Patents Examined by Johnny H. Hoang
  • Patent number: 11873773
    Abstract: Systems and methods for early camshaft position detection in an encoded crankshaft system are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes determining a crankshaft angular position of a crank pulse wheel based on electronic signals received from vehicle sensors. The crank pulse wheel is associated with a cycle including a first crankshaft rotation and a second crankshaft rotation. The method also includes determining a crankshaft angular position from electronic signals received from vehicle sensors. The method yet further includes receiving a sensed camshaft value for a camshaft wheel having a camshaft rotation in the cycle. The method then includes determining if the cycle is in the first crankshaft rotation or the second crankshaft rotation of the crank pulse wheel based on the crankshaft angular position of the crank pulse wheel and the sensed camshaft value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Philip R. Weber
  • Patent number: 11858326
    Abstract: Fuel isolation systems, apparatuses and methods are described. In some embodiments, a system comprises a fuel tank, a fuel pump, an engine, a firewall, a fuel line from the fuel tank to the engine, a connector coupled inline with the fuel line on a cold side of the fuel line, a valve coupled to the connector, a fluid feed line coupled to a fluid source and to the valve. In the event of an engine fire condition, a control unit outputs signaling to turn off the fuel pump and operate the valve to introduce fluid from the fluid source into the fuel line. The introduced fluid provides a siphon break in the fuel line such that the only fuel that can pass the firewall is the remaining fuel in the fuel line downstream of the connector and the introduced fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ATOMICS AERONAUTICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Jason B. Newlin, Brett C. Bonner, Graham Feasey
  • Patent number: 11859586
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes an injector body with a fuel chamber configured to receive fuel from a fuel line, an injector tip provided at an end of the injector body, and one or more nozzle assemblies provided in the injector tip. The one or more nozzle assemblies have a fuel channel in fluid communication with the fuel chamber, a premixing tube fluidly connected to the fuel channel, and a port fluidly connected to the premixing tube. The premixing tube has an orifice providing an outlet for the injector tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Xin Yu
  • Patent number: 11859591
    Abstract: In a gasoline internal combustion engine having a first and second spark plugs for each cylinder, associated, respectively, with a combustion pre-chamber and with a combustion chamber, engine crank angle of ignition (ECAI) of the first and second spark plugs are controlled as a function of engine load and engine rotation speed, and as a function of a required value of torque delivered by the engine, referring to a single normalized reference surface, which is the same for any operating point of the engine, and which supplies efficiency of the engine as a function of a difference between ECAI of the first spark plug and an optimal value of this angle at which the efficiency becomes maximum, and as a function of a difference between the ECAI of the second spark plug and an optimal value of this angle at which the efficiency becomes maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Maserati S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Fabbri, Filippo Carra, Lorenzo Paolucci, Simone Ferrante, Francesco Marcigliano
  • Patent number: 11852115
    Abstract: Embodiments describe a method of controlling a two-stroke internal combustion engine. A method of controlling a two-stroke internal combustion engine includes determining a base nominal exhaust gas temperature, determining a base barometric pressure correction to base nominal exhaust gas temperature, determining exhaust gas temperature differential, determining exhaust gas temperature injection correction, and utilizing the exhaust gas temperature injection correction to make a final short-term fuel or ignition correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ARCTIC CAT INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Konrad Fuhrman, Micheal Kevin Schley
  • Patent number: 11852095
    Abstract: A method, for a direct injection engine, for dividing a fuel injection corresponding to an engine cycle into minimum sub-injections, including: determination of a desired maximum number of sub-injections by dividing a mass of fuel to be injected during the engine cycle by a minimum injectable mass and rounding down to the nearest integer; lower bounding of the desired maximum number by an authorized maximum number of sub-injections; verification that an injection duration, for such a desired maximum number of sub-injections, is less than a duration of a possible injection window and decrementation of the desired maximum number, otherwise iteration until a positive verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Philippe Serrecchia
  • Patent number: 11846228
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a pre-combustion chamber assembly, comprising (a) a body, having a cylindrical end portion having a step-wise increase in diameter forming a sealing surface for sealing to an engine; (b) a tip, with a hollow shaft in fluid communication with a combustion region of the tip, where the shaft has a first shaft diameter that allows the shaft to be slid over a portion of the body; (c) a gasket mounted about the body and resting against the sealing surface, wherein the gasket comprises a wire wound washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: Tracy Northington
  • Patent number: 11846258
    Abstract: A system and method including one or more conduits, a pump system, and a controller. The conduits are fluidly coupled with a cooling device that is operably coupled with an engine to cool at least a portion of exhaust from the engine. The pump system pumps a cleaning fluid from a cleaning fluid source through the one or more conduits and into a flow path of a portion of the exhaust from the engine while the engine continues to operate. The controller monitors operation of the engine and determines whether the engine is operating in a designated state. The controller controls the pump system to pump the cleaning fluid into the flow path of a portion the exhaust from the engine to clean the cooling device while the engine operates in the designated state and the exhaust flows from the engine and through the cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: David Wright, David Baldwin, Justin Iacovetto, Scott Moore, Jody Motichka, Eric David Peters, Paul Gerard Nistler
  • Patent number: 11845500
    Abstract: A steering system includes a control unit. The control unit includes a manual steering angle command value setting unit, a first weighting unit, a reaction combined angle command value calculating unit, a turning combined angle command value calculating unit, a reaction force control unit configured to cause a rotation angle of a reaction motor to conform to a reaction combined angle command value, and a turning angle control unit configured to cause a rotation angle of a turning motor to conform to a turning combined angle command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Shoji, Tomohiro Nakade, Robert Fuchs
  • Patent number: 11846240
    Abstract: A method and a system for adjusting a base idle speed of an engine are described. In one example, the method reduces engine speed according to output of a sensor that senses mechanical vibrations. Once a vibration level exceeds a threshold, engine speed reduction ceases and the base engine idle speed is adjusted according to a present engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Shelby, Thomas Leone, Christopher Cundy
  • Patent number: 11840969
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for re-combustion of exhaust in a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine in order to increase the temperature of the exhaust for enhancing catalytic conversion within the multi-cylinder engine. In one example, a method may include expelling combusted gases from the cylinder into an intake manifold via an intake valve during an exhaust stroke, in order to rebreathe in the combusted gases from the intake manifold via the intake valve in a subsequent intake stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Matthew Kurtz, Jason Brian Martz, Daniel Joseph Styles, Joshua Zachary Fried
  • Patent number: 11835011
    Abstract: A method for injecting a predetermined total fuel quantity via multiple injections using a fuel injector having a solenoid drive for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The method includes determining a first target injection quantity to be injected per injection to inject the total fuel quantity throughout a series of consecutive injections; and performing a first subseries of consecutive injections, where the fuel injector is actuated according to the first target injection quantity. The method also includes determining a first fuel quantity injected during the first subseries of injections; determining a second target injection quantity to be injected per injection in a second subseries of consecutive injections, to inject the total fuel quantity throughout the first subseries and the second subseries of consecutive injections; and performing the second subseries of injections. The fuel injector is actuated according to the second target injection quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Senft
  • Patent number: 11835006
    Abstract: An energization control unit is configured to perform a constant current control by repeatedly switching between an on-state and an off-state of at least one upstream switch provided in an energization path of a coil of a fuel injection valve to control opening of the fuel injection valve in a drive period in which the coil is energized to drive the fuel injection valve. A current detection unit is configured to detect a coil current flowing through the coil. A valve-opening detection unit is configured to detect valve-opening timing of the fuel injection valve based on a change in at least one frequency spectrum of the coil current in a constant current control period in which the constant current control is performed. A valve-opening correction unit is configured to correct valve opening of the fuel injection valve based on a detection result of the valve-opening detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Inaba, Tomoki Fujino
  • Patent number: 11835010
    Abstract: Disclosed is a four-stroke direct injection engine comprising a camshaft, and exhaust valve, and a control system. The control system is configured to change the timing of the camshaft to advance a closing of the exhaust valve, control a first fuel injection step during a compression stroke of the piston, control a second fuel injection step during a power stroke of the piston, and control a third fuel injection step, after the second fuel injection step, during the power stroke of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Scania CV AB
    Inventors: Andreas Dahl, Michael Vallinder
  • Patent number: 11828219
    Abstract: Safety of vehicles employing an electrolysis generator is improved by a rollover abatement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: HyTech Power, LLC
    Inventors: Evan Charles Johnson, William A. Woods
  • Patent number: 11828364
    Abstract: A seal for a plumbing fitting includes two or more respective apertured sealing portions. Each apertured sealing portion independently includes one or more edge portions enclosing an aperture therebetween. The apertured portions are integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: AALBERTS INTEGRATED PIPING SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Nicholas Whiteley, Samuel Charles White
  • Patent number: 11821383
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an engine includes a crank angle sensor and a processor. The processor acquires a first crank angular velocity difference which is a change in a crank angular velocity in a first region. The first region includes a rotational change correlated with an engine torque output. The processor acquires a second crank angular velocity difference which is a change in the crank angular velocity in a second region. The second region includes a rotational change correlated with a combustion rate attributable to an air-fuel ratio. In a case where the first crank angular velocity difference is less than or equal to a first threshold and the second crank angular velocity difference is less than or equal to a second threshold, the processor performs an increase correction on a fuel amount to be supplied to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Katsuta, Tatsuya Ichikawa, Yohsuke Shimoji, Takuya Shidooka, Shinsuke Onodera
  • Patent number: 11815036
    Abstract: A vehicle, system, and method include a first tank configured to contain compressed gaseous fuel, such as hydrogen, and a second tank fluidly couplable to the first tank and an internal combustion engine, the second tank configured to store the gaseous fuel from the first tank in a communal cavity with a non-combustible liquid, such as water, without a bladder or physical separation barrier therebetween, and to selectively deliver the gaseous fuel via a first outlet, and the non-combustible liquid via a second outlet, to the internal combustion engine. A turbine may be disposed between the first and second tanks. One or more condensers may condense water from engine exhaust and/or an air conditioning system and pump the liquid water into the second tank. Pressure within the second tank may be controlled via fuel supplied by the first tank and/or liquid supplied via the condensers and pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Maziar Khosravi
  • Patent number: 11815011
    Abstract: An HHO gas second fuel is produced in a pressure-resistant container and distributed at a low volumetric rate at multiple locations about the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: HyTech Power, LLC
    Inventors: Evan Charles Johnson, Adam Anthony Filkins, Herbert Daniel Deming, Henry White Dean, Phillip Edward Jennings
  • Patent number: 11815012
    Abstract: A method and apparatus according to the invention is described, which in a first mode operates as an internal combustion engine delivering energy and in a second mode operates as a pulsed compression reactor converting electrical energy in the form of chemical compounds. In the second mode, at least one of the generated compounds is collected and temporarily stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventor: Andreas Doering