Patents Examined by Anthony L. Bacon
  • Patent number: 10989147
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control method reflecting a brake booster inflow flow rate includes: determining a deviation between an actually measured pressure of an intake manifold and a model pressure of the intake manifold is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; determining that the deviation is caused by a brake operation; correcting an intake air amount by reflecting a flow rate flowing into the intake manifold from a brake booster; and performing an air-fuel ratio control based on the corrected intake air amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min-Kyu Won
  • Patent number: 10982620
    Abstract: A control device for an engine is provided. A cavity formed in a crown surface of a piston of the engine includes a first cavity part disposed in a radially center area, a second cavity part disposed radially outward of the first cavity part, and a connecting part connecting these two parts. The control device causes a fuel injection valve to perform a first injection in which fuel is injected at a timing when the piston is located at an advancing side of CTDC and an injection axis thereof intersects with the connecting part, a second injection in which fuel is injected toward the first cavity part at a retarding side of the first injection, and a middle injection in which fuel is injected at a timing between the first and second injections, for a period shorter than each of the first and second injections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takeru Matsuo, Yoshie Kakuda, Sangkyu Kim, Daisuke Shimo
  • Patent number: 10982610
    Abstract: A controller for an engine estimates a temperature of the exhaust gas and controls the engine according to the estimated exhaust temperature. The controller changes the air-fuel ratio to a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio or leaner. The controller calculates the progress of combustion on the basis of signals of sensors, and estimates an exhaust temperature. In the case where the air-fuel ratio is the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, the controller estimates the exhaust temperature on the basis of the progress of the combustion, the engine temperature, and a first relationship that is at least defined between the progress of the combustion and the exhaust temperature, . In the case where the air-fuel ratio is lean, the controller estimates the exhaust temperature on the basis of the progress of the combustion, the engine temperature, and a second relationship that differs from the first relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Ohtsuka, Kentaro Kimura, Takeatsu Ito, Tomokuni Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 10968866
    Abstract: An internal combustion gas engine (2) is disclosed. It includes a cylinder arrangement (4) and a first compressor (6) for compressing a gaseous fuel and air mixture. The at least one cylinder arrangement (4) forms a combustion chamber (8) and includes an intake arrangement (10) for intake of charge gas, a sparkplug (12), and a pre-chamber (14). The engine (2) comprises a second compressor (16) for compressing a gaseous medium, and a pressure reducer (18). An outlet (20) of the first compressor (6) is arranged in parallel with an outlet (22) of the second compressor (16). The outlet (20) of the first compressor (6) is connected to the pre-chamber (14). The outlet (20) of the first compressor (6) and the outlet (22) of the second compressor (16) are connected to the pressure reducer (18). An outlet (24) of the pressure reducer (18) is connected to the intake arrangement (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Svante Lejon
  • Patent number: 10961931
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder and a valve assembly configured to activate and deactivate the at least one cylinder. The valve assembly includes an intake valve configured to control air flow into the at least one cylinder. A controller outputs a first control signal to the valve assembly to deactivate the at least one cylinder in response to detecting a deceleration event. The controller also outputs a second control signal to command the valve assembly to delay opening the intake valve from a closed position after re-activating the cylinder so that the torque output produced in response to re-activating the cylinder is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chad D. Kromrey, Nathan M. Picot
  • Patent number: 10961940
    Abstract: A method for controlling a marine internal combustion engine is carried out by a control module and includes: operating the engine according to a initial set of mapped parameter values configured to achieve a first fuel-air equivalence ratio in a combustion chamber of the engine; measuring current values of engine operating conditions; and comparing the engine operating conditions to predetermined lean-burn mode enablement criteria. In response to the engine operating conditions meeting the lean-burn enablement criteria, the method includes: (a) automatically retrieving a subsequent set of mapped parameter values configured to achieve a second, lesser fuel-air equivalence ratio and transitioning from operating the engine according to the initial set of mapped parameter values to operating the engine according to the subsequent set of mapped parameter values; or (b) presenting an operator-selectable option to undertake such a transition, and in response to selection of the option, commencing the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Steven M. Anschuetz, William P. O'Brien, Matthew W. Snyder, Andrew J. Przybyl, Robert R. Osthelder
  • Patent number: 10954897
    Abstract: An automotive vapor pump for pumping a pump gas having a fuel vapor. The automotive vapor pump includes a pump inlet opening, a pump outlet opening, an outlet volute, a pump outlet duct which is substantially tangential and which fluidically connects the outlet volute with the pump outlet opening, a centrifugal pumping wheel which pumps the pump gas from the pump inlet opening into the outlet volute and subsequently into the pump outlet duct, an electric motor which drives a pumping wheel, the electric motor including a static motor coil, a magnetic rotor body, and a motor driving electronics which drives the static motor coil, an electric connector plug which electrically connects the motor driving electronics with an external control unit, and an integrated pressure sensor which detects a fluidic pressure in the outlet volute or in the pump outlet duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: PIERBURG PUMP TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Alessandro Malvasi, Andreas Wulf
  • Patent number: 10954873
    Abstract: An emissions control system for a vehicle having an exhaust system with an exhaust gas conduit and a catalytic converter configured to receive exhaust gas from an engine is provided. In one example implementation, the system includes an engine controller configured to control the engine to adjust an air to fuel ratio (lambda) thereof. The engine controller is configured to operate the engine with at least one of the following lambda control strategies (i) a first control strategy comprising operating at a first reference lambda modified by a first percent kick, and a first rich lambda lag time shorter than a first lean lambda lag time, and (ii) a second control strategy comprising operating at a second reference lambda modified by a second percent kick, and a second rich lag time longer than a second lean lambda lag time, to thereby simultaneously meet predetermined NOx and CO emissions targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Amit Shrestha, Bei Jin, Jingjing Li, Fadi Estefanous, Lurun Zhong, Singalandapuram Mahedevan Boopathi, Mitchell Ober
  • Patent number: 10941742
    Abstract: An engine head assembly includes a plurality of fuel injectors each positioned within a fuel injector bore in the engine head, and each being fluidly coupled with a fluid conduit. Each fuel injector includes a valve assembly positioned within a fuel injector case that includes an elongate body having an opening. A filter sleeve having a particle-blocking perforation array structured to block particles is press fit on the fuel injector case to form a fluid flow path from the fluid conduit into the fuel injector case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Michael Brown, Cory A Brown
  • Patent number: 10934966
    Abstract: A combustion control system for a dual fuel engine includes a combustion control unit structured to receive phasing data for combustion of a main charge of gaseous fuel ignited by way of pilot shots of a liquid fuel, output a pilot fueling command based on the phasing data, and output a valve timing command. The combustion control unit is further structured to vary a phasing of combustion of a main charge of a gaseous fuel ignited by pilot shots of a liquid fuel based on an adjustment to at least one of a pilot shot delivery parameter or a valve timing parameter such as intake valve closing timing from a first engine cycle to a second engine cycle. Control of the intake valve timing can be based on a main pilot shot timing error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Anders, Jason Jon Rasmussen, Bobby John
  • Patent number: 10914249
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for purging a fuel vapor storage canister in an evaporative emissions system of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include generating vacuum in a fuel tank fluidically coupled to the fuel vapor storage canister during an auto-stop of an engine while the engine spins down to rest, and purging vapors to an intake manifold of the engine during a subsequent restart of the engine. In this way, the fuel tank may be held at a vacuum while the engine is off, enabling more efficient purging of the fuel vapor storage canister when the engine is restarted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed Dudar
  • Patent number: 10910797
    Abstract: An insulator arrangement for a spark plug arrangement, in particular for a prechamber spark plug, with an elongated body that has an insulator arrangement longitudinal bore for accommodating a center electrode arrangement and has a front end. A sealing shoulder is formed on an outer circumferential section of the body. An axial transition section is formed between the sealing shoulder and the front end of the body. The front end of the body is designed such that at least 50% of a gas flow impinging thereon in a first direction is deflected in a direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Niessner, Andreas Zeh
  • Patent number: 10890133
    Abstract: The magnetic valve recoil device is intended for a valve-type ignition pre-chamber having a stratification cavity connected by a stratification pipe, which a stratification valve can close, to a combustion chamber housing a primary charge, a stratification injector, and an ignition unit leading to the cavity in order to inject and ignite an initiator charge so as to ignite the primary charge via a torch ignition pre-chamber formed by the stratification valve with the stratification pipe when it is not closing the latter, the valve being otherwise kept in contact with the pipe by a magnetic field created by a magnetic field source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventor: Vianney Rabhi
  • Patent number: 10890131
    Abstract: An engine simulation system and method for replacing an original engine in an existing system of a piece of equipment, including an engine controller from the original engine, a new engine having an engine controller, and a simulator module connected between the engine controller of the new engine and the engine controller of the original engine. The simulator module is configured to simulate that the original engine is still in the existing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Bernhard Richter, Mark Daniel Bowdich
  • Patent number: 10890129
    Abstract: An exhaust flow control system comprises a housing defining first and second passages that are fluidly connected to first and second scrolls of a twin scroll turbocharger and to a high pressure exhaust gas recirculation (HPEGR) system, a poppet valve configured to (i) in an open position, fluidly connect the first and second scrolls to each other and to the HPEGR system via the first and second passages and (ii) in a closed position, fluidly disconnect the first and second scrolls from each other and from the HPEGR system, and a controller configured to command the poppet valve to one of the open and closed positions based on one or more engine operating parameters thereby allowing the twin scroll turbocharger to operate in both a twin scroll mode and a mono scroll mode while also allowing for HPEGR control with minimal additional system volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Michael S McMeekin
  • Patent number: 10876501
    Abstract: An engine includes an EGR device and a water-cooled heat exchanger. The water-cooled heat exchanger is provided on a downstream side of an EGR gas-introduction portion of an intake passage into which EGR gas is to be introduced and exchanges heat with gas flowing in the intake passage. A control device is programmed to execute condensed water-suppression control that supplies coolant having a temperature higher than the temperature of the gas heat-exchanged in the water-cooled heat exchanger to the water-cooled heat exchanger while a hybrid vehicle is traveling in a state in which the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10865731
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device causes an injector to execute main injection or pilot injection toward a joint portion, and low penetration injection to inject fuel at timing earlier than the pilot injection in a PILOT region or at timing later than the main injection in an AFTER region. The fuel injection control device causes the low penetration injection to be executed to inject the fuel only in a radial central region of a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Naotoshi Shirahashi, Tunehiro Mori, Kiyoaki Iwata, Takeshi Matsubara, Sangkyu Kim
  • Patent number: 10851724
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes: a rotary gear being rotated about a vertical central axis that is a rotational axis by force from an outside, and having a non-circular insertion hole on the central axis; a cylindrical cam being able to move up and down while rotating integrally with the rotary gear with an upper end thereof inserted in the insertion hole, and having two or more inclined slide grooves on an outer side thereof; a poppet shaft disposed through the rotational axis of the cylindrical cam to be able to move up and down integrally with and rotate independently from the cylindrical cam; a valve seat coupled to a lower portion of the poppet shaft; a housing and a cover that surround the cylindrical cam; and two or more bearing unit each having a first side fixed to the housing and having second sides respectively inserted in the slide grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: KORENS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyung Geun Cho
  • Patent number: 10830170
    Abstract: Disclosed is a complementary analog and digital method for controlling ignition of a gasoline engine. First, analog ignition is performed by means of an analog trigger circuit. After power has been steadily supplied to a microcontroller, the microcontroller disconnects the analog trigger circuit, starts to collect a digital trigger reference signal and turn on a digital trigger circuit, and switches to a digital signal to trigger ignition. Also disclosed is a complementary analog and digital system for controlling ignition of a gasoline engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG FENGLONG ELECTRICAL MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wangfu Zhang, Bin Zhang, Jiang Li, Meijun Zheng
  • Patent number: 10829003
    Abstract: Controls for improved performance of a vehicle equipped with start-stop control logic are disclosed. Deviation from nominal engine start-stop control logic for the internal combustion engine occurs when a predetermined mission related type of stop event will occur or is occurring that is different from other stop event types that are controlled by the nominal engine start-stop control logic. At least one of a location and a payload associated with the mission related stop event type is provided as an input to the controller before the vehicle arrives at the stop event so that operating parameters of the vehicle are controlled accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Arun Prakash Thunga Gopal, Martin T. Books, Jennifer Kay Light-Holets, Joseph E. Paquette, John P. O'Brien