Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Tuttle
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Patent number: 7461621Abstract: There is provided a method of starting a spark ignition engine having multiple cylinders. The method comprises supplying air and fuel for restart into a first cylinder before the engine completely stops, and igniting the mixture of the air and the fuel in the first cylinder in response to an engine start request. In accordance with the method, by supplying air and fuel into the first cylinder before the engine completely stops, the mixture of air and fuel in the first cylinder may be homogeneous at the time of the engine start request. Also, there may be less mixture turbulence and combustion may propagate better within the cylinder. These conditions may reduce the rate of combustion in the first cylinder after a start request is initiated. The slower combustion rate may decrease temperature of the combusted gas while the cylinder wall temperature is relatively low because the engine has stopped.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2006Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Noriyuki Ota, Masahiko Fujimoto, Yasushi Murakami, Keiji Araki, Kazuya Yokota
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Patent number: 7461641Abstract: An EGR cooling system is provided. The EGR cooling system comprising a plurality of EGR coolers configured to cool the EGR to a plurality of successively lower temperatures, where at least one of the plurality of EGR coolers includes a finned EGR cooler that comprises a plurality of channels for dissipating heat in the EGR, the plurality of channels increasing heat transfer surface area while having sufficient fin spacing to avoid clogging. The EGR cooling system may further comprise a catalyst configured to remove particle matters and/or hydrocarbons from the EGR, the catalyst positioned upstream of at least one of the plurality of EGR coolers.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2007Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Daniel Joseph Styles, John William Hoard, Julia Giuliano, Robert Hornblower Meyer
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Patent number: 7458345Abstract: A system and method for controlling electromechanical valves operating in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve timing can be adjusted in a number of ways. The method can also compensate for changes in the natural response of the valve apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2005Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Vince Winstead, Donald J. Lewis
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Patent number: 7458887Abstract: A remaining coin amount detecting apparatus is provided for a coin hopper, disposed on a lower portion of a cylindrical storing bowl. The coin hopper dispenses coins one by one using a rotary disk fixed on a rotary shaft rotated by a driving apparatus. At least a part of a surface of the rotary disk includes a conductor, and the conductor is electrically connected to a detecting terminal disposed inside the storing bowl.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2007Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Asahi Seiko Company Ltd.Inventor: Motoharu Kurosawa
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Patent number: 7458346Abstract: A method for controlling a variable event valvetrain during engine stop conditions is described. According to the method engine valves may be controlled to so that subsequent engine starting may be facilitated and so that energy consumption may be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2006Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Alex Gibson
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Patent number: 7458915Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 31, 2006Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
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Patent number: 7458869Abstract: A personal watercraft having an air-water separating structure to communicate the outside of a body of the watercraft with an interior of an engine room, which allows the layout of the interior of an engine room to be designed flexibly, including a body 1 including a hull 2 and a deck 3 covering the hull 2 from above, a water jet pump P configured to eject rearward water sucked from a water intake 17 provided on a bottom surface of the hull 2, an engine room 8 that is formed at a front portion of the body 1 and is configured to accommodate an engine E for driving the water jet pump P, and an engine hood 16 covering a deck opening formed on a region of the deck that is located above the engine room 8, wherein the engine hood 16 is equipped with an air-water separating structure 33 having upper air passages 27 and 28 through which a front space formed in a front portion in the engine hood 16 and outside of the body communicate with each other and a lower air passage 29 through which the front space in the enginType: GrantFiled: September 5, 2006Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshinori Tsumiyama, Takahide Komoriya
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Patent number: 7458865Abstract: A power damping mechanism for an input shaft of an auxiliary machine of an engine that is configured to be driven by the engine via a power transmission mechanism is provided. The power damping mechanism comprises a retainer plate that is fastened to the input shaft of the auxiliary machine and is rotatable with the input shaft, the retainer plate having a plurality of tubular retainer portions arranged to be equally spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction; a damping member having a damping portion that is fitted to each of the retainer portions and is made of an elastic material, and a fastening portion by which the damping portion is fastened to the power transmission mechanism. The input shaft of the auxiliary machine is coupled to the power transmission mechanism via the damping member and is configured to operate in association with the power transmission mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2006Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Toshio Araki
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Patent number: 7455579Abstract: A coin storing apparatus with overflow chute apparatus is supplied with coins from a slot-shaped replenishing port to a coin storing portion and stores the coins in piles in the coin storing portion. The coins overflow via a downward overflow chute having a width equal to or larger than a diameter of a coin, when an amount of the coins in the coin storing portion reaches a predetermined amount. A downward slope wider than the diameter of the coin is disposed below the replenishing port. A guide rail is continuous with the downward slope and has a predetermined width narrower than a radius of the coin. A downward overflow chute extends at a predetermined angle to the guide rail and has a width equal to or larger than the diameter of the coin and is provided below the guide rail. The guide rail is disposed on the downward slope adjacent to a downstream side of the overflow chute.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2007Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: Asahi Seiko Company Ltd.Inventor: Toru Takeuchi
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Patent number: 7452017Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatically controlled finger gripper that has a supporting body (111) forming a chamber. A fixed axial rod (119) is secured to a proximal part of the body, extending in the chamber and emerging from a distal part of the body. A compression disk (113) is connected to the fixed rod. A pneumatic control piston (112) is guided along the axial rod and moves in the chamber (115) with respect to the compression disk (113) between an inactive position, at a distance from the compression disk, and a forward active position, near the compression disk. A flexible gripper element (114) is mounted between the compression disk (113) and control piston (112). The flexible gripper element moves between a contracted position and an expanded position in response to the movements ofthe control piston between the inactive and active positions of the compression disk.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2007Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: Gimatic S.p.AInventor: Giuseppe Maffeis
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Patent number: 7452155Abstract: A ball and socket joint for a motor vehicle, especially for the chassis of the motor vehicle, has a ball and socket joint housing (1), which has a joint opening and in which a bearing shell (5) made of an insulating material is arranged. A ball pivot (4), which is made of an electrically conductive material, has a joint ball (2) and a pivot (3), and which is mounted with its joint ball (2) rotatably and pivotably in the bearing shell (5) and projects from the ball and socket joint housing with its pivot (3) through the opening of the joint. An electrode (14) is arranged in the wall of the bearing shell (5) at a distance (?) from the joint ball (2), and the electrode (14) and the joint ball (2) are electrically insulated against each other via the bearing shell (5). Furthermore, between the joint ball (2) and the ball and socket joint housing (1), the wall has at least two layers (12, 13) arranged one after another, between which the electrode (14) is arranged.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2005Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AGInventor: Hans-Gerd Brunneke
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Patent number: 7452361Abstract: A system is provided with a screwdriver and a bone screw (30), wherein the screwdriver has a tool (4), which is provided with at least two radially and axially extending tool blades (5, 6, 7, 8), which can be caused to engage groove-like blade slots (36, 38) of the bone screw (30) in a positive-locking manner. To improve the handling of a bone screw (30) even in case of the smallest possible dimensions, provisions are made according to the present invention for the tool blades (5, 6, 7, 8) to form at least one elastic clamping section (20, 21, 22, 23), with which the tool (4) can be caused to clampingly engage the bone screw (30) in the area of the blade slots (36, 38).Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2005Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: Richard Martin Medizintechnik GmbHInventor: Winfried Kreidler
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Patent number: 7448359Abstract: A method of operating an engine having at least one cylinder, the method comprising of directing a first air stream to an intake valve of the cylinder; directing a second, separate air stream to a second intake valve of the cylinder, said second air stream at a higher temperature than said first air stream; operating said first intake valve and adjusting at least one of an opening timing and a closing timing of said first intake valve to adjust engine output; and intermittently operating said second intake valve to maintain said higher temperature of said second air stream.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Mrdjan Jankovic
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Patent number: 7448983Abstract: A method for controlling an engine of a vehicle operated by a driver may comprise detecting actuation of a braking device of the vehicle by the driver; calculating a parameter indicative of an actual amount of braking effort by said driver based on vehicle conditions; and adjusting an engine operating parameter based on said parameter. The method can adjust a number of cylinders carrying out combustion, fuel cut operation, a level of powertrain output torque (positive, and/or negative), and/or other engine parameters.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2005Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Ford GLobal Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeff Doering, David Bidner, Shane Elwart, Gopichandra Surnilla, Yonghua Li
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Patent number: 7448361Abstract: A method is described for operating a fuel system during start up, the system utilizing gasoline direct injection for an internal combustion engine including a first pump and second pump, an electromechanical valve, and a check valve fluidly coupled downstream of the first pump. The fuel system further includes a fuel rail downstream of the check valve and direct fuel injectors coupled to the engine. The method includes generating a flow of fuel in the fuel system via the first pump during an engine start before ignition of the engine; actuating the valve during the fuel flow to generate a pressure wave that travels through the fuel system past the check valve; and injecting fuel via the direct fuel injectors at an increased pressure generated by the pressure wave and held in the fuel rail via the check valve.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2007Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey
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Patent number: 7448093Abstract: A safety suit material can be connected to a plurality of gloves or boots to provide a gas- or liquid-proof connection. A support ring (3) is provided, which is in contact with the inner side of a boot-leg (2) and has a cuff (4) that can be folded over to the outside.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaAInventor: Klaus-Michael Rück
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Patent number: 7449996Abstract: Systems for reminding a driver when height extending cargo is loaded on a vehicle. The warning systems can include an indicator that is selectively moveable between a warning position and a prevention position. In the warning position, the indicator is in a driver's field of vision. In the prevention position, the indicator at least partially obstructs cargo from being loaded on the vehicle. The indicator can be moved from the warning position to a prevention position by an arm, which can be designed to extend and retract.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Inventor: James M. Hill
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Patent number: D580187Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2007Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: B.R.F. S.r.l.Inventor: Fabio Biancucci
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Patent number: D581086Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: Flos SpAInventor: Philippe Starck
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Patent number: D582090Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2007Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: FLOS S.p.A.Inventors: Jay Osgerby, Edward Barber