Patents by Inventor Craig Phillip Hittle

Craig Phillip Hittle 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: 10641140
    Abstract: An early exhaust valve opening (EEVO) module increases a no-load engine speed so an engine can smoothly transition to driving a load when necessary. The EEVO module includes a drive piston engaging an injector rocker and a driven piston engaging an exhaust rocker. The pistons are fluidly connected by a activation fluid passage so that the drive piston compresses air in the passage when an injector cam rotates the injector rocker and causes movement of the driven gear and the exhaust rocker to open an exhaust valve to release exhaust energy during a piston expansion stroke to limit the energy transferred to a crankshaft. A low pressure timing valve may drain pressurized fluid from the passage during an initial portion of the movement of the drive piston so driven piston does not move to open the exhaust valve until a desired amount of energy has been transferred to the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, David Andrew Pierpont
  • Publication number: 20180328240
    Abstract: An early exhaust valve opening (EEVO) module increases a no-load engine speed so an engine can smoothly transition to driving a load when necessary. The EEVO module includes a drive piston engaging an injector rocker and a driven piston engaging an exhaust rocker. The pistons are fluidly connected by a activation fluid passage so that the drive piston compresses air in the passage when an injector cam rotates the injector rocker and causes movement of the driven gear and the exhaust rocker to open an exhaust valve to release exhaust energy during a piston expansion stroke to limit the energy transferred to a crankshaft. A low pressure timing valve may drain pressurized fluid from the passage during an initial portion of the movement of the drive piston so driven piston does not move to open the exhaust valve until a desired amount of energy has been transferred to the crankshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, David Andrew Pierpont
  • Patent number: 8596247
    Abstract: A fuel delivery assembly for delivering a flow of fuel to a fuel injector includes a securing member including a securing member opening extending through the securing member such that the securing member is generally cylindrical. The securing member opening includes an inner surface that includes a securing member projection. The fuel delivery assembly also includes a quill tube including a quill tube opening extending through the quill tube such that the quill tube is generally cylindrical. The quill tube opening is configured to receive the flow of fuel and direct the flow of fuel to the fuel injector. The quill tube includes an outer surface that includes a quill tube projection. The securing member opening is configured to receive at least a portion of the quill tube, and the securing member projection and the quill tube projection are configured to engage in an interference fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Ray Tower, Craig Phillip Hittle, Michael Patrick Harmon
  • Publication number: 20120260891
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block defining at least one row of cylinders extending from a first end toward a second end. A flywheel housing is attached to the first end of the engine block and includes a pump engagement face having a first pump lubrication supply port opening therethrough. A high pressure fuel pump includes a flywheel housing engagement face having a second pump lubrication supply port opening therethrough. The pump engagement face of the flywheel housing abuts the flywheel housing engagement face of the high pressure fuel pump such that the first pump lubrication supply port and the second pump lubrication supply port are in fluid communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Kraig M. Love, Craig Phillip Hittle, Franklin J. Struwe, Michael Patrick Harmon
  • Publication number: 20120222419
    Abstract: A turbocharger for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger may have a turbine housing with a first volute, a second volute, and a common outlet. The turbocharger may also have a turbine wheel disposed between the common outlet and the first and second volutes. The turbocharger may further have a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute upstream of the turbine wheel, a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the second volute with the common outlet to bypass the turbine wheel, and a common actuator configured to move the first and second valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, Jonathan P. Kilkenny, David Andrew Pierpont, Stephan Donald Roozenboom
  • Patent number: 8196403
    Abstract: A turbocharger for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger may have a turbine housing with a first volute, a second volute, and a common outlet. The turbocharger may also have a turbine wheel disposed between the common outlet and the first and second volutes. The turbocharger may further have a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute upstream of the turbine wheel, a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the second volute with the common outlet to bypass the turbine wheel, and a common actuator configured to move the first and second valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, Jonathan P. Kilkenny, David Andrew Pierpont, Stephan Donald Roozenboom
  • Publication number: 20120012083
    Abstract: A fuel delivery assembly for delivering a flow of fuel to a fuel injector includes a securing member including a securing member opening extending through the securing member such that the securing member is generally cylindrical. The securing member opening includes an inner surface that includes a securing member projection. The fuel delivery assembly also includes a quill tube including a quill tube opening extending through the quill tube such that the quill tube is generally cylindrical. The quill tube opening is configured to receive the flow of fuel and direct the flow of fuel to the fuel injector. The quill tube includes an outer surface that includes a quill tube projection. The securing member opening is configured to receive at least a portion of the quill tube, and the securing member projection and the quill tube projection are configured to engage in an interference fit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Benjamin Ray Tower, Craig Phillip Hittle, Michael Patrick Harmon
  • Patent number: 7975601
    Abstract: An engine cylinder liner is provided. The engine cylinder liner includes a first liner end, a second liner end, and an inner surface extending between the first liner end and the second liner end. The engine cylinder liner also includes a first outer surface between the first liner end and a first outer surface end portion, and a second outer surface between the second liner end and a second outer surface end portion. The second outer surface end portion is closer to the first liner end, than the first outer surface end portion is to the first liner end. The engine cylinder liner further includes an inclined shoulder surface portion between the first and second outer surface end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, Michael Patrick Harmon, Nathan Roger Bjerk
  • Publication number: 20100095838
    Abstract: An engine cylinder liner is provided. The engine cylinder liner includes a first liner end, a second liner end, and an inner surface extending between the first liner end and the second liner end. The engine cylinder liner also includes a first outer surface between the first liner end and a first outer surface end portion, and a second outer surface between the second liner end and a second outer surface end portion. The second outer surface end portion is closer to the first liner end, than the first outer surface end portion is to the first liner end. The engine cylinder liner further includes an inclined shoulder surface portion between the first and second outer surface end portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, Michael Patrick Harmon, Nathan Roger Bjerk
  • Publication number: 20100024414
    Abstract: A turbocharger for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger may have a turbine housing with a first volute, a second volute, and a common outlet. The turbocharger may also have a turbine wheel disposed between the common outlet and the first and second volutes. The turbocharger may further have a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute upstream of the turbine wheel, a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the second volute with the common outlet to bypass the turbine wheel, and a common actuator configured to move the first and second valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, Jonathan P. Kilkenny, David Andrew Pierpont, Stephan Donald Roozenboom
  • Publication number: 20090108543
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward an assembly for an exhaust system. The assembly includes a first exhaust system component having a first mating structure and a second exhaust system component having a second mating structure. The second mating structure is mated with the first mating structure in a manner that allows the second mating structure to move along an axis relative to the first mating structure. Additionally, a first seal is disposed in the interface created between the first exhaust system component and the second exhaust system component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventor: Craig Phillip Hittle