Patents Examined by Mahmoud M Gimie
  • Patent number: 6186106
    Abstract: There is disclosed herein an apparatus for routing electrical signals in an engine having n cylinders and an intake manifold, one embodiment of which comprises: (1) a generally rigid housing generally conforming in shape with and being removably attachable to a top surface of the intake manifold; (2) at least n carrier members attached to the housing and extending outward therefrom, wherein each carrier member is arranged in general proximity with a respective cylinder; (3) a plurality of conductive circuit traces arranged on or within an underside or other surface of the housing and on or within each carrier member; and (4) at least one input/output connector for connection to at least one of an external signal source, an external power source, an external signal destination, and an external power destination, wherein each input/output connector is attached to the housing and is electrically connected to at least one of the circuit traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Z. Glovatsky, Myron Lemecha, Mark Miller, Jay DeAvis Baker
  • Patent number: 6179571
    Abstract: A swash plate type compressor comprises a case; a drive shaft rotatably installed in the case; a drive plate fixed to the drive shaft to rotate therewith; a sleeve axially slidably disposed on the drive shaft; a journal pivotally mounted on the sleeve; a swash plate disposed on the journal to move therewith; and a transmission/hinge mechanism arranged between the drive plate and the journal to transmit the rotation of the drive shaft to the journal permitting the pivotal movement of the journal relative to said sleeve. The transmission/hinge mechanism includes a first arm projected from the drive plate and having an elongate through hole; two spaced second arms projected from the journal, the second arms being so spaced as to intimately put therebetween the first arm, the second arms having cylindrical bores which are aligned; and a pin including a middle portion slidably received in the elongate through hole and axially opposed end portions press-fitted in the cylindrical bores of the second arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kawachi, Toshikatsu Miyaji
  • Patent number: 6179569
    Abstract: In a liquid infusion apparatus, an incremental linear encoder is arranged along the feeding shaft direction of the liquid infusion apparatus to directly monitor the movement and position of a carriage part which applies an action to a plunger. A detecting sensor is provided at a starting point of a remaining liquid quantity small region to recognize the absolute position at said region by using feed-back pulses from said encoder. A pressing device for pressing a flange of the plunger to a plunger receiving portion of a slider by holding arms is provided. A pressure sensor is arranged between said plunger receiving portion and the slider to detect a negative pressure applied to the plunger in such a manner that the other operation states of pressure are detected based on a detected value of pressure at which the flange is pressed to the plunger receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignees: Japan Servo Co., Ltd., JMS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Kojima, Katumi Tominaga, Shigeo Hayashi, Hiromu Miura
  • Patent number: 6178948
    Abstract: A throttle lever assembly for controlling the air intake of a throttle body of an internal combustion engine includes a return cam secured to an end of a throttle shaft. The return cam, formed of a planar metal plate, has a channel disposed about a portion of its periphery for receiving an accelerator cable. The channel is formed of alternately offset fingers having fluke-shaped end portions to provide substantially continuous walls of the channel and a cable seat formed of alternately offset fingers. In addition, the return cam may include a cruise stud extending axially from the outer surface of the cam return, an idle stop lever and a wide open stop lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert David Garrick, Mary Lyko Wallace, Donald Ray Read
  • Patent number: 6176684
    Abstract: A variable displacement hydraulic piston unit with electrically operated variable displacement control and timing control is disclosed, the displacement control utilizing an electric motor such as a stepper motor and cam arrangement operable for changing the tilt angle of a swash plate of the unit, and the timing control including an electric motor, such as a stepper motor operable for rotating the swash plate relative to the pistons of the unit for effecting timing changes, the unit being operable as a pump, motor, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel E. Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 6174146
    Abstract: An electric bilge pump for collecting liquid found in a bottom of a vessel or any other place. The pump is formed of three parts in axial alignment. The assembly is secured to a surface in substantially a horizontal position. An electric motor is enclosed in a cylindrical jacket and has an output shaft with an impeller at its distal end. A second part of the housing is tubular and defines a chamber with the impeller in the chamber. The chamber has an axial inlet with a tangential outlet. A filter is fitted over the inlet to filter out any unwanted debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Munster Simms Engineering Limited
    Inventors: Graham Lacy, David Edgerley, Alastair Eves, Norman Rehill
  • Patent number: 6174140
    Abstract: A compressor having a device for recovering lubricating oil. The compressor includes a discharge chamber and a muffler, which attenuates the pressure pulsation of refrigerant gas sent out from the discharge chamber. The muffler is defined by a muffler base, which is formed on the cylinder block, and a muffler cover, which is attached to the muffler base. The muffler includes a first muffler chamber and a second muffler chamber, which are connected by an opening. The muffler cover has a gas outlet for sending the refrigerant gas out of the compressor from the second muffler chamber. Lubricating oil separated from the refrigerant gas in the first muffler chamber is sent to the crank chamber through a recovery passage. The location of the gas outlet can be easily changed by replacing the muffler cover. Thus, the compressor can be easily adapted to different engine compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Kenta Nishimura, Hirotaka Kurakake, Hisakazu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6174138
    Abstract: A float operated device such as a pressure powered pump has a chamber 30 in which a float 32 is movable. The float 32 has a low profile form, having an aspect ratio greater than 2. The float operates a toggle mechanism 46 comprising an input lever 34 and an output lever 48 which are pivotable about spaced pivot locations 38, 50. A spring 54 acts between the input and output levers 34 and 48 to provide the toggling action. The toggle mechanism operates a valve arrangement 62.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Spirax-Sargo, Limited
    Inventor: Dean Jeffrey Stephens
  • Patent number: 6171079
    Abstract: A drive unit for a radial blower has an electric motor including a driven shaft with a bearing for said driven shaft, and a motor housing provided with bearing pins which coaxially project at an end side of the motor housing and surrounds the bearing, a housing which receives the electric motor and has holders engaged in the bearing pins, at least one damping element composed of an elastic material and inserted between one of the bearing pins and one of the holders to radially and axially support the electric motor, the damping element being composed of a plurality of roller bodies having radially oriented body axes, the roller bodies being offset relative to one another and connected with one another with substantially constant distances there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Gross, Peter Nolting, Bruno Santarossa
  • Patent number: 6171064
    Abstract: A scroll compressor is provided with a reverse rotation detection circuit that monitors the temperature adjacent the suction tube. An elevated temperature at the suction tube is indicative of reverse rotation, and if the temperature exceeds a predetermined maximum, then a determination is made that reverse rotation is occurring. Once this determination is made, the rotation of the motor is stopped, or corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Scroll Technologies
    Inventors: Jason J. Hugenroth, John R. Williams
  • Patent number: 6170470
    Abstract: A fuel system provides first and second conduits that draw fuel from first and second positions, or locations, within a fuel reservoir. If water exists in the fuel reservoir, the second position is selected to be lowered in the fuel reservoir than the first position so that accumulated water will be drawn through the second conduit under certain conditions, such as when the engine is operating at a speed above the minimum threshold. The fuel reservoir can be a fuel tank or auxiliary fuel tank of a vehicle or watercraft or, alternatively, it can be the housing of a fuel/water separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel E. Clarkson, Chad W. Martin
  • Patent number: 6167868
    Abstract: A method for determining ignition angles for individual cylinders in a multicylinder internal combustion engine forms the ignition angles for the individual cylinders, based on values of a basic family of characteristics (KFB) which applies to all cylinders, as a function of a knocking behavior of the internal combustion engine on the basis of a first (fast) and second (slow) adaptation loop. Once the internal combustion engine has been stopped, the values that are present are used in a third adaptation loop to form a family of characteristics (KF3) which is applicable to all cylinders (z), and a shift value (ZW3(z)) for each cylinder. These are stored in a non-volatile manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wilfried Kleczka, Stefan Krebs
  • Patent number: 6167875
    Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine that generates more ignition sparks per ignition event, i.e., per cylinder, per cycle, when the engine is operated in the stratified fuel injected mode than when the engine is operated in the homogeneous fuel injection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Outboard Marine Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. French, Mark J. Skrzypchak
  • Patent number: 6164258
    Abstract: A starting controller for a diesel engine. The controller has a microprocor that will provide a current to the glow plugs until they are heated to the desired operating temperature and will then distribute sequential pulses to the individual plugs until the engine reaches the desired operating temperature. The system can have a latching circuit that will prevent the preglow cycle from being reinitiated until the glow plugs have been allowed to cool to a level where reinitiation will not represent a substantial degrading effect on the glow plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Paul A. Petrovich, John J. Schmitz, A. David Stormer, Jack G. Rodgers
  • Patent number: 6164268
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of operating an internal combustion engine (20) with a fuel injection system (11;12) including an injector (12) for delivery of a fuel-gas mixture to a combustion chamber (60) of the engine (20). The engine (20) includes a gas supply system (11;13) pressurized at start-up through a pump-up sequence to a desired pressure for injection of fuel to the engine (20). In the pump-up sequence, the injector (12) is opened allowing pressurized gas to flow from the combustion chamber (60) through the injector (12) and into the gas supply system (11;13). This pressurizes the gas supply system (11;13) when pressure in the combustion chamber (60) is higher than the pressure in the gas supply system (11;13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Orbital Engine Company (Australia) Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: David Richard Worth, Thomas Schnepple, Stuart Graham Price, Stephen Reinhard Malss
  • Patent number: 6164929
    Abstract: A refrigerant compressor with a drive power transmission unit accommodating therein a cooling unit capable of promoting heat dissipation from the drive power transmission unit including a rotor element operatively linked to a vehicle engine, a rotary hub-like plate fixed to a drive shaft of the compressor, the rotor element and the rotary hub-like plate being separate members and operatively connected through a transmission controlling member formed by a damper member and a torque limiter. The damper member and the torque limiter are deformable to perform their transmission controlling function. Fins may be formed in a radial arrangement around the axis "L" of the drive shaft on the rotary hub-like plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kimura Kazuya, Okada Masahiko, Kaneshige Yuji
  • Patent number: 6161527
    Abstract: A fuel injection system incorporates a plurality of fuel injection arrangements, wherein each fuel injection is associated with a particular cylinder of the engine. Each of the fuel injection arrangements comprises a fluid passageway in which fuel and air are combined prior to injection into a combustion chamber of the cylinder. A valve is moveable with respect to an injection port to allow the pressurized fuel/air mixture to flow from the fluid passageway into the combustion chamber. A fuel injector is used to inject liquid fuel into the fluid passageway to be combined with pressurized air within the passageway. The system has a common air rail and a common fuel rail which are each connected to a plurality of the fuel injection arrangements. Upward movement of a piston within a cylinder is used to pressurize the air within the common air rail. All of the fuel injection arrangements can be used to contribute pressurized air to the common air rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Mark A. Ruman
  • Patent number: 6162027
    Abstract: A pump includes a housing, an enlarged block, an inlet fluid conduit, an outlet fluid conduit and a flexible diaphragm. The housing defines a chamber having an inlet and a spaced apart outlet. The enlarged block is located in the chamber and has a first region and a spaced apart second region. The inlet fluid conduit extends into the chamber, terminates at or near the first region of the enlarged block and has at least one fluid inlet aperture in the chamber. The outlet fluid conduit extends into the chamber, terminates at or near the second region of the enlarged block and has at least one fluid outlet aperture in the chamber. The flexible diaphragm is located in the chamber and is moveable between a first position in which a working fluid from the inlet fluid conduit is prevented from passing toward the outlet fluid conduit and a second position in which the working fluid from the inlet fluid conduit is allowed to pass toward the outlet fluid conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Shurflo Pump Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Elden C. Tuell
  • Patent number: 6158978
    Abstract: A motor mount adapter is disclosed which allows a blower housing to firmly hold a blower motor having a different size and shape than the blower motor originally designed to fit on the motor mounts and gaskets of the blower housing. The motor mount adapter has an outside surface which is shaped to mate with the surface of the motor mounts of the blower housing. If the motor mount surface has positioning holes, the outside surface of the motor mount adapter has projections which fit within the positioning holes to hold the motor mount firmly in place. The inside surface of the motor mount adapter holds gaskets which separate the blower motor from the motor mount adapter. When assembled, the blower motor of the blower assembly is supported solely by the gaskets on the motor mount adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Cary Products Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond L. Norbury, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6158968
    Abstract: A fluid displacement apparatus includes a cam rotor connected to a drive shaft and having a first arm extending therefrom. A plate is tiltably connected to the drive shaft. The plate has a surface disposed at an adjustable inclined angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the drive shaft and has a second arm extending therefrom. The plate and the piston are coupled, so that the pistons are driven in reciprocating motion within the cylinders upon nutation of the plate. A pin member is disposed in the second arm of the plate. An engaging device is disposed in the cam rotor. The pin member is slidably disposed in the engaging device, so that the cam rotor is coupled to the slant angle for permitting the inclination of the slant plate to vary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Nakamura