Patents by Inventor Joshua Wayne Steffen

Joshua Wayne Steffen 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: 20140033941
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an energy recovery system for a mobile machine. The mobile machine may include a locomotive and a tender car. The recovery system may include a tank located on the tender car. The tank may be configured to store a liquid fuel for combustion within a main engine located on the locomotive. The recovery system may also include a fuel delivery circuit connecting the tank to the main engine, and an auxiliary engine located on the locomotive. The auxiliary engine may be selectively connectable to receive gaseous fuel formed in the tank. The energy recovery system may also include a boil-off circuit connecting the tank to the auxiliary engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Aaron Gamache Foege, Joshua Wayne Steffen
  • Publication number: 20130333668
    Abstract: An engine system is disclosed that combusts both gaseous and diesel fuels. The system includes a diesel reservoir in communication with an internal combustion engine via a diesel rail. The system also includes a liquefied gaseous fuel reservoir in communication with the internal combustion engine via a gaseous fuel rail. The gaseous fuel and diesel rails both are in communication with a pressure control device. The pressure control device measures the pressure differential between the gaseous fuel and diesel rails. If the pressure differential exceeds a desired range, the pressure control device vents gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel rail to a spark ignited engine, where the vent gas is used as fuel. The spark ignited engine then converts the vented gaseous fuel to useful work.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Caterpillar, Inc.
    Inventors: Dana R. Coldren, Joshua Wayne Steffen