Patents Examined by Lindsay Low
  • Patent number: 10006410
    Abstract: An engine system for a vehicle is described in which a turbocharger adapted to compress intake air is thermally coupled to a charge air cooler device operatively interposing the turbocharger and the engine. The system further includes a reconfigurable cooling system operable in three modes based on the flow of coolant and temperatures detected therein. In particular, the approach may be used to enhance engine warm-up in cold ambient conditions without costly additional devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Moffat, Chris James Leck
  • Patent number: 10006401
    Abstract: A piston engine may include a clearance gap between a piston assembly and a cylinder. The piston may be configured to translate in a bore of the cylinder. The clearance gap between the piston assembly and the bore may be actively or passively controlled. A control system may provide one or more adjustments based on, for example, a detected temperature, pressure, flow rate, work metric, and/or other indicator. The adjustments may include, for example, adjusting a cylinder liner, adjusting a flow through a bearing element, adjusting a coolant flow, adjusting a heat pipe property, and/or other adjustments. One or more auxiliary systems may be used to provide the adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: ETAGEN, INC.
    Inventors: John Lawler, Matt Svrcek
  • Patent number: 10006430
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle including an engine, an electric motor, and a clutch disposed on a power transmission path between the engine and the electric motor, the control device of a vehicle performing an ignition start causing combustion in a cylinder of the engine to rotate the engine at a start of the engine, the control device of a vehicle switching a cylinder in which combustion is first caused in the engine based on an actuation during a rotation stop process of the engine of an exhaust valve in a cylinder stopped in an expansion stroke, when performing the ignition start at the start of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Susumu Kojima
  • Patent number: 10006433
    Abstract: In a laser ignition device which is mounted in an internal combustion engine and at least includes a laser spark plug equipped with an optical window which protects an optical device from high temperature and high pressure generated in a combustion chamber and a prechamber cap equipped with a cylindrical prechamber, a prechamber throat portion that is a bottomed cylinder with a sectional area smaller than that of the prechamber, and a plurality of prechamber spray holes which communicate with a combustion chamber on a side of a closed end of the prechamber throat portion, the prechamber cap is arranged between the optical window and the combustion chamber. A converging point FP is located inside the prechamber to ignite an air-fuel mixture delivered into the prechamber, thereby jetting combustion flames from the prechamber into the combustion chamber to fire the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Kanehara, Naoki Kido, Akimitsu Sugiura, Nobuyuki Taguchi, Ryu Suzuki, Akihiro Yuuki, Minoru Ichihara, Tomohiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10001051
    Abstract: A method for improving the performance of a motor vehicle which has a cooler and a fan for cooling the vehicle's engine, the method includes detecting (s410) a temperature-related parameter which affects the engine's temperature during specific cooling conditions; and activating operation of the fan when the engine's temperature fulfils a predetermined condition; determining the (s440) predetermined condition on the basis of outcome as regards engine temperature over a predetermined period of time, and/or outcome as regards the detected parameter over a predetermined period of time. A computer program product includes program code (P) for a computer (200; 210) for implementing a method according to the invention. Also the device that performs the method and a motor vehicle equipped with the device are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Björn Malmgren, Hans Wikström
  • Patent number: 10001097
    Abstract: A fuel injection apparatus for a piston engine includes a fuel injector body in which an injector needle is provided, which injector needle is arranged to prevent or allow fuel injection flow from the injection apparatus based on the position of the injector needle. The position is effected by a pressurized control fluid so that by applying the pressurized control fluid the needle may be urged towards its closed position and by reducing the pressurized control fluid the needle may be allowed to move away from its closed position. The injection apparatus includes a flow path for the control fluid, wherein the flow path for the control fluid comprises a restriction section providing a restriction effect to the control fluid flow. The restriction section includes at least one temperature-effected member providing a temperature-dependent restriction effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: WARTSILA FINLAND OY
    Inventors: David Jay, Holmer Slocinski
  • Patent number: 10001095
    Abstract: In at least some implementations, a retainer for a fuel system component having an electrically conductive portion accessible from the exterior of the component includes a retaining feature and a grounding feature. The retaining feature is adapted to maintain the location of the fuel system component and the grounding feature electrically couples a ground wire to the electrically conductive portion of the fuel system component. The fuel system component is grounded through a path including the grounding feature and ground wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Walbro LLC
    Inventors: Kevin L. Israelson, Douglas W. Salowitz, Jr., David L. Speirs
  • Patent number: 9988997
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to improve engine temperature control. Cylinders scheduled for deactivation may have their exhaust retained in the cylinder by holding an exhaust valve closed on the preceding firing cycle. In this way soot emissions on reactivation are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brad Alan VanDerWege, Chris Paul Glugla
  • Patent number: 9988954
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for filtering an oil dilution amount based on a current value of the oil dilution amount. In one example, filtering the oil dilution amount may include decreasing a sensitivity of filtering at lower oil dilution below a threshold; otherwise, increasing the sensitivity of filtering. The sensitivity of the filtering may be decreased by implementing a larger time constant, while the sensitivity of the filtering may be increased by implementing a smaller time constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Macfarlane, Dennis Witt, Amanda Perkins, Christopher Semanson, Robert Milton, Charles Irwin Rackmil
  • Patent number: 9989017
    Abstract: A method of operating a cryogenic fuel system for supplying fuel to an engine is provided herein. A cryogenic fuel pump is operated to pump fuel to be supplied to the engine. At least a portion of the pumped fuel is diverted to be supplied to an accumulator, when a fuel demand of the engine is less than a discharge output of the cryogenic fuel pump. Further, the supply of the pumped fuel from the cryogenic fuel pump to the engine and the accumulator is stopped, when a pressure within the accumulator reaches a first predefined pressure limit. Furthermore, the fuel is supplied to the engine from the accumulator, when supply of the pumped fuel from the cryogenic fuel pump to the engine and the accumulator is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Gamache Foege, Kathryn Corine Svoboda
  • Patent number: 9982640
    Abstract: A fuel supply system includes a fuel pump having an inlet configured to pick up fuel and an outlet configured to discharge fuel. A pressure vessel is in fluid communication with the outlet of the fuel pump such that fuel is directed from the fuel pump into the pressure vessel, the pressure vessel having an outlet port. A pressure regulation valve subassembly is detachably coupled with the outlet port via a male-female interface that positively locks against axial separation upon axial coupling in a first orientation and relative rotation of less than 360 degrees to a second orientation. A reservoir defines an internal space at least partially receiving the fuel pump, the pressure vessel, and the pressure regulation valve subassembly. The reservoir includes an interior wall that obstructs rotation of the pressure regulation valve subassembly from the second orientation to the first orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Paul Mason, David Toutant, Tommy Ristovski
  • Patent number: 9976495
    Abstract: In the present invention, an internal combustion engine is provided with a variable-compression-ratio mechanism with a variable mechanical compression ratio and the variable-compression-ratio mechanism comprises a drive device for changing the volume of a combustion chamber when a piston reaches top dead center. The drive device comprises a reverse input blocking clutch disposed in a drive power transmission path for transmitting the rotational force of a rotator. A control device estimates the reverse input torque applied to an output shaft of the reverse input blocking clutch and sets a gradient for torque output by the rotator and a continuation duration for continuing the torque increase on the basis of the reverse input torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Okawa, Kazuhito Sakai
  • Patent number: 9976508
    Abstract: When switching the combustion mode from a stoichiometric mode to a homogeneous lean mode, a controller starts switching of the combustion mode after switching of the opening angle of a tumble control valve is started. When a target operating point of an internal combustion engine lies outside a predetermined operational region that is set in a range that excludes at least a low intake load factor region and includes at least a medium intake load factor and medium engine speed region, the controller sets the waiting time from the start of switching of the opening angle of the tumble control valve to the start of switching of the combustion mode to be longer than when the target operating point lies in the predetermined operational region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9976511
    Abstract: A multicylinder engine includes a plurality of intake ports, a plurality of in-cylinder injectors, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to initially set a value of a control parameter of the multicylinder engine, individually for each of the cylinders, such that there is a common regularity between a distribution among the cylinders, of a difference of the value of the control parameter of each of the cylinders from the value of the control parameter of a reference cylinder, and a distribution among the cylinders, of a difference of the distance of a narrowed portion of each of the cylinders from the distance of the narrowed portion of a reference cylinder. The control parameter is a parameter that determines an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture around an ignition plug at a time of ignition in stratified charge combustion operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakai, Takeshi Ashizawa
  • Patent number: 9976472
    Abstract: A method of operating a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine is equipped with an engine head, and the cooling circuit includes a pump configured to deliver a variable flow of coolant through the cooling circuit. A coolant flow rate to be delivered by the pump is calculated as a function of an engine load, an engine speed and a desired engine head temperature, and the pump is operated to deliver the calculated coolant flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Michele Bilancia, Simone Barbero, Simone Bambagioni, Salvatore Mafrici
  • Patent number: 9970374
    Abstract: An actuator/sensor device (1) includes: at least one actuator (3) controlled by a control signal and at least one sensor (5) transmitting an acquisition signal, the actuator (3) and the sensor (5) being integrated into the same component; an actuator/sensor pin (8) connecting a terminal of the actuator (3) and an output of the sensor (5) to the same single electrical wire (9) external to the actuator/sensor device (1); and switching elements adapted to cause either the control signal in a control phase (19) or the sensor information in an acquisition phase (21) to be sent on the electrical wire (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Thierry Collet, Jacques Rocher
  • Patent number: 9970406
    Abstract: An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a state-of-discharge determiner working to determine whether a center and a ground electrode of a spark plug are electrically conducting with each other or insulated from each other. When the center and ground electrodes are determined to be conducted with each other, the ignition apparatus alters controlled conditions of a high-frequency power supply which supplies a high-frequency power to the spark plug so as to decrease an average of a primary voltage outputted from the high-frequency power supply to the spark plug, thereby reducing an actual current flowing between the center and ground electrodes of the spark plug. This eliminates the risk of mechanical wear of the center and ground electrodes which usually arises from the flow of high current between the center and ground electrodes, thus resulting in an increase in service life of the spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Kinoshita, Shinichi Okabe, Akimitsu Sugiura
  • Patent number: 9970400
    Abstract: A pre-chamber fuel admission valve includes a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, an actuated valve, and a check valve. The fuel inlet receives a supply of a fuel. The fuel outlet delivers the fuel to a pre-chamber. The actuated valve is between and in fluid communication with the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet. The actuated valve controls a flow of the fuel from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet. The check valve is biased in a closed position and between and in fluid communication with the actuated valve and the fuel outlet. The check valve is configured to open and allow the fuel to exit the fuel outlet in response to a fuel pressure exceeding a pre-chamber pressure plus a bias pressure, and the check valve is configured to close in response to the pre-chamber pressure plus the bias pressure exceeding the fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Xinyu Ge
  • Patent number: 9970350
    Abstract: An opposed piston engine includes a cylinder having a cylinder wall, and a pair of opposed pistons, Each face of each piston of the pair of opposed pistons has a top plane and a recess formed therein, each recess comprising a first surface defining part of a cone, the cone defined by the first surface of at least one of the recesses having a longitudinal axis that defines an angle equal to at least one half of a cone angle of the cone with the top plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Kellogg Morton, Jian Li, Richard Brandt
  • Patent number: 9970351
    Abstract: A filter assembly including a filter media sized for positioning within an air induction system, the filter media possessing a first side and a second side substantially opposite the first side. The filter assembly includes a layer of sound absorbing foam positioned adjacent one of the first side of the filter media and the second side of the filter media, the sound absorbing foam including a plurality of perforations therein, the plurality of perforations permitting air to flow through the filter media and the layer of sound absorbing foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Zuroski, Paul A. Hayes