Patents Examined by Kevin Lathers
  • Patent number: 12270363
    Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder and a cylinder head stacked on an upper portion of a crankcase, an electronically controlled throttle interposed in an intake passage behind the cylinder head, and an exhaust pipe extending rearward from the cylinder head through a side of the cylinder. The electronically controlled throttle includes a throttle valve provided in the intake passage and an actuator that opens and closes the throttle valve. The actuator is disposed on an opposite side of the exhaust pipe with respect to a vehicle center line extending in a vehicle front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Yamada, Atsushi Sakane
  • Patent number: 12264634
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for monitoring the ventilation of a crankcase of an internal combustion engine with combustion chambers and a nitrogen oxide sensor arranged in an exhaust system, the sensor configured to detect an amount of nitrogen oxide in exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine. An example method includes: determining a predefined operating mode of the internal combustion engine defined by substantially no combustion of an air/fuel mixture taking place inside the combustion chambers; determining an amount of nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gas during the predefined operating mode of the internal combustion engine using the exhaust gas sensor; and identifying functional ventilation of the crankcase if the detected nitrogen oxide level exceeds a predefined nitrogen oxide threshold or identifying a malfunction if the detected nitrogen oxide level is below the predefined nitrogen oxide threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Paul Rodatz, Gerhard Haft, Michael Nienhoff, Fabian Fink
  • Patent number: 12264632
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine and a controller for the internal combustion engine are provided. A water axis is an injection axis of water from a water injection valve. A fuel axis is an injection axis of gaseous fuel from a fuel injection valve. The internal combustion engine has a specific cross-section that is a plane. The specific cross-section is parallel to a cylinder central axis. The specific cross-section includes a water valve tip and a fuel valve tip. In the specific cross-section, the water axis and the fuel axis intersect each other in the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kosaka
  • Patent number: 12258917
    Abstract: An engine system includes: a combustor including an ignition unit configured to ignite the fuel gas and configured to generate combustion gas that heats a catalyst; an outside air temperature detection unit configured to detect an outside air temperature; a catalyst temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the catalyst; an operating environment detection unit configured to detect an operating environment of the combustor; a combustion time determination unit configured to determine combustion time of the combustor; and a start control unit configured to, at a time of starting the engine, perform ON control on a starter and the ignition unit and control a third fuel supply valve, a first flow rate control valve, and a second flow rate control valve to open, and thereafter when the combustion time elapses, perform OFF control on the ignition unit and control the third fuel supply valve to close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Norinosuke Nakatani, Hideaki Suzuki, Hiroyasu Kawauchi, Tadashi Takeuchi, Yoshitaka Takeuchi, Takayuki Homma, Shohei Matsumoto, Hidehito Kubo
  • Patent number: 12257979
    Abstract: A vehicle and a method are configured to prevent malfunction of a touch sensor in a vehicle door. The vehicle includes a transceiver for transmitting a searching signal to a smart key located outside the vehicle and receiving a response signal to the searching signal, at least one touch sensor mounted in a door of the vehicle to sense a touch input of a user in a capacitive scheme, and a controller that determines an approach direction of the smart key based on the response signal and controls to operate only a touch sensor installed in a door mapped to the approach direction among the at least one touch sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Dae Sung Jin
  • Patent number: 12259018
    Abstract: A torsional damper disposed between a rotor sleeve, which is configured to receive a rotational force of an engine, and a rotor hub, which is disposed rearward of the rotor sleeve, and configured to transmit the rotational force of the engine to the rotor hub, and a hybrid drive module to which the torsional damper is applied, includes: a first damper, and the first damper includes a first cover plate provided at a driving side and having a first stopper, a first stopper accommodation portion provided at a driven side and configured to accommodate the first stopper, and shield members configured to cover an opening of the first stopper accommodation portion to restrict a movement of a fluid in a radial direction through the first stopper accommodation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: VALEO KAPEC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jung-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 12247524
    Abstract: A vehicle control system and a method of operating thereof may include determining a first ratio at which to operate a vehicle system at a first location along a route along which the vehicle system moves. The first ratio may be based on an amount of a first fuel of a first fuel source relative to an amount of a second fuel of a second fuel source. The vehicle system may be powered by one or more of the first or the second fuel sources. First operational settings at which to control the vehicle system may be determined based on the first ratio between the first and second fuel sources at the first location along the route. Operation of the vehicle system may be controlled according to the first operational settings to move the vehicle system according to the first ratio at the first location along the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen
  • Patent number: 12247511
    Abstract: In a fuel cell cooling device, sliding damage to a piston and the deterioration of sealing performance are prevented despite using a simple structure in which a portion sliding with the piston is made of a brass bushing and a simple and inexpensive method of setting the assembly of the brass bushing to a press-fitted state by light press-fitting and ball burnishing. Provided is a stainless steel cylindrical guide slidably retaining a stainless steel piston, advancing and retracting according to the expansion and contraction of the thermal expansion body, provided at the open end of a bottomed cylindrical case containing a thermal expansion body. A brass bushing is fitted into the inner circumferential portion of the cylindrical guide by light press-fitting and subjected to precision finishing on the inner circumferential surface, for example, by ball burnishing, to be expanded radially by the pressure from the inside and press-fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: NIPPON THERMOSTAT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Nishimura, Hitoshi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 12241391
    Abstract: A crankcase gas separator includes a separator housing delimiting at least part of a separation space and forming at least part of a liquid phase receiving circumferential inner wall surface, a wall member forming at least part of a gas passage, and a gas pressure regulating valve including at least part of the gas passage. The separator includes a separate tube member extending from a position radially inside the inner wall surface into the gas passage. A liquid tight seal between the separate tube member and the wall member is formed by a joint arranged radially outside the inner wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: ALFDEX AB
    Inventors: Anders Örtegren, Mikael Walter, Thomas Andersson Aginger, Magnus Hansson
  • Patent number: 12228098
    Abstract: A system is provided for compressing gaseous fuel for injection into an engine. The system includes a turbine positioned in the exhaust passage of an engine and a compressor positioned in a gaseous fuel line upstream of the engine, where the compressor is coupled to the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Homison, Jacob Kenneth Pedder
  • Patent number: 12221918
    Abstract: The present invention pertains A cooling system for a gas engine piston, the system comprising a cooling oil supply configured to feed a cooling oil flow to the gas engine piston, and a control device configured to control the cooling oil flow based at least on a predetermined parameter. The present invention further pertains to a gas engine comprising at least one gas engine piston and a cooling system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the gas engine piston is configured to be operable with at least one combustion gas. In addition, the present disclosure pertains to a cooling method for a gas engine piston, comprising the steps of receiving at least one predetermined parameter at the control device; controlling the cooling oil flow based on at least the predetermined parameter; and observing a sufficient cooling oil flow fed to the gas engine piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Ohler, Olaf Berger
  • Patent number: 12215655
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an intake manifold, at least one intercooler, at least one cylinder head with a plurality of piston-cylinder-units, at least one ammonia source, and a controller. Each piston-cylinder-unit includes at least a main combustion chamber, at least one intake valve, and an ignition device. The at least one ammonia source is configured to provide ammonia to each piston-cylinder unit as part of a combustion charge. The controller is configured to control the intercooler to provide a gaseous medium with a temperature of at least 60° C. to the intake manifold, and control a lambda of the combustion charge inside each main combustion chamber to be between 0.9 and 1.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Innio Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG
    Inventors: Nikolaus Spyra, Wolfgang Fimml, Michael Url
  • Patent number: 12209552
    Abstract: Piston for an internal combustion engine, preferably a gas engine comprising a pre-chamber, comprising a piston crown limiting the piston on a side facing a cylinder head when the piston is arranged inside an internal combustion engine, wherein the piston crown comprises at least one piston bowl which has a lower surface level than a radial edge region of the piston crown, wherein the piston bowl comprises a depth (d), which is defined by the distance between the radial edge region and the lower surface level of the piston bowl measured parallel to central elevation which has a height (H), wherein the height (H) of the central elevation equals the depth (d) of the piston bowl plus/minus 50%, preferably 20%, of the depth (d) of the piston bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Innio Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG
    Inventors: Matthias Raibel, Jochen Fuchs, Robert Boewing, Andreas Birgel
  • Patent number: 12209560
    Abstract: A gaseous fuel engine system includes an engine housing forming a plurality of intake ports, and a plurality of fuel admission tubes oriented to admit a gaseous fuel into the plurality of intake ports. The fuel admission tubes include mixers having flow-impinged surfaces exposed to at least one of a flow of gaseous fuel or a flow of intake air and each including a detachment edge. The mixers may include fins, wedge structures, and/or a contoured outer surface of the fuel admission tube. Related apparatus and methodology is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Anders, Bobby John, Kenth I. Svensson, Naga Krishna Chaitanya Kavuri, William J. Barnes
  • Patent number: 12209516
    Abstract: A method for the production of a poppet valve which is armoured in at least the region of a valve seat, comprising providing a substantially cylindrical or cup-shaped semi-finished product produced from a valve steel, which is coated with an armouring material, whereupon the coated semi-finished product is formed into an armoured poppet valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: FEDERAL-MOGUL VALVETRAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Thorsten Matthias, Stefan Kellermann
  • Patent number: 12196084
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a carriage assembly (3-n) for a swash plate engine (1) having a swash plate (7). The carriage assembly (3-n) has a carriage body (19) for reciprocating along a longitudinal axis (X-n). The carriage body (19) is configured to be connected to at least one piston (5-n). At least one bearing assembly (20-n) is disposed on the carriage body (19). The or each bearing assembly (20-n) includes a rolling bearing (21-n) configured to engage a rolling face of the swashplate (7); and a yoke (23-n) for supporting the rolling bearing (21-n). The yoke (23-n) is movable relative to the carriage body along the longitudinal axis. Aspects of the present invention also relate to a swash plate drive assembly (15); and a swash plate engine (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: ZPE LTD
    Inventors: Keith Nair, Daniel Spokes
  • Patent number: 12194835
    Abstract: Typical active grille shutter vanes meet the frame at either end, with a small clearance between the parts, to avoid the parts binding together. This invention adds a set of soft flaps, which are molded in a two-shot process, to allow the vanes to seal against the frame while closed but sit free of the frame while open. This clearance is accomplished by adding a stepped wall to the frame component, to create an interference between the vane flaps while turning to the closed position, causing the flaps to be deflected in a gradual manner, so the actuator motor is not taxed with a sudden increase in required torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: MAGNA EXTERIORS, INC
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Manhire
  • Patent number: 12196152
    Abstract: The present invention provides a throttle device for an engine enabling an operation of fitting a support shaft supporting an intermediate gear into a positioning hole and an operation of causing the intermediate gear and a counterpart gear to mate with each other to be easily performed when a throttle body-side assembly and a gear cover-side assembly, which have individually been assembled, are coupled to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shogo Akase
  • Patent number: 12187113
    Abstract: The invention relates to a module, comprising: —at least one, preferably only one, tangential turbomachine (28-1; 28-2) comprising a bladed wheel (32-1; 32-2) and a motor (33-1; 33-2) for rotationally driving the bladed wheel (32-1; 32-2), —a frame (30-1; 30-2) forming an opening (60-1; 60-2), preferably only one opening, —a shut-off means (62-1; 62-2) designed to selectively shut off the opening (60-1; 60-2), the shut-off means (62-1; 62-2) having at least two regions which, in contact in a position of the shut-off means (62-1; 62-2) in which the opening (60-1; 60-2) is left free, are at a distance apart in a position in which they shut off the opening (60-1; 60-2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES
    Inventors: Kamel Azzouz, Sébastien Garnier, Amrid Mammeri
  • Patent number: 12188386
    Abstract: A lubrication system for an internal combustion engine includes a fluid flow control device at an outlet side of the pump that regulates pressure conditions at the outlet side of the pump upstream of the lubrication circuit in the engine. The fluid flow control device is located in a recirculation path, and opens in response to a fluid pressure at the outlet of the pump exceeding a first threshold to allow the fluid to pass from the outlet side of the pump back to an inlet side of the pump. The recirculation path includes a tuning device that maintains the fluid pressure at engine speeds above the first threshold. In response to engine speeds above a second threshold, the tuning device restricts fluid flow in the recirculation path so that the fluid pressure in the fluid flow path increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas James Welch, Matthew D. Flessner