Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tuttle
  • Method of controlling variable valve timing system, controller, and motorcycle including controller
    Patent number: 7685981
    Abstract: A method of controlling a variable valve timing system comprising calculating, by a sliding mode control, a first control amount based on a deviation between a target value and an actually measured value of the position of the displacing member of the variable valve timing system, calculating a second control amount by integrating the deviation as an input when the deviation falls within a predetermined numeric value range containing a zero value, or by integrating the zero value as the input when the deviation falls outside the predetermined numeric value range; and adding the first control amount and the second control amount to set a compensation control amount for compensating the position of the displacing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohide Matsushima, Yoji Fukami, Takeshi Ikeda, Kozo Suzuki
  • Coupling device for split in-line engine
    Patent number: 7685988
    Abstract: A coupling device for a split, in-line engine is provided. The coupling device may be configured to connect a first section of a crank shaft to a second section of the crank shaft of the engine. Further, the coupling device may be positioned at at least one main bearing of the crank shaft. Further still, the coupling device may be encircled by the at least one main bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Goran Almkvist, Borje Grandin
  • Method for improving operation of an electrically operable mechanical valve
    Patent number: 7681539
    Abstract: A method to improve the performance of an electrically operable mechanical valve actuator is described. The system is capable of providing heat to targeted areas of an actuator so that valve performance may be improved during at least some operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Wineland, Craig Stephan, Jim McCarthy, Clay Maranville, Larry Elie, Allan Gale
  • Fuel delivery system for multi-fuel engine
    Patent number: 7681561
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine and a method of operating the fuel delivery system are provided. An example embodiment of the method includes: transferring at least some fuel from a first fuel storage region to a second fuel storage region via a pump during a first condition; draining at least some fuel from the second fuel storage region to the first storage fuel region via gravity during a second condition; and delivering fuel from the first fuel storage region to a first fuel injector of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine; and delivering fuel from the second fuel storage region to a second fuel injector of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: James Hilditch
  • Device for storing and/or transporting plate-shaped substrates in the manufacture of electronic components
    Patent number: 7682455
    Abstract: To make possible a tightly packed, essentially horizontal storage of wafers (40), in which a simplified access to each of these wafers (40) is possible, a device is provided having a plurality of superimposed storage elements (10). The storage elements (10) have device features (16) for depositing the wafers (40). The storage elements (10) have projections (14) for lifting, whereby a specific storage element (10a) as well as all storage elements (10) arranged above this specific storage element (10a) can be lifted by a predetermined first height for producing a contact gap. The projections (14) can also be used to lift the storage element (10b) arranged below the said storage element (10a) by a predetermined second height for producing a freedom of access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Tec-Sem AG
    Inventors: Jakob Blattner, Rudy Federici
  • System and method to control fuel vaporization
    Patent number: 7681558
    Abstract: A method for improving fuel heating is presented. The method can reduce system complexity and cost when fuel is heated within a fuel injector. In one embodiment, the method independently heats and injects fuel by changing the direction of current flow through a fuel circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan Roy Gale, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Larry Dean Elie, Paul Raymund Nicastri, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Compressed air respirator
    Patent number: 7681573
    Abstract: A compressed air respirator with prolonged operating time due to rebreathing. The compressed air reservoir includes a compressed air reserve with a connected demand air supply valve, a reversible breathing gas reservoir (4) with a registering device (5) detecting the filling level of the breathing gas reservoir (4), and with an inspiration and expiration line (7, 8) for the user of the apparatus. A valve (6) is connected with the inspiration and expiration line (7, 8) and, on the inlet side, with the compressed air reserve (1) with a demand air supply valve (2) and with the breathing gas reservoir (4) and, on the outlet side, with the ambient air (11) and with the breathing gas reservoir (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Hans Matthiessen, Kai Kück
  • Approach for reducing injector fouling and thermal degradation for a multi-injector engine system
    Patent number: 7681554
    Abstract: As one embodiment, a method of operating an engine of a vehicle is provided wherein the engine has a variable engine output. The method comprises during a first engine output, delivering a first fuel to at least a cylinder of the engine via a first injector and directly injecting a second fuel directly into said cylinder via a second injector; and during a second engine output lower than said first engine output, delivering said first fuel to said at least a cylinder of the engine via said first injector and directly injecting at least a purging substance via said second injector based on an idle period since a previous injection by said second injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Stein, Leslie Bromberg, Paul N. Blumberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood
  • Leisure vehicle
    Patent number: 7680564
    Abstract: A leisure vehicle including a plurality of communication devices built into a vehicle body of the leisure vehicle; and a multiplex communication line through which the plurality of communication devices are coupled to each other. The communication devices are configured to perform multiplexed data communication through the multiplex communication line. The multiplex communication line is positioned a distance apart from a noise source mounted in the vehicle body so as not to be subjected to a noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Kawamura, Satoru Watabe
  • Value medium processing device
    Patent number: 7677381
    Abstract: A small-sized value medium processing device discriminates the genuine/false status of coins, and reads or write processes an electric information recording medium. The value medium processing device allows a coin slotted into a slot to roll along a coin path for discriminating the coin genuine/false status wherein the coin in the coin path can be cancelled by a canceling device. Slots for a coin and for an electric value recording medium are at least partly common with each other. A detecting device for the electric value recording medium is provided in the electric value medium slot. A deactivating device deactivates the canceling device based on detection by the detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Sieko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Yoshinobu Tanaka
  • Four-wheeled utility vehicle
    Patent number: 7677343
    Abstract: A four-wheeled utility vehicle including an engine unit mounted in the utility vehicle; and a vehicle body frame including a frame member that is disposed in the vicinity of the engine unit and is partially movable relative to the engine unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruo Kitai, Toru Minami, Hiroyuki Fujimoto
  • Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles such as socks or the like to perform sewing of the toe
    Patent number: 7677188
    Abstract: The device comprises a loading member (3) onto which the tubular knitted article (M) is loaded, and a pick-up member to engage the open toe of the article. The pick-up member has a plurality of elements (13) to engage the toe of the article, arranged about the axis of the loading member, which can take a circular or polygonal configuration and a substantially rectilinear flattened configuration to pick up the article from the loading member and insert it in a guide or in a guillotine (61) of a sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Golden Lady Company S.p.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Magni, Nerino Grassi
  • Leisure vehicle
    Patent number: 7673611
    Abstract: A leisure vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine as a power unit to drive the leisure vehicle, including a drive wheel, a slip sensor unit configured to detect a slip of the drive wheel, a throttle device mounted to the internal combustion engine, a throttle valve position changing device configured to change a position of a throttle valve of the throttle device, a throttle close operation sensor unit configured to detect that a rider has performed a throttle close operation to close a throttle of the throttle device, and a controller configured to control an operation of the throttle valve position changing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Hybrid vehicle propulsion system utilizing knock suppression
    Patent number: 7676321
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Engine starting for engine having adjustable valve operation
    Patent number: 7673608
    Abstract: A method for controlling an engine including at least a first cylinder having a first piston and a second cylinder having a second piston, at least one of said first and second cylinders having at least an adjustable valve, the method comprising before engine rotation: closing electrically actuated valves in at least the first and the second cylinder; fueling at least said first cylinder with a first fuel amount based on a position of the first piston and said second cylinder with a second fuel amount based on a position of the second piston; performing a first spark in at least one of said first cylinder and said second cylinder; and applying a starter motor to assist engine starting rotation; after engine rotation, firing each cylinder of the engine in a sequential firing order without changing a number of strokes in any cylinder of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, John D. Russell
  • Engine control including knock compensation
    Patent number: 7673616
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described, including one example method of controlling an engine having a cylinder with at least one valve operated by a variable valve mechanism (VVM) having a sensor coupled to the valve, the method comprising: adjusting at least one operating parameter in response to an indication of detonation of a combustible mixture in the cylinder, the indication based on the sensor coupled to the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ilya Vladimir Kolmanovsky, Steven Joseph Szwabowski, John Ottavio Michelini
  • Foldable clipboard
    Patent number: D611544
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Inventor: Ginevra Liptan
  • D ring loop cap for stainless steel bottle
    Patent number: D612235
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Inventors: Jeff Cresswell, Donald G Carlson, Chris Kalberer
  • Stainless steel container with cap
    Patent number: D612240
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Inventors: Jeff Cresswell, Donald G Carlson, Chris Kalberer
  • Table
    Patent number: D612638
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: STEAB S.p.A.
    Inventor: Belisario Pini