Patents by Inventor V. Dennis Lodise
V. Dennis Lodise 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).
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Patent number: 6611145Abstract: A motorcycle including a two-cylinder engine. The engine includes a housing, first and second cylinders having first and second combustion chambers, respectively, and first and second pistons reciprocating in the first and second chambers, respectively. The motorcycle further includes a spark generating circuit including a spark plug having a spark gap exposed to the first combustion chamber, an ion sensing circuit including the spark plug and being operable to generate an ion signal indicative of an ion current generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module coupled to the ion signal circuit. The analysis module is operable to receive the ion signal and to analyze the ion signal to determine whether a no-combustion event occurs in the first cylinder. The analysis module may be further operable to determine if the spark generating circuit has an intermittent connection.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2001Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc., Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Barth Fisk
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Patent number: 6588259Abstract: A system for determining engine phase in a motorcycle engine includes a crank gear sensor mounted near the crank gear of the engine, a pressure sensor mounted on the air intake manifold of the engine, and a processor communicating with the crank gear sensor and the pressure sensor. First and second groups of crank gear teeth pass by the crank gear sensor before either of the first and second pistons of the engine reaches TDC. At low rpm, such as at start up, the processor determines the phase of the engine during a single rotation of the crankshaft by measuring and comparing the time periods taken by the groups of teeth to pass by the crank gear sensor. At high rpm, the processor determines the phase of the engine using the pressure sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2002Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Barth Fisk
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Publication number: 20030061870Abstract: A system for determining engine phase in a motorcycle engine includes a crank gear sensor mounted near the crank gear of the engine, a pressure sensor mounted on the air intake manifold of the engine, and a processor communicating with the crank gear sensor and the pressure sensor. First and second groups of crank gear teeth pass by the crank gear sensor before either of the first and second pistons of the engine reaches TDC. At low rpm, such as at start up, the processor determines the phase of the engine during a single rotation of the crankshaft by measuring and comparing the time periods taken by the groups of teeth to pass by the crank gear sensor. At high rpm, the processor determines the phase of the engine using the pressure sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2002Publication date: April 3, 2003Applicant: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Barth Fisk
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Patent number: 6505606Abstract: A motorcycle having a system for combustion knock control. The motorcycle includes a spark generating circuit having a spark plug. The spark generating circuit produces a spark across a spark gap of the spark plug in response to a sparking signal. The motorcycle further includes an ion signal circuit that provides an ion signal indicative of an ion current being generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module electrically connected to the ion signal circuit and the spark generating circuit. The analysis module generates the sparking signal in a timed sequence, receives the ion signal from the ion signal generating circuit, measures a knock intensity within the ion signal, and modifies the timing sequence when knock is present.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2002Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc., Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Michael Martin
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Patent number: 6499341Abstract: A system for determining engine phase in a motorcycle engine includes a crank gear sensor mounted near the crank gear of the engine, a pressure sensor mounted on the air intake manifold of the engine, and a processor communicating with the crank gear sensor and the pressure sensor. First and second groups of crank gear teeth pass by the crank gear sensor before either of the first and second pistons of the engine reaches TDC. A third group of crank gear teeth passes by the crank gear sensor before the first piston reaches TDC, but after the second piston reaches TDC. At low rpm, such as at start up, the processor determines the phase of the engine during a single rotation of the crankshaft by measuring and comparing the time periods taken by the group of teeth to pass by the crank gear sensor. At high rpm, the processor determines the phase of the engine using the pressure sensor.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2000Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Barth Fisk
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Publication number: 20020088432Abstract: A motorcycle having a system for combustion knock control. The motorcycle includes a spark generating circuit having a spark plug. The spark generating circuit produces a spark across a spark gap of the spark plug in response to a sparking signal. The motorcycle further includes an ion signal circuit that provides an ion signal indicative of an ion current being generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module electrically connected to the ion signal circuit and the spark generating circuit. The analysis module generates the sparking signal in a timed sequence, receives the ion signal from the ion signal generating circuit, measures a knock intensity within the ion signal, and modifies the timing sequence when knock is present.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2002Publication date: July 11, 2002Applicant: Harley Davidson Motor CompanyInventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Michael Martin
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Patent number: 6386183Abstract: A motorcycle having a system for combustion knock control. The motorcycle includes a spark generating circuit having a spark plug. The spark generating circuit produces a spark across a spark gap of the spark plug in response to a sparking signal. The motorcycle further includes an ion signal circuit that provides an ion signal indicative of an ion current being generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module electrically connected to the ion signal circuit and the spark generating circuit. The analysis module generates the sparking signal in a timed sequence, receives the ion signal from the ion signal generating circuit, measures a knock intensity within the ion signal, and modifies the timing sequence when knock is present.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2000Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc., Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Michael Martin
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Publication number: 20020007818Abstract: A motorcycle including a two-cylinder engine. The engine includes a housing, first and second cylinders having first and second combustion chambers, respectively, and first and second pistons reciprocating in the first and second chambers, respectively. The motorcycle further includes a spark generating circuit including a spark plug having a spark gap exposed to the first combustion chamber, an ion sensing circuit including the spark plug and being operable to generate an ion signal indicative of an ion current generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module coupled to the ion signal circuit. The analysis module is operable to receive the ion signal and to analyze the ion signal to determine whether a no-combustion event occurs in the first cylinder. The analysis module may be further operable to determine if the spark generating circuit has an intermittent connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2001Publication date: January 24, 2002Applicant: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Barth Fisk