Patents by Inventor Richard J. Lill

Richard J. Lill 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: 7077101
    Abstract: A hybrid fuel injection system which allows electronic control over the injection processes, wherein selective rate shaping and multiplicity of injections is possible. The hybrid fuel injection system consists of an add-on common rail system (CRS) which provides supplemental fuel injections with respect to the main fuel injections provided by a unit pump system (UPS). Additionally, the CRS can serve to provide fuel injections as necessary to effect a “limp-home” mode of engine operation in the event of a failure of the UPS. Both the CRS and the UPS use common fuel supply, return, injector, and electronic controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh B. Poola, Richard J. Lill, Paul Gottemoller, Michael B. Goetzke
  • Patent number: 6752131
    Abstract: An electronically-controlled air injection system implemented in three different embodiments with respect to each cylinder. A first embodiment includes a T-adapter, an air solenoid, a fuel injector, and a control unit. The T-adapter receives pressurized fuel and pressurized air from an air solenoid, and outputs these to the fuel injector. The air solenoid controls the flow of air to the fuel injector via the control unit. The second embodiment includes a modified fuel injector, an air solenoid, and a control unit. The fuel injector is modified by forming therein an air passage and a communicating sac, wherein the sac communicates with the fuel valve. Compressed air is supplied through an air solenoid to the air passage. The third embodiment includes a modified cylinder head, an air solenoid, and a control unit. Compressed air is supplied through an air solenoid to at least one combustion chamber cylinder port in the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ramesh B. Poola, Richard J. Lill, Paul Gottemoller, Keith E. Solomons, Michael Barry Goetzke, Richard Wayne Tupek
  • Patent number: 6712035
    Abstract: Ignition delay in a diesel engine is reduced or eliminated by a fuel injector or igniter nozzle which includes energy supplying fuel conditioning means at the point of fuel injection into a cylinder. A preferred embodiment includes an electrically-conductive injection valve reciprocable in a conductive nozzle body and seatable on a valve seat to stop fuel flow through nozzle orifices. The injection valve is electrically insulated from the body except at its contact with the valve seat and is connected to an electrical charge, at least during opening of the valve. An electrical spark discharge is thus generated between the injection valve and the valve seat upon opening of the valve. Initially injected fuel passes through the arc and is conditioned by the spark energy to ignite almost immediately by compression ignition upon entering the engine cylinder and thus essentially eliminate diesel ignition delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Gottemoller, Richard Wayne Tupek, Michael Barry Goetzke, Jerry Van Polen, David Corba, Wojciech T. Pierga, Donald E. Meyer, Richard J. Lill, Hassan Z. Hannon
  • Publication number: 20040031468
    Abstract: A hybrid fuel injection system which allows electronic control over the injection processes, wherein selective rate shaping and multiplicity of injections is possible. The hybrid fuel injection system consists of an add-on common rail system (CRS) which provides supplemental fuel injections with respect to the main fuel injections provided by a unit pump system (UPS). Additionally, the CRS can serve to provide fuel injections as necessary to effect a “limp-home” mode of engine operation in the event of a failure of the UPS. Both the CRS and the UPS use common fuel supply, return, injector, and electronic controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Ramesh B. Poola, Richard J. Lill, Paul Gottemoller, Michael B. Goetzke
  • Publication number: 20040007217
    Abstract: An electronically-controlled air injection system implemented in three different embodiments with respect to each cylinder. A first embodiment includes a T-adapter, an air solenoid, a fuel injector, and a control unit. The T-adapter receives pressurized fuel and pressurized air from an air solenoid, and outputs these to the fuel injector. The air solenoid controls the flow of air to the fuel injector via the control unit. The second embodiment includes a modified fuel injector, an air solenoid, and a control unit. The fuel injector is modified by forming therein an air passage and a communicating sac, wherein the sac communicates with the fuel valve. Compressed air is supplied through an air solenoid to the air passage. The third embodiment includes a modified cylinder head, an air solenoid, and a control unit. Compressed air is supplied through an air solenoid to at least one combustion chamber cylinder port in the cylinder head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Ramesh B. Poola, Richard J. Lill, Paul Gottemoller, Keith E. Solomons, Michael Barry Goetzke, Richard Wayne Tupek
  • Publication number: 20030183216
    Abstract: Ignition delay in a diesel engine is reduced or eliminated by a fuel injector or igniter nozzle which includes energy supplying fuel conditioning means at the point of fuel injection into a cylinder. A preferred embodiment includes an electrically-conductive injection valve reciprocable in a conductive nozzle body and seatable on a valve seat to stop fuel flow through nozzle orifices. The injection valve is electrically insulated from the body except at its contact with the valve seat and is connected to an electrical charge, at least during opening of the valve. An electrical spark discharge is thus generated between the injection valve and the valve seat upon opening of the valve. Initially injected fuel passes through the arc and is conditioned by the spark energy to ignite almost immediately by compression ignition upon entering the engine cylinder and thus essentially eliminate diesel ignition delay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Paul Gottemoller, Richard Wayne Tupek, Michael Barry Goetzke, Jerry Van Polen, David Corba, Wojciech T. Pierga, Donald E. Meyer, Richard J. Lill, Hassan Z. Hannon