Patents Assigned to Cummins Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8979485
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine comprising: a housing; a turbine wheel supported in the housing for rotation; an annular inlet passage defined between respective inlet surfaces defined by an annular nozzle ring and a facing annular shroud; the nozzle ring can vary the size of the inlet passage; a circumferential array of inlet vanes; the shroud covering the opening of a shroud cavity defined by the housing inlet passage and inboard of the shroud, and defining a circumferential array of slots, the slots and shroud cavity being configured to receive said vanes accommodating movement of the nozzle ring; wherein the annular shroud comprises an outer flange, the outer flange defining a circumferential groove for receiving a retaining ring for securing the shroud in the opening of the shroud cavity and defined on an inboard side by a flange wall; wherein an annular flange rim extends axially inboard from said flange wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Glenn L. Baker, Gary Beshears, Timothy James William Proctor, John Frederick Parker, John Michael Bywater
  • Patent number: 8959895
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas aftertreatment device is provided, comprising a control unit for controlling a diaphragm pump that draws a urea/water solution out of a circuit and pumps it, via a pressure filter, to a metering unit comprising an atomizing nozzle for atomizing the urea/water solution into an exhaust-gas stream. The metering unit may also comprise a metering valve, including an atomizing nozzle, a pressure and temperature sensor, a heating means and a return baffle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Friedrich Zapf, Heico Stegmann, Andreas Lannig, Klaus Lang, Christian Schmidt, Alexandre Branco
  • Patent number: 8961151
    Abstract: A turbocharger shaft interconnects the compressor impeller and the turbine wheel and a bearing housing between the compressor and turbine houses a bearing assembly supporting the turbocharger shaft rotation. A shaft bore defined in at least one of the compressor, turbine or bearing housings receiving the shaft. A sealing arrangement for restricting leakage of lubricant along the shaft bore from the bearing housing to the compressor or turbine housing. The sealing arrangement comprises at least one sealing ring around the shaft in the shaft bore and a gas passage communicating with the shaft bore. A gas distribution circuit includes a valve movable between a first position in which gas passage is in communication with a gas supply path for supplying gas to the shaft bore and a second position in which the gas passage is in communication with a vent path for venting gas from the shaft bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Fahim Ismail Patel, James Alexander McEwen
  • Patent number: 8938949
    Abstract: The invention relates to an SCR exhaust gas aftertreatment device, particularly for diesel motor internal combustion engines having a very large exhaust gas volume and/or divided exhaust gas trains. In order to be able to manufacture this SCR exhaust gas aftertreatment device in a cost-efficient manner, also for a high mixing degree of exhaust gas and AUS, it is proposed that a plurality of metering units (D1, D2, Dn) is provided, each of which has an atomizing nozzle, which nozzle-injects the aqueous urea solution into the exhaust gas train. In this case, the pressure existing in a common line for all metering units (D1, D2, Dn) can be determined by means of a pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexandre Branco, Heico Stegmann, Friedrich Zapf
  • Patent number: 8875502
    Abstract: An SCR exhaust gas aftertreatment device in which a urea-water solution is injected into an exhaust gas line is provided. At least one component of the device (e.g., a filter element) lies in an area of an internal space, and is bounded by an elastomer membrane that is embedded in a frost equalization foam. This prevents freezing damage even over a very long period of time and a large number of freezing cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Tobias Fuchs, Andreas Lannig, Ralf Rohrmueller, Sebastian Weidner, Friedrich Zapf
  • Patent number: 8875491
    Abstract: An exhaust gas aftertreatment system and method are provided. The system comprises a controller, a pump, and a volume quantity dispensing unit. The volume quantity dispensing unit comprises a pressure transducer comprising an electric pressure sensor, at least one fine atomizing nozzle for apportioning the aqueous solution directly into an exhaust gas flow, and at least one means for changing a pressure value. The means changes the pressure value in such a way that a pressure output signal from the pressure transducer to the controller is modified from an actual pressure value sensed by the pressure sensor. A first signal provided by the controller to the pump and a second signal provided by the controller to the volume quantity dispensing unit are adapted based on the output signal from the pressure transducer and a further signal indicative of an operating state of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Friedrich Zapf, Thorsten Pelz, Heico Stegmann
  • Publication number: 20140193239
    Abstract: A turbomachine with a rotary shaft supporting a turbine wheel is supported for rotation in a housing. The shaft extends through a bore in the housing and a bearing assembly being disposed in the bore. At least one end of the shaft has a primary seal and a secondary seal. The primary seal comprises a non-contact seal defined by an annular clearance between a first non-rotating seal element and a second seal element that rotates with the shaft. The primary seal is arranged to receive lubricating oil from the bearing assembly. An oil slinging feature is provided between the primary and secondary seals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Prabhu Ramasamy, Andrew Day
  • Patent number: 8747057
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine comprising: a turbine wheel mounted for rotation about a turbine axis within a housing, the housing defining an annular inlet surrounding the turbine wheel and defined between first and second inlet sidewalls; a cylindrical sleeve axially movable across the annular inlet to vary the size of a gas flow path through the inlet; the annular inlet divided into axially adjacent annular portions by at least one annular baffle which is axially spaced from the first and second inlet sidewalls; inlet formations extending axially across at least two of said annular portions defined by the or each baffle so as to divide said annular inlet into at least two axially offset inlet passages; the baffle(s) and inlet formations forming part of a nozzle assembly located within said annular inlet; wherein first and second components of the nozzle assembly define complementary features which co-operate to connect together said first and second components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert L. Holroyd, Tom J. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20140133978
    Abstract: A turbomachine with a shaft supporting a turbine wheel is supported for rotation in a housing. The shaft extends through a bore in the housing and a bearing assembly is disposed in the bore. The turbomachine has a first lubricating fluid slinger comprising a screw thread that is engageable with a threaded section of the shaft such that the first lubricating fluid slinger is screwable along the threaded section of the shaft so as to apply a compressive preload to the bearing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: CUMMINS LTD
    Inventors: James Donaldson, Prabhu Ramasamy, Paul Brierley
  • Patent number: 8721268
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine comprises a turbine wheel mounted for rotation about a turbine axis within a housing, the housing defining an annular inlet surrounding the turbine wheel and defined between first and second inlet sidewalls; and a cylindrical sleeve axially movable across the annular inlet to vary the size of a gas flow path through the inlet; wherein the annular inlet is divided into at least three axially offset annular inlet portions by two or more axially spaced annular baffles disposed between the first and second inlet sidewalls; inlet vanes extending axially into at least one of the inlet portions and defining circumferentially adjacent inlet passages; and wherein each of at least two of said baffles extends radially inboard of inlet vanes which extend into at least one of the inlet portions axially adjacent the respective baffle, and wherein a distance between an inner diameter of a first baffle of said at least two of said baffles and a trailing edge of a radially innermost vane in one of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Simon Moore, Tom J. Roberts, Robert L. Holroyd, James Alexander McEwen
  • Patent number: 8696308
    Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a variable geometry turbine comprising: a turbine wheel mounted for rotation about a turbine axis within a housing, the housing defining an annular inlet surrounding the turbine wheel and defined between first and second inlet sidewalls, the annular inlet being divided into at least two axially offset inlet portions; a cylindrical sleeve axially movable across the annular inlet to vary the size of a gas flow path through the inlet; and a guide for guiding the movement of the cylindrical sleeve, the guide being at least partially located within the inlet at a radially extent of the inlet portions, and extending in an axial direction parallel to the turbine axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: Tim Denholm, James Alexander McEwen, Tom J. Roberts, Robert L. Holroyd, Christopher Normington, Arun Vijayakumar, Stephen Edward Garrett
  • Patent number: 8696307
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine comprises a turbine wheel supported in a housing for rotation about a turbine axis. An exhaust gas inlet passageway is defined between a shroud and a wall of a nozzle ring. The shroud is moveable in the axial direction to vary the size of the inlet passageway. The nozzle ring has an array of vanes that extends across the inlet passageway. An array of openings is provided in the shroud for receipt of the array of vanes. The shroud is part of a substantially annular axially moveable sleeve that is slidably disposed on an annular supporting wall. At least one biasing member is disposed between the moveable sleeve and the support and is designed to apply a circumferentially distributed force in the radial direction so as to maintain concentric alignment of the supporting wall and the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventor: Stephen Edward Garrett
  • Publication number: 20130342189
    Abstract: A rotational device comprises a first portion, a rotatable body rotatable relative to the first portion and comprising at least one salient member, and a speed sensor arrangement for use in measuring a speed of rotation of the at least one salient member, the speed sensor arrangement comprises a signal electrode, at least a portion of which is located between the rotatable body and the first portion, there being an electric potential difference between the signal electrode and the first portion in use, the signal electrode being configured to output a first signal in use which is a function of the speed of rotation of the at least one salient member; a guard electrode, at least a portion of which is located between the signal electrode and the first portion, the guard electrode being separated from the signal electrode by at least a first electrically insulating portion, and the guard electrode being separated from the first portion by at least a second electrically insulating dielectric portion; and a buffer
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventor: Calvin Cox
  • Publication number: 20130315718
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine comprising a turbine wheel mounted for rotation about a turbine axis within a housing. The housing defines an annular inlet surrounding the turbine wheel and defined between first and second inlet sidewalls. The turbine further comprises a cylindrical sleeve that is axially movable across the annular inlet to vary the size of a gas flow path through the inlet. The annular inlet is divided into at least two axially offset inlet passages. The inner diameter of the sleeve is greater than the inner diameter of the inlet passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventors: John F. Parker, Robert L. Holroyd, Tom J. Roberts, James Alexander McEwen, Tim Denholm, Simon Moore, Michael Voong, Christopher Normington, Arun Vijayakumar, Stephen Garrett
  • Publication number: 20130227944
    Abstract: A method of operating a generator arrangement comprises selecting an operating mode as a function of at least one of: a speed of an engine, a temperature of at least a portion of the engine, a property of an exhaust fluid of the engine, and whether an engine braking command signal is received by the controller; controlling the flow of fluid from a first engine outlet to a first turbine by setting, based on the selected operating mode, an operating condition of a first flow control mechanism, the first turbine being part of a turbocharger having a compressor in fluid flow communication with an engine inlet; and controlling the flow of fluid from a second engine outlet to a second turbine by setting, based on the selected operating mode, an operating condition of a second flow control mechanism, the second turbine being parallel to the first turbine and being part of an electrical generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd
    Inventors: Tim Denholm, Toshihiko Nishiyama, Owen Alistair Ryder
  • Publication number: 20130180242
    Abstract: An engine assembly comprising an internal combustion engine and a waste heat recovery system, wherein the waste heat recovery system is configured to direct refrigerant around a loop which comprises: a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from engine exhaust gases to the refrigerant such that the refrigerant is vaporised; a turbine configured to receive and be driven by the vaporised refrigerant; and a condenser configured to cool and condense the refrigerant for subsequent delivery in liquid form to the heat exchanger; wherein the turbine comprises a turbine wheel connected to a shaft which is held in a shaft housing, a bearing lubricated by liquid refrigerant being provided between the shaft and the shaft housing, and wherein squeeze film dampers which utilise the liquid refrigerant are provided between the bearing and the shaft housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventor: Cummins Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130177403
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine comprise a housing; a turbine wheel supported in the housing for rotation about a turbine axis: and an annular inlet passage upstream of said turbine wheel defined between respective inlet surfaces defined by an annular nozzle ring and a facing annular shroud. The nozzle ring and shroud are axially movable relative to one another to vary the size of the inlet passage; the nozzle ring having a circumferential array of inlet vanes extending across the inlet passage. The shroud covers the opening of a shroud cavity and defines a circumferential array of vane slots, each vane slot corresponding to an inlet vane, the vane slots and shroud cavity being configured to receive said inlet vanes to accommodate axial movement of the nozzle ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventor: Cummins Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130164157
    Abstract: A generator arrangement comprises a turbocharger having a compressor configured to be placed in fluid flow communication with an engine inlet, and a first turbine having a first turbine wheel, a first inducer portion upstream, in use, of the first turbine wheel and configured to be placed in fluid flow communication with an engine outlet, and a first exducer portion downstream, in use, of the first turbine wheel; and an electrical generator having a second turbine having a second turbine wheel, a second inducer portion upstream, in use, of the second turbine wheel and configured to be placed in fluid flow communication with the engine outlet, and a second exducer portion downstream, in use, of the second turbine wheel. The first and second turbines are arranged in parallel to one another; and the first inducer portion and second inducer portion, and/or the first exducer portion and second exducer portion are contiguous.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventor: Cummins Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130142636
    Abstract: A turbocharger arrangement comprises a turbocharger and a generator. The turbocharger comprises a turbine having a turbine wheel and a compressor having a compressor wheel. The turbine wheel and the compressor wheel are mounted to a shaft, the shaft being supported by a bearing assembly located in a bearing housing between the turbine and the compressor, such that the shaft may rotate about an axis; The compressor wheel is between the generator and the bearing assembly; and an inducer portion of the compressor wheel is between an exducer portion of the compressor wheel and the bearing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Ltd.
    Inventor: Cummins Ltd.