Patents Examined by Jason Benton
  • Patent number: 7441530
    Abstract: A conservative force coupled to the piston of a reciprocating-piston engine, refrigerator, or compressor acts to counter the pressure force on the piston that arises from the change of volume of the working substance accompanying a change in the piston position. As a result, the efficiency of the engine, refrigerator, or compressor is improved to approach the theoretical thermodynamic limit of the underlying process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: FSNC, LLC
    Inventor: Frank A. Tinker
  • Patent number: 7430995
    Abstract: In conventional engines, the compression ratio is a constant. Therefore, cylinder pressure increases proportionately with intake manifold pressure. As manifold pressure changes dramatically according to load, a conventional engine cannot maintain anywhere near constant (let alone optimum) cylinder pressure. Below optimum cylinder pressure, the engine is inefficient—above optimum, it suffers undue stress and (depending on fuel) may emit excess nitrous oxides. My invention makes it possible to manipulate the combustion chamber volume, and therefore the compression ratio, while the engine is running. By changing the compression ratio in a manner inversely proportional to changes in manifold pressure, we can maintain a constantly optimized cylinder pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Inventor: Edward Arthur Christophersen
  • Patent number: 7428886
    Abstract: An oscillating lever arm engine includes rigidly connected opposing pistons moved by a single lever connected to a rotating crankshaft. When applied to a two-cycle internal combustion engine, one piston may function as a pump piston and the second piston as a working piston which delivers power to the crankshaft through a connecting rod. When the pump piston is chosen to be of larger diameter, the volumetric efficiency of drawing in and providing the intake charge to the working piston may be increased. Furthermore, when poppet-type inlet and exhaust valves are used, valve timing may be selected so that the exhaust valve closes prior to the inlet valve closing while the pump piston is supplying an intake charge through a transfer duct to achieve a supercharging effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Inventor: Mihai C. Minculescu
  • Patent number: 7412955
    Abstract: An engine component is composed of an aluminum alloy containing silicon, and includes a plurality of primary-crystal silicon grains located on a slide surface. The plurality of primary-crystal silicon grains have an average crystal grain size of no less than about 12 ?m and no more than about 50 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotaka Kurita, Hiroshi Yamagata, Toshikatsu Koike
  • Patent number: 7412972
    Abstract: A CNG fuel injector for a fuel system of an internal combustion engine. The fuel system includes a fuel rail and an engine manifold. The fuel injector includes a fuel inlet for fluid communication with the fuel rail, a fuel outlet having an orifice disposed along a longitudinal axis for fluid communication with the engine manifold, and a member proximate the fuel outlet downstream of the orifice for dispersing the CNG in a direction skewed from the longitudinal axis as the CNG flows from the orifice into the engine manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Perry Robert Czimmek
  • Patent number: 7409927
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for cooling an internal combustion engine. An aqueous, non-ionic coolant composition is used in a cooling circuit (14) of the internal combustion engine (11). In order to also ensure long-lasting protection against corrosion for light metal components of the engine that come into contact with the coolant, e.g. components made of magnesium or magnesium alloys, the cooling circuit has at least one deionization device (28), for example, an ion exchanger, for the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernd Wenderoth, Stefan Dambach
  • Patent number: 7409938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a valve drive of an internal combustion engine, comprising at least one camshaft whereon at least one cam carrier is arranged in a rotationally fixed and axially displaceable manner. Means for applying axial tension are formed between the at least one camshaft and the at least one cam support, thereby enabling the at least one cam support to be fixed in an axial manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Stefan Dengler
  • Patent number: 7406958
    Abstract: The snow remover has a cooling fan for directing cooling air to an engine, and an air cleaner. The air cleaner has an air intake for drawing in outside air. The cooling fan and the air intake of the air cleaner is housed within the engine cover. Cooling air is changed to warm air by the cooling of the engine body, and this warm air is guided towards the air intake of the air cleaner by a guide duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumiyoshi Kanbara, Nobuyuki Hirose
  • Patent number: 7404381
    Abstract: Radial impulse engine, pump, and compressor systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the invention, a radial impulse engine includes first and second movable V-members operably disposed between first and second end wall portions. The first V-member can have a first wall portion with a first distal edge portion and a second wall portion with a first cylindrical surface. The second V-member can have a third wall portion with a second distal edge portion and a fourth wall portion with a second cylindrical surface. In this embodiment, the first distal edge portion of the first wall portion can be configured to slide across the second cylindrical surface of the fourth wall portion, and the second distal edge portion of the third wall portion can be configured to slide across the first cylindrical surface of the second wall portion, when the first V-member pivots about a first pivot axis and the second V-member pivots about a second pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Tendix Development, LLC
    Inventors: Timber Dick, Corban I. Tillemann-Dick
  • Patent number: 7401592
    Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a flapper valve fixed to a valve shaft where the flapper valve is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position. A resilient member biases the flapper valve toward the closed position. An electric actuator actively moves the flapper valve at least from the closed position to the intermediate position. A coupling mechanism couples the valve shaft to an electric actuator shaft and allows the flapper valve to move to the open position in response to exhaust flow sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the resilient member without requiring input from the electric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Emcon Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Robin Willats, Joseph Callahan, Kwin Abram, Govindaraj Kalyanasamy
  • Patent number: 7392768
    Abstract: Radial impulse engine, pump, and compressor systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the invention, an engine includes a first end wall portion spaced apart from a second end wall portion to at least partially define a combustion chamber therebetween. In this embodiment, the engine further includes a plurality of movable wall portions disposed between the first and second end wall portions. Each movable wall portion includes a cylindrical surface extending at least partially between a distal edge portion and a pivot axis. Upon ignition in the combustion chamber, the distal edge portion of each movable wall portion slides across the cylindrical surface of the adjacent movable wall portion as the movable wall portions pivot outwardly in unison about their respective pivot axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Tendix Development, LLC
    Inventors: Timber Dick, Corban I. Tillemann-Dick, Levi M. Tillemann-Dick, Tomicah S. Tillemann-Dick
  • Patent number: 7373914
    Abstract: A lubricating apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided in which an oil discharge passage, extending from the oil pump, is provided for straddling the oil pump case and the tank body. A direction of the extension of the oil discharge passage is changed in the tank body such that the oil discharge passage further extends in parallel with a junction plane between the oil pump case and the tank body. An opening for pressure reception by a relief valve is provided in the oil discharge passage portion extending in parallel with the junction plane. By attaching the oil pump case such that an outside end portion of the relief valve is held by a portion of the oil pump case, the relief valve is fixed between the tank body and the oil pump case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yosuke Hoi
  • Patent number: 7373912
    Abstract: An oil level indicating system for an internal combustion engine includes an indicator passageway extending through a cylinder block, cylinder head and up through a ported boss extending through an upper engine cover. The ported boss is sealingly engaged with the cylinder head of the engine so as to prevent fugitive oil from entering indicator passageway, thereby preventing erroneous oil level readings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daryl Self, Jamie Mink, Paul Reinhart, Dave Frayne
  • Patent number: 7370624
    Abstract: A piston engine with a compensation shaft unit, wherein a window surrounded by a flange is provided on the crankcase thereof. The flange forms a separating surface to which the housing of the compensation shaft unit is fixed by means of screws. In order to ensure clean, toothed-wheel engagement for the compensation shafts, which are integrated into the housing, and easy assembly, the compensation shaft is provided with a toothed wheel, which protrudes through the window inside the crankcase, and which is driven by a toothed wheel, which is arranged on the crankshaft, and the housing of the compensation shaft unit has a separating surface, which can be displaced in order to adjust the amount of engagement clearance on the separating surface of the crankcase before the screws are tightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Magna Powertrain AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Messing, Roland Marzy, Ronald Penzinger
  • Patent number: 7367293
    Abstract: A four-stroke engine includes a cylinder block, a cylinder head mounted on the cylinder block, multiple cooling fins formed on the cylinder block and the cylinder head, a combustion chamber and an intake port and exhaust port formed in the cylinder head and in communication with the combustion chamber. A cooling jacket is formed in the cylinder head only between a virtual object generated by the intake port or exhaust port being rotated about a cylinder axis. A mating surface of the cylinder head on the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7367305
    Abstract: A connecting rod of an internal combustion engine, and an internal combustion engine including the connecting rod, a piston, a crankshaft and a float bearing as main moving parts. A piston is connected to a connecting rod by a spherical joint and has radial ribs on a rear face of a crown part; a connecting rod is of an integrated, one-piece type having integrally a spherical small end part to be connected to the piston and an annular big end part; the crankshaft is of an assembly type, and a float bearing is interposed between the big end part and a crank pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuneo Endoh, Kengo Ishimitsu, Tsutomu Inoue, Takao Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 7363905
    Abstract: Procedure to operate a combustion motor in the event of damage, whereby the thermoelectric voltage of a lubricant interruption on parts moving relative to each other and made of different, electrically conducting materials, is used to initiate an alarm signal, in that upon the appearance of such an alarm signal at least one operating parameter of the combustion engine is changed until the alarm extinguishes and the combustion motor is then further operated in a reduced operational state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Schaller Automation Industrielle Automations Technik KG
    Inventor: Werner-Ludwig Schaller
  • Patent number: 7360513
    Abstract: A variable compression ratio mechanism that changes the compression ratio according to the rotation angle of a control shaft, wherein a stopper is provided at the highest compression ratio side for regulating the rotation of the control shaft. Then, the output detected by a compression ratio sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the control shaft when the stopper is in an abutted state is read. An adjustment value is learned in order to revise the sensor output based on the detected output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Takemura, Takanobu Sugiyama, Katsuya Moteki, Yoshiaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7360510
    Abstract: A cooling system comprises at least one common feed manifold carrying a series of nozzles and forming a mechanically rigid assembly, with fixing means for fixing in the engine and with hydraulic connection means for making a hydraulic connection to a feed circuit in the engine. The mechanically rigid assembly is fixed into the engine block from the lower face thereof, the fixing lugs being fixed to easily accessible regions of the engine block before fitting the crankcase. The connection means are fixed into the crankcase and connected to the outlet of the oil filter by a common valve. An internal combustion engine piston cooling system may therefore be fitted without having to modify the structure of the engine block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Bontaz Centre
    Inventors: Christophe Bontaz, Michaël Bonvalot
  • Patent number: 7360519
    Abstract: An engine intake manifold assembly including a first portion configured with a first material and a second portion configured with a second material, wherein the first and second portions are adhesively bonded together. Preferably, the intake manifold assembly is additionally configured with a cylinder head flange, for mounting the same to an automotive engine component, and a throttle body attachment for attachment of a throttle body component. The cylinder head flange and throttle body attachment may be an integral component of the first or second portions or attached to the same during or after assembly of the first and second portions. Optionally, an insert is located between the assembled first and second portion to create one or more plenums thereby creating one or more air flow paths through the intake manifold assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Selamawit Asfaw, James Cederstrom, Christopher Anthony Brewster, Brian Anthony Krajewski