Patents Examined by John Kwon
  • Patent number: 11333114
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inlet structure of a reservoir pot, comprising a base plate, which can be arranged in an operating medium tank with the formation of a receiving volume below the base plate, and a plurality of first elements which extend from the base plate, wherein the first elements are at least partially spaced apart from one another, and operating medium can flow between the first elements into the receiving volume and can flow out of the receiving volume, wherein the first elements present a greater flow resistance in the outflow direction than in the inflow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bastian Landeck, Christoph Laumer, Raul Ramos Alonso, Benjamin Schimpf, Christian Treml
  • Patent number: 11333099
    Abstract: A skip fire engine controller is disclosed that commands an early direct-injection of fuel during a skipped working cycle in which a cylinder is not exhausted. With early direct injection, the fuel has more time to vaporize and mix with air for combustion in an immediately following working cycle in which the cylinder is fired. By increasing the degree of vaporization and mixing, the combustion is both cleaner and more efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew W. Phillips, Jerry F. Fuschetto
  • Patent number: 11331617
    Abstract: A canister includes a main casing, a first port formed in a wall of the main casing, and a first adsorbent section within the main casing. The first adsorbent section and the wall of the main casing define a space section therebetween. The first adsorbent section includes a first adsorbent and a first retainer holding the first adsorbent. The canister also includes a first elastic element disposed in the space section. The first elastic element urges the first retainer to elastically hold the first adsorbent. In addition, the canister includes a subcasing integral to the wall of the main casing. The subcasing is positioned within the space section. Further, the canister includes a second adsorbent section in communication with the first port. The second adsorbent section includes a second adsorbent disposed within the subcasing. Still further, the canister includes a second retainer holding the second adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryuji Kosugi
  • Patent number: 11333098
    Abstract: An engine controller calculates a pulsation correction value based on actuation states of an air bypass valve (ABV) and a wastegate valve (WGV) that change the shape of intake and exhaust flow passages of an exhaust turbocharger. The pulsation correction value is used to compensate for an output error of an airflow meter caused by intake pulsation. The engine controller also calculates a fuel injection amount of an injector, based on an output of the airflow meter that has been corrected based on the pulsation correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akito Uchida, Koji Aso
  • Patent number: 11333088
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a turbocharger. A system comprises a variable geometry turbocharger comprising a plurality of vanes, wherein the plurality of vanes is operated during a low-load transient event to conserve boost pressure from a previous high-load transient event to reduce lag during a proceeding high-load transient event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Khizer Tufail, Tim Winstanley
  • Patent number: 11333089
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a supercharging pressure control device for an internal combustion engine that may suppress misfires of the internal combustion engine caused by a large amount of condensed water and freezing of an intercooler and suppress the decrease in supercharging response under the conditions that such problems are unlikely to occur. The supercharging pressure control device for the internal combustion engine includes a supercharger (turbocharger), an intercooler, a supercharging pressure control part controlling a supercharging pressure based on a target supercharging pressure, and an intake air temperature acquisition part (intake air temperature sensor) acquiring a temperature of the intake air as an intake air temperature, and executes a supercharging pressure reduction control when the intake air temperature is greater than or equal to a specified first threshold temperature or less than or equal to a specified second threshold temperature less than the first threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Shibuki, Katsushi Hashimoto, Satoshi Moriyama
  • Patent number: 11333048
    Abstract: An engine valve actuation system includes a hydro-mechanical valve actuation module having a first hydro-mechanical linkage and a second hydro-mechanical linkage, each within a different housing block of a housing. Each of the first hydro-mechanical linkage and the second hydro-mechanical linkage includes a cam-follower piston in contact with a cam of a camshaft, and a valve-actuation piston hydraulically co-acting with the respective cam-follower piston. The hydro-mechanical valve actuation module may include hydro-mechanical linkages for an intake valve, for an exhaust valve, and for engine braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Stephan Donald Roozenboom, Jeffrey Clark Krieger, Michael Dean Roley
  • Patent number: 11333094
    Abstract: A method for estimating the ageing of an exhaust gas sensor (16) placed in an exhaust line (14) of a diesel internal combustion engine (10) of an industrial vehicle (1) includes: —acquiring (S100) an initial value of an estimated remaining lifetime (50) of the exhaust gas sensor; —measuring (S102) the time spent by the engine in each of several predefined engine operation modes during a predefined time period; —for each of the engine operation modes, calculating (S104) a lifetime loss value depending on the time spent by the engine in said engine operation mode during the predefined time period and on a predefined ageing rate associated to said engine operation mode; —updating (S106) the estimated remaining lifetime value by subtracting each calculated lifetime loss value from the initial value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick Rodrigues, Benjamin Jacquet
  • Patent number: 11326507
    Abstract: In one aspect, an engine ignition apparatus for a natural gas engine may include a housing including a drive piston, a floating piston, a controllable hydraulic fluid chamber located between the drive piston and the floating piston, and an ignition chamber acted on by the floating piston, the ignition chamber having an outlet formed by a plurality of orifices, the outlet being in direct communication with a combustion chamber of the engine. In another aspect, an engine ignition apparatus for a natural gas engine may include, among other features, a controllable valve connected to a hydraulic fluid chamber, and configured to open and release a hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid chamber, and to close. In still another aspect, a method for controlling an engine ignition apparatus for an engine includes, among other features, controlling a volume of a hydraulic fluid chamber of an ignition apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: David Y. Chang
  • Patent number: 11326534
    Abstract: Using machine learning for cylinder misfire detection in a dynamic firing level modulation controlled internal combustion engine is described. In a classification embodiment, cylinder misfires are differentiated from intentional skips based on a measured exhaust manifold pressure. In a regressive model embodiment, the measured exhaust manifold pressure is compared to a predicted exhaust manifold pressure generated by neural network in response to one or more inputs indicative of the operation of the vehicle. Based on the comparison, a prediction is made if a misfire has occurred or not. In yet other alternative embodiment, angular crank acceleration is used as well for misfire detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shikui Kevin Chen, Aditya Mandal, Li-Chun Chien, Elliott Ortiz-Soto
  • Patent number: 11326531
    Abstract: A purge control unit opens the purge control valve to supply, as purge gas to an intake passage, the evaporative fuel together with air in response to a predetermined purge request. An air-fuel ratio detection unit detects an air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine. A concentration learning unit estimates a fuel concentration in the purge gas based on a change in the air-fuel ratio when the purge control unit causes the purge gas to be supplied to the intake passage and to perform a fuel concentration learning to update a concentration learning value, which is a learning value of the fuel concentration in the purge gas, based on the estimated fuel concentration. An injection control unit corrects a fuel injection amount based on the concentration learning value in a period in which the concentration learning unit performs the fuel concentration learning in the lean combustion operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryota Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11326566
    Abstract: An engine including a fuel tank, a carburetor, a speed control lever, and a transport valve. The carburetor includes a throttle valve movable between a first throttle position and a second throttle position. The speed control lever is coupled to the throttle valve and is movable between a first position corresponding to the first throttle position and a second position corresponding to the second throttle position. The transport valve is fluidly coupled between the fuel tank and the carburetor, and includes a valve element moveable between an open valve position allowing fuel flow between the fuel tank and the carburetor, and a closed valve position preventing fuel flow between the fuel tank and the carburetor. Movement of the speed control lever to the second position moves the valve element to the closed valve position to stop fluid flow between the fuel tank and the carburetor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventor: David Roth
  • Patent number: 11326561
    Abstract: A canister includes a casing defining an adsorbent chamber. The casing includes a tank port in fluid communication with a fuel tank and an atmospheric port in fluid communication with the atmosphere. The canister includes at least three adsorbent sections arranged in series in the adsorbent chamber. The at least three adsorbent sections include a first adsorbent section proximate to the atmospheric port, a second adsorbent section disposed on a tank port side of the first adsorbent section, and a third adsorbent section disposed on a tank port side of the second adsorbent section. The first adsorbent section contains a first adsorbent, the second adsorbent section contains a second adsorbent, and the third adsorbent section contains a third adsorbent. An adsorption capacity of the first adsorbent is equal to or greater than an adsorption capacity of the second adsorbent. The adsorption capacity of the second adsorbent is greater than an adsorption capacity of the third adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: Takanori Akiyama, Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11326545
    Abstract: An injection control device includes: a fuel injection quantity command value output unit that outputs a command value for a fuel injection quantity of a fuel injection valve; a fuel injection quantity correction unit that calculates an air-fuel correction amount and corrects the command value for the fuel injection quantity; and a controller that executes current control on the fuel injection valve. The controller executes current area correction by calculating an area correction amount for an energization time. The injection control device further includes a learning controller that stops the air-fuel learning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Kato, Yasumasa Ishikawa, Yohei Suganuma
  • Patent number: 11319910
    Abstract: A fuel injector interface device and associated method include an interface device having a plurality of input leads and a plurality of output leads. The input leads are communicatively linked to the fuel pressure sensor on the common rail of a vehicle fuel injection system. The output leads are communicatively linked to a display device such as a diagnostic scope. Circuitry positioned within the interface device detects the rail pressure signals, filters the signals, and outputs data to the display device representing a graphical depiction of the same. A method of using the interface device includes generating the signals, mapping the signals to an individual fuel injector of the vehicle's engine cylinder and determining fluctuations in the strength of the displayed signals to determine anomalies in a particular fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Inventor: Randal S. Nichols
  • Patent number: 11319889
    Abstract: The abnormality diagnosis system 1 of a downstream side air-fuel ratio detection device 41, 42, comprises an air-fuel ratio control part 71 controlling an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture, an abnormality judgment part 72 judging abnormality of the downstream side air-fuel ratio detection device based on a characteristic of change of output of the downstream side air-fuel ratio detection device when the air-fuel ratio control part makes the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture change, and an oxygen change calculation part 73 calculating an amount of change of an oxygen storage amount of the catalyst when the air-fuel ratio control part makes the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture change. The abnormality judgment part does not judge abnormality of the downstream side air-fuel ratio detection device when the amount of change of the oxygen storage amount is less than a lower limit threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kitazume, Kazuhiro Wakao, Keiichiro Aoki, Yasutaka Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11319913
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an injector for injecting fuel, comprising an injector housing for receiving at least one injector component, and an electromagnet for activating a valve for opening and closing the injector, wherein the electromagnet comprises a coil winding and a magnetic body, wherein the injector housing is formed in one piece with the magnetic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: LIEBHERR-COMPONENTS DEGGENDORF GMBH
    Inventors: Norbert Schoefbaenker, Richard Pirkl
  • Patent number: 11313297
    Abstract: A synchronous dynamometer assembly for applying a load to an engine during at least one portion of the combustion cycle of the engine in a synchronised manner so as to be repeatable each cycle of the engine comprises a dynamometer having a non-inductive load which is applied to the engine during operation to vary the speed of the engine. The non-inductive load is variable by varying the current delivered to it. Crankshaft monitoring means monitors the rotational position of the engine crankshaft, and combustion detection means detects a combustion event in a cylinder of the engine. Control means is operatively connected to the dynamometer for applying the load from the dynamometer to the engine for at least one part of the combustion cycle in real time such that the different loads may be applied to the engine for different parts of the combustion cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Peter Martin
  • Patent number: 11313309
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a memory configured to store relationship definition data that defines a relationship between a state of a vehicle and an action variable, which is a variable relating to an operation of electronic equipment in the vehicle, and a processor. The processor is configured to execute acquisition processing of acquiring a detection value of a sensor and driving preference information, operation processing of operating the electronic equipment, reward calculation processing of providing a greater reward when a characteristic of the vehicle satisfies a criterion than when the characteristic of the vehicle does not satisfy the criterion, and update processing of updating the relationship definition data. The processor is configured to, based on update mapping, output the relationship definition data updated to increase an expected return on the reward when the electronic equipment is operated in compliance with the relationship definition data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yohsuke Hashimoto, Akihiro Katayama, Yuta Oshiro, Kazuki Sugie, Naoya Oka
  • Patent number: 11315368
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for restarting an engine following an engine idle-stop. In one example, a method may include, following a first unsuccessful engine restart attempt, prompting a driver, via a human machine interface (HMI) to apply a brake pedal and upon application of the brake pedal, carrying out one or more restart attempts. If the driver does not apply the brake pedal within the threshold duration, the driver may be prompted to manually restart the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, Eric Michael Rademacher, Ahmed Awadi, Daniel Yeaw, Paul Joseph Szuszman, Richard John Hippley