Patents Examined by Han L. Liu
  • Patent number: 6669452
    Abstract: Separated seating members are used to mount a compressor onto an engine of a mobile structure. The compressor has a compressing mechanism and an electric motor, which are accommodated in a case, and the separated seating members embrace and fix the case by mutually linking together. Mounting seats provided on the separated seating members are held against the engine, and are mounted by bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Ogawa, Yoshifumi Abe, Masahiko Makino
  • Patent number: 6666656
    Abstract: A fluid compressor controls opening and closing of a fluid intake port in the crankcase with a novel and improved form of gate control member which follows rotation of the crankshaft and times the opening and closing of the intake port to coordinate with the intake and discharge strokes of a piston which is reciprocal through a cylinder bore communicating with the crankcase, the piston having an intake valve, and a cylinder head at the end of the cylinder bore having only a discharge valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Inventor: Hans-Georg G. Pressel
  • Patent number: 6666655
    Abstract: A hydraulic flow return system of a transmission pump in which primary and bypass flows of hydraulic fluid are returned to primary and bypass flow channels, respectively, of a booster nozzle situated adjacent the rotating group at the inlet of the pump for delivery a boosted flow of high pressure fluid to the pump as a result of the incoming bypass flow being passed through a flow restrictor before being recombined with the primary flow, the system is improved by incorporating a bypass valve which senses the back pressure in the incoming bypass flow and operates to open an auxiliary bypass channel in the event that the back pressure exceeds a predetermined control value in order to divert a fraction of the bypass flow around the flow restrictor for delivery to the pump until such time as the back pressure falls below the control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Roy William Heath, Douglas D. McClain, Thomas C. Rytlewski, Rick L. Lincoln
  • Patent number: 6659727
    Abstract: An improved control method for a dual mode compressor drive arrangement selectively operates an electric machine coupled to the compressor as a motor or a generator during operation of an engine coupled to the compressor for improved efficiency and performance. The machine is operated as a generator to increase the available power for vehicle electrical loads when compressor operation is not needed or when the engine is driving the compressor. Conversely, the machine is operated as a motor to drive the compressor under heavy engine loading or when the engine speed is outside a desired operating range defined in terms of compressor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Major, George M. Claypole, Lawrence Ziehr, Mark D. Nemesh, Michael J. Miller
  • Patent number: 6659732
    Abstract: A supercharging device of a hermetic compressor comprises a suction chamber connected with a suction pipe and a cylinder, the suction chamber formed at lower side of a cylinder block; a suction fan rotatably disposed in the suction chamber; a driving pulley disposed on a lower end of a crankshaft; a driven pulley disposed on a rotating shaft of the suction fan; and a belt connecting the driving pulley and the driven pulley. Accordingly, the suction fan rotates with the crankshaft, and moves the refrigerant in the suction chamber to the cylinder, and thus the amount of the refrigerant drawn into the cylinder is increased and consequently the volume efficiency of the compressor is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-don Seo
  • Patent number: 6659735
    Abstract: A scroll compressor that simplifies the structure of a valve and decrease the size of the entire compressor includes a casing having a first chamber into which a fluid is sucked and a second chamber at which compressed fluid is discharged, a driving unit housed inside the casing to generate a driving force, a compressing unit having a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll connected to the driving unit by a rotational shaft to compress and discharge the fluid when the driving unit is operated. A valve assembly is rotatively installed to the upper surface of the fixed scroll, opening/closing a discharge hole at which the compressed fluid is discharged and opening/closing a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Su Chul Kim
  • Patent number: 6651545
    Abstract: It is desirable to deliver only the fluid that is used to do useful work and not waste energy. In the subject arrangement, selected ones of a plurality of pistons are held at their top dead center positions when delivery therefrom is not needed. This is accomplished by having a valving arrangement disposed between the associated pressure chambers and first and second inlet/outlet ports. The valving arrangement is movable from a neutral, flow blocking position to an operative flow passing position. At the flow blocking position, fluid flow into and out of the associated pressure chamber is blocked, thus the associated piston is maintained at the top dead center position. By holding selected ones of the pistons at the top dead center position, the effective volume of fluid being used is reduced and energy is saved due to the fact that the selected pistons are not moving any fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Andrew H. Nippert
  • Patent number: 6648615
    Abstract: A dual-direction inflator has a tube and a cover mounted on the tube. A rod extends through the cover and is inserted in the tube. A piston is received in the tube and mounted on an end of the rod. The piston has an air-in chamber and an air-out chamber defined therein. A handle is mounted at the other end of the rod. The handle has an inlet and an outlet formed at a middle portion thereof. An inner tube is received in the rod and communicated with the inlet and with the air-in chamber. By a space defined between the inner tube and the rod, the air-out chamber is communicated with the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Inventor: John Tsai
  • Patent number: 6644933
    Abstract: An electronically-controlled viscous coupling is coupled to a water pump to control the coolant flow rate of engine coolant to an engine at a given engine speed to maximize fuel economy and minimize emissions. The viscous coupling has a stationary electrical coil that, when excited by electrical current, induces the driven disk to flex away from an input disk within the viscous, thereby increasing the size of the shear area, thereby decreasing the amount of torque produced to drive the water pump shaft and impellers that control the coolant flow rate. A carrier coupled to the back of the driven disk maximizes the amount of flex allowed to the driven disk, thereby assuring a maximum decrease in rotational speed of the impellers at a given engine speed and ensuring that the driven disk does not contact the stationary coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: BorgWarner, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard M. Light, James E. Ignatovich, Neil E. Robb
  • Patent number: 6644944
    Abstract: Microfluidic fluid control devices are provided. One microfluidic fluid control device can be used as a uni-directional valve within a microfluidic system. The invention also provides a microfluidic pump mechanism having two unidirectional valves separated by an expandable reservoir. Such devices may be formed in multiple layers and utilize flexible membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Nanostream, Inc.
    Inventor: Christoph D. Karp
  • Patent number: 6638036
    Abstract: A ventilating device capable of being easily assembled and disassembled, wherein, after setting a blower for exhaust and a blower for air supply on an electric motor (55), the electric motor is installed in an exhaust flow path (122) of a silencer box (100). The inside of the silencer box (100) is divided by partitions into the exhaust flow paths (122, 123) and air supply flow paths (132, 134) and sound absorbing material is installed on the wall surfaces of the air flow paths (122, 123, 132 and 134). Each blower aligns with each of the air flow paths when an air blow device is inserted, and an opening into which the air blow device is inserted is covered by a cover (150). The blowers can be assembled and disassembled from the side and the air blow devices can be inserted from the upper side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi, Tomoyuki Shibuya, Koji Okada, Takaaki Matsubara, Haruo Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 6638025
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved fluid actuated system, such as those used in hydraulically actuated fuel injectors of an internal combustion engine. A fluid pump supplies hydraulic fluid to a high pressure rail that in turn supplies the fuel injectors with high pressure fluid. Pump output control is provided by an actuator and an electronic control module. A position sensor provides data related to actuator position to the electronic control module. Pump control parameters are determined by the electronic control module, based on fluid pressure, engine operating conditions and actuator position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: James R. Blass, Dennis H. Gibson, Ryan P. Michels
  • Patent number: 6634867
    Abstract: A portable, high capacity air compressor system for charging air tanks over wide pressure ranges with maximum volumetric efficiency is characterized by employing a shuttle piston assembly in which piston pairs are arranged with axially aligned cylinder pairs to reciprocate in response to precession of a wobble plate, and each of the pistons is further characterized by being of one-piece construction with a built-in leaflet-type intake valve in its piston head, and a universal connector between each of the piston pairs and wobble plate which is stabilized within a pair of guide rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Inventor: Hans-Georg G. Pressel
  • Patent number: 6634872
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pump of the type comprising a cylindro-conical body (1) defining a metering chamber (10) closed at its bottom portion by an inlet valve (11) and at its top portion by a moving piston (2) co-operating with resilient return means (3) while being carried axially by a nozzle tube (4) having a top end that projects outside the pump body and having a bottom end that is provided with at least one delivery orifice (40), the pump being characterized in that said piston (2) is slidably mounted firstly about the tube (4) between a closure position closing the delivery orifice (40) and an open position in which said orifice is fully open, and secondly in sealed peripheral contact with the inside wall of said chamber (10) between a top end-of-stroke abutment and a bottom end-of-stroke abutment; the coefficient of friction between the piston (2) and the tube (4) being less than the coefficient of friction between said piston (2) and the inside wall of the body (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Rexam Sofab
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Bougamont, Christophe Roy
  • Patent number: 6634865
    Abstract: A vane pump is disclosed for use with gas turbine engines which has pressurized fluid supplied to the undervane portion of the vane elements to balance the forces imparted thereon. The vane pump includes a pump housing, a cam member, a cylindrical rotor member and a chamber. The chamber is defined within the housing and positioned for fluid communication with the undervane portion of each vane element to provide a desired pressure thereto. The chamber is in fluid communication with a first pressure source and a second pressure source, wherein the first pressure source is associated with the discharge arc segment of the pumping cavity, and the second pressure source is associated with the inlet arc segment of the pumping cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Goodrich Pump and Engine Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Dalton
  • Patent number: 6629820
    Abstract: A method of controlling fluid flow in a channel in a microfluidic flow control device by introducing fluid to the channel, with the fluid flowing in a flow direction and controllably deforming material defining the channel in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction to control fluid flow in the channel. The channel is formed between a first plate and a second plate and controllably deforming material defining the channel comprises deforming at least one of the first and second plates. Material defining the channel extends continuously between an inlet port and an outlet port. Controllably deforming material defining the channel preferably comprises deforming the first plate into contact with a seat formed in the second plate to close the channel. The seat may be formed by a ridge having a smoothly changing profile in section across the channel. The method may be operated to generate a pumping, filtering, trapping or mixing function. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Micralyne Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin E. Kornelsen
  • Patent number: 6625973
    Abstract: A thrust reverser actuator lock mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft, rotation of which in one direction from a rest position drives an associated thrust reverser from a stowed position towards an operative position in use, retractable abutment means having a rest position abutting an element rotatable with the shaft to prevent rotation of the shaft, resilient means urging said abutment means to said rest position, and, mechanical latch means sensitive to the speed of rotation of said shaft for latching said abutment means in a retracted position against the action of said resilient means when the rotational speed of said shaft exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Limited
    Inventors: David John Langford, John Herbert Harvey, Tony Jones, Michael Paul Somerfield, Melanie Zoe Brown
  • Patent number: 6626644
    Abstract: An impeller has one surface with a soft magnetic member arranged closer to an inner diameter thereof, opposite an electromagnet, the impeller is provided with a permanent magnet arranged closer to an outer diameter thereof, opposite a permanent magnet of a rotor, and the impeller has the other surface provided with a ferromagnetic body, opposite a permanent magnet of a casing, thereby magnetically levitating the impeller, and allowing a motor stator to rotate a motor rotor to rotate the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignees: NTN Corporation, Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayoshi Ozaki
  • Patent number: 6625971
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle, comprising an inlet for receiving fuel and an outlet for discharging fuel. The outlet intersects a longitudinal centerline of the nozzle and produces a skewed spray pattern. A fuel injector having a fuel nozzle outlet such that a fluid discharged from a swirler produces a crescent-shaped spray pattern in the fuel. A burner section of a gas turbine engine comprising a combustion chamber and fuel injectors. At least one of the fuel injectors produces a skewed flame pattern in the combustion chamber that overlaps with a flame pattern from an adjacent fuel injector. A method of improving stability of a flame in a burner section of a gas turbine engine in which at least one of the fuel injectors produces a skewed flame pattern in the burner section to create a fuel non-uniformity, the flame pattern also overlapping with an adjacent flame pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Charles B. Graves
  • Patent number: 6626650
    Abstract: A displacement machine (10) comprises a housing (11), a reciprocating member (12) reciprocable linearly along an axis of reciprocation (13) in the housing (11) and defining with the housing (11) first (14) and second (15) variable volume chambers. A fluid inlet (17) is connected to the first variable volume chamber (14). A fluid outlet (78) is connected to the second variable volume chamber. An inlet value (16) allows flow of fluid through the fluid inlet (17) into the first variable volume chamber (14) and prevents flow of fluid from the first variable volume chamber (14) out of the fluid inlet (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Lotus Cars Limited
    Inventors: Steven Kenchington, Jeffrey Allen