Patents Examined by Charles Brauch
  • Patent number: 10927729
    Abstract: A positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system for an internal combustion engine having an air induction system configured to supply air to the includes a PCV line configured to fluidly couple between a crankcase of the engine and the air induction system, a condenser disposed on the PCV line and configured to condense water vapor and fuel vapor contained in blow-by gases received from the crankcase to separate the water vapor and fuel vapor from the blow-by gases and form a water/fuel mixture and a lean blow-by gas, and an oil separator disposed on the PCV line and configured to receive the lean blow-by gas from the condenser and separate oil therefrom to form a filtered blow-by gas for return to the air induction system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Iain J Read, Timothy J Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10927745
    Abstract: A marine engine comprises a powerhead having an engine block, a cylinder head and a crankcase containing a crankshaft. Operation of the marine engine causes rotation of the crankshaft. A crankcase cover encloses the crankshaft in the crankcase. A supercharger is on the crankcase cover, the supercharger being configured to provide charge air for combustion in the powerhead. A cooling passage conveys cooling fluid between the crankcase cover and the supercharger so that the cooling fluid cools both in the crankcase and in the supercharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Gregg D. Langenfeld
  • Patent number: 10920717
    Abstract: Provided herein is an optimizable hydrogen generation system for producing and injecting hydrogen gas as a fuel supplement into the air intake of internal combustion and/or diesel engines. Hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) are produced with one or more pairs of cells to adjust the amount of hydrogen gas supplied to the engine, while the oxygen gas is vented to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: Donald Owens
  • Patent number: 10920630
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes: an engine main body demarcating a breather chamber that is partitioned from a crank chamber, disposed above the crank chamber, and has an inlet opening opened toward the crank chamber; a multistage transmission housed in the crank chamber and having speed change gear trains that are respectively supported by a pair of transmission shafts and mesh with each other; and a breather passage disposed above the transmission shafts and extending in an up-down direction from the crank chamber to the inlet opening of the breather chamber, the inlet opening being disposed above a half in a height direction of the breather chamber. Accordingly, the internal combustion engine can suppress the entry of splashed oil into the breather chamber more than ever before.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mori, Masako Takahashi, Hiroyuki Tsukagoshi
  • Patent number: 10907516
    Abstract: There is provided a balancer device for an internal combustion engine that suppresses lubricating oil from failing onto a reduction gear and a pump drive gear provided to drive and rotate an oil pump and thereby suppresses an increase in resistance against rotation between the reduction gear and the pump drive gear. The balancer device for the internal combustion engine includes a lower side housing on which a balancer drive gear, a first balancer shaft including a first balance weight, a first gear, a second gear, a second balancer shaft including a second balance weight, and the reduction gear are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Matsuo, Masaharu Kitamura, Masahumi Kurita
  • Patent number: 10907539
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for one or more deflector elements coupled to an engine. In one example, a system includes a deflector element physically coupled to an interface at which edges of an engine head and an engine block join, wherein the deflector element extends around a portion of the edge and a screw boss, where the screw boss bulges out from the edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Spurling, Daniel Meckenstock, Marius Sawatzki
  • Patent number: 10907572
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising at least a crank case, which houses a cylinder, and a cylinder head, which is adapted to be coupled to the crank case, and a liquid cooling circuit, wherein the liquid cooling circuit comprises at least one inlet aperture and at least one outlet aperture, a lower cooling chamber housed in said cylinder head in a position adjacent to a flame deck of said cylinder head; an upper cooling chamber housed in said cylinder head above said lower chamber, so that said lower chamber is sandwiched between said upper chamber and said flame deck; wherein said inlet aperture is provided in said upper or lower chamber and said outlet aperture is provided in said lower or upper chamber, on a same side of the internal combustion engine, so that the cooling liquid runs in a substantially U-shaped path moving between said upper chamber and said lower chamber, transversely relative to a crankshaft of said engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: FPT INDUSTRIAL S.P.A.
    Inventor: Enzo Pierro
  • Patent number: 10907529
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for preventing overheating of a power steering system. In one example, a method includes operating an engine cooling fan based on a steering wheel angle and an engine speed. The cooling fan may be operated for a duration based on the steering wheel angle and engine speed, thus eliminating the need for a dedicated power steering coolant temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Roberto Villegas Muriel, Timothy Gerard Offerle, Dale Killins, Darin Charles Petrini
  • Patent number: 10889180
    Abstract: A tiltable active air flap assembly may include an air flap unit having a plurality of air flaps rotatably installed in a manner of being arranged parallel to each other and rotating simultaneously such that running wind flows into an engine room through a radiator grille of a vehicle or the running wind is blocked; a drive motor; a power transmission means for transmitting rotational force of the drive motor to any one of the plurality of air flaps; and a tilting means for moving any one of upper and lower ends of the air flap unit along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle when each of the air flaps rotates to close the radiator grille.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ji-Min Jeong
  • Patent number: 10890089
    Abstract: A PCED can include an outer can, an upper lid having an upper lid intake and an upper lid exhaust, a lower lid having a lower lid exhaust, and an internal frame disposed within the can. With the internal frame disposed within the can, first, second, third, and fourth chambers can be formed, with the first chamber containing a coalescing material. Gases from a combustion engine crankcase can enter the PCED via the upper lid intake, move through the chambers, and exit the PCED via the upper lid exhaust and return to the crankcase. While moving through the chambers, impurities within the gas convert to liquid form via condensation, collect in the second chamber, and can be subsequently drained from the PCED via the lower lid exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventor: Tracy George Lewis
  • Patent number: 10883443
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fluid injection arrangement integrally formed in a cylinder head. In one example, a method may include molding a polymer composite structure as a single-piece with a fluid injection arrangement arranged integrally therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Donald Wicks
  • Patent number: 10876447
    Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for a crankcase ventilation system of an engine having a boost system utilize a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in a make-up air (MUA) hose, a flow-limiting valve (i) fixedly attached to the induction system at a point upstream from the pressure sensor and proximate to an induction system end of the MUA hose and (ii) configured to limit flow through the MUA hose, and a controller configured to, in response to detecting the non-boost operating condition of the engine, obtain an initial pressure from the pressure sensor and then command the flow-limiting valve to close for a diagnostic period, during which monitor the pressure is monitored to determine a pressure drop from the initial pressure, and when the pressure drop fails to exceed a threshold during the diagnostic period, detect a malfunction indicative of a leaking or disconnected MUA hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Scott E Henson, Dhaval D Shah, Ryan J Schulten, Balmkund B Agarwal
  • Patent number: 10876439
    Abstract: An engine oil strainer includes a lubricating oil passage, and an oil inlet and an oil outlet which are respectively disposed at two ends of the lubricating oil passage. The engine oil strainer further includes a check valve which is disposed at the oil inlet and which only allows a lubricating oil to flow into the lubricating oil passage. Also disclosed herein are a lubrication system employing the engine oil strainer, and an internal combustion engine having the lubrication system. When the internal combustion engine stops operating, the lubricating oil flows back from the oil outlet into the engine oil strainer. Since the check valve is disposed at the location of the oil inlet of the engine oil strainer, the lubricating oil flowing back into the engine oil strainer is not capable of proceeding to flow back from the oil inlet into the oil pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: WEICHAI POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xuguang Tan, Jiawei Shen, Yong Cui, Jingpeng Cui, Jianwen Li
  • Patent number: 10876474
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a length-adjustable connecting rod, to a device for setting a compression ratio and to an internal combustion engine. A length-adjustable connecting rod with a small connecting-rod eye and a large connecting-rod eye preferably has a switching device. The switching device is preferably designed to control the length of the connecting rod, in particular hydraulically. In addition, the connecting rod preferably has an adjustment device which is actuable, in particular mechanically, from outside the connecting rod, has a rotatably mounted adjustment unit and is designed to mechanically switch, in particular to actuate, the switching device by rotation of the adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: AVL LIST GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Krobath, Juergen Pichler
  • Patent number: 10871173
    Abstract: A dry gas extraction device is described, for extracting a dry gas from a wet gas flow. The device comprises a wet gas duct having a side wall surrounding an inner gas flow volume. The device further comprises at least one dry gas intake port located in a position inside the gas flow volume at a distance from the side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE SRL
    Inventor: Matteo Bertoneri
  • Patent number: 10871090
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a lubricant system for an engine. In one example, the system includes external delivery lines coupling an oil reservoir of the engine to a plurality of cylinder head oil galleries, the engine also having internal oil passages. An amount of hydraulic fluid delivered via the external delivery lines is controlled by a pressure control valve having a vent line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Abhijyoth Vempati, David Simon
  • Patent number: 10871128
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of controlling a water injector for immediate water injection and an engine driven by the method. A method of controlling an operation of a water injector for injecting water into the combustion chamber of an engine to which a turbo system for increasing the amount of air by pressing air has been applied includes detecting water pressure applied to a water supply pipe for supplying water to the water injector, stopping an operation of a water supply pump when the detected data reaches a preset reference value, detecting a temperature of water within the water supply pipe for supplying the water to the water injector, and returning the water within the water supply pipe to a water storage tank and driving the water supply pump to supplying new water to the water supply pipe when the detected data deviates from a preset range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Autron Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 10871099
    Abstract: Pistons for opposed-piston engines include an interior annular cooling gallery. The gallery is provided with inlet and drain passageways constructed to shield a jet of liquid coolant entering the gallery, thereby reducing interference between the incoming jet and liquid coolant circulating in the gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan G. Mackenzie
  • Patent number: 10865694
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus of a vehicle of the invention comprises an engine cooling system, a device cooling system, and a connection apparatus configured to connect an engine circulation circuit of the engine cooling system and a device circulation circuit of the device cooling system to each other such that heat exchanging liquid cooled by a device radiator of the device cooling system, is supplied to an engine passage formed in an internal combustion engine without flowing through a device passage formed in the device including at least one of a motor of the vehicle, a battery for storing electric power to be supplied to the motor, and a power control unit for controlling a supply of the electric power from the battery to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugihara, Tomohiro Shinagawa, Yuji Miyoshi, Takuya Hirai, Keisuke Tokai
  • Patent number: 10865698
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine cooling system. The engine cooling system includes an engine. A radiator is fluidly coupled to the engine. A sensor is configured to provide a temperature reading of a coolant at the engine. The vehicle further includes a heat pump system. The heat pump system includes a condenser disposed proximate the radiator and fluidly coupled to the compressor. An evaporator is fluidly coupled to the condenser. A climate fan is fluidly coupled to an exterior surface of the evaporator. A climate control module is configured to control a speed of the climate fan. The climate control module establishes a maximum speed of the climate fan in response to a temperature reading from the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alan Gutowski, Manfred Koberstein, Curtis Mark Jones, James C. Rollinson