Patents Examined by Anthony Taylor, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10221798
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for controlling emissions. In one example, a controller is configured to respond to a sensed or estimated intake oxygen fraction by controlling an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) amount supplied to an engine to maintain a level of particulate matter (PM) in a determined PM range and a level of NOx in a determined NOx range, and adjusting a target intake manifold oxygen fraction or target intake manifold EGR fraction in response to a NOx sensor feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC
    Inventors: James Robert Mischler, Luke Michael Henry, David Zielinski
  • Patent number: 10184429
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for selecting a location for water injection during a water injection event based on engine operating conditions. In one example, a method may include selecting a location for water injection from each of an intake port of each cylinder, an intake manifold upstream of all engine cylinders, and directly into each cylinder based on engine operating conditions. Further, the method may include adjusting water injection at the selected location and engine operating parameters in response the evaporated and/or condensed portion of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohannad Hakeem, Gopichandra Surnilla, Stephen B. Smith, Joseph Norman Ulrey
  • Patent number: 10180123
    Abstract: A method is provided for pairing at least two injectors, e.g., two fuel injectors for a direct injection system of an internal combustion engine, wherein a criterion for the pairing of the at least two injectors is a total leakage and/or a pressure difference at a transfer pin of the respective injector. A method for producing an injector, e.g., a fuel injector for a direct injection system of an internal combustion engine, is also provided, wherein at least two instances of mechanical backlash, e.g., instances of pairing backlash, that are relevant to injection amounts, leakage amounts, and/or pressure differences of the injector are paired with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Willibald Schuerz, Roman Etlender, Werner Reim
  • Patent number: 10145333
    Abstract: A cylinder head integrated with an exhaust manifold and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler may include an exhaust manifold including a plurality of connection parts connected to a plurality of exhaust ports, respectively, and an extension part connected to a plurality of connection parts, a water jacket provided at a location adjacent to the exhaust manifold, and an EGR cooler communicating with the water jacket and configured to surround an outside of the extension part of the exhaust manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp.
    Inventor: Dong Ho Chu
  • Patent number: 10100708
    Abstract: Disclosed is an engine temperature regulating device installed to a cool air inlet of a casing of an engine. The engine temperature regulating device includes a power source, a link rod module connected to the power source, a control module and a fan cover module including a fixed casing and a movable casing. The control module is provided for detecting a temperature when the engine is turned on to control the power source to drive the link rod module, so as to control the rotation of the connected movable casing and further adjust an air intake hole of the fixed casing to a smooth or obscured state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Cho Yu Lee, Jui Hung Chang, Chin Fong Lim
  • Patent number: 10087836
    Abstract: The present application provides a fire prevention shield for an internal combustion engine. The shield includes a shield baffle plate and a mounting means adapted to mount the shield baffle plate at a predetermined position with respect to a muffler of the engine, such that an air passage is located between the muffler and the shield baffle plate, the air passage having an air inlet opening located adjacent to the engine, wherein a cross-sectional area of the air passage is greatest at or near the air inlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Inventor: Heath Rowe
  • Patent number: 10082096
    Abstract: A method for starting a motor vehicle engine includes measuring the profile of a rotational speed of an engine shaft of the motor vehicle engine. An estimated rotation speed of the engine shaft is determined that is expected to be present after one working cycle of the next cylinder to be fired. The estimated rotational speed is compared with a resonant rotational speed range of a vibration damper. Where the vibration damper is configured as a dual-mass flywheel and resonant vibrations occur in the vibration damper within the resonant rotational speed range. If the estimated rotational speed is within the resonant rotational speed range, at least one of introduction parameters for the introduction of a fluid to be introduced into the cylinder or an ignition time of the cylinder is changed so as to change the estimated rotational speed to be outside the resonant rotational speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Michal Nawrocik, Philipp Baisch, Heiko Gross, Alexander Grau
  • Patent number: 10054033
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a coolant circulation channel for returning a coolant that passes through an engine main body, after causing the coolant to exchange heat with a radiator, device(s) and a heater, respectively. A multifunction valve as a rotary valve that is capable of adjusting an amount of coolant that is circulated to the radiator, device(s) and heater, respectively, is disposed in the coolant circulation channel. When automatic stopping of the engine is performed by idle stop-start control, during the automatic stopping the control apparatus continues to execute valve control of the multifunction valve that is being executed during the operation before the start of the automatic stopping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10024219
    Abstract: An engine system having a coolant control valve unit includes: first and second valve members each having a rod protruding through a center part of the first and second valve members, respectively; a third valve member having a piston rod disposed through a center part of the third valve member; a temperature-sensitive driver attached to one side surface of the third valve member; a cam member contacted with an end part of the first and second rods and of the piston rod; and a cam member driver to rotate the cam member and control an opening of first, second, and third coolant passages by the first, second and third valve members, respectively. In particular, the other end part of the piston rod is inserted into the temperature-sensitive driver to push or pull the piston rod depending on a sensed temperature of the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Hyo Jo Lee
  • Patent number: 10012182
    Abstract: A fuel vapor processing apparatus may include a diaphragm valve disposed in a vapor path communicating between a fuel tank and a canister. The diaphragm valve may include a valve chamber, a backpressure chamber, a diaphragm partitioning the valve chamber and the backpressure chamber from each other; and a valve member attached to the diaphragm. The backpressure chamber is not directly opened to an outside of the diaphragm valve. A control valve device may control a pressure within the backpressure chamber of the diaphragm valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ishikawa, Norihisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10006411
    Abstract: A processor may perform a purging process, which may introduce fuel vapor adsorbed by a canister into an intake passage. The processor may identify clogging of a purge passage based on a decrease amount of the pressure in the canister that results from execution of the purging process. The processor may open an isolation valve when the pressure in a fuel tank is less than or equal to a first pressure, which is less than an atmospheric pressure, and close the isolation valve when the pressure in the fuel tank is greater than or equal to a second pressure, which is greater than the first pressure and less than the atmospheric pressure. The processor may disable the purging process at least in a period from when the processor closes the isolation valve to when a prescribed time has elapsed from the closing of the isolation valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Fukui, Yuusaku Nishimura, Tatsuhiko Akita
  • Patent number: 9964094
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine including at least one cylinder with a piston moveable therein in an engine block in which microwaves are introduced into a combustion chamber through a microwave window, wherein the combustion chamber is formed by a piston base and a cylinder head, characterized in that the combustion chamber includes a combustion chamber wall which functions as a microwave window at least in portions wherein the combustion chamber wall is made from a wall layer that is made from a ceramic material in which wall layer at least one annular circumferential hollow conductor cavity is arranged with at least one inlet opening for the microwave and which includes at least one outlet opening for the microwave that is run in the annular hollow conductor cavity of the wall layer. In general the invention provides safe ignition of lean fuel air mixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: MWI Micro Wave Ignition AG
    Inventors: Armin Gallatz, Volker Gallatz
  • Patent number: 9957884
    Abstract: A condensed-water supply control apparatus is applied to an in-cylinder injection type internal combustion engine (1) where fuel is injected from a central area (2a) lying in a cylinder (2). The condensed-water supply control apparatus comprises: a storage tank (21) storing condensed water (CW) generated in the internal combustion engine (1); and a condensed-water supply mechanism (22) which is capable of supplying the condensed water stored in the storage tank (21) into the cylinder (2), and also controlling the supply amount of condensed water (CW) to a central area (2a) and the supply amount of condensed water (CW) to a peripheral area (2b), and in a low load state of the internal combustion engine (1), opens an adding water valve (27) and closes an adding water valve (26) so that the condensed water (CW) is supplied limitedly to the peripheral area (2b) of the cylinder (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Nishida
  • Patent number: 9945342
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus mounted on a vehicle includes: a first starting system provided with a first electric motor coupled to an engine, and a first power storage coupled to the first electric motor; a second starting system provided with a second electric motor coupled to the engine, and a second power storage coupled to the second electric motor; and an engine controller that stops the engine based on a stop condition and restarts the engine using the first starting system, based on a start condition. When an abnormality occurs in the first starting system in a state where the engine has been stopped based on the stop condition, the engine controller restarts the engine using the second starting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 9938920
    Abstract: An electronic control unit of the present invention includes: a demand generation level that generates and outputs a demand value concerning various kinds of functions; a physical quantity mediation level that aggregates and mediates the demand value for each predetermined physical quantity; and a controlled variable setting level that sets a controlled variable of the actuator based on the mediated demand value and transmits a signal in a single direction from a higher level to a lower level. A controlled variable mediation level that aggregates and mediates demand values expressed with controlled variables of the actuators set on the controlled variable setting level and a demand value transmitted from the demand generation level not through the physical quantity mediation level, together with demand values mediated by the physical quantity mediation level is provided below the controlled variable setting level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masanao Idogawa
  • Patent number: 9926869
    Abstract: A method for adapting a transition compensation based on a lambda value change for operating an engine, which includes a combustion chamber having a first inlet opening connected to a first intake pipe having a first injector. The chamber includes a second inlet opening connected to a second intake pipe having a second injector. During normal operation, a predetermined fuel quantity is injected, and this quantity includes a first and second fuel quantities to be injected respectively via the first and second openings. In a first step, the first injector remains closed, and in a second step, the first injector is opened again. In the second step, a first test fuel quantity is injected into the combustion chamber via the first opening and a second test fuel quantity is injected via the second opening, the first and second test fuel quantities making up the predetermined fuel quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Lorenz, Andreas Posselt, Andrea Krusch, Andreas Gutscher, Haris Hamedovic
  • Patent number: 9920729
    Abstract: Embodiments may provide a starting device for a gas internal combustion engine whereby non-combusted gas accumulating in the gas internal combustion engine and an exhaust channel is discharged before ignition startup of the gas internal combustion engine and abnormal combustion of the gas internal combustion engine is prevented so as to improve safety, breakage prevention, durability and reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Nishio, Michiyasu Ishida, Hirotoshi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 9897056
    Abstract: A protective cover assembly for a fuel pump in a motor vehicle includes a hooded cover having a first face and a second face in addition to distal and proximate stud bolts, and a base fastener. The hooded cover defines a plurality of apertures operatively configured to receive a corresponding fastener. The distal stud bolt may be operatively configured to affix a distal end of the hooded cover to a cam carrier. The proximate stud bolt may be operatively configured to affix a middle region of the hooded cover to the cam carrier while the base fastener may be operatively configured to affix a lower portion of the hooded cover to the cam carrier. The proximate stud bolt includes an outer diameter feature which is operatively configured to engage with a plunger region of the pump assembly when the proximate cover assembly is subjected to a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Matthew D Kimball, Marc L Friedrich
  • Patent number: 9890754
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided that executes fuel injection and ignition with respect to a cylinder that remains stopped in an expansion stroke, and that performs ignition startup that starts up the internal combustion engine by rotationally driving a crankshaft by pressure of combustion accompanying the fuel injection. A motor generator (MG) that can rotationally drive the crankshaft is provided. A required assist torque Ast_trq exerted by the MG at the time of ignition startup is determined based on a maximum value Cyl_prss of an in-cylinder pressure that is detected by an in-cylinder pressure sensor at the time of ignition startup. The MG is controlled at the time of ignition startup based on the required assist torque Ast_trq that is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masakatsu Nagai, Shigeyuki Urano, Keisuke Sasaki, Rui Onoda
  • Patent number: 9869282
    Abstract: A canister is disposed in an underfloor regions ? which is surrounded by a muffler arranged under a floor panel at a rear end of a vehicle body, a rear differential gear unit arranged under the floor panel at a location adjacent to the muffler in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and a rear suspension member arranged so as to cover the space between the muffler and the rear differential gear unit from the underside of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Yamamoto, Katsuyuki Hamada, Kenichi Kunii, Takayuki Sano