Patents Examined by John Zaleskas
  • Patent number: 11293337
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pre-chamber. In one example, the pre-chamber includes a moveable element configured to adjust an orifice opening area of the pre-chamber in response to conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Damian Czekala, Thomas Leone
  • Patent number: 10280859
    Abstract: A control system reduces the amount of fuel injected from a second fuel injector in one cycle to an amount smaller than a second basic injection amount according to operating conditions of an internal combustion engine, and increases the amount of fuel injected from a first fuel injector in one cycle to an amount larger than a first basic injection amount according to operating conditions of the engine, during a predetermined period after a flow restricting operation is finished, so as to reduce fluctuations in the air-fuel ratio due to fluctuations in the wall temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Tsukagoshi
  • Patent number: 10273874
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a boosted engine system, having a turbocharger and a charge air cooler, to limit overheating of a compressor outlet. In one example, a method includes predicting an engine torque profile based on current and future engine operating conditions. The method then models a compressor outlet temperature profile and reduces engine torque output to limit overheating of the compressor outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Anthony Santillo, John Erik Mikael Hellstrom, Hamid-Reza Ossareh, Baitao Xiao
  • Patent number: 10260408
    Abstract: An axis line of a cylinder and a cylinder head of a four-stroke engine is disposed inclining to one side in a lateral direction with respect to a center line extending in a front-rear direction of the outboard motor from a top view, and a fuel tank is disposed on a side portion of the cylinder and the cylinder head in another side in the lateral direction with respect to the center line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Muramatsu, Tadaaki Morikami, Yasuomi Ishihara, Hideto Nakamura, Yoshihiro Horitani
  • Patent number: 10253731
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). In one example, an engine system includes a first EGR valve coupling an exhaust manifold to an engine exhaust system, a second EGR valve coupling the exhaust manifold to an engine intake system, and a control unit. The control unit selectively adjusts a position of the first EGR valve based on a target amount, and adjusts a position of the second EGR valve based on the target amount and a position of the first EGR valve. Responsive to a first degradation condition of the first EGR valve, the control unit adjusts the position of the second EGR valve based on the target amount and based on a pressure of the first exhaust manifold, and responsive to a second degradation condition of the first EGR valve, adjusts the position of the second EGR valve based on the target amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC
    Inventors: Dipankar Deb, Manthram Sivasubramaniam, Prashant Srinivasan, Sharath Sridhar Aramanekoppa, Prem Kumar Patchaikani, Sachin Shivajirao Kulkarni, Sebastian Walter Freund, Jassin Marcel Fritz, Georgios Bikas, James Henry Yager, Shashi Kiran
  • Patent number: 10234006
    Abstract: A reciprocating piston mechanism comprises a crankcase and a crankshaft. The crankshaft is supported by the crankcase and rotatable with respect thereto about a crankshaft axis. The mechanism further comprises at least a connecting rod including a big end and a small end, a piston which is rotatably connected to the small end, and a crank member which is rotatably mounted on the crankpin. The crank member comprises at least a bearing portion and has an outer circumferential wall which bears the big end of the rod such that the rod is rotatably mounted on the bearing portion of the crank member via the big end. The crank member is provided with a crank member gear. The crank member gear meshes with at least an intermediate gear, which also meshes with an auxiliary gear. The auxiliary gear is fixed to an auxiliary shaft that extends concentrically through the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GOMECSYS B.V.
    Inventor: Lambertus Hendrik De Gooijer
  • Patent number: 10233851
    Abstract: An evaporated fuel processing apparatus is provided with a blocking valve disposed in a vapor passage. The blocking valve has: a valve whose stroke amount is adjusted by a stepping motor; and a relief valve being opened regardless of the stroke amount when tank pressure of a fuel tank is greater than or equal to a predetermined pressure to allow communication between the fuel tank and a canister. The evaporated fuel processing apparatus is provided with a controller configured (i) to control the stepping motor to move the valve in a valve opening direction while prohibiting a valve opening position learning process when the tank pressure is greater than or equal to the predetermined pressure and (ii) to allow the valve opening position learning process when the tank pressure is less than the predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita Fukui, Makoto Yamazaki, Yoshikazu Miyabe
  • Patent number: 10227940
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a control device for an engine that enables precise control of the equivalence ratio. The system from the fuel injection amount to the output from a LAF sensor is modeled as an injection amount-sensor output model by means of a model equation containing model parameters and a lag coefficient. The system from the equivalence ratio to the LAF sensor output is modeled as a port equivalence ratio-sensor output model by means of a model equation containing the lag coefficient. The control device is equipped with: a feedback-use identifier that successively identifies values for the model parameters; a LAF lag compensation-use identifier that successively identifies values for the lag coefficient; and a stoichiometric driving mode controller that determines the value of a fuel injection amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignees: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., DELPHI INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS LUXEMBOURG S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Hideki Matsunaga, Hans Hardam, Toshiharu Takahashi, Masatoshi Yamada, Hiroshi Uike
  • Patent number: 10221802
    Abstract: An engine controlling apparatus controls a cylinder injected volume of fuel injected from a cylinder injection valve of an engine into a cylinder, and a port injected volume of fuel injected from a port injection valve into an intake port. The engine controlling apparatus includes an adhesion volume calculator to calculate a cylinder adhesion volume of fuel adhering to the cylinder, the fuel being injected from the cylinder injection valve, and a port adhesion volume of fuel adhering to the intake port, the fuel being injected from the port injection valve. The engine controlling apparatus further includes a controller to control the cylinder injected volume and the port injected volume based on both the cylinder adhesion volume and the port adhesion volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hitoshi Toda, Toshiyuki Miyata
  • Patent number: 10220700
    Abstract: Vehicle engine systems and protectors for such systems are presented. Vehicle engine systems can include one or more engine components associated with an engine. In some embodiments a protector can be attached to an engine system to substantially cover a portion of one or more engine components. The protector can have a shield and a support. In some arrangements, the shield can be operatively connected to two cylinder banks of an engine. The shield can extend over and substantially cover a portion of a fuel line and/or a fuel line connector. In one or more embodiments, the support can include a support end configured to support a vehicle component such as a throttle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Justin E. Dominic
  • Patent number: 10215067
    Abstract: A system (70) for actively controlling sound propagating through exhaust systems (40) includes a controller (90), a sound generator (30), in fluid communication with an exhaust system (40), and an actuator (20), inside the sound generator and receiving a controller control signal for generating sound inside the sound generator to reduce sound inside the exhaust system. The controller identifies an increased exhaust pressure inside the exhaust system based on signals output by an error microphone (50), a temperature sensor (51), an impedance measuring bridge (52), a bus system (53), or a water sensor (54). The controller interrupts a generation of the control signal and/or interrupts an output of the control signal to the at least one actuator and/or reduces a level of the control signal output to the at least one actuator by at least 30% or at least 60% upon determining a presence of an excessive exhaust gas pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Eberspächer Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Hölsch, Michael Pommerer
  • Patent number: 10202911
    Abstract: A method may include restricting cam movement while the vehicle is moving in response to an oil pressure below a threshold oil pressure, and an engine speed below a threshold engine speed, and during a vehicle stopped condition, overriding the restricted cam movement. In one example, the vehicle stopped condition may include the oil over-temperature and the load above the threshold load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Jamie Charles Hanshaw
  • Patent number: 10202921
    Abstract: A method controls a system for supplying diesel fuel on a motor vehicle. The system includes a fuel tank, a first pump that is a low-pressure pump taking fuel from the tank and delivering the fuel to a second pump that is a high-pressure pump. The method includes controlling the first pump to regulate the quantity of fuel provided as a function of the needs of the second pump, and determining a geographical position of the vehicle. The first pump is controlled to a maximum pressure level when the vehicle is in one of several predefined probable stopping zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventor: Frederic Lavoisier
  • Patent number: 10202914
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining a load of a canister included in an evaporative emissions system of a vehicle. One example method comprises flowing each of purge vapors, refueling vapors, and breakthrough vapors through a common hydrocarbon sensor and using output from the hydrocarbon sensor based on the flowing of different vapors to estimate the load of the canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 10202909
    Abstract: The control system of an internal combustion engine of the present invention comprises an S/V ratio changing mechanism able to change an S/V ratio of a combustion chamber and a detection device having an output value changing in accordance with a hydrogen concentration in exhaust gas, which increases along with an increase in the S/V ratio, the internal combustion engine being controlled by the output value of the detection device. Further, the output value of the detection device or a parameter relating to operation of the internal combustion engine is corrected in accordance with the S/V ratio of the above S/V ratio changing mechanism. Due to this, even if the hydrogen concentration in the exhaust gas increases along with an increase in the S/V ratio, the internal combustion engine can be suitably controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuntaro Okazaki, Junichi Kako
  • Patent number: 10202910
    Abstract: Embodiments for operating an engine with skip fire are provided. In one example, a method comprises during a skip fire mode or during a skip fire mode transition, port injecting a first fuel quantity to a cylinder of an engine, the first fuel quantity based on a first, predicted air charge amount for the cylinder and lean of a desired air-fuel ratio, and direct injecting a second fuel quantity to the cylinder, the second fuel quantity based on the first fuel quantity and a second, calculated air charge amount for the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, John Eric Rollinger, Mrdjan J. Jankovic, Brad Alan Boyer
  • Patent number: 10202924
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to enhance the possibility of realizing a required torque in a supercharging region where scavenging occurs in a control apparatus for a supercharged engine. In order to achieve this object, the control apparatus for the supercharged engine according to the invention determines an operation amount of an intake valve driving device from a target in-cylinder air amount that is calculated from a required torque, and determines an operation amount of a throttle from a target intake valve passing air amount that is obtained by adding an amount of air blowing through an interior of a cylinder to the target in-cylinder air amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Soejima, Akira Eiraku, Satoru Tanaka, Satoshi Yoshizaki, Kiyonori Takahashi, Yoshihiro Sakayanagi
  • Patent number: 10202918
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and a method for controlling valve timing of continuous variable valve duration engine. The method includes: classifying control regions depending on engine speed and engine load; applying a maximum duration to an intake valve and controlling valve overlap between the intake valve and an exhaust valve in a first control region; applying the maximum duration to the intake valve and reducing the valve overlap by using exhaust valve closing (EVC) timing in a second control region; advancing intake valve closing (IVC) timing according to an increase of the engine load in a third control region; controlling a throttle valve to be fully opened and controlling the EVC timing to an angle after top dead center in a fourth control region; and controlling the throttle valve to be fully opened and controlling the IVC timing according to the engine speed in a fifth control region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: In Sang Ryu, Kyoung Pyo Ha, You Sang Son, Kiyoung Kwon
  • Patent number: 10202959
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine includes operating at least one cylinder pre-chamber in a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion mode by providing an air/fuel mixture in the pre-chamber that is fluidly connected to the at least one engine cylinder, creating H and OH radicals in the pre-chamber to achieve an ignition in the at least one pre-chamber, determining whether an ignition timing is advanced or delayed relative to a desired timing, and delaying the ignition when the ignition is advanced relative to the desired timing by cooling the pre-chamber and the at least one engine cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Charlie Kim
  • Patent number: 10202923
    Abstract: Embodiments for estimating intake air humidity in an engine are provided. In one example, an engine method comprises adjusting an engine parameter in response to intake air humidity estimated based on a concentration of one or more engine-out emissions. In this way, one or more exhaust emission sensors may be used to estimate intake air humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yong-Wha Kim, In Kwang Yoo, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Brien Lloyd Fulton