Patents Examined by Keith Coleman
  • Patent number: 7743747
    Abstract: A method for controlling at least valve to operate in at least a cylinder of an internal combustion engine coupled to a manifold, the method comprising of deactivating said valve in response to an operating condition of a vehicle electrical system, wherein during at least a first condition of the vehicle electrical system said valve is deactivated in a first position that allows at least some airflow between the cylinder and the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, John O. Michelini
  • Patent number: 7740005
    Abstract: An improved tool for removal of fuel injectors from the cylinder head of a diesel engine includes a male threaded pulling shaft having a milled top, with a female threaded connector at the bottom for releasable connection to the male threads at the top of a typical fuel injector. A sleeve fits over the threaded pulling shaft so that the base of the sleeve rests against the cylinder head, and the top of the pulling shaft extends through the top of the sleeve. A drive nut engages the threads of the pulling shaft and can be threaded down the pulling shaft until the drive nut contacts the top of the sleeve, preferably adjacent an interposed washer. An open end wrench is then used to turn the drive nut against the sleeve, thereby lifting the threaded pulling shaft relative to the sleeve and removing the injector from the cylinder head. The injector can then be unscrewed from the female threaded connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Ira Hines
  • Patent number: 7735477
    Abstract: An internal EGR control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of controlling the internal EGR amount with accuracy, when controlling the internal EGR by changing both the exhaust cam phase and the exhaust valve lift. An internal EGR control system for an internal combustion engine controls internal EGR in which combustion gases are caused to remain in a cylinder. An ECU sets a target cam phase serving as a target of the exhaust cam phase, and controls a variable exhaust cam phase mechanism such that the exhaust cam phase becomes equal to the target cam phase. ECU 2 sets a target lift of an exhaust valve according to a detected actual cam phase and calculated valve-closing timing, and controls a variable exhaust valve lift mechanism such that the lift of the exhaust valve becomes equal to the target lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Kitamura, Ken Ogawa, Toshinari Shinohara, Chiho Itoga
  • Patent number: 7730873
    Abstract: In an engine having at least one cylinder with a reciprocating piston and a connecting rod for driving rotation of a crank disk and a crankshaft, a cam sleeve is moved along the crankshaft in response to a change in engine speed. The cam sleeve is coupled to a cam ring that moves with the cam sleeve and in a spiraling motion about the longitudinal axis of the crankshaft. A follower engages an outer face of the cam ring and is movable against a pushrod that opens an injector valve. The follower is structured and disposed to move in response to contact with a lobe on the outer face of the cam ring to urge the pushrod against the injector valve. The pushrod passes through a throttle control ring that rotates in an arc. Rotation of the throttle ring, with the use of a control lever, shifts the position of the pushrod on the follower relative to a fulcrum of the follower to control the distance the pushrod is driven by the follower and, thus, the amount the injector valve is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Harry Schoell
  • Patent number: 7726271
    Abstract: To suppress the overall length of a camshaft including the length of a decompression device provided in an engine and also to suppress an increase in number of parts of the decompression device, an engine includes a decompression device having a decompression weight pivotably supported through a pivot shaft to a camshaft and adapted to be rotated at a predetermined angle by a centrifugal force generated during the rotation of the camshaft. A weight accommodating portion for pivotably accommodating the decompression weight is formed between the opposite end portions of the camshaft. The outer diameter of the decompression device mounted to the camshaft is smaller than that of a ball bearing. The decompression weight is directly engaged with one end of a decompression camshaft to thereby rotate the decompression camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruhide Yamanishi, Shuji Hirayama, Yoshitaka Nukada, Chiharu Okawa
  • Patent number: 7721714
    Abstract: A fuel delivery pipe capable of reducing a pressure pulsation at the time of a fuel injection due to injection nozzles, preventing vibrations and noises at an underfloor pipe arrangement, and turning down a radiate sound from the fuel delivery pipe, wherein a flexible absorbing wall surface 10 formed on a wall surface of a fuel delivery body 1 is loosened due to internal pressure changes to render internal volume of the fuel delivery body 1 increasable, ?L/?{square root over ( )}V determined by sonic speed ?L of fuel flowing through the fuel delivery body 1 and the internal volume V of the fuel delivery body 1 is set as 20×103(m?0.5·sec?1)??L/?{square root over ( )}V?85×103(m?0.5·sec?1) while a ratio ?L/?H of equivalent sonic speed ?H in a high frequency area to the sonic speed ?L of the fuel is set as ?L/?H?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Usui, Eiji Watanabe, Hikari Tsuchiya, Yoshiyuki Serizawa, Kazuteru Mizuno, Koichi Hayashi, Tetsuo Ogata
  • Patent number: 7721686
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a free-piston energy converter is disclosed in which effects of events, like combustion events, in at least one of at least two cylinders, are decoupled from each other by predicting forces acting on the moving mass of the converter during a stroke of the moving mass and by evaluating or estimating a value representing a force which is exerted onto the moving mass, so that the moving mass reaches a desired reference condition or state, like a desired reference kinetic energy, at a certain position along the stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Olof Lindgarde
  • Patent number: 7721713
    Abstract: An electromagnetic fuel injection valve comprising: a metallic cylindrical-shaped vessel provided at a tip end thereof with a fuel injection port, the other end thereof being closed by a stationary core provided centrally thereof with a through-hole; a movable member arranged between the stationary core and the fuel injection port and provided at a tip end thereof with a valve element, which opens and closes the fuel injection port, a maximum outside diameter of the movable member being smaller than a minimum inside diameter of the through-hole; and an electromagnetic drive mechanism that reciprocates the movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Hayatani, Motoyuki Abe, Atsushi Sekine, Tohru Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7721687
    Abstract: A combustible fluid operated engine free of lost momentum during piston reciprocation has respective series of cylinders and pistons on counter-rotating carrier wheels. Fuel is injected into the cylinders from the pistons. The carrier wheels are variably spaced relatively to vary the combustible fuel compression. The power output is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Inventors: James Lockshaw, Joseph Gerondale
  • Patent number: 7721717
    Abstract: A diesel fuel filter has a filter element which incorporates or is constituted by a heater made of an electrically conductive fabric which heats at least the inlet side surface of the filter element. A filter element formed entirely from the electrically conductive fabric can be used to protect a lift pump 12 while a filter element made of layers of fine mesh filter material and an electrically conductive material of coarser mesh is better suited for the primary fuel filter 16 located upstream of the fuel injection pump 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Jones, Anthony D. Edwards
  • Patent number: 7721682
    Abstract: A system for producing, dispensing, using and monitoring a hydrogen enriched fuel includes a producing system configured to produce the hydrogen enriched fuel, a vehicle having an engine configured to use the hydrogen enriched fuel, and a dispensing system configured to store and dispense the hydrogen enriched fuel into the vehicle. The system also includes a fuel delivery system on the vehicle configured to deliver the hydrogen enriched fuel to the engine, and a control system configured to control the producing system and to monitor the use of the hydrogen enriched fuel by the vehicle. A method includes the steps of producing hydrogen gas and a hydrocarbon fuel, blending the hydrogen gas and the hydrocarbon fuel into the hydrogen enriched fuel, using the hydrogen enriched fuel in the engine, and tracking emissions during the producing step and during the using step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Eden Innovations Ltd.
    Inventors: Justin Fulton, Roger W. Marmaro, Gregory J. Egan
  • Patent number: 7725244
    Abstract: A control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine are provided for ensuring a stable combustion state and improving the fuel efficiency when an air-fuel mixture is burnt with self ignition while auxiliarily using a spark ignition. The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which is operated in a plurality of modes including a torch self ignition combustion mode comprises an ECU. In the torch self ignition combustion mode, the ECU controls an internal EGR amount, calculates an actual exhaust closing angle, calculates a target exhaust closing angle, calculates a closing angle deviation, calculates a fuel injection amount for forming a homogeneous air-fuel mixture, calculates a correction coefficient in accordance with the closing angle deviation, and corrects a basic value by the correction coefficient to calculate a fuel injection amount for forming a stratified air-fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiho Itoga, Ken Ogawa, Toru Kitamura, Toshinari Shinohara
  • Patent number: 7717089
    Abstract: A pump includes a housing that has a compression chamber for pressurizing fluid and a fluid passage for guiding fluid into the compression chamber. A valve is located midway through the fluid passage for communicating and blocking the fluid passage. A solenoid actuator is located on a substantially opposite side of the compression chamber with respect to the valve for operating the valve. A regulating member is located between the valve and the solenoid actuator for regulating pressure of fluid in the compression chamber from being applied to the solenoid actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Oda, Hiroshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 7717087
    Abstract: A connection point of a chamber subjected to high pressure in a body subjected to high pressure of a high-pressure injection system for fuel at a bore extending substantially vertically through the body. In the chamber subjected to high pressure of the body, a cylindrically shaped pocket or an encompassing groove is embodied, into which the bore discharges, forming an intersection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Haiser, Dominikus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7712452
    Abstract: An engine includes a fuel delivery system having a fuel rail and fuel delivery devices, such as fuel injectors, that deliver fuel to corresponding cylinder assemblies. The use of the fuel rail and fuel injectors allows unused fuel to be purged from the engine at the end of the engine's operating cycle, thereby minimizing the creation of fuel vapor within the engine. The fuel delivery system also includes fuel rail coupling members that are constructed and arranged to secure each cylinder assembly to the fuel rail and to absorb load generated by the corresponding cylinder assembly on the fuel rail during operation. The fuel rail coupling members allow motion of the cylinder assemblies relative to the fuel rail during operation and minimize the application of potentially damaging forces on the fuel rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Lycoming Engines, a division of Avco Corporation
    Inventors: Scott E. Matas, Steven J. Bowes
  • Patent number: 7712453
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a depressurizing valve mounted to a common rail for a fuel injection device, in which a direction of a connector for the depressurizing valve can be adjusted, without affecting an air gap and a sealing performance. The depressurizing valve has a valve unit and a coil unit which is detachably assembled to the valve unit by a mounting member, such as a retaining nut. A valve housing has an inside space, which is fluid tightly separated into first and second spaces by a connecting member, which is fluid tightly connected to the valve housing and a stator core. A valve body and a spring are arranged in the first space for closing a flow control port. A cylindrical coil is accommodated in the second space, such that the coil is rotatable with respect to the valve housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru Nonoyama, Naoki Mitsumata, Fumiaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 7703420
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided for dissipating heat from a dual turbocharged engine. The heat exchanger has a jacket water cooler, and first and second charge air coolers. The three coolers are arranged in parallel enabling each to operate with a maximum temperature differential, and have fronts that lie in parallel planes. Charge air from a first turbocharger is directly piped to the first charge air cooler, and charge air from the second turbocharger is directly piped to the second charge air cooler. A first baffle is between and upstream of the first charge air cooler and the jacket water cooler. A second baffle is between and upstream of the second charge air cooler and the jacket water cooler. The baffles can direct selected amounts of air to each of the three coolers and prevent radial convective scrubbing. A fuel oil cooler can also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: IEA, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Paul Meissner, Jeffrey J. Christenson, Randall Lee Chartrand, Dennis Michael Motl
  • Patent number: 7690362
    Abstract: A flange assembly 10 is provided for a fuel supply unit of a vehicle. The assembly 10 includes a flange 12 constructed and arranged to cover an opening in a fuel tank. The flange has an interior portion constructed and arranged to be exposed to fuel. The interior portion is in communication with an outlet 15 provided at an exterior of the flange. A plastic manifold 16 is mounted to the interior portion of the flange so as to communicate with the outlet. The manifold is constructed and arranged to mount at least one fuel supply component 22 thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Pike, Stephen J. Anderson, Paul F. Briggs
  • Patent number: 7690345
    Abstract: An intake manifold system for an international combustion engine includes an engine intake manifold having a valve; and an actuator connected to the valve to control valve opening. The actuator is connected to a pressurized coolant reservoir of the engine to allow the use of the pressurized fluid of the coolant reservoir to operate the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventor: Kevin Vichinsky
  • Patent number: 7681545
    Abstract: An idling stop control of the invention attains an auto start and an auto stop of an engine. At a time point t1, pre-set stop conditions are met to cut off a fuel supply to the engine. Preset starting conditions may be met at a time point t2 when the engine still continues rotating in a normal direction by the inertial force. In this state, the idling stop control starts cranking the engine. The preset starting conditions may be met at a time point t4 when a piston does not complete a compression cycle immediately before a stop of the engine but is pressed back by the compressed air to rotate the engine in a reverse direction. In this state, the idling stop control waits until cancellation of the reverse rotation of the engine and then starts cranking the engine. The arrangement of the invention desirably ensures a quick start of the engine, while effectively preventing an excess stress from acting on a gear mechanism, which connects a starter motor to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Taki, Minoru Kato