Patents Examined by David E Hamaoui
  • Patent number: 10359006
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing device includes a fuel tank storing fuel used for an internal combustion engine, a pressurizing portion performing a pressurizing process to increase an inner pressure of the fuel tank by supplying gas from outside to inside the fuel tank, and a controller controlling an operation of the pressurizing portion. The controller controls the pressurizing portion to perform the pressurizing process and to keep the inner pressure of the fuel tank at or above a predetermined pressure value at which vaporized fuel is prevented from flowing out of the fuel tank, except for a time of fueling of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Hamanakodenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideya Tochihara
  • Patent number: 10352255
    Abstract: A machine includes an engine and a governor operable to control an operating speed of the engine along a first droop curve such that the operating speed is a function of an operating load of the engine. The first droop curve includes a first region that defines a first slope, a second region that defines a second slope different from the first slope, and a transition point located at an intersection of the first region and the second region. The machine further includes a controller in communication with the governor. The controller is configured to determine an average operating load of the engine over a predetermined time period, adjust the location of the transition point based at least in part on the average operating load to create a second droop curve, and operate the engine based on the second droop curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael J. Pipho, Ronnie F. Burk, Dick J. Goering
  • Patent number: 10337445
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine with dual fuel injection capabilities to address fuel rail over-pressure due to stagnating hot fuel is shown. The method comprises operating an engine cylinder with only port injection, and selectively activating and deactivating the second injector in response to a rail pressure increase of a fuel rail, the fuel rail coupled to the second injector, and deactivating the second injector in response to a rail pressure decrease of the fuel rail to a lower threshold determined based on engine operating conditions. In this way, degradation of the second injector may be reduced while maintaining a desired level of engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ethan D. Sanborn, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Daniel Dusa
  • Patent number: 10337416
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving detection and mitigation of engine misfire are presented. Engine misfire is determined by sampling exhaust pressure of a cylinder only during a time when an exhaust valve of the cylinder is in an open state. If misfire is indicated, an actuator is adjusted to reduce the possibility of misfire during a subsequent cylinder cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 10337458
    Abstract: A carburetor has a housing wherein a control drum is rotatably mounted. A section of an intake channel is formed in the carburetor. A subsection of this section is formed in the control drum. The control drum controls the free flow cross section of the intake channel. A fuel opening is connected to a fuel chamber via an unbranched fuel channel which opens into the subsection of the intake channel. A simple configuration of the carburetor is achieved by the carburetor including an electrically actuated valve which controls the flow of fuel through the fuel channel. For a method for operating an internal combustion engine with a carburetor, a temperature (T) is determined before or during the starting of the engine and that the flow of fuel through the fuel channel during the starting of the engine is controlled in dependence upon the temperature (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Raffenberg, Antonio Fattorusso, Isgard Sabelberg
  • Patent number: 10330003
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel usage while addressing knock by adjusting the use of spark retard and direct injection of a fluid based on engine operating conditions and the composition of the injected fluid. One or more engine parameters, such as EGR, VCT, boost, throttle position, are coordinated with the direct injection to reduce torque and EGR transients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 10329915
    Abstract: A power turbine includes a first stage blade having an airfoil with a cold un-coated nominal profile substantially in accordance with at least an intermediate portion of the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table 2. The X and Y values are distances, which when smoothly connected by an appropriate continuing curve, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The profile sections at each distance Z are joined smoothly to one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Krishan Mohan, Panagiota Tsifourdaris, Lorenzo Sanzari, Igal Acher Abenhaim, Anthony Pham
  • Patent number: 10323588
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for particulate matter control in an engine configured for skip-fire operation. A cylinder pattern selected for selective cylinder deactivation, including a total number of deactivated/active cylinders as well as individual deactivated cylinder identities, may be adjusted based on an engine soot load, or a parameter indicative of engine soot load such as engine coolant temperature. In addition, reactivated engine cylinders may be transiently operated with split fuel injection to raise combustion surface temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Brad Alan VanDerWege
  • Patent number: 10323592
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation control device for an engine is provided. The device includes an EGR passage connecting an exhaust passage of the engine with an intake passage of the engine, an EGR amount adjustor for adjusting an EGR amount that is a recirculation amount of exhaust gas of the engine through the EGR passage, an adjustor controller for controlling the EGR adjustor to adjust the EGR amount, and a gear position detector for detecting a gear position of a transmission of a vehicle on which the engine is mounted. When the gear position detected by the gear position detector during an idle operation of the engine is a non-travel position, the adjustor controller performs an EGR amount increase control in which the EGR amount adjustor is controlled to increase the EGR amount to be higher than when the gear position is a travel position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Minamoto, Kotaro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10316772
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an engine capable of receiving liquid and gaseous fuel. In one example, cylinder misfire may be identified based on a misfire monitor. The misfire monitor may detect misfire based on signals from a crankshaft sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC
    Inventors: Paul Lloyd Flynn, Aninda Bhattacharya, Ganesasubramanian Murugesan, Milan Palinda Karunaratne, Daniel Cullen
  • Patent number: 10316786
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving fuel injection of an engine that includes a cylinder receiving fuel from two different fuel injectors is disclosed. In one example, a transfer function or gain of a direct fuel injector is adjusted in response to an exhaust lambda value and a first pulse width of two pulse widths provided to an injector of a cylinder during a cylinder cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Adithya Pravarun Re Ranga, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 10309331
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to internal combustion engines. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods for the measuring of a feedback signal generated by the movement dynamics of a fuel injector in operation. A method may include: (a) generating an electrical test pulse; (b) feeding the test pulse into an actuation line connecting the output stage to the injector to an electric drive of the injector; (c) measuring an electrical response pulse generated by the actuation line in response to the test pulse; (d) identifying a characteristic feature of the measured response pulse; (e) transferring the feature to a control and evaluation unit; (f) evaluating the feature; and (g) acquiring the characteristic information item about the measuring channel based on the evaluation of the transferred characteristic feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Hauser, Gerd Roesel, Markus Stutika
  • Patent number: 10294895
    Abstract: An abnormality sensing device for an evaporation fuel purge system is equipped with a purge passage that connects a canister to an intake passage of an internal combustion engine, a purge pump, a purge control valve, and a valve component that closes and opens the purge passage at a target passage including at least a first purge passage defined between the purge control valve and the intake passage. An abnormality determining portion detects a physical quantity relevant to a pressure change in the target passage in a determination possible state where the purge control valve allows the evaporation fuel to flow through the first purge passage and where the valve component prohibits the evaporation fuel from being supplied to the intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignees: HAMANAKODENSO CO., LTD., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kosuke Shirai
  • Patent number: 10280889
    Abstract: A motor vehicle solenoid includes a solenoid housing having an inner surface, at least one coil arranged in the housing, an actuator associated with the at least one coil, and a stop member arranged in the housing adjacent the at least one coil. The stop member includes an outer circumferential edge abutting the inner surface of the solenoid housing. The outer circumferential edge includes at least one clearance zone that is spaced from the inner surface of the housing. The at least one clearance zone defines a grounded electrical attachment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: Ronald D. Gentry, Muhammed Emin Ozdemir, Steve Burton, Kirk Neet
  • Patent number: 10273899
    Abstract: A method and test device for recognizing detecting whether a mass air flow meter of intake air of an internal combustion engine is defective is provided. In the method and device, a test procedure is executed using a pilot controller while a mixture controller that is used in non-test engine operation is deactivated. The pilot controller for the mixture of fuel and air in the respective cylinders outputs control values which, during normal operation of the internal combustion engine via the mixture control, are varied on the basis of a mixture deviation of the current mixture from a stoichiometric mixture. The engine is set to one or more different idling speeds and at each respective idling speed the mixture deviation is detected. If the detected mixture deviation(s) (i'lA.) satisfy a predetermined criteria thresholds, the air flow meter is identified as defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Sebastian Grasreiner
  • Patent number: 10273892
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for use with an internal combustion engine has a check valve and a purge valve disposed in a purge passage that extends from a canister to connect with an intake passage of the internal combustion engine. A controller regulates the purge valve open with a first opening degree or a first duty ratio during a purge operation. The controller may also regulate the purge valve to open with a second opening degree larger than the first opening degree or a second duty ratio larger than the first duty ratio a predetermined time after initiating the purge operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignees: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuji Miyazaki, Hidetoshi Tsutsumi, Tomonori Nakatsuka, Kinji Morihiro, Koji Honda
  • Patent number: 10273924
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a mild hybrid vehicle includes an engine including a plurality of combustion chambers for generating driving torque by burning fuel, at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve for opening and closing each of the combustion chambers, an MHSG (mild hybrid starter and generator) for assisting the driving torque of the engine and selectively being operated as a generator, a VVA (variable valve apparatus) including an oil control valve that changes a direction of a path for flowing engine oil in order to adjust opening timing, lift, and duration of the intake valve and the exhaust valve, and a controller operating the MHSG to assist the engine torque when the oil control valve is faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hyun Kim, Ki Hong Kang, Sung Il You, Hwa Yong Jang, Yong Ug Kim, YoungMin Kim
  • Patent number: 10273929
    Abstract: When the concentration of alcohol is high, the timing of ignition is controlled upon the lapse of a delay time Tig from a reference timing t as a timing when a reference angle ?ref that is more advanced than a top dead center is detected. It should be noted, however, that the timing of ignition is controlled to a timing when a retarded angle aop is detected, if it is determined that a misfire has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Takei
  • Patent number: 10273869
    Abstract: A prechamber ignition device in an internal combustion engine is provided having a body piece formed of a first type of material and a tip piece formed of a second type of material. A distal end of the body piece has a cladding, which may be of the second type of material, for preventing corrosion of the first type of material from which the body piece is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Graham, Daniel Cavanaugh
  • Patent number: 10267251
    Abstract: A method for determining an air mass air in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. A first filling equivalent is determined during a compression phase of the cylinder, wherein the first filling equivalent corresponds to a first average pressure difference in a first angle range of a crank angle in the compression phase. A second filling equivalent is determined during an expansion phase of the cylinder, wherein the second filling equivalent corresponds to a second average pressure difference in a second angle range of the crank angle of the expansion phase. A differential filling equivalent is calculated by subtracting the first filling equivalent from the second filling equivalent. The air mass in the cylinder is determined based on the differential filling equivalent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Harry Schuele, Bjoern Knorr