Patents by Inventor Elisa Toulson

Elisa Toulson 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: 10161296
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a pre-chamber. In another aspect, pressure within a pre-chamber is equal to or greater than pressure within a main combustion chamber at least prior to ignition in the main combustion chamber. In yet another aspect, internal combustion engine control software automatically controls pressure within a turbulent jet ignition pre-chamber, controls a valve-actuator to admit a fuel-air charge into the pre-chamber, and causes an igniter to initiate combustion in the pressurized pre-chamber. This also permits the rate of combustion to be controlled in the primary chamber regardless of the air-fuel ratio or the diluent fraction in the main chamber. Another aspect employs a pre-chamber purge pump with separate air and fuel injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Harold Schock, Guoming Zhu, Elisa Toulson, Thomas Richard Stuecken
  • Publication number: 20160230645
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a pre-chamber. In another aspect, pressure within a pre-chamber is equal to or greater than pressure within a main combustion chamber at least prior to ignition in the main combustion chamber. A further aspect provides a supplemental piston creating pressure and supplying a fuel-air mixture into a pre-chamber, and a spark or glow plug has an end located within the pre-chamber for ignition of the mixture therein. In yet another aspect, internal combustion engine control software automatically controls pressure within a turbulent jet ignition pre-chamber, controls a valve-actuator to admit a fuel-air charge into the pre-chamber, and causes an ignitor to initiate combustion in the pressurized pre-chamber. This also permits the rate of combustion to be controlled in the primary chamber regardless of the air-fuel ratio or the diluent fraction in the main chamber. Another aspect employs a pre-chamber purge pump with separate air and fuel injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Harold Schock, Guoming Zhu, Elisa Toulson, Thomas Richard Stuecken
  • Publication number: 20140144406
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a pre-chamber. In another aspect, pressure within a pre-chamber is equal to or greater than pressure within a main combustion chamber at least prior to ignition in the main combustion chamber. A further aspect provides a supplemental piston creating pressure and supplying a fuel-air mixture into a pre-chamber, and a spark or glow plug has an end located within the pre-chamber for ignition of the mixture therein. In yet another aspect, internal combustion engine control software automatically controls pressure within a turbulent jet ignition pre-chamber, controls a valve-actuator to admit a fuel-air charge into the pre-chamber, and causes an ignitor to initiate combustion in the pressurized pre-chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Harold Schock, Guoming Zhu, Elisa Toulson, Thomas Richard Stuecken