Patents Examined by Carl Staubach
  • Patent number: 9470123
    Abstract: An elapsed time from a time at which the engine last ceased running until a time of occurrence of an engine start command which causes the cranking motor and the lubrication pump to operate is measured. The onset of fueling of the engine cylinders is a function of the elapsed time measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy M. Lyons, Paul Gottemoller
  • Patent number: 9457417
    Abstract: A governor system is provided that includes a governor having an actuator, and a coupler link configured to couple at a first end to the actuator and at a second end to a throttle of an engine being controlled. One or more mechanical characteristics of the coupler link, the throttle, an actuator arm of the actuator, or some combination thereof, are specific to the engine and configured such that each position of the actuator causes a given output of the engine independent of particular characteristics of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Nathan J. Jochman
  • Patent number: 9457789
    Abstract: A fuel control module, based on an engine torque request, fuels N cylinders of an engine using a first fuel system. N is an integer greater than zero. A throttle control module, based on the engine torque request and the fueling of the N cylinders using the first fuel system, opens a throttle valve to a predetermined wide open throttle (WOT) position. A cost module, when the engine torque request is greater than a predetermined torque: determines a first cost value for fueling at least one of the N cylinders of the engine using a second fuel system; and determines a second cost value for adjusting at least one operating parameter other than fueling of the engine. An adjustment module, based on, the first and second cost values, one of: initiates the fueling of the at least one of the N cylinders using the second fuel system; and adjusts of the at least one operating parameter other than fueling of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Tameem K. Assaf, Louis A. Avallone
  • Patent number: 9447747
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving operation of a stop/start vehicle are presented. In one example, an engine throttle position is adjusted in response to whether or not a starter engages a flywheel during engine stopping. The throttle may be adjusted to a more open position if the starter engages the flywheel or to a more closed position if the starter does not engage the flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, David Oshinsky, Richard John Hippley, Danny Zdravkovski, Craig Cabadas
  • Patent number: 9442042
    Abstract: A combustion diagnosis device for a diesel engine having a plurality of cylinders, including an engine speed sensor for detecting a rotational speed of each cylinder, an injection correction amount calculation unit for calculating an amount of correction for fuel injection of each cylinder in accordance with the engine speed sensor, a rotational fluctuation calculation unit for calculating a rotational fluctuation of each cylinder in accordance with the engine speed sensor, and a combustion state determination unit for determining a combustion state of a determination-target cylinder in accordance with the rotational fluctuation when the correction amount calculated by the injection correction amount calculation unit reaches an upper limit threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Makoto Hoshi, Akira Hanari, Keiichirou Misumi
  • Patent number: 9442034
    Abstract: Embodiments may provide an engine knock monitoring system that may include an engine block including an engine block body and a cylinder wall defining at least a portion of a combustion chamber. A space may be defined between a top of the cylinder wall and a top of the engine block body. An engine knock sensor may be mounted to the engine block. A pressure pulse transmissive element may be disposed in the space and may be disposed in contact with an outside surface of the cylinder wall and an opposite inside surface of the engine block body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Moetakef, James Matthew Kindree, Mathew Leonard Hintzen, Antony George Schepak
  • Patent number: 9435271
    Abstract: Various systems and methods for an engine system which includes a throttle turbine generator having a turbine which drives an auxiliary generator and disposed in a throttle bypass are described. In some examples, a throttle bypass valve is controlled to adjust airflow through the throttle bypass responsive to airflow to cylinders of the engine. In other examples, an operating parameter such as throttle position is controlled based on transient operating conditions of the engine. In still other examples, charging of a battery is coordinated between the auxiliary generator and a primary generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, John D. Russell
  • Patent number: 9435295
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a volume-controlled internal-combustion engine having an intake tract and an exhaust system. An expansion machine is arranged in the intake tract in the flow direction of a combustion air in front of an inlet valve of the engine. An output shaft of the expansion machine is coupleable with an output shaft of the engine. A heat exchanger is arranged in the exhaust system. Before combustion air flows through the expansion machine, it is heated in the heat exchanger by exhaust gas of the internal-combustion engine. The method achieves an efficiency improvement in an internal-combustion engine with a volume-controlled load control at partial load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellchaft
    Inventor: Hubert Fischer
  • Patent number: 9422875
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling an internal-combustion engine (1) equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation circuit and with variable timing means, having a first actuator (8) and of a second actuator (9). The method comprises acquiring a torque setpoint for the engine Tqsp determining a position setpoint for the first actuator (8) VVTint and a position setpoint for the second actuator (9) VVTexh by using a burnt gas flow model (MEGB) that relates the position setpoints of the actuators to the engine torque setpoint Tqsp . The burnt gas flow model (MEGB) comprises a cylinder filling model (MR), the burnt gas fraction in the cylinder is controlled by applying position setpoints VVTint and VVTexh to the variable timing means (8 and 9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin
  • Patent number: 9416714
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust are provided. In one example approach, a method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on a downstream exhaust gas sensor responding before the upstream exhaust gas sensor during a commanded change in air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Adam Nathan Banker, James Michael Kerns, Imad Hassan Makki, Hassene Jammoussi
  • Patent number: 9416738
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine is provided, which can carry out favorable injection amount feedback control even when a fuel property changes. A cylinder internal pressure sensor (16) that detects a cylinder internal pressure is included. A cylinder internal fresh air amount is calculated based on the cylinder internal pressure detected by the cylinder internal pressure sensor (16) (100). Based on the cylinder internal pressure detected by the cylinder internal pressure sensor (16), an actual heating value is calculated (120). From the calculated cylinder internal fresh air amount, a target heating value in a predetermined excess air ratio is calculated (150). A comparison value of the actual heating value and the target heating value is fed back to a fuel injection amount so that the calculated actual heating value corresponds to the target heating value (160, 170).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Suzuki, Soichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9415762
    Abstract: A method, comprising propelling a vehicle with an engine and a motor starting the engine if energy stored in an energy storage device is greater than an upper threshold level when a contaminant amount in the engine oil is greater than a threshold amount. In this way, it is possible to harmonize fuel degradation along with oil degradation, while still providing efficient vehicle and engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William David Treharne, Sangeetha Sangameswaran, Ted Haladyna
  • Patent number: 9410513
    Abstract: An engine includes a crank chamber in which pressure fluctuation occurs and a carburetor including a diaphragm fuel pump. The diaphragm fuel pump includes a pump chamber configured to suck in and eject fuel and a diaphragm chamber to which a pressure that drives the pump chamber is supplied. The diaphragm chamber and the crank chamber communicate with one another in a state in which a negative pressure is created in the crank chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Sugiyama, Tetsuya Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9404436
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine are provided. The engine has an engine block defining a cylinder accommodating a reciprocating piston coupled to rotate a crankshaft, a fuel injector for injecting fuel inside the cylinder, and a crank position sensor positioned proximal to the crankshaft. A method includes commanding the fuel injector to perform a test fuel injection with a predetermined energizing time and using the crank position sensor to determine a crankshaft acceleration signal during the test fuel injection. The crankshaft acceleration signal is filtered and a value of an amplitude of a fundamental frequency component of the filtered crankshaft acceleration signal is determined. A correction factor of the predetermined energizing time is determined based on a difference between the determined value of the amplitude and a preset value thereof. The correction factor is used to correct an energizing time of subsequent fuel injections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ignazio Dentici, Michele Bastianelli
  • Patent number: 9399977
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for starting an internal-combustion engine arranged in a vehicle equipped with an electric machine that at least temporarily drives the internal-combustion engine and a first electrical energy storage unit. An adjusting unit is provided by which the electric machine is connectable with the first storage unit. The adjusting unit is configured to detect at least one defined internal-combustion engine operating state and/or at least one defined vehicle operating state and, at least as a function of the detected internal-combustion engine operating state and/or the detected vehicle operating state, for adjusting an electric quantity which determines an electric power drawn from the first storage unit by the electric machine when driving the internal-combustion engine, or for itself adjusting the drawn electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerhard Woelfl, Daniel Findeisen, Michael Daurer, Hartmut Proebstle, Sherif Mahmoud, Rupert Neudecker
  • Patent number: 9399966
    Abstract: An ECU for controlling an engine counts an unused time TIM of engine in a low-temperature environment. If the unused time TIM is shorter than a predetermined reference value, the ECU sets idle speed immediately after start of operation of the engine to a first idle speed, and if the unused time TIM is longer than the reference value, sets the idle speed to a second idle speed higher than the first idle speed. If duration of the second idle speed exceeds a reference period determined by state of driving of the vehicle, the ECU sets the idle speed to be lower than the second idle speed. In this manner, increased vibration in idling operation in a low-temperature environment can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Hayashi, Takumi Anzawa, Eiji Fukushiro, Katsuhiko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9394845
    Abstract: A first computer-implemented diagnostic method can run in response to an imminent deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO) event. A second computer-implemented diagnostic method can run on engine shutdown. Both diagnostic methods involve controlling fuel injectors and a fuel pump to make the fuel rail pressure change from a desired minimum to a desired maximum. Measurements from the fuel rail pressure sensor at these endpoints can then be used to detect a fault of the fuel rail pressure sensor. One or both diagnostic methods can be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Robert Stack, Jonathan D Stoffer
  • Patent number: 9377000
    Abstract: An ignition coil for an internal combustion engine includes a magnetically-permeable core a primary winding disposed outward of the core, and a secondary winding disposed outward of the primary winding and inductively coupled to the primary winding. The secondary winding has a left secondary winding section and right secondary winding section. A first end of the left secondary winding section is in electrical contact with a first terminal for delivering a first spark-generating current to a first spark plug. A first end of the right secondary winding section is in electrical contact with a second terminal for delivering a second spark-generating current to a second spark plug. A second end of the first secondary winding and a second end of a the second secondary winding is connected to a third terminal for delivering a third spark-generating current to a third spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert A. Skinner, Harry O. Levers, Andre V. Scaff, Jose J. Galicia
  • Patent number: 9371795
    Abstract: During high-load operation of an engine, fuel for initial slow-burning combustion and premixed combustion is injected into a combustion chamber by continuous fuel injection, then fuel injection is paused, and fuel for diffusion combustion is injected after a predetermined interval has elapsed. Also, the fuel injection amount in the continuous fuel injection is set higher than the fuel injection amount for diffusion combustion. A spray autointerference cooling effect is achieved by the continuous fuel injection, thus promoting ignition delay so as to increase the proportion of premixed combustion, thereby suppressing the production of smoke. This enables high-volume EGR to be performed, thus enabling reducing the amount of NOx produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Nada
  • Patent number: 9365110
    Abstract: While a vehicle speed is between a first certain vehicle speed and a second certain vehicle speed lower than the first certain vehicle speed, it is determined whether to perform vehicle control in accordance with conditions excluding a condition based on the estimated road surface slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsuda, Shouta Hamane, Motoyuki Hattori, Kouichi Mori