Patents Examined by John Bailey
  • Patent number: 10288023
    Abstract: A pump unit for feeding fuel, preferably diesel fuel, to an internal combustion engine; the pump unit (1) comprising: a head (4) inside which a cylinder (12) extending along an axis (A1) is formed; a pumping piston (5) extending along the axis (A1) and slidingly coupled with the cylinder (12); a through-hole (13) which extends from the cylinder (12) towards the outside of the pump unit (1); an intake chamber (8) communicating with the cylinder (12) via the hole (13); an intake valve (7) which controls the flow of fuel from the intake chamber (8) to the hole (13); a cap (23; 123; 223) which is connected to the head (4), is arranged on the opposite side to the pumping piston (5) and can be selectively fixed along an outer surface (25) of the head (4) so as to close the intake chamber (8) on one side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Benedetto Loiacono, Domenico Macchia, Luisa Moscarella, Michele Antonio Iannuzzi
  • Patent number: 10260511
    Abstract: A ceiling fan includes a body having a disk which is driven by a motor. Multiple frames are connected to the disk and each frame has a rod which is connected between at least two seats and the disk. The at least two seats each are positioned by an inclination angle relative to a horizontal plane. A height difference is formed between the at least two seats of each rod. A blade is connected to each of the at least two seats of each rod of each frame. The ceiling fan includes less number of seats while more blades are connected to the seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: Wen Chin Li
  • Patent number: 10221796
    Abstract: An engine device including an intake manifold (67) configured to supply air into a cylinder (36), a gas injector (98) configured to mix fuel gas with air supplied from the intake manifold (67), and supply mixed gas to the cylinder (36), and an igniter (79) configured to ignite, in the cylinder (36) premixed fuel obtained by pre-mixing the fuel gas with the air, the engine device further including a controlling unit (73) configured to determine an air amount in the premixed fuel in the cylinder (36). The controlling unit (73) performs in multiple steps retard control of ignition timing by the igniter (79), when the air amount is insufficient, and performs in multiple steps advance control of the ignition timing, when the air amount is sufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hagiwara, Osamu Yamagishi, Naoya Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10215102
    Abstract: A fail safe device of an engine includes: a temperature setting module; a torque estimation module; and a torque monitoring module. The temperature setting module sets a value of a predetermined temperature parameter used in an estimation of a generation torque of the engine. The torque estimation module estimates the generation torque of the engine by using a set value of the predetermined temperature parameter set by the temperature setting module. The torque monitoring module decreases the generation torque of the engine, when the generation torque estimated by the torque estimation module is larger than a driver expected torque by a predetermined value or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuichi Yanagihara, Chika Ozaki
  • Patent number: 10208694
    Abstract: A method for controlling a plurality of injectors installed in the same cylinder of an engine may include determining whether an electrical failure occurred in any of the injectors, and entering a fail-safe mode when an electrical failure has occurred only in one of the plurality of injectors in the same cylinder. In the fail-safe mode, fuel supply to an injector that has experienced an electrical failure is cut off, and the amount of fuel injected into the cylinder by a normally operating injector is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Min-Kyu Han
  • Patent number: 10202891
    Abstract: An object is to provide a precombustion-chamber gas engine in which occurrence of knocking is restricted. The precombustion-chamber gas engine includes: a cylinder; a cylinder head; a piston delimiting a main combustion chamber with the cylinder head; a precombustion-chamber cap delimiting a precombustion chamber inside thereof and including a plurality of nozzle holes through which the precombustion chamber is in communication with the main combustion chamber; an intake valve for opening and closing an intake port that opens on the cylinder head; and an exhaust valve for opening and closing an exhaust port that opens on the cylinder head. In a planar view where the cylinder head is seen from below, there are at least one intake-side nozzle hole and at least one exhaust-side nozzle hole, and a total nozzle-hole area of the at least one intake-side nozzle hole is larger than that of the at least one exhaust-side nozzle hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Oda, Kengo Tanaka, Akihiro Yuuki
  • Patent number: 10197004
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a fuel system comprising two lift pumps. In one example, a method may comprise adjusting operation of a first lift pump to achieve a desired fuel rail pressure. The method may comprise powering on a second lift pump to achieve the desired fuel rail pressure when operating only the first lift pump is not sufficient to achieve the desired fuel rail pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Lyle Thomas, David Gimby
  • Patent number: 10197023
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel tank mounted to a vehicle. Specifically, a saddle fuel tank comprising of a primary and secondary fuel compartment, each compartment having a module for mounting a fuel pump, fuel sensor and other accessories is disclosed. A first and second crimped opening formed on a top external wall and bottom internal wall, respectively of the saddle fuel tank may provide means for securely mounting a main and sub-side module to the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Russell Randall Pearce, Scott A. Bohr, Mohammad R. Aghili
  • Patent number: 10174685
    Abstract: The control device for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders includes: a misfire detection unit for detecting a misfire state for each of the plurality of cylinders; a plurality of electronic throttles each provided on an intake pipe corresponding to each of the plurality of cylinders, for adjusting an intake air amount taken into each cylinder by way of a throttle opening degree; and a throttle opening degree control unit for controlling the throttle opening degree of each of the plurality of electronic throttles. When the misfire detection unit detects the misfire state in any one of the plurality of cylinders, the throttle opening degree control unit decreases a limited value of the throttle opening degree of the cylinder in the misfire state as time elapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Takahashi, Shuichi Wada
  • Patent number: 10161324
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a split exhaust engine system that provides blowthrough air and exhaust gas recirculation to an intake passage via a first exhaust manifold and exhaust gas to an exhaust passage via a second exhaust manifold. In one example, a method may include decreasing gas flow from the first exhaust manifold to the intake passage, upstream of a compressor, where a first set of exhaust valves are exclusively coupled to the first exhaust manifold, in response to a condition of the compressor. Further, the method may include increasing gas flow from the first exhaust manifold to an exhaust passage coupled to a second exhaust manifold coupled to a second set of exhaust valves, in response to the decreasing gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Daniel Paul Madison, Brad Alan Boyer, Chris John Piper
  • Patent number: 10161334
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a split exhaust engine system that provides blowthrough air and exhaust gas recirculation to an intake passage via a first exhaust manifold and exhaust gas to an exhaust passage via a second exhaust manifold. In one example, in response to a request to shut down the split exhaust engine system, an intake throttle may be closed and a first valve disposed in a secondary flow passage coupled between the intake manifold, downstream of the intake throttle, and a first exhaust manifold coupled to a first set of exhaust valves, may be opened. As a result, unburned hydrocarbons may be routed to a catalyst disposed in the exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Norman Ulrey
  • Patent number: 10145330
    Abstract: Disclosed are a cylinder liner for insert casting and a method for manufacturing the same. In particular, the cylinder liner for insert casting has cooling and warming performances suitable for functions of respective parts by imparting multiple layers having different thermal conductivity on the surface of the cylinder liner for insert casting, such that the cylinder liner can be used for vehicle cylinder blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Young-Gi Kim, Hun-Young Park
  • Patent number: 10145293
    Abstract: The present utility model relates to the technical field of engines, in particular to a low-emission cylinder with an external scavenging duct, wherein cylinder side covers are mounted on two opposite side walls of a cylinder body, a top surface of the cylinder body is a top surface of the uppermost cooling fin and a bottom surface thereof is a mounting surface, an exhaust port is provided in an inner cylinder bore of the cylinder body, an exhaust outlet is provided on a side wall of the cylinder body corresponding to the exhaust port, scavenging ports are respectively provided on two side walls in the inner cylinder bore adjacent to the exhaust port, a scavenging bore is provided in the side wall opposite to the exhaust port in an axial direction, a scavenging duct inlet is provided on the mounting surface corresponding to the side wall of the scavenging bore, scavenging grooves are respectively provided outside the side walls corresponding to the scavenging ports, and scavenging duct is formed between the c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG ZOMAX GARDEN MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Buxin Huang, Chuanxin Jin, Lu Zou
  • Patent number: 10119461
    Abstract: A vehicle system including a plurality of alternators with a common electrical connection interface having at least one connector and a digital communication connector through which a processor communicates with the alternators. Input signals received at the at least one connector are unique for each alternator under normal and unimpaired operating conditions. Upon wakeup of an alternator, the alternator assesses the input signals and whether the address of the alternator is frozen. If the address is not frozen, the status of at least one operating parameter is assessed to determine if a predefined requirement is satisfied. If the predefined requirement is satisfied, the alternator is assigned an address based upon the input signals at the at least one connector and the address is frozen. The alternator can detect faults by determining if the input signals at the least one connector agree with the frozen address of the alternator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventor: Timothy J. Alfermann
  • Patent number: 10113490
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which, in the case of intake-side and exhaust-side cleaning controls being performed, is capable of ensuring stable combustion of a mixture when the engine is returned from a decelerating FC operation to a normal operation, thereby making it possible to enhance marketability. The control apparatus for the engine includes an ECU. The ECU performs intake-side cleaning control for controlling an intake cam phase CAIN to a predetermined most advanced value CAIN_ADV so as to increase a valve overlap period of an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and performs exhaust-side cleaning control for controlling an exhaust cam phase CAEX to a predetermined most retarded value CAEX_RET so as to increase the valve overlap period of the intake valve and the exhaust valve. Further, during execution of one of the intake-side and exhaust-side cleaning controls, the ECU inhibits execution of the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Kosaka, Eri Ito, Masaki Ueno, Yuto Katori
  • Patent number: 10107233
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a high load purge line of a boosted engine system for undesired evaporative emissions. In one example, a method for diagnosing the high load purge line includes drawing vacuum in the high load purge line under natural aspiration conditions and concurrently purging a fuel vapor canister. In this way, the high load purge line may be diagnosed for undesired evaporative emissions without disrupting a canister purge schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Scott A. Bohr, Matthew Werner, Matthew Masucci
  • Patent number: 10107220
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a split exhaust engine system that provides blowthrough air and exhaust gas recirculation to an intake passage via a first exhaust manifold and exhaust gas to an exhaust passage via a second exhaust manifold. In one example, an amount of opening overlap between a plurality of intake valves and a first set of exhaust valves coupled to the first exhaust manifold may be adjusted responsive to a transition from an estimated combustion air-fuel content to a leaner air-fuel content of the blowthrough air on a cylinder to cylinder basis. As one example, the transition may be determined from an output of an oxygen sensor positioned within the first exhaust manifold or an exhaust runner of each of the first set of exhaust valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 10100784
    Abstract: A supercharged internal combustion engine includes an intake tract and a throttle element. Between the compressor and the throttle element, the intake tract is gas-conductively connected on the low-pressure side to a first line and on the high-pressure side to a second line via an overrun air recirculation valve. A fuel tank having an activated carbon filter is provided for supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine, the fuel tank being gas-conductively connected via a valve to a tank venting valve. Between the compressor and the throttle element, the intake tract is gas-conductively connected on the low-pressure side to a third line and on the high-pressure side to a fourth line via the tank venting valve. The overrun air recirculation valve and the tank venting valve are arranged in parallel in terms of flow and the first and third lines and the second and fourth lines are, at least in sections, the same lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Falk Gerbig
  • Patent number: 10094340
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sensor devices and the teachings may be applied to a sensor for determining a displacement of a shaft along its longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, a sensor device may include a sensor unit and a detection element. The sensor element is disposed at a fixed radial distance from the longitudinal axis. The detection element is arranged between the shaft and the sensor unit and coupled to the shaft. The side of the detection element facing away from the axis comprises a convex shape. A gap distance defined between the detection element and the sensor unit varies over an extent of the sensor unit perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis and independently of a tilting angle of the shaft. The sensor unit generates a shaft displacement signal dependent on a displacement of the detection element in relation to the sensor unit along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Peter Wiese
  • Patent number: 10094300
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an engine actuator control module and at least one of a valve lift control module and a cylinder activation module. The valve lift control module adjusts a target lift state of a valve actuator of an engine to adjust an amount by which at least one of an intake valve of a cylinder of the engine and an exhaust valve of the cylinder is lifted from a valve seat. The cylinder activation module determines a target number of activated cylinders in the engine. The engine actuator control module that controls a first actuator of the engine at a present time based on at least one of the target lift state at a future time and the target number of activated cylinders at the future time. The first actuator is different than the valve actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Gary Robert Cygan, Jr., Julian R. Verdejo