Patents Examined by Phutthiwat Wongwian
  • Patent number: 11639679
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the dynamic monitoring of the flow rate of liquid additive consumed by a liquid-additive injector of an exhaust gas treatment system of a motor vehicle. The measurement of the pressure of the liquid makes it possible firstly to deduce the flow rate circulating through the orifice and secondly, by knowing the operating characteristic of the pump, to determine the flow rate of liquid additive actually delivered to the system for treating polluting gases. The process also provides a phase of characterizing the pump, including commanding the closure of the injector, measuring at least two pressure values for two different operating speeds of the pump, and updating the pump operating characteristics table on the basis of the pressure values measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: ACTBLUE EUROPE S.A R.L.
    Inventor: Georges Maguin
  • Patent number: 11635052
    Abstract: An electro-pneumatic starter for use with a natural gas powered, reciprocating internal combustion engine in oil and gas industrial applications, and a method of starting an internal combustion engine, are provided. A novel combination of an electric motor and a pneumatically actuated transmission are provided for the innovation as claimed, wherein power is translated from an output shaft and motor gear, through a transmission gear and transmission shaft, and to an output gear mated with a ring gear of a host engine, the transmission shaft being extendable by means of a pneumatically controlled piston. When the transmission shaft is extended it is in the engaged position, capable of providing torque to the ring gear of the host engine; when retracted, the same is disengaged from the host engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Inventor: Charles DiPasquale, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11635348
    Abstract: A method for detecting damage to a bearing of an engine using a knocking sensor includes a data storing step, which stores a vibration signal output from the knocking sensor in a data storing unit, a by-frequency amplitude calculating step, which performs Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) for the vibration signal and calculates an amplitude for each frequency, a detection frequency integrating step, which obtains a detection frequency integration value by adding all amplitudes of detection frequencies, a noise determining step, which determines whether the vibration signal is the vibration signal irrelevant to damage to the bearing by determining whether exclusion frequencies correspond to a preset condition, a counter increasing step, which increases a damage counter, when the detection frequency integration value is greater than a preset damage threshold, and a damage confirming step, which confirms damage to the bearing, when the damage counter equals or exceeds a preset confirmation counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Jung-Suk Han, Chang-Jin Oh
  • Patent number: 11629672
    Abstract: A gas-leak-detection device for detecting a gas leakage from an evaporative emission system includes an electric-wire-connection portion and a passage connection portion that are disposed to overlap with at least one of appearance components in a vehicle when the vehicle is seen in a viewing direction, and are disposed closer to the at least one appearance component than a center plane perpendicular to the viewing direction when the vehicle is in an upright state, the center plane being one of an imaginary-lateral-center plane that is an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the left-right direction, an imaginary-longitudinal-center plane that is an imaginary vertical plane including a center in the front-rear direction and being perpendicular to the front-rear direction, or an imaginary-vertical-center plane that is an imaginary horizontal plane including a center in the top-bottom direction and being perpendicular to the top-bottom direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsuya Hidai, Hisatoshi Kinoshita, Kazuteru Iwamoto, Atsushi Hirano, Tatsuya Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11629623
    Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system includes an exhaust gas pathway configured to receive exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas treatment system further includes a treatment element configured to reduce an emissions component of the exhaust gas, and a sample collector positioned within the exhaust gas pathway downstream of the treatment element. The sample collector includes a plurality of inlet openings spaced about a periphery of the exhaust gas pathway and configured to receive a sample of exhaust gas from the exhaust gas pathway, and an outlet in fluid communication with the plurality of inlet openings. A sensor located at the outlet of the sample collector is configured to measure a characteristic of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Craig W. Lohmann, Austin G. Richardson
  • Patent number: 11623627
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a powertrain and a controller. The powertrain has an engine and an electric machine that are each configured to generate power within the powertrain to propel the vehicle. The controller is programmed to, generate a powertrain power output profile required to propel the vehicle over a predetermined route based on navigation data. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the electric machine operating to propel the vehicle over the predetermined route while the engine is shutdown and an upcoming increase in the powertrain power output profile to a value that is greater than a threshold, initiate an engine start at a predetermined time period before the upcoming increase in the powertrain power output profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Walter Joseph Ortmann, Naginder Gogna
  • Patent number: 11619195
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for evaporating vapors of a fuel stored in a motor vehicle tank. The evaporation device includes a bypass circuit and a bypass valve configured to move between a so-called “absorption” position, in which the bypass valve allows the gases to flow between the tank and an absorbent filter and a so-called “leak detection” position, in which the bypass valve allows the gases to flow between a purge circuit and the tank via the bypass circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignees: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Thierry Collet
  • Patent number: 11618313
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a hybrid vehicle. In one example, a system comprises a first magnetic transmission configured to output power from a rotor shaft to a coolant pump and a second magnetic transmission configured to output power from the rotor shaft to an air-conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rainer Kiehn, Georg Louven, Krystian Dylong, Christoph Niederhut
  • Patent number: 11621617
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stator (2) comprising an annular body (4) having a side face (6) from which a plurality of radial teeth (8) extend, said teeth being angularly spaced in such a way as to define slots (10), and a plurality of conductive needles (15A, 15B), each conductive needle comprising two conductive segments (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) connected by an elbow connector (18), the conductive segments being stacked one above the other in the slots (10) so as to form N layers which are parallel or substantially parallel to the side face (6) of the annular body. Each conductive needle (15A, 15B) comprises a conductive segment present in two separate slots, with one conductive segment present in a slot E in such a way as to occupy a layer (Ci) and another conductive segment present in a slot E+P in such a way as to occupy a layer (Ci+2), P being a pitch that is predetermined in a first direction of orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Vincent Ramet, Jean Duquesne, Stéphane De Clercq, Julien Pauwels, Laurent Delassus, Humberto Menezes
  • Patent number: 11619201
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, a torque reserve for starting an engine via an electric machine is adjusted responsive to vehicle operating conditions. The torque reserve may set aside a portion of torque that an electric machine may produce for cranking and starting an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Maruthi Ravichandran, Ravikumar Tumu, Jason Meyer, Rajit Johri, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 11611222
    Abstract: A portable or handheld jump starting and air compressing apparatus for jump starting a vehicle engine and air inflating an article such as a tire. The apparatus can include a rechargeable lithium ion battery or battery pack and a microcontroller. The lithium ion battery is coupled to a power output port of the device through a FET smart switch actuated by the microcontroller. A vehicle battery isolation sensor connected in circuit with positive and negative polarity outputs detects the presence of a vehicle battery connected between the positive and negative polarity outputs. A reverse polarity sensor connected in circuit with the positive and negative polarity outputs detects the polarity of a vehicle battery connected between the positive and negative polarity outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: THE NOCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Lewis Nook, William Knight Nook, James Richard Stanfield, Derek Michael Underhill
  • Patent number: 11608765
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for determining urea feeding in an exhaust gas aftertreatment system (100,200), the exhaust gas aftertreatment system (100,200) being connectable to an internal combustion engine (101,201) operating under an engine operating condition, the system (100,200) comprising a first Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR1) system comprising a first selective reduction catalyst (SCR1c) and a first doser (103,203) configured for feeding urea upstream the SCR1 system, at least one Particulate Filter (PF) downstream the SCR1 system or as a substrate for the SCR1c and a second Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR2) system downstream the PF, the SCR2 system comprising a second selective reduction catalyst (SCR2c) and a second doser (104,204) configured for feeding urea upstream the SCR2c, the method comprising the steps of estimating the amount of particles in the PF; and determining the amount of urea to be fed by the respective first and second doser (4,5) based on the engine operatin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mathias Magnusson, Johanna Bergström, Lennart Andersson
  • Patent number: 11608791
    Abstract: A CPU of a control device is configured to perform a specific cylinder fuel cutoff process of causing an internal combustion engine to operate such that supply of fuel to some cylinders out of a plurality of cylinders is stopped and supply of fuel to the other cylinders is maintained and a fastening force decreasing process of decreasing a fastening force of a lockup clutch of a torque converter. The CPU is configured to start the specific cylinder fuel cutoff process in a state in which the fastening force has been decreased through the fastening force decreasing process when the specific cylinder fuel cutoff process is performed in a state in which the internal combustion engine operates with a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Nose, Yuto Ikeda, Takanobu Gotoh
  • Patent number: 11603818
    Abstract: Systems and methods for preparing an engine for a cold start are described. In one example, the air is injected into one or more pre-chambers of engine cylinders in response to an engine start request so that one or more cylinders may be heated before the engine is started. The engine may or may not be rotated while air is being injected to pre-chambers of engine cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rani Kiwan, Chris Glugla
  • Patent number: 11598281
    Abstract: A method for operating a drive device having a drive unit producing exhaust gas and an exhaust gas posttreatment device designed as a vehicle catalytic converter for posttreatment of the exhaust gas. A first measured value describing the residual oxygen content in the exhaust gas is measured by a first lambda sensor arranged upstream of the exhaust gas posttreatment device and a second measured value describing the residual oxygen content in the exhaust gas is measured by a second lambda sensor arranged downstream of the exhaust gas posttreatment device. The combustion air ratio of a fuel-air mixture used to operate the drive unit is set during an at least temporarily performed normal operating mode on the basis of the first measured value, the second measured value, and a threshold value for the second measured value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Bodo Odendall
  • Patent number: 11598300
    Abstract: Operating an engine includes injecting a first charge of liquid fuel using a first set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector, and injecting a second charge of liquid fuel using a second set of nozzle outlets in a fuel injector. The first charge is autoignited in a first engine cycle, and the second charge is autoignited in a second engine cycle, and may be used to pilot ignite a charge of gaseous fuel. Operating the engine further includes limiting errors in targeting of the second charge of liquid fuel caused by transitioning the engine from a first combination to a second combination of speed, load, and boost, by varying an injection pressure of the liquid fuel from the first engine cycle to the second engine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Anders, Bobby John, Robert Campion
  • Patent number: 11598228
    Abstract: A rocker arm assembly selectively opening first and second engine valves. The assembly includes a rocker arm and a valve bridge operably associated with the rocker arm and including a main body and a lever rotatably coupled to the main body. The main body is configured to engage the first engine valve, and the lever is configured to engage the second engine valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: James E. McCarthy, Jr., Douglas J. Nielsen, Mark VanWingerden
  • Patent number: 11598305
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for controlling an engine system includes starting the engine system, activating an engine idling reduction mode allowing automatic shutdown and automatic restarting of an engine, disallowing automatic shutdown of the engine within the engine idling reduction mode if a state of charge of a voltage source is below a charge limit for permitting automatic shutdown of the engine, and modifying the charge limit as a function of a number of starts of the engine. Other aspects include a method for disallowing automatic shutdown of an engine if a voltage source has not achieved a fully charged condition, a method of triggering an automatic restarting of an engine, if the engine is automatically shutdown, based on at least two separate indicators of engine temperature, and a method of disallowing automatic shutdown of an engine if ambient temperature is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Harmeyer, Michael E. Kenning, Navya X. Koka, Matthew E. Lueddecke, Jon B. Borgeson
  • Patent number: 11598291
    Abstract: A gas-leak-detection device for detecting a gas leakage from an evaporative emission system includes an electric-wire-connection portion and a passage connection portion that are disposed to overlap with at least one of appearance components in a vehicle when the vehicle is seen in a viewing direction, and are disposed closer to the at least one appearance component than a center plane perpendicular to the viewing direction when the vehicle is in an upright state, the center plane being one of an imaginary-lateral-center plane that is an imaginary vertical plane perpendicular to the left-right direction, an imaginary-longitudinal-center plane that is an imaginary vertical plane including a center in the front-rear direction and being perpendicular to the front-rear direction, or an imaginary-vertical-center plane that is an imaginary horizontal plane including a center in the top-bottom direction and being perpendicular to the top-bottom direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsuya Hidai, Hisatoshi Kinoshita, Kazuteru Iwamoto, Atsushi Hirano, Tatsuya Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11598240
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for estimation of a volume of liquid diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) contained within a DEF tank. In one example, a method for the estimation of the volume of liquid DEF in a DEF tank during DEF freezing conditions may include activating a heater contained within the DEF tank, and then switching estimation of the volume of liquid DEF via a first transfer function to estimation of the volume of liquid DEF via a second transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thaddeus A Chmielewski, Gurpreet Matharu, Marcus Bengtsson, Carlos Armesto, Bret Alan Zimmerman, Jim Bromham