Patents Examined by Sizo Vilakazi
  • Patent number: 9765751
    Abstract: An ignition apparatus includes a spark plug having a high voltage electrode and an external electrode facing each other across a gap and being configured to generate a spark discharge in the gap to ignite a combustible fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, an ignition coil device configured to generate a predetermined high voltage and supply the high voltage to the high voltage electrode to form a path for the spark discharge in the gap, a high frequency power supply having a band-pass filter and being configured to supply an alternating current to the spark discharge path, and a control device configured to control operation timing of the high frequency power supply. The band-pass filter passes a frequency of from 1 MHz to 4 MHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kimihiko Tanaya
  • Patent number: 9759139
    Abstract: A vehicle engine automatic control device has a brake operation amount detecting unit that detects an amount of brake operation by a driver, an engine stopping/re-starting unit that, during coast drive, stops an engine based on the amount of brake operation that is detected, and, after the engine stops, re-starts the engine when the amount of brake operation that is detected falls below a first threshold, and a first threshold setting unit that sets the first threshold smaller as vehicle speed becomes lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kouichi Mori, Motoyuki Hattori
  • Patent number: 9759173
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel pump includes a pump body, a plunger, a retainer, a spring that is configured to energize the plunger in a direction opposite to a direction of the pressurizing chamber, and a tappet covering the retainer from a side of an end portion of the retainer and the plunger. The retainer is provided with a projection portion protruding to a side of the tappet. The projection portion is separated from the tappet by a predetermined distance along an axial direction of the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Hashida, Hiroyuki Yamada, Masayuki Suganami, Sunao Takahashi, Toru Onose, Hideaki Yamauchi, Kazuichi Ishige
  • Patent number: 9758946
    Abstract: A work vehicle having a plurality of working modes allowing working in accordance with a load state includes an engine, an exhaust gas purification apparatus, a reducing agent tank, a state determination portion, and an engine control unit. The exhaust gas purification apparatus purifies a nitrogen oxide in an exhaust gas. The reducing agent tank stores a reducing agent. The state determination portion determines a state of the reducing agent. The engine control unit controls output of the engine with the use of a restricted-operation engine output torque curve in which horsepower output from the engine is lower than horsepower output from the engine at the time when each of the plurality of working modes is selected, when a state of the reducing agent is equal to or lower than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Jin Yogita, Eiji Morinaga, Kozo Okuda, Kazuyoshi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9759143
    Abstract: In an evaporation fuel processing apparatus, a canister holds an evaporation fuel evaporated in a fuel tank, a purge passage communicates with the canister and an intake passage of an engine, a purge pump disposed in the purge passage pressurizes and feeds an air in the canister toward the intake passage, a bypass passage disposed in the purge passage bypasses the purge pump, and an on-off valve disposed in the purge passage opens and closes the bypass passage. When an intake negative pressure of the intake passage is low, the purge pump is activated, and the bypass passage is closed by the on-off valve. When the intake negative pressure of the intake passage is not low, the purge pump is stopped, and the bypass passage is open by the on-off valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Ooiwa
  • Patent number: 9759142
    Abstract: An engine control system includes an engine calibration module that sets fuel injection timing based on one of N cetane number (CN) values, wherein N is an integer greater than one. A combustion noise module generates a combustion noise signal based on cylinder pressure in a compression ignition (CI) engine during combustion. A fuel quality determination module compares the combustion noise signal to N predetermined combustion noise levels corresponding to the N CN values, and that selects the one of the N CN values based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chol-Bum M. Kweon, Frederic Anton Matekunas, Ibrahim Haskara, Yue-Yun Wang, Ognyan N. Yanakiev, Donald Terry French, Paul Anthony Battiston
  • Patent number: 9752527
    Abstract: A fuel injection device includes: a current control section which turns off a current which is applied by a current output section such that a timing at which fuel injection of a fuel injection section is ended becomes a timing coinciding with a timing at which fuel injection is ended in a case where a current is turned off from a predetermined current amount at which continuation of the fuel injection of the fuel injection section becomes possible, in a case where a fuel injection ending request timing of the fuel injection section is in a time domain in which a current which is applied by the current output section changes transiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: KEIHIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Shimatsu
  • Patent number: 9752547
    Abstract: An electrical system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with start/stop capability includes a primary battery connectible to an engine starter motor; a secondary battery, an alternator, and an electrical load in parallel with one another and selectively connectible in parallel with the primary battery by a charge switch; in parallel with the secondary battery, a DC/DC converter in series with a third electrical energy source; and a bypass switch operable to selectively bypass the DC/DC converter. The bypass switch allows for selective bypassing the DC/DC converter and charging/discharging of the third electrical energy source during start/stop operation, to ensure a sufficient voltage level over the additional vehicle electrical loads when the internal combustion engine and consequently the alternator are not running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Oerjan Spjuth, Torbjoern Larsson, Daniel Midholm, Fredrik Ulmhage
  • Patent number: 9752524
    Abstract: Methods and systems for correcting cam angle measurements for engine-to-engine build variation are disclosed. In one example, a method comprises learning cam angle corrections to update a measured cam angle responsive to air-fuel ratio errors during selected conditions, and learning air and fueling errors responsive to the air-fuel ratio error otherwise. In this way, cam angle errors due to engine build variation may be corrected, thereby improving other air and fuel adaptation methods and improving engine emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David G. Hagner, Mrdjan J. Jankovic
  • Patent number: 9739420
    Abstract: Provided is a liquefied gas treatment system for a vessel, which includes a cargo tank storing liquefied natural gas (LNG), and an engine using the LNG as fuel. The liquefied gas treatment system includes: a compressor line configured to compress boil-off gas (BOG) generated in the cargo tank by a compressor and supply the compressed BOG to the engine as fuel; a high pressure pump line configured to compress the LNG stored in the cargo tank by a pump and supply the compressed LNG to the engine as fuel; and a heat exchanger configured to liquefy a part of BOG, which is compressed by the compressor, by exchanging heat with BOG that is discharged from the cargo tank and transferred to the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joon Chae Lee, Soon Been Kwon, Nam Soo Kim, Dong Kyu Choi, Jeheon Jung, Young Sik Moon, Dong Chan Kim
  • Patent number: 9739243
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for reducing pressure in a fuel tank of a fuel system of an engine. In one example, cooling fluid is routed from an air conditioner of a cooling system to a vapor cooler disposed in a vapor space of the fuel tank such that fuel vapor in the fuel tank may be condensed and routed to a fuel pump for delivery to the engine, thereby reducing a fuel tank pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Gloabl Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Niels Christopher Kragh
  • Patent number: 9739237
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation device for an engine including a plurality of cylinders and intake branch passages is provided. The exhaust gas recirculation device includes an exhaust chamber and distribution passages for the respective cylinders. The exhaust chamber is connected to an exhaust passage of the engine, and exhaust gas from the exhaust passage is introduced into the exhaust chamber. The distribution passages connect the exhaust chamber to the intake branch passages for the respective cylinders so as to recirculate the exhaust gas back into the intake branch passages. The flow passage area of a first portion of each of the distribution passages is smaller than the flow passage area of a second portion of each of the distribution passages. The first portion is connected to the corresponding intake branch passage, and the second portion is connected to the exhaust chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taketo Nagasaki, Yoshihiro Miyaji, Masaki Makihara
  • Patent number: 9739193
    Abstract: An igniter system for a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine having one or more cylinders including at least one igniter per cylinder is disclosed. The igniter system can comprise: a combustion chamber connected to a main cylinder of the engine by a restricted diameter bore, wherein a lean burn fuel mixture is introduced into the combustion chamber by the normal compression stroke of the engine; a hydrogen valve that injects a hydrogen rich gas into the combustion chamber forming a mixture of hydrogen and air having a hydrogen concentration above the stoichiometric ratio for hydrogen and air in the combustion chamber; and a spark ignition source that injects hot unburned hydrogen into the main cylinder, thereby initiating ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: V-GRID Energy Systems
    Inventor: Michael Cheiky
  • Patent number: 9732694
    Abstract: A fuel supply device (1) has a valve (13) in a fuel passage between a fuel pump (3) and an engine (5). In a storage portion of an ECU (18-21) is stored a relationship between a fuel pressure and a flow rate, which are required by the engine, and voltage which is supplied to a motor (7). The ECU senses voltages V26, V27, V28 supplied to the motor from a controller (22) when the valve is opened from change points C1?, C2?, C3? at which a characteristic between the voltage and the current which are supplied to the motor (7) is changed. Then, the ECU corrects the voltage stored in the storage portion on the basis of differences between voltages V1, V2, V5 stored in the storage portion at the change points C1, C2, C3 and the voltages V26, V27, V28 when the valve is opened. In this way, the fuel supply device can correctly control the motor in correspondence to the fuel pressure and the flow rate which are required by the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki Mori, Nobuyuki Satake
  • Patent number: 9732697
    Abstract: A method for engine combustion noise feedback control includes calculating an engine combustion noise target value by a controller. A cylinder pressure is measured after combustion of fuel according to a main injection timing and an amount of pilot fuel based on the calculated engine combustion noise target value. A combustion noise index (CNI) is calculated by converting the measured cylinder pressure into a cylinder pressure level. The feedback pilot injection is controlled in which the CNI is applied to injection variable control while controlling the main injection timing and the amount of pilot fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: In-Soo Jung
  • Patent number: 9732722
    Abstract: Systems and methods are for controlling internal combustion engines having a plurality of piston-cylinders that cause rotation of a crankshaft. A crankshaft sensor is configured to sense rotational speed of the crankshaft. A controller is configured to calculate an an engine speed increase for each piston-cylinder based upon the rotational speed of the crankshaft and then balance the engine speed increases of the respective piston-cylinders by modifying a combustion input to one or more of the piston-cylinders in order to reduce engine vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew W. Snyder
  • Patent number: 9732684
    Abstract: A control apparatus controlling a controlled variable of a controlled object having a response lag characteristic using a combination of feedforward control method, response-specifying control method, and disturbance compensation method. An ECU of the apparatus calculates driver demand boost pressure for feedforward-controlling actual boost pressure as controlled variable, and calculates FB target pressure as value on which response lag characteristic of the actual value to the driver demand value is reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 9726122
    Abstract: A system includes an internal combustion engine having a number of cylinders. At least one of the cylinders is a primary EGR cylinder that solely provides EGR flow during at least some operating conditions. Operation of the primary EGR cylinder is controlled separately from the other cylinders to reduce internal residuals in the primary EGR cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel C. Geckler, Anthony Kyle Perfetto
  • Patent number: 9726134
    Abstract: A device for automatically stopping and restarting an internal combustion engine is provided with a crank angle sensor (1) that detects a crank angle of an engine (10), a fuel injection unit (11) that injects fuel into the engine, and the device is also provided with a starter activation prohibition determination means that prohibits activation of a starter (20) by determining that the engine is in reverse rotation during inertial rotation of the engine, and removes the starter activation prohibition depending on the crank angle when the engine starts reverse rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takeru Okabe, Osamu Ishikawa, Tomohisa Shoda, Michitaka Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9719431
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine that includes at least two cylinders, includes operating the internal combustion engine in a first operating mode in partial engine operation, in which at least one of the cylinders is not fired, monitoring the internal combustion engine during the partial engine operation for potentially torque-increasing errors, and switching over from the partial engine operation into a full engine operation in which all of the cylinders are fired when a potentially torque-increasing error is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Walter