Patents Assigned to Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8863727
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a fuel injector system and method in which the timing of events in during period of fuel injection of a piezoelectric-actuated fuel injector are estimated based on sensed forces within the injector. The force sensor is positioned between a piezoelectric actuator and a hydraulic link assembly mechanically coupled with the piezoelectric actuator, and the force sensor operable to output a signal corresponding to forces between the piezoelectric actuator and the hydraulic link assembly. From information contained in the sensor output signal, timing in the injection period of at least one fueling characteristic based can be estimated to allow for adjusting fuel injector characteristics to compensate for variations affecting fuel injection, such as manufacturing tolerances, environmental conditions, and deterioration/wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Syed S. Jalal, Douglas W. Memering, Richard E. Reisinger, Edward Benjamin Manring, Jesus Carmona-Valdes, Anthony A. Shaull, Shankar Venkataraman, William David Daniel
  • Publication number: 20140290633
    Abstract: An intake body, systems. and method for reducing acoustic resonance in pressure tap passages include determining and/or setting the length of the drilling tap passages to a value such that the natural frequency of each pressure tap passage is outside of or does not substantially overlap with operational frequency content of an air stream in the intake body. The intake body, systems and method reduce the possibility of exciting the natural acoustic frequencies of the pressure tap passages, and can lead to improved signal-to-noise ratio when detecting EGR flow using a delta-P measurement system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Emerick, David Moenssen, Brian Aldlerfer, Robert E. Dehner
  • Patent number: 8844500
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an enclosure or containment assembly adapted to seal a high pressure fuel rail, and an engine system including such an enclosure or containment assembly. The assembly includes two portions that can sealingly engage to form an enclosure or compartment that contains the high pressure fuel rail. Fuel line connectors leading into the enclosure to ports of the high pressure fuel rail are in a sealing engagement with the enclosure to seal the high pressure fuel rail from the atmosphere and provide an enclosed low pressure region between the high pressure fuel rail and an inner surface of the enclosure. In this way, leaked fuel can be collected from the high pressure fuel lines and contained. The collected and contained leaked fuel can be channeled to a leak detector, which can trigger an alarm with detection of a leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarang R. Bedekar, Ron Hale, Todd S. Manley
  • Patent number: 8844503
    Abstract: A fuel supply system and method of controlling fuel flow through a supply system is provided including a variable flow, i.e. speed, electric fuel transfer pump and a control system adapted to variably control the transfer pump based on fuel demand of the engine. The system provides improved transient response by providing the transfer pump with a feed forward speed/flow command based on engine fueling demand determined based on engine operating conditions. The transfer pump is controlled based on fuel demand not necessarily achieved yet by the high pressure pump and injectors. Therefore, this system controls the EFTP substantially simultaneously with controlling the high pressure pump and injectors to optimize fuel flow through the entire system ensuring the minimum required fuel flow is passing through the second the fuel filtration system, hence maximizing steady state fuel filtration efficiency, and minimizing surge effects on filtration efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Worthington, Norman C. Blizard, David P. Genter, Gregory S. Franks, Michael F. Mattern, Thomas O. Hahn, James L. Walls, Edward N. Linen
  • Publication number: 20140260209
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, described herein is an apparatus for decomposing diesel exhaust fluid into ammonia for an internal combustion engine (ICE) system having a selective catalytic reduction system. The apparatus includes an outlet cover, an inlet cover coupled to the outlet cover, and a support plate disposed between the outlet cover and the inlet cover. The support plate forms an outlet channel with the outlet cover and an inlet channel with the inlet cover. The inlet channel is fluidly coupled to the outlet channel. Additionally, the inlet channel may be adjacent to the outlet channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: CUMMINS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
    Inventors: James Goss, Duncan Engeham, Ryan M. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140277931
    Abstract: Power systems and methods described herein can provide power system management and power delivery, among other functionality. The power systems and methods for a vehicle can employ a fuel cell, such as a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), as a power source in conjunction with another power sources, such as one or more vehicle batteries, capacitors, etc. The fuel cell can be conditionally used to provide power to the electrical system, thereby reducing the load on the vehicle batteries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: PACCAR Inc, Eaton Corporation, Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Stephen Crowe
  • Patent number: 8833327
    Abstract: A piston and an engine are provided that includes various precise configuration parameters, including dimensions, shape and/or relative positioning of the combustion chamber features, resulting in a combustion process that yields improved mixing of fuel and intake air and increased uniformity of load on the engine pistons. The piston provides a piston bowl with a concave curvilinear portion that may be semi-spherical and extends inwardly to a depth; an angled surface extends inwardly from the crown surface to intersect the concave curvilinear portion at an edge at a depth; and a curved surface that extends inwardly from the crown surface to intersect the concave curvilinear portion at a tangent at a depth. The angled surface may be part of a frusto-conical surface that may extend from both sides of the angled surface to an area proximate the curved surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Rishikesh Venugopal, John M. Deur, Jason W. Mackey
  • Patent number: 8826644
    Abstract: A method of controlling an internal combustion engine and exhaust system having an SCR, and engine and exhaust system including an SCR, described herein, monitors, in real time, NOx conversion efficiency of an exhaust flow output by the internal combustion engine through the SCR. A determination is made as to whether the monitored NOx conversion efficiency exceeds a predetermined target conversion efficiency, such as a target based on a predetermined allowable amount of NOx emission. While the monitored NOx conversion efficiency exceeds the predetermined amount, the NOx concentration level in the exhaust flow is increased by an amount based on the difference in the monitored conversion efficiency and the predetermined target conversion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventor: Chetan Ponnathpur
  • Patent number: 8826662
    Abstract: A Rankine cycle waste heat recovery system uses a receiver with a maximum liquid working fluid level lower than the minimum liquid working fluid level of a sub-cooler of the waste heat recovery system. The receiver may have a position that is physically lower than the sub-cooler's position. A valve controls transfer of fluid between several of the components in the waste heat recovery system, especially from the receiver to the sub-cooler. The system may also have an associated control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, Christopher R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8820291
    Abstract: A connecting rod including a connecting rod body and a cap attached to the connecting rod body by a plurality of bolts. The connecting rod body includes a shank having a centerline. Two of the bolts are positioned at a first distance from the centerline and two of the bolts are positioned at a second distance from the centerline that is greater than the first distance. The plurality of bolts may be disposed symmetrically about a centroid of a planar face of the connecting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin Dodman
  • Patent number: 8818659
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a thermal management system and method that can recommend operational behavior to an operator of an engine system to optimize fuel economy over a period of time in which a components of the engine system is in a warm up and/or regeneration state. In one representative embodiment, the expected temperature change of the engine component at a later time is determined based on inefficient operation of the engine, such as a transmission down shift resulting in higher engine speed and lower engine torque, and the expected temperature change of the engine component resulting from operating the engine under current conditions or expected conditions at that later time is determined. A determination is made as to whether the inefficient engine operation is the optimal operation in view of fuel economy and a recommendation is generated for the operator based if optimal operation is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek A. Sujan, Phani Vajapeyazula, Kenneth Follen, An Wu, Barty L. Moffett
  • Patent number: 8800285
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a waste heat recovery (WHR) system and to a system and method for regulation of a fluid inventory in a condenser and a receiver of a Rankine cycle WHR system. Such regulation includes the ability to regulate the pressure in a WHR system to control cavitation and energy conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, Christopher R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8789502
    Abstract: A high-efficiency mechanism for variable valve actuation with increased engine architecture applicability is described. The high efficiency mechanism introduces an intermediate lever having a secondary cam profile forming a variable oscillating cam between a rotating camshaft and a rocker arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Barnes
  • Patent number: 8776517
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system including a Rankine power cycle cooling subsystem providing emissions-critical charge cooling of an input charge flow. The system includes a boiler fluidly coupled to the input charge flow, an energy conversion device fluidly coupled to the boiler, a condenser fluidly coupled to the energy conversion device, a pump fluidly coupled to the condenser and the boiler, an adjuster that adjusts at least one parameter of the Rankine power cycle subsystem to change a temperature of the input charge exiting the boiler, and a sensor adapted to sense a temperature characteristic of the vaporized input charge. The system includes a controller that can determine a target temperature of the input charge sufficient to meet or exceed predetermined target emissions and cause the adjuster to adjust at least one parameter of the Rankine power cycle to achieve the predetermined target emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, Christopher R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8757133
    Abstract: A gaseous fuel mixer for an internal combustion engine includes a mixer body and a mixer element supported in a mixer passage formed in the mixer body. The gaseous fuel mixer attaches to an intake manifold at a first end and receives intake air at a second end. A distal end of the mixer element accepts gaseous fuel from a manifold passage extending from a port positioned in the intake manifold. The gaseous fuel flows through the mixer element and then through a plurality of openings formed in an exposed proximate end of the mixer element. The gaseous fuel mixes with the intake air, and the mixture of intake air and gaseous fuel flows from the second end of the mixer body to the first end of the mixer body and then to the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Czapka, Edward J. Lyford-Pike
  • Patent number: 8752527
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a fuel line assembly for use with an internal combustion engine, an internal combustion engine including such as fuel line assembly, and a method for providing leak containment and detection in a fuel system, each of which include a double-walled fuel line including a high pressure fuel line component. The double-walled fuel line includes a high pressure fuel line, a jacket surrounding the high pressure fuel line, and a low pressure passage between the high pressure fuel line and the jacket. A fuel line nut includes a main body that houses a portion of the high pressure fuel line, and a first end portion supporting an enlarged end portion of the high pressure fuel line protruding from the first end portion. A second end portion of the fuel line nut sealingly connects to the jacket to extend the low pressure passage into an area between the main body and the housed high pressure fuel line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Worthington, Thomas O. Hahn, Vijay Sonawane, Prasad Khedekar, Dave Richter, Josh Knight
  • Patent number: 8752378
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a waste heat recovery (WHR) system including a Rankine cycle (RC) subsystem for converting heat of exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine, and an internal combustion engine including the same. The WHR system includes an exhaust gas heat exchanger that is fluidly coupled downstream of an exhaust aftertreatment system and is adapted to transfer heat from the exhaust gas to a working fluid of the RC subsystem. An energy conversion device is fluidly coupled to the exhaust gas heat exchanger and is adapted to receive the vaporized working fluid and convert the energy of the transferred heat. The WHR system includes a control module adapted to control at least one parameter of the RC subsystem based on a detected aftertreatment event of a predetermined thermal management strategy of the aftertreatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, Christopher R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8751075
    Abstract: An engine control strategy for a marine vessel propulsion system receives a request for a gear from among plural transmission gears, determines an engine speed for the requested transmission gear shift, adjusts the engine to the determined speed for a predetermined amount of time, and prevents the requested transmission gear shift from occurring for the predetermined amount of time while maintaining the engine at the predetermined speed. After the predetermined amount of time elapses, the requested shift is allowed to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Conor A. Leehaug, Joseph H. Scott, Andrew H. Bazan, Jiuzhu Yi
  • Publication number: 20140144132
    Abstract: A charge air cooler assembly for an internal combustion engine is described. A housing of the charge air cooler assembly includes a dividing wall that separates flow after the charge air cooler into two separate flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8733324
    Abstract: This disclosure relates a system for heating fuel supplied by a common rail fuel supply to an internal combustion engine. The system includes a high pressure fuel line, plural fuel injectors connected in series along the high pressure fuel line in the common rail, and a continuous low pressure passage including a heat exchanging portion in close proximity to the high pressure fuel line. A heated fluid source is operative to fluidly communicate with the continuous low pressure passage and circulate heated fluid to heat fuel present in the high pressure fuel line prior to, and during a cold start operation of the internal combustion engine. Other embodiments relate to a method of providing fuel to an internal combustion engine that includes sensing the temperature of fuel supplied to a fuel system and determining whether the sensed fuel temperature is greater than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Norman C. Blizard, Thomas O. Hahn, Cary J. Marston, Damon C. Salo, Kent A. Lobsiger