Patents by Inventor Nikhil O. Lulla

Nikhil O. Lulla 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: 9611806
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body forming a crown portion and a skirt portion. The skirt portion includes a bore that receives a pin for connecting the piston to a connecting rod, and the crown portion forms a bowl surrounded by a flat crown surface having an annular shape and disposed along a plane. The bowl and the flat crown surface meet along a circular edge surrounding a rim of the bowl. The piston further includes an annular protrusion disposed within the bowl adjacent the rim. The annular protrusion has a generally convex shape in cross section created by an upper, inwardly extending surface and a lower, inwardly extending surface that meet along a convex apex. The piston further includes an airfoil surface formed in the flat crown surface. The airfoil surface has a convex shape and extends annularly around the rim of the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Subatch, Jr., Matthew I. Rowan, Scott P. Coulier, Ashutosh Katari, Nikhil O. Lulla, James C. Weber, Steven C. Zoz
  • Publication number: 20160138520
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body forming a crown portion and a skirt portion. The skirt portion includes a bore that receives a pin for connecting the piston to a connecting rod, and the crown portion forms a bowl surrounded by a flat crown surface having an annular shape and disposed along a plane. The bowl and the flat crown surface meet along a circular edge surrounding a rim of the bowl. The piston further includes an annular protrusion disposed within the bowl adjacent the rim. The annular protrusion has a generally convex shape in cross section created by an upper, inwardly extending surface and a lower, inwardly extending surface that meet along a convex apex. The piston further includes an airfoil surface formed in the flat crown surface. The airfoil surface has a convex shape and extends annularly around the rim of the bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: James A. Subatch, Jr., Matthew I. Rowan, Scott P. Coulier, Ashutosh Katari, Nikhil O. Lulla, James C. Weber, Steven C. Zoz
  • Publication number: 20160138519
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body forming a crown portion and a skirt portion. The skirt portion includes a bore that is arranged to receive a pin for connecting the piston to a connecting rod. The crown portion forms a bowl surrounded by a flat crown surface having an annular shape. The bowl and the flat crown surface meet along a circular edge surrounding a rim of the bowl. The piston further includes an annular protrusion disposed within the bowl adjacent the rim. The annular protrusion has a generally convex shape in cross section created by an upper, inwardly extending surface and a lower, inwardly extending surface that meet along a convex apex. The piston further includes a recirculation surface formed within the bowl adjacent the annular protrusion. The recirculation surface meets the lower, inwardly extending surface along an inflection edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Subatch, Jr., Matthew I. Rowan, Scott P. Coulier, Ashutosh Katari, Nikhil O. Lulla, James C. Weber, Steven C. Zoz
  • Publication number: 20160138518
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body forming a crown portion and a skirt portion, the skirt portion including a bore that is arranged to receive a pin for connecting the piston to a connecting rod, the crown portion forming a bowl surrounded by a flat crown surface having an annular shape and disposed along a plane, the bowl and the flat crown surface meeting along a circular edge surrounding a rim of the bowl, and an airfoil surface formed in the flat crown surface, the airfoil surface having a convex shape and extending annularly around the rim of the bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: James A. Subatch, JR., Ashutosh Katari, Nikhil O. Lulla, Scott P. Coulier, Matthew I. Rowan, James C. Weber, Steven C. Zoz
  • Publication number: 20160138517
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body forming a crown portion and a skirt portion. The skirt portion includes a bore that is arranged to receive a pin for connecting the piston to a connecting rod. The crown portion forms a bowl surrounded by a flat crown surface having an annular shape. The bowl and flat crown surface meet along a circular edge surrounding a rim of the bowl. The piston further includes an annular protrusion disposed within the bowl adjacent the rim. The annular protrusion has a generally convex shape in cross section that is created by an upper, inwardly extending surface and a lower, inwardly extending surface, which meet along a convex apex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Katari, Matthew I. Rowan, James A. Subatch, JR., James C. Weber, Steven C. Zoz, Nikhil O. Lulla, Scott P. Coulier