Patents Examined by Stephen K. Cronin
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Patent number: 10697336Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a dock for a replaceable fluid container for an engine, the fluid container having: a fluid reservoir; and at least one fluid port having a coupling adapted to couple with a fluid circulation system associated with the engine; the dock having: a fastening mechanism configured to cooperate with the container such that, as the container is inserted into the dock, the fastening mechanism acts first to seat the fluid container in the dock but in an undocked condition and then, as the container is inserted further into the dock, acts to bring the fluid container into an engaged condition in which the fluid container is docked with a docking interface of the dock.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2015Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: Castrol LimitedInventors: Christopher Dawson, Steven Paul Goodier, Gary Howard, Adrian Michael Woodward
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Patent number: 10690176Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for cooling a piston arranged within a cylinder of an engine. Oil received from a connecting rod bearing and crank journal interface may be continuously transferred via an internal conduit in a connecting rod coupled to the piston wherein the internal conduit is formed within a hollow flange of the connecting rod. The oil may then be sprayed in a continuous manner via an external nozzle to an underside of the piston, enabling continuous piston cooling as the piston travels from a top-dead-center (TDC) position to a bottom-dead-center position (BDC) and back.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2015Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Thomas G. Leone, Jeffrey Eliot Chottiner, Rick L. Williams
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Patent number: 10677175Abstract: One exemplary embodiment is a system comprising a dual-fuel engine structured to selectably combust a first fuel type and a second fuel type, and an electronic control system in operative communication with the dual-fuel engine. The electronic control system is structured to control a transition of the dual-fuel engine from a dual-fuel mode to a single-fuel mode. After initiating the transition from the dual-fuel mode to the single-fuel mode, the control system stops provision of the second fuel type, requires combustion using control parameters configured for the dual-fuel mode until a transition ventilation condition is satisfied, permits non-emergency commanded engine shutdown only if the transition ventilation condition is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Cummins Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Thomas, David Lambert
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Patent number: 10677137Abstract: A motor engine having an oxygen sensor is provided, including: a cylinder head, including a main body and a protruding tube protruding outwardly from the main body, the main body including a first end portion, a second end, and a combustion chamber, the protruding tube having a protrusive receptacle protruding outwardly therefrom, the main body defining an axial direction; an exhaust passage, communicated with the combustion chamber and the protruding tube; an oxygen sensor, inserted into the protrusive receptacle, including a sensing portion which is inserted into the exhaust passage; wherein as viewed in a lateral direction of the cylinder head, two surfaces of the main body along the axial direction disposed on two opposite sides defines two boundary lines, the oxygen sensor and the main body are in an overlapping arrangement and does not protrude out of the two boundary lines.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: SOUTHERN TAIWAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Cho-Yu Lee, Shien-Yueh Chang
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Patent number: 10677142Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger body arranged along an axis and having an external surface in contact with a surrounding first fluid. The body defines a first fluid passage centered on and extending along the axis. The body also defines a second fluid passage extending parallel with respect to the axis and spaced away from the axis by a second passage distance, and a third fluid passage extending parallel with respect to the axis and spaced away from the axis by a third passage distance. The first, second, and third passages are parallel to one another, while the third passage distance is greater than the second passage distance. Each of the first and third passages is configured to accept a flow of a second fluid and the second fluid passage is configured to hold a volume of air to thermally insulate the first passage from the third passage.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Michael P. Kaczmar, Alan E. Bowler
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Patent number: 10677117Abstract: An oil supply device for an internal combustion engine includes: a variable displacement pump (1) that varies a discharge pressure at which oil is discharged; an oil passage (2) through which the oil discharged from the pump (1) flows; an oil filter (3) and an oil cooler (4) each of which is arranged in the oil passage (2); a bypass passage (5) connected to the oil passage (2) and bypassing the oil cooler (4); and a bypass valve (6) that opens and closes the bypass passage (5) according to a pressure of the oil. The bypass valve (6) is operated to control the flow of the oil through the oil cooler 4 as the discharge pressure of the pump (1) is adjusted according to operating conditions of the internal combustion engine.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Arata Taguchi
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Patent number: 10669904Abstract: A lubricant additive dispensing system includes a cartridge defining an inner cavity to house at least one additive material section and a release opening in communication with a lubrication circulation system of a machine. The lubricant additive dispensing system also includes a spring element arranged to bias the at least one additive material section towards the release opening and a release lever arranged to selectively retain the at least one additive material sections within the cartridge. The lubricant additive dispensing system further includes an actuator coupled to the release lever wherein actuation of the release lever ejects a next one of the at least one additive material sections into the lubrication circulation system.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2017Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Michael B. Viola, Eric W. Schneider
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System and method for adjusting the rate of coolant flow through an engine based on coolant pressure
Patent number: 10669922Abstract: A control system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an estimated coolant flow module and at least one of a valve control module and a pump control module. The estimated coolant flow module estimates a rate of coolant flow through a cooling system for an engine based on a pressure of coolant in the cooling system and a speed of a coolant pump that circulates coolant through the cooling system. The valve control module controls the position of a coolant valve based on the estimated coolant flow rate. The pump control module controls the coolant pump speed based on the estimated coolant flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2015Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Eugene V. Gonze, Sergio Quelhas, Vijay A. Ramappan, Michael J. Paratore, Jr. -
Patent number: 10655582Abstract: A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine may include a plurality of fuel injection pumps, each fuel injection pump being configured to pressurize fuel and provide the pressurized fuel to an associated fuel injector. The fuel supply system may further include a low-pressure fuel supply line fluidly connected to the plurality of fuel injection pumps and configured to provide fuel from a fuel supply tank to the plurality of fuel injection pumps. The fuel supply system may still further include a low-pressure fuel return line fluidly connected to the plurality of fuel injection pumps and configured to return remaining fuel from the plurality of fuel injection pumps to the fuel supply tank. The fuel supply system may include a first fuel cut-off valve disposed in the low-pressure fuel supply line and configured to stop a flow of fuel from the fuel supply tank to the plurality of fuel injection pumps.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Ole Ohrt, Stefan Haas, Thorsten Tuexen, Sven Ernst
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Patent number: 10634071Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a power plant during use of a power take-off (PTO) device, wherein the responsiveness and stability of the controller are adjustable by an operator in the field. The use of setting maps allows fine tuning of controller responsiveness while also ensuring that expected performance would be achieved at any setting within the setting map. In some embodiments, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller is used to control engine speed, and gains for the proportional, integral, and derivative terms are obtained from setting maps based on a responsiveness setting chosen by a vehicle operator.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2016Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: PACCAR INCInventors: Burton Edwin Waite, III, James David Castner, Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart
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Patent number: 10634087Abstract: An engine and a method of forming an engine are provided. The engine has a block that defines a cooling jacket extending continuously about an outer perimeter of first and second siamesed cylinders. The block defines a series of head bolt bores intersecting a deck face such that each cylinder is surrounded by four bores. The jacket has a first floor and a second floor. The second floor is offset above the first floor and extends along an intake side of the block between midpoints of the first and second cylinders, respectively. The second floor is configured to decouple a relationship between the cooling jacket and the series of bores for each cylinder and reduce fourth order bore distortion for each cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Mohammed Yusuf Ali, Scott Allan Kerry, Christopher K. Palazzolo
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Patent number: 10634088Abstract: A coolant jacket is provided for a liquid-cooled cylinder head for an internal combustion engine having a crankcase. The cylinder head has a gas exchange intake side having two gas exchange intake valves and a gas exchange exhaust side having two gas exchange exhaust valves. A fuel injection valve is provided on the intake side and an ignition device is provided on the exhaust side between the gas exchange valves. The coolant jacket extends as a first partial coolant jacket on the exhaust side, coming from the crankcase, between the gas exchange exhaust valves and then radially outside around the ignition device and the fuel injection valve and further in the direction of the intake side and the crankcase. Optimal cooling of the ignition device and the fuel injection valve is achieved which enables high specific powers and pressures leading to fuel consumption and cost advantages.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Wolfgang Ruffing, Frank Ruetten, Ulrich Gutzer
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Patent number: 10626783Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for cooling charge air in a hybrid engine. In one example, a method may include cooling charge air by a combination of air-to-air and air-to-coolant heat transfer with assistance from a chiller arranged in the coolant circuit. The coolant circuit includes an insert coupled to a charge air cooler allowing heat exchange via conduction and convection.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Sergio Villalobos, Gerardo Ramirez Arvizu, Raymundo Garcia
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Patent number: 10626793Abstract: An internal combustion engine or other internal pressure driven engine of the type capable of converting reciprocal linear powered motion into unidirectional rotary motion, the engine having at least one pair of first and second cylinders with each cylinder having a pair of opposed pistons therein forming a pressure chamber therebetween. Outer ends of each piston carries a piston rod connected to a pivot arm of a respective one way clutch which causes the clutch to oscillate back and forth when the piston moves in and out due to pressure or combustion in the pressure chamber. Alternatively, the piston rods may be configured as gear racks in direct operative engagement with pinion gears of the one way clutches. The clutches are parallel and spaced apart from each other near each end of the cylinders. Each clutch carries a gear on one end which intermeshes with a gear rack assembly having gears and a gear rack which drives a crankshaft and auxiliary flywheel operatively connected to a starter.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Inventor: Mijo Radocaj
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Patent number: 10612453Abstract: A cooling circuit for controlling the temperature of at least two heat sources is provided that includes a heat exchanger for cooling a coolant, at least one thermostat, a first cooling branch, and a second cooling branch. The first heat source and the heat exchanger are arranged in the first cooling branch, and the second heat source is arranged in the second cooling branch. The thermostat has a mixing chamber through which the coolant can flow. The mixing chamber is fluidically connected to a coolant outlet of the heat exchanger and to a coolant outlet of the second heat source.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2016Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: MAHLE International GmbHInventor: Richard Bruemmer
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Patent number: 10605212Abstract: A multi-fuel rail apparatus for an internal combustion engine communicates fuel from 10 a first fuel source and a second fuel source to a plurality of fuel injectors. Each fuel injector receives fuel from the multi-fuel rail apparatus through a branch connection for each fuel. The multi fuel rail apparatus has a first elongate member including a first longitudinal bore spaced apart from a second longitudinal bore and first and second fuel inlets for fluidly communicating first and second fuels into the first and 15 second longitudinal bores respectively. There is a branch connecting structure for each fuel injector along the first elongate member for fluidly connecting the first and second longitudinal bores with respective branch connections from respective fuel injectors.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2016Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignees: WESTPORT POWER INC., DELPHI INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS LUXEMBOURG S.A.R.L.Inventors: Michael C. Wickstone, Alain M. J. Touchette, Randall T. Mark, Kory L. Zeller, Jeremy Garnier, Mark Graham, Mehmet Dönmez, Cüneyt Altinol, Michael De Bruijn
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Patent number: 10590841Abstract: A single-shaft dual expansion internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a cylinder head and a crankshaft. First and second power pistons are moveable in first and second power cylinders and are connected to first and second crankpins of the crankshaft. An expander piston is moveable in an expander cylinder and is connected via a multi-link connecting rod assembly to a third crankpin of the crankshaft. A first balance shaft is arranged in a first longitudinal opening in the engine block, and a second balance shaft is arranged in a second longitudinal opening in the engine block. The first and second balance shafts have first and second counterweight portions, respectively, and the crankshaft has a third counterweight portion causing an imbalance in the crankshaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Hung-Yih Isaac Du, Jun Zhou, Russell P. Durrett
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Patent number: 10590815Abstract: The first opening part penetrates the first partition wall that separates the crank chamber and the oil sump chamber. The lubricating device of the engine includes an oil mist generation control part. The oil mist generation control part disperses gas injected from the crank chamber into the oil sump chamber through the first opening part when the crank chamber has a positive pressure or restricts the flow of oil with which the injected gas collides, thereby controlling an amount of oil mist generated in the oil sump chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2016Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATIONInventors: Tomoyuki Kutsuna, Hiroki Sugiyama
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Patent number: 10578063Abstract: A valve element includes: a loosely insertable wall portion that is loosely inserted in an inside of a connecting portion on a downstream side of a valve seat; a fittable tubular portion that is fitted to the inside of the connecting portion on a downstream side of the loosely insertable wall portion; and a projecting annular portion-that projects from the fittable tubular portion toward a radially inner side of the fittable tubular portion. An outlet portion projects into the fittable tubular portion. A valve spring is located on a radially outer side of the outlet portion and on the radially inner side of the fittable tubular portion to urge the valve element toward the valve seat.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, KYOSAN DENKI CO., LTD.Inventors: Shingo Fukuoka, Hideto Takahashi, Hiromi Sakai, Minoru Edura
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Patent number: 10563573Abstract: Variable compression ratio engines and methods for homogeneous charge, compression ignition operation. The engines effectively premix the fuel and air well before compression ignition. Various embodiments are disclosed including embodiments that include two stages of compression to obtain compression ratios well above the mechanical compression ratio of the engine cylinders for compression ignition of difficult to ignite fuels, and a controllable combustion chamber volume for limiting the maximum temperature during combustion. Energy storage with energy management are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2018Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Sturman Digital Systems, LLCInventor: Oded Eddie Sturman