Patents Issued in September 12, 2017
  • Patent number: 9758119
    Abstract: An ornamental grille for a motor vehicle front part is disclosed. The ornamental grille has a plurality of ornamental elements which respectively include an ornamental element end wall and an ornamental element side wall protruding from this and has a plurality of connecting elements via which adjacent ornamental elements are connected to one another respectively. The ornamental elements are arranged in rows and the ornamental elements of one row are laterally offset from the ornamental elements of the adjacently arranged row of ornamental elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Maier
  • Patent number: 9758120
    Abstract: The proposed method and system is a client-server system where client is an application monitoring and processing the readings of the sensors of a personal mobile device in a moving vehicle and when the possibility of a crush is predicted, transmit to the remote server a provisional alarm. If after a predefined time period a FALSE ALARM signal not received by the remote server from the client then an accident alarm ticket will be forwarded from the remote server to an emergency service center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventor: Andreas Alamanos
  • Patent number: 9758121
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems for supplementing a primary airbag cushion, particularly during oblique angle vehicle impacts. Some embodiments may comprise an airbag module comprising an airbag cushion and a supplemental airbag support system configured to provide support to at least one of the airbag cushion and a vehicle occupant during oblique angle impact events. The supplemental airbag support system may comprise a deployable support structure configured to deploy adjacent to the airbag cushion during a vehicle impact event. The deployable support structure may be configured to supplement impact support provided by the airbag cushion during oblique angle vehicle impact events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: AUTOLIV ASP, INC.
    Inventors: Donald James Paxton, Michael Brian Kutchey, David Robert Palm, Jr., Dion Karl-Axel Kruse, Russell Scott Gans, Christina Renee Morris
  • Patent number: 9758122
    Abstract: A rear seat side airbag device includes: an airbag module that is placed between a side portion of a seat back of a rear seat and a body, the airbag including a side airbag that deploys at the side of an occupant at a time of a collision and an inflator that supplies a gas to the side airbag; and a case in which the airbag module is stored, the case being equipped with a bottom wall that supports, from a vehicle rear side, the side airbag in a deployed state, the case having a sloping surface that is formed at a lower portion of the bottom wall and slopes in a vehicle forward direction heading in a vehicle downward direction relative to a common portion of the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9758123
    Abstract: An airbag includes on the rear plane a passenger protection portion for protecting a front seat passenger. The passenger protection portion includes a front-collision arresting plane for protecting a head of the passenger as he moves forward in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle and an oblique-collision arresting plane that is disposed at least either on the left or on the right of the front-collision arresting plane in such a manner as to protrude rearward out of the front-collision arresting plane for protecting the head of the passenger as he moves diagonally forward in the event of an oblique or offset collision of the vehicle. The passenger protection portion further includes an arresting recess that is disposed between the front-collision arresting plane and oblique-collision arresting plane in such a manner as to be sunken forward for receiving and arresting the head of the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ikuo Yamada, Takanori Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9758124
    Abstract: An inflatable airbag system provides cushioning restraint of a vehicle occupant during an impact event of a vehicle. The airbag system can be configured to be mounted to a frontal region of a vehicle. The airbag system includes an inflatable airbag and a selectively actuatable vent that can be actuated in response to detection of an oblique impact event and/or a small overlap collision event. The selectively actuatable vent is actuated to open to provide additional venting and thus a lower pressure within the inflatable airbag. A lower pressure can reduce force and momentum on the vehicle occupant's head at an offset angled contact with the airbag. A lower pressure may also prevent the occupant from deflecting or rolling off of an airbag and colliding with other surfaces within the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventor: Dion Kruse
  • Patent number: 9758125
    Abstract: In a vehicle body front structure, an operating unit that extends upward to raise a front hood by a predetermined amount when a vehicle collides against an obstacle in front is arranged in a dashboard upper configured to introduce outside air into an interior. The operating unit is mounted in a vehicle body so as to be displaced downward by an external force acting from above after extending upward. An opening portion for drain is provided in a bottom portion of the dashboard upper. The opening portion is arranged at a position where the operating unit can be moved downward by the external force acting from above after extending upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Matsushima, Daisuke Naoi
  • Patent number: 9758126
    Abstract: A vehicle child safety seat includes: a seat main body on which an occupant sits; a seat belt for restraining the occupant to the seat main body, the seat belt including a shoulder harness having a long belt shape and facing a shoulder of the occupant; and a shoulder pad including a hold member formed of a material having a flexibility into an elongated shape and placed between the shoulder of the occupant and the shoulder harness along a longitudinal direction of the shoulder harness, attached to the shoulder harness slidably in the longitudinal direction, and including a plurality of hard members formed of a material harder than the hold member and provided side by side at intervals therebetween in a longitudinal direction of the hold member, the plurality of hard members being attached to a shoulder-harness-side surface of the hold member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TAKATA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsu Mitsuo, Osamu Nakagawa, Masayuki Sakumoto
  • Patent number: 9758127
    Abstract: A restraint system in a vehicle includes a first retractor, a second retractor, a first webbing retractably coupled to the first retractor, a second webbing retractably coupled to the second retractor, a first lower vest panel attached to the first webbing, and a second lower vest panel attached to the second webbing. The lower vest panels are inflatable and releasably attachable to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: S.M. Iskander Farooq, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 9758128
    Abstract: A keyless entry system includes a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus. The first communication apparatus includes first transmitter, first receiver, and first two-way communication device. The second communication apparatus includes second receiver, second transmitter, and second two-way communication device. The first communication apparatus or the second communication apparatus includes electric field strength detector. In a case where the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus are not connected to each other through two-way communication or electric field strength detected by the electric field strength detector is less than a predetermined value, the first communication apparatus stops a call function of the first transmitter or the second communication apparatus stops a wait function of the second receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 9758129
    Abstract: A method of minimizing ice buildup on a windshield of a vehicle is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) monitoring a state of the vehicle; (b) determining a state of the windshield wiper; (c) determining an ambient temperature of the vehicle; and (d) initiating a timer when the state of the vehicle changes from an on state if the ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature and the state of the windshield wiper prior to the vehicle changing to the off state is an on state, and turning the windshield wiper to the on state after a period of time. The windshield wiper may remain on at least through a full cycle from a park zone, to a fully extended position, and back to the park zone. The wiper may remain on for a predetermined period of time determined based upon the ambient temperature or other condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dale Scott Crombez, Peter Francis Worrel
  • Patent number: 9758130
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is notably a securing device (10) between a wiper blade (12) and a wiper blade support (14) constituting a windscreen wiper, said device (10) comprising a first part (20) suitable for being fixed onto said support (14) and a second part (22) suitable for being fixed onto said blade, said first (20) and second (22) parts being linked by a removable link means (52, 54, 56), said second part (22) comprising a groove (26) for insertion, by translation in a first direction, of a complementary part (18) of said blade (12), said device (10) comprising a means for immobilizing, in translation in said first direction, said blade in said groove, characterized in that said immobilizing means comprises at least one immobilizing element (28) mounted to slide on said second part (22), in translation substantially at right angles to said first direction, between a retracted position allowing the displacement of said complementary part (18) of the blade in said groove (26) and a position of trans
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventor: Xavier Bousset
  • Patent number: 9758131
    Abstract: A windscreen wiper device of the flat blade type, particularly for automobiles, comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade includes at least one longitudinal groove, in which groove a longitudinal strip of the carrier element is disposed, which wiper blade comprises a connecting device for an oscillating arm, wherein the oscillating arm near one end thereof is pivotally connected to the wiper blade and near the other end thereof is connected to a mounting head on a drive shaft for transferring a reciprocal movement to the wiper blade, with the special feature that the connecting device comprises at least two opposing spaced-apart sidewalls each comprising a protrusion extending sidewardly and outwardly, wherein the connecting device and the oscillating arm are interconnected by the protrusions pivotally and snappingly engaging into correspondingly shaped recesses
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul S.A.
    Inventor: Eric Coos
  • Patent number: 9758132
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wiping device, in particular a wiping device for a motor vehicle pane, comprising a spoiler unit (22a-22p). According to the invention, said spoiler unit (22a-22p) is produced in a co-extrusion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Koen Bex, Helmut Depondt, Dirk Herinckx
  • Patent number: 9758133
    Abstract: A vehicle lifting and parking aid system having sidewinder wheel units mounted on the axles between the brakes and the spindle of each wheel of a vehicle controlled from a control module located within the vehicle is disclosed. In the deployed position, each sidewinder unit is against the ground surface and lifts the vehicle approximately 0.5? off the ground. Using joysticks on a control module located within the vehicle, the user is able to operate, i.e. direct, the sidewinders to the left or right at different variations in speed whereby the vehicle is moved to the left or right by way of a rotating gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Innovative Inventions, LLC
    Inventors: Don A. Mistrot, Richard P. Duffield
  • Patent number: 9758134
    Abstract: According to an example, a disk brake is disclosed in which a caliper is supported by a mounting bracket via a slide pin, the mounting bracket being attached to a non-rotational portion of a vehicle, the disk brake comprising an electromagnet provided in connection with the slide pin, the electromagnet attracting the slide pin in an axial direction of the slide pin such that brake pads move away from a disk rotor. According to another example, a disk brake in which a caliper is supported by a mounting bracket via a slide pin, the mounting bracket being attached to a non-rotational portion of a vehicle, the disk brake comprising a magnetic material body of a backing plate of a brake pad and an electromagnet provided in a location where the electromagnet is opposed to the magnetic material body in a lateral direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yokoyama, Ikuru Konno, Hiroaki Sato, Kiyoshi Kuwazuru, Takahiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 9758135
    Abstract: A ferritically nitrocarburized rotational member of a vehicle brake is disclosed, including a rotational member having a friction surface configured for braking engagement with a corresponding friction material. A compound zone is disposed at the friction surface. An exposed surface of the compound zone is exposed to an atmosphere. The area of the exposed surface includes from about 0 percent to about 14 percent graphite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Hanna, Michael L. Holly, Ronnie T. Brown, James A. Webster, Lisa G. Devoe, Donna Y. Sekulovski, Kee Hyuk Im
  • Patent number: 9758136
    Abstract: A powered hand brake for locomotive brakes that latches a brake chain into a locked position after the brake cylinder has applied the locomotive brakes. A computer controlled brake system may be interconnected to the brake cylinder and the latch and programmed to set the latch into the latched position when the brake cylinder has moved the locomotive brake into the applied position. An actuator is coupled to the brake chain to take up slack in the brake chain as the brake chain moves between the first and second positions. The actuator can comprise a motor or a tensioning cylinder that takes up slack in the brake chain after the brakes have been applied. Alternatively, the actuator may comprise a linkage connecting the brake chain to the locomotive brake so that the slack in the brake chain is taken up as the brakes are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: New York Air Brake, LLC
    Inventors: Eric C Wright, Jason Connell
  • Patent number: 9758137
    Abstract: Methods and systems of braking a vehicle. One method includes determining, with a first electronic processor, whether the vehicle is in a collision state or a non-collision state. The method also includes determining, with the first electronic processor, an amount of deceleration needed to avoid a collision with a first object. The method also includes determining, with a second electronic processor, whether an electronic parking brake has been activated. Responsive to determining that the electronic parking brake is activated and the vehicle is in the collision state, the method also includes controlling, with the second electronic processor, the electronic parking brake to provide an amount of deceleration of the vehicle based on the amount of deceleration needed to avoid a collision with a first object and a predetermined maximum amount of deceleration of the electronic parking brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Sameer J. Parikh
  • Patent number: 9758138
    Abstract: Towed vehicles can be extremely heavy. Accordingly, it is too much of a burden to the braking system of a towing vehicle to not have brakes on the towed vehicle. Controlling the brakes of the towed vehicle must be accurately applied otherwise very dangerous conditions can be created. A method of controlling braking of a towed vehicle is, therefore, needed. The method comprises receiving speed signals based on speed of a towing vehicle, or a towed vehicle, or both said towing vehicle and said towed vehicle, receiving pressure signals based on pressure of a hydraulic brake system of the towing vehicle, and generating a brake output signal based on the speed signals and the pressure signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Marcia Albright, Chandrakumar Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 9758139
    Abstract: A method for operating a brake system, which brake system includes a master brake cylinder, which is actuated by the driver with the aid of a brake force booster, a driver-independent pressure source, and at least one wheel brake to which a wheel speed sensor is assigned. During a braking operation initiated by the driver, which is identified in particular by a brake lamp switch, the present vehicle deceleration is determined and compared with a predefined threshold value, and the at least one driver-independent pressure source is activated if the determined vehicle deceleration reaches or falls below the predefined threshold value. A brake system for a motor vehicle, which brake system has a control unit in which the method is carried out is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Thorsten Ullrich, Thomas Peichl, Robert Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9758140
    Abstract: An electronic controller includes an electrical input and an electrical output. The electronic controller is adapted to receive an electronic status signal at the electrical input. The electronic status signal is indicative of a pneumatic pressure in a supply line communicating pneumatic fluid between a towing portion of a vehicle and a towed portion of the vehicle. The electronic controller is also adapted to transmit an electronic control signal from the electrical output to an associated valve, based on the electronic status signal, for controlling delivery of a pneumatic control signal from the towing portion of the vehicle to the towed portion of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Charles E Eberling, Travis G Ramler
  • Patent number: 9758141
    Abstract: An initialization method for an EMB may include: opening an in-valve for controlling a flow path through which brake oil is introduced from a master cylinder, closing an out-valve for controlling a flow path through which the brake oil is transferred to an accumulator part, and driving a motor to move a master piston forward; when the master piston is moved by a preset distance after coming in contact with a slave piston which is brought in contact with an inner pad, closing the in-valve and driving the motor to move the master piston backward; when the contact between the master piston and the slave piston is released, determining whether a gap between the master piston and the slave piston is equal to or more than a preset gap; and when the gap is equal to or more than the preset gap, ending initialization of the EMB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Sung Kim, Soung Jun Park
  • Patent number: 9758142
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic brake system provided with a high pressure accumulator that reduces a pressure pulsation of brake oil being discharged through operation of a pump. The high pressure accumulator includes a damping member that is provided in a bore communicating with an inlet port and an outlet port of the high pressure accumulator respectively allowing brake oil to be introduced and discharged therethrough, and is provided with a bypass flow passage connecting the inlet port to the outlet port, and a reinforcing member installed at the damping member to improve durability of the damping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoon-Ho Doh
  • Patent number: 9758143
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle brake system to which an electric brake actuator constituting the vehicle brake system is stably attached and in which it is possible to dispose the electric brake actuator in a power plant storage chamber in a space-efficient manner. A vehicle brake system configured by disposing, on a vehicle, an input device to which the brake operation of an operator is inputted and a motor cylinder device for generating brake fluid pressure by driving a hydraulic pressure controlling piston stored in a cylindrical cylinder main body by means of an electric motor at least in accordance with the brake operation, wherein the motor cylinder device is attached in a manner such that at least a portion of the cylinder main body overlaps with a power plant in the vehicle up and down direction; and the electric motor is disposed below the cylinder main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Ohnishi, Kunimichi Hatano, Kazuaki Murayama
  • Patent number: 9758144
    Abstract: A hovercraft includes a lift air supply source having a dynamic air flow area in communication with a central lift air chamber to provide continuous air flow to the central lift air chamber and a static air flow area in communication with an inflatable skirt extending around a periphery of the hovercraft. Air flow from the static air flow area enters the skirt to replenish air leaking from the skirt. The static air flow area has less air flow than the dynamic air flow area. The static air flow area is located at a higher position than the dynamic air flow area to reduce the likelihood of water entering the inflatable skirt when the hovercraft is operated on water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Charles E. Hill & Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles E. Hill
  • Patent number: 9758145
    Abstract: A vehicle energy management device includes: an energy consumption related information acquisition unit which acquires energy consumption related information that is information related to energy consumption of an own vehicle in each of traveling sections; an energy consumption related information correction unit which corrects the energy consumption related information; and a control plan production unit which produces a control plan for vehicle instruments based on an estimated value of an energy consumption amount of each of the vehicle instruments calculated by using the corrected energy consumption related information. The energy consumption related information correction unit corrects the energy consumption related information based on a result of comparing an actually measured value of traveling characteristics of the own vehicle in each of the road categories and a statistical result of traveling characteristics of a plurality of general vehicles in each of the traveling sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Yoshikawa, Takanori Matsunaga, Akinobu Sugiyama, Kohei Mori, Masataka Shirozono, Nobutaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9758146
    Abstract: In a vehicle having a manual transmission coupled to an internal combustion engine via a first clutch, the first clutch is operable responsive to movement of a clutch pedal. In an engine mode of vehicle operation, the engine propels the vehicle responsive to movement of an accelerator pedal. An electric motor is coupled to the manual transmission for propelling the vehicle in an electric traction motor mode of vehicle operation. Controls are configured for generating a motor demand signal responsive to accelerator pedal position and configured for modifying the demand signal generation responsive to the clutch pedal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Clean Emissions Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Craig Diehl, Dan Warner Harris, Warner Allen Harris, Warner Olan Harris, Wayne Turnbow
  • Patent number: 9758147
    Abstract: A method is described for shutting off an internal combustion engine in a vehicle that comprises an internal combustion engine and an electrical machine, an electrical torque furnished by the electrical machine being adapted in such a way that a change per unit time in a total torque lies within a definable range, the total torque being made up at least of a torque of the internal combustion engine and the electrical torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Julian Roesner, David Vitre
  • Patent number: 9758148
    Abstract: When a basic creep torque Tctmp is a positive value and a braking torque demand Trb* is a negative value, the control procedure sets a basic reflection rate Rctmp based on the braking torque demand Trb* (S240). In a state of non-activation of vehicle distance control (S250), the control procedure sets a target reflection rate Rc* using the basic reflection rate Rctmp directly (S230). In a state of activation of vehicle distance control (S250), the control procedure sets the target reflection rate Rc* using a guarded reflection rate Rcgd obtained by guarding the lower limit of the basic reflection rate Rctmp with a previous value of the target reflection rate (previous Rc*) in a previous cycle (S270 and S280).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimitsu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9758149
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, an engine disconnect clutch, and a transmission input configured to transmit power from the engine and electric machine to a transmission. The vehicle also includes a controller program to close the disconnect clutch and start the engine before downshifting in response to an anticipated transmission downshift in which a predicted speed of the transmission input after the downshift will be outside a predetermined speed range or a torque capacity of the electric machine will be less than a predicted required torque after the downshift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Doering, Xiaoyong Wang, Felix Nedorezov, Chen Zhang, Todd McCullough, Rajit Johri
  • Patent number: 9758150
    Abstract: In a method for displaying a plurality of two-dimensional, ordered objects on a display area, a user-interface device generates graphics data that control the display area such that a subset of the objects is displayed in perspective, a first object of this subset being displayed in perspective in the foreground, and in response to an input with the aid of an input device, an arithmetic logic unit of the user-interface device alters the graphics data such that a different, second object is displayed in perspective in the foreground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Frank Hauschild, Rainer Dehmann
  • Patent number: 9758151
    Abstract: In response to a DN operation that changes a shift position SP from a D position to an N position during forward drive in an HV drive mode, then an accelerator position Acc is not less than a reference accelerator position Aref (step S130), a mechanical neutral control is performed to provide a neutral state by releasing transmission of power between an intermediate shaft 32 and a driveshaft 36 by a multi-speed transmission 60 (step S230). An engine and two motors are then controlled to be rotated at rotation speeds close to rotation speeds Nedn, Nm1dn and Nm2dn at the time of DN operation (steps S250, S270 and S280).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunya Kato, Yosuke Tagawa, Hideki Furuta
  • Patent number: 9758152
    Abstract: A method for operating a hybrid drive device, which includes a first drive unit and a second drive unit is disclosed, wherein a drive torque of the hybrid drive device is produced only by means of the first drive unit in a first operating mode and is produced jointly by the first drive unit and the second drive unit in a second operating mode, and wherein an actual rotational speed of the second drive unit is brought into line with a target rotational speed upon a switchover from the first operating mode to the second operating mode. In order to bring the actual rotational speed into line, a target rotational speed gradient is determined and a target torque determined on the basis of the target rotational speed gradient is set at the second drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Florian Schüle, Andreas Göbel
  • Patent number: 9758153
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a motor, and a storage battery and which charges the storage battery with electric power generated as a result of regenerative braking and electric power generated by using an output of the engine. When a planned travel route includes a downhill section whose height difference is greater than a predetermined height difference threshold, the controller executes a downhill control operation that decreases the target remaining capacity of the storage battery. The controller increases the height difference threshold as the estimated average speed of the vehicle during travel in the downhill section increases, to thereby restrain the execution of the downhill control for a downhill section in which an increase in the remaining capacity is not expected due to a large air resistance acting on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9758154
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a first motor, a planetary gear, a second motor, a battery and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute control such that a reverse travel is made while higher power than power before the positive electrode potential becomes at most equal to a second specified potential is output from the engine when the positive electrode potential becomes at most equal to the second specified potential during the reverse travel, and in which the second specified potential is higher than a first specified potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takanori Aoki
  • Patent number: 9758155
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle including an engine and a motor, includes a controller to update an allowable input current value in accordance with the battery state and to control an input to the battery, the allowable input current value being the maximum current value to which the battery input is permitted. The controller performs control such that limitation of the battery input in accordance with the allowable input current value is not performed if a deterioration degree of a catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas from the engine is larger than a predetermined value when an engine braking force and a regenerative motor braking force are applied during deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teruo Ishishita
  • Patent number: 9758156
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to reduce frequency of establishing an engine braking force is provided. The control system is configured to operate a first motor as a motor to increase torque of an output member while halting the output shaft of the engine by a brake, and to increase the deceleration torque of the second motor, if a state of charge of the battery is higher than a predetermined threshold level when deceleration of the hybrid vehicle is demanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Oshiumi, Makoto Hirai, Koji Hokoi, Takanori Aoki, Hideo Nakatsukasa
  • Patent number: 9758157
    Abstract: A method for active vibration control of a hybrid electric vehicle may include: determining by a controller whether a driving mode enters an idle region based on a motor speed or an engine speed; selecting a reference angle signal based on position information of a motor or an engine when the driving mode enters the idle region; setting up a period of fast Fourier transform (FFT) and performing FFT of the engine speed or the motor speed corresponding to the period of the FFT from the reference angle signal; setting up a reference spectrum according to the engine speed and an engine load; extracting vibration components based on the reference spectrum; summing vibration components according to frequencies and performing inverse FFT; determining an amplitude ratio according to the engine speed and the engine load; and performing active vibration control of each frequency based on the amplitude ratio and motor torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeong Soo Eo, Sung Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 9758158
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control device is provided with at least one controller that controls the outputs of the engine and of the motor according to the driving state, the engagement and disengagement of the clutch, and the transmission ratio of the continuously variable transmission. The at least one controller is programmed to start the engine and forcibly downshift the continuously variable transmission to a transmission ratio with which it is possible to start on an uphill road upon determining that the vehicle is on an uphill road while in an electric vehicle mode in which it is possible to travel by the drive force of the motor with the clutch released and the engine stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamamoto, Morihiro Nagamine, Akira Takano, Shintaro Oshio, Yoshihisa Kodama, Takuro Hirano, Yukifumi Otsuka
  • Patent number: 9758159
    Abstract: An output shaft is arranged to be lateral and parallel to engine input shafts and a motor input shaft. An engine side gear mechanism for transmitting a power of the engine input shafts to the output shaft is provided. A motor side gear mechanism for transmitting a power of the motor input shaft to the output shaft is provided. An input side clutch engages and disengages the engine input shafts and the motor input shaft. When the input side clutch is engaged, the power transmission between a position where the engine side gear mechanism is arranged on the engine input shafts and a position where the motor side gear mechanism is arranged on the motor input shaft is invariably possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomonori Imamura, Shinichirou Koshimoto, Hiroshi Okada, Tomohiro Saito
  • Patent number: 9758160
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an engine may be started in one of two ways depending on operating conditions. In particular, the engine may be started via a lower power output electric machine or a higher power output electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Seung-Hoon Lee, Jeffrey Allen Doering, David Oshinsky, Dennis Craig Reed
  • Patent number: 9758161
    Abstract: At the time of changing from an EV mode, in which a hybrid vehicle travels with the use of a second motor provided on an output side of a differential mechanism while torque that acts on any one of rotating elements of the differential mechanism is interrupted by a clutch, to an HV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels while transmitting output torque of an engine to a drive wheel, when the engine is started in a state where the clutch is slipped and torque is transmitted from the engine so as to increase the rotation speed of the first rotating element while the clutch is slipped, torque starts being output from a first motor such that torque input from the first rotating element to the differential mechanism to increase the rotation speed of the drive wheel is output from the third rotating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kensei Hata, Yuji Iwase, Yosuke Suzuki, Koichi Kato, Seitaro Nobuyasu, Taro Moteki
  • Patent number: 9758162
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a rotary electric machine. The internal combustion engine includes a variable valve actuating device configured to change an operation characteristic of an intake valve. The rotary electric machine is configured to generate driving force for propelling the hybrid vehicle. A controller for the hybrid vehicle includes a traveling control unit and a valve actuation control unit. The traveling control unit executes traveling control for causing the hybrid vehicle to travel by using the driving force of the rotary electric machine while stopping the internal combustion engine. The traveling control unit starts up the internal combustion engine while executing the traveling control. The valve actuation control unit controls the variable valve actuating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshikazu Kato, Ryuta Teraya, Yoshikazu Asami
  • Patent number: 9758163
    Abstract: A lane centering system for use in a vehicle driving in a lane on a road includes a lane delimiter detection device having a camera with a field of view that encompasses the road ahead of the vehicle. Based on processing of captured image data, a controller determines the positions of left and right lane delimiters on the road. The controller is operable to establish a target path for the vehicle that maintains the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle generally centered between the left lane delimiter and the right lane delimiter. The controller is automatically activated to control steering the vehicle along the target path when the speed of the vehicle is at or above a first speed level. When having activated control of steering, the controller automatically deactivates control of steering when the speed of the vehicle falls to at or below a second speed level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Van Dan Elzen, Ka Chai Cheok, Micho Radovnikovich
  • Patent number: 9758164
    Abstract: A method and device for regulating the speed of a motor vehicle, wherein an electronic device a) compares deceleration of a vehicle with a threshold value immediately after a driver switches off a cruise control system and b), if the deceleration exceeds the threshold value, sends a torque demand signal to a powertrain component to reduce the vehicle deceleration to the threshold value or below. The electronic device may further c) compare vehicle acceleration with a second threshold value when the driver switches off the cruise control system, and d), if the acceleration exceeds the second threshold value, send a braking demand signal to a vehicle brake to reduce the vehicle acceleration to the second threshold value or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jitendra Shah, Christoph Boerensen
  • Patent number: 9758165
    Abstract: A system for controlling the speed of a vehicle, the system being operable to cause the vehicle to operate in accordance with a value of vehicle set-speed, the system being operable to allow a user to change the current value of vehicle set-speed in discrete steps by means of user input means, a magnitude of the discrete steps being determined by the system in dependence on a vehicle operational state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: James Kelly, Andrew Fairgrieve, Daniel Woolliscroft
  • Patent number: 9758166
    Abstract: A system for controlling equipment according to different modes includes an input device configured to be engaged by a user and a control circuit coupled to the input device and configured to control operation of equipment based on engagement of the user with the input device. The control circuit controls operation of the equipment according to a first mode when the degree of engagement between the user and the input device is within a predefined range. The control circuit controls operation of the equipment according to a second mode different from the first mode when the degree of engagement between the user and the input device is outside of the predefined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Hon Wah Chin, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9758167
    Abstract: Example methods for distributing torque in a driveline, and driveline systems are disclosed. In one approach, a baseline torque split may be employed, e.g., in a drive unit. The method may further include detecting a first gradient of a first driving surface that exceeds a threshold amount while the driveline is traversing the first gradient using the baseline torque split. The method may further include modifying the second share of torque with respect to the first share of torque in response to the detection of the first gradient. In some examples, a modification may include increasing an amount of torque being distributed to a secondary axle of the vehicle, while in others a torque bias between the primary and secondary axle may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: GKN DRIVELINE NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Chinmay M. Pandit, Heather M. Luba, Bradford A. Withorn, Keith E. Ocker, Douglas J. Priemer
  • Patent number: 9758168
    Abstract: A technique for simplifying the structure of an idling stop device. The idling stop device 100 includes a deceleration detector 200 which detects decelerations of a vehicle. The idling stop device 100 also includes an estimation part 350 which acquires, based on the deceleration detected by the deceleration detector 200, first deceleration when a vehicle is decelerated to a preset speed of less. Based on the acquired first deceleration, the estimation part 350 estimates a first brake pressure applied to the vehicle when the vehicle is decelerated to the preset speed or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Taichi Hasegawa, Shuichi Miyagawa