Patents Examined by Jacob Amick
  • Patent number: 9863308
    Abstract: The objective is to provide lubrication oil and internal-combustion engine fuel for reducing the fuel consumption and for reducing carbon dioxide and other exhaust gas components. The lubrication oil is injected with lubrication oil impregnating agent composed of dimethylalkyl tertiary amine in the range from 0.01 to 1 volume % and desirably in the range from 0.1 to 0.5 volume %. Petroleum oil fuel is injected with fuel oil impregnating agent composed of dimethylalkyl tertiary amine in the range from 0.5 to 1 volume %. The petroleum oil fuel is light oil, kerosene, gasoline, or Bunker A. Any one or both of these lubrication oil and petroleum oil fuel is/are used for an internal-combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: Hideaki Makita
  • Patent number: 9863371
    Abstract: An insert for engine intake gaseous fuel mixing device. A body defines a longitudinal axis, leading end, trailing end, and exterior surface profile from the leading to the trailing end. Supports extend radially from the body, each support extending parallel to the axis to define separate longitudinal intake passages. The exterior surface profile of the body includes a nose section in which diameter increases from a minimum value at the leading end to a maximum value at a downstream end of the nose section. The nose section is followed by a flat section and a curved tapering section in which the profile converges toward the axis at an increasing rate from the flat section in a direction of the axis toward the trailing end. The diameter at the trailing end is at least 15 percent less than a maximum diameter of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Mohamed Moustafa El Gammal, Mark Vincent Casarella
  • Patent number: 9863377
    Abstract: A process and device for using a PSA oxygen concentrator to provide a high oxygen air intake mass into the combustion chambers of an ICE in order to improve gasoline mileage, reduce undesirable exhaust components and allow a TWC to come into full operation more quickly. A method of improving the quality of an air mass taken into the PSA device is taught. Both a retrofit methodology using commercially available PSA concentrators and a method of using component parts of same to create a differing architectural arrangement suited to fit the particular needs or spaces are presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventors: Manuel Soto, Cesar Soto
  • Patent number: 9856823
    Abstract: A head gasket is provided for use in an engine having a cylinder head and a cylinder liner with a side wall defining a combustion chamber, the cylinder liner including a liner flange projecting from the side wall in an outward direction away from the combustion chamber. The head gasket includes a main body layer and a flange layer coupled to the main body layer by a flange wrap portion. The flange wrap portion is sized for axial alignment with the side wall of the cylinder liner, and the flange layer is spaced from the main body layer to define a gap between the main body layer and the flange layer adjacent the flange wrap portion. A core layer is coupled to the main body layer and includes a sealing bead spaced outwardly from the flange wrap portion and sized for axial alignment with the liner flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan R. Chittenden
  • Patent number: 9856907
    Abstract: An opening on one end side of a pin-boss oil passage opens to the inner circumferential surface of a pin boss part of an upper link, while an opening on the other end side thereof opens to the outer circumferential surface of the pin boss part of the upper link. A lower-link oil passage has a one-end-side opening structured to open to a pin-boss-facing surface of the lower link facing the outer circumferential surface of the pin boss part of the upper link and its other-end-side opening structured to open to a crankpin bearing surface. The lower-link oil passage is configured to point, at a prescribed crankangle, to a specified end edge of end edges of the other-end-side opening of the pin-boss oil passage, the specified end edge facing one end side of the upper link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Tanabe, Makoto Kobayashi, Katsuya Moteki
  • Patent number: 9856788
    Abstract: A method of introducing additives to an air intake system of an engine in order to overcome one or more of the various problems created by formulation of additives in fuels. The method controls at least one of the amount, aerosol particle size and timing of introduction of additives based on information relevant to operation of the engine. The introduced additives form an air-additive mixture and are carried by the airflow in the air-intake system to the combustion chamber of the engine. Another aspect of the invention is an additive introduction system that includes one or more containers for additives, a control system for determining at least one of the amount, aerosol particle size and timing of introduction of the additives, and a device to introduce the additives into the air intake system under the control of the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: AFTON CHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gregory Guinther
  • Patent number: 9856817
    Abstract: A cylinder for a V-twin engine including a body with a first end having a surface configured to mate with a cylinder head, and a second end configured to mate with a crankcase. A sleeve is fixedly secured within the body to define a cylinder bore. The sleeve includes a first portion that extends from the first end of the body to the second end of the body. The first portion of the sleeve has a first wall thickness. The sleeve further includes a second portion that extends out of the second end of the body to be received within a crankcase bore. The second portion has a second wall thickness that is thinner than the first wall thickness. The sleeve is constructed from a chromoly steel alloy material, and the second wall thickness is less than 0.060 inch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, LLC
    Inventors: Tony Nicosia, Brad Bishop, Mark Dane
  • Patent number: 9857802
    Abstract: A fuel control device or fuel valve assembly includes a valve for metering flow of gaseous fuel to an engine, a drive device associated with the valve to adjust the effective flow area of the valve, a flow meter with at least one fixed area orifice located upstream of the valve, and one or more sensors to measure predetermined parameters of the fuel flowing through the flow meter. A controller receives input from the flow sensor or sensors and a fuel demand signal from the engine control, calculates current flow rate based on the sensor inputs, and controls the drive device to adjust the valve flow area up or down depending on the difference between the calculated flow rate and current fuel demand signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Controls Corporation
    Inventors: Kristian W. Yates, David G. Fisher, Galina Laur, Hillary H. Grimes, III
  • Patent number: 9850863
    Abstract: An air intake duct of a motorcycle extends rearwardly from a front portion of a motorcycle body so as to pass laterally of the left side of a motorcycle frame structure, and incoming wind is supplied as an intake air through the air intake duct to a combustion engine. The air intake duct is divided in a widthwise direction of the motorcycle. An upper dividing face of the air intake duct is disposed inward of an intermediate position, in a motorcycle widthwise direction, of the air intake duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shohei Naruoka, Hisatoyo Arima, Satoaki Ichi, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Kozo Arai, Yoshinobu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9850905
    Abstract: A coolant pump includes a pump frame, a driving wheel driven by an engine, a pump wheel driven by the driving wheel, and a clutch which couples the driving wheel with the pump wheel. The clutch comprises a friction surface arranged at the driving wheel, and a clutch disc which corresponds to the friction surface. The clutch disk is connected with and co-rotates with the pump wheel, and is axially shiftable between an engaged and a disengaged position. An axial pretension spring pretensions the clutch disc into the disengaged position. A permanent magnet forces the clutch disc into the engaged position. An electromagnet, when energized, generates a polarization which is opposite to a polarization of the permanent magnet to reduce a total magnetic attraction force of the permanent magnet with respect to the clutch disc and to thereby push the clutch disc into the disengaged position via the pretension spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: PIERBURG PUMP TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Arnaud Fournier, Jean-Christophe Schneider, Markus Schalong
  • Patent number: 9850803
    Abstract: There is provided a saddle-ridden type vehicle. An oil cooler cools engine oil to be supplied to an engine. A supercharger compresses combustion air to be supplied to the engine. A water pump pumps cooling water to the engine and the supercharger. A cooling piping flows the cooling water delivered from the water pump. A first inlet piping supplies the cooling water to the oil cooler. A second inlet piping is disposed in parallel with the first inlet piping and supplies the cooling water to the supercharger. A first outlet piping extends upward from the oil cooler and returns the cooling water to the water pump. A second outlet piping extends upward from the supercharger and returns the cooling water to the water pump. The first outlet piping and the second outlet piping converge above the oil cooler and the supercharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okita, Takaya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9850866
    Abstract: A heater control apparatus for a diesel fuel filter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fuel temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of diesel fuel, a main relay including a first internal coil and a first switch, a pre-filter heater relay including a second internal coil and a second switch; a first node, a second node, a third node, and an engine control unit (ECU).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaebum Yoo, Tae Young Kim, Sang Il Yoon
  • Patent number: 9850872
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and method for determining an amount of fuel injected or delivered by a single fuel injector in an internal combustion engine by generating one fuel injection event after the engine has stopped operating. The fuel delivered is statistically analyzed in comparison with a commanded fuel delivery amounts to determine the suitability of fuel injector on-time calibration for the analyzed fuel injector. If the fuel delivered deviates from the commanded amount of fuel delivery by a predetermined value, the fuel injector on-time calibration for the analyzed fuel injector is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Ruth, Michael J. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9847186
    Abstract: A push-button starter for use with an outdoor power equipment unit. In one embodiment, the starter includes a housing defining an opening to receive a removable button, and a peripheral edge surrounding the opening. The peripheral edge may define two scalloped areas such that two opposite sides of a head portion of the button are exposed and accessible when the button is in a neutral position within the housing while remaining sides of the head portion are enclosed within the housing. Moreover, the opening and the head portion may be configured to control an orientation of the button relative to the housing, and further prevent rotation of the button relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventor: Chris A. Wadzinski
  • Patent number: 9845724
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a variable compression ratio mechanism that changes the relative position of a cylinder block with respect to a crankcase and a controlling device that controls the variable compression ratio mechanism. The variable compression ratio mechanism contains a driving device that rotates a shaft that includes an eccentric axis, and the drive device includes a clutch that blocks reverse input and is disposed in a drive power transmission route that transmits the rotational power of a motor to the shaft. The control device fixes the mechanical compression ratio to a predetermined low mechanical compression ratio when the amplitude of the rotational power vibration applied to an output shaft of the clutch is less than a predetermined determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Okawa, Kazuhito Sakai
  • Patent number: 9845721
    Abstract: A combustion engine having a crankcase and a cylinder, wherein a piston is guided to be movable in strokes inside cylinder, piston movably limiting a combustion chamber, and wherein in cylinder at least one transfer port is inserted, which extends between crankcase and combustion chamber, and through which an ignition mixture can flow from crankcase into combustion chamber, and which opens out into combustion chamber in an upper discharge area in such a way that ignition mixture preferably does not reach transfer ports and thus the crankcase, while at the same time a direct connection of crankcase to combustion chamber is maintained via a transfer port, which is as short as possible, it is suggested that at least one storage chamber is provided which is connected to upper discharge area and in which exhaust gas flowing from the combustion chamber into discharge area can be temporarily stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Schönfeld
  • Patent number: 9845815
    Abstract: An apparatus for creating a swirling flow of fluid comprises a transmission base (1) with an internal cavity (2) to receive the fluid flow from outside via a side hole (3) which will become a hole side edge (4) to control the flow through of the fluid into the transmission base in a laminar swirling flow in the internal cavity of the transmission base. A part of the hole side edge may have an elevated insert supporting shoulder (10) to support the overlay attachment of another transmission base to stack them higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventor: Metha Yoavaphankul
  • Patent number: 9845765
    Abstract: A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine includes a steel piston configured to move within a cylinder of the reciprocating engine. The system also includes a groove extending circumferentially about the piston beneath a top land of the piston and configured to support a ring having an inner circumferential face. One or more channels are formed in the top land and are configured to facilitate transfer of combustion gases to a space between a portion of the groove and the inner circumferential face of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard John Donahue, Daniel David Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 9845774
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an intake manifold for an engine. In one example, an insert comprises an annular body having a top surface, bottom surface, inner surface, and outer surface. The insert further comprises a first groove for coupling an intake air port of an intake manifold to a cylinder head, a second groove for circulating gaseous fuel received from a gas runner of the intake manifold, and one or more openings to fluidically couple the second groove to an interior of the intake air port. The insert is configured to mix gaseous fuel and intake air at a coupling location between the intake manifold and the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alexis Gruschow, Leslie Orin Trask, Eric Richard Dillen, John Stephen Roth, Matthew Joseph Felion
  • Patent number: 9840989
    Abstract: A cover for an engine assembly of a motor vehicle is attached at one end by a hinge and at the other end by sockets interlocking with engine projections. The engine assembly has a first hinge portion located at a top, rearward end of the engine assembly, and has first and second structural projections extending upwardly and spaced from the first hinge portion. The cover has a foam body overmolded onto a rigid substrate. The substrate has an integral second hinge portion to engage the first hinge portion. The foam body is formed of polyurethane foam with first and second sockets releasably receiving the first and second projections, respectively, to hold the cover at an installed position. The soft cover provides excellent noise and vibration performance together with a desired visual appearance. Manual installation and removal of the cover is done easily and without any tools or removable fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher W. Newman, Christopher T. Snow