Patents Examined by Kyle M. Riddle
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Patent number: 7360516Abstract: A current value of an intake valve phase calculated based on a sensor output is smoothed along the direction of time axis in accordance with a smoothing factor, whereby a phase detection value is detected. At the time of reference position learning, the smoothing factor is set to a value larger than at the time of normal control, so that the degree of smoothing in the smoothing process of phase detection value becomes smaller. Therefore, it is possible to detect more quickly that the intake valve timing has reached the reference timing at the time of reference position learning based on the phase detection value, than when a common smoothing factor is set both for the normal control and for the reference position learning.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2007Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso CorporationInventors: Yasumichi Inoue, Zenichiro Mashiki, Haruyuki Urushihata
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Patent number: 7357105Abstract: A hydraulic valve driving device includes a valve actuator operable to drive an engine valve, a hydraulic pump that generates the oil pressure for the valve actuator, a hydraulic pump driving motor that drives the hydraulic pump, and a starter motor. At the time of engine starting, after the hydraulic pump is driven by the hydraulic pump driving motor while the crank is stopped in the first engine-starting mode, and then the crank and the hydraulic pump are driven by the starter motor in the second engine-starting mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2005Date of Patent: April 15, 2008Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuji Moriwaki, Naoki Tsuchida
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Patent number: 7353788Abstract: A method of controlling a valve of a cam phaser of an internal combustion engine includes determining a delta duty cycle from a position error and a rate of change of error (error dot). A fuzzy gain value is calculated from the delta duty cycle and a correction term. A duty cycle is calculated from an integral gain value and the fuzzy gain value. The duty cycle is then used to control the valve of the cam phaser.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2005Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventor: Jerry William Kortge
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Patent number: 7350492Abstract: In a guide gib for the valve operating mechanism of an internal combustion engine, having holding spaces (12, 13), which are arranged in the gib (8) at intervals one behind the other, for valve tappets, wherein to prevent a valve tappet from rotating about its central longitudinal axis in each case, flattened portions (14, 15) are formed within the associated holding space (12, 13) of the guide gib (8), it being possible for flattened portions of the valve tappet to bear against said flattened portions (14, 15), according to the invention, the guide gib (8) is formed by a plastic support (9) and a plurality of inlay parts (10, 11) which are provided with the holding spaces (12, 13), each of said inlay parts (10, 11) being made of a higher-strength material than the material of the plastic support (9) and being inserted into the plastic support (9).Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Schaeffler KGInventors: Christian Barth, Henning Karbstein
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Patent number: 7350488Abstract: A rocker arm cover comprises a shell having an upper portion and a lower portion formed by inner and outer side walls and end walls contiguous therewith. A dividing wall is joined to the side walls and end walls to define an upper cavity in the upper portion of the rocker arm cover and to define a lower cavity in the lower part of the rocker arm cover. A lid is fitted to the upper portion of the rocker arm cover to provide an enclosed cavity for housing the plurality of ignition coils.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2006Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Inventor: Richard H. Harbert
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Patent number: 7347173Abstract: A valve timing system for an internal combustion engine includes a phase alteration mechanism interposed between a driving rotator and a driven rotator and having a direction turning point at which the phase alteration direction is reversed when a movable portion of the mechanism travels from a beginning to a termination, and an operation control device for displacing the movable portion when undergoing an energization control, the movable portion being displaced toward the beginning when the energization control fails to be carried out. The rotation phase is set at a middle position between a maximum retard position and a maximum advance position when the movable portion is located at the beginning.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2006Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventor: Atsushi Yamanaka
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Patent number: 7343887Abstract: An abnormality diagnosis system 100 includes a VVT controller 110, an adjustable valve mechanism 120, a cam angle sensor 130, a model computation module 140, an abnormality detection module 150, and an alarm lamp 160. The adjusable valve mechanism 120 advances or delays a phase angle of an intake cam shaft relative to a crankshaft, thereby varying an open-close timing of a valve. The model computation module 140 computes a physical behavior of the adjustable valve mechanism 120 according to a physical model, in response to a control signal input from the VVT controller 110. The abnormality detection module 150 determines whether the adjustable valve mechanism 120 is abnormal or normal, based on a difference between a theoretical value of phase angle calculated according to the physical model and an observed value of phase angle measured with the cam angle sensor 130. The arrangement of the invention ensures highly accurate abnormality diagnosis of the adjustable valve mechanism 120.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2004Date of Patent: March 18, 2008Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shinichi Soejima
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Patent number: 7341031Abstract: A valve timing controller includes a housing which is biasedly assembled in such a manner that the housing is previously moved in a direction where a rotor knocks the housing. A camshaft rotatably extends through a through-hole provided in a sprocket and is engaged with a camshaft-inserting hole provided in the rotor. An inner diameter of the camshaft-inserting hole is lager than an inner diameter of the through-hole provided in the sprocket in order to prevent the camshaft-inserting hole from overlapping the through-hole.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2007Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Tadao Ikihara
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Patent number: 7331318Abstract: Camshaft adjusters according to the swivel motor principle may be provided with a bar which arrests the rotor in a position relative to the stator. A bar according to the invention is provided with two portions, between which a change of power transmission takes place during the arresting process.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2006Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Hydraulik-Ring GmbHInventor: Steffen Schweizer
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Patent number: 7328673Abstract: A valve timing correction control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided. The engine includes a plurality of banks and variable valve operating mechanisms disposed at the respective banks for variably controlling valve timings of intake valves separately at the respective banks. The valve timing correction control apparatus comprises air/fuel ratio sensors provided to exhaust systems of the respective banks, and a control unit that corrects the valve timings of the intake valves at the respective banks in accordance with deviations of air/fuel ratios detected by the respective air/fuel ratio sensors. A valve timing correction control method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2003Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsuhiko Kawamura
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Patent number: 7314030Abstract: A driving-side rotatable body includes a driving-side inner gear, which has an axial extent that does not overlap with an axial extent of a driven-side inner gear of a driven-side rotatable body. A driven-side outer gear and a driving-side outer gear of a planet gear are meshed with and are driven together with the driven-side inner gear and the driving-side inner gear, so that the planet gear changes a relative rotational phase between the driven-side rotatable body and the driving-side rotatable body. An addendum circle of the driving-side inner gear has a diameter, which is larger than that of a dedendum circle of the driven-side inner gear.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2006Date of Patent: January 1, 2008Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Motoki Uehama, Yasushi Morii
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Patent number: 7311072Abstract: A gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine, has valve lifting movements with valve displacement curves and a control unit. To this end, a control unit is provided for operation of at least one valve, in particular a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine, in which the valvelifting movement of the at least one valve (6) is generated by superimposing two synchronously rotating cam profiles acting mechanically on a lift operating element (4). The two cam profiles (1, 2) have specially shaped areas by means of which, when superimposed to form one of the two cam profiles (1, 2), at least one additional valve displacement (ZV) can be generated on the whole in addition to a main valve displacement movement (HV) over a full revolution of each of these cam profiles (1, 2).Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2005Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignees: Mahle Ventiltrieb GmbH, Mechadyne PLCInventors: Hermann Hoffmann, Timothy Mark Lancefield, Martin Lechner, Ian Methley
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Patent number: 7308879Abstract: A deactivation valve lifter includes a lifter body. The lifter body has a first end configured for engaging a cam of an engine and at least one annular pin chamber. A pin housing includes a pin housing bottom. The pin housing bottom defines at least one pin stop aperture and a radially directed pin bore. A deactivation pin assembly is disposed within the pin bore and includes pin members. The pin housing is concentrically disposed within the lifter body. A portion of each pin member may be disposed within the annular pin chamber to thereby selectively couple and decouple the lifter body to the pin housing. A drain aperture defined by the pin housing bottom extends from the pin bore to an outside surface of the pin housing. A stop pin is disposed in the at least one pin stop aperture for limiting the inward motion of the pin members.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2006Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Nick J. Hendriksma, Mark J. Spath
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Patent number: 7308878Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus includes a driving side rotational member, a driven side rotational member formed with a plurality of recessed portions into which a supporting jig is insertable at a second side thereof in the axial direction, a fluid pressure chamber, a vane, a lock member, and a cover plate formed with a plurality of through holes, through which the supporting jig is insertable, at a position in which each of the plurality of through holes is overlapped with each of the plurality of recessed portions of the driven side rotational member in a condition where the relative rotational phase is restrained at the lock phase.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2006Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Naoki Kira
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Patent number: 7308877Abstract: A variable valve timing controller adjusts valve timing of an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve by varying a motor speed relative to a camshaft. When an engine is running under a predetermined condition, an actual valve timing is calculated based on a cam angle signal and crank angle signal every when the cam angle signal is inputted. A final valve timing is calculated by adding a valve timing variation amount to the actual valve timing at the time the cam angle signal is outputted. The valve timing amount is periodically calculated based on a difference between a motor speed and a rotational speed of the intake camshaft. When the engine is running under another condition, only actual valve timing at the time the cam angle signal is outputted is calculated.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2005Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazunari Izumi, Haruyuki Urushihata
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Patent number: 7305951Abstract: A two-step roller finger follower having a high-lift follower portion that rotates relative to a low-lift follower portion about a pivot shaft, including a lost-motion compression spring disposed in a linear bore formed in the high-lift portion to exert force against an curved pad on the back side of the valve pallet of the low-lift portion. The spring is retained and guided in its bore by a spring retainer having a planar bottom for engaging the curved pad. Preferably the retainer is a cup positioned in the spring bore such that the stroke of the cup is limited, to prevent leak-down of the associated hydraulic lash adjuster. Driving the spring by a linear-acting retainer in a linear bore causes the spring to be compressed linearly, resulting in a highly stable and predictable spring rate.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2005Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hermes A. Fernandez, Andrew J. Lipinski, Nick J. Hendriksma, Thomas H. Fischer, Timothy W. Kunz
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Patent number: 7305946Abstract: A variable valve operating apparatus including a drive cam, a rocker cam pivotally supported on a first pivot, a lift varying mechanism operative to change a pivotal position of the rocker cam to vary a valve lift of an engine valve, a swing arm including one end portion at which the swing arm is pivotally supported on a second pivot and the other end portion contacted with the engine valve, a hollow space defined between the end portions of the swing arm, and a driven roller rotatably disposed within the hollow space of the swing arm and contacted with a cam surface of the rocker cam. When the valve lift of the engine valve is a predetermined lift amount or more, a contact point between the driven roller and the rocker cam is located in the hollow space of the swing arm.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2005Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Seinosuke Hara
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Patent number: 7305949Abstract: A target wheel for a camshaft phaser stamped and drawn from sheet metal stock. The hub region of the target wheel may be drawn such that it extends through the phaser cover plate and seals directly against the face of the rotor, allowing a shorter cam bolt and resulting in reduction in mass and cost of the phaser. Alternatively, a separate hub is formed and then attached to a simplified stamped and drawn target wheel, or a target wheel hub is formed integrally with the rotor and extends through the cover plate to mate with a simplified stamped and drawn target wheel. Preferably, the hub is formed having a neck extending through a central opening in the target wheel, which neck is peened over during assembly to secure the wheel to the hub.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2005Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: David M. McCarthy, Natalie G. Payne, Dominic Borraccia
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Patent number: 7302925Abstract: A manifold gasket assembly includes a steel carrier fabricated with a plurality of air intake openings. Rubber material is molded to the carrier body to provide a seal about the openings when the gasket assembly is clamped between a cylinder head and intake manifold. Pushrod guides are provided on the carrier body and are fabricated of a material different than that of the carrier body, namely the same material as that used to form the elastomeric sealing beads.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, IncInventors: Brian Roberts, Gerald Rosenquist, Joseph Hermanson
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Patent number: 7302924Abstract: A switchable drag lever (1) of a valve timing mechanism of an internal combustion engine having an outer lever (2), and inner lever (5) extending in the cut-out (3) of the said outer lever (2) between its side walls (4), the drag lever (1) having a rest (9) for a gas exchange valve on an underside (7) at one end (8) and a pivoting bearing (11) for supporting element at the other end (10) with the levers (2,5) extending at the end (8) on a common pin (12).Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Schaeffler KGInventors: Bodo Roerig, Stefan Gemein, Nicola Morelli