Patents by Inventor Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo

Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo 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).

  • Publication number: 20220128022
    Abstract: An apparatus for a diesel engine in a motor vehicle includes a base and a plurality of ducts positioned on the base. The base is positioned about a fuel injector. When the fuel injector injects a plurality of fuel sprays into a cylinder of the diesel engine, some of the plurality of fuel sprays are directed by the plurality of ducts into the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Francesco Concetto Pesce, Riccardo Rossi, Antonio Arpaia, Simone Aletta
  • Patent number: 11236688
    Abstract: A method for controlling the temperature of re-circulated exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine includes operating the internal combustion engine on a base line mode, receiving a signal indicative of an engine operating temperature, wherein the engine operating temperature is one of coolant temperature, exhaust temperature and oil temperature, comparing the engine operating temperature to a predetermined IEGR threshold, when the engine operating temperature is less than the predetermined IEGR threshold, activating an IEGR mode and activating an EEVO mode, and when the engine operating temperature is greater than the first predetermined IEGR threshold, deactivating the IEGR mode and deactivating the EEVO mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Manuel A. Gonzalez Delgado
  • Patent number: 11098676
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body having a generally planar crown and a sidewall extending from the crown. A stepped combustion bowl is recessed in the crown and includes an outer bowl recessed relative to the crown and defining a generally planar annular floor surface. The stepped combustion bowl further includes an inner bowl recessed relative to the outer bowl. The inner bowl includes a sidewall that slopes continually inwardly from the outer bowl to a floor surface of the inner bowl. A plurality of protruding lips extend from the sidewall toward a central axis of the piston body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Francesco Concetto Pesce, Michele Dematteis, Fabio Numidi, Andrea Tripodi
  • Publication number: 20210156323
    Abstract: A method for controlling the temperature of re-circulated exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine includes operating the internal combustion engine on a base line mode, receiving a signal indicative of an engine operating temperature, wherein the engine operating temperature is one of coolant temperature, exhaust temperature and oil temperature, comparing the engine operating temperature to a predetermined IEGR threshold, when the engine operating temperature is less than the predetermined IEGR threshold, activating an IEGR mode and activating an EEVO mode, and when the engine operating temperature is greater than the first predetermined IEGR threshold, deactivating the IEGR mode and deactivating the EEVO mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Manuel A. Gonzalez Delgado
  • Publication number: 20200370501
    Abstract: An apparatus that controls a swirl ratio in a diesel engine for a motor vehicle includes a first intake port that directs a first airflow into a combustion chamber, and a second intake port that directs a second airflow into the combustion chamber. The first and second intake ports are arranged to direct the first airflow and the second airflow such that a desired swirl ratio is achieved in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Jian Gao
  • Publication number: 20200158017
    Abstract: A microturbine system for a vehicle and method of operating the microturbine system. The microturbine system is an automotive range extender that includes a generator to provide power to a battery pack of the vehicle. A compressor is operably coupled to the generator and a burner is operably coupled downstream of the compressor to burn fuel and heat compressed charge air from the compressor to form an exhaust. An aftertreatment device is operably coupled downstream of the burner to change a composition of the exhaust from the burner to form a treated exhaust. A turbine is operably coupled downstream of the aftertreatment device and operably coupled to the compressor. The turbine is configured such that a flow of the treated exhaust drives the turbine and the compressor to power the generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Gianmarco Boretto
  • Patent number: 10634089
    Abstract: A piston for a diesel engine includes a piston body having a skirt and crown. The piston body has portions defining an outer combustion bowl and an inner combustion bowl within the piston body through the crown. The outer combustion bowl has a curved annular side wall extending from the crown surface and an annular flat shelf extending from the curved annular side wall. The new stepped bowl design integrates a bottom profile with smoothly varying curvature and a sharp step at the top. The annular flat shelf is recessed a distance in the range of 2.5-4.5 millimeters from a line coplanar with the crown surface. The piston body defines an outer convex curved surface connecting the curved annular side wall to the crown surface. The outer convex curved surface has a radius of curvature in the range of 0.25-0.75 millimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ramachandra Diwakar, Vicente Domenech-Llopis, Richard C Peterson, Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo
  • Publication number: 20200095922
    Abstract: A piston for a diesel engine includes a piston body having a skirt and crown. The piston body has portions defining an outer combustion bowl and an inner combustion bowl within the piston body through the crown. The outer combustion bowl has an upper annular side wall extending from the crown surface and an annular flat shelf extending from the upper annular side wall. The inner combustion bowl is recessed with respect to the annular flat shelf of the outer combustion bowl. The inner combustion bowl has a curved annular side wall and a plurality of protruding lips extending from the curved annular side wall toward a central axis of the piston body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Francesco Concetto Pesce, Andrea Tripodi
  • Publication number: 20190178203
    Abstract: A piston for a diesel engine includes a piston body having a skirt and crown. The piston body has portions defining an outer combustion bowl and an inner combustion bowl within the piston body through the crown. The outer combustion bowl has a curved annular side wall extending from the crown surface and an annular flat shelf extending from the curved annular side wall. The new stepped bowl design integrates a bottom profile with smoothly varying curvature and a sharp step at the top. The annular flat shelf is recessed a distance in the range of 2.5-4.5 millimeters from a line coplanar with the crown surface. The piston body defines an outer convex curved surface connecting the curved annular side wall to the crown surface. The outer convex curved surface has a radius of curvature in the range of 0.25-0.75 millimeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Ramachandra Diwakar, Vicente Domenech-Llopis, Richard C Peterson, Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo
  • Patent number: 10227941
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes an internal combustion engine configured to output a primary output torque and at least one fuel injector arranged to supply fuel to a combustion chamber of the engine. The propulsion system also includes at least one exhaust aftertreatment device to capture combustion byproducts within an exhaust flow. The propulsion system also includes an electric machine coupled to the engine to exchange torque. A controller is programmed to supply a baseline fuel injection corresponding to a first engine output to satisfy a driver torque demand and to periodically supplement the baseline target fuel injection quantity to increase engine output torque to overshoot the first engine output thereby increasing combustion byproducts to regenerate the at least one exhaust aftertreatment device. The controller is also programmed to apply a resistive torque from the electric machine such that an overall propulsion system torque remains at the driver torque demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Venkata Prasad Atluri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo
  • Patent number: 10166988
    Abstract: A powertrain system including an internal combustion engine and an electric machine that are configured to generate torque that is transferred via a geartrain to a vehicle driveline is described. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes determining a desired output torque, and determining an engine torque command and an electric machine torque command based upon the desired output torque. An engine-out NOx setpoint associated with operating the engine at the desired output torque is determined. The electric machine is operated in response to the electric machine torque command. The engine is operated to generate torque in response to the engine torque command and engine operation is controlled to achieve the engine-out NOx setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo
  • Patent number: 10132262
    Abstract: Methods for optimizing exhaust gas system regeneration and cleaning are provided. The exhaust gas system can include an exhaust gas stream supplied by an exhaust gas source to a particulate filter device through an exhaust gas conduit, and a gas sensor having a sampling end disposed within the exhaust gas conduit upstream from the particulate filter device. The methods can include detecting a gas sensor malfunction, detecting particulate filter device soot loading, and performing an optimized maintenance utilizing at least one common technique. A common technique is one which is capable of cleaning a gas sensor and regenerating a PF device. The exhaust gas source can comprise an internal combustion engine and the at least one common technique comprises a post-injection strategy. Systems for performing the disclosed methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Claudio Cortassa, Denise Risso, Luca Giuseppe Pairolero
  • Publication number: 20180313283
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system includes an internal combustion engine configured to output a primary output torque and at least one fuel injector arranged to supply fuel to a combustion chamber of the engine. The propulsion system also includes at least one exhaust aftertreatment device to capture combustion byproducts within an exhaust flow. The propulsion system also includes an electric machine coupled to the engine to exchange torque. A controller is programmed to supply a baseline fuel injection corresponding to a first engine output to satisfy a driver torque demand and to periodically supplement the baseline target fuel injection quantity to increase engine output torque to overshoot the first engine output thereby increasing combustion byproducts to regenerate the at least one exhaust aftertreatment device. The controller is also programmed to apply a resistive torque from the electric machine such that an overall propulsion system torque remains at the driver torque demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Yue-Yun WANG, Venkata Prasad ATLURI, Suresh GOPALAKRISHNAN, Alberto Lorenzo VASSALLO
  • Publication number: 20180238264
    Abstract: A piston for a diesel engine, includes a piston body having a generally planar crown and a skirt extending from the crown. A stepped combustion bowl is recessed in the crown and includes an outer bowl recessed relative to the crown and an inner bowl recessed relative to the outer bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo VASSALLO, Giuseppe GRIOLI, Vincenzo PEZZA
  • Publication number: 20180119631
    Abstract: Methods for optimizing exhaust gas system regeneration and cleaning are provided. The exhaust gas system can include an exhaust gas stream supplied by an exhaust gas source to a particulate filter device through an exhaust gas conduit, and a gas sensor having a sampling end disposed within the exhaust gas conduit upstream from the particulate filter device. The methods can include detecting a gas sensor malfunction, detecting particulate filter device soot loading, and performing an optimized maintenance utilizing at least one common technique. A common technique is one which is capable of cleaning a gas sensor and regenerating a PF device. The exhaust gas source can comprise an internal combustion engine and the at least one common technique comprises a post-injection strategy. Systems for performing the disclosed methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Alberto Lorenzo Vassallo, Claudio Cortassa, Denise Risso, Luca Giuseppe Pairolero