Patents Examined by Noah P. Kamen
  • Patent number: 7258094
    Abstract: One or more component braces may be installed into the upper valley of a V-styled engine block to provide resistance to deformation of the block when used in an operating motor. The component braces include first and second mounting portions separated by a body portion, where the mounting portions may be constructed as arms extending from the body portion. An intermediate mounting portion may also be included that is centrally located with respect to the first and second mounting portions, but below a line defined by the first and second mounting portions. The securing of the component brace at the mounting areas provides rigidity to the upper portion of the engine block to resist deformation, such as would occur as relative movement between the cylinder banks. The resistance to such deformation aids in the prevention of cylinder bore wall distortion as well as engine block cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Inventor: Douglas A Pelmear
  • Patent number: 7258096
    Abstract: The number of constituent parts for an oil filter fixing system such as a bracket, are reduced, and the oil leaks during filter element exchange are avoided. The oil filter fixing system comprises a V bank of a V type engine, a crankcase fixed with the V bank and an oil filter fixed with the crankcase. A horizontal fixing plane is formed at a part of an outer surface of the crankcase and the oil filter is directly fixed with and hung down from the horizontal plane. Further, the horizontal fixing plane is provided at an outer surface of the crankcase and moreover under a cam fixing portion provided in the crankcase. The oil filter is disposed in a space which is formed by the horizontal fixing plane and a lower vertical side surface of the crankcase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Mori, Manabu Enari
  • Patent number: 7258095
    Abstract: An oil supply apparatus for an engine includes an oil pan located beneath the engine to store oil therein, an oil pump mounted in the oil pan to pump the oil stored in the oil pan, and a chain-drive unit mounted between the oil pump and a crankshaft of the engine to transmit a rotating force of the crankshaft to the oil pump. The chain-drive unit is partially immersed in the oil stored in the oil pan. With this configuration, there is no need for separate elements for lubricating the chain-drive unit, whereby the overall structure of the oil supply apparatus can be simplified. This results in a reduction in the number of elements and manufacturing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Yong Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 7258084
    Abstract: A moving cylinder assembly includes an end ported moveable cylinder having a chamber for receiving and engaging a piston connected to at least one crank. A stationary housing embraces the cylinder and has at least one port for intermittent communication with the cylinder chamber. One or more ported seals are positioned within the housing and adjacent the cylinder to minimize leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Inventor: Charles Maling
  • Patent number: 7258085
    Abstract: A free piston engine has a pair of pistons opposing to each other and movable in a cylinder, to form a combustion chamber between the pistons. A mixed gas of air and fuel is supplied into the combustion chamber and the mixed gas is auto-ignited when it is compressed by the pistons. A temperature and/or an air-fuel ratio of the mixed gas, and/or a pressure in the combustion chamber is detected to control displacements of the pistons, so that the mixed gas is auto-ignited at an optimum timing to efficiently operate the free piston engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Niiyama, Takashi Kaneko, Yasumasa Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 7258086
    Abstract: A four-cycle, four-cylinder, premixed charge compression ignition internal combustion reciprocating free piston engine with a variable piston stroke and a compression ratio that varies as needed to provide charge ignition, to offer the potential of higher efficiency, lower emissions, and multi-fuel operation. The engine does not have a crankshaft, and therefore does not provide direct rotary output. Instead its free pistons oscillate, in a manner similar to a two cycle free piston engine. For many applications, such as piston pumps and compressors, the engine provides an output directly driven by the oscillating pistons. In other applications, such as but not limited to use as a gas generator for a power turbine, the engine provides an indirect means of producing rotary power. When the engine is used with high-speed power turbines, the power turbine may be directly coupled to a high-speed alternator for electrical power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Inventor: John William Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 7255067
    Abstract: An engine is cooled using high pressure water injected into the piston with the water converted to high pressure steam by the heat from combustion with heat transfer taking place in passages in the piston and in and between grooves in the piston and the cylinder sleeve. The high pressure steam is conducted between the piston and cylinder walls to lubricate, so there will be no need for piston rings, with a part of it passing into the crankcase, and a part of it going into the combustion chamber where it contributes to power production. The piston body has a spring-loaded valve in a passage to balance pressures and control steam flow into the upper piston and combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Douglas G. Thorpe
  • Patent number: 7255082
    Abstract: Rotary valve system for controlling communication with a port in an internal combustion engine which, in one disclosed embodiment, has a crankshaft, compression and expansion pistons connected to the crankshaft for reciprocating movement within compression and expansion chambers, a combustion chamber in which air from the compression chamber is combined with fuel and burned to produce an increased gas volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Zajac Optimum Output Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: John Zajac, Ian F. Smith
  • Patent number: 7255085
    Abstract: A timing cover for an engine includes a plurality of dome-shaped embossed portions formed at positions of the timing cover that are most susceptible to vibration, based on an analysis of vibration modes of the timing cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Bo Sung Shin
  • Patent number: 7255072
    Abstract: In a two-stroke internal combustion engine (1) using an internal cooling piston (2), the piston (2) has in-piston scavenging passages (19) defined therein by partition walls (18), and lower-end inlets (20) of the in-piston scavenging passages (19) are opened downward and narrowed in opening area by piston pin bosses (16). In-cylinder scavenging passages (14), which are opened and closed as the piston (2) moves, are supplied with an air-fuel mixture from the narrowed lower-end inlets (20) through the in-piston scavenging passages (19). Thereby, a fresh air-fuel mixture is increased in flow rate when flowing from the in-cylinder scavenging passages (14) to the combustion chamber (10), and the scavenging efficiency of the engine is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Kioritz Corporation
    Inventor: Shirou Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7252066
    Abstract: An idler shaft assembly for an internal combustion engine provides significant cost savings eliminates processing and assembly steps, and provides accurate orientation of components. The idler shaft assembly includes a shaft adapted for rotation about a first axis. A one-piece sprocket and gear assembly is received on the shaft. A sprocket portion of the one-piece assembly has a first diameter that cooperates with an associated drive chain that is driven by the crankshaft, and a gear portion of the one-piece assembly has a second diameter that cooperates with an associated gear of an associated balance shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Cloyes Gear and Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 7249582
    Abstract: The present invention provides an intake apparatus which ensures the collision safety by having sufficient clearance margin to the engine hood by utilizing the space around the intake manifold which is not conventionally utilized, while achieving cost reduction by reduction in parts count and assembling time. The third member 14 covers the first member 10 in which the first room 24 is formed and the second member 12 in which the second room 38 is formed. The third room 54 which is formed in the third member 14 connects the first room 24 and the second room 38. With this structure, the second room 38 can be disposed adjacent to the first room 24 at almost the same height. Consequently, the height of the intake apparatus can be lowered, and the clearance between the intake apparatus and the engine hood can be enlarged. In addition, the intake air amount can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Mikuni Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawarai, Kazuyori Kito
  • Patent number: 7249576
    Abstract: An aftercooler thermostat housing for an engine is disclosed. The housing system comprises a housing and a thermostat within the housing. The housing system further includes a bypass system for providing a connection to allow an engine coolant to flow to the aftercooler system if the engine coolant temperature is below a first predetermined temperature. The bypass system allows for the engine coolant to flow through a heat exchanger which is part of the aftercooler system if the temperature of the coolant is above the first predetermined temperature. A low temperature aftercooler (LTA) thermostat housing system achieves the necessary heat rejection for the engine via the heat exchanger and achieves low temperature aftercooling using the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: R. David Jones
  • Patent number: 7246591
    Abstract: In an auto-choke system for a general-purpose engine, it is determined whether the operator has operated a combination switch to enable ignition in the engine and based on the result of this determination, the operation of a choke motor (actuator) is controlled to regulate the opening of the choke valve, specifically the operation of the choke motor is controlled to fully open the choke valve when ignition is found to be disabled. As a result, jetting of fuel is minimized and flooding prevented when the recoil starter is manipulated with ignition disabled. In addition, the operation of the choke motor is controlled to fully close the choke valve when ignition is found to be enabled, thereby enhancing the starting performance of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Shinogi, Tomoki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 7243632
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a small four-stroke gasoline engine with oil mist lubrication. The lubrication oil way of the engine includes a crankshaft chamber B, a camshaft chamber C, an upper rocker arm chamber D and a condensation chamber E. The camshaft chamber C communicates with the upper rocker arm chamber D via a tappet cavity 13. The upper rocker arm chamber D communicates with the condensation chamber E. An oil mist chamber A is surrounded by an upper case body 3 and a lower case body 4 at the side of the crankshaft chamber B, the bottom of the oil mist chamber A communicates with the crankshaft chamber B. An oilsplash impeller 2 is fixed on a crankshaft, which extends into the oil mist chamber A. An oil way 12 is provided on the upper case body 3 between the oil mist chamber A and the camshaft chamber C. An oil return way 15 is provided on a cylinder head assembly 5. An oil return way 14 is provided on the upper case body 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Inventor: Ji-Rong No Hu
  • Patent number: 7240646
    Abstract: A power plant includes an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft to which a piston is connected and a variable compression ratio system for changing the position of the axis of rotation of the crankshaft. The power plant includes a transmission having a main shaft which is connected to the crankshaft through a first deceleration system. The variable compression ratio system includes a crankshaft holder, which rotatably supports the crankshaft and which is swingably supported on a main shaft, and a drive system which swings the crankshaft holder. Thus, the power plant retains unchanged the distance of shafts between the crankshaft and the main shaft, even when the combustion engine has a variable compression ratio system, by changing the position of the axis of rotation of the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junya Watanabe, Masahiro Kuroki
  • Patent number: 7240643
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block having an oil rifle. A cylinder liner carried by the engine block includes a bottom end. A piston cooling nozzle coupled with the engine block includes an inlet in communication with the oil rifle, a tube, and a bracket coupled with the tube. The bracket engages the bottom end of the cylinder liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Perr, Kristopher R. Bare, Marcus M. Chui
  • Patent number: 7240648
    Abstract: A four-stroke radial engine comprises cylinders arranged radially with respect to a driving shaft of said radial engine and pistons associated with said cylinders, said pistons being connected to said driving shaft by means of respective connecting rods which are rotatably supported on a same crank pivot of said driving shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Inventor: Paolo Alessandrini
  • Patent number: 7240657
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dry sump type or semidry sump type lubricating system of an engine in which a lubricating method executes an operation while keeping an inner side of a crank chamber in a dry state. An oil drain port is formed in a bottom surface of each of individual crank chambers partitioned into the cylinders, and a scavenging oil pump is provided so as to suck out oil to an oil reservoir portion which is isolated from each of the individual crank chambers. An oil collecting chamber communicating with a suction portion of the scavenging oil pump is provided in a lower side of the bottom wall in the crank chamber, and the oil drain port is communicated with the oil collecting chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshio Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7240645
    Abstract: The invention concerns an internal-combustion engine, the engine comprising a first combustion chamber, a first piston displaceably guided in the first combustion chamber, the first piston facing the first combustion chamber with a first piston surface in a first direction, a second combustion chamber, a second piston displaceably guided in the second combustion chamber, the second piston facing the second combustion chamber with a second piston surface in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction being opposed to each other, the first piston and the second piston being coupled to each other so that they move simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Inventor: Heinz-Gustav A. Reisser