Patents Examined by Sizo Vilakazi
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Patent number: 10024249Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a motor vehicle controller operable automatically to stop and subsequently to restart an engine of a vehicle according to a prescribed control methodology. The controller is operable automatically to adjust an engine stop delay parameter in dependence on the value of at least one vehicle endurance parameter. The engine stop delay parameter corresponds to a period for which the engine of the vehicle remains switched on when it is determined that a condition exists allowing the engine to be switched off during the course of a drive cycle. The value of the endurance parameter is responsive to stop/start operations being performed during the course of a drive cycle. The controller is operable to adjust the engine stop delay parameter to prevent the value of the endurance parameter exceeding a prescribed maximum endurance value before a prescribed time period elapses.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2013Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITEDInventors: Matthew Hancock, Guy Robinson
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Patent number: 10024220Abstract: In certain embodiments with large size prechambers and/or with prechambers that have large spark-gap electrode assemblies, a poor scavenge of the crevice volume may cause deterioration of the preignition margin, which then may limit the power rating of the engine, may cause the flow velocity field of the fuel-air mixture to be excessively uneven and may result in the deterioration of the misfire limit. One or more auxiliary scavenging ports may allow admission of fuel rich mixture to the crevice volume, thereby cooling the residual gases and preventing occurrence of preignition. More organized and powerful flow velocity fields may be obtained in the spark-gap electrode assembly region. This condition may result in a significant extension of the flammability limit and may significantly improve the combustion efficiency of the prechamber. Passive prechambers using the active scavenge concept may increase the engine power output and reduce the emission of pollutants from engine combustion.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2015Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Prometheus Applied Technologies, LLCInventors: Maria Emmanuella Sotiropoulou, Luigi P. Tozzi
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Patent number: 10024272Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel-metering arrangement for the mixture-forming unit (2) of an internal combustion engine (10) in a portable handheld work apparatus. The mixture-forming unit comprises a fuel store (30), a switchable valve (40) and a fuel channel (20) which opens into an intake region of the engine (10). The valve (40) has an inflow port (41) which is connected to the fuel store (30) and an outflow port (42) which is connected to the fuel channel (20). A fuel column is mechanically moved by the switching of the valve. In order to compensate for this fuel column, the outflow port (42) is connected via a bypass channel (45) to the inflow port (41) and a flow valve (46) is mounted in the bypass channel (45). The flow valve (46) opens in flow direction (49) from the outflow port (42) to the inflow port (41) and blocks in the direction opposite thereto.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2009Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KGInventors: Karsten Schmidt, Andreas Hägele
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Patent number: 10018165Abstract: A layered fuel line for an engine fuel system includes a plurality of layers. The fuel line includes an inner layer and an outer layer material having a relatively high temperature resistance. The fuel line can include a barrier layer and intermediate layers. The fuel line can be included in a fuel line assembly that includes fittings capable of connecting to engine fuel system components. Silicone boots wrapping the fittings can increase the high temperature resistance of the assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Brunswick CorporationInventors: Michael A. Torgerud, Pankaj Ankush Jagadale
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Patent number: 10012191Abstract: A tray configured to support a fuel injector wiring harness is disclosed. The tray may include a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a bottom wall extending between the first end and the second end, and the bottom wall may be configured to support the fuel injector wiring harness above a rocker arm support. Moreover, the tray may include a tab outwardly extending from the tray, and the tab may include a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and an aperture extending between the top surface and the bottom surface. The aperture may be configured to circumscribe a stud upwardly extending from the rocker arm support.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Andrew Montgomery, Srinivas R. Mutchyala, Stephen Sonnenberg, Leonard Hilbert, Gabriela David, Jayant Roplekar, Seth Studnicka
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Patent number: 10012194Abstract: In the interior of a resin mold portion that constitutes a fuel injection valve, an amplifying member to which a power source terminal and a signal terminal are connected, is provided. A signal transmitting unit, which outputs a detection signal from a sensor, is connected electrically to a substrate of the amplifying member. Further, the amplifying member is molded integrally when the resin mold portion is formed. In addition, a pressure inside a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, which is detected by the sensor, is output through the signal transmitting unit to the amplifying member, is amplified by the amplifying member, and is output externally from the signal terminal.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2015Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: KEIHIN CORPORATIONInventors: Gaku Sato, Keisuke Machida, Kenichi Yoshimura, Koji Suzuki
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Patent number: 10012193Abstract: A fuel injector rail for supplying fuel to at least one fuel injector. The fuel injector rail includes a delivery pipe, an injector port, and a flow director. The delivery pipe defines a fuel passage therein. The delivery pipe defines an injector port that fluidly that couples the fuel passage to the at least one fuel injector. The flow director is located in the fuel passage at a surface opposite to the injector port. The flow director guides a flow of fuel to the injector port.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventor: Steven Lakey
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Patent number: 10012167Abstract: An ECU loads detected values of a rotation angle sensor and a pressure sensor which are mounted to an electric throttle, and executes an abnormal-sensor determination control to determine whether one of the rotation angle sensor and the pressure sensor is abnormal. Specifically, the ECU determines that one of the rotation angle sensor and the pressure sensor is abnormal, in a case where a state that a tendency of the actual opening angle detected by the rotation angle sensor does not match a tendency of the pressure detected by the downstream pressure sensor has continued for a period greater than or equal to a predetermined period. Therefore, since the pressure sensor can replace the rotation angle sensor used for detecting abnormality in a conventional technology, two rotation angle sensors can be reduced to one rotation angle sensor, and a cost is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2014Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Satoru Hiramoto, Toru Shimizu, Yoshiyuki Kono
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Patent number: 10012131Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for determining an actuating value for a coolant pump or a control valve of a cooling system for an infernal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. In particular, a pre-control value for ascertaining the actuating value is determined in a first determination mode based on a prescribed first allocation as a function of an output variable of the infernal combustion engine and a temperature difference of a heat exchanger of the cooling system.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2015Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Michael Selinger, Mario Reichenbach, Torsten Mueller, Michael Brinker
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Patent number: 10012160Abstract: It is possible to prevent the stability of an engine from deteriorating even when degrees of changes over time of injection characteristics are different in each fuel injection valve. An inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio variation detection unit 1100 calculates an air-fuel ratio variation index (Ind_imb) which indicates a degree of variation in an air-fuel ratio between cylinders from an exhaust air-fuel ratio, engine rotation speed, or the like. Unlike in a case where the air-fuel ratio variation index (Ind_imb) is lower than a set value, when the air-fuel ratio variation index (Ind_imb) is higher than the set value, a fuel injection pulse width limitation unit 2100 sets a (allowable) minimum value (Min_TI) of a fuel injection pulse width so as to be greater. In addition, a fuel injection pulse width calculation unit 3100 calculates fuel injection pulse widths (TI_1, TI_2, TI_3, and TI_4) of cylinders so as not to be lower than the minimum value (Min_TI).Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2014Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Akihito Numata, Eisaku Fukuchi
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Patent number: 10006413Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for detecting and mitigating the presence of liquid fuel carryover in an evap system of a vehicle in response to a refueling event. In one example, during a first condition, a vacuum pump is activated to pressurize the fuel system responsive to a first fuel tank pressure decay rate being less than a threshold, and responsive to a second fuel tank pressure decay rate being greater than a threshold, the vacuum pump is maintained on until a fuel tank pressure decreases to atmospheric pressure. In this way, liquid fuel carryover can be quickly and accurately diagnosed, such that mitigating actions may be taken to ensure liquid fuel is returned to the tank prior to contacting the adsorbent material within the vapor canister.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2015Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Aed M. Dudar, Dennis Seung-Man Yang, Robert Ognjanovski, Jr., Russell Randall Pearce
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Patent number: 10006381Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a variable mechanism that changes a working angle of an intake valve. A controller diagnoses whether there is an abnormality that an intake air amount reduces during idle operation. The controller changes an abnormality determination threshold for diagnosing an abnormality on the basis of a mode in which the working angle is changed by the variable mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2014Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Yui, Kota Hayashi
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Patent number: 9995239Abstract: An engine of the invention includes an engine main unit having cylinders, an intake line, an exhaust line, a supercharger, a turbo sensor detecting a rotational speed of the supercharger, a control device controlling, based on signal from the turbo sensor, an operating state of the engine main unit that has a correlation with the rotational speed of the supercharger, and a crank angle sensor detecting a rotation angle of a crankshaft. The control device recognizes timings at which the cylinders are in a top dead center state based on detection signals of the crank angle sensor and, also, makes a disconnection judgment for the turbo sensor at non-top dead center timings that are within one combustion cycle of the engine main unit and at which none of the plurality of cylinders are in a top dead center state.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2013Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignees: YANMAR CO. , LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takeshi Takahashi, Toshiro Itatsu
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Patent number: 9995235Abstract: A method for plausibilization of an engine control function for an internal combustion engine includes: provision of injection parameters with which an injection of fuel into cylinders of the internal combustion engine is controlled on the basis of a torque that is to be realized; estimation of an actual torque of the internal combustion engine as a function of the injection parameters; and evaluation of the actual torque as a function of the torque that is to be realized, in order to plausibilize the engine control function.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Guenter Kettenacker, Volker Pitzal
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Patent number: 9995267Abstract: An ignition apparatus includes an adjuster. The adjuster adjusts, according to at least one of a primary voltage and a secondary voltage detected by a voltage detector, at least one of an application timing and an application level of auxiliary electrical energy to an ignition coil while main electrical energy is applied to a spark plug by the ignition coil. The application timing includes whether the auxiliary electrical energy is applied to the ignition coil.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2014Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yuuki Kondou, Masahiro Ishitani, Satoru Nakayama, Akimitsu Sugiura, Makoto Toriyama, Takashi Oono
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Patent number: 9989016Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a fuel-air mixture to an engine is provided. The apparatus includes: a carburetor having one or more passages and one or more chambers, wherein at least some of the passages and chambers are in communication with one another; and a fluid pump communicated with the carburetor and pumping fluid into or out of the carburetor to influence an fuel-to-air ratio of a fuel and air mixture delivered from the carburetor.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2014Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Walbro LLCInventor: Matthew A. Braun
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Patent number: 9989021Abstract: The invention relates to an engine control valve (100), comprising a flap (112) rotatably mounted in a valve body (126) around an axis (114) separating said flap into a first part (112A) and a second part (112B), said flap (112) being able to cooperate with sealing means carried by the valve body (126) in a closed position to stop the flow of a fluid through said flap for which the first part (112A) of the flap (112) sealingly cooperates with first sealing means (122A) and the second part (112B) of the flap (112) sealingly cooperates with second sealing means (124B). According to the invention, the first sealing means (122A) and the second sealing means (124B) are mounted securely so as to slide along the valve body (126).Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle MoteurInventor: Grégory Hodebourg
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Patent number: 9989003Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a condition of a cylinder of an engine. In one example, a method includes adjusting recirculated exhaust gas responsive to a determined emission value and indicating insufficient combustion of one or more engine cylinders based on an amount by which the recirculated exhaust gas is adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2014Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Milan Palinda Karunaratne
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Patent number: 9982617Abstract: On-board diagnostic monitoring of a two-stroke cycle, opposed-piston engine includes diagnostic monitoring of an air handling system equipped with a supercharger to determine whether the supercharger is functioning properly.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2014Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventors: Nishit Nagar, Arunandan Sharma
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Patent number: 9982646Abstract: A vehicle includes a rear visibility component having a heating element. The vehicle further includes an engine and at least one controller programmed to auto-start and auto-stop the engine. The at least one controller is programmed to inhibit the auto-stop of the engine in response to receiving an auto-stop request while the engine is on and the heating element has been operating less than a predetermined time. In some configurations, the at least one controller is programmed to auto-start the engine and operate the heating element at a full power level in response to expiration of a time period that began with an auto-stop of the engine that occurred after the engine auto-stop was inhibited.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2015Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, Kirk Pebley, Gjergji Shaska