Patents Examined by George C Jin
  • Patent number: 11512662
    Abstract: The objective is to provide an internal-combustion-engine controller that can diagnose, at low cost and in real time, respective combustion states of a subsidiary-chamber-type internal combustion engine. An internal-combustion-engine controller according to the present disclosure controls an internal combustion engine having a main combustion chamber and a subsidiary combustion chamber from which a combustion gas is injected into the main combustion chamber through an orifice provided between the main combustion chamber and the subsidiary combustion chamber to ignite a fuel-air mixture in the main combustion chamber; the internal-combustion-engine controller includes an ion detector that detects an ion in the in the subsidiary combustion chamber and a diagnosis and control device that controls fuel supply to the internal combustion engine and diagnoses a combustion state in the main combustion chamber or in the subsidiary combustion chamber, based on an amount of an ion detected by the ion detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kimihiko Tanaya
  • Patent number: 11512661
    Abstract: A method for detecting leakage of a high pressure fuel pump of a vehicle includes: turning off starting of an engine; after the starting of the engine is turned off, determining whether restarting of the engine occurs by a fuel rail pressure condition in which internal fuel pressure of a fuel rail connected between the high pressure fuel pump and an injector of the engine is less than or equal to a reference pressure; when the restarting of the engine occurs by the fuel rail pressure condition, determining whether a reference pressure reach time of the internal fuel pressure of the fuel rail is less than or equal to a reference time; and when the reference pressure reach time of the internal fuel pressure of the fuel rail is less than or equal to the reference time, storing a number of times of restarting of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Sunmyoung Jo
  • Patent number: 11512654
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling injection of a gaseous fuel, such as hydrogen or a hydrogen based gas, and a water-based fluid medium into a combustion engine. The method comprises the steps of: in a first operational mode injecting the gaseous fuel and optionally a water based fluid medium into a combustion chamber of the engine at a relatively high pressure; in a second operational mode injecting water as liquid into engine to reduce the temperature and pressure inside the combustion chamber, and injecting the gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber at a relatively low pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Andersson, Albert Serra Dalmau
  • Patent number: 11512671
    Abstract: A hydrogen oxygen generator used for converting water to hydrogen and oxygen, which is mixed with fuel to a vehicle engine for improved mileage and cleaner burning fuel. The generator includes a generator housing with a water line adapter connected to a threaded water line nipple. The generator housing is adapted for mounting to a side of an engine air duct manifold. A water line, connected to a water container, provides water to the threaded water line nipple. The water line nipple includes a small orifice. When the water passes through the orifice in the generator housing, a venture effect is created and the water is converted to hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. The two gases pass now through a threaded gas nipple in the side of the generator housing, into the engine manifold, and then mixed with the engine fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventor: Floyd E. Williams
  • Patent number: 11512628
    Abstract: A transmission device, particularly for an engine with variable compression rate and/or variable displacement, includes, in a cylinder housing: a combustion piston capable of moving in a combustion cylinder of the engine and secured to a transmission member; a gear engaging with a first rack of the transmission member and providing transmission of the movement between the combustion piston and a crankshaft of the engine; a connecting rod engaging, at a first end, with the gear and, at a second end, with the crankshaft; and a control member engaging with the gear and secured to a control piston. The combustion piston and the transmission member are slidably linked with the cylinder housing in a main direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: MCE 5 Development
    Inventors: Rodolphe Hugon, Sylvain Bigot, Matthieu Duchemin, Guillaume Delobre, Benoit Schwenck
  • Patent number: 11505079
    Abstract: An ECU performs a process including: when a vehicle establishes a Ready-On state, selecting a CD mode; when discharging power is uncompleted and a scheduled time to return the vehicle is a time within a discharging period, setting a second target SOC as a mode switching value; and when the vehicle's power storage device has an SOC reaching the mode switching value and a surcharge imposed on a rental fee is unaccepted, switching the current control mode from the CD mode to a CS mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tamaki Ozawa, Masaaki Kiyohara, Toshiyuki Nagase, Hajime Kushima, Yuki Shimizu, Akio Uotani
  • Patent number: 11499497
    Abstract: An engine assembly for a vehicle includes an engine and a turbocharger operatively connected thereto. A controller is configured to, based on at least one performance parameter associated with the vehicle, execute a pre-acceleration control sequence including: delaying ignition within the engine's cylinders to increase a temperature of exhaust gas discharged to the turbocharger and reduce a torque of the engine; deactivating at least one cylinder in a predetermined pattern to reduce the torque of the engine; actuating a throttle valve to increase air flow to the engine to (i) increase the torque of the engine, and (ii) increase a volume of exhaust gas discharged to the turbocharger; and increasing a volume of fuel injected by the fuel injectors into the cylinders so as to increase the torque of the engine thereby compensating at least in part reduction of the torque of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: BRP-ROTAX GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christian Stiebinger, Christian Sulek, Tomas Andor
  • Patent number: 11498548
    Abstract: Embodiments of an intelligent hybrid powertrain system include an engine, a controller architecture, and an electric drive subsystem having a battery supply and a motor/generator. The controller architecture is configured to: (i) monitor a current state of charge (SoC) of the battery supply when the combine harvester engages in a combine harvest cycle having a tank fill phase and a tank unload phase; (ii) during the tank fill phase, operate the motor/generator to supplement the engine power output and regulate a rate of battery discharge to prevent the current SoC of the battery supply from decreasing below a lower predetermined SoC threshold prior to completion of the tank fill phase; and (iii) during the tank unload phase, operate the motor/generator to charge the battery supply until the current SoC of the battery supply is equal to or greater than a first upper predetermined SoC threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Alan D. Sheidler, Padmakar Surwade, Bhupesh Agrawal
  • Patent number: 11492953
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed including heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine. The heat exchanger can include a main body, a manifold and one or more outlet ports. The main body can have an inlet and an outlet to receive/pass a coolant on a first side thereof. The main body can have a fluid inlet and fluid outlet configured to receive a fluid. The main body can pass the fluid in a heat exchange relationship with the coolant. The manifold can be coupled to the main body on a second side. The manifold can be in fluid communication with a main coolant outlet passage to receive a portion of the coolant from the main body. The one or more outlet ports can be fluidly connected to the manifold and passing the portion of the coolant to one or more engine auxiliary systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Allen Y. Chen, Jason L. Van Farowe, Scott R. Schuricht, Kyle V Zeitler
  • Patent number: 11491967
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle which includes an internal combustion engine and an electric motor and whose drive mode is switchable between an electric vehicle mode and a hybrid vehicle mode includes: an on-board learning unit mounted on the hybrid vehicle and configured to perform a learning action; a position determination unit configured to determine whether the hybrid vehicle is located in a low emission area where operation of the internal combustion engine is supposed to be restricted; and a learning control unit configured to at least partially stop the learning action of the on-board learning unit when determination is made that the hybrid vehicle is located in the low emission area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiki Yokoyama, Masanori Shimada
  • Patent number: 11491990
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle that reduces a change in an engine torque when warming a catalyst. The hybrid vehicle comprises a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas, a first motor, a differential mechanism having a plurality of rotary elements, and an engagement device that selectively connects the first motor to an engine. A controller is configured to determine whether it is necessary to warm the catalyst, and disengage the engagement device while retarding an ignition timing of the engine when it is necessary to warm the purifying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Isami, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Patent number: 11492989
    Abstract: A method to control a road vehicle during a slip of the drive wheels, which are caused to rotate by an internal combustion engine provided with a plurality of cylinders arranged in two banks, and with a plurality of fuel injectors each injecting fuel into a corresponding cylinder. The control method comprises the steps of: detecting a slip of at least one drive wheel; and controlling the internal combustion engine, only during a slip of at least one drive wheel, with a signalling law, which causes the internal combustion engine to work in an abnormal manner so as to generate an abnormal vibration and/or an abnormal noise, which can be perceived by the driver. The internal combustion engine has two twin control units, each of which is associated with a corresponding bank, controls all and the sole injectors of its own bank and actuates the signalling law completely independently of and autonomously from the other control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Stefano Marconi
  • Patent number: 11493001
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an evaporative emissions control system for onboard refueling vapor recovery of a heavy duty vehicle. In one example, a method may include adjusting flow among at least two canisters during canister purging, where the at least two canisters are arranged in a parallel loading and unloading flow direction, to increase flow through a higher loaded canister. Flow may be adjusted using a first valve coupled to the first canister, a second valve coupled to the second canister, and so on for n number of canisters and n number of valves, and a balancing valve used to selectively couple the at least two canisters to a fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed Dudar, Scott Bohr, Donald Ignasiak, Chuck Bartus
  • Patent number: 11485352
    Abstract: A vehicle control device controls a hybrid vehicle including: an internal combustion engine having an EGR device; an electric drive device that drives the vehicle and performs an engine-based power generation; a power storage device; and a travel route acquisition device. The vehicle include an EV drive mode and an HV drive mode. The vehicle control device is configured to: where the vehicle is started under a cold condition, calculate, based on the travel route information, an average vehicle driving power in a vehicle running section under a warm condition after the start; and limit the amount of power generated by the engine-based power generation in the cold condition to be smaller when the calculated average vehicle driving power is high than when it is low, and, during the HV drive mode after a transition to the warm condition, execute the engine-based power generation accompanied by the EGR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Maeda
  • Patent number: 11480100
    Abstract: A machine such as a material processing apparatus comprises a mechanical transmission system coupled to a mechanical load such as a crusher. An internal combustion engine is coupled to the mechanical transmission system, and at least one motor-generator is coupled to an electrical system and to the mechanical transmission system. In at least one mode of operation, the electrical system delivers electrical power to the motor-generator(s), the motor-generator(s) generating mechanical power from the electrical power and delivering the mechanical power to the mechanical transmission system to drive the mechanical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Terex GB Limited
    Inventors: Adam Crankshaw, Lee Johnston
  • Patent number: 11479231
    Abstract: A device for controlling an electronic four-wheel drive (E-4WD) of a vehicle includes: a first powertrain for a front wheel, where the first powertrain includes an engine, and a front wheel motor; and a second powertrain for a rear wheel, where the second powertrain includes a rear wheel motor. The device provides a rear wheel motor driving mode, a front wheel motor driving mode, a combined driving mode in which the front wheel motor and the rear wheel motor are both driven, and an engine-on mode according to driver power demand for the vehicle, such that fuel efficiency of the vehicle is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jee Wook Huh
  • Patent number: 11479235
    Abstract: When a speed difference between a maximum rotation speed and an engine rotation speed, that is, an actual rotation speed difference, is equal to or less than a margin rotation speed difference, an engine operating point is changed such that the actual rotation speed difference becomes greater than the margin rotation speed difference. Accordingly, the speed difference between the maximum rotation speed and the engine rotation speed is prevented from becoming equal to or less than the margin rotation speed difference. As a result, since a relatively sufficient margin is secured in the difference between the maximum rotation speed and the engine rotation speed, it is possible to prevent the engine rotation speed from falling into a high-rotation state in which the engine rotation speed exceeds the maximum rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Tooru Matsubara, Takahiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 11479256
    Abstract: A control device that may be a control device of a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle including an engine; an electric generator configured to generate electric power by operation of the engine; a battery configured to store the electric power; a traction motor configured to operate by the electric power stored in the battery; and a throttle valve configured to adjust an amount of air to be supplied to the engine. The control device is configured to estimate torque of the engine based on an output current value of the electric generator. The control device is configured to estimate an actual aperture of the throttle valve based on the estimated torque and revolution speed of the engine. The control device is configured to perform feedback control so that the aperture of the throttle valve is adjusted to the target aperture based on the estimated actual aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Hayashi, Kazunori Ito
  • Patent number: 11473939
    Abstract: A crank angle detection device for an engine capable of achieving downsizing and enhancing appearance of the engine is provided. A crank angle detection device for an engine that includes a pulsar ring including a plurality of detection portions and rotating coaxially with a crank shaft of the engine, and a sensor detecting a passage state of the detection portions. Here, the pulsar ring is fixed to a crank web of the crank shaft. A weight for adjusting inertia balance of the crank shaft is fixed to the crank web arranged close to an end of the crank shaft in an axial direction. The weight has a shape obtained by increasing thickness of a part of the pulsar ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hayato Yamashiro, Kazuya Tajiri, Nozomi Okada
  • Patent number: 11466613
    Abstract: In certain implementations, a ship propulsion system includes: at least one internal combustion engine with: a combustion chamber for burning a fuel; an intake tract for supplying fresh air to the combustion chamber; and a turbocharger with a compressor in the in-take tract; an electrolysis device for producing hydrogen gas for the internal combustion engine and for producing oxygen gas; an alcohol tank for supplying alcohols to the internal combustion engine; and a water tank, wherein the water tank and the alcohol tank are connected to the combustion chamber or a pressure side of the compressor for the supply of water and alcohol into the intake tract, and wherein the electrolysis device is connected to the pressure side of the compressor for supplying hydrogen gas into the intake tract or connected to the combustion chamber for supplying hydrogen gas into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: FUELSAVE GMBH
    Inventor: Dirk Hoffmann