Patents Examined by Sherman Manley
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Patent number: 10174705Abstract: A control device of an internal combustion engine includes an estimating means adapted to estimate an amount of a mixture of fuel and oil dispersing according to a movement of a piston within a cylinder; and a limiting means adapted to limit an upper limit torque (UT) of an internal combustion engine according to the estimated amount of the mixture.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Masaharu Kassai, Kentarou Yamano
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Patent number: 10167823Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for indicating whether a canister purge valve in a vehicle evaporative emissions control system is degraded. In one example, an air intake system hydrocarbon (AIS HC) trap temperature may be monitored during a refueling event, and responsive to an indication that the AIS HC trap temperature change is greater than a predetermined threshold, it may be indicated that the canister purge valve is degraded. In this way, diagnosis of whether a vehicle canister purge valve is degraded may be indicated without the use of engine manifold vacuum, and may be advantageous for vehicles configured to operate for significant amounts of time without engine operation, or without intake manifold vacuum.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Aed M. Dudar
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Patent number: 10161375Abstract: An apparatus for starting an engine, including a motor, an output shaft driven by the motor, a pinion provided along the output shaft, and an electro-magnetic solenoid device. The electro-magnetic solenoid device is configured to push the pinion axially toward a ring gear of the engine to mesh the pinion with the ring gear and transfer a rotational force, which is referred to as a motor torque, generated by energization of the motor from the pinion to the ring gear, thereby starting the engine. The apparatus is configured such that, at starting of the engine in its warmed-up state, the motor torque can continue to be applied from the pinion to the ring gear until at least the second compression stroke even when an engine speed varies.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2017Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Tarou Okada, Mitsuhiro Murata
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Patent number: 10161325Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for managing combustion in an internal combustion engine that includes an operating condition module configured to determine an operating load of an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine can includes multiple banks of cylinders. The apparatus further includes a cylinder bank control module configured to select at least one bank of cylinders of the multiple banks of cylinders to be operational based on the determined operating load of the engine. The apparatus also includes a cylinder bank command module configured to generate a cylinder bank command based on a cylinder bank control instruction received from the cylinder bank control module, the cylinder bank control instruction comprising the selection of the at least one operational bank of cylinders.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2014Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Cummins IP, Inc.Inventors: Axel O. Zur Loye, Colin L. Norris, Timothy P. Lutz, Richard J. Ancimer, Abhishek Mehrotra
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Patent number: 10161306Abstract: A chambered sparkplug carrier and a natural gas engine management system are provided for reducing NOx emissions of pre-chambered combustion natural gas engines. A method for retro-fitting a pre-chambered combustion natural gas engine with a chambered sparkplug is also described.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: REM TECHNOLOGY INC.Inventors: Howard Malm, Brian Robert Bobyk, Gregory Anthony Brown
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Patent number: 10156212Abstract: There is provided an internal combustion engine controller and a control method thereof that can accurately estimate an EGR rate even when the humidity of intake air (the atmospheric air) changes. In the internal combustion engine controller and the control method thereof, an EGR rate is calculated based on an inner-manifold water vapor partial pressure ratio calculated based on a manifold pressure, a manifold temperature, and a manifold humidity and an inner-intake-air water vapor partial pressure ratio calculated based on an intake-air pressure, an intake-air temperature, and an intake-air humidity.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2016Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
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Patent number: 10151287Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of motor vehicles. The teachings thereof may be embodied in a self-locking internal damper comprising: a damper body with a closed chamber; each of two ends of the closed chamber in the length direction including a straight plate section projecting therefrom, with a center line of the straight plate section passing through a center point of the closed chamber; two connecting portions located at ends of the two straight plate sections, respectively; and at least one of the two connecting portions including a bent structure formed by extending and bending one of the straight plate sections.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Liang Wang, Jingying Liu, Kang Wang, Jinpeng Xu, Guangchun Ll, Guiyang Wu, Yanxin Sun, Ming Yang
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Patent number: 10151291Abstract: To improve a propagation speed of a flame by effectively utilizing energy of the electromagnetic wave in the combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine that promotes combustion of fuel air mixture in a combustion chamber by means of an electromagnetic wave. The internal combustion engine includes, in addition to an internal combustion engine main body and an ignition device, an electromagnetic wave emission device and a control device. The electromagnetic wave emission device emits an electromagnetic wave to the combustion chamber while the flame is being propagated after ignition of the fuel air mixture. The control device controls a frequency of the electromagnetic wave emitted to the combustion chamber in view of a resonant frequency of the combustion chamber in accordance with an operation condition of the internal combustion engine main body or a propagation condition of the flame.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2014Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: IMAGINEERING, INC.Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
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Patent number: 10151284Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure regulator for a high-pressure ramp of a system for injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine, comprising a solenoid valve element (10) which receives an electromagnet (40). The electromagnet controls a needle (20) that closes a valve seat (30) which is connected to a high-pressure inlet and opens into a discharge chamber (13), said discharge chamber communicating with a liquid recirculation system (5) by means of outlet openings (14). The rear face (12) of the solenoid valve element (10) receives a coil (40) which controls the opening process of an armature (41) that is rigidly connected to the needle (20) and is subject to a closing return spring (25). The discharge chamber (13) is located on the front face (11) of the solenoid valve element (10) on the axis (XX) of the needle (20), and the discharge chamber surrounds the needle.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2015Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Inventor: Lionel Bruyere
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Patent number: 10145318Abstract: A drive unit for a motor vehicle includes an internal combustion engine having a feeder line for feeding combustion air to the internal combustion engine and a compressor device that cooperates with the feeder line and by means of which the combustion air is compressed for the internal combustion engine. A bypass line opens into the feeder line, and through which the combustion air can be fed to the internal combustion engine without passing through the compressor device. An isolating mechanism associated with the bypass line serves to shut off and/or adjust the quantity of combustion air that flows through the bypass line. A control unit controls the isolating mechanism in such a manner that the isolating mechanism is at least partly closed or is caused to at least partly close when the internal combustion engine is in coasting mode.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2016Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Lutz Kilian Cloos, Claus Juergen Glahn
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Patent number: 10138824Abstract: The turbocharged engine control device comprises a basic target torque-deciding part for deciding a basic target torque based on a driving state of a vehicle including an accelerator pedal operation state; a torque reduction amount-deciding part for deciding a torque reduction amount based on a driving state of the vehicle other than the accelerator pedal operation state; a final target torque-deciding part for deciding a final target torque based on the decided basic target torque and the decided torque reduction amount; and an engine output control part for controlling an intake air amount so as to realize a target air amount required for an engine to output the decided final target torque, wherein the engine output control part is operable, when an operating state of the engine falls within a supercharging region, to restrict a reduction in the intake air amount corresponding to a change in the torque reduction amount.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Chikako Ohisa, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu, Taizo Ohmae, Yugou Sunagare, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Takahiro Kawamura, Takeatsu Ito
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Patent number: 10137771Abstract: A canister includes a canister case. The canister case includes a tank port, a purge port, and an atmospheric port. An adsorbent (14) is disposed in the canister case. The canister case also includes a case body having a peripheral wall portion and an end wall portion, and a cover having an end wall portion closing the open end of the case body. The tank port and the purge port are formed to be arranged side-by-side on the end wall portion of the case body. The atmospheric port, a holding tube portion configured to receive an OBD module for communicating with the atmospheric port, and a mount piece configured to mount to a vehicle are formed on the end wall portion of the cover.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takumi Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 10138825Abstract: A control system includes a processor for controlling an internal combustion engine having a temperature region, wherein a change of ignition delay time accompanying a rise in a cylinder temperature when the cylinder temperature is in the temperature region is smaller than when the cylinder temperature is out of the temperature region. When a self ignition timing of secondary fuel is earlier than a self ignition timing of primary fuel due to the secondary fuel being injected at a crank angle at which the cylinder temperature is higher than the temperature region, the processor controls a ratio of the secondary fuel to be lower than when the self ignition timing of the secondary fuel is later than the self ignition timing of the primary fuel due to the secondary fuel being injected at a crank angle at which the cylinder temperature is within the temperature region.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiroyuki Sakai
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Patent number: 10138849Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation apparatus including an engine; a suction line; an exhaust line; a post-processing unit which is disposed in the exhaust line to reduce hazardous substances contained in the exhaust gas; a first circulation line which guides a part of the exhaust gas, which is guided to the exhaust line, to the suction line; a second circulation line which guides a part of the exhaust gas, which is guided to a downstream side of the post-processing unit, to the suction line; and a bypass line which branches off from an upstream side of the second circulation line, and merges with a downstream side of the second circulation line, wherein ammonia slip, which is discharged from the post-processing unit, is prevented from being guided to the suction line.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ji Hoon Lim
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Patent number: 10125726Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, the method comprising: operating the engine with at least one of the cylinders of the engine as a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cylinder; mixing exhaust gas expelled from the dedicate EGR cylinder with air in an intake system to provide a mixture of exhaust gas and air; providing a first hydrocarbon fuel and a second hydrocarbon fuel; introducing a charge comprising the first hydrocarbon fuel, the second hydrocarbon fuel and the mixture of exhaust gas and air to the dedicated EGR cylinder; igniting the charge in the dedicated EGR cylinder; expelling exhaust gas from the dedicated EGR cylinder; and recirculating the exhaust gas to the intake system of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2015Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventor: Cary A. Henry
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Patent number: 10119498Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an air intake system in communication with a plurality of cylinders. An exhaust system is in communication with the plurality of cylinders. An EGR passage is in communication with the exhaust system and the air intake system. The EGR passage includes an EGR cooler with an EGR inlet end with a passage having a first portion extending in one direction in an assembled condition toward an intermediate section. The passage includes a second portion extending in an opposite direction from the intermediate section toward an EGR outlet end. A first cooler matrix is disposed in the first portion and a second, optional, cooler matrix disposed in the second portion. A thermally separated bypass channel is provided to allow a fast warm-up and guarantee the lowest possible pressure drop. The EGR cooler shape allows a compact packaging around the bypass pipe.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Cesare Maria Meano, Riccardo Baria, Andrea Tripodi
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Patent number: 10113494Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for regulating engine operating parameters such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) based on road roughness conditions. Based on increased road roughness estimation, EGR flow rate may be opportunistically raised, enabling NVH associated with elevated EGR levels to be masked by NVH associated with rough road conditions. In addition, purging of fuel vapors from a canister or a crankcase to the engine may be increased while transmission shift schedules may be advanced so as to complete the shift during the rough road condition.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2018Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Chris Paul Glugla
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Patent number: 10107242Abstract: An actuating drive for an injection valve may comprise: a sleeve-shaped actuator housing; an actuator unit disposed in the housing; at least one actuator feed line; at least one connector contact; a housing unit; a cover; and a first sealing unit. The at least one actuator feed line may protrude from an end-side opening of the actuator housing. The at least one connector contact may be coupled electrically to the at least one actuator feed line and configured to be coupled electrically to a system-side connector. The housing unit may be arranged along a circumference of the actuator housing in an end-side shell surface section of the actuator housing and configured to fix the at least one connector contact in a predefined position. The cover may close a cavity defined by the housing unit and be coupled mechanically to the housing unit. The first sealing element may be arranged between the housing unit and the cover to prevent penetration of solid, liquid, or gaseous media into the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2014Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Emanuel Sanftleben, Martin Simmet
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Patent number: 10107216Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating valves are presented. In one example, deactivated valves may be reactivated to increase a rate of camshaft phase indexing relative to engine crankshaft position. However, if a desired rate of camshaft indexing is low, the engine cylinders may remain deactivated based on the low rate of desired camshaft indexing.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2017Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Chris Paul Glugla
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Patent number: 10094341Abstract: An air intake system for an internal combustion engine may include an air intake channel, an exhaust gas return channel opening into the air intake channel, an exhaust gas cooler arranged in the exhaust gas return channel, a capture device, and a sensor. The capture device may capture cooling liquid from the exhaust gas cooler in the region of the opening point of the exhaust gas return channel into the air intake channel. The sensor may detect cooling liquid in the capture device.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2014Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Manfred Weigl, Philippe Grass