Patents Examined by Jason T Newton
  • Patent number: 9217338
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a waste heat recovery (WHR) system and method for regulating exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooling, and more particularly, to a Rankine cycle WHR system and method, including a recuperator bypass arrangement to regulate EGR exhaust gas cooling for engine efficiency improvement and thermal management. This disclosure describes other unique bypass arrangements for increased flexibility in the ability to regulate EGR exhaust gas cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: CUMMINS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, Dave Morris
  • Patent number: 9206734
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the present invention includes: a turbocharger having a turbine disposed in an exhaust path and a compressor disposed in an intake path; a waste gate valve that opens and closes a bypass channel that connects a part of the exhaust path upstream of the turbine and a part of the exhaust path downstream of the turbine to each other; a drive mechanism that drives the waste gate valve; and waste gate valve opening controlling means that controls the drive mechanism so that the opening of the waste gate valve agrees with a saturation minimum opening when the drive mechanism opens the waste gate valve, the saturation minimum opening being the minimum opening at which the flow rate of an exhaust gas passing through the bypass channel is saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Hotta, Akira Eiraku
  • Patent number: 9206737
    Abstract: A method of controlling fuel delivery to an engine includes providing a fuel atomizer, a mechanically driven air compressor, a start up air source, and an air valve coupled between the mechanically driven air compressor and the start up air source, charging the start up air source, delivering compressed air from the start up air source to the fuel atomizer, starting the engine using an air/fuel mixture provided by the fuel atomizer, and operating the air valve to direct compressed air from the mechanically driven air compressor to the fuel atomizer after the engine starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: ENGINETICS, LLC
    Inventors: Roderick James Harris, Joseph Lull
  • Patent number: 9200631
    Abstract: A guided-vane rotary apparatus having working chambers and rotor hub sectors which are separated from one another by vane assemblies and which rotate within a housing opening embody features which reduce the likelihood of flow communication between the working chambers. To this end, the apparatus includes sealing arrangements which are disposed between the walls of the housing opening and the vane assemblies and between the vane assemblies and the hub sectors between which the vane assemblies are positioned. Furthermore, the housing is provided with seal-accepting recesses adjacent its opening, and a sealing ring is closely accepted by each recess. Wave springs are disposed between the bottom of the recesses and the sealing rings for biasing the sealing rings axially of the apparatus and into sealing engagement with adjacent surfaces of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Inventor: Arnold J. Beal
  • Patent number: 9200578
    Abstract: A control and regulation method is described for a turbocharged internal combustion engine, in which in a high-performance range (HLB) the turbocharged air is pre-compressed via a two-stage turbocharging process. The described method comprises a low-pressure stage and a high-pressure stage and fed to the internal combustion engine and in which in a low-performance range (NLB) the turbocharged air, pre-compressed via the two-stage turbocharging process, is fed to the internal combustion engine, post-compressed via a compressor as a third turbocharging stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Flohr
  • Patent number: 9200532
    Abstract: An assembly can include a turbine housing that includes a bore, a wastegate seat and a wastegate passage that extends to the wastegate seat; a bushing configured for receipt by the bore; a rotatable wastegate shaft configured for receipt by the bushing; a wastegate arm extending from the wastegate shaft; and a wastegate plug extending from the wastegate arm where the wastegate plug includes a contact portion that contacts the wastegate seat to cover the wastegate passage in a closed state and a shell portion that extends into the wastegate passage in the closed state and that defines a clearance with respect to the wastegate seat in an open state. Various other examples of devices, assemblies, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Manimurugan Palaniyappan, Martin Benda, Jan Jurasek, Manuel Marques
  • Patent number: 9188058
    Abstract: Various methods for controlling a wastegate with an electric actuator including a bias are provided. In one example, the actuator is supplied with a first current when moving a wastegate valve toward a fully open position, and is supplied with a second current when moving a wastegate toward a fully closed position. The methods may ensure appropriate supply of boost to an engine even in the event of wastegate degradation while enabling engine downsizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amey Y. Karnik, Yan Wang, Vladimir V. Kokotovic
  • Patent number: 9181855
    Abstract: A turbocharger is disclosed for use with an engine. The turbocharger may include a housing at least partially defining a compressor shroud and a turbine shroud. The turbine shroud may form a volute having an inlet configured to receive exhaust from an exhaust manifold of the engine in a tangential direction. The volute may also include an axial channel disposed downstream of the inlet. The turbocharger may also include a turbine wheel disposed within the turbine shroud that may be configured to receive exhaust from the axial channel. The turbocharger may also include a compressor wheel disposed within the compressor shroud, and a shaft connecting the turbine wheel to the compressor wheel. The turbocharger may also include a nozzle ring disposed within the axial channel at a location upstream of the turbine wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Robert Svihla, Joshua Schueler, Shakeel Nasir, Keith Moravec
  • Patent number: 9181857
    Abstract: A method for operating a turbocharger arrangement of an internal combustion engine, the turbocharger arrangement comprising a low-pressure and a high-pressure turbocharging stage arranged sequentially, the high-pressure turbocharging stage comprising a high-pressure compressor with a sensorless compressor bypass valve, comprises evaluating at least one sensor signal of the turbocharger arrangement for detecting a failure mode of the compressor bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Simon Petrovic, Alain Marie Roger Chevalier, Arno Bartsch
  • Patent number: 9175562
    Abstract: A rotary engine is provided. The engine has a main body that fits within a housing to form an annular chamber. A piston moves within the annular chamber along an annular path. A door assembly operates to block and unblock the annular chamber, opening to unblock the chamber as the piston approaches the door and closes to block the chamber after the piston has travelled past the door. A temporary combustion chamber is formed between the closed door and the piston as the piston moves away from the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Breville Pty Limited
    Inventor: Raymond Charles Casey
  • Patent number: 9175783
    Abstract: Embodiments for vacuum generation are provided. In one example, a method comprises when boost is below a threshold, generating vacuum with an actuator in a first position by flowing air from a compressor outlet to an intake manifold through a first ejector, and when boost is above the threshold, generating vacuum with the actuator in a second position by flowing air from the compressor outlet to a compressor inlet through a second ejector. In this way, vacuum may be generated by more than one ejector via actuation of a common actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, David Bell, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 9169790
    Abstract: A method for controlling a compressor of a turbocharger is disclosed. In one example, the method comprises varying a maximum permitted compressor outlet temperature based upon a function of compressor outlet temperature and operating time, and controlling the operation of the compressor so that the maximum permitted compressor outlet temperature is not exceeded. In this way a higher boost pressure can safely be used during the early life of the compressor but excessive coking of the compressor with a resultant loss of efficiency later in the life of the compressor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jon Dixon
  • Patent number: 9169772
    Abstract: One-stroke internal combustion engines may comprise reciprocating pistons which are either straight or rotary. Three principles are required to make one-stroke engines work: create four dedicated chambers, assign the chambers with coordinated functions, and make pistons move in unison. The functions will be assigned only to a single stroke but an Otto cycle produces a repeating four stroke cycle. Since four functions are performed simultaneously during one stroke, every stroke becomes a power stroke. In reality, 1-stroke engines are physically rearranged 4-stroke engines. Both straight and rotary 1-stroke engines can be modified to comprise opposed piston opposed cylinder (OPOC) engines. The reciprocating piston output of 1-stroke pistons may be converted to continuously rotating output by using crankshafts with split bushings or newly developed Crankgears with conventional bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Differential Dynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Kyung Soo Han
  • Patent number: 9169809
    Abstract: Embodiments for a charge air cooler are provided. In one example, an engine method comprises during a first mode, decreasing a volume of a charge air cooler in response to a compressor operation upstream of the charge air cooler. In this way, compressor surge may be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Julia Helen Buckland, Chris Paul Glugla, Robert Andrew Wade, Jason Eugene Devries, Charles A. Cockerill, Gregory Patrick McConville
  • Patent number: 9163531
    Abstract: Self-adaptive hydraulic variable valve timing system for an internal combustion diesel engine, comprising an electronic control unit, an oil pump, a pressure regulating reversing valve, an oil return tube, an oil line, an oil supply main tube, an oil supply branch tube, and a self-adaptive pushrod length changing assembly. When the engine's oil exceeds 70° C., and engine's rotational speed is greater than or equal to 1300 r/m, and engine's load is greater than or equal to 50%, the control unit is configured to send instructions to the pressure regulating reversing valve to switch oil flow direction towards the oil line which leads to the self-adaptive pushrod length changing assembly and thereby put the engine in an operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Inventors: Wanhua Su, Qiang Zhan, Yiqiang Pei, Erxi Liu, Songlin Wu
  • Patent number: 9151200
    Abstract: A vehicle system operation method is provided. The method comprises, during a first operating condition, increasing back pressure in a first exhaust conduit positioned upstream of a turbine and downstream of a first emission control device and during a second operating condition, reducing back pressure in the first exhaust conduit and flowing boosted air from downstream of a compressor into a second exhaust conduit positioned upstream of a second emission control device and downstream of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Wen Dai, Paul M. Laing, John Hedges, Julia Helen Buckland, Harold Huimin Sun
  • Patent number: 9151291
    Abstract: A rotary engine includes a housing body having a first rotation chamber and a second rotation chamber. A first rotary body is arranged within the first rotation chamber, and a second rotary body is arranged within the second rotation chamber. A boundary surface of the first rotation chamber has a variable distance from an opposite surface of the first rotary body. A pair of valve flaps having a first valve flap and a second valve flap is arranged on the first rotary body. Upon rotation of the first rotary body, the valve flaps are in engagement with the boundary surface of the first rotation chamber and are rotated in mutually opposite directions with regard to the first rotary body so as to form two mutually demarcated working chambers within the first rotation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Inventor: Gerhard Feustle
  • Patent number: 9145828
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine in the form of a frictionless turbine includes a piston and a combustion chamber with a combustion chamber wall, which is frictionless because it has no piston rings so that the pistons do not touch the combustion chamber wall. There is clearance between the piston and the chamber wall, so that no piston lubrication is provided or needed, and the absence of friction between the piston and chamber wall permits the turbine to reach very high speeds. Computer control preferably is provided to meter fuel into the combustion chamber as turbine revolutions per minute increase from starting speed to full speed to maximize engine smoothness of operation and efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Inventor: Walter Stiles
  • Patent number: 9145889
    Abstract: A scroll compressor is provided that may include a discharge cover that separates a suction space and a discharge space of an airtight container. The discharge cover may be inserted into a fixed scroll to be fixedly coupled thereto, reducing an amount of components, such as a gasket and fastening bolts required to fix the discharge cover, and an assembly time, reducing overall production costs. Also, as fastening bolts are not used, a width corresponding to a space for bolts may be reduced in the fixed scroll, whereby a phenomenon in which the fixed scroll is heated by a discharge refrigerant within the discharge space may be reduced, reducing suction loss of the refrigerant sucked into the compression chamber and improving compressor efficiency. Also, a size of the fixed scroll may be reduced, reducing a weight of the fixed scroll, and a weight of the overall compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Pilhwan Kim, Injong Jang
  • Patent number: 9140209
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery (WHR) system connects a working fluid to fluid passages formed in an engine block and/or a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, forming an engine heat exchanger. The fluid passages are formed near high temperature areas of the engine, subjecting the working fluid to sufficient heat energy to vaporize the working fluid while the working fluid advantageously cools the engine block and/or cylinder head, improving fuel efficiency. The location of the engine heat exchanger downstream from an EGR boiler and upstream from an exhaust heat exchanger provides an optimal position of the engine heat exchanger with respect to the thermodynamic cycle of the WHR system, giving priority to cooling of EGR gas. The configuration of valves in the WHR system provides the ability to select a plurality of parallel flow paths for optimal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ernst, Christopher R. Nelson