Patents Examined by Sherman Manley
  • Patent number: 10174705
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaharu Kassai, Kentarou Yamano
  • Patent number: 10167823
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 10161375
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tarou Okada, Mitsuhiro Murata
  • Patent number: 10161325
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Axel O. Zur Loye, Colin L. Norris, Timothy P. Lutz, Richard J. Ancimer, Abhishek Mehrotra
  • Patent number: 10161306
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: REM TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Howard Malm, Brian Robert Bobyk, Gregory Anthony Brown
  • Patent number: 10156212
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Patent number: 10151287
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Liang Wang, Jingying Liu, Kang Wang, Jinpeng Xu, Guangchun Ll, Guiyang Wu, Yanxin Sun, Ming Yang
  • Patent number: 10151291
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10151284
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Inventor: Lionel Bruyere
  • Patent number: 10145318
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Lutz Kilian Cloos, Claus Juergen Glahn
  • Patent number: 10138824
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikako Ohisa, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu, Taizo Ohmae, Yugou Sunagare, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Takahiro Kawamura, Takeatsu Ito
  • Patent number: 10137771
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takumi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 10138825
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 10138849
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji Hoon Lim
  • Patent number: 10125726
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Cary A. Henry
  • Patent number: 10119498
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Cesare Maria Meano, Riccardo Baria, Andrea Tripodi
  • Patent number: 10113494
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Chris Paul Glugla
  • Patent number: 10107242
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Emanuel Sanftleben, Martin Simmet
  • Patent number: 10107216
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Chris Paul Glugla
  • Patent number: 10094341
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Manfred Weigl, Philippe Grass