Patents Examined by Michael Carton
  • Patent number: 7726584
    Abstract: A thermal valve assembly for a transmission is provided. The thermal valve assembly includes a body having a base portion having a plurality of opposing sidewalls extending therefrom. A cover is mounted with respect to the body and operates to at least partially close the body to form a volume. The base portion defines an inlet orifice, while at least one of the plurality of opposing sidewalls at least partially defines an outlet orifice. A plate is operable to selectively close the inlet orifice. A bi-metallic spring member is disposed at least partially within the volume. The bi-metallic spring member is operable to bias the plate against the base portion. Additionally, the bi-metallic spring member has a variable stiffness characteristic responsive to temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Derril A. Loe, Richard F. Olenzek, Todd R. Berger
  • Patent number: 7726138
    Abstract: A water production system (1) for making potable water (7) in an environment of humid tropical air (6) and cold deep ocean water (8) comprising a heat exchanger (2), means for controlling (3) the volume of the deep ocean water (2) passing through the heat exchanger (2) based on the amount of heat absorbed by the heat exchanger (2) in the process of condensing water vapor (7a) from the humid air (6), and means for enhancing (4) the rate of at which water vapor (7a) is condensed including a positive air pressure dome (9) system for enhancing the humidity, condensation rate, and water quality, and a continuous coil (2a) disposed in the flow of humid air (6) to condense additional potable water (7), and means for vibrating (38) elements of the system to increase condensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Richard J. Bailey
  • Patent number: 7721563
    Abstract: An apparatus for calculating torque of a variable capacity compressor, including: a sensor configured to detect internal and external states of an air conditioner; an OFF-torque calculator configured to calculate and store a steady-state torque according to a state detected by the sensor just before a clutch is turned off; a start torque calculator configured to calculate a start torque according to a state detected by the sensor after the clutch is turned on; a steady-state full-stroke calculator configured to calculate a steady-state full-stroke torque based on an assumption that the compressor was in a full-stroke-state according to a state detected by the sensor after the clutch is turned on; and a determiner configured to provide, when an elapsed time after the clutch is turned on is less than a predetermined time, a maximum one of the torque values calculated by the OFF-torque calculator, start torque calculator, and steady-state full-stroke calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignees: Calsonic Kansei Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Takahashi, Masaki Kawachi, Masanori Ogawa, Hirofumi Muto, Daisuke Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7716923
    Abstract: The invention concerns a system for assisting regeneration of pollution management means (1) associated with oxidation catalyst forming means implementing an oxygen storage capacity (OSC) function, and integrated in an exhaust line (3) of a motor vehicle diesel engine (4), wherein the engine is associated with common ramp means (7) supplying fuel to the cylinders thereof. The invention is characterized in that it comprises means (8) for determining the number of incomplete regeneration processes of the pollution management means and for comparing same to predetermined threshold values (10) to control the engine (4) in a first lean mixture regeneration operating mode (11) for a number less than the threshold values or in a second regeneration operating mode of engine operation sequences alternating rich mixture and lean mixture operating phases (12) for a number greater than the threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventor: Christophe Colignon
  • Patent number: 7698901
    Abstract: A refrigerator icemaker assembly includes a bin having a bottom wall, as well as first and second pairs of opposing side walls. One of the first pair of opposing side walls includes an opening within which is movably mounted a coupler. The coupler is provided with a recessed portion having formed therein an aperture and a cog member. An auger is rotatably mounted in the bin and includes a first end portion that extends through the aperture of the coupler. A drive member extends into the coupler and drives the auger in a first direction to dispense ice cubes and in a second direction to dispense crushed ice. The driver engages with the cog member when being rotated in the first direction and directly engages the first end of the auger when being driven in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Koons, Mark Jeffery Reimer
  • Patent number: 7694508
    Abstract: Air-fuel ratio control system for an engine having a catalyst purifying exhaust gases, first oxygen sensor disposed upstream of the catalyst, and second oxygen sensor disposed downstream. Intake air flow rate is detected. An amount of oxygen flowing into the catalyst is calculated using oxygen concentration detected by the first sensor and the detected intake air flow rate. The air-fuel ratio is alternately controlled to lean and rich by comparison between the calculated oxygen amount and target values. A rich oxygen amount and a lean oxygen amount are calculated. A correction amount for correcting the first sensor output is calculated based on the rich oxygen amount, the lean oxygen amount, and an accumulated value of the detected intake air flow rate. The oxygen concentration corrected with the correction amount is used for calculating the inflowing oxygen amount, the rich operation oxygen amount, and the lean operation oxygen amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Iida, Yukio Suehiro, Hidetaka Maki
  • Patent number: 7665671
    Abstract: Thermostatic mixing valve has a valve body, a cold fluid inlet, a hot fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet. Mixing chamber is located between the respective fluid inlets and the fluid outlet. Thermostatic element is located in or adjacent to the mixing chamber and is arranged to contact a piston at one end and via a mixing tube the valve body at the other end. Piston regulates flow through the fluid inlets into the mixing chamber. The piston is can move due to continued expansion of the thermostatic element after the piston has closed off the second fluid inlet. Valve body has an internal thread with which a thread on mixing tube permits adjustment of the relative position of the thermostatic element within the valve body and hence the set temperature of the thermostatic mixing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: GSA Industries (Aust) Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Aaron Christian Cunningham, Tony Mark Scott
  • Patent number: 7637098
    Abstract: An arrangement for controlling exhaust pressure pulsation in a combustion engine including six cylinders. The engine also includes an inlet for supply of air to the cylinders, and an exhaust manifold for delivery of exhaust gases from the cylinders. The manifold is provided with a first outlet to an exhaust system and with a second outlet to a conduit for feeding exhaust gases back, via an EGR circuit, from at least one of the engine's cylinders to the inlet. At least one of the cylinders is adapted to enrich the exhaust gases with unburnt hydrocarbon with a view to regeneration of an exhaust gas post-treatment unit situated in the exhaust system. A special configuration of the exhaust manifold results in separation of regeneration gas from EGR gas in the exhaust manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Per Persson
  • Patent number: 7611068
    Abstract: A device is provided to prevent the autorotation of the temperature adjustment handle in an automatic hot and cold water mixing valve. A member is prevented from moving in the circumferential direction of the body and is pressed in the radial direction by a spring against the periphery of an adjusting screw receiver, which forms the rotation shaft of the temperature adjustment handle incorporated in the body. Alternatively, the member is dressed against a connecting sleeve connected to the adjusting screw receiver and the temperature adjustment handle. The member is pressed with sufficient force to oppose autorotation in the temperature adjusting handle when the temperature is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Thermostat Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Iwai, Takeshi Hagiwara