Motor Part Or Auxiliary Patents (Class 73/49.7)
  • Patent number: 11467051
    Abstract: A method for correcting a dual-capacitance pressure sensor for measuring fluid pressure, comprising: at a first time, taking measurements of fluid pressure based on movements of a first membrane and a second membrane of the pressure sensor; at a second time, taking measurements of fluid pressure based on movements of the first membrane and the second membrane; determining a change in the measurement results based on movements of the first membrane between the first point in time and the second point in time; determining a change in the measurement results based on movements of the second membrane between the first point in time and the second point in time; Checking whether the changes in the measurements determined are based solely on a change in fluid pressure or whether the changes in the measurements determined are due to changes in the pressure sensor, and if the latter is the case, determining a correction for the measurements determined at the second point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Heinz Plöchinger
  • Patent number: 11186477
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting remote refueling events of a passenger vehicle, and for coordinating said remote refueling events with a fuel tank fill level prior to the remote refueling event, a loading state of a fuel vapor storage device, and current and predicted fuel tank pressure. In one example, an amount of fuel that can be added to the fuel tank without overwhelming a capacity of the fuel vapor storage device is increased responsive to scheduling the remote refueling event to take place at a time when the fuel tank is at a negative pressure, thus resulting in partial purge of the fuel vapor storage device prior to commencing refueling. In this way, environmentally friendly refueling events may be enabled, thus reducing the potential for undesired evaporative emissions during refueling events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Dennis Seung-Man Yang, Kevin Lucka, Mohammad R. Aghili, Russell Randall Pearce
  • Patent number: 11156190
    Abstract: Occlusion diagnosis of a vent passage is executed with high accuracy based on an estimated value of the volume of a sealed space. An occlusion diagnosis device includes a diagnosis unit for the diagnosis. An occlusion diagnosis unit of the diagnosis unit executes the occlusion diagnosis, based on whether or not an estimated volume of a sealed space of a fuel-vapor sealing system exceeds a volume threshold. The occlusion diagnosis determines that the vent passage is suspected of being occluded if the estimated volume is equal to or less than the volume threshold, while diagnoses that the vent passage is not occluded if the estimated volume exceeds the volume threshold. If it is determined that the vent passage is suspected of being occluded, the occlusion diagnosis unit causes the occlusion diagnosis of the vent passage to remain incomplete until a cumulative exhaust amount of fluid exceeds an exhaust amount threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Ishikawa, Michinori Tani, Ikue Habu, Daijiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11105702
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a device for detecting cylinder leaks in an individual cylinder of an internal combustion engine having the cylinder head disassembled and wherein the piston in the tested cylinder is positioned at the bottom dead center and wherein a dual gauge leak-down tester is coupled to the herein disclosed device. The device has an internal airtight channel that allows pressurized air to enter from a pressurized air source to the device via a dual gauge leak-down tester and a set of clamps that acting as a security system, allows the user to firmly secure the device on the engine block. Once the device is assembled and secured above the cylinder and pressurized air is allowed to enter the cylinder through the device, leaks in the cylinder or its internal components are detected by comparing the percentage of air pressure indicated by each one of the gauges of the tester in a conventional manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Inventor: José Antonio Rodríguez-Casiano
  • Patent number: 10900858
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an inner chamber including at least one combustion chamber and at least one exhaust gas outlet which is connected to a sealing element and which opens when the internal combustion engine is first started up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Tim Banschbach
  • Patent number: 10328926
    Abstract: A method for operating a hybrid vehicle, wherein the hybrid vehicle has an electric engine, an electric traction energy accumulator interacting with the electric engine, an internal combustion engine, and a fuel tank interacting with the internal combustion engine, includes starting from a purely electric driving mode in which the internal combustion engine is shut down and in which a shut-off valve of the fuel tank is closed, opening the shut-off valve of the fuel tank and starting up the internal combustion engine depending on defined operating conditions. The defined operating conditions include a current charging state of the traction energy accumulator and a current pressure in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Rauner, Thomas Beck, Francesco Piccolo
  • Patent number: 10234356
    Abstract: An evaporation leakage checking system includes a pump, a pump passage unit, a tank passage unit, a specified passage unit, an atmosphere passage unit, a flow-passage area changing unit, an atmosphere valve unit, a pressure sensing unit, and a control unit. The control unit includes a calculating unit that calculates a leakage threshold, based on a first pressure, a first area, an Nth pressure, an Nth area, and a reference area that is predetermined, and a leakage checking unit that activates the pump, closes the atmosphere passage unit by changing the flow-passage area of the atmosphere passage unit by using the atmosphere valve unit, and checks the existence of the evaporation leakage based on the leakage threshold and a checking pressure that is the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor in a case where a communication between the tank passage unit and the pump passage unit is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kaneko, Yasuo Kato
  • Patent number: 9739683
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for inspecting a canister for a vehicle, the device including: an inspection unit fixing a canister and inspecting airtightness of the canister using pressure of air supplied from an external supply source; a control unit controlling the pressure of the air and showing inspection process and result by the canister; and an alarm unit providing least any one of a voice and light warning in cooperation with the control unit in an inspection process when a defect of canister is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA FUEL-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyun Ki Kim, Hyun Shik Kim, Ju Young Oh, Byeong Un Choi, Jung Sun Lee, Jong Soo Lim
  • Patent number: 9512799
    Abstract: Dynamic health assessment systems and methods related to monitoring fuel flow control are provided. In one embodiment, a method for controlling a system having an engine is provided. The method includes during a no-load condition of the engine, stopping fuel injection by a plurality of fuel injectors of the engine, closing a valve that is operable to control fuel flow to a fuel pump that pumps fuel to a common fuel rail, and setting a degradation condition in response to a fuel rail pressure decay rate of a fuel pressure in the common fuel rail being greater than a decay threshold after a first designated duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Gerard Nistler, Harold Hostettler, Shawn Gallagher, Luke Henry
  • Patent number: 9506441
    Abstract: The present invention provides, with reference to FIG. 1, an internal combustion engine (10) having a fuel injector which comprises a sprung piston (55) or a resilient diaphragm piston (8155) and an electrical coil (57, 8158) for displacing the piston (55, 8155). The piston draws fuel into and expels fuel from a pumping chamber (52, 8152). The number of operations of the injector per engine cycle is controlled by an electronic controller (23, 8159) to control the quality of fuel delivered per cycle to a combustion chamber. A voltage measured in the coil (52, 8158) by movement of the piston under action of the spring or due to its own resilience is used to give an indication of vapor pressure of the fuel. A device akin to the injector can be used to draw fuel from a pipeline to measure the vapor pressure of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventor: Benjamin David Smither
  • Patent number: 9080923
    Abstract: Method for checking the leakproffness of safety valves. Method for testing the leadkproofness of two controllable valves (V1, V2), wherein the vales are arranged at opposite ends of a test volume (10). An inlet pressure pe is present upstream of the test volume, in front of valve V1, and an outlet pressure pa is present downstream of the test volume, behind the valve V2. A control device controls the valves to open and close, and the control device is coupled to at least two pressure switches (26, 27) which are both operatively connected to the test volume (10) in order to monitor the pressure. The first pressure switch is set to a first triggering threshold d1, wherein d1=pe/x, where x>3. The second pressure switch is set to a second triggering threshold d2, wherein d2=pe(1?1/x). A valve is controlled in order to open the valve for a period of time tL1 and then to close said valve. The process then waits for a measurement period tM1 and a first pressure switch is checked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Elster GmbH
    Inventors: Aloys Quatmann, Ulrich Engelmann, Oliver Borgmann
  • Patent number: 9051893
    Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a malfunction in an electronically regulated fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, by which effective limitation of the cause of the fault in a fuel injection system can take place. For example, it can be determined whether the cause of the fault lies in the low pressure system or in the high pressure system of the fuel injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Uwe Jung, Matthias Stampfer
  • Patent number: 8998170
    Abstract: A filler neck adapter to be inserted through the open fuel mouth of a capless filler neck of a fuel tank of a motor vehicle. The adapter has a hollow flow body to create a continuous flow path between a source of pressure or vacuum and the fuel tank to enable the fuel tank to be tested for leaks. A resilient seal surrounds the flow body of the adapter so as to lie between movable and stationary seal stops. A force-generating member is moved along the flow body to push the movable seal stop and the seal towards the stationary seal stop. Accordingly, the seal is compressed between the movable and stationary seal stops so as to bulge outwardly towards and thereby create an air-tight seal against the fuel mouth of the filler neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: STAR EnviroTech, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Michael McCollom
  • Patent number: 8991237
    Abstract: The method of the present invention comprises the steps of inserting, the plunger having in the side wall thereof a lower open end and an oil recycling hole in the side wall thereof and provided with a seal member, supplying pressurized air to the plunger through a port formed in the top end of the plunger, testing the internal air tightness of the sealed lash adjuster with the lower end of the plunger and with the oil recycling hole closed when the plunger is inserted in the body, opening the oil recycling hole and further inserting the plunger in the body if the seal member is verified to have satisfactory sealability; and testing the internal air tightness of the lash adjuster to test the sealability of the seal member with the seal member and with the oil recycling hole positioned not to reach the seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nittan Valve Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8950244
    Abstract: An evaporation system leak diagnostic apparatus that purges fuel vapor from a fuel tank into an intake system of an internal combustion engine via a canister, includes: a first closed system leak diagnostic unit that executes a leak diagnostic on a first closed system based on a tank internal pressure detected by a tank internal pressure detecting device while the first closed system is formed with a first closed system forming device; and a second closed system leak diagnostic unit that introduces pressure in the first closed system into a second closed system by forming a second closed system with a second closed system forming device, and executes a leak diagnostic on the second closed system based on the tank internal pressure detected by the tank internal pressure detecting device, after the leak diagnostic by the first closed system leak diagnostic unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusaku Nishimura, Yoshihide Ogawa, Kazuhiro Minamitani, Satoshi Kawai, Toshio Douke, Yoshinori Ogaki
  • Patent number: 8925372
    Abstract: Method of testing a gas injector valve for a combustion engine. The valve is placed in a holder (1) with a first chamber (2) and a second chamber (3), the valve spraying nozzle (11) being placed in the first chamber (2), after which the valve in a closed condition is influenced by a test gas under pressure to control whether the valve seat and the valve gaskets (13a, 13b) are leak proof. This method makes it possible to indicate the position of a leak if any.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: IOP Marine A/S
    Inventor: Kortsen Bent
  • Patent number: 8893542
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and determining fuel vapor recovery performance is disclosed. The dispensing of liquid fuel into a tank by a conventional gas pump nozzle naturally displaces a mixture of air and fuel ullage vapor in the tank. These displaced vapors may be recovered at the dispensing point nozzle by a vapor recovery system. A properly functioning vapor recovery system recovers approximately one unit volume of vapor for every unit volume of dispensed liquid fuel. The ratio of recovered vapor to dispensed fuel is termed the A/L ratio, which should ideally be approximately equal to one (1). The A/L ratio, and thus the proper functioning of the vapor recovery system, may be determined by measuring liquid fuel flow and return vapor flow (using a vapor flow sensor) on a nozzle-by-nozzle basis. The disclosed methods and apparatus provide for the determination of A/L ratios for individual nozzles using a reduced number of vapor flow sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Veeder-Root Company
    Inventor: Robert P. Hart
  • Patent number: 8871034
    Abstract: A master verification assembly includes a plurality of plunger devices. Each of the plunger devices includes a piston that is axially moveable between a raised position and a depressed position. When placed in a washing assembly, each of the plunger devices is aligned with a nozzle. The nozzles dispense a cleaning fluid under pressure. An axial force applied by the dispensed cleaning fluid depresses the pistons into the depressed position, whereupon the pistons disposed in the depressed position are axially secured in an indicator position. Upon removal of the master verification assembly from the washing assembly, depressed pistons in the indicator position indicate proper function of the nozzles, whereas pistons disposed in the raised position indicate improperly functioning nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Kenworthy
  • Patent number: 8850872
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a leak in a conduit line includes a housing in fluid communication with the line, a valve including a valve seat and a valve element movable relative to the seat between opened and closed positions, a bypass line around the valve, a flow detector coupled to the bypass line for detecting fluid flow therethrough, and a mechanism configured to urge the valve element toward the closed position and to maintain the valve element in the closed position until a threshold pressure drop is reached. The mechanism may operate on the principle of magnetism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: OPW Fuel Management Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian F. Jarvie
  • Patent number: 8850873
    Abstract: A first determiner determines whether a pressure in a fuel tank is within a predetermined range when an ignition switch of an engine is on. A second determiner determines whether a valve allows or prohibits a communication between the fuel tank and a switch valve, when the first determiner determines that the pressure in the fuel tank is within the predetermined range. A control unit controls a pressure controlling portion based on a determination result of the first determiner and a determination result of the second determiner. A leak determiner determines whether the fuel tank has a leak of evaporated fuel based on a signal output from a first detector detecting a pressure in a detection passage and a signal output from a second detector detecting a pressure in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Itoh, Mitsuyuki Kobayashi, Shinji Sugihara
  • Publication number: 20140290345
    Abstract: An apparatus and a system is provided that may be utilized to determine oil migration and oil displacement from a pre-oiled air filter. The present invention may also be utilized to determine if oil is displaced from the air filter onto a portion of the apparatus for visualization to a user. The present invention utilizes a demonstration apparatus having a system for forcing air through the oil subjected air filter thereby attempting to force displacement of the oil from the air filter. The apparatus utilizes a blowing means whereby the oil infused air filter is subject to higher than normal air flow and whereby the apparatus has a deflection portion whereby if oil is displaced from the air filter, it is deflected onto the deflection portion where it would be physically viewable to an observer present in the vicinity of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: K&N Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: John Reedy, Steve Rogers, Richard Dwyer
  • Patent number: 8783092
    Abstract: An apparatus and a system is provided that may be utilized to determine oil migration and oil displacement from a pre-oiled air filter. The present invention may also be utilized to determine if oil is displaced from the air filter onto a portion of the apparatus for visualization to a user. The present invention utilizes a demonstration apparatus having a system for forcing air through the oil subjected air filter thereby attempting to force displacement of the oil from the air filter. The apparatus utilizes a blowing means whereby the oil infused air filter is subject to higher than normal air flow and whereby the apparatus has a deflection portion whereby if oil is displaced from the air filter, it is deflected onto the deflection portion where it would be physically viewable to an observer present in the vicinity of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: K&N Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: John Reedy, Steve Rogers, Richard Dwyer
  • Patent number: 8770014
    Abstract: A control system and method for detecting a hydraulic system leak in an engine includes a pressure sensor that senses a first pressure reading of a hydraulic fluid supply at a first time and a second pressure reading of said hydraulic fluid supply at a second time. A comparison module calculates a pressure ratio based on the first and second pressure readings and signals a fault condition based on a relationship between the pressure ratio and a pressure threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Inventors: Mike M. McDonald, William C. Albertson
  • Patent number: 8760278
    Abstract: A tire information monitoring system includes a transmission device, a receiving device, and a monitoring section. The transmission device includes a sensor which detects tire information, a transmitter which wirelessly transmits the detected tire information and a housing. The housing includes a wall surrounding the sensor and the transmitter, an inner space divided from the tire cavity area by the wall, and an air vent passing through the housing and connecting the inner space and the tire cavity area. An outer opening portion of the air vent formed on a surface of the housing facing the tire cavity area has an opening area of 0.4 mm2 or smaller. An inner opening portion of the air vent formed on a surface of the housing facing the inner space has an opening area larger than that of the outer opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Kanenari, Yasuhiko Araki
  • Patent number: 8713994
    Abstract: A method for detecting leak from a fuel vapor treating apparatus defining a first area including a fuel tank and a second area including an adsorbent canister has hermetically closing the first area, measuring internal pressure of the first area, comparing an absolute value of differential pressure between the internal pressure of the first area and the atmospheric pressure with a predetermined value, measuring the internal pressure of the first area in a case that the absolute value is equal to or higher than the predetermined value in order to check for leaks from the first area based on changes in the internal pressure of the first area, fluidly communicating the first area with the second area in order to equilibrate internal pressures of the first area and the second area, hermetically closing the second area, and measuring the internal pressure of the second area in order to check for leaks from the second area based on changes in the internal pressure of the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Makino
  • Patent number: 8706343
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing models of technical devices, wherein each technical device comprises units that are connected to each other by means of connection point, wherein, when performing the method, at least one structure made of units connected to each other by means of connection points comprising commonalities for all technical devices is integrated and automatically described as at least one common module (8) for all models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Streib
  • Patent number: 8701477
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a turbocharger. In one example, a method includes determining a first pressure at a first location within a turbocharger and determining a second pressure at a second location within the turbocharger. The method further includes indicating degradation of the turbocharger based on the first pressure and the second pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew John Malone, Kendall Roger Swenson, Neil Blythe, Milan Karunaratne, Bret Dwayne Worden, Paul Lloyd Flynn
  • Patent number: 8701468
    Abstract: A method for determining the flow of an anode gas out of an anode sub-system. The method includes providing pressure measurements at predetermined sample times over a predetermined sample period and using the pressure measurements to calculate a slope of a line defining a change of the pressure from the beginning of the time period to the end of the time period. The slope of the pressure line is then used in a flow equation to determine the amount of gas that flows out of the anode sub-system, which can be through a valve or by system leaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel C. Di Fiore, Jan Biebrach
  • Patent number: 8695404
    Abstract: A refrigerant leak detection system is provided for a motor vehicle, in which the system includes a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) module having a refrigerant sensor assembly adapted to be fixed within the drain hole of the sump. The refrigerant sensor assembly includes an elongated sensor element extending into the sump, a flange portion having apertures that allows the condensate to drain from sump, a collar portion with self-tapping threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Prasad S. Kadle, Mahmoud Ghodbane
  • Patent number: 8689613
    Abstract: A vapor management system (10) includes a fuel tank (12), a canister (14), a pressure control valve (16) between the tank and canister and defining a high pressure side (34) and a low pressure side (32), a vacuum source (18), a purge valve (19) between the canister and vacuum source, a leak detection valve (20) connected with the canister and including a processor (30). A pressure sensor (24) and a temperature sensor (26) are disposed in a fuel vapor cavity of the fuel tank, with signals from the sensors being received by the processor. Based on an absolute temperature measured by the temperature sensor, the processor compares a predicted pressure in the fuel tank to the measured absolute pressure, and identifies a leak on the high pressure side if the predicted pressure is outside a tolerance range, while maintaining pressure in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Perry
  • Publication number: 20140074385
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing a vehicle-off fuel system leak test. A vehicle controller may be woken up after a vehicle has been in a key-off condition for a sufficient amount of time to monitor a fuel tank for pressure and temperature stabilization. If the pressure and temperature of the fuel tank is stable, a fuel pump may be operated to raise a fuel tank vapor pressure, and fuel system leaks are identified based on a rate of pressure decay from the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Robert Roy Jentz, Scott A. Bohr, Niels Christopher Kragh
  • Patent number: 8661876
    Abstract: A testing apparatus for a turbocharger is provided. The turbocharger includes a turbine and a compressor, and a non-contact seal positioned between an oil cavity and one of the turbine and the compressor. In one embodiment, the testing apparatus includes a regulatable air input configured to couple to an outlet of the oil cavity, the regulatable air input coupled to an air supply, and a flow restrictor with at least one pressure gauge coupled to the regulatable air input. The kit includes media embodying instructions that specify correlating an amount of flow to a degree, rate, or amount of leakage past the non-contact seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Matthew John Malone
  • Patent number: 8661875
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for detecting a leak in a gas precharged hydraulic accumulator having an initial gas charge entail activating a hydraulic pump to charge the gas precharged hydraulic accumulator and the hydraulic circuit associated with the gas precharged hydraulic accumulator when the hydraulic circuit and the hydraulic accumulator have a temperature that is substantially equivalent to an ambient temperature, e.g., on a cold start. The hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic circuit is monitored, and when a step in the hydraulic pressure is detected, various quantities are measured and used to determine a volumetric efficiency of the pump for use in later calculations of remaining gas amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Heng Zhou
  • Patent number: 8616047
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regulating a fuel tank venting valve of a motor vehicle during leak testing of a fuel tank venting system where the fuel tank venting valve is arranged in a recovery line that connects a retention vessel to catch fuel vapors from a fuel tank to an inlet manifold of an operating internal combustion engine, comprising sealing the tank venting system from the atmosphere outside the motor vehicle, opening the fuel tank venting valve to expose the fuel tank and the tank venting system to a relative negative pressure present in the inlet manifold of the operating internal combustion engine and regulating the degree of opening of the tank venting valve based upon the external pressure, pA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Grunwald, Wolfgang Ludwig, Matthias Wiese
  • Publication number: 20130239545
    Abstract: A rocket engine with a manifold is in communication with a combustion chamber. A sense line extends through the propellant manifold and into the combustion chamber. The sense line includes a venturi arranged downstream from the combustion chamber, and at least one aperture fluidly connecting the propellant manifold to a sense-line passageway downstream from the venturi. A method of sensing conditions in a combustion chamber includes exposing an end of a sense line to the combustion chamber, creating a low static pressure in the sense line at a location upstream from the end, introducing a fluid at the location to purge the sense line, and sensing the conditions downstream from the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventor: Jim A. Clark
  • Publication number: 20130192347
    Abstract: An apparatus and a system is provided that may be utilized to determine oil migration and oil displacement from a pre-oiled air filter. The present invention may also be utilized to determine if oil is displaced from the air filter onto a portion of the apparatus for visualization to a user. The present invention utilizes a demonstration apparatus having a system for forcing air through the oil subjected air filter thereby attempting to force displacement of the oil from the air filter. The apparatus utilizes a blowing means whereby the oil infused air filter is subject to higher than normal air flow and whereby the apparatus has a deflection portion whereby if oil is displaced from the air filter, it is deflected onto the deflection portion where it would be physically viewable to an observer present in the vicinity of the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: K&N Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: K&N Engineering, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8448665
    Abstract: An illustrative embodiment of a fuel overflow alarm system includes a fuel tank, a pressure-sensing tube provided in fluid communication with the fuel tank, a pressure sensor provided in fluid communication with the pressure-sensing tube, a microcontroller interfacing with the pressure sensor and a fuel gauge connected to the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Inventors: Perry R Anderson, Darla C. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8418525
    Abstract: A method for testing the operability of a tank shutoff valve of a fuel tank system which is controlled by valves includes performing defined triggering of the tank shutoff valve and simultaneous introduction of an overpressure or partial vacuum into the fuel tank system via a pressure source, and the operability of the tank shutoff valve is determined on the basis of a variable which characterizes the introduction of the overpressure or partial vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Silke Haag, Andreas Pape, Carsten Kluth, Uwe Nusser
  • Patent number: 8413487
    Abstract: A compressor pressure measuring device drives a compressor to operate for measuring its pressure. A positive pressure pipeline and a negative pressure pipeline are connected to the entry end and the exit end of the compressor, respectively. The positive pressure pipeline and the negative pressure pipeline are provided with an electromagnetic valve, respectively. A control module controls the operation of the compressor and the on/off of the electromagnetic valves in the positive pressure pipeline and the negative pressure pipeline. This automatically detects positive pressure and negative pressure of the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Heng Sheng Precision Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Hung Lo, Mau-Jia Chen, Chien-Hsing Yang
  • Patent number: 8402818
    Abstract: A method for assessing sealing of a housing of a servomotor. The method includes lowering the pressure inside the housing, from an initial pressure to a set pressure, by fluid suction through an opening in the housing, the opening being normally sealed by a plug. When the pressure inside the housing is equal to the set pressure, pressure variation inside the housing, for a predetermined time interval, is determined. The fluid suction prevents any fluid exchange with the housing in a direction opposite a fluid suction direction. The sealing of the housing of the servomotor is assessed based on the pressure variation determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Bernard Controls
    Inventors: Etienne Bernard, Gilles Aubert-Maguero
  • Patent number: 8397552
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a sealed fuel system and a controller. The fuel system includes a fuel tank, a fuel cap, a control orifice, and an absolute pressure sensor. The controller associates a threshold large leak in the fuel system with a fuel cap sealing error. The controller detects completion of a prior refueling event, compares measurements from the pressure sensor to a reference vacuum across the control orifice to determine the presence of the threshold large leak, and sets a diagnostic code corresponding to the large leak only upon completion of the prior refueling event. A method for detecting the large leak includes detecting completion of the refueling event, comparing vacuum measurements from the absolute pressure sensor to a reference vacuum across the orifice to determine the presence of the large leak, and setting a diagnostic code corresponding to the large leak only upon completion of the prior refueling event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jackson, William R. Cadman, John F. Van Gilder
  • Patent number: 8387441
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of fuel flow from a high pressure gas tank to the anode side of a fuel cell stack through pulsed injector. The anode sub-system pressure is measured just before the injector pulse and just after injector pulse and a difference between the pressures is determined. The difference between the pressures, the volume of the anode sub-system, the ideal gas constant, the anode sub-system temperature, the fuel consumed from the reaction in the fuel cell stack during the injection event and the fuel cross-over through membranes in the fuel cells of the fuel cell stack are used to determine the amount of hydrogen gas injected by the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Steven R. Falta, Steven G. Goebel, Daniel C. Di Fiore, Ralf Senner
  • Patent number: 8375770
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for leak detection through use of an adapter containing a chamber, an air pressurization port, and detection media instillation port. The apparatus is sealingly or relatively sealingly coupled to a turbo inlet air duct on an internal combustion engine under study, such that the apparatus chamber communicates with the engine's interior void. The apparatus permits pressurized air and detective media, such as smoke or fog, to be introduced through the chamber and into the void of an engine to determine the presence and location of engine system leaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Redline Detection, LLC
    Inventor: Stuart W. Lund
  • Publication number: 20130008234
    Abstract: Test apparatus (30) and method (70) for testing a turbocharger (20) having a turbine (20T) that operates a compressor (20C). A compressed air source (32) operates the turbine; and a device (42) creates back-pressure at an outlet (20CO) of the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: International Engine Intellectual Property Company LLC
    Inventor: Philip James Charles Vince
  • Patent number: 8347691
    Abstract: An apparatus for checking leakage from a fuel vapor processing apparatus includes an interrupting device capable of interrupting communication between a canister and a fuel tank when a pressure within the canister is negative and a pressure within the fuel tank is positive. A first pressure detecting device can detect the pressure within the canister or its equivalent. A second pressure detecting device can detect the pressure within the fuel tank or its equivalent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Makino, Junya Kimoto, Takashi Mani, Masaki Ikeya
  • Patent number: 8327689
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and determining fuel vapor recovery performance is disclosed. The dispensing of liquid fuel into a tank by a conventional gas pump nozzle naturally displaces a mixture of air and fuel ullage vapor in the tank. These displaced vapors may be recovered at the dispensing point nozzle by a vapor recovery system. A properly functioning vapor recovery system recovers approximately one unit volume of vapor for every unit volume of dispensed liquid fuel. The ratio of recovered vapor to dispensed fuel is termed the A/L ratio, which should ideally be approximately equal to one (1). The A/L ratio, and thus the proper functioning of the vapor recovery system, may be determined by measuring liquid fuel flow and return vapor flow (using a vapor flow sensor) on a nozzle-by-nozzle basis. The disclosed methods and apparatus provide for the determination of A/L ratios for individual nozzles using a reduced number of vapor flow sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Veeder-Root Company
    Inventor: Robert P. Hart
  • Patent number: 8327691
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for determining whether a leak is present in an evaporative emission control system 10 for on-board diagnostic purposes. The method comprises predicting for a leak of predetermined size the time period required for the vacuum to fall from a predicted starting vacuum to a predetermined level of vacuum at which the state of a switch changes, checking at the end of the time period the state of the switch and using the state of the switch as an indication of whether a leak greater than the predetermined size is present in the evaporative emission control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin J. Drane, Nick Wright
  • Patent number: 8316695
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a leak in a conduit line includes a housing in fluid communication with the line, a valve including a valve seat and a valve element movable relative to the seat between opened and closed positions, a bypass line around the valve, a flow detector coupled to the bypass line for detecting fluid flow therethrough, and a first mechanism configured to urge the valve element toward the closed position. The apparatus may further include a second mechanism separate from the first mechanism for maintaining the valve element in the closed position until a threshold pressure drop is reached. The first mechanism may operate on the principle of buoyancy and the second mechanism may operate on the principle of magnetism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian F. Jarvie
  • Publication number: 20120279282
    Abstract: A device for pressure testing an engine block may include a sealing device to mount on the engine block and to seal the engine block, a fastening device to fasten the sealing device to the engine block and a connecting rod to connect the sealing device to the fastening device. The sealing device may include a layer of adhesive on the bottom surface of the sealing device, and the sealing device includes a substantial cylinder. The sealing device may include a aperture, and the sealing device may include a threaded port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventor: Billy Williams
  • Patent number: 8205484
    Abstract: A leak testing apparatus 1 includes a heat sensitive member 70 having a body 71 made of a material having high thermal conductivity. The body 71 is abutted against an outer surface of a workpiece 10 to close an opening of an inner space 11 of the workpiece 10. A pressure chamber 73 is formed inside the body 71 as arranged along the outer surface and as arranged over an area wider than the opening. Pressurized gas is introduced to the pressure chamber 73. Data on pressure change in the inner space 11 of the workpiece 10 is compensated based on inner pressure information regarding the pressure chamber 73, and leak judgment is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Fukuda Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Sasaki