Patents Examined by Kelsey Stanek
  • Patent number: 9399921
    Abstract: A hub for mounting propeller blades has a plurality of mount locations for receiving propeller blades at a radially outer location. The hub has a piloting diameter centered on a center axis. The hub has a plurality of openings to receive a drive member for transmitting rotation/torque from an adapter. There are reliefs cut into the piloting diameter at locations circumferentially aligned with the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Ventura, Thomas G. Corley
  • Patent number: 9399937
    Abstract: An operating method of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system including at least a particulate filter for retaining soot from the exhaust gas of an engine and a deNOx catalytic converter for reducing nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gas of the engine is provided. Operation regimes of the particulate filter and of the deNOx catalytic converter are synchronized with respect to each other for performing regeneration of the particulate filter while the catalytic converter provides a nitrogen oxide conversion efficiency above a predetermined limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Christer Alm, Andreas Hinz, Hans Bernler, Carl Landberg
  • Patent number: 9399940
    Abstract: A method pertaining to an SCR system for cleaning of exhaust gases from an engine including a dosing unit (250) to supply a reducing agent to an exhaust duct (240): Determining (s340) whether there is an undesired temperature level of the dosing unit (250). If one is found, removing (s360) warmed reducing agent from the dosing unit (250) and supplying it to the exhaust duct (240). Calculating (s350) and removing an amount of reducing agent based on a prevailing temperature of the dosing unit (250), or removing warmed reducing agent. Also a computer program product containing program code (P) for a computer (200; 210) for implementing the method. Also a device of an SCR system and a motor vehicle (100) which is equipped with the device are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Andreas Liljestrand, Per Bremberg, Daniel Arvidsson
  • Patent number: 9394851
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a housing, a compression chamber disposed in the housing and having at least a first interface operable to vary a volume of the compression chamber, an expansion chamber disposed in the housing and having a second interface operable to vary a volume of at least the expansion chamber, and a thermal regenerator in fluid communication with each of the compression chamber and the expansion chamber. The thermal regenerator is operable to alternatively receive thermal energy from gas flowing in a first direction through the regenerator and to deliver the thermal energy to gas flowing in a direction opposite to the first direction through the regenerator. The compression chamber, the expansion chamber, and the regenerator together define a working volume for containing a pressurized working gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Etalim Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Walter Steiner, Briac Medard de Chardon, Takao Kanemaru
  • Patent number: 9394793
    Abstract: A turbomachine airfoil element has an airfoil. The airfoil has an inboard end, an outboard end, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side. A span between the inboard and an outboard end is 1.4-1.6 inch. A chord length at 50% span is 0.9-1.4 inch. At least three of the following resonance frequencies are present. A first mode resonance frequency is 2591.5±10% Hz. A second mode resonance frequency is 4675.2±10% Hz. A third mode resonance frequency is 7892.9±10% Hz. A fourth mode resonance frequency is 10098.2±10% Hz. A fifth mode resonance frequency is 14808.2±10% Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan C. Atkins, Robert J. Esteve, Richard A. Lomenzo, Jr., David P. Houston
  • Patent number: 9371755
    Abstract: A method and system are described for on-board treatment of an exhaust stream containing CO2 emitted by a hydrocarbon-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE) used to power a vehicle in order to reduce the amount of CO2 discharged into the atmosphere which include: a. a first waste heat recovery zone on board the vehicle for receiving the high temperature exhaust gas stream, at least one heat exchanger having an inlet for receiving the hot exhaust gas stream from the ICE for passage in heat exchange relation and a discharge outlet for discharging the exhaust stream at a lower temperature, the heat recovery zone further including at least one heat recovery device for converting the waste heat from the exhaust gas to electrical and/or mechanical energy; b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Esam Zaki Hamad
  • Patent number: 9359916
    Abstract: A heat engine includes structure for compressing a cooled working gas, heating the compressed working gas using an external heat source, expanding the heated compressed working gas, cooling the working gas using a heat exchanger with a cold source, and subsequently, returning the cooled working gas into the compression structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Inventor: Frédéric Oliver Thevenod
  • Patent number: 9347352
    Abstract: A correction device for an air/fuel ratio sensor in the present invention, the sensor issuing an output according to an air/fuel ratio and installed on the downstream from catalyst of the exhaust passage, has air/fuel ratio control means for controlling an air/fuel ratio of an exhaust gas on the upstream side from a catalyst to switch between a rich air/fuel ratio which is richer and a lean air/fuel ratio which is leaner than a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. Moreover, correction means for correcting an output of the sensor in accordance with a difference between the output of the sensor during a predetermined period during air/fuel ratio control by the air/fuel ratio control means, and a reference output corresponding to a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Takanori Sasaki, Go Hayashita
  • Patent number: 9341193
    Abstract: A cabin air compressor drive ring includes an outer ring defining an axis, an inner ring co-axial with the outer ring, a plurality of webbings connecting the inner ring to the outer ring, and a plurality of vane engagement pins axially protruding from the outer ring. The vane engagement pins are spaced circumferentially about the outer ring, and the inner ring includes a drive ring bearing interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Seth E. Rosen
  • Patent number: 9341188
    Abstract: A bolt fastening system for a turbomolecular pump wherein a first member is fastened in an axial direction with respect to a second member by multiple bolts arranged concentrically with respect to a rotor shaft center. The bolt-fastening system equipped with multiple pairs of non-penetrating pinholes arranged concentrically with respect to a rotor shaft center and formed opposing one another in respective opposing faces of the fastened first and second members, and equipped with pins provided for each pair of pinholes and inserted into the pairs of pinholes. When the size of a gap between a bolt and a bolt hole formed in the first member is Db, and a sizes of the gaps between the pins and the pinholes formed in the first and second members are Dp1 and Dp2, the gap sizes Db, Dp1, and Dp2 satisfy the equation Db?(Dp1+Dp2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahito Kogame
  • Patent number: 9341084
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention disclosed herein generally provide heat engine systems and methods for recovering energy, such as by generating electricity from thermal energy. In one configuration, a heat engine system contains a working fluid (e.g., sc-CO2) within a working fluid circuit, two heat exchangers configured to be thermally coupled to a heat source (e.g., waste heat), two expanders, two recuperators, two pumps, a condenser, and a plurality of valves configured to switch the system between single/dual-cycle modes. In another aspect, a method for recovering energy may include monitoring a temperature of the heat source, operating the heat engine system in the dual-cycle mode when the temperature is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and subsequently, operating the heat engine system in the single-cycle mode when the temperature is less than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Echogen Power Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Tao Xie, Michael Vermeersch, Timothy Held
  • Patent number: 9297324
    Abstract: A detection apparatus includes a detection unit, a control unit, a first setting unit, and a second setting unit. The detection unit is disposed in an exhaust path through which an exhaust gas flows, and detects a correlation value correlated with an amount of particulate matter (PM) attaching to an attachment element. The control unit controls a temperature of the attachment element to follow a target temperature while a regeneration process is performed to heat the attachment element so as to burn PM. The first setting unit sets the target temperature to be lower, as the amount of PM becomes larger. The second setting unit sets a completion timing of the regeneration process so that a period of the regeneration process becomes longer, as the amount of PM becomes larger or a temperature of the attachment element becomes lower while the regeneration process is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeto Yahata, Tomohiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 9297287
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus includes a control device controlling a urea addition valve for adding urea from an upstream side of a NOx reduction catalyst. The control device obtains an ammonia adsorption amount distribution through the NOx reduction catalyst. When an ammonia adsorption amount in a predetermined part on a downstream side equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control device controls the urea addition valve to stop the urea supply or reduce the amount thereof. The urea addition valve is controlled based on an adsorption amount distribution obtained from a model on which the catalyst is divided into cells such that an ammonia adsorption amount in a first cell positioned furthest upstream equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold close to a saturation adsorption amount and an ammonia adsorption amount in a second cell positioned downstream of the first cell reaches a predetermined target value smaller than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Shinya Hirota, Shunsuke Toshioka, Akira Mikami, Koichiro Fukuda, Sakutaro Hoshi, Takashi Endo, Ryoichi Hibino, Matsuei Ueda, Akihiko Asano, Takafumi Yamauchi, Akira Shichi, Makoto Koike, Masatoshi Maruyama, Masakazu Sakata
  • Patent number: 9291079
    Abstract: An aftertreatment device for reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) generated by a compression-ignition (CI) engine. In this device, lean exhaust air generated in the CI engine is converted to rich exhaust air, and energy used for the conversion is recycled using an energy recovery device. The result rich exhaust air then pass through an oxidation catalyst, where NOx is reduced with CO and HC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventors: Mi Yan, Baohua Qi
  • Patent number: 9284951
    Abstract: A solar-energy heat power-generating system and thermoelectric conversion device thereof, the thermoelectric conversion device comprising a power generator (5), an air compressor, a turbine and an intermediate body (12) fixedly connected between the air compressor and the turbine; the interior of the intermediate body (12) is rotatably connected to a transmission shaft (28); the transmission shaft (28) is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft of the power generator (5); the air compressor impeller (7) of the air compressor and the turbine impeller (18) of the turbine are both installed on the transmission shaft (28); the power generator (5) is also connected to a conducting wire (3) for inputting current; the solar-energy heat power-generating system comprises a heat collector and the thermoelectric conversion device; the air compressor of the thermoelectric conversion device is located upstream of the heat collector, and the turbine is located downstream of the heat collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Xiangtan Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhui Wang, Minhui Wang, Yuelei Zhang, Mi Mou, Yueying Li, Yingzhao Ma
  • Patent number: 9284869
    Abstract: A concentration of HC in an exhaust gas is estimated with a high degree of accuracy by making use of a particulate matter processing apparatus (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Mitani, Hiroshi Nomura, Eiji Murase
  • Patent number: 9284872
    Abstract: System, apparatus, and methods are disclosed for reductant dosing in an exhaust aftertreatment system. A dynamic flow rate and injection duration of a reductant injected from a reductant dosing system to the exhaust aftertreatment system is controlled in response to a dosing command when the exhaust system is operating in a low temperature operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: CUMMINS EMISSION SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Jinqian Gong, Josh S. Shao, Quazi Syed Fawad
  • Patent number: 9279352
    Abstract: The invention discloses an integrated SCR metering injection system. The integrated SCR metering injection system includes a metering injection unit and a water heating unit for heating the metering injection unit. The metering injection unit includes a pump body, a membrane pump and a metering valve. The water heating unit includes a water inlet joint, a water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe and a multi-section water circulation pipe communicated with each other. The water heating unit is used for heating the metering injection unit by heated engine cooling water, so that the heated engine cooling water passes by the metering injection unit directly to improve the recycling rate of energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SUZHOU POWERGREEN EMISSION SOLUTION SYSTEM CO., LTD
    Inventor: Qingjun Hao
  • Patent number: 9273580
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reducing agent metering system, and to a method for controlling the injection of a reducing agent into the exhaust gas flow (9) of a turbocharged internal combustion engine for selective catalytic reduction, wherein the metering system can be connected to a reducing agent tank (1), from which reducing agent can be removed, wherein the metering system comprises at least one nozzle (5) through which the reducing agent can be injected by means of compressed air into the exhaust gas flow (9), wherein at least one part of the compressed air is taken from a charger of the internal combustion engine, wherein the compressed air supply (6) comprises an electric air pump (7) for generating compressed air, and comprises a bypass (19) in parallel with the air pump (7), so that the charge air of the turbocharger flows over or can flow over the air pump (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Albonair GmbH
    Inventor: Georg Hüthwohl
  • Patent number: 9273578
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalytic converter which comprises a molecular sieve and a mixed oxide, and to a method for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases of diesel engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: UMICORE AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Michael Seyler, Nicola Soeger, Katja Adelmann, Paul Spurk