Patents Examined by Anthony L. Bacon
  • Patent number: 11371461
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block including a cylinder, a piston positioned within the cylinder and configured to reciprocate in the cylinder, an electronic throttle control system including a motor and a throttle plate, an air flow sensor configured to detect an air mass flow rate, a fuel system for supplying a controlled amount of fuel to the cylinder including a fuel injector, and an engine control unit coupled to the fuel system and the electronic throttle control system. The engine control unit is configured to determine engine speed data including a current engine speed, a previous engine speed, and a desired engine speed, control a fuel injection duration based on the engine speed data, determine air-fuel ratio data comprising a current air-fuel ratio and a desired air-fuel ratio, and control a throttle plate position based on the air-fuel ratio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: David Procknow, Jacob Zuehl
  • Patent number: 11352947
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards free-piston combustion engines. As described herein, a driver section may be provided in a free-piston combustion engine for storing energy during an expansion stroke. The driver section may be configured to store sufficient energy to perform the subsequent stroke. In some embodiments, the driver section may be configured to store sufficient energy so as to enable the engine to operate continuously across engine cycles without electrical energy input. A linear electromagnetic machine may be provided in a free-piston combustion engine for converting the kinetic energy of a piston assembly into electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Mainspring Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Gadda, Matthew Roelle, Adam Simpson
  • Patent number: 11306693
    Abstract: A booster circuit for use with an ignition system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The booster circuit includes a relay control circuitry disposed in parallel between the voltage source and the one or more ignition coils for igniting fuel in the engine in synchronism with engine operation; a controllable switching element for selectively completing a booster circuit for connecting the relay control circuitry in series with the voltage source and the one or more ignition coils; and the booster circuit having electronic circuitry including at least one output for providing booster energy at the at least one output, when the booster circuit is completed by the controllable switching element to assure producing of a suitable voltage applied to the one or more ignition coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: INERTIA PERFORMANCE LLC
    Inventor: Fenton Horton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11293357
    Abstract: An method for controlling an engine of a vehicle having the engine and a transmission may include communicating an air-controlled torque request signal between a transmission controller and an engine controller, adjusting an output torque of the engine by controlling an intake air amount of the engine based on the air-controlled torque request signal, communicating an ignition-and-fuel-controlled torque request signal between the transmission controller and the engine controller, determining a target torque value based on the ignition-and-fuel-controlled torque request signal, and adjusting the output torque of the engine by controlling an ignition timing and/or a fuel amount of the engine based on the target torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min Byeon
  • Patent number: 11286872
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting physical stoppage of an internal combustion engine, including: at least four cylinders, a set of cylinder pressure sensors, configured such that, over the course of a combustion cycle of the engine, there is at least one cylinder in the compression or expansion phase whose pressure is measured by a pressure sensor of the set, the method including the following steps: measuring the pressure in a cylinder in the compression or expansion phase, calculating, from the pressure measured in the cylinder, a ratio between a pressure variation in the cylinder and the pressure in the cylinder, and detecting a physical stoppage of the engine if the measured pressure is decreasing and if the calculated ratio is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Fabien Joseph, Stéphane Eloy
  • Patent number: 11255281
    Abstract: An engine includes: a duration apparatus for adjusting an opening duration of an intake valve, a Cylinder De-Activation (CDA) apparatus for controlling deactivation of an exhaust valve, an igniter, an injector for injecting a fuel, an operation state signal unit for measuring an operation state of a vehicle, and a controller for controlling the operations of the duration apparatus, the CDA apparatus, the igniter, and the injector based on an output signal from the operation state signal unit. A control method for this engine includes: determining, by the controller, whether the operation state of the vehicle corresponds to a CDA operation mode; and when the CDA operation mode is determined, operating the CDA apparatus so as to stop the operations of the igniter and the injector, increase an opening duration of the intake valve, and deactivate the exhaust valve by controlling the CDA apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyeon Woo Kim, Kyoung Pyo Ha
  • Patent number: 11236711
    Abstract: A combustion system for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder wall; a cylinder head disposed at an end of the cylinder wall, an internal surface of the cylinder wall and the cylinder head defining a combustion chamber; a fuel injector having a discharge nozzle disposed within the combustion chamber and configured to discharge a fuel jet along a fuel jet axis; and a bluff body disposed within the combustion chamber, the fuel jet axis intersecting an exterior surface of the bluff body. The exterior surface defines a first aperture and a second aperture therethrough, and an interior surface of the bluff body defines a first flow passage extending from the first aperture to the second aperture. The first aperture faces away from the fuel jet axis and the second aperture faces away from the fuel injector along the fuel jet axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Dempsey, Kenth I. Svensson
  • Patent number: 11236698
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may include an engine cylinder having a cylinder head and cylinder sidewalls and a piston that reciprocates within the engine cylinder. The piston, the cylinder head, and the cylinder sidewalls may at least partially define a combustion chamber. The internal combustion engine may also include a fuel injector that is positioned to inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber. The internal combustion engine may further include an engine control module that is in electronic communication with the fuel injector. The engine control module may determine if the internal combustion engine is operating at conditions corresponding to a super knock condition may occur and commands the fuel injector to operate under a split injection mode in which fuel is injected into the combustion chamber in a plurality of injection pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignees: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Eshan Singh, Kai J. Morganti, Robert W. Dibble
  • Patent number: 11168609
    Abstract: A load adaptive linear electrical generator system is provided for generating DC electrical power. The electrical generation system includes one or more power generation modules which will be selectively turned on or off and additively contribute power depending on the DC power demand. Each power generating module includes a pair of linear electrical generators connected to respective ones of a pair of internal combustion piston based power assemblies. The piston in the internal combustion assembly is connected to a magnet in the linear electrical generator. The piston/magnet assembly oscillates in a simple harmonic motion at a frequency dependent on a power load of the electrical generator. A stroke limiter constrains the piston/magnet assembly motion to preset limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Jay B. Ross
  • Patent number: 11156188
    Abstract: System for adapting an internal combustion engine to be powered by gaseous fuel in gas phase and by gaseous fuel, an internal combustion engine arrangement comprising the system and a method for adapting an internal combustion liquid fuel engine to be powered by gaseous fuel in gas phase and gaseous fuel in liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: AC S.A.
    Inventors: Piotr Dobrogowski, Marcin Trocki, Andrzej Sadowski, Tomasz Cybulko
  • Patent number: 11149682
    Abstract: A structure of a combustion chamber for an engine includes a crown surface of a piston, a combustion chamber ceiling surface, an injector and an ignition plug provided on the combustion chamber ceiling surface, and an intake opening and an exhaust opening opened in the combustion chamber ceiling surface. A side where the intake opening is opened is defined as an intake port side, and a side where the exhaust opening is opened is defined as an exhaust port side. An ignition portion of the ignition plug is disposed on the intake port side. The ignition plug is ignited at a timing after the piston passes a compression top dead center. The injector is disposed on the center portion, and is configured to inject fuel toward the exhaust port side. A cavity is provided on the crown surface. A reverse squish flow generation portion is provided in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Imamura, Masaki Fukuma, Yasushi Nakahara, Atsushi Inoue, Kota Matsumoto, Yoshiharu Ueki, Michiharu Kawano, Yuya Honda, Kento Onishi
  • Patent number: 11131284
    Abstract: The invention relates to a restarting method for automatically starting an internal combustion engine (2) of a motor vehicle (3) by means of a brake pedal actuation, comprising the following steps: detecting a brake pressure (p) by means of a brake pressure sensor (14); emitting a corresponding brake pressure signal sequence to a control device (13); determining a brake pressure profile (ppr) from the brake pressure signal sequence; determining a reference pressure value (pR) from the brake pressure profile; detecting a brake release status, wherein, with the release of a brake pedal, a brake pressure decrease (?p) is detected based on the determined reference pressure value (pR), with said decrease exceeding a pressure decrease limit value (?pG); emitting a starting signal (SWS) to a starter (15) for starting the internal combustion engine (2), if the brake release status has been detected. The invention also relates to a restarting assembly for a motor vehicle (1) for carrying out a method of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLCHAFT
    Inventors: Björn Fröhlich, Jan-Lars Dalchow
  • Patent number: 11118499
    Abstract: A structure of a combustion chamber for an engine includes a crown surface of a piston, a combustion chamber ceiling surface formed on a cylinder head, an injector and an ignition plug provided on the combustion chamber ceiling surface, and an intake opening and an exhaust opening opened in the combustion chamber ceiling surface. A side where the intake opening is opened is defined as an intake port side, and a side where the exhaust opening is opened is defined as an exhaust port side, with respect to a position, as a reference, where an ignition portion of the ignition plug is disposed in a plan view from one side in a cylinder axis direction, the injector is configured to inject fuel toward the exhaust port side, and a reverse squish flow generation portion, which draws an air-fuel mixture toward the intake port side, is provided in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Imamura, Masaki Fukuma, Yasushi Nakahara, Atsushi Inoue, Kota Matsumoto, Yoshiharu Ueki, Michiharu Kawano, Yuya Honda, Kento Onishi
  • Patent number: 11085390
    Abstract: A control system for a fuel cutoff system of a motor vehicle includes a fuel cutoff module that generates a fuel cutoff signal for disabling a supply of fuel to an engine, in response to the fuel cutoff module detecting a deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO) event. The control system further includes an oxygen storage module determining an amount of oxygen accumulated in a catalyst and comparing this amount to an oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of the catalyst, in response to the fuel cutoff module determining the DFCO event. The control system further includes an intake valve timing module generating a phasing signal to actuate a plurality of cam phasers to reduce a flow rate of oxygen to the catalyst, in response to the fuel cutoff module determining the DFCO event and the oxygen storage module determining that the amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst is less than the OSC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert Gallon, Michael A. Smith, Matt Pedigo
  • Patent number: 11060407
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade for a turbomachine. The rotor blade includes an airfoil and a tip shroud coupled to the airfoil. The tip shroud includes a side surface. The airfoil and the tip shroud define a first cooling passage. The tip shroud further defines a second passage in fluid communication with the first cooling passage. The second cooling passage extends from the first cooling passage to a first outlet defined by the side surface. The first outlet is configured to direct a flow of coolant onto a tip shroud fillet of a first adjacent rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Robert Alan Brittingham
  • Patent number: 11047356
    Abstract: An ignition device includes: a high frequency power source; a first device having inductance; a second device having capacitance; a discharge GAP; and a shield device which covers a connection portion between the first device and the second device, and is connected to the ground. The high frequency power source supplies AC power to the discharge GAP by using a resonance circuit composed of the first device and the second device, and ignites fuel by discharge plasma generated in the discharge GAP. In the ignition device, the first device, the second device, the connection portion, and the shield device are arranged in the same package and are sealed with an insulating substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kimihiko Tanaya
  • Patent number: 11041451
    Abstract: A control method for an internal combustion engine in which a driving force is transmitted through a clutch to a driving wheel of a vehicle, the control method includes: when the internal combustion engine which is automatically stopped in a state where the clutch is disengaged is restarted, performing a torque down control to decrease a target torque of the internal combustion engine when the clutch is engaged; and setting a target torque in the torque down control, to a predetermined torque lower limit value determined in accordance with a driving state, the torque lower limit value including at least one of a predetermined full open value set when an accelerator opening degree is full open, and a predetermined full close value set when the accelerator opening degree is full close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ken Kinjo
  • Patent number: 11002233
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes an engine head, a pressurized fuel supply conduit, and a fuel return conduit. Fuel injectors are positioned in fuel injector bores in the engine head, and each include an intensifier plunger, a nozzle check, an injection control valve, and an intensifier control valve. Fuel recovery fittings are coupled to the plurality of fuel injectors and each fluidly connect an actuation fuel outlet in one of the fuel injectors to the fuel return conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Goudarz Hajialimohammadi, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja
  • Patent number: 10995719
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel injection arrangement for a diesel type engine configured to use carbonaceous aqueous slurry fuels. The fuel injection arrangement includes an injector nozzle for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber; a pump chamber housing a fuel pumping element for generating a pressurised fuel flow to the injector nozzle along an injection path between the pumping element and the injector nozzle; and a check valve connected to a fuel supply for regulating and supplying fuel to the injection path via a check valve outlet. A region immediately downstream of the check valve outlet defines an outlet region and the check valve is arranged to expose the outlet region to the pressurised fuel flow to facilitate flushing of the outlet region during fuel flow between the pumping element and the injector nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION
    Inventor: Louis James Wibberley
  • Patent number: 10989162
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a coaxial cavity resonator; a radio frequency power source coupled to the coaxial cavity resonator; a direct current power source coupled to the coaxial cavity resonator; a combustion process feedback module configured to sense a condition in a combustion environment by measuring a characteristic of the coaxial cavity resonator; and a controller configured to modulate operation of the coaxial cavity resonator based at least in part on combustion process feedback information from the combustion process feedback module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: West Virginia University
    Inventors: Andrew D. Lowery, Michael J. Spencer, James E. Smith