Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tuttle
  • Patent number: 8091530
    Abstract: A method for controlling a mechanical solenoid valve of a high-pressure fuel pump to supply fuel to an engine is provided. In one example, current supplied to the mechanical solenoid valve is adjusted according to a pressure downstream of the fuel pump. The method can reduce current used to operate the mechanical solenoid valve as well as pump noise, at least during some conditions includes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Daniel Dusa, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Joseph Norman Ulrey
  • Patent number: 8091359
    Abstract: Various systems and method for heating an engine in a vehicle are described. In one example, intake air flowing in a first direction may be heated via a gas-to-gas heat exchange with exhaust gases. The heated intake air may then be used in a subsequent gas-to-liquid heat exchange to heat a fluid circulating through the engine. In another example, intake air flowing in a second direction may be heated via a heat exchange with exhaust gases in order to cool an exhaust catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Thomas G. Leone
  • Patent number: 8091938
    Abstract: A pneumatic linear gripper, including a gripper body (11) with a chamber (15), a piston (12) moving alternately in the chamber (15) and a pair of jaws (13) sliding associated and movable in opposite directions with piston via a translation device (20). The gripper body (11) is formed of two elements (14), or semi-shells, joined face to face to define at the same time the chamber (15) for the piston (12) and the sliding guides (16) for the jaws (13). The piston (12) is composed of a first component (21), made of a plastic material, bearing seals and a second component (22), made of metal, associated with the first and united, in particular integral, with the translation device (20) of the jaws in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Gimatic S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Maffeis
  • Patent number: 8091239
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing a bearing ring (1) for large-size rolling bearings including at least one track (3) that is provided with a hardened peripheral layer. With the method the peripheral layer that is to be hardened is exposed to the electric field of an inductor in order to be heated and is then quenched. At least two inductors (2) are disposed above a common zone (a) of the annular track (3) that is to be hardened at the beginning of the hardening process. These inductors (2) heat the opposite peripheral layer to a hardening temperature at this location. The inductors (2) are moved in the opposite direction along the annular track in order to heat the adjacent central zones (b). Sprinklers (5) that are directed onto the heated peripheral layers are turned on following a short distance, and the peripheral layers are quenched starting from the center of the zone (a) that was heated at the beginning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignees: Rothe Erde GmbH, EFD Induction GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Rollmann, Wilfried Spintig, Bernd Stakemeier, Kristian Berggren
  • Patent number: 8087490
    Abstract: An all terrain vehicle includes a steering shaft to which a handle is coupled, a coupling device configured to rotatably couple the steering shaft to a vehicle body frame, and a power steering device which is mounted to the vehicle body frame, the power steering device including an input shaft to which the steering shaft is coupled, wherein the coupling device includes plural members provided with bolt holes and a bolt inserted into the bolt holes in a state where the plural members are joined to each other; and wherein at least one of the plural members has an elongate hole as the bolt hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuma Nozaki, Itsuo Takegami
  • Patent number: 8087246
    Abstract: A temperature fluctuation suppressing device for a heating medium is provided which is capable of sufficiently suppressing temperature fluctuations of the heating medium at the time of supplying collected solar heat for steam generation. The temperature fluctuation suppressing device includes a heating medium mixer provided on a heating medium supply passage configured to supply a liquid heating medium to a heat exchanging device, the heating medium mixer including: a heating medium passage forming member having plural heating medium passages; an inlet member and an outlet member provided separately from the inlet member, whereby the heating medium continuously flowing into the heating medium passage forming member through the inlet member passes through the plural heating medium passages with time-lags to form respective streams, which are then joined together before flowing out through the outlet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Ota
  • Patent number: 8090521
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating an engine including a first and a second bank of cylinders. One example method comprises, adjusting engine injection timing based on a first temperature of a first intake of the first bank and a second temperature of a second intake of the second bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ryan John Goes, Shawn Gallagher, Eric Dillen, Rajani Boddu
  • Patent number: 8087397
    Abstract: An engine with a two vacuum sources is disclosed. In one example, a valve position is adjusted in when engine load is low and intake manifold pressure is low to arbitrate vacuum between the two vacuum sources. The approach may increase engine operating efficiency during at least some conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Amey Y. Karnik
  • Patent number: 8089636
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to apply a phase shift method to a workpiece having a rough surface to accurately detect an abnormal concave-convex irregularity. Therefore, in an inspecting system of the present invention, an image of a stripe pattern reflected on an inspection target surface is detected at a shallow angle, and one or more continuous unit stripes of a unit stripes reflected image is specified among the stripe pattern reflected images existing in a predetermined distance range counted from the edge in a closer side to the workpiece. Then, the phase of the specified unit stripes reflected image is varied to apply a phase shift method and scan the inspection target surface with the unit stripes reflected image to thereby detect the abnormal concave-convex irregularity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: KDE Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Miyake
  • Patent number: 8083941
    Abstract: An improved construction of filtration media of a wedge filter provides a performance on both surface and inner filtration mechanisms with offering many times recycled use by washable functions. Particularly a wedge filter plate is used to construct a hollow cylindrical type media of wedge filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Inventor: Huan-Jun Chien
  • Patent number: 8079211
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for injecting liquid reductant into an engine exhaust. An example system includes a gas deflector positioned upstream of an injector where the gas deflector is configured to create a high pressure zone upstream of the deflector and a low pressure zone downstream of the deflector surrounding the injector outlet. A bypass flow passage diverts exhaust flow from the high pressure zone upstream of the deflector to allow the bypassed portion of exhaust to flow into the exhaust gas stream to form a gas shield for a liquid reductant spray from the injector. In this way, it is possible to reduce deposit formation and accumulation in the exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Levin, Jeremy Keller, Furqan Zafar Shaikh
  • Patent number: 8082507
    Abstract: The scaling of a user interface according to network or device limitations is disclosed. One embodiment provides a method of scaling a user interface, comprising sending a user interface over a network to a networked device, detecting a performance limitation of the user interface in at least one of the network or the networked device, and scaling a parameter of the user interface in response to the detected limitation to improve the performance of the user interface. In this manner, a user interface may be scaled in response to limitations on performance and end-user experience can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ashley C Speicher, Todd Bowra, Nicholas J Fang, Sudhakar V Prabhu
  • Patent number: 8079351
    Abstract: A system for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is disclosed. In one example, characteristics of an oxygen sensor are a basis for determining degradation of a temperature sensor. In this way, the system can provide redundant exhaust gas temperature sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Shane Elwart, Michael Igor Kluzner, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 8081377
    Abstract: The wide angle lens system described herein allows projection devices (e.g., rear projection display devices) to be more compact than would otherwise be possible. The lens system includes a wide angle lens stage and a relay lens stage. When operating as a projection device, the relay lens stage projects a distorted intermediate image to the wide angle lens stage, which projects the image for display. The distortion cause by the relay lens stage compensates (i.e., is approximately equal and opposite) for the distortion caused by the wide angle stage. The distortion can be the image shape and/or the focal plane. When operating as a taking device, the wide angle stage provides a distorted image to the relay lens stage, which compensates for the distortion and provide a less distorted, or even non-distorted image, for capture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: InFocus Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey Alan Gohman
  • Patent number: 8079279
    Abstract: A modular support (7) with holes (10) for attachment screws is equipped with a through seat (7A) with axial stop (7B) for a nut (9) capable of being received and engaged in said through seat; the modular support (7) can be utilized simply by preparing—on the load bearing structure—the threaded holes for the screws and a trace for a transverse spline, partly received in another trace (16) in the support (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Bimeccanica S.R.L.
    Inventor: Natale Brechelente
  • Patent number: 8076604
    Abstract: A plurality linkages, preferably a robot holding either a spot welder with welding guns or the workpiece. The plurality of linkages move a spot welder with open tongs toward a first spot weld position. The welding guns are then closed on the workpiece and welding is performed at the first spot weld position. While the welding is being performed, parts of the plurality of linkages are advanced toward a second weld position while the welding guns remained closed at the first spot weld position. When the welding at the first position is finished, parts of the linkages are already advanced towards the second position, and the remaining linkages are then advanced to the second position. This allows the linkages or robot to move faster from one spot weld position to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: KUKA Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Rippl
  • Patent number: 8078386
    Abstract: A method of controlling fuel supplied to an engine is provided. In one example, a cylinder includes port and direct fuel injection. The method includes supplying a second fuel type from a second tank to the direct injector and supplying a first fuel type from a first tank to the port injector; and responsive to mis-fueling, supplying the first fuel type from the first tank to the direct injector. In response to receiving an indication of a mis-fuel, the direct fuel injector may be supplied with the second type of fuel from the second fuel storage tank. By supplying at least some fuel to the direct injector from a different source, fuel may be supplied to the DI fuel injector at various conditions to cool the DI fuel injector. In this way, overheating of the DI fuel injector may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Albert Stein, Kevin Durand Byrd
  • Patent number: 8074629
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine is provided. The engine includes operating a cylinder with net exhaust flow from the exhaust manifold, through the cylinder, to the intake manifold. Concurrently, another cylinder may operate to carry out combustion with net flow from the intake to the exhaust. In this way, exhaust in the intake manifold may be adjusted by varying valve operation of the first cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Vincent J. Winstead
  • Patent number: 8075442
    Abstract: Various power transmission and generation systems and assemblies are provided for a wind turbine. In one embodiment, a power generation system is provided including a transmission having an input axially aligned with an output, the input configured to receive rotary motion generated by a wind driven rotor head, the input located downwind of the output, an electromagnetic apparatus having an input configured to be coupled to the transmission output, and a bearing configured to radially support both the transmission output and the electromagnetic apparatus input. In this way, a common bearing may support both the transmission and electromagnetic apparatus, allowing for a more compact and efficient design while retaining service and repair capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Ciszak, Timothy Kuzma
  • Patent number: 8074627
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing leak testing on fuel system components in hybrid vehicles during engine-off operating conditions are disclosed. For example, a fuel tank may include a pressure accumulator which may be filled with fuel via a fuel pump in order to generate a vacuum which may be used to diagnose leaks in the fuel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Shahid Ahmed Siddiqui