WAKASHIRO, Yutaka TAMAGAWA, Naohisa MORISHITA, Tetsuya HASEBE
  • Patent number: 8116924
    Abstract: A drive control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which has an engine selectively set in one of a normal fuel-consumption operation mode and a low fuel-consumption operation mode for obtaining a lower fuel consumption; a generator selectively used for one of being driven by the engine and assisting driving of the engine; a motor for generating a driving force of the vehicle by electric power supplied by the generator or a battery device; and a clutch between the generator and wheels of the vehicle. The drive control apparatus has a control part for performing a low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode when the engine is set in the low fuel-consumption operation mode. In the low fuel-consumption driving assistance mode, the clutch is connected, and driving of the vehicle is assisted using one of the generator and the motor, which is selected in accordance with an operation state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Yutaka Tamagawa, Naohisa Morishita, Tetsuya Hasebe
  • Patent number: 7583041
    Abstract: The present invention includes temperature transition estimating means 24, 25 for estimating a temperature transition of an electric motor 1 caused by the passage of electric current through the electric motor 1, an electric pump 8 as coolant supplying means for supplying a coolant to the electric motor, and coolant supply control means 26 to 28 for controlling the pump 8 according to the temperature transition of the electric motor 1 and the coolant temperature. The amount of operation of the electric pump 8 is determined from the temperature transition and the coolant temperature. This structure makes it possible to prevent overheating of the electric motor properly using the coolant while minimizing the energy consumption involved in using the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noritaka Yamaguchi, Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 7527030
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that is startable by a motor driven by electric power supplied by an electric storage device, includes: a starting mode selection device for selecting either a first mode or a second mode as starting mode of the internal combustion engine; a control device for setting an output mode during outputting the electric power to the motor from the electric storage device, according to a result selected by the starting mode selection device, wherein the control device is adapted to set a flat mode, corresponding to the first mode, in which a predetermined electric power is continuously output and a pulse mode, corresponding to the second mode, in which electric power that varies with amplitude greater than a predetermined amplitude is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Fukushima, Yutaka Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 7322331
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine starting control system for a vehicle which has an internal combustion engine as a driving source of the vehicle. The system includes a motor for driving the internal combustion engine; and a control device for performing driving control of the motor by making an actual rotation speed of the motor approach a predetermined target rotation speed. The driving control is a response designation feedback control based on a predetermined state quantity of the vehicle. Typically, the control device changes a response condition in the response designation feedback control in accordance with one of possible starting states of the internal combustion engine, by using a response designation parameter for designating the response condition, by which an approach condition in the operation for making the actual rotation speed of the motor approach the predetermined target rotation speed is changeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Tamagawa, Masanobu Asakawa