Patents by Inventor Yuzo Imoto
Yuzo Imoto 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).
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Patent number: 7398145Abstract: A grip factor estimating apparatus includes a steering torque detecting unit M1, and an assist torque detecting unit M2. When a self-aligning torque estimating unit M6 estimates self-aligning torque generated in front wheels on the basis of detection result of the detecting unit, the quantity of influence of longitudinal force on self-aligning torque is removed on the basis of longitudinal force acting on the front wheels and estimated by a longitudinal force estimating unit M15 and a front wheel slip angle estimated by a front wheel slip angle estimating unit M9y. A grip factor estimating unit M12 estimates the grip factor of the front wheels on the basis of change in self-aligning torque in accordance with the side force.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2004Date of Patent: July 8, 2008Assignees: Jtekt Corporation, Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Kato, Minekazu Momiyama, Yoshiyuki Yasui, Yuji Muragishi, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Aizawa
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Patent number: 7317980Abstract: When a vehicle stops, a brake control unit maintains a braking force applied on a wheel by a braking-force application unit for maintaining a halted state. In this state, if a driver depresses the accelerator pedal to execute starting of the vehicle, the braking force is gradually decreased, and the vehicle starts at a speed that accords with a degree of accelerator opening and a gradient of a road on which the vehicle is stopped. When a movement direction at this time is the same as a movement direction intended by the driver, the braking force is decreased to zero for smooth starting. When the movement direction is opposite to the intended movement direction, the braking force is increased to control the movement in the opposite direction, such that the movement changes from the opposite direction to the same direction, and finally, smooth starting in the desired direction is executed.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2003Date of Patent: January 8, 2008Assignee: Adivics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Aizawa, Shinsuke Sakane, Masashi Kishimoto, Yuzo Imoto
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Patent number: 7081063Abstract: An internal planetary gear mechanism reduces a load applied to tooth surfaces of an external gear and an internal gear, a sliding portion such as a bearing and the like. By setting the amount of eccentricity ? of an eccentric part to be larger than a theoretical value, a distance between the center of the external gear and the center of the internal gear is increased to allow the reduction of a loss in the bearing and on the tooth surfaces of the gears, and a mesh zone between the internal gear and the external gear can be reduced to decrease a part at a large pressure angle, thereby reducing a loss generated by a large pressure angle. As a result of reduction in the mesh zone between the external gear and the internal gear, rolling contact of the gears is maintained.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2004Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Assignees: Denso Corp., Nippon Soken, Inc., ADVICS Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masashi Hori, Masamichi Watanabe, Akihiko Takenaka, Takahisa Yokoyama, Takayuki Takeshita, Yuzo Imoto
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Patent number: 6941213Abstract: The present invention is directed to a road condition estimation apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having steering control unit for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer each wheel.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2003Date of Patent: September 6, 2005Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi, Shinji Takeuchi, Minekazu Momiyama, Hiroaki Kato, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Aizawa
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Patent number: 6931313Abstract: A first ECU 30 detects a steering torque applied to a steering system, estimates a self-aligning torque generated in a front wheel on the basis of the steering torque, and estimates a side force for the front wheel on the basis of lateral acceleration and a yaw rate. The first ECU 30 estimates a grip factor ? for the front wheel on the basis of a change of the self-aligning torque to the side force. The first ECU 30 judges whether the grip factor is below a second OS (oversteer) start threshold value. A second ECU 40 controls the transfer ratio according to the vehicle state when the grip factor is less than the second OS start threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2004Date of Patent: August 16, 2005Assignees: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Kato, Minekazu Momiyama, Takayuki Ohta, Yoshiyuki Yasui, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Aizawa, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi
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Patent number: 6925371Abstract: The present invention is directed to a vehicle motion control apparatus, which includes a steering factor detection unit for detecting at least one of steering factors including a steering torque and steering effort applied to a steering system, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on at least a wheel of the vehicle on the basis of the steering factor, a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle, a wheel factor estimation unit for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and slip angle applied to the wheel on the basis of the vehicle state variable, and a grip factor estimation unit for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of the wheel, in accordance with the estimated alignment torque and the estimated wheel factor.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2003Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Wataru Tanaka, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi, Katsuhiro Asano, Minekazu Momiyama, Hiroaki Kato, Kenji Asano, Yuzo Imoto
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Patent number: 6895317Abstract: The present invention is directed to a wheel grip factor estimation apparatus, which includes a steering factor detection unit for detecting at least one of steering factors including a steering torque and steering effort applied to a steering system extending from a steering wheel to a suspension of a vehicle, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on at least a wheel of the vehicle on the basis of the steering factor detected by the steering factor detection unit, and a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle. The apparatus further includes a wheel factor estimation unit for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and slip angle applied to the wheel on the basis of the vehicle state variable, and a grip factor estimation unit for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of the wheel, in accordance with a relationship between the estimated alignment torque and the estimated wheel factor.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2003Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Wataru Tanaka, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi, Katsuhiro Asano, Minekazu Momiyama, Syoji Ogawa, Kenji Asano, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Kato
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Publication number: 20050071061Abstract: A first ECU 30 detects a steering torque applied to a steering system, estimates a self-aligning torque generated in a front wheel on the basis of the steering torque, and estimates a side force for the front wheel on the basis of lateral acceleration and a yaw rate. The first ECU 30 estimates a grip factor ? for the front wheel on the basis of a change of the self-aligning torque to the side force. The first ECU 30 judges whether the grip factor is below a second OS (oversteer) start threshold value. A second ECU 40 controls the transfer ratio according to the vehicle state when the grip factor is less than the second OS start threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2004Publication date: March 31, 2005Applicants: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ADVICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki Kato, Minekazu Momiyama, Takayuki Ohta, Yoshiyuki Yasui, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Aizawa, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi
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Publication number: 20050059524Abstract: An internal planetary gear mechanism reduces a load applied to tooth surfaces of an external gear and an internal gear, a sliding portion such as a bearing and the like. By setting the amount of eccentricity ? of an eccentric part to be larger than a theoretical value, a distance between the center of the external gear and the center of the internal gear is increased to allow the reduction of a loss in the bearing and on the tooth surfaces of the gears, and a mesh zone between the internal gear and the external gear can be reduced to decrease a part at a large pressure angle, thereby reducing a loss generated by a large pressure angle. As a result of reduction in the mesh zone between the external gear and the internal gear, rolling contact of the gears is maintained.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2004Publication date: March 17, 2005Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Masashi Hori, Masamichi Watanabe, Akihiko Takenaka, Takahisa Yokoyama, Takayuki Takeshita, Yuzo Imoto
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Publication number: 20050055149Abstract: A grip factor estimating apparatus includes a steering torque detecting unit M1, and an assist torque detecting unit M2. When a self-aligning torque estimating unit M6 estimates self-aligning torque generated in front wheels on the basis of detection result of the detecting unit, the quantity of influence of longitudinal force on self-aligning torque is removed on the basis of longitudinal force acting on the front wheels and estimated by a longitudinal force estimating unit M15 and a front wheel slip angle estimated by a front wheel slip angle estimating unit M9y. A grip factor estimating unit M12 estimates the grip factor of the front wheels on the basis of change in self-aligning torque in accordance with the side force.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2004Publication date: March 10, 2005Applicants: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ADVICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki Kato, Minekazu Momiyama, Yoshiyuki Yasui, Yuji Muragishi, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Aizawa
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Patent number: 6832144Abstract: The vehicle operation control apparatus multiplies the variable gain G controlled based on the vehicle velocity V, the steering angle &thgr;h, the steering angle velocity &ohgr;h and the actual steering angle &thgr;T with the steering angle &thgr;h, and controls the actual steering angle &thgr;T of the driven wheels on a result of this multiplication. Consequently, the additional turning time gear ratio Ga1 or the turning-back gear ratio Ga2, set up individually, can be selected depending on the turning direction of the steering wheel. Therefore, the steering feeling both at the time of additional turning and turning-back can be improved.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2003Date of Patent: December 14, 2004Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Minekazu Momiyama, Shinji Takeuchi, Toshio Kohno, Yuzo Imoto, Yoshiyuki Yasui, Wataru Tanaka, Yuji Muragishi
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Publication number: 20040215385Abstract: A creep drive control device according to the invention sets a target creep vehicle speed when a driver has neither one of an acceleration intention or a stop maintenance intention. An engine output is increased (or decreased) by a vehicle speed increase processing (or a vehicle speed decrease processing), or a braking force is decreased (or increased), and an actual vehicle speed is controlled so as to be equal to the target creep vehicle speed or a value in the proximity thereof. The target creep vehicle speed, and respective engine output and braking force increase amounts and decrease amounts are corrected and set in accordance with driving conditions, road surface conditions and driver operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2003Publication date: October 28, 2004Inventors: Hiroaki Aizawa, Shinsuke Sakane, Masashi Kishimoto, Yuzo Imoto
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Publication number: 20040133324Abstract: The present invention is directed to a road condition estimation apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having steering control unit for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer each wheel.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ADVICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi, Shinji Takeuchi, Minekazu Momiyama, Hiroaki Kato, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Aizawa
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Publication number: 20040068353Abstract: The vehicle operation control apparatus multiplies the variable gain G controlled based on the vehicle velocity V, the steering angle &thgr;h, the steering angle velocity &ohgr;h and the actual steering angle &thgr;T with the steering angle &thgr;h, and controls the actual steering angle &thgr;T of the driven wheels on a result of this multiplication. Consequently, the additional turning time gear ratio Ga1 or the turning-back gear ratio Ga2, set up individually, can be selected depending on the turning direction of the steering wheel. Therefore, the steering feeling both at the time of additional turning and turning-back can be improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2003Publication date: April 8, 2004Applicant: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Minekazu Momiyama, Shinji Takeuchi, Toshio Kohno, Yuzo Imoto, Yoshiyuki Yasui, Wataru Tanaka, Yuji Muragishi
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Publication number: 20040059485Abstract: This invention provides a vehicle operation control method and vehicle operation control apparatus which protects a vehicle driver from a feeling of disharmony in his steering operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Applicant: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Minekazu Momiyama, Shinji Takeuchi, Yuzo Imoto, Yoshiyuki Yasui, Wataru Tanaka, Yuji Muragishi
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Publication number: 20040024513Abstract: When a vehicle stops, a brake control unit maintains a braking force applied on a wheel by a braking-force application unit for maintaining a halted state. In this state, if a driver depresses the accelerator pedal to execute starting of the vehicle, the braking force is gradually decreased, and the vehicle starts at a speed that accords with a degree of accelerator opening and a gradient of a road on which the vehicle is stopped. When a movement direction at this time is the same as a movement direction intended by the driver, the braking force is decreased to zero for smooth starting. When the movement direction is opposite to the intended movement direction, the braking force is increased to control the movement in the opposite direction, such that the movement changes from the opposite direction to the same direction, and finally, smooth starting in the desired direction is executed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Hiroaki Aizawa, Shinsuke Sakane, Masashi Kishimoto, Yuzo Imoto
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Publication number: 20040017106Abstract: A brake control ECU of an automatic braking apparatus calculates an awareness level in accordance with: whether or not there are a braking pedal or accelerator pedal operations; whether or not there are shift and steering wheel operations; and whether a level of a driver's eye movement lowers. When the brake control ECU determines that the awareness level has decreased, it controls the hydraulic braking apparatus so as to increase a provision braking force applied for a certain period and with a certain cycle to each wheel 4FR, 4FL, 4RR, 4RL. Accordingly, vibration caused by increase and decrease of the braking force is generated in a body of a vehicle that is running. This vibration arouses the driver whose level of consciousness has decreased.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2003Publication date: January 29, 2004Inventors: Hiroaki Aizawa, Shinsuke Sakane, Yuzo Imoto, Masashi Kishimoto
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Publication number: 20040016594Abstract: The present invention is directed to a vehicle motion control apparatus, which includes a steering factor detection unit for detecting at least one of steering factors including a steering torque and steering effort applied to a steering system, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on at least a wheel of the vehicle on the basis of the steering factor, a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle, a wheel factor estimation unit for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and slip angle applied to the wheel on the basis of the vehicle state variable, and a grip factor estimation unit for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of the wheel, in accordance with the estimated alignment torque and the estimated wheel factor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2003Publication date: January 29, 2004Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ADVICS CO., LTDInventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Wataru Tanaka, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi, Katsuhiro Asano, Minekazu Momiyama, Hiroaki Kato, Kenji Asano, Yuzo Imoto
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Publication number: 20040019417Abstract: The present invention is directed to a wheel grip factor estimation apparatus, which includes a steering factor detection unit for detecting at least one of steering factors including a steering torque and steering effort applied to a steering system extending from a steering wheel to a suspension of a vehicle, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on at least a wheel of the vehicle on the basis of the steering factor detected by the steering factor detection unit, and a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle. The apparatus further includes a wheel factor estimation unit for estimating at least one of wheel factors including a side force and slip angle applied to the wheel on the basis of the vehicle state variable, and a grip factor estimation unit for estimating a grip factor of at least a tire of the wheel, in accordance with a relationship between the estimated alignment torque and the estimated wheel factor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2003Publication date: January 29, 2004Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ADVICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Wataru Tanaka, Eiichi Ono, Yuji Muragishi, Katsuhiro Asano, Minekazu Momiyama, Syoji Ogawa, Kenji Asano, Yuzo Imoto, Hiroaki Kato
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Patent number: 6629445Abstract: A method of calibrating sensitivities of a plurality of pressure sensing cells are disposed at a passenger seat to detect presence of a vehicle passenger. The method is comprised of the following steps: pressing a presser against the passenger seat; detecting output signal levels of the sensing cells; and adjusting sensitivity of the pressure sensing cells according to the output signal levels while the presser is pressed against the seat.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2001Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Tomoharu Yamanaka, Yuzo Imoto, Takehiro Sengoku, Kazuo Masaki, Katsushi Mizushima