Patents Examined by Sizo Vilakazi
  • Patent number: 9638143
    Abstract: A vaporized fuel processing apparatus has a fuel tank, a canister configured to adsorb vaporized fuel and connected to an internal combustion engine, a vapor path connecting the fuel tank to the canister, a closing valve having a stepping motor and configured to open and close the vapor path, and an electric control unit configured to cause the closing valve to an initial position in order to initialize the closing valve. The electric control unit is configured to determine whether it is in a predetermined initialization permission time when the initialization of the closing valve does not adversely affect running of the internal combustion engine. When it is determined that it is in the predetermined initialization permission time, the electric control unit is configured to output signals to start the initialization of the closing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuzuru Ito
  • Patent number: 9624890
    Abstract: A self-contained starting module for outdoor power equipment that has control circuit and a start button. The starting module includes internal control circuit that can be either microprocessor based or analog. The control circuit receives a start signal from a start button of the starting module. The control circuit monitors for the presence of an enable device and, upon activation of the start button and the presence of the enable device, provides electric power to the electric load of the power equipment. When the start button is depressed for longer than a minimum engagement period, the control circuit initiates operation of the engine. If the start button is pressed for less than the minimum engagement period, the control circuit activates the electric load for an auxiliary period without starting the engine. During engine operation, if the start button is depressed, the operation of the engine is terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Robert John Koenen, Jason Hansen, Andrew Paskov, Daniel Brueck, Steven J. Weber
  • Patent number: 9617941
    Abstract: A method for controlling a cooling system in a vehicle, may include an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) use determination step of determining whether to use EGR, a first coolant temperature management step of controlling a coolant temperature using a first coolant temperature map based on an output value reflecting engine operating conditions when driving the vehicle using the EGR, and a second coolant temperature management step of controlling the coolant temperature using a second coolant temperature map in which a coolant temperature of the second coolant temperature map may be set to be higher than a coolant temperature of the first coolant temperature map in a same engine operation region when driving the vehicle not using the EGR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jun Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 9617948
    Abstract: Internal combustion engine optimization in which individual adjustment processes to be carried out to achieve optimal cooperation between the sensors, actuators, control device and internal combustion engine are started and carried out on the basis of the quality achieved for each of the individual adjustment processes in relation to one another, the ambient conditions of the internal combustion engine and the system states of the internal combustion engine in connection with a control program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: IAV GMBH INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT AUTO UND VERKEHR
    Inventor: Sven Meyer
  • Patent number: 9617947
    Abstract: A waveform detector detects a variation in fuel pressure based on a detection value of a fuel pressure sensor as a fuel pressure waveform. A determining portion determines whether an interval between injections is zero or smaller than a predetermined value based on the detected fuel pressure waveform when multi-step-injection is performed. A correcting portion corrects an injection command signal indicative of an injection start timing and an injection end timing corresponding to a target injection state in a manner that the interval is increased when the interval is determined to be zero or smaller than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9618470
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine coupled temperature-based humidity sensor. Degradation of the humidity sensor may be determined while flowing gasses into an engine intake air downstream of a humidity sensor and upstream of a compressor, indicating humidity sensor degradation when relative humidity readings change by less than a threshold while temperature at the sensor changes greater than a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Yong-Wha Kim, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 9617928
    Abstract: Systems are provided for EGR mass and air mass estimation during steady state and transient operations. By utilizing a combination sensor comprising of a manifold absolute pressure sensing element and a differential pressure sensing element sharing a common pressure chamber with connections to the intake manifold, errors in EGR mass estimation may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Freeman Carter Gates, Dennis Vroman, Fadi Maroun Naddaf, Gitanjli McRoy
  • Patent number: 9611798
    Abstract: In a control device of an internal combustion engine, an atmospheric pressure estimation portion includes an effective opening area calculation portion calculating an effective opening area corresponding to a throttle opening, a throttle opening learning value calculation portion calculating a learning value in a relation of the effective opening area and the throttle opening, an error variation calculation portion calculating an error variation from an error from the corrected learning value, a variation range determination portion determining whether the error variation is within a predetermined range, an atmospheric pressure estimated value update portion updating an atmospheric pressure estimated value, and a target throttle opening calculation portion calculating a target throttle opening using the updated atmospheric pressure estimated value. The throttle opening is controlled to be the target throttle opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Hagari, Tomokazu Makino
  • Patent number: 9611816
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a purging operation of a fuel vapor canister in a boosted engine. One method comprises purging stored fuel vapors from the fuel vapor canister to an inlet of the compressor via an ejector while bypassing a canister purge valve, the ejector being fluidically coupled to the fuel vapor canister by a distinct passage and motive flow through the ejector being regulated by a shut-off valve. The shut-off valve is temporarily closed in response to an operator tip-in event to discontinue the purging operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey
  • Patent number: 9611800
    Abstract: In a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, the fuel is pumped by a high-pressure fuel pump into a fuel pressure accumulator, from which it is supplied into at least one combustion chamber via at least one injector. A value is provided for the actual pressure in the fuel pressure accumulator. A pressure regulating device using which the fuel may be extracted from the fuel pressure accumulator is precontrolled using a precontrol signal, which is ascertained taking into account a setpoint pressure in the fuel pressure accumulator. A value for a fuel quantity flowing through the pressure regulating device is taken into account when ascertaining the precontrol signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Guenter Veit, Stefan Keller
  • Patent number: 9611769
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an airflow determination module and a cylinder activation module. The airflow determination module determines an amount of airflow through a ventilation system for a crankcase of an engine. The cylinder activation module, when a cylinder of the engine is deactivated while the engine is running, selectively activates the cylinder based on the amount of airflow through the ventilation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ronald J. Pierik, Thomas A. Spix
  • Patent number: 9605615
    Abstract: A model predictive control (MPC) module performs multiple iterations to determine a current set of target values for an engine based on a torque request, a model of the engine, a tableau matrix, and a basic solution matrix. Each of the iterations includes: determining whether the basic solution matrix is not in standard form; when the basic solution matrix is not in standard form, identifying a first column of the tableau matrix based on a first entry position of the primal variable of the non-basic pair; when the basic solution matrix is in standard form and one or more primal variables of the basic solution matrix are negative, identifying the first column of the tableau matrix based on a second entry position of a dual variable of the basic pair; and selectively updating the basic solution matrix based on the first column of the tableau matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ruixing Long, Ning Jin
  • Patent number: 9605611
    Abstract: Injector drift for a diesel engine are detected by reconfiguration of injection patterns from one pattern into a pattern with a different number of pulse points while attempting to hold total fuel injected constant. If a particular injector is subject to drift then changes in the pulse pattern result in an increase or decrease in fuel injected and consequential variations in engine speed. By applying alternating injection patterns at constant fuel demand and allowing engine speed time to stabilize, a rhythmic variation in engine speed/torque will appear which can be detected using one of a number of techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Nirav Atul Shah, Mark Brian Michelotti, Sumeet Suresh Yerunkar
  • Patent number: 9599042
    Abstract: A method for controlling fuel injection timing into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine having an internal control system based on ignition delay correlation wherein intake manifold pressure and oxygen concentration values are compared to steady state values of manifold pressure and oxygen concentration of a particular indicated torque set-point and engine speed. Comparing intake manifold pressure and oxygen concentration to steady state reference values further comprises experimentally determining exponential factors for intake manifold pressure factor and oxygen concentration factors. A multiplier for intake manifold pressure and oxygen concentration is determined taking into consideration the exponential factors for manifold pressure and oxygen concentration. An equation for correlation ignition delay is used to determine optional SOI timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC.
    Inventors: Raj Kumar, William de Ojeda, James Rynold Popp
  • Patent number: 9599076
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for a vehicle includes a fuel pump module with a fuel pump module flange at a surface thereof. A lock ring is removably secured to the fuel pump module flange and to a fuel tank for retaining the fuel pump module to the fuel tank. An extension member is secured to the lock ring and extends a distance from the fuel pump module. A fuel pump controller is in communication with the vehicle and the fuel pump module for relaying signals therebetween. The fuel pump controller is fixedly secured to the extension member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Patrick Powell
  • Patent number: 9593623
    Abstract: The method involves receiving a plurality of current operating parameters of an engine during operation of engine and determining at least one of a current substitution ratio and a current peak cylinder pressure based on the plurality of current operating parameters. The method also involves determining at least one of a target substitution ratio and a predefined peak cylinder pressure based on the plurality of current operating parameters and comparing at least one of the current substitution ratio with the target substitution ratio and the current peak cylinder pressure with the predefined peak cylinder pressure. The method also involves controlling a first power output from a plurality of engine cylinders and a second power output from an electric turbo-compounding system, based on the comparison of at least one of the current substitution ratio with the target substitution ratio and the current peak cylinder pressure with the predefined peak cylinder pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Anthony Holmes Furman
  • Patent number: 9593658
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided with a pinion starter for an internal-combustion engine, which vehicle includes a low-voltage onboard power supply system and a high-voltage onboard power supply system. The pinion starter has an electric motor and a solenoid switch, wherein the electric motor is constructed as a polyphase machine. The polyphase machine can be supplied with electric power from the high-voltage onboard power supply system, and the solenoid switch can be electrically supplied by the low-voltage onboard power supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hartmut Proebstle, Sherif Mahmoud
  • Patent number: 9573576
    Abstract: Methods for controlling vacuum within a brake booster by modifying powertrain operation include determining an intake manifold vacuum in response to actuation of a brake pedal. Increasing the intake manifold vacuum if the brake booster vacuum is less than a desired brake booster vacuum. In some embodiments, the transmission is downshifted to increase engine speed and intake manifold vacuum. In other embodiments, engine torque is reduced to increase intake manifold vacuum and the torque of the electric machine is increased to maintain a constant output torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Dale Scott Crombez, Moses Alexander Fridman
  • Patent number: 9574487
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating at least one precombustion chamber-fired internal combustion engine, in particular a stationary gas Otto cycle engine, having a pilot chamber and a main combustion chamber associated with the precombustion chamber, wherein a gas mixture is fed to the precombustion chamber as flushing gas, wherein a synthesis gas generated in a fuel reformer and a fuel from a fuel source are fed to the flushing gas and wherein a fuel and at least one further substance stream are fed to the fuel reformer for the reforming process, wherein at least one operating parameter of the at least one internal combustion engine is monitored, wherein in accordance with a change in the at least one operating parameter the chemical composition of the flushing gas is modified by changing the mass stream of the at least one further substance stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: GE JENBACHER GMBH & CO., OG
    Inventors: Friedrich Gruber, Guenther Wall
  • Patent number: 9567928
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a cylinder control module and a valve control module. The cylinder control module deactivates and reactivates a cylinder of an engine based on a driver torque request while an ignition system associated with the engine is in an on position. The valve control module selectively adjusts a period for which at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the cylinder are opened based on a first time when the cylinder is reactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Allen B. Rayl, Daniel G. Brennan