Patents by Inventor Alain Ramond

Alain Ramond has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8109250
    Abstract: A glow plug includes: a tubular body (2) having at one of its ends a plug head as well as a fixing zone including elements (12, 13) for being fixed in a bore, an arm (4) mounted on the body (2) of the plug at the end opposite to the plug head, and a pressure sensor (8) sealingly insulated from the corresponding cylinder. The arm (4) is fixed to an elastically deformable tubular zone (17) designed to project inside the cylinder. The pressure sensor (8) is mounted between the arm (4) and a support component (18) fixed inside the tubular body (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Federal-Mogul Ignition Srl
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20120011924
    Abstract: This device includes an outer casing having: a first tubular zone (16) to the inside of which a finger (4) is fastened; a second tubular zone (40) of larger outside diameter than that of the first tubular zone (16) and extending the first tubular zone (16); and an elastically deformable part (18) of annular shape, extending in a plane transverse to the first tubular zone (16) and connecting the first tubular zone (16) to the second tubular zone (40). The pressure sensor (8) is placed between, on one side, an element (30) integral with the finger and, on the other side, a fixed element (20), called an interface, which is integral with the second tubular zone (40).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicants: FEDERAL-MOGUL ITALY SRL, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20110314328
    Abstract: Device for determining an error induced by a high-pass filter in a signal, including a unit (3) for calculating the error according to the formula: E(t)=Ve(t)?Vs(t)=2·?·Fc·??=t0t(Vs(?)? Vs(?))·d?+E(t0) with: E(t) the value of the error induced by the high-pass filter, as a function of the time variable t, ? the trigonometric constant, Fc the cutoff frequency of the high-pass filter, t0 the initial instant, ? integration variable, Ve the signal input to the high-pass filter, Vs the signal output by the high-pass filter, Vs the mean value of the signal Vs. A method of correcting the error induced is also presented and applicable to the error correction of a piezoelectric pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Simon-Didier Venzal, Michel Suquet
  • Publication number: 20110264392
    Abstract: A method for correcting the drift of the signal from a sensor measuring the pressure in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the signal being comparable to a straight line of equation y=A×x+B, on which signal are overlaid pressure spikes, the correction method includes: I: using a rapid Kalman filter for detecting the points belonging to the pressure spikes, II: using a slow Kalman filter for determining of the slope (A) and of the constant (B), III: correcting, for each point, of the drift of the signal according to whether or not they belong to the detected pressure spikes determined during step I and the values of the slope and constant determined during the step II, wherin, during step I: the prediction error (epsR) on a point of the signal is estimated using the rapid Kalman filter, the standard deviation of this prediction error (eps sigma) is filtered and maximized, the start and/or end of a pressure spike at this point is determined according to at least one of the following two criteria:
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Mariano Sans, Simon-Didier Venzal
  • Publication number: 20110214494
    Abstract: A device includes a pressure sensor (11-13) for measuring pressures inside the combustion chamber of a cylinder in an internal combustion engine. The device includes: an outer body (1); a lug (5) extending partially into the combustion chamber; an inner housing (14) inserted into the body and surrounding an upper portion of the lug, the housing being secured to the lug and to the body and having an elastically deformable portion (17) between the two securing areas, characterised in that the housing (14) is secured to the body (1) at a securing area (18) extending in the upper portion of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, FEDERAL-MOGUL ITALY SRL
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20110192358
    Abstract: A device for measuring pressures inside an internal combustion engine, includes an outer housing having: a first tubular area (16) in which a lug (4) is received and a second tubular area (40) having an outer diameter larger than that of the first tubular area (16), the second tubular area (40) including an element (12) for securing the same in a bore as well as a conical bearing surface (36). The conical bearing surface (36) is formed at the end of an annular skirt (38) defining an extension of the second tubular area (40) and surrounding the first tubular area (16) while leaving a free gap (44) between the skirt (38) and the first tubular area (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, FEDERAL-MOGUL ITALY SRL
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20110030462
    Abstract: A device for measuring the cylinder pressure of an internal combustion engine, the operation of which comprises a plurality of successive cycles, each cycle being broken down into at least first and second strokes, the measuring device comprising at least one pressure sensor (1) consisting of at least one piezoelectric element associated with a capacitive element, and an output (10) generating a first voltage (V1) representative of a pressure (F) applied to the piezoelectric element, the device further comprising: a filtering module (2) comprising at least one input (20) and one output (21), capable of filtering parasitic low-frequency voltages present at its input (20), and of generating on its output (21) a second voltage (V2) free of these parasitic low-frequency voltages; a control module (3) capable of delivering a control signal (Scom) that is dependent on a switching parameter correlated with a stroke, among the first and second strokes, in which the engine is operating; a switching module (4), in resp
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Michel Suquet, Simon-Didier Venzal
  • Patent number: 7825352
    Abstract: A glow plug including a tubular body with elements for fixing it into a bore, an intermediate tubular part arranged inside the tubular body, a finger disposed inside the intermediate tubular part with a heating electrode, and a pressure sensor connected to the intermediate tubular part, wherein a face of the sensor facing the finger is pressed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Federal-Mogul Ignition Srl
    Inventors: Bernd Last, Cyrille Patri, Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20100212621
    Abstract: A glow plug includes: a tubular body (2) having at one of its ends a plug head as well as a fixing zone including elements (12, 13) for being fixed in a bore, an arm (4) mounted on the body (2) of the plug at the end opposite to the plug head, and a pressure sensor (8) sealingly insulated from the corresponding cylinder. The arm (4) is fixed to an elastically deformable tubular zone (17) designed to project inside the cylinder. The pressure sensor (8) is mounted between the arm (4) and a support component (18) fixed inside the tubular body (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicants: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE, FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION Srl
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Sandro Goretti
  • Patent number: 7775187
    Abstract: A glow plug includes a glow plug body (2), a pressure sensor arranged inside the glow plug body (2), a threaded portion (6) on the outside of the glow plug body (2) and gripping elements (12), generally of cylindrical form with a hexagonal section, enabling the body (2) to be gripped and screwed into a corresponding tapping, the gripping elements (12) being made from synthetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Federal-Mogul Ignition Srl
    Inventors: Michel Boucard, Bernd Last, Cyrille Patri, Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti
  • Patent number: 7765974
    Abstract: This body (8) has on its outer surface both a screw thread (16) adapted for fixing the body (8) into a corresponding tapping in an engine (4), as well as a gripping zone (28), generally of cylindrical form with a hexagonal section, enabling gripping of the body (8) for screwing the glow plug (2) into the corresponding tapping. The outer diameter of the portion of the body between the thread (16) and the gripping zone (28) is throughout its entire height of a diameter at least equal to the outer diameter of the threaded portion (16). Application to internal combustion engines, in particular Diesel type engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Federal-Mogul Ignition Srl
    Inventors: Michel Boucard, Bernd Last, Cyrille Patri, Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti
  • Patent number: 7759612
    Abstract: A glow plug (1), includes a pressure sensor (90), suitable for measuring the internal pressure of a motor cylinder in which the plug (1) is housed, a body (10) to be secured to the motor and a finger (20) in which a heater electrode is housed. The sensor (90) is firmly secured to the body (10) by the upper face thereof and rests on the finger (20), so that the pressure exerted on the finger (20) presses the sensor against the body (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Bernd Last, Michel Boucard, Cyrille Patri, Alain Ramond
  • Patent number: 7726269
    Abstract: A glow plug includes: a tubular body (2) having at one of its ends a plug head as well as a fixing zone including elements (12, 13) for being fixed in a bore, an arm (4) mounted on the body (2) of the plug at the end opposite to the plug head, and a pressure sensor (8) sealingly insulated from the corresponding cylinder. The arm (4) is fixed to an elastically deformable tubular zone (17) designed to project inside the cylinder. The pressure sensor (8) is mounted between the arm (4) and a support component (18) fixed inside the tubular body (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: Siemens VDO Automotive, Federal-Mogul Ignition Srl
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20100116039
    Abstract: The spark plug comprises:—a central electrode (2),—an insulating core (6) bearing the central electrode (2),—an external body (8) in which the insulating core (6) is mounted and which has a region (18) where the external body (8) is crimped onto the insulating core (6), and—a force sensor (30). The force sensor (30) is mounted at the periphery of the external body (8) between, on the one hand, a bearing element (38) secured to a first peripheral region of the external body (8) and, on the other hand, a second peripheral region (24) of the external body (8). The second peripheral region (24) of the external body (8)is further away from the crimping region (18) than the first peripheral region. The bearing element (38) is prestressed against the force sensor (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Paul Tinwell
  • Patent number: 7679359
    Abstract: An application-specific integrated circuit includes a first analog stage having a first filtering means responsible for carrying out a filtering of the high-pass type on an input signal so as to deliver an intermediate signal, and a second digital stage having a second filtering means capable of introducing various first time constants depending on combinations of coefficient values and responsible for correcting any distortion potentially present in the intermediate signal, wherein the first filtering means includes an assembly of electronic components configured in parallel and/or in series and capable of introducing various second time constants depending on their combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Simon-Didier Venzal, Michel Suquet
  • Publication number: 20090056663
    Abstract: A glow plug includes: a tubular body (2) having at one of its ends a plug head (10) as well as a zone for being fixed into a bore, an arm (4) mounted on the body (2) of the plug at the end opposite to the plug head (10), and secured to the body (2) in a linking zone (16), an elastically deformable portion (18), located between the linking zone (16) with the arm (4) and the zone fixing the plug body (2), such that the linking zone (16) is mobile and can move longitudinally relative to the so-called stationary fixing zone, and a pressure sensor (8) arranged between an element (30) secured to the linking zone (16) and a fixed element (20) of the plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION SRL
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti, Cyrille Patri, Laura Beretta
  • Publication number: 20080297241
    Abstract: An application-specific integrated circuit (CS) comprises a first analog stage (E1), comprising first filtering means (C11-C2M, R11-R2P) responsible for carrying out a filtering of the high-pass type on an input signal (SE) so as to deliver an intermediate signal (SI), and a second digital stage (E2), comprising second filtering means (M2) capable of introducing various first time constants depending on combinations of coefficient values and responsible for correcting any distortion potentially present in the intermediate signal (SI). The first filtering means comprise an assembly of electronic components configured in parallel and/or in series and capable of introducing various second time constants depending on their combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Simon-Didier Venzal, Michel Suquet
  • Patent number: 7444973
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device which is used as a force-transmitting device (38?) for a pressure sensor (14) associated with a glow plug in an internal combustion engine and is embodied in the form of a tubular piece whose cross-section is substantially annular. The inventive device comprises an area (40) on which the external diameter thereof increases towards one end thereof. The front surface of the device corresponding to said flared end is embodied in the form of a bearing face receiving the piezo-electric pressure sensor. A glow plug integrating said force-transmitting device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignees: Siemens VDO Automotive, Federal-Mogul Ignition SRL
    Inventors: Michel Boucard, Bernd Last, Cyrille Patri, Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20080216786
    Abstract: A glow plug includes: a tubular body (2) having at one of its ends a plug head as well as a fixing zone including elements (12, 13) for being fixed in a bore, an arm (4) mounted on the body (2) of the plug at the end opposite to the plug head, and a pressure sensor (8) sealingly insulated from the corresponding cylinder. The arm (4) is fixed to an elastically deformable tubular zone (17) designed to project inside the cylinder. The pressure sensor (8) is mounted between the arm (4) and a support component (18) fixed inside the tubular body (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE
    Inventors: Alain Ramond, Sandro Goretti
  • Publication number: 20070266980
    Abstract: This body (8) has on its outer surface both a screw thread (16) adapted for fixing the body (8) into a corresponding tapping in an engine (4), as well as a gripping zone (28), generally of cylindrical form with a hexagonal section, enabling gripping of the body (8) for screwing the glow plug (2) into the corresponding tapping. The outer diameter of the portion of the body between the thread (16) and the gripping zone (28) is throughout its entire height of a diameter at least equal to the outer diameter of the threaded portion (16). Application to internal combustion engines, in particular Diesel type engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Michel Boucard, Bernd Last, Cyrille Patri, Alain Ramond, John Burrows, Sandro Goretti