Patents Examined by Jacob Amick
  • Patent number: 9890742
    Abstract: The invention proposes a method and an emulsifying apparatus for the operation of a diesel engine with a water-diesel fuel emulsion, wherein the water fraction is varied as a function of the engine operating point and/or the emulsifying apparatus and/or parts of the injection line are flushed with pure diesel fuel upon a shutdown of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Inventor: Roman Taniel
  • Patent number: 9890716
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for addressing pre-ignition by mechanically varying a piston displacement within a combustion chamber. In response to pre-ignition, a static compression ratio may be reduced until a threshold lower compression ratio is reached. Further pre-ignition is then addressed with enrichment, thereby reducing the amount of pre-ignition mitigating enrichment required overall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Chris Paul Glugla
  • Patent number: 9890671
    Abstract: A crankcase ventilation system having a crankcase ventilation filter and a filter drain. The crankcase ventilation filter vents blow-by gases from a crankcase and separates oil from the blow-by gases. The crankcase ventilation filter drain collects oil separated by the crankcase ventilation filter and returns the separated oil to the crankcase or another component of the engine. A nozzle is coupled to a pressurized oil supply and directs an oil jet into a mixing bore of the system, which draws the oil back into recirculation. A valve is coupled to the filter drain and is configured to prevent collected oil from reentering the crankcase ventilation filter through an opening that connects the filter drain to the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: CUMMINS FILTRATION IP, INC.
    Inventors: Chirag D. Parikh, Brian W. Schwandt, Arun P. Janakiraman, Ashwin K. Koleshwar
  • Patent number: 9890737
    Abstract: A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine has a housing (12) in which a plurality of elements (18, 44) are arranged. An optical duct (24) is formed in the housing (12) and is assigned to at least one of the elements (18). The optical duct (24) is assigned an infrared detector (28) that is designed to detect infrared radiation (30) from the at least one element (18) through the optical duct (24) to determine a temperature (T) of the at least one element (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Johannes Wuest, Maximilian Fischer
  • Patent number: 9885312
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body. The piston body includes a head, two side walls, two skirts, and a reinforcement member. The head includes a recessed crown. Each side wall includes a pin boss configured to support a piston pin. The two skirts are respectively located at a thrust side with respect to an axis of the piston pin and an anti-thrust side with respect to the axis of the piston pin. The reinforcement member includes two legs and a connecting portion connecting upper ends of the two legs. The two legs are respectively insert-casted in the two skirts. The connecting portion is insert-casted in the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Hirosawa, Hitoshi Shimamura
  • Patent number: 9885400
    Abstract: There is provided a balancer device of an engine, configured to reduce rotation vibrations of the engine. A crankshaft is provided with a primary drive gear. A countershaft is provided with a primary driven gear meshed with the primary drive gear. A plurality of balancer shafts are provided with balancer driven gears meshed with the primary drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamauchi, Yuichi Kawano, Shintaro Yagi
  • Patent number: 9879641
    Abstract: A heater control apparatus of a fuel filter for a vehicle includes a heater mounted within a fuel filter; a relay for a heater power source supplying or interrupting power of a battery to or from the heater; a fuel temperature detection sensor mounted on an engine and detecting a temperature of a fuel; and an engine electronic control unit (ECU) for switching on and off the relay based on a detection signal of the fuel temperature detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Chang Ho Ham, Dong Myoung Ryoo
  • Patent number: 9874190
    Abstract: Methods and systems for exercising a genset are disclosed herein. The method includes detecting whether the genset is in a first mode or a second mode, and activating a plurality of exercise cycles of the genset. Activating the plurality of exercise cycles comprises, in response to detecting the genset is in the first mode, ignite fuel to activate the genset during each of the plurality of exercise cycles of the genset; and in response to detecting the genset is in the second mode, cranking the genset without igniting fuel during at least a first subset of the plurality of exercise cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Power Generation IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Dan G. Priem, Leo T. Steffl
  • Patent number: 9874183
    Abstract: Support bracket and projection which project from curved lower surface of intake manifold are provided. Both parts are arranged in an opposed relation to each other with respect to a center of gravity of the intake manifold when viewed from a longitudinal direction in which a plurality of branches are arranged in parallel to one another. Intake manifold can be stably placed on a flat surface of a floor or the like in such a state that intake manifold is directed downwardly using support bracket and projection as legs. Support bracket also serves as a boss portion for a fixing bolt that fastens an engine body and intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamaguchi, Osamu Ooki
  • Patent number: 9874177
    Abstract: A device for mixing a gaseous fuel into an oxygen-containing gas flow of a gas-powered internal combustion engine includes a housing component having an inlet that connects to a gaseous fuel supply conduit and a slit that opens into an intake pipe. The slit has a longitudinal extension that is oriented approximately perpendicular to the axial direction of the intake pipe. A valve body is movable relative to the housing component. An annular gap between the valve body and an outlet opening of the housing component has a cross-sectional area that varies in accordance with changes in the position of the valve body relative to the housing component. The annular gap determines the flow-through cross-section of a passageway between the inlet and the outlet. Furthermore, a gaseous fuel flow exiting from the slit is directed approximately perpendicular to the axial direction of the intake pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NONOX B.V.
    Inventors: Peter-Josef Cremer, Hans-Peter Kraemer
  • Patent number: 9873848
    Abstract: Methods for improving the injector performance, unsticking fuel injectors, and reducing an amount of alkali metal carboxylate deposits on internal components of fuel injectors. The method includes operating the diesel engine on a fuel composition comprising a major amount of diesel fuel and from about 45 to about 550 ppm by weight based on a total weight of fuel composition of a fuel additive consisting essentially of a compound of the formula wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group containing from 20 to 170 carbon atoms. The additive has a total acid number (TAN) ranging from about 50 to about 290 mg KOH/g. Fuel injectors of the fuel injected diesel engine have an average injector hole diameter of less than 160 ?m and an average smallest clearance between injector needle and injector barrel/casing of less than about 10 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Xinggao Fang, Scott D. Schwab
  • Patent number: 9874133
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine, in particular a large diesel engine, having at least a first and a second cooling circuit (31, 32), having at least one individual cylinder (1) with a cylinder housing (2) which accommodates a cylinder liner (3), and having at least one individual cylinder head (4), wherein the cylinder liner (3) is surrounded by at least one cooling jacket (5, 6) which is flow-connected to at least one cooling chamber (14) in the individual cylinder head (4), the cylinder liner (3) is surrounded by a first and a second cooling jacket (5, 6), wherein the first cooling jacket (5) is separated in flow terms from the second cooling jacket (6) within the cylinder housing (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Maier, Rene Kögl
  • Patent number: 9874181
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for admitting inlet gases and/or recirculated exhaust gases into an internal combustion engine cylinder, the device comprising a duct designed to supply said cylinder with inlet gases and/or with recirculated exhaust gases, characterized in that said device further comprises, in the duct, a flow control means that can be operated between a first position in which said duct supplies the cylinder with the inlet gases and a second position in which said duct supplies the cylinder with the recirculated exhaust gases. It also relates to the intake module and to the engine equipped therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES
    Inventors: Laurent Odillard, Julio Guerra
  • Patent number: 9869219
    Abstract: A fluid reservoir system for a vehicle engine, which engine comprises a fluid circulation system, the reservoir system comprising a container for fluid, in which the container comprises at least one fluid inlet port, at least one fluid outlet port and at least one vent port and in which, each of said ports comprises a self-sealing coupling adapted to connect to a corresponding coupling on the vehicle engine to thereby connect said container in fluidic communication with the fluid circulation system of the engine and in which the reservoir system comprises at least one latch which is adapted to retain said container in fluidic communication with said vehicle engine fluid circulation system and is remotely operable to disconnect said container from said vehicle engine fluid circulation system and in which the system comprises at least one actuator which is connected to one or more of said latches and is adapted to operate said one or more latches and said container is elongate; said inlet, outlet and vent ports
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Castrol Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Philip Barnes, Peter Stuart Brett, Steven Paul Goodier, Mark O'Malley
  • Patent number: 9869252
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for introducing a charge motion to a cylinder via a bladder in an intake manifold runner. In one example, a system may include positioning a bladder in an intake port proximate to a cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Donald Wicks
  • Patent number: 9863306
    Abstract: A system is disclosed comprising an engine having coolant passages defined therethrough, a first coolant pump, and a first radiator. The system additionally comprises a second coolant pump, a second radiator, and a liquid-to-air heat exchanger configured to condition the temperature of intake air to the engine. The system further includes a coolant valve means. For a first configuration of the coolant valve means the first coolant pump is configured to urge coolant through the coolant passages in the engine and through the first radiator, and the second coolant pump is configured to urge coolant through the liquid-to-air heat exchanger and through the second radiator. For a second configuration of the coolant valve means the second coolant pump is configured to urge coolant through the coolant passages in the engine and through the liquid-to-air heat exchanger. A method for controlling the system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew Fedewa
  • Patent number: 9863362
    Abstract: A piston, (1) incorporates a pair of tear-drop shaped springs (6) acting, in use, between the crown (2) of the piston and an associated connecting rod (4) so as to bias the connecting rod away from the piston crown (2). The springs (6) are supported by support members (7 and 8), the springs being located substantially in the region of the piston crown (2). A carrier (5) is positioned within the piston (1), the carrier being slidably mounted within the piston for axial movement relative thereto, and being connected to the connecting rod (4) in such a manner that the springs (6) permit the carrier (5) to move axially relative to the piston crown (2). The springs (6) are made of a beta titanium alloy such as gum metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: George Frederic Galvin
  • Patent number: 9863309
    Abstract: An engine system for generating hydrogen and oxygen, and a method using a by-product of electrolysis, for use in an internal combustion engine to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. The engine system has an electrolysis cell for generating hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis of an aqueous solution, a battery as a source of power for providing electrical power to the electrolysis cell, and cooling system for maintaining the temperature of the electrolysis cell to reduce problems associated with overheating of the cell during electrolysis. The engine system traps sludge generated during hydrolysis in a filter. The sludge is released from the filter by agitation, resulting in a gas containing the sludge which is then used during combustion to improve fuel efficiency. The novel reconfiguration of existing engine parts and introduction of new features results in a less expensive, cleaner and more efficient hydrogen powered engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: Aaron Salter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9863388
    Abstract: A holding device is used for fastening a fuel distributor to an internal combustion engine. A plurality of holding elements is provided, which are able to be fixed in place on the internal combustion engine via a fastener. A cable guide is provided in addition. The holding elements are connected to the cable guide. In addition, a system having such a holding device and a fuel distributor for conveying fuel are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Rehwald, Marc Spinner
  • Patent number: 9863330
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine having a combustion chamber with an inlet and an outlet. Valves and valve actuators regulate open and closing of the inlet and the outlet. A plasma ignition source initiates ignition in the combustion chamber. A controller is in communication with the inlet valve actuator and outlet valve actuator. The controller is configured to detect a transition from a first combustion mode of the engine to a second combustion mode of the engine. The controller is also configured to change at least one of an opening time, a closing time, and an open duration of the first valve in response to detecting the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Hanho Yun, Cherian A. Idicheria, Paul M. Najt