Patents Examined by J. Page Hufty
  • Patent number: 7347194
    Abstract: Concentration measurement is performed multiple times from a period in which pressure in a purge device increases due to generation of fuel vapor after operation of an engine is stopped. A concentration stabilization period, in which a change in the fuel vapor concentration is equal to or less than a reference value, is calculated based on results of the multiple times of the concentration measurement. Leak diagnosis is performed during the concentration stabilization period. As a result, even if a period for the pressure in the purge device to stabilize fluctuates due to an environment in which a vehicle is located, the leak diagnosis can be performed immediately when the pressure in the purge device stabilizes and a state suitable for the leak diagnosis is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuki Sato
  • Patent number: 7341047
    Abstract: A vehicle fuel tank assembly includes a fuel tank having a fuel pump receiving opening, a fuel pump, a mounting ring, at least one attachment member (a clip) and a fuel pump cover. The fuel pump is disposed in the fuel pump receiving opening such that a portion of the fuel pump is exposed. The mounting ring secures the fuel pump to the fuel tank. The at least one attachment member has a ring attachment portion connected to the mounting ring and a cover attachment portion. The fuel pump cover is connected to the cover attachment portion of the attachment member to substantially cover at least the exposed portion of the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kitaru Sone, Todd Marentette
  • Patent number: 7334572
    Abstract: A system and method for securing a fuel injector in an internal combustion engine include a clamp for securing adjacent injectors to a cylinder head. The clamp includes a central portion with a hole for receiving a fastener to secure the clamp to the cylinder head, and a pair of symmetrical crescent-shaped clamping forks forming a U-shaped opening to facilitate lateral sliding engagement with diametrically opposed flatted portions of corresponding fuel injectors. Each arm includes an arcuate pad that engages a corresponding shoulder of the fuel injector to provide an axial clamping force to the fuel injector. The distance between the distal ends of one fork and the semicircular portion of the opposite fork is selected to allow lateral sliding disengagement of the clamp from one of the adjacent injectors without rotation or removal of the other injector to facilitate servicing of individual injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Diggs, Jeff Fluharty, Robert Yambasky, Mark Googasian, Michael Schrader
  • Patent number: 7290535
    Abstract: A lag time is set in a period from the time when a leak down is finished to the time when measurement of the amount of fuel vapor is started for the purpose of returning a deformed fuel tank to its original shape. A fuel vapor amount estimating means is provided that estimates the amount of fuel vapor produced in the fuel tank during the time of the leak down. This means is so set as to make the lag time shorter as the amount of fuel vapor increases. With this, undesired precision in measuring the amount of fuel vapor produced under a condition wherein the amount of fuel vapor is large can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tamikazu Kimura
  • Patent number: 7281522
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor state detecting apparatus for detecting a state of an acceleration sensor provided at a vibrating body includes a calculating method for calculating a difference between measured results of the acceleration sensor obtained per first predetermined time that is shorter than a vibration period of the vibrating body, and a determining method for determining that the acceleration sensor is in an error state in a case that a state in which the difference calculated falls into a range between a predetermined upper limit value and a predetermined lower limit value continues for a second predetermined time or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignees: Aisin Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Sato, Kentaro Hirose, Hiroyuki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 7278408
    Abstract: A returnless fuel system module includes a fuel pump in a fuel pump cavity, a fuel pressure regulator in a fuel pressure regulator cavity, first and second transfer passages therebetween, and a heat exchanger integrally formed in the housing in thermally conductive relation with at least the bypass relief passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffery M. Konopacki
  • Patent number: 7278405
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for automotive diesel engine is provided which is equipped with a fuel pressure sensor working to measure the pressure of fuel in an accumulator and a pressure-reducing valve working to drain the fuel from the accumulator. The system is designed to ensure enhanced reliability of diagnosis of the pressure-reducing valve. The system works to make a temporal diagnosis of the pressure-reducing valve based on the behavior of the pressure in the accumulator upon opening of the pressure-reducing valve after an ignition switch is turned off. After elapse of a given period of time, when it is determined that a value of the pressure in the accumulator, as measured by the fuel pressure sensor, lies near the atmospheric pressure, the system determines that the fuel pressure sensor is operating properly and fixes the temporal diagnosis of the pressure-reducing valve ultimately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7273037
    Abstract: Wire harness mounting structure for fuel distributor pipe comprises at least one pair of first and second guide claws provided on an outer periphery of the fuel distributor pipe with having a space along the longitudinal axis thereof, the first guide claw has a first wire harness support groove opened to one side, and the second guide claw has a second wire harness support groove opened to opposite side, the wire harness extending from the female type connector is inserted and retained in the first and second wire harness support grooves of the first and second guide claws, respectively, whereby additional mounting members for assembling is not required, and the assembling operation can be performed readily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Kondo
  • Patent number: 7261089
    Abstract: A fuel injector for the direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of a mixture-compressing internal combustion engine having external ignition includes a valve housing formed by a nozzle body, and a seal which seals the fuel injector from a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. The seal has a sleeve-type design with a structured cross section and extends across the axial length of the nozzle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Hoenig, Gernot Wuerfel, Detlef Nowak, Andreas Mlejnek, Klaus Roessler
  • Patent number: 7255081
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for charging at least one combustion chamber (12) of a spark-ignition combustion engine (10) with fuel and air. At least one combustion chamber charge is produced during a shutoff phase of the internal-combustion engine (10) and is ignited when the internal-combustion engine (10) is subsequently started. The methods are characterized in that, during the shutoff phase, at least one measure is taken to produce a high percentage of fuel vapor in the combustion chamber charge. The present invention also relates to a control unit for controlling the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Sieber, Jochen Laubender, Andre-Francisco Casal Kulzer
  • Patent number: 7252073
    Abstract: Each of paired centrifugal weights are interlockingly connected to an advancing spring, which is interlockingly connected to a temperature-sensing operation device. When cold-starting the engine, the advancing spring is maintained extensible based on a state of the temperature-sensing operation in which the temperature-sensing operation device senses a temperature to operate. This advancing spring exerts a spring force, which pushes and widens the paired centrifugal weights to an advancing position. While the engine is warm, the advancing spring is held contracted based on another state of the temperature-sensing operation device, in which the temperature-sensing operation device senses a temperature to operate, so that the spring force of the advancing spring does not act on the paired centrifugal weights. A shape memory spring composed of a compression coil spring is used for the temperature-sensing operation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Nakahira, Atsushi Yamaguchi, Mikio Ishida
  • Patent number: 7246607
    Abstract: Prior art fuel line check valves remain closed after engine off and cool down. Diurnal heating and the resultant pressure increase in the fuel line causes fuel vapor emissions through small openings in the fuel line (e.g., at the injector tips). The invention provides a check valve for a vehicle fuel line which opens in response to engine cooling and remains open while the engine is off to relieve subsequent increasing pressure in the fuel line due to diurnal heating thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. Burke, William L. Villaire, Dennis P. McGrath, John G. Fischer
  • Patent number: 7228851
    Abstract: A canister includes a casing that has a tank port connected to a fuel tank, an atmospheric port connected to an atmospheric passage communicating with atmosphere, and a purge port connected to an intake passage of an engine. An adsorbent is charged in the casing for adsorbing fuel vapor. A support member defines an accommodation chamber in the casing. The support member supports the adsorbent. A pump is supported by the support member. The pump is accommodated in the accommodation chamber. The pump introduces atmospheric air into the accommodation chamber through the atmospheric passage. A motor is accommodated in the accommodation chamber. The motor drives the pump. A damping member is located between the pump and the support member for absorbing sound and vibration transmitted from the pump to the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Masao Kano