Patents Examined by Susan E Scharpf
  • Patent number: 10400687
    Abstract: A system and method of managing an on-demand electrolytic reactor for supplying hydrogen and oxygen gas to an internal combustion engine. The system minimizes reactor's power consumption and parasitic energy loss generally associated with perpetual reactors. The system comprises a plurality of sensors coupled to the reactor measuring a plurality of reactor parameters, an electronic control unit coupled to the plurality of sensors and the engine, and a reactor control board coupled to the reactor and the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit: monitors the plurality of reactor parameters and the plurality of engine parameters; determines a reactor performance level; determines an engine performance level; determines a change in the engine performance level to forecast a future engine demand level; and determines an ideal reactor performance level corresponding to the engine performance level or the future engine demand level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: dynaCERT Inc.
    Inventors: David Bridge, Ruston Jeroen Hoffman
  • Patent number: 10393080
    Abstract: A coupling device for coupling a fuel rail to a cylinder head of a combustion engine may include: a fuel injector cup coupled to the fuel rail and facing the cylinder head, a first fastening element facing the fuel injector cup and fixedly coupled to the cylinder head, at least one first spring element arranged between the first fastening element and the fuel injector cup and/or between the fuel injector cup and the cylinder head, a support element arranged between the fuel rail and the cylinder head and fixedly coupled to the fuel rail, a second fastening element engaged with the support element and fixedly coupled to the cylinder head, and at least one second spring element arranged between the second fastening element and the support element and/or between the support element and the cylinder head. The first spring element(s) may comprise metal, and the second spring element(s) may comprise plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Giandomenico Serra, Gisella Di Domizio, Edoardo Giorgetti, Daniel Marc
  • Patent number: 10385786
    Abstract: A throttle valve for an internal combustion engine provided with a valve body, a tubular feeding duct defined in the valve body, a throttle plate, and an actuating device which controls rotation of the throttle plate. The actuating device includes an electric motor and an actuating device conditioning circuit defined in the valve body. The conditioning circuit includes a tube made of a first material able to conduct heat, and the valve body is entirely made of a second metal material and is provided with a seat for housing the tube, in which is provided a layer of a structural and heat-conducting resin, interposed between the seat and the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Musolesi, Marcello Colli
  • Patent number: 10371042
    Abstract: A uniflow scavenging two-cycle engine includes an scavenging port having a swirling guide portion that guides scavenging gas into a cylinder in a direction inclined with respect to a radial direction of the cylinder, and a center guide portion that is provided to be closer to a crank side of the cylinder than the swirling guide portion and guides the scavenging gas further toward the center side of the cylinder than the swirling guide portion. At least a part of the center guide portion faces a piston when the piston is positioned at bottom dead center during the high compression ratio mode, and the center guide portion and the piston do not face each other or an area of facing the piston is smaller than that during the high compression ratio mode when the piston is positioned at bottom dead center during the low compression ratio mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaka Masuda, Takahiro Kuge, Takayuki Yamada, Takeshi Yamada, Jun Teramoto
  • Patent number: 10359006
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing device includes a fuel tank storing fuel used for an internal combustion engine, a pressurizing portion performing a pressurizing process to increase an inner pressure of the fuel tank by supplying gas from outside to inside the fuel tank, and a controller controlling an operation of the pressurizing portion. The controller controls the pressurizing portion to perform the pressurizing process and to keep the inner pressure of the fuel tank at or above a predetermined pressure value at which vaporized fuel is prevented from flowing out of the fuel tank, except for a time of fueling of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Hamanakodenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideya Tochihara
  • Patent number: 10344731
    Abstract: A fuel pressure sensor diagnosis device includes an electronic control unit configured to drive a fuel supply device during electric traveling of a hybrid vehicle, to perform determination as to whether an output of a fuel pressure sensor is within a normal range after driving of the fuel supply device is started, and to perform a diagnosis to determine whether a malfunction has occurred in the fuel pressure sensor based on a result of the determination, the normal range being an assumed range of the output of the fuel pressure sensor in a case where the fuel pressure sensor normally functions and the fuel supply pressure is a prescribed upper limit pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya Okubo, Kazuhiro Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10337416
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving detection and mitigation of engine misfire are presented. Engine misfire is determined by sampling exhaust pressure of a cylinder only during a time when an exhaust valve of the cylinder is in an open state. If misfire is indicated, an actuator is adjusted to reduce the possibility of misfire during a subsequent cylinder cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 10329915
    Abstract: A power turbine includes a first stage blade having an airfoil with a cold un-coated nominal profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Krishan Mohan, Panagiota Tsifourdaris, Lorenzo Sanzari, Igal Acher Abenhaim, Anthony Pham
  • Patent number: 10309331
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to internal combustion engines. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods for the measuring of a feedback signal generated by the movement dynamics of a fuel injector in operation. A method may include: (a) generating an electrical test pulse; (b) feeding the test pulse into an actuation line connecting the output stage to the injector to an electric drive of the injector; (c) measuring an electrical response pulse generated by the actuation line in response to the test pulse; (d) identifying a characteristic feature of the measured response pulse; (e) transferring the feature to a control and evaluation unit; (f) evaluating the feature; and (g) acquiring the characteristic information item about the measuring channel based on the evaluation of the transferred characteristic feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Hauser, Gerd Roesel, Markus Stutika
  • Patent number: 10294895
    Abstract: An abnormality sensing device for an evaporation fuel purge system is equipped with a purge passage that connects a canister to an intake passage of an internal combustion engine, a purge pump, a purge control valve, and a valve component that closes and opens the purge passage at a target passage including at least a first purge passage defined between the purge control valve and the intake passage. An abnormality determining portion detects a physical quantity relevant to a pressure change in the target passage in a determination possible state where the purge control valve allows the evaporation fuel to flow through the first purge passage and where the valve component prohibits the evaporation fuel from being supplied to the intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignees: HAMANAKODENSO CO., LTD., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kosuke Shirai
  • Patent number: 10280848
    Abstract: There is provided an internal combustion engine control apparatus that is capable of determining accurately from an ignition discharging time period whether the intake valve and the exhaust valve are in the operative condition or in the inoperative condition. A cylinder deactivation controller causes a first ignition controller to perform a first ignition control on the basis of the ignition timing when issuing no cylinder deactivation request, and causes a second ignition controller to perform a second ignition control on the basis of an energizing time period when issuing the cylinder deactivation controller. The discharging time period is calculated by a discharging time period calculation section on the basis of an ion current signal output from the ignition coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Matsushima, Takahiko Inada
  • Patent number: 10280889
    Abstract: A motor vehicle solenoid includes a solenoid housing having an inner surface, at least one coil arranged in the housing, an actuator associated with the at least one coil, and a stop member arranged in the housing adjacent the at least one coil. The stop member includes an outer circumferential edge abutting the inner surface of the solenoid housing. The outer circumferential edge includes at least one clearance zone that is spaced from the inner surface of the housing. The at least one clearance zone defines a grounded electrical attachment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Gentry, Muhammed Emin Ozdemir, Steve Burton, Kirk Neet
  • Patent number: 10273924
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a mild hybrid vehicle includes an engine including a plurality of combustion chambers for generating driving torque by burning fuel, at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve for opening and closing each of the combustion chambers, an MHSG (mild hybrid starter and generator) for assisting the driving torque of the engine and selectively being operated as a generator, a VVA (variable valve apparatus) including an oil control valve that changes a direction of a path for flowing engine oil in order to adjust opening timing, lift, and duration of the intake valve and the exhaust valve, and a controller operating the MHSG to assist the engine torque when the oil control valve is faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hyun Kim, Ki Hong Kang, Sung Il You, Hwa Yong Jang, Yong Ug Kim, YoungMin Kim
  • Patent number: 10273929
    Abstract: When the concentration of alcohol is high, the timing of ignition is controlled upon the lapse of a delay time Tig from a reference timing t as a timing when a reference angle ?ref that is more advanced than a top dead center is detected. It should be noted, however, that the timing of ignition is controlled to a timing when a retarded angle aop is detected, if it is determined that a misfire has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Takei
  • Patent number: 10273892
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for use with an internal combustion engine has a check valve and a purge valve disposed in a purge passage that extends from a canister to connect with an intake passage of the internal combustion engine. A controller regulates the purge valve open with a first opening degree or a first duty ratio during a purge operation. The controller may also regulate the purge valve to open with a second opening degree larger than the first opening degree or a second duty ratio larger than the first duty ratio a predetermined time after initiating the purge operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignees: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuji Miyazaki, Hidetoshi Tsutsumi, Tomonori Nakatsuka, Kinji Morihiro, Koji Honda
  • Patent number: 10267251
    Abstract: A method for determining an air mass air in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. A first filling equivalent is determined during a compression phase of the cylinder, wherein the first filling equivalent corresponds to a first average pressure difference in a first angle range of a crank angle in the compression phase. A second filling equivalent is determined during an expansion phase of the cylinder, wherein the second filling equivalent corresponds to a second average pressure difference in a second angle range of the crank angle of the expansion phase. A differential filling equivalent is calculated by subtracting the first filling equivalent from the second filling equivalent. The air mass in the cylinder is determined based on the differential filling equivalent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Harry Schuele, Bjoern Knorr
  • Patent number: 10247144
    Abstract: A method includes operating an internal combustion engine producing, as a byproduct, exhaust gases. The flow of exhaust gases are segregated into a first, relatively hot flow and a second, relatively cold flow. The second flow is directed to an intake of the internal combustion engine for combustion with fresh intake air and fuel. Heat energy from the first flow is stored in a latent heat storage device. Heat energy is released from the latent heat storage device to reduce cold start emissions during a subsequent operation of the internal combustion engine after a period of shutoff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Brent Keppy
  • Patent number: 10240553
    Abstract: This fuel injection system includes a port injector, an in-cylinder injector, and a control device. The control device sets the number of executions of maximum partial lift injection per injection stroke based on the pressure of a fuel supplied to the in-cylinder injector and within a range of the number of injections in which an injection amount of the maximum partial lift injection per injection stroke becomes equal to or less than a target amount. This control device allows the in-cylinder injector to execute the number of executions of the maximum partial lift injection and allows the port injector to inject the fuel by the amount equal to the shortfall compared to the total injection amount only in the maximum partial lift injection by the in-cylinder injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nakano, Eiji Murase
  • Patent number: 10215148
    Abstract: A method diagnoses a no-start condition in a powertrain having an engine and a starter system operable for starting the engine. The starter system includes a battery, solenoid relay, starter solenoid, and starter motor. The method includes recording starter data over a calibrated sampling duration in response to a requested start event when the solenoid relay is enabled, including a cranking voltage and engine speed. If no battery current sensor is used, the method derives a resistance ratio using an open-circuit voltage and a minimum cranking voltage of the battery. When such a sensor is used, the method derives a battery and starter resistance. A fault mode of the starter system is then identified via a controller using the starter data and either the resistance ratio or the battery and starter resistances. A control action executes that corresponds to the identified fault mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shengbing Jiang, Xinyu Du
  • Patent number: 9631574
    Abstract: When injecting fuel from a direct injector and a port injector such that a requested fuel injection amount is obtained in an internal combustion engine, the direct injector is driven in the following manner. After a target fuel injection amount for the fuel injection with the higher priority among fuel injection in the late stage of a compression stroke and fuel injection in the early stage of an intake stroke in the direct injector has been set on the basis of the engine operating condition, the target fuel injection amount for the fuel injection with the lower priority is set on the basis of the engine operating condition. Moreover, the direct injector is driven in such a manner that the target fuel injection amount for each of the abovementioned fuel injections set in this manner is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakano