Patents Examined by Jacob Amick
  • Patent number: 10167753
    Abstract: An engine power unit for a vehicle has a crankcase made up of tow left and right crankcase members, and a lubricant feed pump disposed in one crankcase member in such a fashion that one side surface of pump rotors of the feed pump lies on the mating surface of the crankcase members. The feed pump is mounted on one end of the shaft of the feed pump while a drive gear for rotating the shaft is disposed on the opposite end of the shaft. A lubricant oil filter to which oil is delivered from the feed pump is disposed on the other crankcase member. Thus, the structure for supplying lubricating oil is simplified, and the power unit is reduced in size in its entirety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hodaka Mukohara, Ryuji Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 10161374
    Abstract: A starter generator system comprising an engine driving a first belt and engaged with a second belt through a one-way clutch, a starter generator configured to be driven by the engine through the second belt or to drive the engine through the second belt according to an engine condition, and an accessory engaged with the second belt through an accessory clutch, the accessory drivable by the first belt or the second belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Serkh, Keming Liu, Ilya Kleyman
  • Patent number: 10161476
    Abstract: A machine having a reciprocating slider crank mechanism, wherein an axis of a crankshaft, an axis of a first balancer shaft and an axis of a second balancer shaft are not arranged on the same plane, wherein vibration is highly controlled. The machine includes the reciprocating slider crank mechanism configured so as to satisfy setting formulae below: UCr=UP×0.5 ?Cr=180° UB(Fr)={U1B(Fr)++U2B(Fr)2}1/2 U1B(Fr)=?UP×0.5×{Lx?B(Rr)/(Lx?B(Rr)?Lx?B(Fr))} U2B(Fr)=UP×0.5×{Ly?B/(Lx?B(Rr)?Lx?B(Fr))} ?B(Fr)=180°?arctan(U2B(Fr)/U1B(Fr)) UB(Rr)={U1B(Rr)2+U2B(Rr)2}1/2 U1B(Rr)=?UP×0.5×{Lx?B(Fr)/(Lx?B(Fr)?Lx?B(Rr))} U2B(Rr)=?U2B(Fr) ?B(Rr)=180°?arctan(U2B(Rr)/U1B(Rr)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Maeda, Masahiro Onodera
  • Patent number: 10156293
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a pressure relief valve for a fluid pump has a valve head that has a recessed outlet-side surface that confronts a support end of a spring such that the valve head extends past the support end of the spring toward a pump outlet. The spring is biased to urge the valve head against a valve seat to a seated position. The spring is also configured to be compressed when fluid pressure at an inlet to the relief valve exceeds fluid pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined amount such that the valve head is pushed away from the valve seat to an unseated position. A pressure relief valve may have multiple outlets at least some of which have unequal flow areas such that fluid pressure distribution across the flow area of the pressure relief valve cavity is nonsymmetrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Andy Bennett, Joel H. Pike
  • Patent number: 10156180
    Abstract: A cooling structure includes a block-side water jacket formed in a cylinder block, a head-side water jacket formed in a cylinder head, an introducing portion which introduces a cooling liquid from an end of the cylinder block to the block-side water jacket, a discharging portion which discharges a cooling liquid from the other end of the cylinder block to the head-side water jacket, and a spacer member accommodated in the block-side water jacket, and including a peripheral wall which forms an exhaust-side passage and an intake-side passage between a cylinder bore wall and the peripheral wall. The spacer member includes a distribution adjustment mechanism which distributes a cooling liquid introduced to the block-side water jacket between the exhaust-side passage and the intake-side passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Wakamoto, Mikimasa Kawaguchi, Tomohiro Koguchi
  • Patent number: 10156215
    Abstract: A manifold assembly includes a clevis-style mounting structure, a first manifold section, a second manifold section, an accessory disposed between the first and second manifold sections, and a plurality of threaded clevis fasteners. The clevis-style mounting structure includes an upper clevis structure and a lower threaded clevis structure. The clevis-style mounting structure may be operatively configured to be mounted on a cylinder head. The first manifold section has distal and proximal ends. The first manifold section is integral to the clevis style mounting structure. The plurality of threaded clevis fasteners operatively configured to mount the clevis-style mounting structure to a cylinder head via a plurality of corresponding passageways defined in the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Shawn W. Owen, Travis Sperow
  • Patent number: 10156169
    Abstract: Provided is an oil separator having a high efficiency in removing oil particles of relatively large sizes. A blow-by gas passage of the oil separator (2) includes an upstream passage (18) and a downstream passage (20) extending at an angle to the upstream passage. A separation wall (36) provided in the downstream passage includes a first surface (40, 78) forming an obtuse angle relative to the upstream passage, and a second surface (42) adjoining the first surface on a downstream side thereof and defining a planar surface extending substantially perpendicularly to the upstream passage. The blow-by gas is accelerated in the upstream passage, and the flow direction of the blow-by gas is changed by the first surface without substantially changing the flow speed and without disturbing the flow before the blow-by gas flows along the second surface. At this time, the oil particles in the blow-by gas collide with and are trapped by the second surface owing to the inertia of the oil particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Inventor: Shoichiro Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10156202
    Abstract: A barrier ring for a cylinder assembly for an opposed-piston engine fits into a groove fashioned into a portion of the cylinder liner that is adjacent to the top dead center location of the end surfaces of the pistons, in a volume of the cylinder liner that defines the combustion chamber. The barrier ring and groove are part of a barrier assembly that prevents heat generated during combustion from reaching the outer wall of the cylinder assembly, reducing the need for conventional cooling systems and increasing the amount of heat retained in the combustion chamber. The barrier assembly allows for increased engine efficiency because of the combustion heat retained in the combustion chamber, as well as a reduction in the overall size of the engine because of the reduction in engine cooling needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Bryant A. Wagner, Patrick R. Lee, Abhishek Sahasrabudhe
  • Patent number: 10151226
    Abstract: An oil separator includes: a collecting member that collects an oil mist included in blow-by gas of an internal combustion engine; and an oil separator portion inside which the collecting member is disposed, in which the collecting member includes a plurality of wire net members stacked along a flow direction of the blow-by gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daigo Usa, Kohei Hotta, Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Kazuya Matsushima, Akihiro Yamashita, Yoshiyuki Kawai
  • Patent number: 10151282
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an actuator for an intake manifold, wherein the actuator may include: a housing having a negative pressure space; an operating unit operated by the pressure of air introduced into and discharged from the negative pressure space, and rotating the variable valve; an exhaust flow path connected to an external negative pressure supply source; an intake flow path receiving external air which raises the pressure of the negative pressure space; a spool hole formed in the housing so as to communicate with the exhaust flow path and the intake flow path; an air entry and exit flow path formed in the housing so as to communicate with the negative pressure space and the spool hole; a valve body selectively opening/closing the exhaust flow path and the intake flow path; and a solenoid unit operating the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI KEFICO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hun Cheol Kang, Sang Hoon Park, Byung Sam So
  • Patent number: 10145881
    Abstract: A vehicle computer includes a memory and a processor programmed to execute instructions stored in the memory. The instructions include performing a self-check operation on a host vehicle after the host vehicle exits a manufacturing plant and before the host vehicle proceeds with a delivery process. The self-check operation includes measuring a battery charge, comparing the battery charge to a predetermined threshold, and commanding an autonomous vehicle controller to proceed with the delivery process as a result of determining that the battery charge exceeds the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Annette Lynn Huebner, Pietro Buttolo, Brent Young, Gerardo Lucena, Sean Grant
  • Patent number: 10145299
    Abstract: An engine comprises a crankcase and a crankshaft. The crankshaft has a central main portion, a crankpin and a crankshaft web. A crank member is rotatably and eccentrically mounted on the crankpin. An external crank member gear meshes with an external drive shaft gear. A driven portion of the drive shaft is located at a side of the crankshaft web which is opposite to its side where the crankpin is located and is drivably coupled via a first transmission to an intermediate member which is rotatably mounted to the crankshaft. The intermediate member is drivably coupled to a control shaft portion of a control shaft via a second transmission which control shaft portion is located at axial distance of the driven portion of the drive shaft and the control shaft is rotatable at a fixed rotational position with respect to the crankcase under operating conditions at fixed compression ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: GOMECSYS B.V.
    Inventors: Lambertus Hendrik De Gooijer, Sander Wagenaar, Willem-Constant Wagenvoort
  • Patent number: 10138771
    Abstract: An oil bypass structure of an oil cooler includes: a bypass passage; an outlet side passage; and bypass valve disposed at a connection portion between the bypass passage and the outlet side passage, the bypass valve which includes a valve element including an inside passage, and within which the oil flows, the bypass valve being arranged to be closed to shut off a flow of the oil from the bypass passage to the outlet side passage by the valve element so that the oil passing through the heat exchange section flows within the inside passage, and to be opened to connect the bypass passage and the inside passage so that the oil passing through the bypass passage flows within the inside passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: MAHLE FILTER SYSTEMS JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Ariyama, Katsuhiro Isoda, Kenji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10138766
    Abstract: An iron-based alloy includes, in weight percent, carbon from about 2 to about 3 percent; manganese from about 0.1 to about 0.4 percent; silicon from about 0.3 to about 0.8 percent; chromium from about 11.5 to about 14.5 percent; nickel from about 0.05 to about 0.6 percent; vanadium from about 0.8 to about 2.2 percent; molybdenum from about 4 to about 7 percent; tungsten from about 3 to about 5 percent; niobium from about 1 to about 3 percent; cobalt from about 3 to about 5 percent; boron from zero to about 0.2 percent; and the balance containing iron and incidental impurities. The alloy is suitable for use in elevated temperature applications such as in valve seat inserts for combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: L.E. Jones Company
    Inventors: Cong Yue Qiao, Peter Vennema, Douglas W. Dooley, David Doll
  • Patent number: 10138847
    Abstract: An evaporated fuel processing device includes: an evaporated fuel passage connecting a fuel tank and a canister; a purge passage connecting the canister and an intake passage of an internal combustion engine a first purge control valve arranged to open and close the purge passage; a tank open passage connecting a position on an upstream side of the first purge control valve in the purge passage, and the tank; and a second purge control valve arranged to open and close the tank open passage, when the fuel tank becomes a negative pressure, the second purge control valve being opened to introduce an atmospheric pressure through the canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Watanabe, Kazuki Toyoda, Hitoshi Oohashi
  • Patent number: 10132270
    Abstract: Vehicle assemblies, such as engine assemblies, including an integrated cylinder head and plurality of liners as well as a polymeric composite housing are provided. Methods of making such vehicle assemblies are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Anthony M. Coppola, Hamid G. Kia, Paul M. Najt, Russell P. Durrett, Michael A. Potter
  • Patent number: 10124663
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovering device comprising an exhaust heat recovering tool (10) adapted to recover a heat of an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine for a vehicle and an inflow side pipeline (14) and an exhaust side pipeline (13) adapted to connect the internal combustion engine and the exhaust heat recovering tool, wherein the inflow side pipeline (14) and the exhaust side pipeline (13) are mounted only on a component included in a non-vehicle body vibration system supported on a vehicle body (2) through an elastic body (4, 5, 6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Fukami, Masashi Koshijima
  • Patent number: 10125718
    Abstract: A cast-aluminum engine block for a compression-ignition internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders that are disposed in an in-line arrangement. The engine block includes a top portion including a top deck and a bottom portion including a plurality of main bearings that are disposed to support journals of a crankshaft. An integrated flow channel is formed between the second end and the last cylinder and proximal to the top deck, and is a continuous channel that passes from the first side to the second side through the portion of the engine block between the second end and the last cylinder and proximal to the top deck. A coolant passageway is disposed in the engine block between the integrated flow channel and the last cylinder, and is oriented parallel to the elevation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Luca Peschini, Aniello Marrone, Silvio Domenico Mosso
  • Patent number: 10125728
    Abstract: An air induction system includes a hood inlet duct having a first induction inlet and an air induction plenum assembly having a second induction inlet. The air induction system also includes an air box in fluid communication with the air induction plenum and the hood inlet duct. The air box defines an inner box cavity. The air induction system also includes a panel filter disposed inside the air box, wherein the panel filter divides the inner box cavity so that the first induction inlet and the second induction inlet are upstream of the panel filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Steven K. Mackenzie, William C. Farrer, Jamie L. Hamilton, David W. Turner, Terry C. Bishop
  • Patent number: 10124294
    Abstract: An on-board fuel separation system includes a supply fuel tank configured to store an input fuel stream; a fuel separator fluidly coupled to the supply fuel tank and configured to separate the input fuel stream into a first fractional fuel stream and a second fractional fuel stream. The fuel separator includes a membrane that includes a plurality of pores sized based on a molecular size of one or more components of the first fractional fuel stream. The system includes a first fractional fuel tank fluidly coupled to the fuel separator to receive the first fractional fuel stream passed through the membrane and defined by a first auto-ignition characteristic value. The system includes a second fractional fuel stream coupled to the fuel separator to receive the second fractional fuel stream from the fuel separator that is defined by a second auto-ignition characteristic value that is different than the first auto-ignition characteristic value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Esam Z. Hamad, Christos M. Kalamaras