Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Dennis Kelly Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7058502
    Abstract: A motor vehicle (20) has a diesel engine (22) and one or more sources (30, 36) providing data relevant to operations of the vehicle that are external to the engine but potentially influential on fueling of the engine. An engine control system (24) processes data according to an all-speed governing strategy for controlling engine fueling to develop all-speed governed fueling data (MFGOV) that sets engine fueling when a data input to the engine control system from the one or more sources discloses no need to influence engine fueling. When the data input from such one or more sources discloses a need to influence engine fueling, that data input causes engine fueling to be set by a strategy other than the all-speed governing strategy, a torque speed control strategy (54) in particular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: David V. Rodgers
  • Patent number: 7055496
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine that propels a vehicle has a fuel injection system for injecting fuel into engine cylinders at desired injection control pressure. A control system controls activation and de-activation of a hydraulic actuator for an engine brake. A processor processes data to develop data for desired injection control pressure. Transitional injection control pressure data is used as desired injection control pressure during a transition time interval that commences with de-activation of the engine brake caused by the relief of pressure of the control fluid for allowing resumption of positive power flow from the engine for propelling the vehicle and that ends after the processor has determined the existence of a predetermined correlation between the transitional injection control pressure data and data indicating pressure of the control fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Majewski, James T. Beaucaire
  • Patent number: 7047730
    Abstract: De-sulfurizing a NOx adsorber catalyst (48) without significantly increasing the temperature of exhaust gases leaving the engine exhaust manifold (42) by using a diesel oxidation catalyst (46) between the exhaust manifold and the NOx adsorber catalyst to elevate exhaust gas temperature entering the NOx adsorber catalyst to suitable de-sulfurizing temperature through control of certain aspects of engine operation (24, 28, 52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Xinlei Wang, Patrick D. Barasa, Justin M. O'Connor, Shouxian Ren
  • Patent number: 7040299
    Abstract: A fuel system for a diesel engine may have a fuel tank, a fuel pump, a fuel filter module, and a fuel rail. The fuel filter module has a vacuum side and a pressure side. The vacuum side is connected to the fuel tank and to the inlet side of the fuel pump. The pressure side is connected to the outlet side of the fuel pump and to the fuel rail. The fuel filter module has a pressure regulator and a filter element in the pressure side. The pressure regulator is disposed between the outlet side of the fuel pump and the filter element. The pressure regulator recirculates unfiltered fuel to the vacuum side of the fuel filter module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Steven J. Dickerson
  • Patent number: 7029035
    Abstract: An apparatus for of reliably separating the male and female members of a coupling that may be used in high pressure conditions. A release collar (201) has an actuator (301), a release sleeve flange (303), and a ring (305). The actuator (301) is thinner than those utilized in known release sleeves, and may be advantageously located in closer proximity to the male member (101) than to the female member (103), such that the actuator may radially expand between the male and female members. The actuator (301) may be comprised of a cylindrical annulus and/or fingers disposed in a circular pattern. The ring (305) may have a lip (307) that allows the release collar (201) to remain with the female member (103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Seymour, II, Daniel W. Jensen
  • Patent number: 7021276
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (20) has a control system (26) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (22), and fuel injectors (24) for injecting fuel into the combustion chambers. The control system controls fueling using a result of the processing of certain data, such as engine speed and engine load, to select one of two fueling modes (HCCI, HCCI-CD) for operating the engine. When the result of the processing selects the HCCI mode, the engine is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion within the combustion chambers. When the result of the processing selects the HCCI-CD mode, the engine is fueled to create a substantially homogeneous combustible charge within each combustion chamber that is compressed to auto-ignition, and after auto-ignition, more fuel is injected to provide additional combustion in the manner of the conventional diesel combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7017561
    Abstract: An engine (10) utilizes “regular EGR cooling” when operating in HCCI mode at loads within a low load range (56, 58, 60) and “enhanced EGR cooling” that allows the engine to continue to operate in HCCI mode when engine load increases beyond loads in the low load range (64, 66, 68). When engine load increases further to a point where it enters a high load range, the combustion mode changes over to conventional diesel combustion, and exhaust gas recirculation reverts to “regular EGR cooling” (70, 72, 74).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7013212
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (10) has a control system (24) for processing data, one or more cylinders (16), a fueling system (18), and a variable valve actuation mechanism (20). Control system (24) develops both fueling data for fueling the engine and timing data representing time during the engine cycle for intake valve closure to a cylinder that will endow the cylinder with an effective compression ratio (ECR) appropriate to current engine operation for causing auto-ignition to occur near or at top dead center in the engine cycle. During a compression upstroke, the cylinder is fueled according to the fueling data and intake valve closure for the cylinder is performed according to the timing data. This creates an air-fuel mixture that is increasingly compressed to the point of auto-ignition near or at top dead center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: William de Ojeda, Xilin Yang
  • Patent number: 7004406
    Abstract: A controller for controlling a needle valve of a spring closing type fuel injector includes a fluid assist selectively exerting a force on the needle valve, the force acting in cooperation with a bias exerted by a return spring on the needle valve to effect a relatively low valve opening pressure of the needle valve and relatively very high valve closing pressure. A spring closing type fuel injector and a method for controlling a needle valve of a spring closing type fuel injector are further included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Xilin Yang, Ning Lei, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7004123
    Abstract: An actuator for actuating a linearly translatable member, such as an engine valve includes a unit trigger actuator, the unit trigger actuator having a trigger being electrically actuatable, a hydraulic cartridge having a selectively translatable component and being operably coupled to the trigger for receiving actuation commands therefrom, the unit trigger actuator being an open loop system. A pivot element is operably coupled to the translatable component and to the engine valve, the pivot element amplifying motion imparted to the pivot element by translatory motion of the piston at the engine valve. A lash adjuster is operably coupled to the pivot element for decoupling the hydraulic cartridge from lash inherent in a plurality of components and assembly of an engine valve arrangement. A method of actuation is further included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: William de Ojeda
  • Patent number: 7000393
    Abstract: A valve (50) selectively shunts exhaust gas around a stage (20T) of a turbocharger turbine (20) under control of a control system that selectively renders an EGR system (38) active and inactive and that develops a value for a set-point of operation for the valve. The control system comprises a first map set (60, 142) containing data that the control system uses to the exclusion of data in a second map set (80, 148) to develop the set-point value when the EGR system is active. When the EGR system is inactive, the control system uses the data in the second map set to the exclusion of the data in the first map set to develop the set-point value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Terry G. Wood, Grzegorz Siuchta, Wesley J. Terry
  • Patent number: 6997158
    Abstract: A combustion chamber assembly for use in a diesel engine includes a combustion chamber being defined intersecting a crown of a piston, the combustion chamber being defined by a first curved surface having a reentrancy formed proximate a first curved surface first end and having a post formed proximate a first curved surface second end, a corner being formed at a juncture of the first curved surface second end and the post, adjacent surfaces being direct smooth junctures. A piston and a method of forming a combustion chamber are further included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Zhengbai Liu
  • Patent number: 6993428
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has cylinders within which combustion occurs and an exhaust system through which products of combustion are exhausted from the cylinders. A temperature sensor and an electric heater are disposed in temperature sensing relation to the exhaust gas flow. A processor develops temperature data obtained from the temperature sensor, and power data representing power required to heat the electric heater to a temperature in excess of temperature of exhaust gas flow past the heater. The processor processes the temperature data, the power data, and data representing mass flow through the engine upstream of the temperature sensor and heater according to an algorithm for yielding data representing difference between mass flow of exhaust gas past the temperature sensor and heater and mass flow upstream of the temperature sensor and heater. The measurement may then be used to measure leakage from the exhaust system by subtracting it from flow measurement in a different location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Timothy J. Gundrum
  • Patent number: 6990951
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (10) for a motor vehicle has a control system (20) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (12), and fuel injectors (18) for injecting fuel into the chambers. The control system controls lean-rich modulation of fueling using independent maps. One set of maps is a set of lean fueling maps, and another set is a set of rich fueling maps. The strategy is represented by a flow diagram (30) and is useful in regenerating a NOx adsorber catalyst (16) in the engine exhaust system (14) in a manner that controls torque so that the regeneration process is transparent to the operator of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 6985808
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (10) has a control system (24) for processing various data to develop data for control of various aspects of engine operation, including controlling a device, such as an EGR valve (22) or turbocharger (16). A transient compensation strategy develops a multiplier data value for transient compensation of a control data value for controlling the device by multiplying that control data value by that multiplier data value. The transient compensation strategy comprises a map (34, 40) containing data values for the multiplier, each of which is correlated with both a particular data value for engine speed within a range of data values for engine speed (N) and a particular data value for accelerator pedal rate (APS—d) within a range of data values for accelerator pedal rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Michael P. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 6978943
    Abstract: A flow controller assembly for use with a hydraulically-actuated, electrically-controlled fuel injector, includes a flow controller fluidly disposable intermediate an injector control valve assembly and an injector intensifier assembly for controlling flow of actuating fluid to and from the intensifier assembly to effect rate shaping of an injectable quantity of fuel and to effect a reduction of noise generated by the stopping of return motion of an intensifier piston. A fuel injector and a method of controlling an intensifier piston are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Xinqun Gui, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 6978747
    Abstract: A valve actuator for controlling a valve between an open and a closed disposition includes couplings to a source of fluid under pressure and a reservoir at substantially ambient pressure. A control fluidly coupled to the source of fluid under pressure and to the reservoir for controlling presenting fluid at selected pressure to affect a reciprocatable component, the reciprocatable component being operably coupled to the valve for shifting the valve between the open and the closed disposition. And, positively, hydraulically shifting the valve between the open and the closed disposition. A method of valve actuation is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: James H. Yager, Ning Lei
  • Patent number: D514995
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Jon Acton, Larry N. Reynard, Marcey K. Collins, Robert S. Tirey, Kwan Lee
  • Patent number: D522945
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: International Truck and Engine Corporation Canada
    Inventors: David J. Beigel, Ronald F. Mitchell, Franz Mueller, James M. Oleson
  • Patent number: D529923
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Davi Liao