Patents Examined by Hai H. Huynh
  • Patent number: 11585305
    Abstract: A monolithic fuel rail structure is configured to receive and support a fuel injector, and includes a log, an injector cup that protrudes integrally from an outer surface of the log, and a fuel passage. An inner surface of the log defines a main fuel channel, and the injector cup includes a bore that opens at one end of the injector cup. An inlet end of the fuel injector is received in the bore. The fuel passage provides fluid communication between the bore and the main fuel channel, and the fuel passage corresponds to a portion of a hole that extends through the injector cup on each of opposed sides of the injector cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Luis Humberto Guzman Trevino, Cesar Omar Medina Juarez, John Casari
  • Patent number: 11578677
    Abstract: In exemplary embodiments, methods and systems are provided for controlling emissions for a drive system for a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system includes: one or more first sensors configured to measure an engine temperature pertaining to an engine of the vehicle; one or more second sensors configured to measure an ambient temperature surrounding the vehicle; one or more third sensors configured to detect an amount of running time in which the engine has been running; and a processor coupled to the one or more first sensors, the one or more second sensors, and the one or more third sensors and configured to at least facilitate controlling emissions for the drive system based on the engine temperature, the ambient temperature, and the amount of running time in which the engine has been running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATINS LLC
    Inventors: J. Michael Gwidt, Erika L Pruski
  • Patent number: 11566574
    Abstract: A system and method includes a paving machine, a vehicle, and one or more controllers. The paving machine includes an engine for powering the paving machine and the vehicle is associated with the paving machine. The one or more controllers are configured to determine an estimated time of arrival for the vehicle at the paving machine based on a location of the vehicle; identify a startup time for the paving machine, wherein the startup time comprises a time period between starting the engine of the paving machine and an operational parameter of the paving machine reaching a threshold value; and generate an indication to shut down the engine of the paving machine if the startup time for the paving machine is less than the estimated time of arrival of the vehicle associated with the paving machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan K. Just
  • Patent number: 11566569
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for identifying abnormal exhaust valve performance of an internal combustion engine may include receiving exhaust passage temperature signals from a plurality of exhaust passage temperature sensors, each exhaust passage being fluidly connected to one or more exhaust valves of the internal combustion engine, the exhaust passage temperature signals being indicative of respective exhaust passage temperatures. The method may further include comparing one or more of the exhaust passage temperatures, identifying a caution exhaust passage temperature, from one or more of the exhaust passage temperatures, that deviates from one or more of the other one or more exhaust passage temperatures, and outputting an abnormal exhaust valve performance indication based on identifying the caution exhaust passage temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Kennedy, Nathan Ankersen, Ryan A. Rush
  • Patent number: 11566570
    Abstract: When an amount of particulate matters (PM) collected by a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) increases, a control processing unit (CPU) of an engine electronic control unit (ENG ECU) stops combustion control of some cylinders and executes a regeneration process to cause air-fuel ratios of air-fuel mixtures in the remaining cylinders to be richer than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. A CPU of a hybrid electric vehicle electronic control unit (HV ECU) increases a target rotation speed of an internal combustion engine when the regeneration process is executed. When executing the regeneration process, the CPU increases a filling efficiency of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Fujitake, Suguru Kumazawa
  • Patent number: 11560869
    Abstract: An electronic circuit (101) for controlling a spark of a spark plug (SP1) in a capacitor discharge ignition system (100) for a combustion engine. The electronic circuit (101) comprises an ignition coil (110) dimensioned and configured to provide current to the spark plug (SP1), an ignition capacitor (C1) dimensioned and configured to supply energy to the primary winding (L1), an voltage source (130) dimensioned and configured to supply energy to at least one of the ignition capacitor (C1) and the primary winding (L1), a first switch (SW1) connected to the first primary terminal (TL1) and the first source terminal (TS1), a second switch (SW2) connected to the second capacitor terminal (TC2) and the second source terminal (TS2), and a third switch (SW3) connected to the second capacitor terminal (TC2) and the first source terminal (TS1). A capacitor discharge ignition system (100) including the electronic circuit (101) and a combustion engine including the capacitor discharge ignition system (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: SEM AB
    Inventors: Jörgen Bengtsson, Bert Gustafsson, Johan Eklund, Tomas Karlsson, Lars Svensson
  • Patent number: 11555459
    Abstract: In a control device for an internal combustion engine in which internal EGR and external EGR are conducted, an ideal in-cylinder gas amount and an ideal in-cylinder gas temperature in an ideal state in which neither of EGR gas recirculates into a cylinder are calculated (steps 1 and 2). A mixed gas amount of intake air and the external EGR gas present on a downstream side of a throttle valve is calculated, based on a rotation speed of the internal combustion engine and intake air pressure (step 21) to detect a mixed gas temperature. An actual in-cylinder gas temperature and amount and an EGR ratio are calculated, based on the ideal in-cylinder gas amount, the ideal in-cylinder gas temperature, the mixed gas amount, and the mixed gas temperature (steps 24, 4, and 5), and an internal combustion engine is controlled based on the EGR ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Katsuura, Yuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 11555444
    Abstract: A self-contained, stand-alone power generator system comprising: an electric motor for applying torque to a shaft of a rotating mass, wherein the electric motor is powered by a dedicated power source; a battery for supplying additional power to the electric motor upon start up; at least one of a torque converter and a starter motor, for overcoming resting inertia of the rotating mass; a generator head coupled to the rotating mass, wherein the power generator is constructed such that when the generator head reaches operational speed, the generator head provides the additional power to the electric motor and recharges the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: Eugene Reynolds
  • Patent number: 11549477
    Abstract: An electrical system of a vehicle includes a first battery, a second battery, a first switch electrically connected in series between the first battery and the second battery, an external connection point, and a second switch electrically connected in series between the second battery and the external connection point. The system and a method of operating the system include determining that the first battery will need assistance to start an engine of the vehicle, opening the second switch in response to a state of charge of the second battery decreasing below a charge threshold, and closing the first switch for the second battery to assist the first battery to crank the engine for starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Alasdair Collins, David Celinske, Anthony Thomas Spoto, Todd Ansbacher
  • Patent number: 11549458
    Abstract: A method for operating the two stroke engine provides that the fuel valve is controlled after the starting process in at least a quasi-steady state such that, on the basis of uninterruptedly successive blocks of successive revolutions of the crankshaft, the fuel valve is opened and closed exactly once within each block. Each block includes from two to twenty revolutions of the crankshaft. The fuel valve is opened over a crankshaft angle (?) of more than 360° within one block in at least one operating state. A control device is provided for controlling the fuel valve. A quasi-steady state of the two stroke engine is a state in which the throttle element is adjusted by less than 10% of the maximum adjustment of the throttle element over a crankshaft angle (?) of 360°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Geyer, Johannes Alber, Johann-Sebastian Renz
  • Patent number: 11542880
    Abstract: A two-stroke engine (4) has a throttle motor (22) for driving a throttle valve (20), a fuel injection device (430) disposed in an intake system (18) including a crank chamber (420), and a control unit (24) controlling the throttle motor (22) and the fuel injection device. The two-stroke engine (4) is designed to achieve an engine rotation speed of 4,500 rpm to 7,000 rpm when the throttle valve (20) is fully open. The two-stroke engine (4) is operated with the throttle full open by the control unit (24), and a battery (8) is charged with electric power generated by a generator (6) using the two-stroke engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: YAMABIKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kuniyoshi Eto, Masanori Noguchi, Toshiharu Sawada, Masaru Nozawa, Yuta Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11536239
    Abstract: A method of controlling an ignitor for a spark-ignition engine includes receiving, by a controller, at least one of fuel quality data regarding a fuel for the spark-ignition engine or a characteristic regarding the ignitor for the spark-ignition engine. The method additionally includes controlling, by the controller, an ignition energy characteristic of the ignitor in response to the at least one of the fuel quality data regarding the fuel or the characteristic regarding the ignitor for the spark-ignition engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Daniel J. O'Connor, Philipe F. Saad
  • Patent number: 11530619
    Abstract: A system includes one or more sensors to detect unintended forward and reverse rotation of rotating machinery. The system also includes a monitoring system consisting of a processor, memory, display and communication interface. The processor receives signals from the sensors. The processor determines unintended rotation when the pattern of received signals match with the conditions defined in the processor. The processor generates a notification signal of “Unintended Rotation” on the display. The notification signal is also sent to the operator workstation to alert the operating personnel. The notification history is also stored in the system memory. The system is also configured to initiate automatic action to stop the unintended rotation and protect the machinery components from unintended rotation. The action may include closing the suction and discharge valve and starting the lubrication system to lube the bearings of the rotating machinery and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Kinjalkumar P. Gohel, Mahmoud N. Mahmoud, Mohammed M. Alharbi
  • Patent number: 11530675
    Abstract: A control device prevents damage due to backward rotation of a rotary engine and prevents misjudgment of backward rotation of the rotary engine. The control device for a rotary engine includes a motor mechanically connected to the shaft of the rotary engine, a controller (a motor ECU) that performs energization control of the motor to start the rotary engine by driving the motor, and a sensor (such as a motor rotation sensor). When starting the rotary engine, the controller stops energization to the motor based on an electric signal from the sensor when the shaft of the rotary engine rotates backward a predetermined angle or more, and then the shaft of the rotary engine continues to rotate backward for a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Takemitsu, Koji Bekki
  • Patent number: 11525411
    Abstract: An engine including a main fuel injection valve, a pilot fuel injection valve, a liquid fuel supply rail pipe, and a pilot fuel supply rail pipe. The main fuel injection valve supplies liquid fuel from the liquid fuel supply rail pipe to a combustion chamber during combustion in a diffusion combustion system. The pilot fuel injection valve supplies pilot fuel from the pilot fuel supply rail pipe to the combustion chamber in order to ignite gaseous fuel during combustion in a premixed combustion system. The liquid fuel supply rail pipe is disposed at one side of an imaginary vertical plane including an axis of a crank shaft. The pilot fuel supply rail pipe is disposed at the side of the imaginary vertical plane at which the liquid fuel supply rail pipe is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Nishimura, Koichi Hirose
  • Patent number: 11519375
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes: an engine; a motor; a drive system battery connected to a drive system power line; an auxiliary system battery connected to an auxiliary system power line; a bidirectional power converter configured to step down power on the drive system power line to supply the stepped-down power to the auxiliary system power line, and configured to boost power on the auxiliary system power line to supply the boosted power to the drive system power line; and a control device. The control device is configured to, upon a cold start in which the engine is started, control the engine, the motor, and the bidirectional power converter to cause the motor to crank the engine while causing the bidirectional power converter to boost the power on the auxiliary system power line to supply the boosted power to the drive system power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuki Saito, Hiroyuki Azuma
  • Patent number: 11522449
    Abstract: There is provided a transformation control device of a transformation chopper circuit that transforms an input by turning on and off a current using a switch and outputs the transformed input. The transformation control device controls at least an ON/OFF state of a main switch by acquiring an output voltage of the transformation chopper circuit in a case where the main switch is in an ON state, the main switch being turned on in a case where energy is accumulated in an inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ogawa, Motoaki Kato, Kengo Nomura
  • Patent number: 11519341
    Abstract: The present invention provides an intake device and a fuel delivery pipe for a multiple-cylinder engine including a transpiration gas passage or an intake air pressure collecting passage capable of reducing the number of components and improving assembly operability. The intake device and the fuel delivery pipe for a multiple-cylinder engine include: a throttle body including a plurality of bores, each of which communicates with an inside of each cylinder of the engine, and provided with throttle valves for adjusting intake volumes inside the bores in an openable and closable manner; injectors provided in the throttle body and injecting a fuel to the bores; a delivery pipe for supplying the fuel to the injectors; and an intake pipe communication passage connected to an inside of the bores and communicating with the inside of the bores, and the intake pipe communication passage is formed integrally with the delivery pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuta Kiku
  • Patent number: 11519372
    Abstract: A metering valve supplies fuel to and block fuel from a pressurizing chamber by moving a valve body by switching between energization and de-energization of an electromagnetic unit. An energization control unit performs a valve closing control and a valve opening control to reduce operating sound in one opening and closing period in which the valve body opens and closes. A time control unit controls, on determination that the energizing period of the electromagnetic unit exceeds the upper limit value, a moving speed of the valve body when the valve body moves to a valve closing side, such that the energization period of the electromagnetic unit in the one opening and closing period does not exceed the upper limit value, thereby to cause the energization control unit to perform both the valve closing control and the valve opening control in the one opening and closing period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hisatoshi Shibuya
  • Patent number: 11522346
    Abstract: A prechamber sparkplug includes a housing having a nozzle with a prechamber formed therein, and each of a first set and a second set of electrode prongs within the prechamber. The second set of electrode prongs downwardly depend from attachment points to the housing, and form, together with the first set of electrode prongs, spark gaps within the prechamber. Each of the anode-cathode pairs formed by the sets of electrode prongs is spaced radially inward a clearance distance from the prechamber wall to position the spark gaps in a flow of swirled gases. The flow of swirled gases displaces a flame kernel formed at the spark gaps to inhibit quenching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: James Jay Cress