Patents Examined by Sherman Manley
  • Patent number: 9855839
    Abstract: A method for controlling a pressure inside a fuel tank system including a fuel tank and a controllable pressure relief valve. The method includes assessing whether a predetermined vapor expulsion risk is present, the predetermined vapor expulsion risk pertaining to a vapor expulsion from a main volume of the tank into a space accessible to an operator; if said risk is present, operating the pressure relief valve in accordance with a first pressure threshold, if the risk is not present, operating the pressure relief valve in accordance with a second pressure threshold which is higher than the first pressure threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research
    Inventor: Jurgen Dedeurwaerder
  • Patent number: 9840996
    Abstract: A method for installing a sealing ring in a ring groove of an injector, in particular a fuel injector, in which the diameter of the sealing ring is enlarged with the aid of an enlarging tool and is inserted into the ring groove, and the enlarged sealing ring accommodated in the ring groove is reshaped to a predefined sealing dimension with the aid of a calibration tool. For the purpose of shifting a residual ring gap remaining in the ring groove during the reshaping process to the groove flank of the ring groove facing away from the combustion chamber, the reshaping process of the sealing ring is carried out by removing the calibration tool from the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Thilo Beckmann, Ulrich Fischer, Johann Bayer, Guido Pilgram
  • Patent number: 9835121
    Abstract: A fuel-supply system has a fuel pump, a pressure controller, a signal output device and a power switch. The pressure controller adjusts the observed fuel pressure of the fuel and may electronically communicate with a motor driving the fuel pump to regulate the supply of fuel from a fuel tank of the fuel-supply system to an engine. In detail, the pressure controller performs feedback control of a voltage applied to the motor such that the pressure of a fuel pumped from the fuel pump approaches to have a first target and/or ideal fuel pressure value. Further, the signal output device outputs the first target fuel pressure value to the pressure controller. Activation of the power switch supplies power, from a power source, to the pressure controller, the motor and the signal output device. Further, the pressure controller may perform feedback control based on a second target fuel pressure value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki Tagawa, Minoru Akita
  • Patent number: 9835122
    Abstract: There is provided an airflow control device of an internal combustion engine comprising: a plasma actuator provided in an intake passage, a fuel injector for port injection provided in the intake passage so as to inject fuel toward the plasma actuator and a control unit for controlling them. The control unit is configured to actuate the plasma actuator after valve opening of an intake valve, in addition to causing the fuel injector to perform an operation of fuel injection, and causing the plasma actuator to perform an operation in a part of a valve closing period of the intake valve. Furthermore, the control unit includes a determination unit to determine whether or not water has adhered to the plasma actuator, and makes port injection operation and plasma actuator operation be performed only when water has adhered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Ito
  • Patent number: 9828967
    Abstract: An ignition system includes an ignition coil with a primary winding and a secondary winding having a terminal for providing a high voltage (HV). An electrode arrangement of an igniter includes first and second HV electrodes coupled to the terminal of the secondary winding. The igniter also has at least one ground electrode. A first spark gap is defined between the first HV electrode and the at least one ground electrode, and a second spark gap is defined between the second HV electrode and the at least one ground electrode. A first capacitor is disposed in-line between the first HV electrode and the terminal of the secondary winding and a second capacitor disposed in-line between the second HV electrode and the terminal of the secondary winding of the ignition coil. The ignition system includes a driver module coupled to a terminal of the primary winding, for driving the ignition coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventor: Ming Zheng
  • Patent number: 9828956
    Abstract: Method for controlling a fuel injector with a piezoelectric actuator acting on a valve element, including the following steps, in the normal operation of the vehicle: (200): Estimating an engine parameter (PjEST), representative of an actual play (JREEL) between the piezoelectric actuator and the valve element, (300): Comparing the engine parameter with the equivalent parameter (PjECU) representative of the original play (JINIT): if the engine parameter differs from the equivalent parameter in such a way that the actual play is greater than the original play: Applying an electrical polarization charge to the piezoelectric actuator, in order to polarize the piezoelectric actuator during the injection of the fuel, Commanding the closure of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Leblon, Jeremie Memain
  • Patent number: 9822727
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for individually adjusting fueling to cylinders of an engine based on an output of a knock sensor coupled to each cylinder. In one embodiment, a method for a multi fuel engine comprises individually adjusting, for each cylinder of the engine, one or more of a gas flow rate of gaseous fuel, a diesel flow rate of diesel fuel, an injection or induction timing of gaseous fuel, or an injection timing of diesel fuel based on each of an output of an individual knock sensor for each cylinder, a knock threshold for current engine operating conditions, and a reference value of individual cylinder output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pradheepram Ottikkutti, Prashant Srinivasan, Sachin Shivajirao Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 9816449
    Abstract: A fuel supply controlling device includes: an auxiliary chamber fuel supply valve that supplies a gaseous fuel to an auxiliary chamber; a non-return valve between the auxiliary chamber fuel supply valve and the auxiliary chamber, the non-return valve blocking a reverse flow from the auxiliary chamber; a valve state detector that detects an operating state of the non-return valve; a rotation angle detector that detects a rotation angle within an engine cycle; and a controller that determines an operation command value of the auxiliary chamber fuel supply valve. The controller measures an actual operating state of the non-return valve based on signals from the valve state detector and the rotation angle detector in association with the detected rotation angle, and corrects the operation command value of the auxiliary chamber fuel supply valve such that the measured actual operating state is brought close to a target operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sekai Miyamoto, Hidekazu Iwasaki, Motohiko Nishimura, Yosuke Nonaka
  • Patent number: 9816448
    Abstract: A method for propulsion of a vehicle (100): The vehicle (100) includes a combustion engine (101), and a gearbox (103) that can be adjusted to a number of gear ratios for transfer of force between the combustion engine (101) and at least one driving wheel (113, 114), at least one combustion chamber with at least one inlet for the supply of combustion gas and at least one outlet for the evacuation of an exhaust gas flow that has resulted from combustion in the combustion chambers and a turbocharger unit (203) for pressurizing the combustion gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Magnus Granström, Anders Larsson
  • Patent number: 9802597
    Abstract: A system for establishing a torque limit for a vehicle is provided. The system uses impending terrain and speed conditions to determine an optimum torque, which improves engine efficiency and reduces fuel consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CUMMINS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.
    Inventors: An Wu, Vivek A. Sujan, Phani Vajapeyazula, Kenneth Follen, Howard R. Frost
  • Patent number: 9803603
    Abstract: The housing (18) of the fuel injection valve (10) of the device for intermittently injecting fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprises a high-pressure inlet (34) with a conical sealing face (44). The high-pressure chamber (36) is disposed in the housing (18) from the high-pressure inlet (34). A cartridge-like, independent component (56) is inserted into the high-pressure chamber (36). Said component comprises the valve carrier (46), the non-return valve (48), the holding element (50), and preferably the filter body (52?). The valve carrier (46) is provided with a conical outer sealing face (69), by which the valve carrier rests against the conical sealing face (44). A fixing element (74) presses the supply line (16) against the valve carrier (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: GANSER-HYDROMAG AG
    Inventor: Marco Ganser
  • Patent number: 9797355
    Abstract: A connecting element connecting a fuel injection valve to a fuel-conducting component includes: a main body having a receptacle space into which a fuel connector of the fuel injection valve is introduced; and a fastening element. At least one opening is provided in a wall of the main body surrounding the receptacle space. The fastening element for fastening the fuel connector on the main body is brought into the receptacle space at least partly through the at least one opening. At least one elastic bearing element is provided, and the fastening element brought at least partly through the opening into the receptacle space is supported on the wall of the main body via the at least one elastic bearing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Reinhardt, Volker Scheef, Michael Mayer, Andreas Rehwald, Jan Herrmann, Philipp Rogler, Andreas Glaser, Hans-Georg Horst, Martin Riemer, Michael Knorpp, Michael Fischer
  • Patent number: 9790887
    Abstract: A protection device for preventing automobile engines from abnormal starts comprises automobile batteries (10), a start motor (20) and a control circuit (30) disposed therebetween. The control circuit (30) comprises a main control unit MCU1, a start switch (31), a start relay (321) and a power supply relay (322), the coil of the start relay (321) being connected to the automobile batteries (10) through the normally closed contact of the power supply relay (322). The start relay in the present invention is connected to the batteries rather than directly but through the normally closed contact of the power supply relay. In addition to being controlled by the main control unit, the start relay is also controlled by the power supply relay, thereby providing additional insurance and more effective protection so as to avoid the damage of the start motor due to erroneous actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: SPACEKEY
    Inventor: Hai Wu
  • Patent number: 9790881
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprising: a plurality of cylinders in which combustion chambers are provided, wherein an ignition device and/or a fuel introduction device is associated with each combustion chamber, wherein the combustion chambers are adapted for cyclic ignition of fuel, an open-loop or closed-loop control device for actuation or closed-loop control of the ignition devices and/or fuel introduction devices, and at least one measuring device for detecting a temperature which is characteristic for each cylinder, wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control device is adapted for actuation or closed-loop control of the ignition devices or the fuel introduction devices in dependence on the signals of the at least one measuring device so that no ignition takes place in at least one selected cylinder during at least one cycle and that an even temperature distribution over all cylinders is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: GE Jenbacher GMBH & CO OG
    Inventors: Herbert Kopecek, Nikolaus Spyra
  • Patent number: 9790877
    Abstract: A method of controlling exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for controlling recirculation of exhaust gas discharged from a combustion chamber of an engine includes: a data obtaining operation of obtaining data about an engine state and a gas supply state; a current EGR rate calculating operation of calculating a current EGR rate of supply gas based on the data; a demand EGR rate setting operation of setting a demand EGR rate matched with the data in a pre-made target EGR rate map; an error calculating operation of calculating a difference between the demand EGR rate and the current EGR rate; and a control operation of making the current EGR rate follow the demand EGR rate by changing a recirculation rate of the exhaust gas by adjusting an inhalation side pressure of the supply gas according to the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eui Joon Shim, Young Deok Han, Seung Hyup Shin
  • Patent number: 9787235
    Abstract: A method for operating a generator for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a starting operating mode and a start-stop operating mode, a torque of the generator being delimited in the starting operating mode, including: detecting an operating mode of the vehicle, and deactivating a delimitation of the torque of the generator if the detected operating mode corresponds to the start-stop operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Arnold Engber, Thomas Koss
  • Patent number: 9784235
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adapting pilot fuel injection pulse widths are disclosed. In one example, pilot fuel injection values are varied to determine adjustments to a fuel injector transfer function and a glow plug is activated in response to a request to adapt the fuel injector transfer function so that adaptation may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kyle Pohlkamp
  • Patent number: 9784198
    Abstract: A requesting module generates a first torque request for an engine based on driver input. A conversion module converts the first torque request into a second torque request. A model predictive control (MPC) module determines a current set of target values based on the second torque request, a model of the engine, a tableau matrix, and a basic solution matrix. The MPC module: initializes the basic solution matrix to a predetermined matrix that is dual feasible; selectively iteratively updates the basic solution matrix and columns of the tableau matrix; determines changes for the target values, respectively, based on entries of the basic solution matrix resulting from the selective iterative updating; and determines the current set of target values by summing the changes with a last set of target values, respectively. An actuator module controls an engine actuator based on a first one of the current set of target values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ruixing Long, Ning Jin
  • Patent number: 9777691
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes an engine configured to drive a vehicle; a starter configured to start the engine; a headlamp configured to radiate light in front of the vehicle; a battery configured to supply driving electric power to the starter and the headlamp; a brightness detection unit configured to detect a physical quantity corresponding to brightness around the vehicle; and a control unit configured to have the engine stop automatically when a predetermined stopping condition is satisfied, and to have the engine start automatically when a predetermined starting condition is satisfied. The control unit inhibits the engine from stopping automatically when the headlamp is lighted, and the physical quantity detected by the brightness detection unit is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Mikami
  • Patent number: 9777667
    Abstract: A fuel injection control system for an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of first energy storage elements each for supplying a high voltage to a fuel injection solenoid valve, boosting circuits each for boosting a battery voltage and electrically charging one of the first energy storage elements, a second energy storage element for accumulating electrical energy of the battery voltage, and a switching circuit for transferring the electrical energy between the plurality of first energy storage elements via the second energy storage element. This configuration enables the fuel injection control system for an internal combustion engine to implement stabilized supply of a fuel by obtaining within a short time the high voltage needed to operate the fuel injector both accurately and reliably, and to contribute to cost reduction by, for example, alleviating capability requirements and part performance requirements of the individual boosting circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Fukuda, Hideyuki Sakamoto