Patents Examined by Susan Scharpf
  • Patent number: 10190548
    Abstract: A cylinder of an engine of a motorcycle is tilted frontward. A throttle unit is provided above the cylinder, and a heat shielding sheet is provided between the cylinder and the throttle unit. The throttle unit includes a fuel injection device, and the heat shielding sheet extends between the fuel injection device and the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kozo Arai
  • Patent number: 10184432
    Abstract: An intercooler assembly for a vehicle includes an intercooler, and a duct connected to a front side of the intercooler and guiding outside air to the intercooler. The duct is in surface-contact with an outer surface of the intercooler, at which the air flowing into the duct flows out to the intercooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Seng-Joo Yang, Hye-Dong Nam, Jin-Kwan Lee, Dang-Hee Park, Su-Whan Kim
  • Patent number: 10163277
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine based on cabin temperature includes determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank, determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank, receiving a predetermined cabin temperature value, calculating an engine idle time in response to the minimum amount of fuel and the predetermined cabin temperature value, and controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time and the predetermined cabin temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventor: Jennifer K. Light-Holets
  • Patent number: 10156210
    Abstract: Embodiments for controlling fuel vapors are provided. In one example, a method comprises initiating a purge of a fuel vapor canister responsive to a temperature profile at a vent side of the fuel vapor canister. In this way, release of fuel vapors to the atmosphere may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Dennis Seung-Man Yang
  • Patent number: 10151279
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a vehicle engine includes a combustion chamber having a reciprocating piston, a water jacket for flowing cooling water to cool the combustion chamber, and a cylinder block forming a structure of the engine, wherein the cylinder block is equipped with a cylinder block body that includes the combustion chamber, and wherein the cylinder block includes a plurality of EGR coolers that exchange heat with the cooling water supplied to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Han Sang Kim, Byung Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 10151283
    Abstract: An evacuator is disclosed, and includes a body defining a central axis, a converging motive section, a diverging discharge section, at least one suction port, and at least one Venturi gap. The Venturi gap is located between an outlet end of the converging motive section and an inlet end of the diverging discharge section. The evacuator also includes a fin positioned within the motive section of the body. The fin extends in the direction of the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Dayco IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. Graichen, Keith Hampton
  • Patent number: 10132284
    Abstract: An ignition device is provided for an idle stop & go system (ISG)-equipped vehicle using a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuel. A separately installed auxiliary LPG switch detects the ON/OFF state of the LPG switch, drives fuel cut-off solenoid valves, and switches on/off together with the LPG switch. The ON/OFF state of the LPG switch can be determined based on an output voltage of the auxiliary LPG switch, and then ISG control can be implemented. After the fuel cut-off solenoid valves are driven, the fuel pipeline pressure remains in the state before the idle stop to improve the engine starting performance upon restarting. Also, in an emergency, the LPG and auxiliary LPG switches are simultaneously switched off, the fuel cut-off solenoid valves are quickly switched off and the fuel pump motor is stopped to quickly cut off the fuel supply and prevent a secondary accident in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Kim Mihnsung
  • Patent number: 10125653
    Abstract: A method includes determining an identity of each sensor of a plurality of sensors arranged within an engine system and coupled to a harness of the engine system, loading a calibration for each sensor of the plurality of sensors from a memory based at least in part on the determined identity of the respective sensor, and determining a configuration of the plurality of sensors based at least in part on the determined identities of the plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors includes exhaust sensors configured to monitor a flow property of engine exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Jarvis Selberg, Jared J. Wentz
  • Patent number: 10119491
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including a fuel injection valve configured to supply fuel into a cylinder. The controller includes an electronic control unit configured to acquire an actual heat generation rate at time of combustion; and correct at least one of fuel injection pressure or amount of fuel injected when deviation amount between reference heat generation rate gradient and actual heat generation rate gradient is equal to or greater than predetermined value such that the deviation decreases. The reference heat generation rate gradient is a gradient of a predetermined reference heat generation rate at which a predetermined time elapses after a heat generation rate begins to rise. The actual heat generation rate gradient being a gradient of an actual heat generation rate acquired by the electronic control unit at which the predetermined time elapses after the heat generation rate begins to rise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shota Nagano
  • Patent number: 10094301
    Abstract: A controller is applied to such an internal combustion engine that an exhaust throttle valve for controlling the flow volume of exhaust gas of the exhaust passage is provided in the exhaust passage, an intake variable valve mechanism for changing the timing of opening and closing each intake valve or an exhaust variable valve mechanism for changing the timing of opening and closing each exhaust valve is provided, and an overlap period when an opening period of the intake valve and an opening period of the exhaust valve overlap with each other can be provided, and controls the exhaust throttle valve so that an opening degree of the exhaust throttle valve in the overlap period is made smaller than an opening degree of the exhaust throttle valve in a case where the overlap period is not provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuo Omura
  • Patent number: 10072587
    Abstract: A throttle operating device that adjusts the opening degree of an engine throttle valve is provided. In a throttle operating device according to an aspect of the invention, one end of an inner cable inserted through an outer tube is fixed to a cable fixing part provided in a throttle lever, and the opening degree of the engine throttle valve is adjusted via the inner cable by rotationally operating the throttle lever. The one end of the inner cable is fixed to the cable fixing part with the extending direction of the inner cable changed within the throttle lever. Additionally, a moving mechanism that moves the cable fixing part along a longitudinal direction of the inner cable, is provided in the throttle lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Ifuku, Tomoaki Sato, Masahiro Ito
  • Patent number: 10060985
    Abstract: A system includes an ultra-capacitor and battery system comprising a battery, an ultra-capacitor, a DC-DC converter, a first temperature sensor to sense a battery temperature, a second temperature sensor to sense an ultra-capacitor temperature and a third temperature sensor to sense a DC-DC converter temperature. An auto stop/start module is configured to selectively stop and restart an engine of a vehicle while an ignition system is ON based on operating parameters. A temperature sensing module communicates with the auto stop/start module and is configured to determine differences between temperatures sensed by the first sensor, the second sensor and the third sensor and to selectively disable the auto stop/start module based on the differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: John W. Siekkinen, Daniel W. Jecks, Junhong Dai
  • Patent number: 10056738
    Abstract: A corona comprises a central electrode surrounded by an insulator, which is surrounded by a conductive component. The conductive component includes a shell and an intermediate part both formed of an electrically conductive material. The intermediate part is a layer of metal which brazes the insulator to the shell. An outer surface of the insulator presents a lower ledge, and the layer of metal can be applied to the insulator above the lower ledge prior to or after inserting the insulator into the shell. The conductive inner diameter is less than an insulator outer diameter directly below the lower ledge such the insulator thickness increases toward the electrode firing end. The insulator outer diameter is also typically less than the shell inner diameter so that the corona igniter can be forward-assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul LLC
    Inventors: John Antony Burrows, John E. Miller, Kristapher I. Mixell, James D. Lykowski
  • Patent number: 10012184
    Abstract: An EGR device includes a housing and an inner pipe. The housing has an outer pipe. The inner pipe is accommodated in the outer pipe. The inner pipe defines an inner passage internally and defines an annular passage externally with the outer pipe. The inner pipe has through holes communicating the inner passage with the annular passage. At least one diffuser is equipped to the through holes. The diffuser is projected radially inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Paolo Guidi
  • Patent number: 10012178
    Abstract: An injector, in particular a blow-in injector for gaseous fuel, including a first sealing element and a second sealing element, and in the closed state of the injector a first sealing region is configured between the first and second sealing element, at least one of the sealing elements having an elastic deformation region, the elastic deformation region being set apart from the sealing region between the first and second sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Dietmar Schmieder, Martin Mueller, Sven Krissler, Olaf Schoenrock, Hagen Kuckert, Andreas Vogt
  • Patent number: 9995226
    Abstract: A control device causes the engine to start with a throttle valve being set to a first throttle position when required power required in an engine is smaller than a first threshold value and a detected fuel pressure detected by a low-pressure fuel sensor is lower than a second threshold value. The control device causes the engine to start with the throttle valve being set to a position larger than the first throttle position when the required power is smaller than the first threshold value and the detected fuel pressure is higher than the second threshold value. With this structure, a control device for a vehicle can be provided which allows intermittent operation of the engine with reduced variation in air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9995231
    Abstract: A method for controlling a cold starting of a diesel engine vehicle may include determining whether a cold starting condition is satisfied by detecting data for controlling a diesel engine, determining torque generated by combustion for starting the diesel engine when the cold starting condition is satisfied, determining a combustion delay and a combustion phase based on the torque and detected data, determining a main injection timing according to the determined combustion delay and combustion phase, determining a latent heat of fuel based on the torque and detected data, determining a pilot injection amount according to the determined latent heat of fuel, determining a total amount of heat by combustion based on the torque and detected data, determining a main injection amount according to the determined total amount of heat, and controlling an operation of an injector based on the main injection timing, pilot injection amount and main injection amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Hyungmin Kim, Kyoungchan Han
  • Patent number: 9982616
    Abstract: A fuel injection controller includes an increase control portion applying the boost voltage to the coil to increase a coil current to a first target value, and a constant current control portion applying a voltage to the coil to hold the coil current to a second target value. A threshold is an energization time period that is necessary to reach a boundary point between a seat throttle area of a property line and an injection-port throttle area of the property line from an energization start time point. An initial-current applied time period is from the energization start time point that the boost voltage starts to be applied to the coil to a time point that the coil current is decreased to the second target value. The increase control portion controls the coil current such that the initial-current applied time period is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keita Imai
  • Patent number: 9970408
    Abstract: A corona igniter (20) comprises a central electrode (22) surrounded by an insulator (26), which is surrounded by a conductive component. The conductive component includes a shell (34) and an intermediate part (36) both formed of an electrically conductive material. An outer surface (50) of the insulator (26) presents a lower ledge (52), and the intermediate part (36) is typically attached to the insulator (26) above the lower ledge (52) prior to inserting the insulator (26) into the shell (34). The conductive inner diameter (Dg) is less than an insulator outer diameter (Dio) directly below the lower ledge (52) such the insulator thickness (ti) increases toward the electrode firing end (40). The corona igniter (20) can be reversed-assembled by inserting an upper end (42) of the insulator into a firing end (56) of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul LLC
    Inventors: John Antony Burrows, John E. Miller, Kristapher I. Mixell, James D. Lykowski
  • Patent number: 9938919
    Abstract: A method is provided for setting combustion parameters of an internal combustion engine operated with liquefied natural gas, the combustion parameters being sensed during operation of the internal combustion engine and being stored upon shutoff of the internal combustion engine. Also provided is a controller for carrying out the method. Provision is made that during a stoppage of the internal combustion engine, the duration of the stoppage, the ambient temperature and/or tank temperature, and the pressure in a liquefied gas tank are sensed; the influence thereof on a required adaptation of the combustion parameters that are to be set is identified from a characteristics diagram; and from the stored combustion parameters and the adaptation, initial combustion parameters are identified and are used upon startup of the internal combustion engine in order to control it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Achim Wach, Juergen Foerster