Patents Examined by Kevin R Steckbauer
  • Fuel pump module
    Patent number: 11286894
    Abstract: A fuel pump module includes a fuel pump, a housing, a filter, a bracket, a lid, a fuel passage, and a pressure regulating valve. The fuel pump supplies a fuel in a fuel tank that defines an opening to an outside of the fuel tank. The housing has a cylindrical shape and supports the fuel pump. The bracket connects the filter to the housing. The lid covers the opening and defines a discharge port through which the fuel is supplied to the outside. The fuel passage connects the fuel pump to the discharge port. The pressure regulating valve has a gravity center inside a space defined by a first virtual cylindrical surface including the housing. A minimum circumscribed circle of both the housing and the filter is smaller than the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takemasa Fujiseki, Teppei Matsumoto, Tohru Sekido, Shinichi Morita, Shoma Fujita, Koji Maruyama
  • Ion generating device for organic matter decomposition, and organic matter decomposition device
    Patent number: 11273474
    Abstract: Provided is an ion generating device for organic matter decomposition for generating ions to decompose organic matter stored in a tank. The ion generating device includes a needle electrode and a plate electrode, both facing each other, and a direct-current power supply unit configured to apply a direct-current voltage with positive polarity to the needle electrode. The direct-current power supply unit includes a voltage controller configured to set the direct-current voltage to a specified voltage value to produce positive corona discharge between the needle electrode and the plate electrode under atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: GLENCAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahito Nakaishi, Koji Irie
  • Vehicular fluid capture system
    Patent number: 11274791
    Abstract: A proactive, prophylactic vehicle fluid capture system that embodies an inflatable air-diaper disposed under the engine. The inflatable air-diaper is deployed upon an indication of a sufficient crash event, wherein the deployed inflatable air-diaper catches the above-mentioned vehicular fluid prior to contact with the surrounding ground, thereby lessening the negative environmental impact and clean-up time resulting from the crash event. The inflatable air-diaper may deploy with peripheral sidewalls to facilitate the retention of the hazardous fluid on the inflatable air-diaper. The inflatable air-diaper is made of material adapted to absorb these hazardous vehicular fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Francis Pelc, Stanley Pelc
  • Evaporative emissions control system and method for isolating fuel tank from a purge canister
    Patent number: 11267334
    Abstract: A method for operating an evaporative emissions control system for use with a fuel tank that stores and delivers fuel to an internal combustion engine is provided. A vent shut-off assembly is provided that selectively opens and closes at least one valve to provide overpressure and vacuum relief for the fuel tank. The vent shut-off assembly selectively vents to a purge canister. The at least one valve is closed whereby vapor is precluded from passing from the fuel tank to the purge canister. A purge event is performed wherein dedicated fresh air is drawn into the purge canister and delivered from the purge canister to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Smith, Vaughn K. Mills, Daniel Pifer, Nikhil Nahar, Steven Ambrose, Max Franklin
  • Pull start assist device
    Patent number: 11261837
    Abstract: A pull start assist device may include a frame with a base and a longitudinal member. The longitudinal member may include a first pivot axis and a second pivot axis displaced from the first pivot axis. The device may also include a pedal arm with a pedal on a first end and a second end pivotally coupled to the first pivot axis of the longitudinal member. A swing arm may be provided with a handle receiver on a first end and a second end pivotally coupled to the second pivot axis of the longitudinal member. A connection link maybe used to connect the swing arm and the pedal arm, whereby a pull start handle of a powered tool may be supported by the handle receiver and the pedal displaced by the foot of a user, actuating the swing arm and starting the powered tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventor: Chris Capriotti
  • Tolerance and wear compensation of a fuel pump
    Patent number: 11261817
    Abstract: A method determines an inflection point OP of a parameter profile i, n which is representative of a component tolerance and a state of wear of a fuel pump. The fuel pump is provided for a fuel supply system for use in a device equipped with an internal combustion engine. The device being a passenger car, utility vehicle and/or a stationary or mobile power generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kleineberg, Mariz Abdelmalek, Marc Völker, Andreas Sausner
  • Fuel system check valve
    Patent number: 11261836
    Abstract: A fuel line check valve system and a fuel system that includes the fuel line check valve system are described. The fuel line check valve system may prevent flow into a fuel system that is generated via a vacuum in the fuel system. The fuel line check valve system may also remain in an open state after it is open via a reduced pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Arnold Woodring, Ross Pursifull, Steven Antone Thiel
  • Diesel engine
    Patent number: 11255300
    Abstract: A diesel engine is provided with an EGR line G3 configured to recirculate a portion of exhaust gas, discharged from an engine body 11, to the engine body 11 as combustion gas, an EGR cooler 16 provided in the EGR line G3 and configured to cool exhaust gas by coolant, a coolant supply device configured to supply coolant to the EGR cooler 16, and a control device 30 configured to activate the coolant supply device when the engine body 11 is in operation and a temperature of the engine body 11 is lower or equal to a preset prescribed temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ueda
  • Method and device for conversion of water into hydrogen peroxide
    Patent number: 11254569
    Abstract: In a method and device for conversion of water into hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a corona discharge zone is generated between a first electrode (10) and a second electrode (6) one of which is insulated and another of which is not insulated and wherein a respective surface of each of the electrodes face one another. The first electrode (10) is rotated so as to induce relative rotation between the first electrode and the second electrode; and liquid water is conveyed on to a surface of the first electrode facing the second electrode close to the axis of rotation (4) of the first electrode whereby the liquid water advances outward through the corona discharge zone towards a periphery of the first electrode under the action of centrifugal force caused by rotation of the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: OXYPRO LTD.
    Inventors: Yefim Riskin, Leonid Riskin
  • Devices and methods to determine steering assembly sealing integrity
    Patent number: 11247721
    Abstract: Determining a sealing integrity of a steering assembly determining when the steering assembly is performing a steering event, determining an expected pressure change associated with the steering event, and receiving data from the pressure sensing member. During performance of the steering event, the controller analyzes the data from the pressure sensing member and determines when the pressure sensing member detects the expected pressure change and reduces an incident counter. When the pressure sensing member does not detect the expected pressure change, the incident counter is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Travis S. Larson, George E. Doerr
  • Fuel supply device
    Patent number: 11248569
    Abstract: A fuel supply device includes a filter device, a pump, a suction pipe, and a bubble removing device. The filter device includes a first filter that filters a fuel, a filter chamber surrounded by the first filter, and a filter opening that is in fluid communication with the filter chamber. The pump has a pump suction port for drawing the fuel from the filter chamber. The suction pipe fluidly connects the filter opening to the pump suction port. The bubble removing device is disposed in at least one of the filter device and the suction pipe. The bubble removing device includes a valve device that is configured to discharge a bubble contained in the fuel to the internal space of the fuel tank, and a foreign matter regulator that is disposed between the valve device and the internal space and that regulates or prevents a foreign matter contained in the fuel from flowing into the fuel supply device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chiaki Kawajiri, Tetsurou Okazono
  • Method of diagnosing a temperature sensor provided at a rear stage of an air filter
    Patent number: 11248568
    Abstract: A method of diagnosing a temperature sensor provided at a rear stage of an air filter includes: comparing a heating condition factor with a factor threshold; when the heating condition factor is less than the factor threshold, calculating a deviation between a temperature of an intake manifold and a temperature of intake air at a rear stage of an air filter; comparing a temperature threshold with the deviation; and, when the deviation exceeds the temperature threshold, diagnosing the intake air temperature sensor provided at the rear stage of the air filter as failing. According to the method, failure of a temperature sensor provided at a rear state of an air filter of an engine room can be diagnosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min-Kyu Won
  • Belt-integrated-starter-generator-assisted engine shutdown
    Patent number: 11242834
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine including a crank shaft; a battery; a belt-integrated starter generator (BISG) mechanically coupled to the crank shaft and configured to generate electric power from motion of the engine to charge the battery; and a controller configured to operate the BISG to apply a load to the crank shaft to slow the engine and capture electric power for storage in the battery, wherein an initial magnitude of the load is proportional to a temperature of the engine, responsive to a speed of the BISG or engine achieving a predetermined non-zero threshold, remove the load from the crank shaft, and bring the engine to a stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tom Leroy, Nicholas Dashwood Crisp, Wassim Koubaa, Jonathan James Hall
  • Adaptive any-fuel camless reciprocating engine
    Patent number: 11225917
    Abstract: An adaptive, any-fuel reciprocating engine using sensor feedback integration of high-speed optical sensors with real-time control loops to adaptively manage the electronic actuation schemes over a range of engine loads and fuels. The engine uses one or more optical sensors to collect specific types of gas property data via a spectroscopic technique to adaptively control various components within the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Raymond Mitchell Spearrin, Tsu-Chin Tsao, Peter Sinsheimer
  • Imbalance detection device, imbalance detection system, data analysis device, and controller for internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 11225924
    Abstract: An imbalance detection device is provided. An obtainment process includes obtaining a rotation waveform variable based on a detection value of a sensor that detects a rotational behavior of a crankshaft, and an air-fuel ratio detection variable in each of a plurality of first intervals. A calculation process includes calculating an imbalance variable based on an output of a mapping having a value obtained by the obtainment process as an input. The imbalance variable indicates a degree of variations in an air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine. The rotation waveform variable indicates a difference between instantaneous speed variables that are variables corresponding to the rotational speed of the crankshaft in each of the second intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Harufumi Muto, Akihiro Katayama, Kohei Mori, Yosuke Hashimoto
  • Intelligent starting and charging system and method
    Patent number: 11223225
    Abstract: A battery starting and charging system that monitors battery and other sensor readings; tracks vehicle state, determines a charging voltage based on battery temperature and vehicle state; sets the alternator to charge the battery with the charging voltage; determines current collected parameters based on the battery and other sensor readings; and makes vehicle start predictions based on the current collected parameters. The system can also determine whether the vehicle actually started; add the current collected parameters to a set of start events if it started, and to a set of no-start events if it didn't start. The start prediction can also be based on the sets of start and no-start events for one or multiple vehicles. The collected parameters and start predictions can also be based on collected weather data. The system can use a local interconnect network (LIN) alternator with a LIN network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Amol Phadtare, Terry Davisson, Sean P. West
  • Fuel pump
    Patent number: 11208974
    Abstract: A pump body of a high pressure fuel pump defines a compression chamber in fluid communication with a first recess dug in a first outer face. A second recess is dug in a second outer face of the body. An inlet channel opens in a conduit extending between the first recess and the second recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Inventors: Toby J. Pedley, Paul Buckley, Adam Tully
  • Tolerance and wear compensation of a fuel pump
    Patent number: 11203997
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a fuel pump for use in a fuel supply system of a device having internal combustion engine includes determining a tolerance-conditioned and wear-conditioned deviation of the fuel pump with respect to its delivery behavior so that the calibration permits energy-consumption-optimized actuation of the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kleineberg, Mariz Abdelmalek, Marc Völker, Andreas Sausner
  • Vehicle controller with complementary capacitance for analog-to-digital converter (A/D) low pass filter
    Patent number: 11199151
    Abstract: An engine control module comprises an input terminal configured to receive an input signal, an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the input signal from the input terminal, control circuitry configured to receive the input signal from the analog-to-digital converter and to control at least one engine output based on the input signal, and an adjustable low-pass filter. The adjustable low-pass filter is coupled between the input terminal and the analog-to-digital converter such that the analog-to-digital converter receives the input signal from the input terminal via the adjustable low-pass filter. The adjustable low-pass filter is configured to filter the input signal from the input terminal prior to the input signal being applied to the analog-to-digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Jose Gonzalo Villalon
  • Electronic fuel injection system and method for engines
    Patent number: 11199164
    Abstract: A system includes an electronic fuel injection system of an engine, the electronic fuel injection system including an electronic governor control unit for controlling various functions of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Martin L. Radue, Michael Kleczewski