Vehicle Drive Train Patents (Class 73/115.01)
  • Patent number: 11761398
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating an engine event location are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a control system is configured to receive feedback from at least one vibration sensor coupled to a reciprocating engine, estimate an engine parameter based at least on the feedback and an Empirical Transform Function (ETF), estimate a location of an engine event based on the engine parameter, and adjust operation of the reciprocating engine based at least on the location of the engine event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: AI Alpine US Bidco Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Guerriero, Jeffrey Jacob Bizub, Brett Alexander Matthews
  • Patent number: 11313761
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device for controlling a dynamometer of a test system, wherein the device is capable of controlling shaft torque to a prescribed target torque while minimizing low-frequency-range resonance caused by viscous drag of a test piece. This test system is provided with a dynamometer joined to an engine via a coupling shaft, an inverter for supplying electric power to the dynamometer, a shaft torque meter for detecting the shaft torque produced in the coupling shaft, and a dynamometer-controlling device 6 for generating a torque-current command signal T2 that is sent to the inverter and is generated on the basis of a shaft torque detection signal T12 from the shaft torque meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: MEDENSHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takao Akiyama
  • Patent number: 11230952
    Abstract: An engine oil filler cap for monitoring an internal combustion engine comprises: a processor; and a sensor module comprising a pressure sensor configured to sense crankcase pressure of the internal combustion engine and to output data representative of the sensed crankcase pressure to the processor. The engine oil filler cap is configured to provide a housing for the processor. The processor is configured to determine a value representative of the firing frequency of the internal combustion engine based on the output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventor: Christopher J. Green
  • Patent number: 11150161
    Abstract: A transmission testing device that can highly accurately reproduce behavior of an actual engine includes a drive dynamometer DM1 connected to an input shaft of a transmission, absorption dynamometers DM2 and DM3 that are connected to output shafts of the transmission, a shaft torque detection unit that detects a shaft torque value generated at the input shaft of the transmission, and a control unit that controls the drive dynamometer DM1. The control unit uses the shaft torque value detected by the shaft torque detection unit to generate a shaft torque correction value for the drive dynamometer DM1, receives an engine torque input value and uses the received engine torque input value to generate an engine torque correction value for the drive dynamometer DM1, and controls the drive dynamometer DM1 on the basis of a torque command value generated from the shaft torque correction value and the engine torque correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: A&D COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Mitsuharu Sugita
  • Patent number: 11053878
    Abstract: An abnormality determination apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which an intake passage upstream of a supercharger and a crankcase are connected by a breather line includes: an intake flow rate detection unit that detects an intake flow rate in the intake passage; and an abnormality determination unit that determines abnormality of the breather line. The abnormality determination unit calculates a rotation second-order component of a fluctuation waveform of the intake flow rate, accumulates a first number of times for which the rotation second-order component exceeds an upper threshold and a second number of times for which the rotation second-order component falls below a lower threshold, and determines the abnormality of the breather line by comparing an accumulated value of the first number of times and the second number of times with the number of revolutions of a crank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Sekiguchi, Takashi Konomoto, Toshifumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11022059
    Abstract: An abnormality determination apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which an intake passage upstream of a supercharger and a crankcase are connected by a breather line includes: an intake flow rate detection unit that detects an intake flow rate in the intake passage; and an abnormality determination unit that determines abnormality of the breather line. The abnormality determination unit accumulates a time for which a rotation second-order component of a fluctuation waveform of the intake flow rate is equal to or more than a threshold over a predetermined period of time and determines the abnormality of the breather line when the accumulated value is less than a predetermined accumulation threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Sekiguchi, Takashi Konomoto, Toshifumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10942091
    Abstract: A control device of a dynamometer system is provided with: a driving force observer which estimates a generated driving force of a vehicle; an electrical inertia control unit which uses the driving force to generate a front wheel basic torque command signal and a rear wheel basic torque command signal; a synchronization control unit which generates a synchronization control torque command signal with respect to the basic torque command signal and the basic torque command signal in such a way as to eliminate a speed difference; and torque command signal generating units which use the synchronization control torque command signal to adjust the basic torque command signal and the basic torque command signal. The synchronization control unit is defined in such a way that the poles of a denominator polynomial of a transfer function from the driving force to the speed difference are all negative real numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: MEIDENSHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Akiyama, Tomoaki Kimura
  • Patent number: 10848316
    Abstract: A vehicle measurement station utilizing one or more displacement sensors disposed on each opposite side of an inspection region of a vehicle inspection lane to acquire displacement measurement data along associated measurement axes. At least a portion of the displacement measurement data is associated with the outermost wheel assemblies on an axle of a moving vehicle passing through the inspection region, and utilized to determine one or more vehicle characteristics, such as an axle total toe condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Hunter Engineering Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Stieff, Timothy A. Strege, Daniel R. Dorrance
  • Patent number: 10739123
    Abstract: A method of quantifying stem nut thread wear in a valve having a valve stem that is positioned with a stem nut. A tool is mounted to, and rotates with, the stem nut, while simultaneously measuring stem displacement. The method of orienting the stem nut threads where one 360° rotation will capture all of the thread backlash in addition to any stem displacement. The measured stem displacement, including stem nut thread backlash, can then be used, with certain stem geometry parameters, to calculate stem nut thread wear percent and quantify remaining stem nut thread material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Inventor: Carter Reames, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10663482
    Abstract: In an aspect, in general, a system and method compensate for a misalignment characteristic of one or more acceleration sensors fixed to a sprung mass of a vehicle, each acceleration sensor having a location on the vehicle and a desired orientation relative to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: ClearMotion Acquisition I LLC
    Inventors: Upendra V. Ummethala, David J. Warkentin
  • Patent number: 10502661
    Abstract: To make the handling of a tire model for controlling a test run on a test bench simpler and more flexible and thus more practicable, it is provided that at least one longitudinal velocity of a tire is calculated in a first simulation unit with a first simulation model, and the longitudinal velocity is provided to a second simulation unit, and a longitudinal force and/or a rolling resistance torque of the tire are calculated with a second simulation model in the second simulation unit on the basis of the longitudinal velocity, and said longitudinal force and/or rolling resistance torque are used to calculate at least one target dyno value for a drive control unit of a load machine of the test bench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: AVL LIST GmbH
    Inventors: Felix Pfister, Martin Schmidt, Clemens Reitze
  • Patent number: 10451524
    Abstract: In order to be able to test an assembly of components of a vehicle on a test stand with improved dynamics, it is provided to calculate, in a simulation unit (20) using a simulation model (21) for the at least one component of the assembly, the instantaneous drive train rotary speed (nP) of this component from a drive train torque (TP) acting in the drive train (2) and the braking effect (B) of the braking system (11), and the calculated instantaneous drive train rotary speed (nP) is used by the vehicle control device (14) for calculating the at least one component, and the calculated drive train rotary speed (nP) is used by a drive controller (23) for controlling the load machine (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventor: Felix Pfister
  • Patent number: 10274399
    Abstract: Determining a gear dynamic transmission error may include calculating a collision time interval via parameter values, such as an angular velocity of an input shaft measured by an angle coder, a drag torque of an output shaft provided by a magnetic powder brake, a gear backlash, and angular displacements of the input shaft and the output shaft and comparing a relative displacement contained with the gear backlash, until a value of the relative displacement of the comparison falls within an appropriate interval and meets requirements. In this way, a transmission error with relatively high accuracy may be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: YANCHENG INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Fuhao Liu
  • Patent number: 10203266
    Abstract: A bearing testing machine comprising: a testing machine shaft to which at least one test piece being a bearing is attached, the testing machine shaft being a rotation shaft extending in a Y axis direction being a horizontal direction; a rotational driving unit configured to rotate the testing machine shaft; a test piece holding unit configured to elastically holds the test piece; and an at least one axle driving unit configured to drive the testing machine shaft in a vertical direction and in an X axis direction which is a horizontal direction orthogonal to the Y axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: KOKUSAI KEISOKUKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Teramoto, Sigeru Matsumoto, Kazuhiro Murauchi
  • Patent number: 10197593
    Abstract: A portable speedometer calibration stand is disclosed. The stand includes a forward frame and two separate rear frame portions. Rollers rotatably mounted on each of the forward frame and the two separate rear frame portions engage tires of the test vehicle and allow the tires to rotate. Measurements of the speed of rotation of least one of the rollers allow the user to calculate speed of rotation of the tires and, from that calculation, calibrate the speedometer on the test vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: YIS/Cowden Group
    Inventors: Ricky E. Peters, Jr., Robert A. Keough, James E. Cowden
  • Patent number: 9958356
    Abstract: In a process for testing the powertrain of vehicles that are at least in part electrically driven, the voltage supplied to the powertrain is controlled by a controller coupled with a simulation system for the energy storage system in a way that the voltage acts dynamically as for a real energy storage system. The controller is designed with a model based controller design method, with a load model of the powertrain being used in the model of the controlled system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: AVL LIST GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver König, Stefan Jakubek, Günter Prochart, Kurt Gschweitl, Gregor Gregorcic
  • Patent number: 9110842
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle including a nonvolatile memory which is electrically erasable and writable detects, on start-up, whether or not an error occurs in updated data read from the nonvolatile memory, and when an error has been detected, performs a reset after saving error information. When being restarted by the reset, the control device for a vehicle determines on the basis of the error information whether or not there is updated data in which an error has occurred, and when there is updated data in which an error has occurred, overwrites the updated data with a fixed value prior to the error detection. Accordingly, there can be suppressed a case in which the error detection is performed while the updated data with an abnormality is present causing the reset and the error detection to be repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20150143885
    Abstract: In a process for testing the powertrain of vehicles that are at least in part electrically driven, the voltage supplied to the powertrain is controlled by a controller coupled with a simulation system for the energy storage system in a way that the voltage acts dynamically as for a real energy storage system. The controller is designed with a model based controller design method, with a load model of the powertrain being used in the model of the controlled system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: AVL LIST GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver König, Stefan Jakubek, Gunter Prochart, Kurt Gschweitl, Gregor Gregorcis
  • Patent number: 8950249
    Abstract: Fault detection and response systems and processes can be used for pumps, e.g., pump/motors used in hybrid vehicles. The fault detection systems determine when certain operating conditions, which may affect the proper operation of the system, occur. The response systems take appropriate action based on which fault conditions are triggered. Example fault detection systems and processes include detection systems for different types of leaks, sensor malfunctions, or operation errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Stoner, Thomas D. Hawkins, Douglas D. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20150013443
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drive-train testing system that is capable of generating a large drive torque without increasing the size of a motor that simulates an engine. The drive-train testing system inputs a drive torque, which is generated according to a torque command which contains an alternating-current component having an excitation frequency, to an input shaft of a workpiece in order to evaluate the performance of said workpiece. This system is equipped with a first motor, a second motor, a torque meter for detecting a torque which acts upon the shaft between the workpiece and the second motor, and a resonance suppression circuit that divides the torque command into a first torque command and a second torque command so as to suppress torsional resonance on the basis of a value detected by the torque meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Masayasu Kanke, Takao Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20140136063
    Abstract: A method to monitor a torque transfer device configured to transfer torque within an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine includes executing a failure detection strategy in response to a detected slip condition of the torque transfer device. The failure detection strategy includes monitoring a magnitude of energy loss of the torque transfer device. A failure condition in the torque transfer device is detected when the magnitude of energy loss achieves a predetermined energy threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: JONATHAN M. BOLENBAUGH, JAMES SYDENSTRICKER, LAWRENCE A. KAMINSKY, JY-JEN F. SAH
  • Patent number: 8560144
    Abstract: A method for controlling torque in a vehicle including monitoring a plurality of factors associated with an output torque request in response to an output torque request rate of change exceeding a predetermined threshold, and controlling rate limiting of a delivered output torque to achieve the output torque request rate of change based on the plurality of factors associated with the output torque request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Sean W. McGrogan
  • Patent number: 8528391
    Abstract: A sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly, in which detection error is relieved to accurately estimate load is provided. A vehicle body fitting flange of an outer member of the bearing assembly has a front elevational shape of line symmetry or of point symmetry. A sensor unit including a strain generating member having two or more contact fixing segments to be fixed to the outer member and a strain sensor is provided at an arcuately sectioned portion lying from the flange to the outer member, or an outer peripheral surface portion of the outer member adjoining to the outboard side thereof, or a position crossing a line segment passing through a center of a rolling element or a position adjoining thereto. Alternatively, a plurality of sensor units are provided on the outer periphery of the outer member in a fashion spaced circumferentially equidistantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Norimatsu, Makoto Okasaka, Hiroshi Kawamura, Kentarou Nishikawa, Kiyotake Shibata
  • Patent number: 8525524
    Abstract: A multi-track detection system for detecting the appearance of electronic elements includes a rotary module, a feeding module, an unvibrated module, a detection module, and a classification module. The rotary module includes a hollow transparent rotary structure having at least two annular guiding areas on the top surface thereof, and the electronic elements are sequentially arranged on the two annular guiding area. The feeding module has two V-shaped feeding grooves for guiding the electronic elements. The unvibrated module includes an unvibrated guiding block having two V-shaped unvibrated guiding grooves respectively communicated with the two V-shaped feeding grooves and respectively corresponding to the two annular guiding areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Youngtek Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Bily Wang, Kuei-Pao Chen, Hsin-Cheng Chen, Ren-Chun Ni
  • Publication number: 20130173210
    Abstract: A method for determining an average rotational speed of a rotating transmission shaft of an internal combustion engine to a rotational position is described, the rotating transmission shaft taking on various rotational positions and having an actual instantaneous rotational speed at a first time in the rotational position. At a first approximation in a first step, an approximated average rotational speed is determined, as the difference of the actual rotational speed at the first time and in the rotational position, and the product of a weighted amplitude and an angle-dependent amplitude factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Matthias Cwik, Markus Roessle, Ewald Mauritz, Stefan Tumback
  • Patent number: 8438916
    Abstract: A meter apparatus is mountable on a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine having an output shaft that rotates at a predetermined idling speed during idling of the engine. When the vehicle satisfies a predetermined stop condition during rotation of the output shaft at the idling speed, the rotation of the output shaft is stopped temporarily. The meter apparatus includes a pointer needle that moves according to a rotation speed of the output shaft to indicate the rotation speed. The amount of movement of the pointer needle with respect to a change in the rotation speed of the output shaft is less when the rotation speed is in a low speed range below the idling speed than when the rotation speed is in a high speed range above the idling speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takahira Katoh, Kenichi Hiura, Minoru Sumiya, Masahiro Kuno
  • Patent number: 8418542
    Abstract: A test stand assembly includes an electric machine (4) for driving and/or loading a test object (1), which is connected by a connecting shaft (2) having an adapter flange (3) to the electric machine (4). The assembly has a constant, predetermined moment of inertia, and the mass and the moment of inertia of the adapter flange (3) are selected in such a manner that the resonant frequency of the system formed of test object (1), adapter flange (3), connecting flange (2), and electric machine (4) for driving and/or loading the test object (1) lies between the idle frequency and the partial load frequency of the test object (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Mayrhofer, Helmut Kokal, Stefan Dragaschnig, Joachim Schmidt, Gerald Hochmann, Dirk Denger, Martin Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8276439
    Abstract: A system for calibrating a transmission includes a slip generation module, a volume determination module, and a calibration control module. The slip generation module generates transmission slip. The volume determination module, after the transmission slip has been generated, applies a torque converter clutch (TCC) and determines a volume of the TCC based on a period for the TCC to fill with hydraulic fluid. The calibration control module generates a calibrated volume based on the determined volume and calibrates a control module based on the calibrated volume, wherein the control module controls the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventor: Andrew L. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20120055241
    Abstract: A meter apparatus is mountable on a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine having an output shaft that rotates at a predetermined idling speed during idling of the engine. When the vehicle satisfies a predetermined stop condition during rotation of the output shaft at the idling speed, the rotation of the output shaft is stopped temporarily. The meter apparatus includes a pointer needle that moves according to a rotation speed of the output shaft to indicate the rotation speed. The amount of movement of the pointer needle with respect to a change in the rotation speed of the output shaft is less when the rotation speed is in a low speed range below the idling speed than when the rotation speed is in a high speed range above the idling speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahira Katoh, Kenichi Hiura, Minoru Sumiya, Masahiro Kuno
  • Patent number: 7980123
    Abstract: A jointed flexible drive shaft assembly is provided. The drive shaft has at least one flexible joint comprising a yoke connecting two drive shaft components together in a flexible manner which permits angular offsetting of the axis of rotation of one shaft component relative to the axis of rotation of another shaft component while a pilot and pilot bore cooperate to maintain the axes of rotation fixed against relative lateral offset a predetermined amount. The drive shaft assembly may be used on a test stand to couple a driving element with a driven element thereby reducing the need for a precision alignment between the driving and driven elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Assembly & Test Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Lynn Ussery
  • Patent number: 7975539
    Abstract: A method and a device for reducing vibrations during the shutdown or startup of an engine, in particular an internal combustion engine, in which the vibration behavior of the engine is determined at least during shutdown and/or startup, a control signal is applied to at least one engine mounting whose damping properties are settable via the control signal, and the control signal is calculated in such a way that a vibration behavior of the engine materializes according to a setpoint vibration behavior in which vibrations are introduced, for example into a passenger compartment, at a level which lies below a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Jochen Laubender
  • Patent number: 7942044
    Abstract: A method, and a system employing the method, for determining a position of a rotational part in a reciprocating machine. The system includes a quadrature encoder and an interrupter coupled to the rotational element. As the interrupter rotates with the wrist pin, the quadrature encoder generates some binary signals based on the rotation of the wrist pin. A digital-to-analog converter then converts the binary signals into a single analog signal. The system then wirelessly transmits the single analog signal for processing by other remote components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Michigan Technological University
    Inventor: Daniel R. Kemppainen
  • Patent number: 7925426
    Abstract: Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for managing the power consumption of an automotive vehicle, and thereby for optimizing the power consumption of the vehicle. The devices and systems for managing the power consumption of the vehicle typically include power management logic that can calculate an applied power for the vehicle engine based on information provided from the external environment of the vehicle, the operational status of the vehicle, one or more command inputs from a driver, and one or more operational parameters of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Motility Systems
    Inventors: Martin Koebler, Nicole G. Goldstein, Stephen J. Brown, Jason H. Harper
  • Publication number: 20110048118
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vibration damping device which can enhance a vibration damping effect even in a case where a vibration damping target position and a vibration damping force generation position are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yushi Sato, Hideaki Moriya, Takeo Ito, Takayoshi Fujii, Takashi Fukunaga, Katsuyoshi Nakano, Hiroshi Nakagawa, Hidetoshi Katada, Takeshi Tomizaki, Takashi Onoue, Yasushi Muragishi
  • Patent number: 7685872
    Abstract: A method for automatic vehicle testing, inspection and valuation for a manual front wheel drive vehicle. The method includes connecting a probe for the emission test to the exhaust pipe and connecting the rpm cable to the cigarette lighter before starting the test. The testing begins by driving in so that the front wheels of the vehicle enter the VCT rollers, running the vehicle to 60 km/h and then shifting to 3rd gear. The method also includes accelerating to maximum rpm before shifting to neutral and waiting until the vehicle speed drops back to 60 km/h and after 3 seconds applying the brakes to stop. Then the vehicle is advanced until the rear wheels engage the VCT rollers and after 3 seconds the rollers start rolling up to 90 km/h. The foot brake is pumped systematically until the speed drops to 20 km/h, and then the parking brake is operated to stop. The overall vehicle is evaluated relative to the model and year of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Inventor: Yona Ben David
  • Patent number: 7621176
    Abstract: The absolute crankshaft angle of an internal combustion engine of a hand-held power tool is to be determined. The engine has a cylinder with a combustion chamber delimited by a piston that drives a crankshaft in a crankcase. The crankcase is connected by a transfer passage to the combustion chamber and the transfer port of the transfer passage is piston-controlled. Ignition takes place at an adjusted crankshaft angle. The energy supply unit of the engine is driven by the crankshaft and provides electric energy for ignition. The crankshaft angle is determined in that a signal generator is provided as an energy supply unit and generates an alternating voltage signal caused by a crankshaft revolution. An operating pressure signal of the engine is detected by a pressure sensor. The output signals of the pressure sensor and of the signal generator are linked with one another for determining the absolute crankshaft angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Layher, Georg Maier, Christine Halle, Arno Kinnen, Uwe Theimer
  • Publication number: 20090217907
    Abstract: A system to prevent engine stalls for a machine having a power source is disclosed. The power source is in communication with a controller, which is configured to determine the temperature of the power source and compare the temperature of the power source to a predetermined threshold temperature. The controller is configured to disable power source braking if the temperature of the power source is less than the threshold temperature. The controller is further configured to determine the power source speed and the travel speed of the machine, and disable power source braking if the power source speed and machine travel speed are less than predetermined thresholds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Brian Kenneth Garman, Stephen Michael Wiley, Gary Dean Bracht, Chris James Schaub
  • Publication number: 20090151438
    Abstract: A method, and a system employing the method, for determining a position of a rotational part in a reciprocating machine. The system includes a quadrature encoder and an interrupter coupled to the rotational element. As the interrupter rotates with the wrist pin, the quadrature encoder generates some binary signals based on the rotation of the wrist pin. A digital-to-analog converter then converts the binary signals into a single analog signal. The system then wirelessly transmits the single analog signal for processing by other remote components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Daniel R. Kemppainen
  • Publication number: 20080183350
    Abstract: Early detection of an abnormality in a vehicle speed detection system. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) has an input shaft connected to an engine and an output shaft connected to a rear wheel. A change-gear ratio between the input and output shafts is electronically controlled. The vehicle speed detection system outputs a vehicle speed signal. An electronic control unit (ECU) detects an abnormality in the vehicle speed detection system based on at least one of a rotational speed of the engine, a rotational speed of the input shaft, and a rotational speed of the output shaft, as well as based on the vehicle speed signal outputted from the vehicle speed detection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeharu NOGUCHI