Patents Examined by Douglas J. Duff
  • Patent number: 7832383
    Abstract: An engine for a personal watercraft that is equipped with a supercharging machine, including a pressure release device that is configured to, when a pressure in a region of an air-intake passage of the engine that is located upstream of a throttle valve in an intake-air flow direction exceeds a predetermined value, release the pressure outside the air-intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsufumi Ozaki, Keiji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7832997
    Abstract: A variable capacity gerotor pump includes an inner rotor that is axially displaceable with respect to the outer rotor to vary the volumetric capacity of the pump. An active piston abuts the lower surface of the inner rotor and can ride inside the outer rotor, as the inner rotor is axially displaced, to provide the necessary scaling of the lower surface of the inner rotor with respect to the outer rotor. A passive piston, against which a return spring acts, abuts the upper surface of the inner rotor to provide the necessary sealing of the upper surface of the inner rotor with respect to the outer rotor. In an embodiment, a control chamber, supplied with pressurized working fluid, generates a force acting against the force of the return spring to move the inner rotor to reduce the volumetric capacity of the pump. In another embodiment, a control mechanism, such as an electric solenoid or mechanical mechanism, acts on the control piston against the force of the return spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: MAGNA Powertrain, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Williamson, David R. Shulver
  • Patent number: 7827790
    Abstract: A torque base control unit calculates target torque based on an accelerator position and engine speed. The control unit further executes calculation of target airflow rate, calculation of target intake pressure, and calculation of target boost pressure based on the target torque. Target throttle position is calculated based on the target airflow rate, target intake pressure, target boost pressure, actual boost pressure, and throttle passed intake temperature. An assist control unit calculates target turbine power based on the target airflow rate and the target boost pressure calculated by the torque base control unit and calculates actual turbine power based on exhaust information. Assist power of a motor attached to a turbocharger is calculated based on the power difference between the target turbine power and the actual turbine power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kayoko Kimoto, Daiji Isobe
  • Patent number: 7823546
    Abstract: An engine with an output shaft extending through the engine block and generally parallel to the piston, the engine includes a boost piston cylinder integral to the cylinder, and a boost piston for producing compressed air so as to supercharge the engine. The engine further includes an energy translation mechanism translating linear movement into rotary movement, an energy translation mechanism for reducing the side force that the piston exerts against the inner wall of the combustion chamber, an energy transforming member working in concert with an engine torque absorbing/motion control torque reaction device to eliminate the lemniscate motion from being translated to the piston and to absorb all engine torque to case ground through a rolling element bearing, and a port time control system having a shaft phaser to adjust the phase of the pistons or the position of the air control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: High Density Powertrain, Inc.
    Inventors: Cliff Carlson, Steven F. Lowe
  • Patent number: 7819644
    Abstract: Lubrication of bearing surfaces in a scroll compressor is enhanced by a vent arrangement which makes use of increased centrifugal force, achieved by locating the outlet of the vent arrangement radially outside of the nominal circumference of the compressor's drive shaft, to both remove refrigerant gas from compressor locations where such gas can inhibit the flow and delivery of lubricant to such surfaces and to increase the lift of lubricant out of the compressor's lubricant sump. Oil retained in the upper surface of the compressor drive shaft is made immediately available for bearing lubrication upon compressor start-up to further enhance compressor lubrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Alan H V Eber, Daniel R. Crum
  • Patent number: 7815423
    Abstract: A scroll compressor includes a housing, a non-orbiting scroll member including a first spiral wrap, and an orbiting scroll member including a second spiral wrap. The first and second spiral wraps are interleaved to define at least one moving fluid pocket that decreases in size as it moves from a radially outer position to a radially inner position. A vapor-injection system may include a shell fitting in fluid communication with a fluid passageway of the non-orbiting scroll member via a vapor injection tube. The vapor injection tube may be fixed for movement with the non-orbiting scroll member for communicating vapor into the moving fluid pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Huaming Guo, Wayne Li
  • Patent number: 7805940
    Abstract: There is described an exhaust gas turbocharger which comprises a compressor and a turbine having an adjusting drive for adjusting a turbine geometry. A performance characteristic is determined depending on a turbine output, a mass flow through the turbine and a gas temperature upstream of the turbine. A mass flow characteristic is determined depending on the mass flow through the turbine and the gas temperature upstream of the turbine and a gas pressure downstream of the turbine. Depending on the performance characteristic and the mass flow characteristic, an adjuster position of the adjusting drive for adjusting the turbine geometry is determined using a characteristic diagram. For control, an adjusting signal for controlling the adjusting drive is determined depending on the adjuster position for adjusting the turbine geometry. For diagnosis of the exhaust gas turbocharger, the exhaust gas turbocharger is diagnosed depending on the adjuster position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Burkhardt, Markus Teiner
  • Patent number: 7806673
    Abstract: A nonmetallic pump with a gear pump assembly having an adapter spool mounted to an electric motor. The pump assembly is designed to reduce manufacturing costs and to provide access for many service and maintenance tasks to be performed without breaking any of the pipe connections. The pump assembly also includes a splined shaft system and a lubricating fluid circulation system with spiral grooves located inside a pair of bearings disposed on opposite sides of the gear flights. The assembly also includes a replaceable precision liner that surrounds the gear flights to maintain a tight tolerance for optimal performance of the pump. Also, an O-ring disposed inside the front cover of the assembly provides for operation of the pump over a wide temperature variation with relatively loose manufacturing tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Pulsafeeder, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen B. Muscarella, Philip T. Pascoe
  • Patent number: 7805939
    Abstract: A torque base control unit calculates target torque based on an accelerator position and engine speed. The control unit further executes calculation of target airflow rate, calculation of target intake pressure, and calculation of target boost pressure based on the target torque. Target throttle position is calculated based on the target airflow rate, target intake pressure, target boost pressure, actual boost pressure, and throttle passed intake temperature. An assist control unit calculates target turbine power based on the target airflow rate and the target boost pressure calculated by the torque base control unit and calculates actual turbine power based on exhaust information. Assist power of a motor attached to a turbocharger is calculated based on the power difference between the target turbine power and the actual turbine power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kayoko Kimoto, Daiji Isobe
  • Patent number: 7802429
    Abstract: An exhaust turbo-supercharger having a high efficiency is provided. The exhaust turbo-supercharger includes therein an exhaust turbine housing including a spiral channel and a turbine-accommodating chamber connected to an innermost peripheral part of the spiral channel; an exhaust turbine provided in the turbine-accommodating chamber so that the axial line of the exhaust turbine is parallel to that of the spiral channel; a shaft that is concentrically connected to one side of the exhaust turbine in the axial line direction; a bearing housing disposed at the side of the exhaust turbine in the axial line direction so as to be adjacent to the exhaust turbine housing; a bearing that is provided in the bearing housing and that rotatably supports the shaft around the axial line; and a heat shield component interposed between the exhaust turbine housing and the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Yokoyama, Seiichi Ibaraki, Katsuyuki Osako, Motoki Ebisu
  • Patent number: 7793499
    Abstract: An exemplary center housing rotating assembly includes a turbine wheel, a compressor wheel, a center housing with a through bore extending from a compressor end to a turbine end, a lubricant inlet and a lubricant outlet, a pair of bearings disposed at least partially in the through bore of the center housing, a bearing spacer and a shaft rotatably supported by the bearings and having a rotational axis coincident with a rotational axis of the turbine wheel and a rotational axis of the compressor wheel where the center housing includes bearing lubricant paths to direct lubricant from the lubricant inlet to the pair of bearings and a shaft lubricant path to direct lubricant from the lubricant inlet to the shaft in a manner dependent on rotational position of the bearing spacer in the through bore of the center housing. Various other exemplary devices, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel A Gutknecht
  • Patent number: 7793493
    Abstract: An engine (FIG. 1-1) comprising of multiple cylinders designated (2-5) combustion cylinders and (2-6) for heat recovery steam cylinders, each cylinder having a piston connected to a common crankshaft. The combustion cylinders operate on a four stroke cycle and the heat recovery steam cylinders operate on a two stroke cycle. The exhaust gas from the combustion cylinders is pressurized by a compressor, driven by a turbine, before entry into the heat recovery steam cylinders. This happens during the intake/power stroke of the heat recovery steam cylinders, as the intake valve closes, after top dead center, heated pressurized water is injected into the cylinder and spontaneously turns to steam driving the receding piston down. This heated exhaust gas and steam is expelled from the heat recovery steam cylinders to drive the turbine which in turn drives two compressors, one to compress the exhaust gas and one to compress the intake air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Inventor: Robert Mcilroy
  • Patent number: 7789641
    Abstract: A sealing ring is provided between an end plate of an eccentric rotation body and a support plate so that a pressure of fluid at high pressure is allowed to work on the end plate, thereby allowing an axial-direction pressing force to work on the end plate. The sealing ring is arranged eccentrically away from a center of a cylinder as forming the eccentric rotation body to minimize separation of the axial-direction pressing force from a thrust load in a radial direction in the end plate thereby reducing turnover moment effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Masuda
  • Patent number: 7779634
    Abstract: An exemplary flow path for an electrically assisted turbocharger (220) includes a first opening to an air intake path (114) of an engine (110), the first opening positioned downstream from a compressor (224) of the turbocharger (220); a second opening to an exhaust path (116) of an engine (110), the second opening positioned upstream from the turbine (226) of the turbocharger (220); and a valve (229) controllable by a controller (240, 150, 160) wherein the controller (240, 150, 160) includes control logic for controlling the valve (229) and for controlling an electric motor (228) of the electrically assisted turbocharger (220). Various other exemplary devices, methods, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Barthelet, Martin Verschoor
  • Patent number: 7771180
    Abstract: A compressor and oil separation device therefore are provided. The oil separation device is integrated with a compressor and includes a first case having a refrigerant inlet into which a refrigerant mixed with oil is sucked and an oil recollecting member through which oil separated from the refrigerant flows, and a second case positioned outside of the first case and having a refrigerant outlet through which refrigerant separated from an oil is discharged. With this constructions, a pipe connecting the compressor and a separate oil separation device is not required, thereby reducing fabrication costs and facilitating installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yang-Hee Cho, Nam-Kyu Cho, Dong-Koo Shin
  • Patent number: 7765963
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine usable for producing a rotational output, the internal combustion engine comprising: a casing; a cylinder defining a cylinder head and a combustion chamber extending from the cylinder head, the combustion chamber being substantially arc segment shaped and defining a chamber radius of curvature, the cylinder being mounted to the casing so as to be movable relatively thereto along a substantially annular path extending in a substantially concentric relationship relatively to the combustion chamber, the substantially annular path having a path radius of curvature substantially similar to the chamber radius of curvature; a piston, the piston being operatively coupled to the cylinder so as to be reciprocatingly movable within the combustion chamber, the piston being mounted to the casing so as to be movable relatively thereto along the substantially annular path; an output element operatively coupled to the cylinder and to the piston for producing the rotational output; and a unidirec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Tardif
  • Patent number: 7758326
    Abstract: A scroll fluid machine comprises compression chambers defined with an orbiting scroll orbiting relative to a fixed scroll, and a back pressure chamber provided on the face opposite from a wrap of the orbiting scroll. A back pressure port is provided, which is formed in an end-plate of the orbiting scroll and connects from a compression chamber side opening opened to a compression chamber side and to a back pressure chamber side opening opened to a back pressure chamber side. The compression chamber side opening is opened and closed by an end-plate of the fixed scroll according as the orbiting motion of the orbiting scroll to perform connection and blockage of the back pressure port. The flow resistance of fluid flowing in and out between the back pressure chamber and the compression chamber is reduced and the compression efficiency and reliability are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Appliances, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Fujimura, Takeshi Tsuchiya, Yuichi Yanagase, Makoto Aoki, Masashi Miyake, Mutsunori Matsunaga, Satoshi Nakamura, Masaru Ohtahara, Syuuji Hasegawa, Hiroyuki Imamura, Yoshinobu Yosuke, Kenji Tojo
  • Patent number: 7748366
    Abstract: A drive system. The drive system includes an engine configured to convert chemical energy into mechanical energy, an electronically-controlled air throttle configured to regulate air delivery to the engine, an electronically-controlled supercharger configured to selectively increase pressure of the air delivered to the engine, and a controller configured to variably engage the supercharger based on an operating parameter of the drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Rollinger, Michael J. Cullen, Karen Willard, Paul Pietrzyk
  • Patent number: 7722342
    Abstract: In order to realize cost reduction in a gear pump apparatus by reducing form accuracy of a gear while securing pump performance, a running-in coating is provided on a tooth sliding contact portion when forming a confinement area in at least one of gears of the gear pump apparatus. By this feature, the running-in coating is gradually worn away and deformed according to rotary drive of the pump, and thus it is possible to obtain an optimal gear form in meshing combinations of the gears. Further, it is possible to reduce leakage inside the pump to secure the pump performance even if the form accuracy of the gear is reduced for the sake of the cost reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isamu Tsubono, Mitsuo Sasaki, Toru Takahashi, Masaaki Busujima, Masakazu Kurata, Yasuhito Nakakuki
  • Patent number: 7722345
    Abstract: In a screw compressor, a pair of rotors are located in a housing to be rotatable around their rotary axes to form in the housing a compression chamber in which gas sucked from a suction port of the housing is compressed thereby discharging the compressed gas from a discharge port of the housing. The suction port is provided in the housing at a position radial outside of the rotors, and the housing is provided with a communication passage through which the suction port communicates with the compression chamber before being communicated with the suction port. Furthermore, the communication passage is provided such that the gas sucked from the suction port flows into the communication passage in a direction approximately parallel with an axial direction of the rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eitarou Tanaka, Hiroshi Okada