Patents Examined by Lindsay Low
  • Optimizing diesel fuel consumption for dual-fuel engines
    Patent number: 9683499
    Abstract: Systems and methods may be configured to monitor, calculate, and optimize diesel fuel consumption for dual-fuel engines. For example, a method may include performing a well site operation at first operating parameters with a dual-fuel engine configuration operating at first engine parameters, wherein the dual-fuel engine configuration comprises one or more dual-fuel engines; changing the first operating parameters to second operating parameters and the first engine parameters to second engine parameters; determining a maximum natural gas substitution percentage in a fuel comprising a natural gas/diesel mixture for at least one of the dual-fuel engines at the second operating parameters and the second engine parameters; and changing a fuel composition supplied to the at least one of the dual-fuel engines based on the maximum natural gas substitution percentage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Stanley V. Stephenson, Andrew James Summers
  • Ballistic cover system
    Patent number: 9677470
    Abstract: A ballistic cover system that embodies a novel ballistic blanket and method for containing energy and fragmentation projected during a supercharged engine explosion is provided. The ballistic cover system enables the ballistic blanket to react to the engine explosion, positioning itself from a racing configuration to a ballistic configuration. A plurality of restraint straps are attached to the supercharger, keeping it along a controlled path during the explosion. Moreover, two of the restraint straps act as mounting rails that the ballistic blanket rides along when reactively moving from the racing configuration to the ballistic configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventors: David George Brown, Susan JoAnne Brown
  • Gaseous fuel feed apparatus
    Patent number: 9670880
    Abstract: A gaseous fuel feed apparatus includes a first injector and a second injector which are provided in each cylinder of a gas engine. The first injector injects a gaseous fuel into an intake passage. The second injector injects the gaseous fuel in an injecting direction intersecting with an injecting direction of the gaseous fuel injected by the first injector, such that the gaseous fuel injected by the second injector collides with the gaseous fuel injected by the first injector. Thus, the gaseous fuel injected by the first injector can be forcibly pressed toward a flow of an air by utilizing an injection energy of the gaseous fuel injected by the second injector. Further, the first injector and the second injector may be placed at the same position of the intake passage, and can be placed at a position of the intake passage that is adjacent to a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Furukawa
  • Portable engine
    Patent number: 9617959
    Abstract: A portable engine includes: an internal combustion engine to burn fuel so as to output power; a fuel tank to store the fuel; a fuel pump to transfer the fuel from the fuel tank to the internal combustion engine; a U-shaped fuel pipe to transfer the fuel is disposed, and at a lowest portion of a fuel passage of the fuel pipe; and a fuel drainer capable of discharging the fuel in the fuel pipe to outside. The U-shaped fuel pipe is disposed between the fuel tank and the fuel pump, and the fuel drainer is disposed at a lowest site of a fuel passage of the fuel pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Kuwato, Kentaro Hirota
  • Engine warming system
    Patent number: 9611782
    Abstract: A system for warming the engine of a water-cooled vehicle by exchanging coolant with a warm vehicle or a storage tank of warmed coolant. The system utilizes a fitting that, in one position, allows for normal function of the cooling system of a vehicle, and in another position the fitting allows for fluid exchange with an outside source, such as another vehicle. The outside source can be a second vehicle equipped with a fitting or a standalone heater. Fluid transfer hoses are connected to each fitting to exchange coolant between vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: ColdFire, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Carter
  • Control apparatus for direct injection engine
    Patent number: 9611796
    Abstract: A cylinder-injection-engine control apparatus includes a fuel injection controller that executes air purge control for performing fuel injection in an intake stroke if fuel pressure is below a predetermined pressure when an engine starts. When executing the air purge control, the fuel injection controller makes a fuel injection time of an injector longer than when the fuel pressure is higher than or equal to the predetermined pressure. When executing the air purge control, if the amount of fuel in a fuel tank is larger than or equal to a predetermined amount and an integrated value of a fuel injection amount (integrated injection amount) since start of the fuel injection is larger than or equal to a predetermined value, the fuel injection controller stops the air purge control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Namekawa
  • Reclaim internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 9611783
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with at least two reclaim cylinders for each two fuel burning cylinders. A plurality of routing members, such as hoses, are provided to route exhaust gas from the fuel burning cylinders to the reclaim cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Robert L. Murtha
  • Internal combustion engine, in particular for a motor vehicle, and a method for operating such an internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 9605585
    Abstract: A motor vehicle internal combustion engine has at least one combustion chamber delimited by at least one wall of the internal combustion engine, and at least one injector that is associated with the combustion chamber and that is at least partially accommodated in a receiving opening delimited by a first wall area of the wall extending at least essentially parallel to the axial direction of the injector The injector includes at least one injection opening that opens into the combustion chamber via the receiving opening, in the direction of the combustion chamber the first wall area being directly adjoined by a further wall area of the wall that extends at an angle to the axial direction and which delimits an at least essentially conical area of the receiving opening which expands toward the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Martin Bezner, Juergen Fischer, Helmut Gildein, Arnold Kaden, Dirk Sundheim
  • Air intake system for internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 9605630
    Abstract: An intake manifold is provided that controls swirl on entry to a combustion chamber. Each intake manifold includes a fin or rib portion positioned to reduce or eliminate swirl induced by the configuration of the intake manifold, particularly when used in a large engine having a left bank and a right bank of combustion chambers. By controlling swirl induced by the intake manifold, swirl consistency is improved between engine cylinders and between the left bank and the right bank, improving the consistency of power output and reducing emissions, particularly particulate emissions, also called smoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Paul Douglas Free, Jason Robert Griffin, Alex Edward Priestley, Stephen Sunadh Gidla, Peter Vinson Woon, Joseph Scot Roederer
  • Power station and method for its operation
    Patent number: 9605556
    Abstract: A power station (10) is provided having a turbine shafting (11) including a gas turbine (12) and a generator (18) which is driven directly by the gas turbine (12), produces alternating current at an operating frequency and whose output is connected to an electrical grid (21) with a predetermined grid frequency. An electronic decoupling apparatus or a variable electronic gearbox (27) is arranged between the generator (18) and the electrical grid (21), and decouples the operating frequency from the grid frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jürgen Hoffmann, Thomas Meindl
  • Fuel injector
    Patent number: 9605639
    Abstract: Various embodiments relating to controlling a fuel injection quantity of a fuel injector are provided. In one embodiment, a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel supply channel, a nozzle valve including a valve stem, and an actuator to actuate the nozzle valve. The nozzle valve and an inner wall of the fuel supply channel form a first flow cross section and at least one second flow cross section that is greater than the first flow cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Robin Ivo Lawther
  • General-purpose engine
    Patent number: 9605571
    Abstract: In a general-purpose engine including a cylinder block extending obliquely from one side of a crank case, and a cylinder head connected to an end surface of the cylinder block via a gasket, a unidirectional valve for allowing a flow of a fluid from a crank chamber to a valve operating chamber and blocking a reverse flow of the fluid is installed in an upper oil passage. In a case where lubricant oil reserved in the crank chamber flows into the valve operating chamber via a lower oil passage when the engine inclines such that the inclined cylinder block further slants, positive pressures transmitted from the crank chamber to the valve operating chamber push the oil, which once flows into the valve operating chamber, back to the crank chamber via the lower oil passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi Ishikawa
  • Methods and systems for cylinder bank misfire detection and reactivation
    Patent number: 9599048
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for deactivation and reactivation of a cylinder bank in a V-engine. In one example, the cylinder bank is deactivated responsive to an indication of misfire based on crankshaft acceleration and exhaust air fuel ratio. The cylinder bank is reactivated sequentially based on exhaust catalyst temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Robert Sarow Baskins, Joseph Patrick Whitehead, Craig Alan Smith, Timothy Robert Gernant, Scott Richard Hughes
  • Systems and methods for dedicated EGR cylinder valve control
    Patent number: 9599046
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving combustion in a highly exhaust gas diluted engine are disclosed. The methods and systems may be provided in an engine that includes independent control of cylinder valves with respect to other cylinder valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Michael Howard Shelby, Daniel Joseph Styles, James Alfred Hilditch, Brad Alan Boyer
  • Air intake system for an engine
    Patent number: 9598091
    Abstract: An air intake system is disclosed. The air intake system may have an air box. The air box may be configured to receive air from an ambient. The air intake system may also have a filter assembly disposed within the air box. The filter assembly may be configured to clean the air. In addition, the air intake system may have a duct. The duct may have a first duct end configured to receive the air exiting the filter assembly. The duct may also have a second duct end configured to deliver the air to the engine. The second duct end may be located at a gravitationally higher position than the first duct end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary R. Svihla, Joshua D. Schueler, Pradeep Ganesan
  • Internal combustion engines
    Patent number: 9599016
    Abstract: This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to internal combustion engines and methods of operating the engines with a new fuel saving cycle. Various embodiments use a passage between adjacent cylinders to enable a mode in which fuel combusted in one cylinder supplies pressure to the other that has not been supplied with fuel, thus enabling driving of both cylinders with less fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Inventor: Raymond F. Lippitt
  • Internal combustion engine and method of igniting a fuel
    Patent number: 9599061
    Abstract: A method of igniting a fuel within a combustion chamber defined by a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine includes injecting a first portion of a fuel into the combustion chamber, and energizing a first plasma igniter. The first plasma igniter is configured for generating a first plurality of free radicals, extends through a cylinder head mated to the cylinder block, and protrudes into an intake port defined by the cylinder head that is disposable in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. After injecting the first portion, the method includes activating a second igniter configured for initiating a flame within the combustion chamber to thereby ignite the fuel. The second igniter extends through the cylinder head and protrudes into the combustion chamber. An internal combustion engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Cherian A. Idicheria, Orgun A. Guralp, Paul M. Najt
  • Fuel apportionment for multi fuel engine system
    Patent number: 9599040
    Abstract: A method for controlling fuel flow in a multi fuel engine is disclosed. An input power for operating the multi fuel engine at a desired engine speed is determined and a fuel flow rate based on the input power, one or more fuel properties and a specified fuel substitution ratio for apportioning the plurality of fuels is determined. Also, a correction factor for the fuel flow rate based on a desired charge density, wherein the desired charge density is based at least on a relationship between an engine load and charge density is determined and a corrected fuel flow rate, based on the determined correction factor, is output to a corresponding actuator of a fluid flow control device for the one of the fuels to cause the corresponding actuator to provide the one of the plurality of fuels at the corrected fuel flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Arvind Sivasubramanian, Christopher F. Gallmeyer, Eike J. Sixel, Bert Ritscher
  • Engine assembly including cylinder head cooling
    Patent number: 9593640
    Abstract: An engine assembly includes an engine block, a cylinder head coupled to the engine block with a cooling system running through both. The engine block defines a first cylinder bore and a first cylinder cooling jacket at an outer periphery of the first cylinder bore. The cylinder head defines a first port cooling jacket for a first set of ports in communication with the first cylinder bore. The coolant supply is in communication with the first cylinder cooling jacket and the first port cooling jacket. The first port cooling jacket defines a first head coolant flow path in a parallel flow arrangement with a coolant flow path defined by the first cylinder cooling jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Akram R. Zahdeh, Naser I. Hineiti
  • Cylinder liner having annular coolant circulation groove
    Patent number: 9593639
    Abstract: A cylinder liner is disclosed for use with an engine. The cylinder liner may have a hollow generally cylindrical body with a top end and a bottom end, and a flange extending radially outward at the top end of the hollow generally cylindrical body. The cylinder liner may also have a seal end stop formed on an outer annular surface of the hollow generally cylindrical body an axial distance away from the flange, and an annular groove formed within the outer annular surface of the hollow generally cylindrical body at a location between the end stop and the bottom end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Lee Batta