Patents Represented by Attorney Jack D. Nimz
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Patent number: 8161949Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation cooling system for an internal combustion engine that has an exhaust system is provided. The exhaust gas recirculation cooling system comprises a cooling fluid circuit, an exhaust gas recirculation cooler, a turbine, a condenser, and a compressor. The cooling fluid circuit has a quantity of fluid that circulates through the exhaust gas recirculation cooling system and receives heat from the exhaust gas recirculation cooling system. The exhaust gas recirculation cooler is disposed in fluid communication with the exhaust system to receive engine exhaust gas from the engine and to remove heat from the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas recirculation cooler additionally disposed in fluid communication with the cooling fluid circuit. The cooling fluid within the cooling fluid circuit receives heat within the exhaust gas recirculation cooler. The turbine is disposed in fluid communication with the cooling fluid circuit.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventor: Randall L. Johnson
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Patent number: 8122710Abstract: Dosing components (22, 24, 32) in an engine exhaust after-treatment system (18) that includes an SCR catalyst (20) are thermally managed by flowing engine coolant through a coolant passage in a urea injector (22) that injects aqueous urea into the after-treatment system, controlling a three-way valve (60) to selectively direct coolant flow leaving the urea injector to a first branch that is in heat exchange relationship with a tank (24) that holds a supply of aqueous urea and a supply pump module (32) that pumps aqueous urea from the tank to the urea injector, and a second branch that is not in heat exchange relationship with either the tank or the supply pump, and returning coolant from the branches to the engine cooling system.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2008Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Mark Schmale, Gregory A. Griffin
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Patent number: 8070416Abstract: A turbocharger (10) for an internal combustion engine includes a compressor (12) having an impellor (16) disposed in a compressor chamber (18). The compressor chamber (18) receives fluid flow. A flow regulation mechanism (30) is disposed in the compressor (12) and includes a diffuser cover (32) and a recirculation gate (36). The diffuser cover (32) is moveably disposed in a diffuser passage (34) from a first position permitting fluid flow through the diffuser passage to a second position at least partially impeding the fluid flow. The recirculation gate (36) is moveably disposed in the compressor chamber (18) from a first position closing a recirculation groove (48) to a second position opening the recirculation groove to fluid communication with the compressor chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Paul Gottemoller, Terry G. Wood
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Patent number: 8069828Abstract: A mechanism (40) for enabling an engine cylinder valve (18) to close at various times during engine cycles has a hydraulic actuator (58) and a control valve (60) controlling the hydraulic actuator a) to constrain a pivot axis of a valve rocker (52) against relocation while the cylinder valve is being forced increasingly open, and b) to release the constraint after the cylinder valve has been forced open for enabling the pivot axis to relocate so that the intake valve can close early thereby providing early IVC. A hydraulic snubber (64) snubs closing motion of the cylinder valve through a scheduling geometry to a hydraulic accumulator (62). The control valve opens to the accumulator to allow the rocker pivot axis to relocate and provide early IVC and closes to return the pivot axis to a location that doesn't provide early IVC.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: William de Ojeda, Daniel Cornelius
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Patent number: 8010276Abstract: A method for controlling intake manifold oxygen for an engine having a fresh air inlet and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit includes the steps of: establishing an ideal excess oxygen ratio for combustion in the engine; calculating a total mass flow of oxygen to be delivered to an intake manifold of the engine to maintain the ideal excess oxygen ratio; determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of EGR gas; and controlling a desired mass flow of fresh oxygen to be delivered to the intake manifold such that the sum of the desired mass flow of fresh oxygen and the mass flow of EGR oxygen is equal to the desired total mass flow of oxygen, by re-adjusting the EGR valve.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2009Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventor: Dale Oehlerking
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Patent number: 8006661Abstract: An internal combustion engine has one or more engine cylinders (12) within which fuel is combusted and a pair of cylinder valves (14, 16) spring-biased (22, 24) closed but open in unison to place the respective cylinder in flow communication with one of an intake and an exhaust. A bridge (34) bridges ends of the pair external to the cylinder and has a spherically concave depression (42) in a face that is opposite a face that bears against the ends of the pair. The depression is located intermediate locations at which the ends of the pair bear against the bridge. A pivot foot (44) has a spherically convex surface (46) seated with substantial conformity in the depression and a flat surface (48) opposite the spherically convex surface. The flat surface of the pivot foot abuts a flat surface (50) of a rocker (30) that when rocked acts through the pivot foot and bridge to open the respective pair of valves.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2009Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventor: Christofer J. Palumbo
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Patent number: 7999181Abstract: An overmolded harness configured to be received in a receiving structure of an engine includes a body having at least one surface, and at least one retainer configured for engagement with the receiving structure. The retainer protrudes from at least one surface. At least one indicator is overmolded with the body and marks the location of the retainer.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2007Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Inventor: Jeffrey L. Drye
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Patent number: 7975478Abstract: An internal combustion engine (100) includes an intake manifold (106) and at least one exhaust manifold (108). A first compressor (120) that is operably associated with a first turbine (128) has a first air inlet (126) and a first air outlet (118). The first air inlet (126) is adapted to admit air into the first compressor (120), and the first air outlet (118) is fluidly connected to the intake manifold (106). The first turbine (128) fluidly communicates with a tailpipe (138). A second compressor (124) is operably associated with a second turbine (160) and has a first tributary fluid inlet (152), a second tributary fluid inlet (154), and a second fluid outlet (122). The first tributary fluid inlet (152) is fluidly connected to the tailpipe (138) at a junction (147), the second tributary fluid inlet (154) is adapted to admit air into the second compressor (124), and the second fluid outlet (122) is fluidly connected to the intake manifold (106).Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2007Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Martin R. Zielke, Qianfan Xin
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Patent number: 7958633Abstract: A block casting for an internal combustion engine and method of its manufacture provide reduced engine block size and weight, and/or increased engine displacement, through cylinder-forming walls that decrease in thickness from minimal explosion-resistant thicknesses at their combustion chamber ends to reduced thicknesses at their other ends.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2004Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventor: Roger C. Kenitz
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Patent number: 7921877Abstract: A valve (200) for routing a fluid includes a housing (220) having an inlet (222) and at least one outlet port (224). A valve member (218) is located in the housing (220). The valve (218) member has a wall (232) enclosing a cavity (230). A plurality of inlet openings (234) is formed in the wall (232). At least one of the plurality of inlet openings (234) fluidly connects the inlet (222) of the housing (220) with the cavity (230), and the at least one outlet port (224) may be selectively fluidly connected to the cavity (230).Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2007Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventor: Anil Murgai
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Patent number: 7823557Abstract: A mixing and combustion process for a compression ignition engine (10) creates an in-cylinder compressed gas charge of air and recirculated exhaust that has a temperature high enough to initiate and sustain combustion of diesel fuel that is subsequently injected. A fuel injector (26) injects diesel fuel directly into the charge using an injection pressure that is sufficiently great to cause fuel to be injected through each of multiple orifices arranged in a geometric pattern in a nozzle (42) of the fuel injector at an initial velocity that is great enough to cause the injected fuel in moving through the compressed gas charge to creates fuel/charge mixtures throughout a substantial portion of the respective combustion chamber before the kinematics of combustion can become effective to combust more than at most a relatively small amount of the injected fuel.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2007Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Gary L. Hunter, Kresimir Gebert
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Patent number: 7810466Abstract: A compound bracket system (400) for an internal combustion engine (100) includes a first bracket (112) that is rigidly connected to a crankcase (102) of the internal combustion engine (100). The first bracket (112) forms at least one mounting pad (310) that is arranged to connect to and support a first engine component (114). A second bracket (120) is connected to the crankcase (102) through at least one additional engine component (110). The second bracket (120) forms a component cavity (208) that is arranged to accept and support a second engine component (118). The first bracket (112) forms an interconnection pad (314), and the second component forms a strut (216) having a mounting tab (218). The mounting tab (218) is advantageously connected to the interconnection tab (314) with a fastener (422), thus increasing the rigidity of the second bracket (120) as mounted on the engine (100).Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2007Date of Patent: October 12, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Erich R. Preimesberger, Donald M. Fenton, Trinadh Koppireddy, Jayakumar Krishnaswami, Martin Wu, Zeguang Tao, Lezza Mignery
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Patent number: 7789060Abstract: A gasket (122) includes a first plurality of cylinder openings (402) arranged to correspond, one each, to a corresponding first plurality of cylinder bores (106) formed in a crankcase (102) of an internal combustion engine (100). A second plurality of coolant openings (404) and a third plurality of oil openings (406) are formed in a substrate sheet of material that makes up the gasket (122). A fourth plurality of pushrod openings (408) is formed in the substrate material of the gasket (122). Each of the fourth plurality of pushrod openings (408) includes a pass through portion (302) that has a semicircular shape with an internal diameter, D, and an alignment portion (304) that has a semicircular shape with an internal diameter, d. The diameter d is smaller than the diameter D. The pass-through portion (304) is located adjacent to the alignment portion (302).Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2007Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Courtney T. Brown, Matthew J. Clarke, Wence Prikazsky
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Patent number: 7788923Abstract: An internal combustion engine (100) includes a first exhaust manifold (120), and a second exhaust manifold (118) fluidly connected to the first exhaust manifold (120) through an exhaust valve (122). An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler (124) constantly fluidly connects the second exhaust manifold (118) with an intake manifold (112). A turbocharger (102) has a turbine (126) in fluid communication with the first exhaust manifold (120), and a compressor (132) in fluid communication with a supercharger (140). A charge air cooler (150) fluidly connects the supercharger (140) with the intake manifold (112).Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2006Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventor: Robert L. Rowells
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Patent number: 7748218Abstract: A control system for operating vanes of a turbocharger turbine (16T) and for operating a turbine-shunting bypass valve (22) according to a strategy wherein a processor executes an algorithm for selectively unenabling the control system to operate the bypass valve when the control system is operating the vanes to adjust exhaust back-pressure on the engine within a range of effectiveness for the vanes to control the exhaust back-pressure and enabling the control system to operate the bypass valve when the control system has operated the mechanism to a limit of the range of effectiveness.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Michael J. McNulty, Christopher R. Ciesla
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Patent number: 7742867Abstract: A compression ignition engine (20) has a control system (26) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (22), and fuel injectors (24) for injecting fuel into the chambers (22). The control system (26) controls fueling using a result of the processing of certain data, such as engine speed and engine load, to select one of three fueling modes (HCCI, HCCI+CD, CD) for operating the engine (20). When the result of the processing selects the HCCI mode, the engine (20) is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion in all combustion chambers (22). When the result of the processing selects the HCCI+CD mode, the engine (20) is fueled to cause HCCI combustion in some chambers (22) and CD (conventional diesel) combustion in the remaining chambers (22). When the result of the processing selects the CD mode, the engine (22) is fueled to cause CD combustion in all chambers (22).Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2005Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Zhengbal Liu, Puning Wei
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Patent number: 7740008Abstract: A mixer assembly (204, 603) for mixing intake air from an intake system (124) with exhaust gas from an exhaust gas recirculation system (134) to yield a mixture stream includes an intake air conduit (202, 700) having an inlet (206, 706) fluidly connected to the intake system. The mixer assembly (204, 603) also includes a mixer (200, 600) having an inlet (208, 702) fluidly connected to the exhaust gas recirculation system (134). The mixer (200, 600) is at least partially disposed in the intake air conduit (202, 700) and includes an outer pipe (203, 604) and a dividing portion (217, 602) disposed within the outer pipe. The dividing portion (217, 602) divides a first passage (216, 612) from at least one second passage (218, 608), the first passage having an outlet (216?, 612?) that is at a first height, and the second passage having an outlet (218?, 608?) that is at a second height.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2007Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: James W. Brogdon, Iain V. Ridley, Scott A. Beatty
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Patent number: 7702449Abstract: A first fuel value (FL_Signal) indicative of the quantity of fuel presently in a fuel tank (34) and a second fuel value (FL_LOW_THLD) representing a quantity of fuel in the tank at which a maximum Injection Control Pressure (ICP) limit should be changed are processed by a processor (22). When the result of the processing discloses that the second fuel value is less than the first fuel value, the maximum ICP limit is reduced from a greater value (ICPC_NORMAL_LMX) to a lesser value (ICPC_FL_LMX).Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2008Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Rogelio Rodriguez, Michael Beyene
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Patent number: 7698894Abstract: A compressor assembly (304) includes a compressor housing (312) having a main air inlet (324) and an annular wall (328) defining an inducer bore (325). A secondary inlet passage (322) is disposed around the inducer bore (325). The secondary inlet passage (322) has an inlet slot (320) operatively intersecting the inducer bore (325) to permit the entry of a fluid thereinto through an inlet port (327). The inlet slot (320) advantageously defines an augmented inducer diameter region (331). Preferably the secondary inlet passage (322) may be selectively partially or completely isolated from the main air inlet (324). A compressor wheel (318) is located in the compressor housing (312) and has a stepped portion (330) formed by at least one plurality of vanes (238) operatively associated with the augmented inducer diameter region (331) adjacent to the inlet slot (320) of the housing (312) to receive fluid therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2006Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventors: Terry G. Wood, Elias P. Soupos
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Patent number: 7698888Abstract: An algorithm (26) in an engine control system (14) develops data indicative of pressure across a DPF (20) as a function of time and data indicative of flow rate through the DPF as a function of time, calculates derivatives (32, 30) (38, 36) with respect to time of the data, processes the derivatives (44, 42, 50, 48, 56, 54, 58) to confirm validity of a calculation of particulate loading of the DPF (load_pf) when a result of processing the derivatives discloses the absence of transient conditions in the DPF that would prevent the calculation from being valid and to not confirm validity of a calculation of particulate loading of the DPF when a result of processing the derivatives discloses the presence of transient conditions in the DPF that would prevent the calculation from being valid.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2007Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLCInventor: Sean C. Wyatt