Patents Examined by Carl S. Miller
  • System and method of managing pressure in a fuel system
    Patent number: 6889669
    Abstract: A system and method of managing fuel vapor pressure in a fuel system. The direction of air flow between first and second ports on either side of a chamber is controlled by a liquid that divides the chamber into first and second portions. A leak detection test, excess vacuum venting, and pressure blow-off of the fuel system are controlled by displacement of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Perry, Andre Veinotte
  • Accumulation type fuel injection system for engine
    Patent number: 6886537
    Abstract: In an accumulation type fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, a common rail is formed with an accumulation chamber inside a peripheral wall portion so that a central axis of the accumulation chamber is deviated from that of the common rail, which has a cross section in a complete round shape. Thus, a thick wall portion having thicker wall than other portion of the peripheral wall portion is formed in the peripheral wall portion. A plurality of pipe connecting portions is formed radially inside the thick wall portion. A plurality of pipe connectors is formed separately from the common rail and is connected to the common rail at the pipe connecting portions. As a result, machining of an outer periphery of the common rail is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Kondo
  • Method for controlling the primary ignition current of an internal combustion engine with controlled ignition
    Patent number: 6883508
    Abstract: Method for controlling a primary current in an ignition coil of an internal combustion engine with controlled ignition, the current is established in an inductive primary circuit over a given conduction time. The conduction time is calculated by: predetermining the predetermined conduction time, carrying out at least one measurement of the current in the primary circuit at an instant lying in the last tenth of the predetermined conduction time; estimating the current at the end of the predetermined conduction time, as a function of the measurement(s) carried out; optionally correcting the conduction time for the ignition cycle during which the last current measurement was carried out, as a function of the previous estimate and the current desired at the end of the conduction time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive
    Inventor: Yves Geoffroy
  • Motor driven throttle control device and method of mounting motor thereto
    Patent number: 6880522
    Abstract: Provided is a throttle control device having a throttle body (1) forming an intake passage (1a) inside the throttle body. A throttle valve (2) is rotatably arranged in the intake passage. A motor (4) rotates the throttle valve. The motor has a motor casing (28), which has one axial end portion and the other axial end portion. A first support device (5, 29) fixedly supports one axial end portion of the motor casing with respect to the throttle body. A second support device (6, 24) supports the other axial end portion of the motor casing with respect to the throttle body resiliently in the radial direction of the motor. The second support device includes a substantially ring-shaped resilient support member (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Kino, Shinji Kawai
  • Control unit of internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 6880537
    Abstract: In the control unit of internal combustion engine, in which the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) quantity to an intake pipe is adjusted by the EGR valve, an EGR regulator controls an opening degree of the EGR valve according to the fuel injection value. And the EGR regulator decreases the opening degree of the EGR valve quickly to the minimum when the increase of the fuel injection valve in a unit time exceeds a criterial value. Further, an EGR buffer prevents the EGR regulator from quick-decreasing the opening degree of the EGR valve when the fuel injection value is wiggling by the operation of the cruise controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tomomi Oshima
  • Vehicle fuel management system
    Patent number: 6877488
    Abstract: An integrated fuel management system and method for controlling the fuel storage and delivery in a vehicle. The fuel management system includes a fuel storage tank for storing fuel in a vehicle, a vapor collection canister located within the fuel storage tank, a vent actuator coupled to the vapor collection canister for venting gas from the canister during a vent operation, and a purge actuator coupled to the canister for purging fuel vapor from the canister during a purge operation. A variable speed fuel pump is disposed within the fuel storage tank for delivering fuel to a fuel delivery line for an engine. The fuel management system has a controller provided in a module disposed in communication with the fuel for controlling the amount of fuel pumped with the variable speed fuel pump to deliver fuel to the fuel delivery line and further control the purge and vent actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Nartron Corporation
    Inventors: John Washeleski, Randall L. Perrin, John E. Mitchell
  • Device for detecting canister deterioration
    Patent number: 6874485
    Abstract: A fuel evaporation control system is connected to an engine control system in which an air-fuel ratio in mixture gas supplied to an engine is controlled to an optimum level. Fuel evaporated from a fuel tank is absorbed by a canister, and the absorbed fuel is purged into the engine. Deterioration of the canister in its air-permeability is detected based on measured pressure in the fuel evaporation control system or calculated density in the purge gas, both the pressure and the density being measured or calculated under two different amounts of purge gas flow. Deterioration of the canister in its fuel-absorbing ability is also detected based on the purge gas density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Fujimoto
  • Structure of fuel injector using piezoelectric actuator
    Patent number: 6874475
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is provided. The fuel injector has a simple structure so that it is easy to install and remove a piezoelectric valve actuator in and from the fuel injector, and to adjust fuel injection characteristics finely which allows the overall size of the fuel injector to be decreased. The fuel injector includes a housing to be installed in the engine and a structural element serving to install the piezoelectric valve actuator in the housing to be detachable easily. The piezoelectric valve actuator is retained in an actuator casing fitted in the housing so that it can expand or contract to move a needle valve. The actuator casing has an extensible portion in itself or is coupled to a bellows in alignment for enabling the piezoelectric valve actuator to expand, thereby allowing the size of the actuator casing to be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Katsura, Kenji Funai, Yutaka Yamada, Ken Mizutani
  • Fuel injector mounting arrangement
    Patent number: 6874477
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement with a fuel rail having a plurality of fuel injector cups, a plurality of fuel injectors, and a clip. The fuel injector cups include a cylindrical tube defining a longitudinal axis, a fuel rail mounting section disposed at a first end of the tube, and a lip at a second end of the tube. Each of the fuel injectors corresponding to one of the plurality of fuel injector cups. The fuel injectors have a housing with a retention groove. The clip engages both the lip of the fuel injector cup and the retention groove in the housing of the fuel injector to secure the fuel injector to the fuel injector cup and allow the fuel injector to reciprocate along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.
    Inventors: Jack Richardson Lorraine, Todd Matthew Answine, Dean Leigh Spiers
  • Fuel delivery rail assembly
    Patent number: 6871637
    Abstract: A fuel delivery rail assembly for supplying fuel to a plurality of fuel injectors in an engine is provided. The assembly includes an elongate conduit having a longitudinal fuel passage therein, a fuel inlet pipe, and a plurality of sockets. One wall of the conduit opposite to the socket mounting wall includes a flat or arcuate flexible absorbing surface. A high-frequency noise suppressing device such as a binding member is fixed within the conduit for connecting the one wall and the socket mounting wall. The binding member includes is comprised of a pipe, a bar or a rigid block. The binding member may be a body portion of an extending socket terminating with the one wall. Thus, fuel pressure pulsations and shock waves are reduced by bending of the absorbing surface, and emission of high-frequency noise is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kaisha Ltd.
    Inventors: Hikari Tsuchiya, Yoshiyuki Serizawa, Tetsuo Ogata, Kazuteru Mizuno, Kazunori Takikawa
  • High pressure fuel accumulation device
    Patent number: 6871638
    Abstract: A common rail has an accumulation pipe in which high pressure fuel is accumulated, a pipe joint to which a high pressure pipe is connected and an orifice member housed inside the pipe joint. The orifice member is provided with a conduit through which a fuel port formed in the accumulation pipe communicates with the high pressure pipe. The conduit is provided at an end thereof with an orifice. The orifice serves to reduce pressure pulsation generated by fuel injection of an injector so that fuel pressure in the common rail is stable. Since the orifice is formed in the orifice member housed in the pipe joint, the orifice is easily and accurately manufactured at a lower cost, compared to an orifice formed in the accumulation pipe. It is easy to standardize the manufacture of plural models of common rails whose orifice diameters are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Kondo
  • Saddle tank siphon primer
    Patent number: 6871640
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system including a fuel tank having multiple sections. A fuel pump is disposed in a first section with an inlet for drawing liquid fuel from the first section and an outlet for supplying the fuel to an engine and to a pick-up disposed in the second section. A siphon line is connected to the pick-up at one end and terminates in the first section at another end. A fuel inlet of the pickup communicates with the siphon line through a valve member that is actuated to open and closed positions. In operation, the fuel pump provides a flow of liquid fuel to the pick-up to purge and prime the siphon line which normally maintains a substantially equal liquid fuel level in the first and second sections of the fuel tank. In some conditions, the valve closes to prevent reverse flow of fuel from the first section to the second section of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Atwood, Daniel A. Gilmour
  • Fuel injector with controlled high pressure fuel passage
    Patent number: 6868831
    Abstract: A unit fuel injector, the injector internally preparing fuel during an injection event at a pressure sufficient for injection by means of an intensifier driven by a pressurized non-fuel actuating fluid selectively ported to the intensifier, includes a selectively actuatable controller interposed in a fuel passage, the fuel passage effecting fluid communication between an intensifier fuel chamber and a needle valve, the controller being shiftable between an open and a closed disposition for selectively opening and closing the fuel passage during the injection event A control apparatus and a method of injection timing control are further included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Ning Lei
  • Fuel injection system for a diesel engine with recycling
    Patent number: 6868838
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injection system for a diesel engine cooled by a cooling water circuit comprising a storage tank, a distribution system, an injection harness and a draining circuit. The distribution system comprises a pump and a device for the selective heating of the fresh fuel flow before admission into the pump, and the injection harness injects part of the fuel into the engine. The draining circuit comprises a device for cooling the flow of non-injected fuel, and is used for the selective return of the flow toward the storage tank. The selective heating device comprises a recycle line and a direction setting element which can be used selectively to recycle the flow of non-injected fuel upstream of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles S.A.
    Inventor: Patrick Piet
  • Marine vessel fuel system with a fuel pump attached to an external surface of a fuel tank
    Patent number: 6866029
    Abstract: A fuel system for a marine vessel attaches a fuel pump directly to the outer surface of a remote fuel tank that is displaced from the internal combustion engine to which the fuel is supplied. A pressure regulator is used to maintain a particular fluid pressure at the outlet of the pump and excess fuel is returned directly into the fuel reservoir. Fuel is drawn upward by the inlet of the pump through a conduit that extends downwardly into fluid communication with liquid fuel within the remote reservoir. A filter can be provided to filter the liquid fuel as it is drawn into the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel E. Clarkson, Richard C. Todhunter
  • High pressure fuel pump delivery control by piston deactivation
    Patent number: 6866025
    Abstract: A high pressure piston pump includes a housing having a low pressure fuel inlet and a high pressure fuel outlet; at least two pistons disposed in the housing; a driveshaft for supplying power to drive the at least two pistons; and a bypass valve fluidly connected to at least one of the at least two pistons to deactivate the at least one piston. A method of varying the flow output of a high pressure piston pump having at least two pistons includes deactivating at least one of the two pistons by directing fluid displaced by the at least one piston to a bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.
    Inventor: Martin Maass
  • Engine fuel injection control
    Patent number: 6856889
    Abstract: A wall surface of a combustion chamber (5) of an internal combustion engine (1) is divided into a low temperature wall surface (5b) and a high temperature wall surface (5a, 6a, 15a) comprising other components, and behavior models of the fuel adhering to these wall surfaces are created. By determining the fuel ratio which vaporizes from the wall surfaces and burns, and the fuel ratio which is discharged without being burnt, in respective models according to the wall surface temperatures, particularly under transient conditions, these behavior models allow the fuel amount burnt in the combustion chamber (5) and the fuel amount discharged in the exhaust gas to be precisely known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hatsuo Nagaishi, Takahiro Yoshino
  • Corrugated internal fuel rail damper
    Patent number: 6854447
    Abstract: A fuel rail that forms a conduit for pressurized fuel to be delivered to at least one fuel injector. The fuel rail includes an elongated member that is corrugated such that the fuel rail acts as a pressure damper. A method of reducing pressure pulsation in a fuel system is achieved by configuring a fuel of a second configuration from an initial configuration, the second configuration having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having at least three points defining a virtual plane, the first portion including a continuous surface that intersects the virtual plane at a plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.
    Inventors: Farid Heidari Miandoab, Hamid Sayar
  • Fuel injection pump
    Patent number: 6848429
    Abstract: In a fuel injection pump, a helical gear is attached to an end of a camshaft and rotatable with the camshaft. The camshaft is biased in one axial direction thereof by a driving force that the helical gear receives from an engine crankshaft. A disk is provided in a position of the camshaft extending forward from a cam to the direction in which the camshaft is biased. An axial movement of the disk is restricted via a washer by an end of a bearing cover. The disk is formed in the same axis to a portion of the camshaft that is held by a journal bearing. An outer diameter of the disk is larger than that of the cam. An area where the disk and the washer are in sliding contact with each other is relatively large and the sliding regions thereof are constant so that hammer noises are prevented and frictional wear thereof are limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Mori
  • Fuel injector retainer assembly
    Patent number: 6845758
    Abstract: A fuel injector is operably couplable to a cylinder head, a clamping mechanism being in operable engagement with the fuel injector and the cylinder head for exerting a clamping force tending to hold the fuel injector in engagement with the cylinder head and includes a retainer assembly for retaining the fuel injector in operable coupling with a cylinder head, the retainer acting in cooperation with the clamping mechanism. The retainer assembly has a split dowel, the split dowel being statically engagable with the cylinder head by a clamping action of the clamping mechanism acting on the fuel injector and being engagable with a spring component for imparting a bias to the spring component. The spring component is in operable engagement with the fuel injector for imparting a reactive force to the fuel injector responsive to the bias imparted by the split dowel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Seymour, II, James H. Yager