Patents Examined by Kevin R Steckbauer
  • Patent number: 11223225
    Abstract: A battery starting and charging system that monitors battery and other sensor readings; tracks vehicle state, determines a charging voltage based on battery temperature and vehicle state; sets the alternator to charge the battery with the charging voltage; determines current collected parameters based on the battery and other sensor readings; and makes vehicle start predictions based on the current collected parameters. The system can also determine whether the vehicle actually started; add the current collected parameters to a set of start events if it started, and to a set of no-start events if it didn't start. The start prediction can also be based on the sets of start and no-start events for one or multiple vehicles. The collected parameters and start predictions can also be based on collected weather data. The system can use a local interconnect network (LIN) alternator with a LIN network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Amol Phadtare, Terry Davisson, Sean P. West
  • Patent number: 11208974
    Abstract: A pump body of a high pressure fuel pump defines a compression chamber in fluid communication with a first recess dug in a first outer face. A second recess is dug in a second outer face of the body. An inlet channel opens in a conduit extending between the first recess and the second recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Inventors: Toby J. Pedley, Paul Buckley, Adam Tully
  • Patent number: 11203997
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a fuel pump for use in a fuel supply system of a device having internal combustion engine includes determining a tolerance-conditioned and wear-conditioned deviation of the fuel pump with respect to its delivery behavior so that the calibration permits energy-consumption-optimized actuation of the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kleineberg, Mariz Abdelmalek, Marc Völker, Andreas Sausner
  • Patent number: 11199151
    Abstract: An engine control module comprises an input terminal configured to receive an input signal, an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the input signal from the input terminal, control circuitry configured to receive the input signal from the analog-to-digital converter and to control at least one engine output based on the input signal, and an adjustable low-pass filter. The adjustable low-pass filter is coupled between the input terminal and the analog-to-digital converter such that the analog-to-digital converter receives the input signal from the input terminal via the adjustable low-pass filter. The adjustable low-pass filter is configured to filter the input signal from the input terminal prior to the input signal being applied to the analog-to-digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Jose Gonzalo Villalon
  • Patent number: 11199164
    Abstract: A system includes an electronic fuel injection system of an engine, the electronic fuel injection system including an electronic governor control unit for controlling various functions of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Martin L. Radue, Michael Kleczewski
  • Patent number: 11193467
    Abstract: A power system with an electric rotating machine providing an operation of power generation and power running, a switching circuit providing electricity for each phase, by switching a plurality switching elements ON/OFF by the electric rotating machine, a battery section connected to the switching circuit, and switches on electrical pathway, between the switching circuit and the battery section. A power shutoff section to shutoff an electrical pathway when an overcurrent flows in, at least one of the electric rotating machine and the switching circuit. Power control devices are provided with an overcurrent determination which determines that an overcurrent has occurred, based on results of, a first determination that determines a current flow has increased to a predetermined over current threshold, and a second determination that determines that current flow has decreased thereafter, and a switch control that switches the switches open based on a determined result of the overcurrent determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuto Suzuki, Hiroshi Inamura
  • Patent number: 11193457
    Abstract: An EGR gas distributor includes a gas chamber, a gas inflow passage to introduce EGR gas on its upstream side, gas outflow passages to discharge the EGR gas to branch pipes on their downstream side. An inner wall on a downstream side of the gas chamber is divided into downstream-side divided walls corresponding to the respective gas outflow passages, and the downstream-side divided walls are curved or slanted to be of protrusion-like shape protruding toward the corresponding gas outflow passages. Downstream-side dividing ridges are provided each between the adjacent downstream-side divided walls. An inner wall on the upstream side of the gas chamber is placed to face the downstream-side inner wall and provided with at least one upstream-side ridge protruding toward the downstream-side divided walls in each area corresponding to the downstream-side divided walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mamoru Yoshioka, Akinari Yasue, Kaisho So
  • Patent number: 11187141
    Abstract: The ignition insert with an active pre-chamber (1) comprises an insert well (72) arranged in a cylinder head (3) of an internal combustion engine (2), said well (72) accommodating a cylindrical insert body (70) which is indexed in rotation and in which are arranged an ignition pre-chamber (71), an insert spark plug well (83) receiving a spark plug (12), and a injector radial orifice (88) which is aligned with a injector lateral well (73) arranged in the cylinder head (3) so as to receive an injector nose (16), said body (70) being terminated by a pre-chamber nose (75) opening into a combustion chamber (5), and being held in the insert well (72) by fixing means (82) cooperating with clamping means (74).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Vianney Rabhi
  • Patent number: 11187196
    Abstract: A tank venting device for a fuel tank that supplies an internal combustion engine with a fuel includes a fuel vapor sorption system that is configured for reversibly storing fuel vapor in, and removing it from, the fuel tank, wherein the tank venting device includes at least one purge device, which is operable independently of the internal combustion engine, for applying a motive flow to the fuel vapor sorption system in the direction opposite from the fuel tank, so that the fuel vapor sorption system can be purged via a purge line, wherein the purge device includes at least one control device for controlling the motive flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jens Wodausch, Björn Fröhlich
  • Patent number: 11174820
    Abstract: A canister includes a plurality of activated carbon layers for adsorbing vaporized fuel and a purge pump for introducing purge air into the canister to cause purge gas containing the vaporized fuel to flow out of the canister. At least a part of the purge pump is placed in the chamber defined between the activated carbon layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Yoshihiko Honda, Shota Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 11174824
    Abstract: A fuel tank cover (150) is provided with a flange unit (22) closing an opening of a fuel tank, and a joint member (24) configured to be connected to the flange unit (22) movably in the upward/downward direction. The flange unit (22) includes a side tubular portion (43) extending in the upward/downward direction. The joint member (24) includes a columnar portion (160) extending in the upward/downward direction. The columnar portion (160) is inserted into the side tubular portion (43) movably in the upward/downward direction. A metal retainer (162) is provided to cover an outer circumferential surface of the columnar portion (160).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Ito, Koji Yoshida, Kensuke Niwa, Shuhei Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11175274
    Abstract: A fluid degradation monitoring system may detect a replacement of a fluid of a machine. The fluid degradation monitoring system may determine, after detecting the replacement of the fluid, a first degradation estimate of the fluid using a first technique based on characteristics relating to an operation of the machine. The fluid degradation monitoring system may detect a transition in a value of a dielectric constant of the fluid from a first phase to a second phase. The fluid degradation monitoring system may determine, after detecting the transition in the value of the dielectric constant, a second degradation estimate of the fluid using a second technique based on characteristics relating to the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Yanchai Zhang, Kyle Walton, Richard Carpenter, Venkata Dandibhotla, Baoyang Deng
  • Patent number: 11174819
    Abstract: Provided is a starting-fuel supply device, including: a starting-fuel supply valve configured to automatically add a starting fuel to an air-fuel mixture generated by a carburetor; and a valve chamber for the starting-fuel supply valve, wherein a fuel in a fuel tank is allowed to move to an intake passage through the valve chamber for the starting-fuel supply valve with use of a manual pump configured to suck up the fuel in the fuel tank into a carburetor before start of an engine, and wherein the valve chamber is disposed at a position below the intake passage when the engine is in a stored state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: YAMABIKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuta Kobayashi, Takahiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11174732
    Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine (ICE) has: a housing defining a rotor cavity; a rotor received within the rotor cavity to define working chambers of variable volume around the rotor, the rotor having circumferentially spaced peripheral apex seals biased radially outwardly in sliding engagement against a peripheral wall of the housing to separate the working chambers from one another, the housing having a fluid passage defined therethrough and opening into an inner surface of the peripheral wall; and an injector having a lubricant inlet hydraulically connected to a lubricant source, an actuation inlet hydraulically connected to a source of an actuation fluid, and a lubricant outlet, the injector having an open state in which the lubricant outlet is in fluid flow communication with the fluid passage upon the actuation fluid received within the injector and a closed state in which the lubricant outlet is disconnected from the fluid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Etienne Plamondon, Sebastien Bergeron, Jean Thomassin
  • Patent number: 11168630
    Abstract: An improved method for performing a conditioning process for a particulate filter, preferably adapted for an aftertreatment system arranged downstream of an internal combustion engine. The proposed method provides for conditioning of a filter under controlled conditions such that the filter may reach a desired operation state in a more efficient and faster manner. Further, the proposed method also advantageously provides for maintaining the desired operation state, in which the filtration capacity may be at a usable level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Dahlgren, Stefan Dunert, Mattias Nilsson
  • Patent number: 11162443
    Abstract: An evaporated fuel processing device for a forced induction internal combustion engine according to the present invention includes: a first purge path extending from the downstream of a purge control valve to an intake pipe at the downstream of a throttle valve; and a second purge path extending from the downstream of the purge control valve to an ejector provided in a reflux pipe providing communication between the intake pipe at the downstream of a compressor and the intake pipe at the upstream of the compressor. The evaporated fuel processing device switches first control characteristic data for the first purge path and second control characteristic data for the second purge path, when the first purge path and the second purge path are switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Mizushima, Shinsaku Tsukada, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Shingo Kimura, Ho Tei
  • Patent number: 11162448
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device for an engine is provided. A swirl generator generates a swirl flow inside a combustion chamber. A fuel injector with multiple nozzle holes injects fuel into the combustion chamber, and forms a lean mixture gas inside the combustion chamber. A spark plug ignites the lean mixture gas to cause a portion of the mixture gas to start combustion accompanied by flame propagation, and then combusts by self-ignition. The fuel injector has first and second nozzle holes, and a first atomized fuel spray injected from the first nozzle hole and a second atomized fuel spray injected from the second nozzle hole separate from each other by the swirl flow. The fuel injector performs the fuel injection in an intake stroke, and retards a start timing of the injection when an engine load is high compared to that when the load is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Ohura, Tomohiro Nishida, Michiharu Kawano, Yuya Honda, Tota Tanii
  • Patent number: 11156169
    Abstract: An engine control apparatus includes a throttle valve, an accelerator opening detector, a throttle opening controller, and an intake air density detector. The throttle valve is configured to regulate an intake air volume of an engine. The accelerator opening detector is configured to detect an accelerator opening that is an operation amount of an accelerator operation member with which a driver operates an accelerator. The throttle opening controller is configured to increase a throttle opening of the throttle valve in accordance with an increase in the accelerator opening. The intake air density detector is configured to detect information about an intake air density of the engine. In a low intake air density state where the intake air density is a predetermined value or lower, the throttle opening controller decreases a sensitivity of the throttle opening relative to the accelerator opening in a partial range of a range where the accelerator opening is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Konosuke Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 11148711
    Abstract: A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle using a vehicle control apparatus includes: a sensor configured to detect a state outside a subject vehicle; and a control device. The vehicle control method includes: executing control of recovering a travel trajectory of the subject vehicle to a target trajectory, as ordinary control, by giving a steering amount in a lateral direction with respect to a travel lane of the subject vehicle; using detection data of the sensor to determine whether or not another vehicle is traveling in an adjacent lane to the travel lane of the subject vehicle; and when determining that the other vehicle is traveling in the adjacent lane ahead of the subject vehicle, increasing a response of the steering amount to a higher response than that in the ordinary control, before the subject vehicle passes the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Akamatsu, Masahiro Kobayashi, Yasuhisa Taira, Osamu Fukata, Ko Sato
  • Patent number: 11149675
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device for an engine is provided. A swirl generator generates a swirl flow inside a combustion chamber. A fuel injector with multiple nozzle holes injects fuel into the combustion chamber, and forms a lean mixture gas inside the combustion chamber. An spark plug ignites the lean mixture gas to cause a portion of the mixture gas to start combustion accompanied by flame propagation, and then combusts by self-ignition. The fuel injector has first and second nozzle holes, and a first atomized fuel spray injected from the first nozzle hole and a second atomized fuel spray injected from the second nozzle hole separate from each other by the swirl flow. The fuel injector sequentially performs a first injection and a second injection in an intake stroke. The controller makes an injection amount of the second injection greater than that of the first injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Ohura, Tomohiro Nishida