Patents Examined by David A. Okonsky
  • Patent number: 5826560
    Abstract: Several embodiments of multi-valve internal combustion engines, wherein low-speed hydrocarbon emissions are reduced by restricting the opening of at least one of the exhaust valves under this running condition. In addition, and in accordance with at least one of the embodiments, one of the intake valves is partially open during a portion of the exhaust cycle to further improve emission control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 5826557
    Abstract: A number of embodiments of two-cycle crankcase compression direct injected internal combustion engines wherein engine speed is controlled under at least some running conditions by cylinder disabling. Exhaust systems including exhaust control valves for precluding the passage of cooler gasses from the disabled cylinders to the operating cylinders through their exhaust ports are illustrated in varying forms and for various types of engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Motoyama, Akihiko Ohokubo
  • Patent number: 5826554
    Abstract: A valve is installed in an opening provided in a thin wall of an air intake pipe, which supplies combustion air from a flow control device to a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, to relieve excess pressure in the pipe. The valve includes a socket connected to a segment of the air intake pipe, and an elastomer, umbrella valve member is supported in the socket to normally cover the opening in the pipe and to undergo deformation when the pressure in the pipe reaches a predetermined value to uncover the opening and to connect the interior of the pipe to the ambient atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Pierburg AG
    Inventors: Hans-Ulrich Kuhnel, Franz Dellen
  • Patent number: 5826550
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine comprising an engine block housing at least two reciprocating pistons being each provided in a cylinder comprising at least an inlet valve and an exhaust valve, which pistons are coupled with a crankshaft being coupled with a drive shaft and/or operating shaft, the at least two pistons are arranged in cylinders being placed at an angle of 90.degree. C. to each other. Furthermore the crankshaft is coupled eccentrically with extensions of the pistons, which extensions are integral with the pistons and are protruding from the pistons opposite of the piston surface, and the drive shaft and/or operating shaft are coupled with the crankshaft with the same eccentricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Inventor: Drazen Paut
  • Patent number: 5826553
    Abstract: An air cleaner, a throttle, a surge tank and air-intake pipes of an intake manifold are combined in a unit and a fuel delivery pipe and fuel injectors are installed in the unit before the unit of an air-intake device is assembled to an internal combustion engine. Cases of the above members are integrally formed thereby to reduce the size of the device and material used for the device. A dusty-side of the air cleaner is disposed under a filter element to prevent dust and water from getting into the clean-side of the filter element when the element is removed to have serviced or inspected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Nakayama, Shuya Mikami, Yoshitaka Nishio, Akihide Yamaguchi, Masao Ino
  • Patent number: 5823521
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for computerized control of a "Phillipsburg-type" mail insertion machine. The mechanical timing and drive mechanisms of the prior art inserter are replaced with a programmable computer, solenoid valves, and pneumatic cylinders, or other suitable drivers. The computer's software includes a plurality of programmed look-up tables. An operational delay look-up table includes electro-mechanical lag times for the pneumatically driven stations/sub-assemblies of the inserter. Also provided are look-up speed tables, which include start and stop angles for actuation of each of the pneumatic cylinders. A first look-up speed table includes actuation data appropriate for operation of the machine within a relatively slow range of speeds. Four additional look-up speed tables provide correct actuation data for successively higher speed groups, up to 10,000 insertion cycles per hour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Mail Processing Systems
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Emigh, Raymond P. Porter, Motaz M. Qutub
  • Patent number: 5823157
    Abstract: A construction of an intake passage for an internal combustion engine in which a length of the intake passage is automatically varied in response to a variation in the cross-sectional area of the intake passage. The intake passage is provided for supplying intake air to an intake port of the engine. A first intake pipe has a first end connected to the intake port of the internal combustion engine. A second intake pipe is movably connected to the first intake pipe. The second intake pipe has an open end protruding from a second end of the first intake pipe so as to introduce air therethrough to the first intake pipe. A cross-sectional area of the second intake pipe gradually increases toward the open end. A projection protrudes into an interior of the second intake pipe through the open end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 5823162
    Abstract: The operation of a distribution system of a four-stroke internal combustion engine, which has suction and exhaustion mechanisms, is based on the principle that the exhaustion mechanism, which opens during an expansion stroke and stays opened during the exhaustion stroke, stays opened also through the whole period of the combustion stroke and it closes only during the period of compression after opening of the suction mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Inventors: Jan Pavlicek, Lubos Jakubec, Mojmir Robes
  • Patent number: 5823156
    Abstract: A dual bore intake manifold for an internal combustion engine is disclosed which has a simplified construction and provides improved engine performance. A one-piece manifold and throttle housing is disclosed resulting in reduced production costs. The one-piece manifold and throttle housing affords easy attachment to an engine as it can be mounted in the same manner as a single bore manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Timothy S. Thiel, Victor Van Dyke
  • Patent number: 5819696
    Abstract: An air cleaner used regardless of a change in condition caused due to the presence/absence of an air valve, and thus it reduces the number of parts used, lowers the cost, and eliminates the requirement of changing the layout of peripheral parts of the air cleaner. One of an upper case and a lower case of the air cleaner has an intake port through which air is drawn into an internal space of the one case, and an integral partition wall is disposed near the intake port so as to isolate a portion of the internal space to form an extra space. The partition wall has a first surface facing the intake port and having a first opening formed therein, and a second surface facing the extra space and intersecting the first surface at an axis of intersection. The second surface has a second opening spaced from the axis of intersection by the same distance as the first opening is spaced from the axis of intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Wada
  • Patent number: 5819702
    Abstract: The efficiency of a vehicle having a body and a reciprocating piston four-stroke internal combustion engine is increased substantially by greatly reducing the size of the engine relative to the weight of the body. The great reduction in engine size relative to the weight of the body causes the engine to operate in a much more efficient range during almost all of the time of its operation. Peak power needs are satisfied by turbocharging and varying the compression ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: NGV Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Mendler
  • Patent number: 5816201
    Abstract: An offset crankshaft mechanism for an internal combustion engine which allows for greater efficiency and increased torque. The invention includes an engine block, a crankcase, one or more piston cylinders each having a piston reciprocally disposed therein, a rotatable crankshaft longitudinally disposed within the crankcase and offset at a predetermined distance from the vertical axis of the piston cylinder, and one or more connecting rods connecting the pistons to the crankshaft. The offset crankshaft is located such that at a point during the power stroke the crankshaft is perpendicular to the vertical axis of the piston cylinder and the connecting rod is substantially collinear with the vertical axis of the piston cylinder. The crankshaft must be located far enough below the piston cylinders to prevent interference between the connecting rods and the piston cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventor: Edward A. Garvin
  • Patent number: 5813371
    Abstract: A computerized, self-contained, internal supercharged, positive displacement, internal combustion engine that transfers the work being generated in the combustion cylinder directly into useful work in a pump without the disadvantages of crankshafts, camshafts, and powertrain. A piston-rod assembly that has a much smaller frictional surface area replaces the above crankshafts, camshafts, and powertrain. The elimination of the crankshaft, and other associated parts reduces operational, maintenance, and manufacturing cost. Conventional engines that employ a crankshaft as a means of extracting work from the combustion cylinder have reached their innate design limits. This novel device will allow further development of the positive displacement, internal combustion engine; can be employed in certain applications that crankshafted devices cannot; and open new applications. It can be used directly as a pump or in systems requiring a pump. Its application can be stationary, mobile, and transportation vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Inventor: George Keith Peel
  • Patent number: 5813373
    Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine for a hand-guided working tool has a cylinder with a cylinder wall and a piston reciprocating in the cylinder and defining a combustion chamber with the cylinder wall. Transfer parts, each having an outlet window, for introducing combustion air and fuel into the combustion chamber are provided. The outlet windows are cut into the cylinder wall for connecting the transfer parts to the combustion chamber. The outlet windows have limiting edges extending parallel to a central cylinder axis of the cylinder and are located within an inner mantle surface of the cylinder wall. The outlet windows have a window width measured in a circumferential direction of the inner mantle surface. The transfer parts have a channel width measured in the circumferential direction of the inner mantle surface, whereby the window width is greater than the channel width. The transfer parts have a transition portion into the outlet windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co.
    Inventors: Jorg Schlossarczyk, Axel Klimmek, Peter Pretzsch
  • Patent number: 5813384
    Abstract: An air intake system for an internal combustion engine has a vertical crankshaft and a pair of substantially horizontally disposed cylinders that extend outward from a crankcase to form a V-space therebetween. The air intake system includes an air inlet through a blower housing on top of the engine, an air cleaner housing that is disposed substantially directly above the V-space and that receives air from the air inlet, an air-fuel mixing device disposed substantially directly below the air cleaner, and an intake manifold adapted to deliver a combustible mixture from the air-fuel device to each cylinder. The air cleaner includes a filter supported such that air received from the air inlet flows through the filter in a substantially upward direction. The air cleaner housing and the blower housing are integrated into a single housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Lavender, Gregg R. Herde
  • Patent number: 5809949
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a two-stroke engine comprising at least:a cylinder (111) in which a piston (112) moves and one end of which communicates with a pump crankcase (115) crossed through by the crankshaft (114) of the engine,a capacity under pressure (87) opening at one end into the combustion chamber (113) of the cylinder (111), at least one valve (86) ensuring an intermittent sealing between the chamber (113) and the capacity (87),a means (88) intended for carburetting the gas passing in said capacity (87),a means for controlling the opening of said valve (86) comprising a supple membrane (89) separating two chambers (95a, 95b) and connected to the rod of the valve.The engine according to the invention further comprises a liking means (92) between one (95b) of said chambers and the pump crankcase (115) of said cylinder, allowing notably the opening of the valve (86) to be activated as soon as possible when the pressure P.sub.B in the chamber (95b) becomes lower than the pressure P.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventor: Pierre Duret
  • Patent number: 5810345
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing folded printed sheets includes a work station for processing the folded printed sheets and a conveying device driven with a transporting movement in a direction along a conveying path that is arranged alongside the work station. Saddle-shaped supports are attached to the conveying device and have supporting edges on which the printed sheets can be supported respectively along their fold by straddling the supporting edge of the respective saddle-shaped support. The saddle-shaped supports are conveyed along the conveying path so that the supporting edges are positioned transverse to the conveying path at a distance to each other and move successively past the work station which cooperates with the saddle-shaped supports respectively while the saddle-shaped supports are transported past the work station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Grapha-Holding AG
    Inventors: Peter Lehmann, Ernst Luthi
  • Patent number: 5809960
    Abstract: An intake pipe for absorbing vibrations of an internal combustion engine to prevent the transfer of the vibrations to a carburetor. The intake pipe includes an intake pipe body made of aluminum which is connected to an outlet portion of a carburetor. An intake pipe mounting flanges is made of aluminum and abuts with the intake inlets of intake ports formed respectively in front and rear cylinder heads of an overhead valve type, longitudinal V-shaped, two-cylinder, internal combustion engine. A coating member is made of rubber. The coating member covers the outer peripheral surface of the intake pipe body to combine the intake pipe body and the intake pipe mounting flanges with each other in an integral and airtight manner. The intake pipe body and the two intake pipe mounting flanges are formed as integral members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atuo Hojyo, Makoto Harada, Youichi Shihozawa
  • Patent number: 5809961
    Abstract: An intake passage structure for an internal combustion engine has a first passage portion where a throttle valve is disposed and a second passage portion, downstream of the fist passage portion, where a mesh member is disposed. A relationship S.sub.1 .ltoreq..alpha.S.sub.2 holds between a cross-sectional area S.sub.1 of the first passage portion and a cross-sectional area S.sub.2 of the second passage portion where .alpha. is an open area rate of the mesh member. A clearance may be provided between a periphery of the mesh member and an inside surface of the intake pipe where the mesh member is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenjiro Morota, Kanji Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 5809945
    Abstract: A drain-and-fill machine is disclosed that can accommodate a cooling system having an inlet-side thermostat. The drain-and-fill machine includes a reservoir of fresh or recycled antifreeze/coolant and a reservoir to receive used antifreeze/coolant. The drain-and-fill machine introduces the fresh or recycled antifreeze/coolant into the cooling system of an automobile while simultaneously draining the used antifreeze/coolant into the used coolant reservoir. When the engine is cold, the engine's inlet side-thermostat will prevent new antifreeze/coolant from entering the cooling system, thereby making it possible to drain the used antifreeze/coolant from the cooling system, without simultaneously replenishing the cooling system with fresh or recycled antifreeze/coolant. The present drain-and-fill machine includes a thermostat disposed in the reservoir drain line having similar operating characteristics to the engine's inlet-side thermostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Prestone Products Corporation
    Inventors: Richard F. Creeron, Norman D. Berke, Jerry Motard