Patents Examined by Hai H. Huynh
  • Carburetor drain
    Patent number: 11408382
    Abstract: A carburetor includes a carburetor bowl, a fuel supply pipe, a fuel drain pipe, and a valve. The carburetor bowl is configured to store fuel and provide the fuel to an air passage. The fuel supply pipe is connected a fuel tank and the carburetor bowl. The fuel drain pipe is connected to the carburetor bowl and the fuel supply line. The valve for the fuel drain pipe is configured to open and close in response to an orientation of the carburetor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventors: Terrence Rotter, Todd Baumann, Gary Stenz
  • Engine system
    Patent number: 11391235
    Abstract: An engine system is provided, including a controller which estimates a mass ratio (G/F) of intake air inside a cylinder (containing fresh air and burnt gas) to fuel, and controls devices of an engine at a given engine speed so that, while a demanded engine load is a first load, at least part of a mixture gas inside the cylinder combusts by flame-propagation when the estimated G/F is below a first G/F, and the entire mixture gas combusts by compression ignition when the estimated G/F is above the first G/F, whereas while the demanded load is a second load (>the first load), at least part of the mixture gas combusts by flame-propagation when the estimated G/F is below a second G/F (<the first G/F), and the entire mixture gas combusts by compression ignition when the estimated G/F is above the second G/F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kaminaga, Tatsuya Fujikawa, Masahisa Yamakawa, Naoya Ito, Ryohei Matsuo, Yuta Sasaki, Junki Hori, Mitsuhiro Muto, Takuma Fujii
  • Split cycle engine
    Patent number: 11391198
    Abstract: A split cycle internal combustion engine includes a combustion cylinder accommodating a combustion piston and a compression cylinder accommodating a compression piston. The engine also includes a controller arranged to receive an indication of a parameter associated with the combustion cylinder and/or a fluid associated therewith and to control an exhaust valve of the combustion cylinder in dependence on the indicated parameter to cause the exhaust valve to close during the return stroke of the combustion piston, before the combustion piston has reached its top dead centre position (TDC), when the indicated parameter is less than a target value for the parameter; and close on completion of the return stroke of the combustion piston, as the combustion piston reaches its top dead centre position (TDC), when the indicated parameter is equal to or greater than the target value for the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Morgan, James Eatwell, Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Adam Gurr
  • Engine
    Patent number: 11391254
    Abstract: An engine operable in a premixed combustion system and a diffusion combustion system. The engine includes a main fuel injection valve, a pilot fuel injection valve, a liquid fuel tank, a main fuel supply path, a pilot fuel supply path, a pilot fuel filter, a pilot fuel high-pressure pump, a pilot fuel tank, and a pilot fuel supply pump. The pilot fuel tank stores pilot fuel sent from the pilot fuel high-pressure pump and not injected by the pilot fuel injection valve. This pilot fuel is sent to an automatic backwash filter and a pilot fuel filter while not passing through the liquid fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Inc., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Nishimura, Koichi Hirose
  • Method for estimating and controlling the intake efficiency of an internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 11384701
    Abstract: A method for calculating the mass of an overlap gaseous flow (MOVL), wherein the exhaust pressure is higher than the intake pressure, or in the case of scavenging (SCAV), wherein the intake pressure is higher than the exhaust pressure. The overlap gaseous flow (MOVL) is the flow which flows, in overlap conditions, through the intake valve and the exhaust valve of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. At least one intake valve is driven so as to vary the lift (H) of the intake valve in controlled manner. The overlap condition is a condition in which the intake valve and the exhaust valve are both at least partially open. The method comprises calculating the mass of the gaseous flow (MOVL) which flows through the intake valve and the exhaust valve on the basis of the relation: MOVL=PERM*?(P/P0,n)*P0/P0_REF*(T0_REF/T0)1/2/n.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: MARELLI EUROPE S.p.A.
    Inventor: Marco Panciroli
  • Engine system operating strategy apportioning fuel injection between upstream and downstream injection locations
    Patent number: 11384708
    Abstract: Operating an engine includes injecting a liquid alcohol fuel such as methanol into a stream of compressed intake air at an upstream injection location, and injecting the liquid fuel at a plurality of downstream injection locations into a plurality of streams of the compressed intake air from an intake manifold to combustion cylinders in the engine. A fueling control unit apportions a total injected quantity of the liquid fuel between the upstream injection location and the plurality of downstream injection locations based on a temperature parameter of the compressed intake air. The compressed intake air is combusted with the liquid fuel and a compression ignition pilot fuel in the plurality of combustion cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lee Schroeder, David Todd Montgomery, Arnold Myoungjin Kim, Michael Bardell, Nikolas Karl Landin, Kenth I. Svensson
  • Control device for fuel injection system
    Patent number: 11384710
    Abstract: A control device is included in a fuel injection system. The fuel injection system includes a low pressure pump, a high pressure pump, an accumulator, a fuel injection valve, a relief valve, and a return pipe. The high pressure pump increases a pressure of a fuel discharged from the low pressure pump and discharges high pressure fuel. The accumulator stores the high pressure fuel discharged from the high pressure pump. The relief valve is provided in a high pressure portion provided downstream from the high pressure pump and opens when a high pressure abnormality occurs in the high pressure portion. The return pipe returns the high pressure fuel in the high pressure portion to a low pressure portion provided downstream from the low pressure pump by the relief valve opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuusuke Andou, Hisatoshi Shibuya, Satoshi Masuda
  • Control device for fuel supply system
    Patent number: 11378034
    Abstract: A control device is applied to a fuel supply system including a fuel pump that rotates an impeller in a housing and pumps fuel from a fuel tank and a fuel pipe in which fuel discharged from the fuel pump flows. The control device controls the fuel pump. The control device includes an execution device and a storage device that stores a program of a process which is performed by the execution device. In the control device, the execution device performs a coping process of increasing an amount of operation of the impeller when the impeller is deformed and interference with the housing is detected in comparison with a case in which the interference is not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshio Maeda
  • Port injection system for reduction of particulates from turbocharged direct injection gasoline engines
    Patent number: 11371448
    Abstract: The present invention describes a fuel-management system for minimizing particulate emissions in turbocharged direct injection gasoline engines. The system optimizes the use of port fuel injection (PFI) in combination with direct injection (DI), particularly in cold start and other transient conditions. In the present invention, the use of these control systems together with other control systems for increasing the effectiveness of port fuel injector use and for reducing particulate emissions from turbocharged direct injection engines is described. Particular attention is given to reducing particulate emissions that occur during cold start and transient conditions since a substantial fraction of the particulate emissions during a drive cycle occur at these times. Further optimization of the fuel management system for these conditions is important for reducing drive cycle emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • Device and method for checking safety-relevant switch-off paths in control units during ongoing engine operation
    Patent number: 11371457
    Abstract: A device and a method for checking switch-off paths in control units of internal combustion engines during ongoing engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andre Vogel, Christian Ruland, Sven Faehnle, Wolfgang Haag
  • Port injection system for reduction of particulates from turbocharged direct injection gasoline engines
    Patent number: 11371449
    Abstract: The present invention describes a fuel-management system for minimizing particulate emissions in turbocharged direct injection gasoline engines. The system optimizes the use of port fuel injection (PFI) in combination with direct injection (DI), particularly in cold start and other transient conditions. In the present invention, the use of these control systems together with other control systems for increasing the effectiveness of port fuel injector use and for reducing particulate emissions from turbocharged direct injection engines is described. Particular attention is given to reducing particulate emissions that occur during cold start and transient conditions since a substantial fraction of the particulate emissions during a drive cycle occur at these times. Further optimization of the fuel management system for these conditions is important for reducing drive cycle emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg
  • System and method for IO integration of an electronic control unit
    Patent number: 11371463
    Abstract: A system and method for an electronic control unit adapter used to supplement existing electronic control units for enhanced or additional IO integration, the electronic control unit adapter designed to be updated easily by the end user in order to add functionality as it is developed thus prolonging the viability of an electronic control unit or vehicle, the electronic control unit adapter usable in conjunction with a vehicle or other vessel using an internal combustion engine or similar technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventors: Jacob Hershorin, Christopher Kontos, Robert Sayman
  • Energy storage system with multiple battery modules for a vehicle propulsion system
    Patent number: 11365711
    Abstract: An energy storage system (ESS) for a vehicle propulsion system includes a first battery electrically coupled to a first voltage bus, a second battery electrically coupled to a second voltage bus, and a bidirectional DC/DC power converter electrically coupled to the voltage buses. A starter for cranking an engine is electrically coupled to the first voltage bus. A controller executes computer code stored in memory. The computer code is configured to operate the converter in a boost mode to transfer power from the second voltage bus to the first voltage bus, in response to the controller determining that: a power capability of the first battery is below a power demand on the first voltage bus; a state of charge of the first battery is below a state of charge threshold; or a temperature of the first battery is below a temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Venkatesh Gopalakrishnan, Chandra S. Namuduri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Dongxu Li, Chunhao J. Lee, Neeraj S. Shidore, Norman K. Bucknor
  • Internal combustion engine control device
    Patent number: 11359594
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device includes an ignition control unit which executes an ignition control for controlling an ignition plug which discharges electricity in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine to ignite fuel. The ignition control unit executes the ignition control such that a predetermined ignition electric energy is supplied to the ignition plug when the ignition plug performs ignition, and a predetermined pre-heating electric energy smaller than the ignition electric energy is supplied to the ignition plug before the ignition plug performs ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventor: Eiichirou Ohata
  • Igniter for dual fuel engine having liquid fuel outlet checks and spark ignition source
    Patent number: 11359590
    Abstract: An igniter for a dual fuel engine includes an igniter body having spray outlets formed in a nozzle and arranged in a plurality of outlet sets. The igniter further includes a plurality of outlet checks each movable in the igniter body to open and close the spray outlets in a respective one of the plurality of outlet sets, and spark electrodes mounted to the igniter body and forming a spark gap. The outlet sets vary set-to-set in at least one of spray angle, spray outlet number, or spray outlet size. Related methodology is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby John, Jonathan William Anders
  • Cylinder charge trapping strategies based on predictive number of skips and staggered implementation of valvetrain dependent operational strategies for internal combustion engines
    Patent number: 11352967
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine involving (1) cylinder trapping strategies where one of several pneumatic spring types are dynamically selected for cylinders based at least partially on a predicted number of upcoming skips for each of the cylinders respectively and/or (2) staggering various valvetrain dependent operational engine strategies as operating conditions permit as the internal combustion engine warms up following a cold start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shikui Kevin Chen, Louis J. Serrano, Vijay Srinivasan, Elliott A. Ortiz-Soto, Matthew A. Younkins
  • Methods and systems for estimating injector tip temperatures
    Patent number: 11352975
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for estimating a temperature of a direct injector. In one example, a method may include estimating the temperature of the direct injector based on a resistance of a solenoid coil of the direct injector. In one example, a pulse-width of the direct injector during an opening phase is adjusted in response to the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Pursifull, Joseph Thomas, Paul Hollar
  • Methods and systems for improving fuel injection repeatability
    Patent number: 11346297
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for balancing a plurality of fuel injectors. In one example, a method includes adjusting direct injector parameters in response to a learned direct injector fueling error. The pulse-width supplied to the direct injectors is adjusted to balance cylinder fueling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Pursifull, Rani Kiwan, Paul Hollar, Joseph Thomas, David Oshinsky, Michael Uhrich
  • Ignition system for dual mode ignition and engine having the same
    Patent number: 11346317
    Abstract: An ignition system for an engine of a vehicle, comprising: a spark plug which includes: a central electrode electrically connected to an ignition coil, and a ground electrode, where the spark plug ignites a mixture of fuel and air in a normal mode of the engine; a high speed pulser to ignite the mixture of fuel and air in a lean-burn mode of the engine; a pulser controller to control the high speed pulser to ignite the mixture of fuel and air in the lean-burn mode of the engine; an engine control unit (ECU) that determines the normal and lean-burn modes based on an engine speed and an engine load, and controls the pulser controller and an ignition of the spark plug based on a determined mode among the normal mode and the lean-burn mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mayuri Wagh, Philip Zoldak, Mark Shirley
  • Operating material supply system having an air separator, motor vehicle, and method for operating an operating material supply system
    Patent number: 11339700
    Abstract: An operating material supply system for a motor vehicle includes: i) at least one operating material container for storing operating material at risk of freezing; ii) at least one conveying device, which is designed to convey the operating material stored in the operating material container upstream in the direction of at least one injector, or in the opposite direction downstream, iii) at least one air separator, which is connected to the operating material container via a feed line; iv) at least one first injector line, which connects the air separator to at least one first injector. When the air separator is installed in the motor vehicle, a connector for the first injector line is distanced further from the roadway surface than a connector for the feed line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Bruhn, Markus Wolf