Patents Issued in May 19, 2016
  • Publication number: 20160137052
    Abstract: A driving unit and a power-generating unit are separately supported on a sub-frame in such a manner to isolate vibration and are spaced away from each other in a vehicle front-rear direction, to realize good noise/vibration control ability. With respect to an external input acting in the vehicle front-rear direction, a weakened part of a mount bracket extended over the power-generating unit to the driving unit induces and promotes a buckling distortion, to demonstrate good energy absorption ability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroshi NAKAMURA, Takashi AWAIHARA
  • Publication number: 20160137053
    Abstract: An air flow optimization device is provided for motor vehicle heat exchangers. The device includes a body having a first air flow opening with an inlet side and an outlet side. A series of fixed vanes are provided across the opening and divide the opening into a plurality of air flow channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Prashant Dubey, Lucas Apandi Phan, Aaron Peter Klop
  • Publication number: 20160137054
    Abstract: The rear wall portion has a curved portion curved in an approximately arc shape in top plan view to serve as a right or left end thereof. An engine is provided on the upper frame at a position in front of the rear wall portion in such a manner that an interspace is formed between the engine and the curved portion. An exhaust aftertreatment device is provided in front of the rear wall portion while being superposed over the interspace. The exhaust aftertreatment device comprises a first treatment section and a second treatment section. The first treatment section and the second treatment section are supported over the upper frame in a posture where respective longitudinal directions of the first and second treatment sections are oriented parallel to each other in top plan view and along the curved portion in top plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Toshiro UETA, Masakazu OZAKI, Takayuki MAEDA, Michio HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160137055
    Abstract: A valve member is provided to a vent pipe for communicating a fuel tank with a canister. A solenoid valve is provided to a canister side bypass passage between a back pressure chamber of the valve member and the canister side vent pipe. An extending member is provided to restrict the valve lift amount in accordance with the internal pressure of the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Shinji SHIMOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20160137056
    Abstract: Provided is a high-pressure tank that includes a tank main body including a mouthpiece, a valve fitted to the mouthpiece, and a pipe extending from the valve in an axially inward direction of the tank main body and for ejecting a gas into the tank main body. The pipe includes an ejection nozzle provided at an end of the pipe and for ejecting the gas, a first bent portion located between the ejection nozzle and the valve and extending in a direction inclined relative to an axial direction of the tank main body, and a second bent portion having the ejection nozzle and extending in a direction inclined relative to the axial direction. One of an inclination angle of the first bent portion relative to the axial direction and an inclination angle of the second bent portion relative to the axial direction is larger than 0° and not larger than 90°, and the other is not smaller than ?0° and smaller than 0°, when the pipe is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji KOMIYA, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Shuusuke INAGI
  • CAP
    Publication number: 20160137057
    Abstract: A cap includes a main body attached to an end part of a charging port of fuel gas, an elastic deformable portion provided to the main body and for locking the main body to the end part when the main body is attached to the end part, and a cover covering at least part of the elastic deformable portion and surrounding the main body. The elastic deformable portion at least partially elastically deforms when the main body is attached to the end part and when the main body is detached from the end part. The cover is a separate member from the main body. When the elastic deformable portion elastically deforms, the cover applies force to the elastic deformable portion in a direction opposite from the deforming direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirofumi ONISHI, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Yuji FURUTA, Yukio YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20160137058
    Abstract: A fuel tank assembly comprises a fuel reservoir and a fuel flow control baffle positioned within the fuel reservoir to reduce the fluid energy/momentum of moving fuel. The fuel flow control baffle further comprises a sheet assembly including a first sheet layer and a second sheet layer, perforations defining attenuation channels, extending through said first and second sheet layers through which moving fuel flows into the fuel flow control baffle and a web positioned between the sheet layers to maintain the layers in a separated, three-dimensional relationship, wherein the web operates to absorb the fluid energy/momentum of the moving fuel and to reverse the fuel flow back through the flow attenuation channels. The fuel control baffle can be easily varied in length to permit usage in multiple locations inside the same tank, and in other different tank designs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Fan Li, Stephen D. Sibal, Gordon R. McAllister
  • Publication number: 20160137059
    Abstract: A method for deriving a fatigue score (100) indicative of a current drowsiness state of an operator (1) measures a plurality of signals (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) and derives a personalized fatigue score (100) for the operator using these signals (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90) in a weighted and operator-personalized way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Urban MÄDER, Andrea Boris SCHLAPBACH, Peter SPRING
  • Publication number: 20160137060
    Abstract: A roundabout detecting arrangement is disclosed configured to detect presence of a roundabout ahead of a vehicle hosting the arrangement. The arrangement includes a preceding vehicle monitoring unit configured to monitor at least one of a lateral movement and a heading direction of a vehicle preceding the host vehicle, and further configured to generate a first signal representative thereof. The arrangement also includes a processing unit configured to detect presence of the roundabout by processing the first signal. The present disclosure also relates to an adaptive cruise control arrangement and a method of detecting the presence of a roundabout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Magnus BRANDIN
  • Publication number: 20160137061
    Abstract: Operation of a car navigation system in which a menu is in a hierarchical structure can be performed by simple gestures. The method includes: detecting that a switch is pressed; subsequently detecting a gesture by a sensor; obtaining, from a memory unit, an operation associated with the detected gesture; and outputting, with respect to a screen displayed on a display unit at the time of detecting the gesture, a result of performance of the obtained operation to the display unit, wherein once it is detected that the switch is released, if it is detected that the switch is subsequently pressed again within a predetermined period of time, the same process is repeated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji Izumi, Yuji Shinomura, Naoki Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20160137062
    Abstract: An audio-video (AV) device for a vehicle includes a display panel including a display unit and a pattern unit arranged on edges of the display unit; and a display board disposed on a rear face of the display panel. The display board includes at least one wireless antenna located outside of the display unit, an antenna module, and a connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Se Min Oh
  • Publication number: 20160137063
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an actuating device for selecting shift stages of a vehicle transmission with shift-by-wire actuation. The actuating device has a touch screen having at least one display section for displaying a selectable shift stage and a contact section to select the displayed shift stage. The actuating device is characterized in that the display section and the contact section form a common display and contact section, and that the touch screen comprises a confirmation section which is adjacent to the display and touch section for displaying the selected shift stage, and is coupled to the display and touch section such that by a contacting sweep of the touch screen from the display and contact section to the confirmation section a displayed selectable shift stage can be selected for effective switching position of the change gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Vitali FRIBUS
  • Publication number: 20160137064
    Abstract: A touch input device includes a touch unit to which a user is able to input a touch gesture, wherein the touch unit includes a concave shape, and gradually deepens from an edge portion toward a central portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Jungsang MIN, Nae Seung KANG, Gi Beom HONG, Sung Un KIM, Seo Ho CHOI, Sihyun JOO, Jeong-Eom LEE, Werner PETER, Andy Max PRILL
  • Publication number: 20160137065
    Abstract: A method for controlling an external electric power supply system supplying electric power from a fuel cell and a secondary battery mounted on a vehicle to an external load, the method including controlling electric power from the fuel cell and the secondary battery such that externally supplied electric power supplied to the external load is equal to or less than supply allowed electric power, and setting the supply allowed electric power to be equal to or less than a smaller one of an upper limit value of electric power which the secondary battery is charged with set in accordance with a temperature, and an electric power storage amount of the secondary battery and an upper limit value of electric power discharged from the secondary battery set in accordance with the temperature and the electric power storage amount of the secondary battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo MATSUBARA, Kenji UMAYAHARA, Keigo SUEMATSU
  • Publication number: 20160137066
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a fuel cell that receives supply of fuel gas and generates electric power; a motor that is driven by the generated electric power of the fuel cell; an electric power consuming auxiliary machine; a mechanical brake; a secondary cell, and a deceleration control unit. The deceleration control unit limits the regenerative braking force to be obtained by the regenerative control, to an upper limit regenerative braking force corresponding to the maximum consumed electric power that the electric power consuming auxiliary machine is capable of consuming such that regenerative electric power associated with regenerative braking is consumed by the electric power consuming auxiliary machine, and when the electric power consuming auxiliary machine is incapable of consuming the regenerative electric power to the maximum consumed electric power, the residual regenerative electric power is consumed by charge of the secondary cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro NADA, Kenji UMAYAHARA, Takuya NAKAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20160137067
    Abstract: A motor controller includes an inter-vehicle sensor detecting an inter-vehicle distance between an own vehicle and a front vehicle, a speed sensor detecting a speed difference between a speed of the own vehicle and a speed of the front vehicle, an accelerator sensor detecting an accelerator pressing quantity, and a control portion controlling a regeneration torque of the motor based on the inter-vehicle distance, the speed difference, and the accelerator pressing quantity. When the control portion determines that the accelerator pressing quantity is less than or equal to a predetermined pressing quantity, the control portion determines that a speed-reduction request is generated. When the control portion determines that the inter-vehicle distance is no more than a first predetermined distance and when the own vehicle is in an approaching state, the control portion increases the regeneration torque of the motor, so as to generate a regeneration braking force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Junmin CAO
  • Publication number: 20160137068
    Abstract: A braking force (BF) control system includes: a first required BF calculator that calculates, based on a position of the brake pedal, a first required friction BF allocated to the friction brake and a first required regenerative BF allocated to regenerative control of the drive motor; a second required BF calculator that calculates, based on a position of the acceleration pedal, a second required friction BF allocated to the friction brake and a second required regenerative BF allocated to the regenerative control; a regenerative total BF calculation/execution portion that calculates a regenerative total BF based on the first and second required regenerative BFs and performs the regenerative control based on the regenerative total BF; and a friction total BF calculation/execution portion that calculates a friction total BF based on the first and second required friction BFs and controls the friction brake based on the friction total BF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro NADA, Kenji UMAYAHARA, Takuya SNAKAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20160137069
    Abstract: A power converter has a series direct connection mode of keeping on/off of a plurality of switching elements to maintain the state where first and second DC power supplies different in amount of voltage change with respect to input/output of the same amount of electric power are connected in series with an electric power line connected to a load, and a voltage controlling mode of controlling an output voltage on the electric power line to be a voltage command value by controlling on/off of the plurality of switching elements. In the voltage controlling mode, between time tx and ta, the sum of voltages of the first and second DC power supplies is matched with the voltage command value by controlling the output voltage by means of charging/discharging between the first and second DC power supplies. After time ta, the series direct connection mode is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori ISHIGAKI, Shuji TOMURA, Naoki YANAGIZAWA, Masaki OKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20160137070
    Abstract: A power source device for a vehicle may include: a power source; a DC outlet which may feed power from the power source to an external device external to the vehicle; a service receptacle which may be provided, within a vehicle interior, separately from the DC outlet; an operator by which a user may request power feed from the DC outlet to the external device; and a vehicle ECU which may control power supply from the power source to the DC outlet and the service receptacle. When the vehicle ECU receives, from the operator, an input requesting the power feed to the external device, the vehicle ECU may stop the power supply to the service receptacle and cause the DC outlet to perform the power supply. With the configuration described above, the possibility of failure to turn off an in-vehicle electric apparatus is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu YUMITA, Daisuke UEO
  • Publication number: 20160137071
    Abstract: A resonant motor system having a resonant circuit that includes magnetic coils and of capacitors, for generating an electric power when the resonant lot is rotated by an engine, a regenerating portion for the resonant motor, a motor driving portion, a motor control portion, and a capacitor portion for storing therein the electric power generated by the resonant motor when the resonant motor is regenerated, the resonant rotor being driven by the electric power stored in the capacitor portion when the engine is assisted by the resonant motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Yukihiro KATO, Akihiro MIYOSHI, Mitsuyoshi OBA
  • Publication number: 20160137072
    Abstract: A wireless charging system of a vehicle includes: a transmitting coil module including a plurality of transmitting coils; and a receiving coil module including a plurality of receiving coils receiving power by electronic resonance with the plurality of transmitting coils. The plurality of transmitting coils have a winding structure which is formed by a conductive wire causing a direction of a magnetic field generated by any one of the plurality of transmitting coils different from a direction of a magnetic field generated by a transmitting coil directly adjacent to the one transmitting coil by making a current flow in the plurality of transmitting coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Woo Young Lee, Tae Jong Ha, In Yong Yeo, Byeong Seob Song, Gyu Yeong Choe
  • Publication number: 20160137073
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle and an induction unit external to the vehicle. The induction unit includes a primary coil designed as a primary induction coil, and the vehicle includes a low voltage on-board electrical system having a secondary coil designed as a secondary induction coil. An alternating voltage can be induced in at least one part of the low-voltage on-board electrical system by the electromagnetic coupling of the secondary coil to the primary coil, and at least one component of the low-voltage on-board electrical system can be fed with the induced alternating voltage or with direct voltage via a rectifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Josef Krammer
  • Publication number: 20160137074
    Abstract: A method is provided for coupling at least one secondary energy source to an power supply network, in particular an on-board vehicle power supply, wherein a load is connected with a primary energy source having a first voltage characteristic. The at least one secondary energy source has a second voltage characteristic which has an operating voltage range overlapping with the first voltage characteristic. The primary energy source and the at least one secondary energy source can be connected via a power switching device to a node point of an intermediate circuit of the power supply network, to which the load is also connected. Before connecting a secondary energy source, the current drawn by the load is regulated such that the voltage connected to the node point of the intermediate circuit corresponds to a no-load voltage of the secondary energy source to be connected or is around the no-load voltage in a specified voltage range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas SCHIMANEK, Christopher KOLBECK, Florian PFATTRISCH
  • Publication number: 20160137075
    Abstract: A charge control system for an electric vehicle and an electric vehicle are provided. The charge control system includes: a charge-discharge socket (20); a three-level bidirectional DC-AC module (30); a charge-discharge control module (50); a filtering module (70); and a control module (60) connected with a third terminal of the charge-discharge control module (50) and configured to control the charge-discharge control module (50) to turn on, to sample an output voltage of an external grid by using a connection midpoint of filtering capacitors in the filtering module (70) as a reference point, and to control the three-level bidirectional DC-AC module (30) according to the output voltage of the external grid so as to control the external grid to charge the power battery (10), when the external grid is in an angle connection mode and the electric vehicle is a charge-discharge mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: LIPING ZENG, GUANGMING YANG
  • Publication number: 20160137076
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a system. The system includes a vehicle having primary energy storage device for providing the vehicle with a supply of electrical power, a remote opportunity charging device configured to be removably connected to vehicle and configured to selectively charge the primary energy storage device of the vehicle during vehicle operation, and an interface between the vehicle and the remote opportunity charging device. The interface is configured to enable the transfer of electrical power from the remote opportunity charging device to the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Robert Dean King, Lembit Salasoo
  • Publication number: 20160137077
    Abstract: A method is provided for notifying a driver that charging is required determined by utilizing the calculated remaining travel distance of the vehicle, the position information of the charging station and the position information about the destination. In particular, the method determines when the total travel distance in consideration of the destination exceeds the remaining travel distance of the vehicle. The driver is notified of the necessity for charging during the initial traveling, and before traveling beyond the rechargeable returning distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Sang Hyun Kim, Chang Ho Kim, Ji Hyun Shim, Hyung Ki Kim
  • Publication number: 20160137078
    Abstract: A driving apparatus for an electric vehicle is provided. The driving apparatus for the electric vehicle can charge the other batteries using a charging voltage of any one battery in a state in which an engine is not driven, control a voltage generated by an integrated starter generator (ISG), selectively charge a plurality of batteries having different charging voltages without using a separate converter, and reduce a weight and volume thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Junbo YUN, Heeseok JEONG, Suyoung YUN
  • Publication number: 20160137079
    Abstract: A temperature sensor 120 automatically shuts down charging operations in response to a temperature increase in a charging handle 150 of an electric vehicle charging station 100. The temperature sensor is connected between a ground conductor and a high voltage conductor L1 in the charging handle. The charging handle includes a return conductor L2/N. The temperature sensor includes a thermistor R1-NTC that changes its resistance in response to an increase in temperature in the charging handle. A portion of current in the high voltage conductor is diverted to the ground conductor, instead of the return conductor, in response to the thermistor sensing a temperature increase, thereby causing a ground fault detector 160 to trip in the charging station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin M. JEFFERIES, Benjamin W. EDWARDS, Matthew L. WHITE, Konstantin A. FILIPPENKO, Richard K. WEILER
  • Publication number: 20160137080
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for charging a battery for a vehicle are provided. The apparatus includes a power factor correction circuit that is configured to distribute charging power output from a charging device, which is connected to a power source, to multiple phases, and to correct a power factor of charging power distributed to the respective phases. In addition, a controller is configured to operate the power factor correction circuit to distribute charging power to some of the multiple phases based on the charging device or the charging power of the charging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Hui Sung Jang, Hyun Wook Seong, Shin Hye Chun, Mu Shin Kwak
  • Publication number: 20160137081
    Abstract: A charging inlet lid structure of a vehicle includes a normal charging inlet and a quick charging inlet in a recess portion for charging, and a first lid and a second lid for the recess portion. One of the normal charging inlet and the quick charging inlet is provided at one side of the recess portion and the other of the normal charging inlet and the quick charging inlet is provided at the other side of the recess portion. The first lid and the second lid are provided so as to slide from totally closed positions where the first lid and the second lid totally close the recess portion in directions in which the first lid and the second lid move away from each other and can be opened and closed independently of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA ENGINEERING KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira TAKAHASHI, Yusuke KATAGIRI
  • Publication number: 20160137082
    Abstract: An add-on adapter 110 enables a single charging port 102 of an electric vehicle charging station 100 to simultaneously charge two electric vehicles. An adapter controller 120 determines the available charging rate offered by the charging station. Electric vehicle charging handles 150A, 150B are determined to be connected to the electric vehicles. A charge sharing control circuit 300 in the adapter controller, determines modified available charging rates to be offered for simultaneously charging the electric vehicles. The modified available charging rates are based on the connection states of the electric vehicles and the available charging rate offered by the charging station. The adapter controller controls two contactors 130A, 130B to switchably connect a charging station power socket to the electric vehicle charging handles, to provide shared power at the determined modified available charging rate to the electric vehicles, for simultaneous charging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin M. JEFFERIES, Benjamin W. EDWARDS, Matthew L. WHITE, Konstantin A. FILIPPENKO, Richard K. WEILER
  • Publication number: 20160137083
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a power outlet device that senses whether a plug is inserted into a terminal and controls determining supply or interruption of power to a socket according to the sensed result. The power outlet device includes: a housing having a plug insertion hole inserted with an external plug; a substrate provided in the housing; a terminal provided on the substrate to be deployed to face the plug insertion hole; and a switching unit controlling whether to supply power to the terminal by sensing that the plug is inserted into the terminal, wherein the terminal is electrically connected to the switching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Seong Hwan CHO, Won Hee CHOI
  • Publication number: 20160137084
    Abstract: A charging device includes: a housing; a heat radiation member storage room to which a part of electric parts in a power conversion unit is attached, and which houses a heat sink including fins; an electric parts storage room housing other electric parts of the power conversion unit and a control unit; a first suction port introducing a gas into the heat radiation member storage room and a first exhaust port discharging the gas; a second suction port introducing the gas into the electric parts storage room and a second exhaust port discharging the gas; a first fan introducing the gas into the heat radiation member storage room and a second fan introducing the gas into the electric parts storage room; a suction-side waterproof cover that covers the first and second ports; and an exhaust-side waterproof cover covering the first and second exhaust ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Youhei Shinada
  • Publication number: 20160137085
    Abstract: A method for recharging an electric vehicle includes receiving, by a control module and from the vehicle in transit along a route having a number of stops for passenger pickup, a current charge level and a current location. The stops include recharging stations for recharging the vehicle. The method includes receiving from a next stop, an anticipated stop time at the next stop for the vehicle. The method includes determining a power output to be supplied to the vehicle by a recharging station at the next stop based on the current charge level. The power output comprises an amount of power to be supplied at the next stop, the amount of power for satisfying a minimum amount of charge to enable the vehicle to arrive at a subsequent stop after the next stop. The method includes transmitting, to the recharging station at the next stop, the power output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Howard N. Anglin, Irgelkha Mejia, Nicholas J. Ruegger, Yvonne M. Young
  • Publication number: 20160137086
    Abstract: A detector may be a device for detecting insulation decrease of an electric system included in a vehicle. An external terminal may be configured to be connectable with a terminal of a power supply cable connected to a power supply device. A power supply relay, which may be provided between the external terminal and a power line, may be controlled by a vehicle ECU to be in a closed state during external power supply from the electrically powered vehicle to the power supply device. When the insulation decrease of the electric system is detected by the detector, the vehicle ECU may control the power supply relay to come into an open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu YUMITA, Daisuke Ueo
  • Publication number: 20160137087
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, electrical supply systems including Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) are provided. The EVSE includes a communication gateway that provides internet accessibility by a user through an EVSE server. In some embodiments, the EVSE allows communication with other smart devices, and/or communication of status of loads coupled to a load center. The user or the utility service provider can perform, through the EVSE server, energy management and home automation tasks using this communication gateway of the EVSE and may send control signals to smart devices through the EVSE. This EVSE may also provide a protection mechanism for smart devices coupled to the load center in case of emergencies like brown-outs or power surges on the electric grid. Methods of operating the system and EVSE are provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Harry Price Haas, Paul Terricciano, Sesha Yeruva
  • Publication number: 20160137088
    Abstract: An IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor) apparatus having a clamp and cable connection part integrated therein may include: a clamp member comprising a clamp body to which a terminal of a battery is inserted; a coupling member to which a cable is coupled; a connection member having both ends to which the clamp member and the coupling member are coupled; and a sensor member coupled to the connection member and measuring a voltage value applied to the connection member. The clamp body, the coupling member, and the connection member may be integrated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Yong Ho LIM, Yong CHUN, Kee Yang LEE, Seok Jong YU, Tae Sun CHO
  • Publication number: 20160137089
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes a processing device programmed to monitor a vehicle battery, predict a vehicle maneuver, and determine whether the vehicle battery has sufficient charge for a vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver. The processing device is further programmed to perform a preparatory action if the vehicle battery lacks sufficient charge for the vehicle to execute the predicted maneuver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bo Wu, Perry Robinson MacNeille
  • Publication number: 20160137090
    Abstract: A system and method for predicting distance to empty of an electric vehicle are provided. The method includes storing 1˜n past mileages in a memory and calculating standard deviation for the 1˜n past mileages. A mileage is then predicted by discriminately reflecting the 1˜n past mileages based on the standard deviation. Accordingly, the distance to empty is calculated by multiplying the predicted mileage and battery available energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Ho Uk Nam, Jin Hyung Lee
  • Publication number: 20160137091
    Abstract: A radio battery system according to the present invention includes a battery controller and a plurality of cell controllers. The battery controller and the plurality of cell controllers communicate at a plurality of communication slots of a time division communication. The battery controller transmits data at a beginning of each of the plurality of communication slots. Each of the cell controllers measures a state of a cell at one or plurality of predetermined communication slots and transmits data at a predetermined communication slot. Each of the cell controllers is capable of switching between a normal transmission/reception mode and a sleep mode with a low power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori YAMAZOE, Kei SAKABE
  • Publication number: 20160137092
    Abstract: An automotive battery system that includes a lead-acid battery electrically coupled to a first bus, in which the lead-acid battery supplies electrical power to a starter via the first bus to cold crank an internal combustion engine of a vehicle; a lithium-ion battery electrically coupled to a second bus, in which the lithium-ion battery captures and stores electrical energy generated by a regenerative braking system when the vehicle brakes and supplies electrical power to the second bus using the electrical energy captured from the regenerative braking system such that a first portion of the second electrical power is supplied to an electrical system; and a DC/DC converter electrically coupled between the first bus and the second bus, in which the DC/DC converter controls supply of a second portion of the second electrical power to charge the lead-acid battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Bryan L. Thieme, Daniel B. Le
  • Publication number: 20160137093
    Abstract: Systems and methods for electric vehicle battery systems with replaceable parallel electric vehicle battery modules are described herein. The electric vehicle battery system includes a plurality of electric vehicle battery modules connected in parallel. Each electric vehicle battery module includes a battery. Each electric vehicle battery module can also include a balancing circuit in electrical communication with a current path from the battery to an electric vehicle battery module output node. Each electric vehicle battery module also may have a current sensor in electromagnetic communication with the current path between the battery and the balancing circuit. The current sensor can be configured to sense a current level between the battery and the balancing circuit. The balancing circuit can be configured to balance the current level sensed by the current sensor of each electric vehicle battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Louis J. Shrinkle
  • Publication number: 20160137094
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle enabling to relieve occupant's unpleasant feeling caused by noise generated from a blower and leaking in a vehicle interior. The vehicle including: an on-board battery; a blower provided with an air-intake opening portion for blowing air taken from the air-intake opening portion toward the on-board battery; and a wall member placed in front of the air-intake opening portion so that the on-board battery and the blower are partitioned from the vehicle interior, the wall member configured with an air intake port opening into the air-intake opening portion to bring the air in the vehicle interior into the air-intake opening portion, wherein the blower is placed such that an axis of the air-intake opening portion passes through the air intake port and obliquely intersects with a vehicle interior floor surface which is located lower than the air intake port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takehito YODA
  • Publication number: 20160137095
    Abstract: With a fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell and a secondary battery, a drive motor and a pump motor are connected to each other via an electric power line so that the drive motor and the pump motor are capable of receiving and supplying electric power with each other without involving reception and supply of electric power with the secondary battery. The control device determines an upper-limit guard value of torque of the pump motor based on a dischargeable power of the secondary battery and an output power of the fuel cell, or determines a lower-limit guard value of torque of the pump motor based on a chargeable power of the secondary battery and an output power of the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei ODA, Yuji KAKENO
  • Publication number: 20160137096
    Abstract: In a vehicle including a fuel cell system, an electronic control unit is configured to perform first processing in which a rotation speed of an air pump is controlled based on a torque command value and a rotation speed command value, and to perform, in the first processing, at least one of second processing in which the torque command value is set to be larger than the calculated torque command value when at least one of values of an accelerator position, required electric power, and the rotation speed command value or a change rate thereof is increased by a prescribed first value or more, and third processing in which the torque command value is set to be smaller than the calculated torque command value when at least one of the values or the change rate thereof is decreased by a prescribed second value or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohei ODA, Kenji UMAYAHARA, Yuji KAKENO, Mitsuhiro NADA
  • Publication number: 20160137097
    Abstract: A fuel cell system to be installed on a vehicle includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, an SOC detector that detects a temperature and a state of charge of the secondary battery, an accelerator position detector that detects an accelerator depressed amount, and a controller that controls power to be generated by the fuel cell. The controller includes: a required generation power calculator that calculates required generation power based on the accelerator depressed amount and the temperature and the state of charge of the secondary battery; and a maximum required power calculator that calculates maximum required power based on the accelerator depressed amount and the temperature and the state of charge of the secondary battery. The maximum required power includes allowable charging power correlated with a maximum value of charging power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji KAKENO, Mitsuhiro NADA, Kenji UMAYAHARA, Yusuke NISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20160137098
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle, which is capable of preventing direct input of an impact to an external power feeding device that stores a high-voltage component, and is capable of protecting the external power feeding device. A vehicle 100 includes: an external power feeding device 70 that stores a high-voltage component for performing external power feeding; and a secondary battery 60 that stores a part of electric power, both of which are provided in a rear in a travel direction of the vehicle 100. The external power feeding device 70 is disposed in front of a rear end 61 of the secondary battery 60, and is disposed below a lower end 62 of the secondary battery 60 in a vertical direction when viewed from a side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji KATANO, Akiyoshi FURUZAWA
  • Publication number: 20160137099
    Abstract: To prevent that a connecting portion of a cable with an electrical equipment disposed rearward of the cable, an electrical equipment unit to be mounted on a vehicle is provided. The electrical equipment unit includes an inverter for supplying electric power to a drive motor of the vehicle, a fuel cell module disposed rearward of the inverter in longitudinal directions of the vehicle, a cable connecting the inverter with the fuel cell module, and a first clamp attached to the vehicle and for holding the cable. The first clamp has a gripping part formed with an opening and for gripping the cable, and an opening formed in part of the gripping part to extend in axial directions of the cable. The opening is formed in part of the gripping part to extend over one side of the gripping part in axial directions of the cable so as to receive the cable The opening is formed on a rear side in the gripping part in longitudinal directions of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro TAKESHITA, Shigetaka YOSHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20160137100
    Abstract: A vehicle driven by an electric motor, includes: an accelerator operation amount detection unit that detects an accelerator operation amount; a speed detection unit that detects a vehicle speed; and a control unit configured to calculate a required torque of the electric motor on a basis of the accelerator operation amount and the vehicle speed, calculate a torque increase rate, which is a required rate at which an effective torque for driving the electric motor is increased, on a basis of the required torque, and control the electric motor on a basis of the calculated torque increase rate. The control unit is configured to control the electric motor to operate at a predetermined torque increase rate until the effective torque reaches a predetermined threshold torque, and to reduce the torque increase rate below the predetermined torque increase rate after the effective torque reaches the predetermined threshold torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke NISHIDA, Kenji UMAYAHARA, Mitsuhiro NADA
  • Publication number: 20160137101
    Abstract: A conductor line for supplying at least one electric load which can be moved on the conductor line in the longitudinal direction of the conductor line includes at least one conductor strand which runs in the longitudinal direction and which has an electrically conductive profiled conductor section for contacting a sliding contact of the load, and at least one signal transmission device which runs in the longitudinal direction. A current collector for the load has at least one sliding contact for contacting the profiled conductor section of the conductor strand of the conductor line and at least one antenna for transmitting data to a conductor line signal transmission device, which moves in the longitudinal direction. A conductor line system includes such a conductor line and current collector. An aim is to allow a compact and material-saving design as well as a good fault-tolerant transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Michael ECKLE, Bernd MAIER