Patents Examined by Katrina B. Harris
-
Patent number: 6601544Abstract: In a thermoset valve for a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine of the type having a housing (11) containing a thermostatic operating element (10) whose piston (12) actuates a valve element (13), a base plate (17) is affixed to the housing (11) and supports a fixed abutment (25) for a restoring spring (24) which loads the valve element (13).Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2001Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Behr Thermot-Tronik GmbHInventors: Waldemar Friesenhahn, Ulrich Dehnen, Barbu Frunzetti
-
Patent number: 6598566Abstract: In a water-cooled outboard marine engine, a heat transfer portion is provided in an exit passage located between an outlet end of a cylinder water jacket and a cooling water outlet passage at a position upstream of the thermostat valve. Thus, when the thermostat valve has opened and the cooling water expelled from the water jacket via the thermostat valve has been replaced by freshly introduced cooling water, the heat transfer portion having a certain heat capacity warms the freshly introduced cooling water so that the rapid change in the cooling water temperature at the thermostat valve and the resulting hunting of the thermostat valve can be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2001Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kouji Yasuda, Hideaki Takada, Yoshihiko Fukuda, Mitsuharu Tanaka
-
Patent number: 6595167Abstract: A modular engine design system utilizes selectively replaceable components whereby a family of related engines having varying power outputs may be produced. A first series of engines utilizes a common piston operable in a cylinder of first predetermined dimensions. The engine design may utilize a first or second crankshaft/connecting rod combination to vary the power output. A modified engine design utilizes a second cylinder in addition to the first cylinder. A second series of engines utilizes a larger piston operable in a cylinder of second predetermined dimensions. The second series of engines shares a common engine design scheme with the first series of engines. However, corresponding parts are adapted for use with the larger piston/cylinder combination. The second series of engines may likewise utilize a first or second crankshaft/connecting rod combination to vary the power output.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: MTD Products IncInventor: Hartmut Kaesgen
-
Patent number: 6595178Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine is disclosed capable of reducing the number of pieces constituting the main body, thereby making it possible to reduce the number of parts such as assembling bolts and hence to reduce the manufacturing cost as well as the weight thereof while ensuring the rigidness of the main body. The main body of the engine includes a cylinder portion in which a piston is adapted to be fittingly inserted and a crankcase portion in which a crank shaft is rotatably supported via a bearing wherein the crankcase portion is constructed such that it is split into an upper and a lower crankcase portion by a horizontal plane which passes through a central axial line of the crankshaft, where the upper crankcase portion is integrated with the cylinder portion, thus forming an integral cylinder-case, and a fan case base is formed integral with the lower crankcase portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Kioritz CorporationInventor: Tsuneo Araki
-
Patent number: 6595168Abstract: An air-preintroduction type, two-stroke internal combustion engine which is capable of minimizing the quantity of blow-by, thus making it possible to improve the fuel consumption and to reduce the content of poisonous components in the exhaust gases, and is also capable of reasonably and compactly arranging the peripheral components of the engine, thereby making it possible to reduce the number of parts, to lighten the weight thereof, to save the manufacturing cost thereof, and to simplify the working and assembling thereof. The engine is characterized in that an air inlet passageway for introducing air into the scavenging passageways of the engine is provided at a mating face between the cylinder and the crankcase of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Kioritz CorporationInventor: Tsuneo Araki
-
Patent number: 6591807Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of a main unit, preferably the engine block of an internal combustion engine, and at least one add-on functional unit, preferably an oil filter or fuel filter or a heat exchanger or an oil mist separator, which can be added on to the liquid-carrying or gas-carrying main unit of which there is at least one; with the liquid or the gas also being able to flow through said main unit; with the main unit as well as the add-on functional unit comprising matching elements of a flange connection when adding the add-on functional unit, by forming at least one liquid or gas supply channel and one liquid or gas return channel, said elements engaging each other so as to provide a tight seal.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Walter Hengst GmbH & Co KGInventor: Wilhelm Ardes
-
Patent number: 6591805Abstract: A duct system, especially an intake manifold for an internal combustion engine, having flap valves (13) for selective opening and closing of at least some of the ducts. The valves should be continuously adjustable in position in order to produce a swirl in the combustion airflow. To achieve this a high degree of angular precision is required in the positioning of the valves. Intake manifold manufacturing tolerances need to be compensated during assembly of the valves. Valve adjusting mechanisms are provided on the axles of the valves or in the mechanical connections of the valve gear pertaining to the valve drive mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignees: Volvo Car Corporation AB, Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbHInventors: Jan Karlsson, Arthur Klotz, Rudolf Leipelt, Stefan Maier, Holger Paffrath, Robert Vaculik
-
Patent number: 6588406Abstract: A dual-fuel system, comprising an electrically triggerable injector, for alternatively or simultaneously supplying two distinct fuels to an internal combustion engine. The injector is connected to two separate fuel circuits. Each circuit comprises a fuel storage tank and a fuel rail. External valves control fuel access from the fuel storage tanks to the fuel rails. By appropriately activating the valves, one or both of the two fuels are fed to the injector. Inside the injector are two separate fuel paths, fluidically isolated from each other. Each internal fuel path communicates with one of the external fuel circuits. The injector contains a flow control valve for each separate fuel path and one electromagnet. In the non-activated position, both valves are resiliently urged against a common seat. When the electromagnet is energized, it simultaneously drives the two valves to open off the seat, thereby permitting one or two fuels to pass therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2001Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Inventor: Radu Oprea
-
Patent number: 6588380Abstract: The invention proposes a cooling system of a motor vehicle, in which a closure unit for the cooling air stream, in order to optimize the operating parameters of the internal combustion engine, is monitored as to its function. This closure unit, preferably a flap or louver for controlling the cooling air stream, is monitored as to its function in order to prevent a temperature buildup or a failure to reach the operating temperature. In order to monitor the position of the closure unit (1), the invention therefore proposes using a temperature sensor that is as a rule present, to compare the progression of the cooling water temperature to a stored model progression of the temperature. If the cooling water temperature lies within a predetermined tolerance range, then the closure unit is functioning properly. Otherwise, it is assumed that the closure unit is jammed.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2002Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Klaus Ries-Mueller
-
Patent number: 6588391Abstract: A device for rotating a valve for producing rotations of a gas charging valve in an internal combustion engine during its opening and closing movements. The device has a basic body having a plurality of pockets oriented in a peripheral direction for receiving rolling bodies. There is also a valve shaft disposed in the basic body. In addition, there is also a plurality of rolling bodies and a plurality of tangential springs for holding the plurality of rolling bodies adjacent to the plurality of pockets on the basic body. Finally, there is a cover serving as a valve spring support and force transmitter or energy reservoir for each of the valve rotations, wherein the basic body and the cover consist of reshaped metal components. This design allows for a simple construction process resulting in lower manufacture costs.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2002Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: TRW Deutschland GmbHInventors: Klaus Gebauer, Fabrice Schneider, Walter Strzoda
-
Patent number: 6588382Abstract: A two-cycle internal combustion engine including: a cylinder; an exhaust opening provided in a portion, on one side in the peripheral direction, of the cylinder; a plurality of scavenging openings for performing schnurle scavenging, the scavenging openings being located at positions which are laterally symmetric with respect to a cylinder symmetric plane containing the exhaust opening and the center line of the cylinder; a chamber portion adjacent to the cylinder; a communication passage for communicating the cylinder to the chamber portion, the communication passage having a cylinder side opening located opposite to the exhaust opening with respect to the center line of the cylinder; and a control valve for openably/closably controlling the communication passage so as to blow a rich air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber from the cylinder side opening of the communication passage by a high compression gas stored in the chamber portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2001Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hisashi Uneta
-
Patent number: 6584946Abstract: In an intake manifold, a resin intake air introduction portion has a semicircular lower intake pipe, a volume chamber and joints provided in the volume chamber at opposite sides and along an axis of the lower intake pipe. An aluminum intake air distribution portion has a semicircular upper intake pipe, which is combined with the lower intake conduit to constitute an intake conduit, and distribution pipes extending alternately in opposite directions so as to cross an axis of the upper intake pipe. The aluminum intake air distribution portion overlaps the resin intake air introduction portion on a side opposite to the engine. Each end of the distribution pipes is connected to the joints and each another end thereof is fixed to the engine. The lower intake pipe is provided in an axial center thereof with a communication bore through which intake air is supplied from the intake conduit via the volume chamber, the joints and the distribution pipes to the engine.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2001Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Robert Cardno, Yasutoshi Kameda
-
Patent number: 6578547Abstract: A spark-ignition internal combustion engine with direct injection into the combustion chamber which operates according to the jet-guided combustion method, and includes at least one injection device and one ignition device per cylinder. In order to increase the stratification capabilities and the service life of the injection device, the ignition device is disposed centrally, preferably in the zone of the of the cylinder axis, and the injection device is disposed laterally offset in the direct vicinity of the ignition location, with the distance between the orifice of the injection device and the ignition location being 0.1 to 0.24 times the piston diameter.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2001Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: AVL List GmbHInventor: Walter Piock
-
Patent number: 6578533Abstract: An engine has a plurality of combustion cylinders with a first piston reciprocably mounted in each of the combustion cylinders in the conventional manner. The engine head has, in communication with each of the combustion cylinders, a cylindrical recess containing a reciprocably mounted second piston. On the side of the second piston opposite the combustion chamber is a control chamber with inlets and outlets for controlling movement of the second piston. The second piston is used to increase the compression ratio without appreciably reducing the expansion ratio. Alternatively, the second piston may be used as a pump to pump fluid from the control chamber. In yet another alternative method of operation, the second piston can be driven outward within the cylindrical recess to an extent which varies in accordance with power demand, thereby varying the compression ratio in accordance with the power demand.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2001Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyInventor: Charles L. Gray, Jr.
-
Patent number: 6571756Abstract: The invention relates to a two-cycle engine for a drive engine in a portable, manually operated tool. The combustion chamber formed in a cylinder is delimited by a piston that moves up and down, whereby the piston, by means of a connecting rod, drives a crankshaft rotatably mounted in a crankcase. The combustion chamber has an outlet for removing waste gases, and provided for supplying a fuel/air mixture prepared by a mixture preparation device, and combustion air, are gas-supplying channels that open into the combustion chamber. In order to reduce scavenging losses, it is provided that for the entire duration of the gas exchange exclusively air flows in the area near the outlet and exclusively fuel/air mixture flows out of the crankcase in the area further away from the outlet.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2001Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co.Inventors: Heiko Rosskamp, Hans Nickel, Axel Klimmek, Thomas Stark, Peter Pretzsch
-
Patent number: 6571763Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided having an engine block operably engaged with at least one cylinder head for defining an oil conditioning system therein. The oil conditioning system includes a series of oil and coolant flow channels running through the engine block, an oil trough formed within a central portion of the engine block and in fluid communication with an oil pan for collecting oil therein. Oil flows from the oil pan and into the cylinder head for lubricating components therein. The oil drains from the cylinder head into the oil trough which is in heat exchange relationship with various coolant flow channels for heating or cooling the oil flowing through the oil trough. The oil then drains from the oil trough back to the oil pan.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2001Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: DaimlerChrysler CorporationInventor: Emile A. M. Bakker
-
Patent number: 6561143Abstract: This invention is an effective engine induction valve which provides a decrease in engine blowback while maintaining engine power. This valve uses a moveable member made from a heat-setting material, this member being bent into an elliptical curve when the member is in the closed position. This elliptical curve has an included angle at the edge of the member which opens toward the engine, this orientation being beneficial in reducing blowback. Using springs to limit the force attaching the moveable member to the valve body prevents unwanted buckling of this member when exposed to elevated temperature and fuel. An embodiment is described which provides a valve with a uniform frequency response at various operating conditions, especially different temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2001Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Inventor: Barry L Holtzman
-
Patent number: 6561156Abstract: The object of the present invention is to facilitate an appropriate oil supply to the tensioner without a complex apparatus. A valve chamber 3A is formed in a cylinder head 3 which is connected to a cylinder block 2. An opening 23—for discharging the oil in the valve chamber 3A into a chain case 6 which is placed on the side of the cylinder block 2—is formed on a chain case mounting surface 20. Inside the chain case 6 on the chain case mounting surface 20 of the cylinder block 2 are placed a timing chain 15 and a tensioner 30 for applying tension to the timing chain 15. An oil dropping rib 24 for guiding the oil discharged through the opening 23 to the tensioner 30 is provided on the chain case mounting surface 20.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2002Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshiaki Iizuka, Shinji Yamada, Sadao Kojima
-
Patent number: 6557512Abstract: An adjustable intake pipe, especially for supplying combustion air to an internal combustion engine, which includes a collector chamber arranged in an essentially cylindrical control element. The collector chamber has a larger volume than required for the air supply, so the chamber is not used efficiently. In the invention, the collector chamber volume is used by arranging additional components of the intake tract defined by the intake pipe, i.e. of an internal combustion engine, within the collector chamber (11), for example, by arranging a resonance chamber (20) therein with the resonance chamber connected to the air supply system by through holes (19). This arrangement better utilizes the chamber volume and is particularly advantageous in motor vehicle engine compartments where limited space is available. The intake system also is more compact and has a lower overall weight.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbHInventors: Rudolf Leipelt, Olaf Weber
-
Patent number: 6553953Abstract: At least a part of a duct wall of a suction duct is formed out of a molded body of non-woven fabric. The non-woven fabric contains a thermoplastic resin binder.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuo Fujihara, Yasuo Sakakibara, Yoshikazu Hirose, Takahiro Komori, Hitoshi Kino, Zenichi Yasuda, Hidetoshi Ishihara, Kuniyasu Ito, Masaru Hattori