Patents Examined by Noah P. Kamen
  • Patent number: 7128028
    Abstract: A water-cooled cylinder head for a multicylinder internal-combustion engine, has a cylinder head housing which has charge cycle ducts, passage bores for receiving cylinder head screws, valve stem guides for inlet and outlet valves controlling the charge cycle ducts, and part-spherical combustion chamber caps which are bounded by a water cooling jacket on a side facing away from the combustion chamber. One spark plug dome respectively has an opening leading to the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder. For reinforcing the cylinder head housing and/or for supporting the part-spherical combustion chamber caps, a rib structure is integrated in the cylinder head housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Paul, Frank Ickinger
  • Patent number: 7128042
    Abstract: This invention is a fuel efficient, high torque power, offset piston engine. The basic invention is a 2-stroke 2-cylinder engine. A single idler gear provides ignition timing between a pair of out-of-phase power pistons as 1-way clutches transmit the power to the engine's power shaft. Displacing and replacing a special idler changes the engine between a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke. Power stroke overlap saves fuel. Deactivating pistons when not needed without load on the engine saves more fuel. Other benefits will be obvious upon perusing the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Inventor: Robert Louis Giuliani
  • Patent number: 7124733
    Abstract: A tensioner that controls tension of a loop-shaped connecting body linking an output portion of an engine body and an output-input portion of a motor generator is fixed to the motor generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kusumi, Noriyuki Habara
  • Patent number: 7124732
    Abstract: A lubricating apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an oil pump 12 comprising a feed pump 13 and scavenging pumps 14 and 15. Then oil pump 12 and an oil tank 16 are arranged at the outside of the internal combustion engine 9. A pump shaft for the pumps 13, 14 and 15 can be arranged in a same direction as that of a crank shaft of the engine 9. The feed pump 13 and two scavenging pumps 14 and 15 are arranged in serial order with the feed pump being farthest from the engine 9. A check valve 24 can be arranged in a passage of the discharge side of the feed pump 13. A relief valve 23 can be arranged between a passage of the discharge side of the feed pump 13 and a passage of the intake side of the scavenging pump 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignees: Ihara Mfg. Co. Ltd., Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Sugamuna, Shigeaki Miyata, Jun Miura, Hiroko Wada
  • Patent number: 7124719
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine wherein each cylinder has two pistons placed in the opposite direction and attached together by an arm-type connecting rod and wherein a cylinder head has a rotor blade rotating in the middle between the upper cylinder head and the lower cylinder head whereby the upper cylinder head and the lower cylinder head are perforated with an intake port and an exhaust port. The rotor blade is perforated with one port and rotates by a gear which is at the outer edge of the rotor blade. When the piston reaches the power stroke, it generates force to act on the arm-type connecting rod and when the connecting rod arm moves in a linear motion, it transmits the force towards the crankshaft or the transmission shaft which is attached by a guide rail platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventor: Amorn Ariyakunakorn
  • Patent number: 7124727
    Abstract: In an intake manifold 3 having a plurality of branch tubes 4, 4 arranged over the top surface of a cylinder head 1 in a state were a flange 7 provided at downstream-side ends of the branch tubes 4, 4 is fixed to a lateral surface of the cylinder head 1, and having a plenum chamber portion 5 provided at upstream-side ends of the branch tubes 4, 4, a retainer 10 is provided on the lateral surface of the cylinder head 1 and projecting outward therefrom, and an engaging recess 9 is provided in the lower portion of the flange 7 in order to engage with the retainer 10. Further, in the plenum chamber portion 5 of the intake manifold 3, flat portions 8, 8 are formed and are permitted to be provisionally placed on and fixed in position relative to the top surface of a rocker cover 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Aichi Kikai Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Youichi Kogawa, Masatoshi Hada
  • Patent number: 7121249
    Abstract: An improved lubrication structure is provided in an engine by optimizing the structure for recovering scooped oil for enhanced oil recovery efficiency. The oil, which has been scooped up and scattered by the rotation of a clutch, is captured within a concave groove provided within a cylindrical inner surface of a case cover facing the clutch. The captured oil is smoothly guided from the concave groove to an oil receiver of a crankcase via a bent upper edge part of an oil guide plate. The recovered oil passes through dropping holes of a recovered oil path and is supplied to a gear engagement part of a transmission system located below the recovered oil path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Hamada, Isamu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7121251
    Abstract: A multi-link piston crank mechanism for an internal combustion engine, including a crankshaft having a crank pin, and crank webs connected with each other through the crank pin. A pair of thrust surfaces are formed on the crank webs so as to be opposed in a direction of a center axis of the crank pin. A first link pivotally supported on the crank pin is coupled to a second link through a connection pin located in a space between the thrust surfaces. The connection pin is moveable about the crank pin to form a circular trace along which the thrust surfaces extend. The end surfaces of the connection pin and the thrust surfaces come into mutual contact to prevent the connection pin from falling out of the space between the thrust surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuya Moteki, Masashi Imadu, Naoki Takahashi, Kenshi Ushijima
  • Patent number: 7121248
    Abstract: Recesses are provided in portions of a head cover and a crankcase which are opposed to outer peripheries of a timing chain and a balancer-driving chain driven by a crankshaft of a vertical engine, whereby vertical walls and horizontal walls are formed to oppose to outer peripheral surfaces and lower surfaces of the timing chain and the balancer-driving chain. An oil scattered from the timing chain and the balancer-driving chain by a centrifugal force is caught on the vertical walls, and the oil flowing down along the vertical walls by gravitation is retained on the underlying horizontal walls, whereby the oil can be brought into contact with the chains without waste to effectively lubricate the chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Fukuda, Hiroki Tawa, Kazuhiro Ishizaka
  • Patent number: 7121252
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine that replaces the throw journal of a crankshaft with a set of contours that are dynamic rather than static. The contour is such that three cycles of engine operation are not affected, i.e., exhaust, intake, and compression. The contour deviates only during the power stroke where an increased incidence to the circular is incorporated. This defers from previous attempts by eliminating complex geometries such as epitrochoidal or sinusoidal that by their nature negatively affect the exhaust, intake, and compression strokes of the Otto cycle when compared to the traditional crankshaft. Additionally, the deviation from the circular orbit during the power cycle optimizes to a larger extent the leverage available for peak thermodynamic pressures in the cylinder in the brief optimum time afforded by that pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Inventor: Michael Elman Johnson
  • Patent number: 7117827
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to fluid working devices including reciprocating internal combustion engines and pumps. A number of arrangements for pistons and cylinders of unconventional configuration are described, mostly intended for use in IC engines operating without cooling. Included are toroidal combustion or working chambers, some with fluid flow through the core of the toroid, pistons reciprocating between pairs of working chambers, tensile valve actuation, tensile links between piston and crankshaft, energy absorbing piston-crank links, crankshafts supported on gas bearings, cylinders rotating in housings, injectors having components reciprocate or rotate during fuel delivery. In some embodiments pistons mare rotate while reciprocating. High temperature exhaust emissions systems are described, including those containing filamentary material, as are procedures for reducing emissions during cold start by means of valves at reaction volume exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventor: Mitja V. Hinderks
  • Patent number: 7117860
    Abstract: Described herein is a coil housing for receiving a plurality of coils for a two-cylinder motorcycle having a plurality of spark plugs and ignition coils. The invention consists of a plurality of coil receptacles conjoined by frame mounting means for attaching the coil housing to the motorcycle such that each coil housing is juxtaposed adjacent a cylinder of the motorcycle. Each coil receptacle defines a cavity having means for retaining a coil and spark plug wires for connection between the output terminals of the coils and the terminals of the spark plugs. When the coil housing is mounted to a motorcycle, the external surface conforms to the corresponding external surface of each of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventor: Jeremy F. Chittum
  • Patent number: 7114470
    Abstract: The present invention provides a safety cap system with a pressure and temperature activated external locking cum unlocking means for an automotive cooling system to prevent accidental removal of the safety cap. The safety cap further uses a torque overriding mechanism to ensure an effective closure and removal torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Sundram Fasteners Limited
    Inventors: Premkumar Ramanathan, Giri Prasad Rajagopal, Kumaresan Narayanaswamy
  • Patent number: 7114476
    Abstract: An air intake assembly for a motorcycle provides increased air flow to the carburetor by increasing the intake area of the ducting and placing it out in the air stream facing forward so that a ram air effect is achieved. Increased intake area is provided by dual velocity stacks arranged in an over-and-under vertical orientation positioned directly adjacent the side of the engine to minimize the width of the motorcycle. A compact aesthetically-pleasing assembly is provided which can also increase performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Inventor: Lee S. Wimmer
  • Patent number: 7114478
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an upright engine in which a plurality of cylinders are arranged vertically, an engine cover covering the engine, and an intake system for the engine. The intake system includes an intake manifold disposed on a side of the engine and provided with a surge tank and an intake pipe, in which the surge tank is arranged on the side of the engine inside the engine cover, the intake pipe is arranged on the inner surface side of the engine cover therein in a manner that the surge tank and the intake pipe are arranged parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Miyashita
  • Patent number: 7111601
    Abstract: An air induction system for inducting air into an engine of an automobile is disclosed. The air induction system has an air cleaner and an air inlet tube. The air cleaner is in fluid communication with the engine of the automobile for filtering intake air inducted into the engine. The air inlet tube is made of a first material and is connected at a first end to the air cleaner and open to ambient air at a second end. The inlet tube has a flexible portion that flexes as a result of internal pressure pulsations during the air induction event. The flexing reduces or eliminates acoustic standing waves that have significant pressure fluctuations at the same location in the air induction system as the flexible portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Moenssen, Hovie J. Cassell, Celine J. Dixon, Jeff Georgas, John D. Kostun
  • Patent number: 7107942
    Abstract: A fuel system for on-board vehicle fuel separation to supply engine fuel compositions formulated as a function of driving cycle conditions. The invention results in improvements in one or more of feed efficiency and combustion emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignees: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Walter Weissman, Randall D. Partridge, Bhupender S. Minhas, Guido Sartori, Takanori Ueda, Yoshihiro Iwashita, Kazuhiro Akihama, Satoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7107954
    Abstract: An engine is arranged in such a way that while the engine is running, cooling fluid flows along a flow path that goes into a cylinder block (12) from an inlet (12b) at one end side of the engine main body (10), goes around the first cylinder (13) to the fourth cylinder (16) arranged in a row to go by way of the other end side of the engine main body (10), and then goes to a cylinder head (11) through a communication channel (17) and a flow path that goes into the cylinder block (12) through the inlet (12b) at the one end side of the engine main body (10) and then directly goes to the cylinder head (11) through the communication channel (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Yamashita, Rentaro Kuroki
  • Patent number: 7104233
    Abstract: An engine oil heater suited to use with an engine having an oil fill port in fluid communication with an oil reservoir that is adapted to contain a quantity of oil. The engine heater generally includes a coupling member operable to engage the oil fill port and a heater element interconnected with the coupling member and having a sufficient length such that the heater element is adapted to be at least partially immersed in oil. A temperature sensor is positioned to measure a temperature and a first electrical connector is configured to engage a second electrical connector. The first electrical connector is electrically connectable to the heater element to provide a flow of current and a control circuit is operable to vary the flow of current to the heater element in response to the measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Ryczek, James D. Makiya, William M. Kindness, Kyle Clasen
  • Patent number: 7104225
    Abstract: According to the invention, an internal combustion engine piston cooling nozzle comprises a nozzle body, a transverse fixing plate and screwing means such as a fixing screw offset laterally at a distance between axes. The nozzle body comprises an axial bore containing valve means and a transverse bore receiving a cooling fluid outlet duct. The peripheral wall is thick around the transverse bore. The diametrally opposite portion of the peripheral wall is thinner because of the presence of an external recess facing the fixing screw. Thus the fixing screw may be moved closer, by reducing the distance between axes, which reduces the overall size of the cooling nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Bontaz Centre
    Inventor: Yves Bontaz