Vibration Compensating Device Patents (Class 123/192.1)
  • Patent number: 11933320
    Abstract: A dishwasher appliance or pump assembly may include a fluid pump and a vibration damper. The fluid pump may define a center of gravity. The vibration damper may be attached to the fluid pump. The vibration damper may include first and second spring beams and first and second damper masses. The first spring beam may extend longitudinally between a fixed end and a free end and be offset from the center of gravity at a first radial side. The first damper mass may be disposed on the free end of the first spring beam. The second spring beam may extend longitudinally between a fixed and a free end and be offset from the center of gravity at a second radial side. The second damper mass may be disposed on the free end of the second spring beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Brewer, Mark Fryman, Craig Curtis, Steven Koepke, Luke Fredette, Scott Noll
  • Patent number: 11927239
    Abstract: A balancer structure for an internal combustion engine and the internal combustion engine are provided. A transmission driving gear are arranged to be rotatable integrally with a crankshaft. A transmission driven gear is arranged to be rotatable integrally with a first balance shaft. The transmission driven gear meshes with the transmission driving gear. A balancer driving gear is arranged to be rotatable integrally with the first balance shaft. A balancer driven gear is arranged to be rotatable integrally with the second balance shaft. The balancer driven gear meshes with the balancer driving gear. The first balance shaft includes an output portion. The output portion outputs torque to an engine-driven accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro Ikeda, Yoshitomo Mizuta, Hiroaki Ikegami
  • Patent number: 11876379
    Abstract: A method including: mechanically driving a generator with an internal combustion engine, creating a generator rotary speed corresponding to a generator frequency, control of the internal combustion engine such that the generator frequency is in a tolerance range, wherein a grid frequency is within the tolerance range, detecting a phase angle difference between a current and/or a voltage generated by the generator and a grid current and/or a grid voltage, synchronizing the voltage and/or the current with the grid voltage and/or the grid current to reduce as phase angle difference (??), and electrically connecting the generator to a power supply grid, wherein at least one temporary change in an ignition timing of at least one cylinder unit of the internal combustion engine is performed to reduce the phase angle difference (??).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Innio Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG
    Inventors: Georg Arnold, Simon Schmidt, Tobias Triendl, Andreas Birgel
  • Patent number: 11773800
    Abstract: A controller for a hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine ECU and a HEVECU. The engine ECU executes a partial cylinder fuel cut-off control that stops supply of fuel to one or more cylinders and supplies fuel to the remaining ones of the cylinders. Further, the engine ECU sends control information of the partial cylinder fuel cut-off control to the HEVECU. The HEVECU executes a driving force compensation control so as to compensate for, using driving force of a motor generator, a decrease in driving force of a multi-cylinder engine that results from the execution of the partial cylinder fuel cut-off control. The engine ECU prohibits the execution of the partial cylinder fuel cut-off control when an anomaly possibly occurs in the sending and receiving of the control information of the partial cylinder fuel cut-off control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 11623563
    Abstract: A sound generating apparatus for a vehicle includes: a motor controller that generates a motor torque corresponding to a target sound; and an output device that outputs the target sound based on vibration generated by the motor torque to generate a sound of the vehicle without requiring an external amplifier or a separate actuator, thus preventing increases in cost and weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyoung Jin Chang, Young Hoon Cho, Do Hong Lee
  • Patent number: 11615923
    Abstract: This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass configured to rotate in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle, the driven mass coupled to a shaft, where rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The apparatus further comprises a hardware controller. The hardware controller identifies output power parameters for the vehicle and generate a control signal based on the identified output power parameters for the vehicle. The apparatus also comprises a generator that generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input and a conditioning circuit electrically coupled to the generator. The conditioning circuit receives the electrical output from the generator and the control signal from the hardware controller, generates a charge output based on the electrical output and the control signal, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventor: Anthony Macaluso
  • Patent number: 11434815
    Abstract: An Engine with Isochoric Combustion has pistons arranged within cylinders, connecting rods connected to the pistons and to upper joints of triangle links, and a crankshaft with crankpins offset from the centerline of the crankshaft by crank arms. The triangle links are connected to the crankpins at additional joints of the triangle links. Radius links are pivotally connected to the engine by pivot pins at one end and to the triangle links at a further joint of the triangle links at their other end. By way of geometry of the linkages defined by the crank arms, the triangle links, the radius links, and the connecting rods, and by way of the relative positions of the crankshaft, the cylinders, and the pivot pins, during a crank angle segment, the Cylinder Volume during the combustion event is characterized by an extended dwell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property, LLC
    Inventor: Andrei Makartchouk
  • Patent number: 11378165
    Abstract: A motion conversion apparatus (110) comprises a rodrack assembly (110) and a gearshaft member (150). The rodrack assembly (110) comprises a first gear connection member (120) and two guide members (140). The gearshaft member (150) comprises a second gear connection member (160) configured to engage with the first gear connection member (120), and a guiding surface arrangement (170) configured to contact the guide members (140). The rodrack assembly (110) is configured to provide rotation of the gearshaft member (150) about a rotational axis (A) by reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along a first spatial dimension (D1) orthogonal to the rotational axis (A), and/or the gearshaft member (150) is configured to provide reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along the first spatial dimension (D1) by rotational motion of the gearshaft member (150) about the rotational axis (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: CV Group, LLC
    Inventor: Ronald C. Voegeli
  • Patent number: 11359562
    Abstract: A variety of methods and arrangements for reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in a skip fire engine control system are described. In one aspect, a firing sequence is used to operate the engine in a skip fire manner. A smoothing torque is determined that is applied to a powertrain by an energy storage/release device. The smoothing torque is arranged to at least partially cancel out variation in torque generated by the skip fire firing sequence. Various methods, powertrain controllers, arrangements and computer software related to the above operations are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis J. Serrano, Xin Yuan, John W. Parsels, Mohammad R. Pirjaberi, Mark A. Wilcutts, Masaki Nagashima
  • Patent number: 11353094
    Abstract: A motion conversion apparatus (400, 500) comprises at least one set including a rodrack assembly (110) between two gearshaft member end sections (155), and a gearshaft member mid section (156) between the two gearshaft member end sections (155). The rodrack assembly (110) comprises a first gear connection member (120) and two guide members (140). The gearshaft member mid section (156) comprises a second gear connection member (160) configured to engage with the first gear connection member (120). The two gearshaft member end sections (155) each comprise a guiding surface arrangement (170) configured to contact the two guide members (140). The rodrack assembly (110) is configured to provide rotation of the gearshaft member mid section (156) about a rotational axis (A) by reciprocating linear motion of the rodrack assembly (110) along a first spatial dimension (D1) orthogonal to the rotational axis (A), or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: CV Group, LLC
    Inventor: Ronald C. Voegeli
  • Patent number: 11274639
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for modified intake runners including ribs in the direction of airflow. In one example, a system may include an intake manifold adapted to couple to an intake port via an intake runner. Internal to the intake runner, a plurality of negative ribs may be arranged along a direction of air flow on a façade of an inner portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Lohr, Murray Griffin
  • Patent number: 11148498
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling wheel axle suspension of a vehicle (100), said vehicle (100) comprising a vehicle chassis (116), a prime mover (122) for propulsion of said vehicle (100), said prime mover (122) being connected to the vehicle chassis (116); and a front wheel axle (132) comprising an individually adjustable wheel axle suspension arrangement (104, 106) on a respective left and right hand side of the front wheel axle (132) as seen in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (100), said individually adjustable wheel axle suspension arrangement (104, 106) being connected between the front wheel axle (132) and the vehicle chassis (116); the method being comprising the steps of: determining (S1) an output torque from said prime mover (122); determining (S2) a rotation (302) of said vehicle chassis (116) caused by the determined output torque from the prime mover (122); comparing (S3) said rotation (302) with a predetermined threshold limit; and controlling (S4) the individua
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Lena Larsson, Emil Pettersson
  • Patent number: 10895239
    Abstract: To suppress generation of noise during cranking, a pinion gear is fixed to a drive shaft of a starter starting an internal combustion engine. The pinion gear rotates a ring gear provided to the internal combustion engine by meshing therewith. The pinion gear includes gear teeth and an annular hollow portion located radially inside of the gear teeth. The annular hollow portion accommodates a vibration absorber to absorb vibration generated in the gear tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuya Fujita
  • Patent number: 10844786
    Abstract: A method for predictive maintenance of components of an internal combustion engine by a structure-borne sound sensor includes: recording vibrations of the components of the internal combustion engine by at least one structure-borne sound sensor; and during operation of the internal combustion engine, continuously checking a release for diagnosing a wear condition of the components of the internal combustion engine. The one or more structure-borne sound sensors, which are arranged at one or more positions on the internal combustion engine, record measurement signals and forward them to evaluation electronics. The measurement signals are time-synchronized to a characteristic state of the internal combustion engine or the measurement signal recording is time-triggered. The time-synchronized or triggered measurement signals are decoded into measurement data. The decoded measurement data is subjected to a signal transformation. One or more spectrograms are generated from the signal transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: IAV GMBH INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT AUTO UND VERKEHR
    Inventors: Thomas Lebendt, Ingo Friedrich, Robert Mollik
  • Patent number: 10816059
    Abstract: A balance weight having one or more journals with a reduced mass portion disposed between a pair of journal portions that define circumferentially extending bearing surfaces. The reduced mass portion has a body, which defines a circumferentially extending bearing surface that is concentric with the bearing surfaces on the journal portions, and at least one stiffening structure that is configured to resist flexing of the journal portions relative to one another due to the transmission of bending loads through the balance shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Clark, John C. Geis, Carl E. Holmblad, Craig Lawrence McEachran
  • Patent number: 10738752
    Abstract: A drive train for a motor vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a starting device, and a vibration isolation device. The internal combustion engine has a main order of vibration and an excitation frequency predetermined by a predetermined operating principle and a predetermined number of cylinders. The starting device is for starting the internal combustion engine and has an electric machine with a torque characteristic over a speed (n). The vibration isolation device is designed for the main order of vibration of the internal combustion engine. The vibration isolation device has a resonance characteristic below an idling speed (nL) of the internal combustion engine in a resonance range occurring in a first speed range (?n2). The resonance range is shifted into a second, lower speed range (?n1) when the electric machine is coupled. The electric machine is arranged to supply a torque effective beyond the second, lower speed range (?n1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Marco Grethel, Markus Baehr, Hyung Wook Choi
  • Patent number: 10718402
    Abstract: A self-adaptive torsional vibration reducer is provided, which includes an inner casing, an outer casing and resonance bodies provided between the inner casing and the outer casing. Each of the resonance bodies includes a mass-block and constraining springs supporting the mass-block between the inner casing and the outer casing. The resonance bodies are provided in pairs and are symmetrically distributed around a center of the rotating shaft. In a case that a frequency of an excitation force on the rotating shaft is coincided with the resonance frequency, the resonance bodies absorb torsional vibration energy at the frequency to reduce vibration. A diesel engine including the self-adaptive torsional vibration reducer is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Gang Wang, Zhihua Feng, Junfang Ni, Xiangjun Lan
  • Patent number: 10707752
    Abstract: A power generating system including a stator, a neutral line, a rectifier circuit and a power conversion circuit is provided. The stator has a plurality of phase coils configured to provide an AC power. The neutral line is coupled to a common point of the phase coils. The rectifier circuit is coupled between the phase coils and a power bus and is configured to convert the AC power to provide a DC power to the power bus. The power conversion circuit is coupled between the neutral line and the power bus, and is controlled by a control signal to convert a power of the neutral line and thereby provide a compensation power to the power bus to stabilize a voltage of the power bus. Alternatively, the power conversion circuit is controlled by the control signal to recuperate a power passing through a part of the rectifier circuit to the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: ACTRON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chia-Sung Yu
  • Patent number: 10619521
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a waste heat recovery power drive system. The waste heat recovery power drive system includes a waste heat recovery system, which includes a heat exchanger operatively coupled to an engine so as to receive heat energy from the engine and transfer the heat energy to a working fluid. An expander is fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger to receive the working fluid from the heat exchanger. The expander is structured to convert heat energy from the working fluid to mechanical energy. A gearbox is operatively coupled to the expander. A front engine accessory drive includes a belt drive operatively coupling the gearbox to a crankshaft of the engine so as to transfer the mechanical energy from the gearbox to the crankshaft. A unitary assembly includes the front engine accessory drive, the gearbox, and the expander, and the unitary assembly is removable from the engine as a unitary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Nimish Bagayatkar
  • Patent number: 10598250
    Abstract: A torque variation suppressing apparatus includes a rotation element, and a plurality of first elastic elements and second elastic elements which apply elastic forces to the rotation element. With a rotation of the rotation element, a torque applied to the rotation element from each of the first elastic elements and the second elastic elements changes periodically, and a phase of the torque applied to the rotation element from at least one of the first elastic elements and the second elastic elements is changed so that an overall torque characteristic applied to the rotation element is set variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Eiji Tsuchiya, Yoshihiro Mizuno, Norio Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 10520060
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes: three or more cylinders including cylinders A, B and C according to the present disclosure arranged in a row in the cylinder row direction; and a balancer device for reducing engine vibration. The balancer device includes a balancer shaft arranged so as to extend from the cylinder A to the cylinder C along the cylinder row direction in a crank chamber. The balancer shaft includes: a first opening formed on the outer surface of the balancer shaft at a first location associated with the cylinder A in the cylinder row direction; a second opening formed on the outer surface at a second location associated with the cylinder C in the cylinder row direction; and a communication passage formed inside the balancer shaft so as to connect the first opening with the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Okawa, Naoya Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10508604
    Abstract: In various described embodiments skip fire control is used to deliver a desired engine output. A controller determines a skip fire firing fraction and (as appropriate) associated engine settings that are suitable for delivering a requested output. In one aspect, the skip fire controller is arranged to select a base firing fraction that has a repeating firing cycle length that will repeat at least a designated number of times per second at the current engine speed. Such an arrangement can be helpful in reducing the occurrence of undesirable vibrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohammad R. Pirjaberi, Adya S. Tripathi, Louis J. Serrano
  • Patent number: 10457157
    Abstract: The motor drive device includes: an electric motor (6); a controller (1) that controls a torque of the electric motor (6) or a quantity of state corresponding to the torque; and a torque transmitter that transmits the torque of the electric motor (6) to a wheel of a vehicle. The controller (1) includes a torque fluctuation inhibiting section (15) that inhibits torque fluctuation in the electric motor (6). The torque fluctuation inhibiting section (15) includes an execution determination section (15b) that determines whether or not to inhibit the torque fluctuation in the electric motor (6), based on a result of comparison between an estimated value of a torque fluctuation frequency in the electric motor (6), and one or both of transmission characteristics of the torque transmitter and vibration characteristics in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yui Masuda
  • Patent number: 10458326
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder case that includes a first geartrain disposed on a front end of the cylinder case and a second geartrain disposed on a rear end of the cylinder case. The first geartrain drives a first camshaft, and the second geartrain drives a second camshaft, the first and second camshafts having respective rotational axes that are parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Craig P. Hittle
  • Patent number: 10451523
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for engine misfire detection. In one example, a method may include sampling crankshaft fluctuations with a first and a second sampling window, wherein the first and second windows overlapping each other; and identify misfire based on the sampled signals. The method may further comprise adjusting engine operation responsive to the misfire indication via a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mikhail Ejakov
  • Patent number: 10436303
    Abstract: A drive gear assembly rotatably drives a driven gear of an engine component. The drive gear assembly comprises a drive shaft extending longitudinally along an axis. A main drive gear is operatively coupled to the drive shaft and a scissor gear is aligned coaxially with the main drive gear. A scissor spring is disposed and operatively coupled between the main drive gear and the scissor gear and biased therebetween wherein the main drive gear and the scissor gear rotate about the axis relative to each other. An isolation mechanism is operatively coupled between the main drive gear and the drive shaft for absorbing impulse loads generated by the driven gear when engaged with the main drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Linamar Corporation
    Inventors: Michael C Sefcik, Michael Biga, II
  • Patent number: 10267222
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling transitions between engine operating modes in a four-cylinder engine. One method includes transitioning engine operation between two-cylinder, three-cylinder, and four-cylinder modes wherein the transitioning includes a sequence of firing events such that successive firing events are separated by at least 120 crank angle degree intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Patrick McConville, Brad Alan Boyer, James Douglas Ervin, Kim Hwe Ku
  • Patent number: 10180177
    Abstract: The centrifugal mass arrangement for the balancing of rotational accelerations of an engine housing of a reciprocating-piston engine, such as an internal combustion engine, is equipped with a hollow cylindrical housing provided for fastening to the engine housing and has a circumferential wall with an inner side, and with a centrifugal mass carrier arranged rotatably in the housing and coupled to the drive shaft for co-rotation therewith. The centrifugal mass carrier has at least two diametrically oppositely situated ends. A roller disk with a circumferential surface is arranged on each end of the centrifugal mass carrier. Each roller disk is mounted rotatably on the respective end of the centrifugal mass carrier and is supported by the circumferential surface against the inner side of the circumferential wall of the housing and, during rotation of the centrifugal mass carrier, rolls on the inner side of the circumferential wall of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: FEV GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Pischinger
  • Patent number: 10100900
    Abstract: A balance assembly for an engine is provided. The balance assembly includes a first electric motor coupled to the engine and configured to rotate a first eccentric mass relative to the engine, the first eccentric mass being coupled to a first shaft of the first electric motor, and a second electric motor coupled to the engine and configured to rotate a second eccentric mass relative to the engine, the second eccentric mass being coupled to a second shaft of the second electric motor. The first and second electric motors are configured to rotate the first and second eccentric masses in order to balance a vibration characteristic of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Gregory, Neill Scoging, Jon Edward Caine, Viktor Haeuser, Ivan Mark Rogers
  • Patent number: 10053084
    Abstract: A method for controlling at least one first drive unit of a vehicle as a function of operating states of a second drive unit of the vehicle during a switchover operation. The first drive unit is associated with a first control unit and the second drive unit s associated with a second control unit. At least one message is transmitted to the first control unit by the second control unit. The message includes: a first desired value TQ1 of a controlled variable prior to the switchover operation; a second desired value TQ2 of the controlled variable after the switchover operation; and information on the angular position of a shaft of the second drive unit at the projected point of time of the switchover operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Jehle
  • Patent number: 10054061
    Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder body, a cylinder head, and an ignition device including spark plugs. The engine also includes an intake device connected to intake ports, an exhaust device connected to exhaust ports, pistons, and a crankshaft connected to the pistons by connecting rods. Explosion intervals of the cylinders are 270°, 180°, 90°, and 180° as crank angles. The engine further includes a discomfort eliminator which, when the engine speed is lower than a predetermined value, makes the indicated mean effective pressure of at least one of two cylinders having an explosion interval of 90° lower than the indicated mean effective pressures of the other cylinders having an explosion interval of not 90°. The engine causes unequal-interval explosions but produces little change in the driving energy per unit time during an operating state in which an occupant is liable to feel torque fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ei Tsukahara, Daijiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10023184
    Abstract: A hybrid system includes a hybrid module that is located between an engine and a transmission. The hybrid system includes an energy storage system for storing energy from and supplying energy to the hybrid module. An inverter transfers power between the energy storage system and the hybrid module. The hybrid system also includes a cooling system, a DC-DC converter, and a high voltage tap. The hybrid module is designed to recover energy, such as during braking, as well as power the vehicle. The hybrid module includes an electrical machine (eMachine) along with electrical and mechanical pumps for circulating fluid. A clutch provides the sole operative connection between the engine and the eMachine. The hybrid system further incorporates a power take off (PTO) unit that is configured to be powered by the engine and/or the eMachine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Hartz, Nayan V. Patel, Vernon D. Thompson, Paul A. Richardson, Christopher A. Baker, George S. Pelton
  • Patent number: 9964176
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damping arrangement particularly for the drivetrain of a vehicle, having a carrier arrangement which is rotatable around an axis of rotation, a deflection mass which is movable in circumferential direction relative to the carrier arrangement. The carrier arrangement and the deflection mass are coupled so as to be rotatable relative to one another via a plurality of radially extending, flexible restoring elements which are arranged in circumferential direction. A restoring element is deformable in each instance around a force application point which is movable in radial direction under centrifugal force and which is associated with the restoring element. A first restoring element is preloaded in a first direction in inactive position of the torsional vibration damping arrangement, and in that a second restoring element is preloaded in a second direction opposite to the first direction in the inactive position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Dögel, Uwe Grossgebauer, Andreas Orlamünder
  • Patent number: 9947361
    Abstract: Provided is a vibration control device mounted on a structure body of a target where vibration should be damped, including: a vibration detection unit that detects vibration of a portion of the target; a vibration generation unit that generates strain in a portion of the target; and a control unit that generates a control signal to determine drive force of the vibration generation unit based on a signal from the vibration detection unit. In the vibration control device, strain energy distribution of the target is measured or calculated, and setting positions of the vibration detection unit and the vibration generation unit are determined based on an optimization method within a range in which strain energy changes rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Arisaka, Takashi Saegusa, Itsuro Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 9777626
    Abstract: An arrangement and method for maintaining an alignment of an internal combustion engine by utilizing an arrangement includes a number of fluid springs by means of which the engine is mounted on a foundation thereof, control valves arranged in communication with each fluid spring, at least three position sensors in communication with the engine, and an electronic control unit. The electric control unit is provided with preset engine position values. The method includes collecting engine position information to the electric control unit, comparing the position information to preset position values, determining, if the position information differs from the preset position values, such control valves that need to be operated, calculating the corrective measures, and giving corrective instructions to the control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: WARTSILA FINLAND OY
    Inventors: Tomas Sodo, Jan Holmberg
  • Patent number: 9764728
    Abstract: An electric vehicle may include at least one motor configured to transmit a drive output. A motor-generator unit may be configured to supply the at least one motor with electrical power. The motor-generator unit may include an internal combustion piston engine, which may include a crankshaft configured to rotation about an axis of rotation, and an electrical generator that may be drive connected to the piston engine. A control device may be in communication with the motor-generator unit. The control device may be configured to vary a generator torque of the electrical generator during a rotation cycle of the crankshaft in response to a crankshaft angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Mike Basset, Tony Cains, Jonathan Hall, Marco Warth
  • Patent number: 9664250
    Abstract: A variable frequency damper for a drive shaft of a vehicle may include a mass body made of a metallic material and having mass, a damper body disposed on the drive shaft and to which the mass body is coupled, a banding member which fixes the damper body to the drive shaft, and a rigidity tuning member which is disposed on the banding member to press the damper body, and changes rigidity of the damper body depending on a degree to which the damper body is pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Byoungho Kwon
  • Patent number: 9604623
    Abstract: A drive control system for an electric motor includes a slippage determination device, a tentative vibration damper torque calculator, a vibration damper torque limit value setting device, a vibration damper torque setting device, and a control device. The vibration damper torque setting device is configured to set a control torque obtained by limiting a tentative vibration damper torque using a limit value set by the vibration damper torque limit value setting device. The control device is configured to control driving of the electric motor in accordance with a command value of a torque obtained by combining a requested torque for the electric motor with the control torque set by the vibration damper torque setting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirohito Ide
  • Patent number: 9517761
    Abstract: An electric motor (2) of a drive train (1) of a hybrid vehicle is controlled by determining the shaft torque (TW) of a current work cycle (n) of an included internal combustion engine (3) and feeding the shaft torque (TW) to a compensation controller (K) which has stored the shaft torque (TW(n?1)) of a preceding work cycle (n?1) of the internal combustion engine, and calculating a compensated shaft torque (Tkomp) from the shaft torque (TW(n)) of the current work cycle (n), the shaft torque (TW(n?1)) of a previous work cycle (n?1), and the shaft torque of a previous work cycle (n?1) shifted by a system delay, which compensated shaft torque (Tkomp) is linked to a target torque (Tsoll) predefined by a higher-level control unit (15) to determine the controlling torque (Tstell) for the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Kokal, Luigi Del Re
  • Patent number: 9507446
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus and a control method are provided that are capable of reducing power consumption. The electronic apparatus having a normal mode in which first electric power is consumed and a power-saving mode in which second electric power lower than the first electric power is consumed includes a first sensor and a second sensor whose power consumption is lower than that of the first sensor. In the power-saving mode, supply of power to the first sensor is restricted, the second sensor is set to the power-saving mode, a trigger for restoring the power-saving mode to the normal mode is detected by using the second sensor set to the power-saving mode, and the power-saving mode is restored to the normal mode based on the detected trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kabasawa, Kenji Hachisu, Kazuyuki Yamamato, Takashi Masuda
  • Patent number: 9509238
    Abstract: Torque ripple produced by a traction motor of an electric vehicle when the motor produces torque from a motor current is compensated for by modifying operation of the motor according to a difference between an expected position of the motor to produce a desired torque from the current and the actual position of the motor when producing torque from the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Wolf
  • Patent number: 9500123
    Abstract: A method for improving fuel efficiency of a vehicle and an exclusive energy saving and emission reduction device thereof are provided. The key points of the technical solutions are as follows. An exhaust separation device is installed in a crankcase of an engine. An oil-gas separation technology is adopted to manufacture an oil-gas separator and a diffusion vortex chamber. According to an aerodynamic principle, the separation degree of the exhaust is improved through compression and high speed vortex in the energy saving device, in such a manner that engine oil vapor in the exhaust is separated from combustible mixed gases, and then sent to the engine via an air intake throttle. The present invention enables complete combustion of the fuel, so as to achieve effects of oil-saving and emission-reducing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Inventor: Weibo Zhou
  • Patent number: 9488245
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a hydraulic bearing which includes two connecting pieces, an annular rubber-elastic spring, a hydraulic chamber unit made of a working chamber and a compensating chamber and a partition unit having a connecting channel between the working chamber and the compensating chamber. The partition unit is configured as a disc and is disposed within the vertical elevation of the annular rubber-elastic spring and one of the connecting pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Volker Gedenk
  • Patent number: 9476497
    Abstract: The patent application discloses a unidirectional clutch decoupling device for transferring torque between a belt wheel and a shaft. The unidirectional clutch decoupling device includes a friction spring, an outer ring, a shaft sleeve and an elastic unit. The friction spring is combined with the inner surface of the belt wheel in a rubbing mode. The outer ring is arranged in the space formed by the friction spring. The relative position of the outer ring and the friction spring is fixed. The shaft sleeve is used for accommodating the shaft, and the relative position of the shaft sleeve and the shaft is fixed. The elastic unit is located between the outer ring and the shaft sleeve and used for transferring torque of the outer ring to the shaft sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Ningbo Yangtong Automobile Parts Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Zenggang Liu
  • Patent number: 9429121
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for high-pressure injection in internal combustion engines includes: a fuel distributor; and at least one holder which is used for fastening the fuel distributor to an add-on structure. The holder includes a holder body which has a first layer, a second layer, and an elastically deformable damping layer. The first layer and the second layer are made from a metallic material. The elastically deformable damping layer is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The holder body is connected to the fuel distributor by laser welding. The damping layer is made of a visco-elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Fischer, Andreas Rehwald, Matthias Maess, Venkatesh Kannan
  • Patent number: 9416739
    Abstract: A method for learning an opening of an air control valve of a hybrid electric vehicle includes detecting data for controlling the opening of the air control valve during engine starting, detecting a change of a flap closing of the air control valve, controlling the opening of the air control valve to reduce a vibration based on the data when the engine is turned off, calculating the opening of the air control valve according to the flap closing of the air control valve, setting a reference value based on the change of the flap closing of the air control valve, comparing the calculated value with the reference value and when the calculated value is greater than the reference value, learning the opening of the air control valve as the calculated value after an ignition switch is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: HwaYong Jang
  • Patent number: 9403524
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving emissions and drivability of a hybrid vehicle that includes a motor/generator and an engine are presented. The systems and methods may allow vehicle emissions regulations to be met while at the same time providing driveline torque that matches driver demand torque so that vehicle drivability may be maintained or improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Lear, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Larry Wroza
  • Patent number: 9399959
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a desired capacity module, an anticipated torque request module, and an engine actuator module. The desired capacity module generates a desired torque capacity of an engine at a future time based on a present torque request and a maximum torque output of the engine. The anticipated torque request module generates an anticipated torque request based on the desired torque capacity. The engine actuator module controls an actuator of the engine at a present time based on the anticipated torque request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Kevin C. Wong, Gary Robert Cygan, Jr., Alberto Bemporad, Daniele Bernardini
  • Patent number: 9308902
    Abstract: A system (for controlling a vehicle system along a route) includes a route geometry sensor, a speed sensor, and a controller. The route geometry sensor monitors a route curve profile for a segment of the route. The speed sensor monitors a speed of the vehicle system. The controller identifies a characteristic frequency associated with the vehicle system. The controller determines a periodic driving force exerted on the vehicle system from the route based on the route curve profile and the speed of the vehicle system. The controller analyzes the periodic driving force with the characteristic frequency to determine an excitation rate. Responsive to the excitation rate exceeding a designated threshold, the controller designates tractive efforts or braking efforts for implementation by the vehicle system to change the speed of the vehicle system such that the excitation rate falls below the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Joseph Forrest Noffsinger
  • Patent number: 9261184
    Abstract: Construction of rotary machinery with a one-way clutch integrated pulley is achieved that is capable of reducing the manufacturing cost when the location in the axial direction of the one-way clutch integrated pulley 9a with respect to the rotary machinery 1a changes. In construction where a sleeve 10a of a one-way clutch integrated pulley 9a is supported by and fastened to a rotating shaft 4 in a housing 2, by placing a circular ring shaped spacer 35 between one end surface of the sleeve 10a and the other end surface of a support bearing 3 for the rotating shaft 4, it is possible to position the one-way clutch integrated pulley 9a in the axial direction with respect to the rotary machinery 1a without changing the length of the sleeve 10a for each type of vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Keisuke Ogushi