Patents Assigned to ACHATES POWERS, INC.
  • Patent number: 11047334
    Abstract: An air intake system is provided that supplies charge air to multiple cylinders in an in-line configuration in an uniflow-scavenged, two-stroke opposed-piston engine. The engine is configured such that the intake ports of the cylinders are situated in one intake chamber within the engine block. The air intake chamber includes a feature to balance the mass of air that reaches the intake port of each cylinder in the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Sperry, James R. Shaw
  • Publication number: 20210156298
    Abstract: An opposed-piston engine includes an electronic sensor located in a charge air channel, at position between an outlet of a charge air cooler and an air intake component that distributes charge air to cylinder intake ports of the engine. The electronic sensor is disposed to measure a rate of mass airflow between the outlet of the charge air cooler and the intake component and generate electronic signals indicative of the rate of mass airflow from the charge air cooler. A control mechanization of the opposed-piston engine is electrically connected to the electronic sensor for controlling air handling devices, fuel provisioning devices, and/or EGR devices in response to the electronic signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: GOVINDARAJAN KOTHANDARAMAN, Hoseinali Borhan, David E. Koeberlein, Dwight A. Doig
  • Publication number: 20210156349
    Abstract: A fuel injector mounting assembly in an opposed-piston engine allows for mounting of a fuel injector in a cylinder block without significantly deforming the wall of the cylinder into which the injector is configured to deliver fuel. The fuel injector mounting assembly includes a clamping arrangement to clamp the fuel injector to the cylinder block, an elongate tubular sleeve that sheathes a nozzle portion of the fuel injector, and a spanner nut attached to the elongate tubular sleeve. Clamping loads applied to retain the fuel injector in the cylinder block are controlled by the spanner nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew P. Perr
  • Publication number: 20210140389
    Abstract: An air intake system is provided that supplies charge air to multiple cylinders in an in-line configuration in an uniflow-scavenged, two-stroke opposed-piston engine. The engine is configured such that the intake ports of the cylinders are situated in one intake chamber within the engine block. The air intake chamber includes a feature to balance the mass of air that reaches the intake port of each cylinder in the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC
    Inventors: ROBERT G. SPERRY, James R. Shaw
  • Publication number: 20210123389
    Abstract: An opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts includes a first power transducer coupled to a first crankshaft of the two crankshafts and a second power transducer coupled to a second crankshaft of the two crankshafts. The two crankshafts are not rotatably connected, and so are free to rotate independently of each other. Phase relationships between the crankshafts may be controlled by operating the power transducers to increase, or reduce, crankshaft torque. Changes in crankshaft phase relationships cause changes in opposed piston locations, which, in turn, enable control of engine performance factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: ASHWIN A. SALVI
  • Patent number: 10989136
    Abstract: A parent bore cylinder block of an internal combustion, opposed-piston engine includes cooling passages that are formed using a 3-D printed casting core. The casting core can include portions that are ceramic. The parent bore cylinder block can include multiple cylinders, each cylinder with cooling passages and turbulence inducing features in those cooling passages, particularly surrounding the central portions of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Perr, John J. Koszewnik, Gary A. Vrsek
  • Publication number: 20210115873
    Abstract: A cylinder assembly with a cylinder liner and a sleeve is provided that includes features that reduce coolant flow stagnation. The sleeve encloses a center section of the cylinder liner to form cooling channels that removes excess heat from the combustion area of the cylinder. The cylinder liner includes features for cooling between bridges in the cylinder's exhaust port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Abhishek Sahasrabudhe, Miles Linscott, Sebastian Strauss
  • Patent number: 10941733
    Abstract: The air handling system of an opposed-piston engine is equipped with an externally-assisted pumping element such as an electrically-assisted compressor, an electrically-assisted supercharger, or an electrically-assisted turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Fabien G. Redon
  • Publication number: 20210061255
    Abstract: A hybrid drive system has two sources of driving power: a non-combustion drive system to provide mechanical torque and rotation to a driveshaft, and an opposed-piston, internal combustion engine configured to provide energy for the non-combustion drive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: FABIEN G. REDON, ASHWIN A. SALVI
  • Patent number: 10935134
    Abstract: In ported engine constructions, cooling of piston crowns and cylinder liners results in reduction or elimination of bore/liner distortions, thus ensuring circularity of the bore/piston interface throughout engine operation. Consequently, the need for heavily-tensioned piston rings is eliminated. Such engine constructions incorporate annular low-tension compression seals on the pistons, which substantially reduce port bridge wear during all phases of engine operation while also limiting blow-by during combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: James U. Lemke, Bryant A. Wagner
  • Publication number: 20200400021
    Abstract: A combination for an opposed-piston engine includes an intake piston and an exhaust piston, each with a top land height. The intake piston top land height is less than the exhaust piston top land height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC
    Inventor: Fabien G. REDON
  • Patent number: 10871099
    Abstract: Pistons for opposed-piston engines include an interior annular cooling gallery. The gallery is provided with inlet and drain passageways constructed to shield a jet of liquid coolant entering the gallery, thereby reducing interference between the incoming jet and liquid coolant circulating in the gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan G. Mackenzie
  • Publication number: 20200392982
    Abstract: A connecting rod assembly has a connecting rod with a large end and a small end, a piston wrist pin, and fasteners to connect the connecting rod to the piston wrist pin and optionally one or more shims in between the connecting rod and piston wrist pin. A notch on the wrist pin allows for the seating of a flat surface on the small end of the connecting rod in the connecting rod assembly. Side walls on both the notch and the small end of the connecting rod limit twist. The connecting rod assembly allows for the adjustment of piston location in a cylinder while limiting connecting rod twist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: JOHN M. KESSLER, MARC-ELLIS H. BRANDT, CHRISTOPHER L. FREESTONE
  • Patent number: 10865746
    Abstract: An opposed-piston engine is configured to fit in an engine compartment of a light-duty truck without compromising engine operations or the integrity of the engine compartment. The opposed-piston engine includes an air handling system and can be configured so that a cylinder assembly of the engine is tilted. The tilt of the cylinder assembly can allow for all of the components of the engine's air handling system to be located on one side of the opposed-piston engine. The air handling system of the opposed-piston engine can be configured with a cobra-head shaped intake duct assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard D. Warlick, Jr., Cain Piotrowski
  • Patent number: 10837357
    Abstract: A main bearing cap construction far a dual-crankshaft, opposed-piston engine has two sets of bolts in a cross-bolted configuration. In a dual-crankshaft opposed-piston engine with at least four main bearings, at least one of the main bearings will have a cap with two sets of bolts in a cross-bolted configuration. In addition to having a cross-bolted configuration, the main bearing cap configuration can have flanges to receive blind bolts and/or additional surface area to interface with the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Meckl, Gary A. Vrsek, John Blacklock
  • Publication number: 20200347791
    Abstract: In an opposed-piston engine which includes a catalytic aftertreatment device in its exhaust system an exhaust gas condition indicating a catalyst temperature of the aftertreatment device is monitored. When the catalyst temperature is near or below a light-off temperature, a catalyst light-off procedure is executed to elevate the temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Ahmad GHAZI, Daniel M. SCHUM, Fabien G. REDON, Samrat M. PATIL
  • Publication number: 20200224595
    Abstract: Control of fuel flow in a uniflow-scavenged, two-stroke cycle, opposed-piston engine includes limiting an amount of torque or fuel in response to a torque demand, based upon a comparison and a selection of fuel delivery options derived from a global airflow parameter and/or a trapped airflow parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: NISHIT NAGAR, ARUNANDAN SHARMA
  • Publication number: 20200191090
    Abstract: A piston for an opposed-piston, internal combustion engine includes a crown with an end surface having a bowl shaped to form a combustion chamber with an end surface of an opposing piston in the opposed-piston engine. A substantially circumferential top land of the crown meets the end surface at a substantially circular peripheral edge, and a skirt comprising a sidewall extends from a substantially circumferential belt region of the crown. A wristpin bore with a wristpin axis opens through the sidewall. The end surface of the piston includes a pair of injection regions across which fuel is injected into the bowl. The injection regions are disposed in substantially diametrically-opposed quadrants of the end surface which are defined by the wristpin axis and a connecting rod envelope axis substantially orthogonal to the wristpin axis. Each injection region extends along a respective arc concentric with the substantially circular peripheral edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: RYAN G. MACKENZIE
  • Publication number: 20200182114
    Abstract: An exhaust plenum chamber with a thermal barrier coating for an opposed-piston engine reduces heat rejection to coolant, while increasing exhaust temperatures, fuel efficiency, and quicker exhaust after-treatment light-off. The exhaust plenum chamber can include a coating on the inside surface of the chamber. Posts which are structural and provide cooling channels or passageways can be present in the exhaust plenum chamber and coated with the thermal barrier coating material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: JOHN KOSZEWNIK
  • Publication number: 20200182133
    Abstract: An air handling arrangement in a two-stroke cycle, opposed-piston engine with uniflow scavenging and constructed for heavy-duty operation includes sequentially arranged turbochargers in series with a supercharger. In some aspects, the air handling system is equipped with an EGR channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: GERHARD REGNER, MICHAEL CHIANG