Patents Assigned to ACHATES POWERS, INC.
  • SUPERCHARGER PROTECTION IN AN OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINE WITH EGR
    Publication number: 20200070077
    Abstract: In a supercharged, two-stroke cycle, opposed-piston engine with an EGR loop, exhaust gas recirculated to a charge air channel through which intake air is provided to a supercharger inlet is cleansed of particulate matter by a separator disposed either at a junction where an exhaust channel of the engine is tapped for recirculated exhaust, or, in the EGR loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: Achates Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Rakovec, John K. Bandimere
  • OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINE IN A LIGHT-DUTY TRUCK
    Publication number: 20200025161
    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: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: RICHARD D. WARLICK, JR., Cain Piotrowski
  • MULTI-PART PISTON CONSTRUCTION FOR AN OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINE
    Publication number: 20200018256
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion opposed-piston engine includes a crown part, a skirt part, and an outer part. The crown part includes a first ring belt region for supporting compression rings and an end surface shaped to form a combustion chamber with an end surface of an opposing piston. The skirt part includes a sidewall and a wristpin bore with a first opening and a second opening formed in the sidewall. The outer part includes a second ring belt region for supporting oil control rings. The crown part is joined to an upper end of the sidewall with one or more welding seams. The outer part is joined to a lower end of the sidewall with a welding seam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: RYAN G. MACKENZIE
  • CYLINDER BORE SURFACE STRUCTURES FOR AN OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINE
    Publication number: 20200018166
    Abstract: A cylinder for an internal combustion opposed-piston engine includes a bore, either as part of the cylinder directly or of a liner. The bore has a surface for guiding a pair of pistons disposed for opposing movement in the cylinder. The cylinder bore has three zones of surface finishes: an inner zone extending between and including exhaust and intake ports, where only piston compression rings travel on the bore surface; two instances of an outer zone where only piston oil control rings travel on the bore surface; and two instances of a port zone where both types of rings travel on overlapping paths in the same bore surface portion. Each zone may have a particular surface finish that is tailored to specific requirements including oil control, ring wear, and scuff resistance relevant to the zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: FABIEN G. REDON
  • Dual-fuel constructions for opposed-piston engines with shaped combustion chambers
    Patent number: 10465616
    Abstract: A compression-ignited, opposed-piston engine equipped for multi-fuel operation includes at least one cylinder, a pair of pistons slidably disposed in the cylinder for opposing movement between respective bottom and fop center locations, and spaced-apart intake and exhaust ports near respective ends of the cylinder. The pistons include end surfaces constructed to form a shaped combustion chamber when the pistons are near top center locations during a compression stroke of the engine. At least one gaseous fuel injector communicates with the bore of the cylinder through an injector site in the cylinder between the intake port and the exhaust port. At least one liquid fuel injector communicates with the bore through an injector site in the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Fabien G. Redon, Gerhard Regner, Rishikesh Venugopal
  • Fuel injection strategies in opposed-piston engines with multiple fuel injectors
    Patent number: 10458327
    Abstract: In an opposed-piston engine, two or more fuel injectors are mounted to a cylinder for direct side injection into the cylinder. The injectors are controlled so as to inject either a single fuel pulse or a plurality of fuel pulses per cycle of engine operation in order to initiate combustion during varying engine speeds and operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Clark A. Klyza, Fabien G. Redon
  • On-board diagnostics for an opposed-piston engine equipped with a supercharger
    Patent number: 10450985
    Abstract: On-board diagnostic monitoring of a two-stroke cycle, opposed-piston engine includes diagnostic monitoring of an air handling system equipped with a supercharger to determine whether the supercharger is functioning properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Nishit Nagar, Arunandan Sharma
  • Compact ported cylinder construction for an opposed-piston engine
    Patent number: 10422272
    Abstract: A compact construction for an opposed-piston engine includes a cylinder liner with longitudinally-spaced exhaust and intake ports in which the exhaust port has inner and outer edges presenting a port height that causes the exhaust port to be fully open before a piston associated with the exhaust port reaches bottom dead center during an expansion stroke and the end surface of the associated piston to be spaced outwardly of the outer edge when the piston is at bottom dead center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: John M. Kessler
  • AIR HANDLING SYSTEM CONSTRUCTIONS WITH EXTERNALLY-ASSISTED BOOSTING FOR TURBOCHARGED OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINES
    Publication number: 20190264639
    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: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: FABIEN G. REDON
  • GEAR TRAIN FOR OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINES
    Publication number: 20190264608
    Abstract: A gear train connecting two crankshafts in an opposed-piston engine includes a first crankshaft coupled to first pistons and a second crankshaft coupled to second pistons which are disposed in opposition to the first pistons in cylinders of the engine, a respective crank gear attached to each crankshaft, and an idler gear connecting the crank gears. The gear train comprises a three-gear system that is configured to minimize the side loads on the crankshafts, as well as on an idler gear post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Achates Power, INC.
    Inventors: SUMANTH KASHYAP, John M. Kessler, Paul Meckl, Fabien G. Redon, Sebastian Strauss
  • TRANSMISSIONS FOR OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINES WITH TWO CRANKSHAFTS
    Publication number: 20190195320
    Abstract: A transmission for an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts includes a crankshaft gear train that combines the torque inputs from the two crankshafts and a gear arrangement coupled to the gear train that is operable to obtain various speed ratios for an output torque drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: VADIRAJ KULKARNI, BALAZS V. PALFAI, DNYANDEO T. SAPKAL, FABIEN G. REDON, SUMANTH KASHYAP
  • Skewed combustion chamber for opposed-piston engines
    Patent number: 10330006
    Abstract: A combustion chamber for an opposed-piston engine has a rotationally skewed shape in a longitudinal section that is orthogonal to a chamber centerline, between diametrically-opposed openings of the combustion chamber through which fuel is injected. The rotationally skewed shape interacts with swirl to generate a tumble bulk charge air motion structure that increases turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: Rishikesh Venugopal
  • Hybrid opposed-piston engine system
    Patent number: 10329996
    Abstract: An opposed-piston engine system equipped for full hybrid compressed-air/combustion includes capacity for storing air compressed by the engine during a combustion mode of operation. The hybrid opposed-piston engine system includes a control mechanization for operating the opposed-piston engine in a combustion mode by provision of fuel, in a compressed-air mode by provision of stored compressed air, and in a combustion mode supplemented by provision of stored compressed air. A method of operating a hybrid vehicle equipped with an opposed-piston engine includes storing air compressed by the engine during a combustion mode of operation and operating in the vehicle a compressed-air mode by provision of stored compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: John J. Koszewnik
  • Open exhaust chamber constructions for opposed-piston engines
    Patent number: 10323563
    Abstract: A configuration for a uniflow-scavenged, opposed-piston engine reduces exhaust cross-talk caused by mass flow between cylinders resulting from one cylinder having an open exhaust port during scavenging and/or charging while an adjacent cylinder is undergoing blowdown. Some configurations include a wall or other barrier feature between cylinders that are adjacent to each other and fire one after the other. Additionally, or alternatively, some engine configurations include cylinders with intake and exhaust ports sized so that there is an overlap in crank angle of two or more cylinders having open exhaust ports of about 65 crank angle degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Rodrigo Zermeño Benitez, Brian J. Callahan, Kevin B. Fuqua, Christopher J. Kalebjian
  • CONTROL OF AIRFLOW IN A UNIFLOW-SCAVENGED, TWO-STROKE CYCLE, OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINE DURING TRANSIENT OPERATION
    Publication number: 20190120164
    Abstract: Control of airflow in a uniflow-scavenged, two-stroke cycle, opposed-piston engine during transient operation includes monitoring at least one operating parameter of the engine to recognize a transition to a transient state of engine operation. If a transient state of operation is detected, fuel injection and airflow into to the cylinders of the engine are controlled to optimize combustion and limit emissions. Airflow into cylinders of the engine may be controlled by increasing a scavenging ratio of the engine or by increasing a trapping efficiency of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: ARUNANDAN SHARMA, Nishit Nagar, Suramya D. Naik, Daniel Schum
  • Transmissions for opposed-piston engines with two crankshafts
    Patent number: 10260598
    Abstract: A transmission for an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts includes a crankshaft gear train that combines the torque inputs from the two crankshafts and a gear arrangement coupled to the gear train that is operable to obtain various speed ratios for an output torque drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Vadiraj Kulkarni, Balazs V. Palfai, Dnyandeo T. Sapkal, Fabien G. Redon, Sumanth Kashyap
  • MULTI-LAYERED PISTON CROWN FOR OPPOSED-PISTON ENGINES
    Publication number: 20190093597
    Abstract: A piston crown for a piston of a pair of pistons in a two-stroke, opposed-piston, compression ignition combustion engine has a barrier layer and a conductive layer. The barrier layer at least partially surrounds a combustion chamber formed by the piston crown and an end surface of an opposing piston. The conductive layer connects the crown to the rest of the piston body. The barrier layer and the conductive layer are joined either through welding or through the fabrication process. Optionally, the piston crown includes an insulating layer between the barrier and conductive layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Bryant A. Wagner, Ryan G. MacKenzie
  • EXHAUST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR OPPOSED-PISTON, TWO-STROKE ENGINES
    Publication number: 20190078479
    Abstract: Exhaust temperature management strategies for an opposed-piston, two-stroke engine with EGR are based on control of a ratio of the mass of fresh air and external EGR delivered to a cylinder to the mass of the trapped charge (density of the delivered charge multiplied by the trapped volume at port closing).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Kalebjian, Suramya D. Naik, Fabien G. Redon
  • Minimizing oil leakage from rocking journal bearings
    Patent number: 10215221
    Abstract: A rocking journal bearing is provided in a piston coupling mechanism. The bearing includes a sleeve and a wristpin constructed with two sets of eccentrically-disposed bearing surfaces which alternate in accepting a compressive load during an operational cycle of the bearing. The sleeve includes a network of grooves to transport oil to the bearing surfaces. Lubricating oil flow through the bearing is minimized by limiting provision of pressurized oil from the wristpin to the network of grooves to portions of the cycle when one or the other of the sets of bearing surfaces receives the compressive load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventors: John M. Kessler, Clark A. Klyza
  • Port edge shape with continuous curvature for improved ring-port interaction and flow area
    Patent number: 10215129
    Abstract: A port opening edge shape for a port in a cylinder of an opposed-piston combustion engine is optimized for flow area, as well as for minimization of piston ring clipping. The port opening edge shape includes a top edge, a bottom edge, a first and second side edge connecting the top and bottom edge, and an apex in the top edge. The apex has the minimum radius of curvature of the port opening edge shape. A spline that defines the port opening edge shape can be calculated based upon a maximum height, a full width, an amount or degree of skew, and a minimum radius of curvature. A model can measure values for engine performance and determine which spline defines a port opening edge shape yields a desired engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.
    Inventor: Brian J. Callahan