Patents Examined by Tea Holbrook
  • Fuel delivery system including integrated check valve
    Patent number: 9464609
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system is provided to reduce the pressure pulsations and noise vibration and harshness of direct injection systems. The fuel delivery system includes an elastic fuel line positioned between a first fuel pump and a second fuel pump and a check valve positioned in the elastic fuel line near the inlet of the high pressure pump, the check valve including an external housing having a peripheral surface with a greater diameter than an unstretched inner diameter of the elastic fuel line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacob Jensen, Dequan Yu, Dennis Morgan, Christopher Arnold Woodring
  • Portable engine preheater fired by propane
    Patent number: 9464616
    Abstract: An engine preheating system supports starting industrial and/or diesel engines in cold weather, eliminating the need for cold weather idling. The system preheats the engine coolant, bringing the entire machine up to a warm starting condition. This provides good lubrication and immediate heat availability. The system is fully portable and does not rely on commercial power, operable at any location. The system utilizes propane fuel, which is widely available. The propane fuel burns quietly and cleanly as opposed to fuel oil. The system includes numerous safety features, such as flow indicators and modern microprocessor technology to ensure safe operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Inventors: Richard Lee Hobart, John Bennett Hobart
  • Method for operating a direct fuel injector
    Patent number: 9453476
    Abstract: A method, comprising: operating an engine cylinder with fuel from a first injector and not a second injector and activating the second injector in response to a rail pressure increase of a fuel rail, the fuel rail coupled to the second injector. In this way, degradation of the second injector may be reduced by activating the second injector and allowing fuel flow through the second injector to reduce the pressure and temperature of the fuel rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Todd Anthony Rumpsa
  • Blow-by gas ventilation device
    Patent number: 9447753
    Abstract: A bypass passage connecting an upstream portion and a downstream portion of a compressor of a turbocharger is provided in an air intake passage of an internal combustion engine. An ejector, which utilizes the intake air flowing in the bypass passage as a drive gas and thereby venting the blow-by gas generated by the internal combustion engine, is installed in the bypass passage. When the internal combustion engine is at a low temperature at which the oil is easily degraded by the blow-by gas, the flow rate of the intake air flowing in the bypass passage, that is, the flow rate of the drive gas of the ejector, is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shujiro Kuribayashi, Teru Ogawa
  • Gas distribution manifold and corresponding gas intake module
    Patent number: 9441578
    Abstract: A manifold distributes gases into intake ducts of a motor vehicle combustion engine. The intake ducts are distributed in at least two distant groups, each duct of one group supplying one and the same cylinder of the engine as a duct of the other group. The manifold includes a manifold casing through which a flow of intake gases can flow, and an injection duct for injecting a flow of recirculated exhaust gases into the flow of intake gases. The casing is capable of directing the flow of intake gases and the flow of recirculated exhaust gases toward the intake ducts of the engine, and the injection duct is arranged inside the manifold casing so as to be able to be positioned between the two groups of intake ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES
    Inventors: Carlos Martins, Jose Borges-Alejo
  • Engine usable as a power source or pump
    Patent number: 9441538
    Abstract: An engine which includes a rotor mounted relative to an output shaft, the rotor having one or more piston cylinder assembly's disposed in or on the rotor. The longitudinal axis/axes of the one or more piston cylinder assembly's is orientated to be tangential to a peripheral rim of the rotor. The rotor or output shaft has a lobed cam which rotates at the same, greater or slower speed than the rotor and in which via compression and combustion, each piston rotates the rotor continuously relative to a stationary part of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Grace Motor Works Limited
    Inventor: William Llewis White
  • Starter arrangement
    Patent number: 9435313
    Abstract: A starter arrangement for starting a motor vehicle engine, having a starter ring for connecting to a drive shaft, a starter unit for introducing a starter torque into the starter ring via a starter pinion acting on the starter ring, and a clutch connected to the starter ring for coupling the drive shaft to at least one transmission input shaft of a transmission. The clutch is spaced apart in the axial direction from the starter ring by an axial distance s, a forming reserved installation space for positioning an electric machine for a hybrid drive. The starter unit is positioned at least partially, preferably in large part, within the reserved installation space. A smaller installation space requirement for positioning a drive train in a motor vehicle body is possible by the sharing of the reserved installation space provided for the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Gausrab, Hannes Christian Bartz, Jochen Pflüger, Ronny Brodersen, Werner Seider, Klaus Peter Krüger
  • Exhaust gas cooling device
    Patent number: 9429113
    Abstract: An exhaust gas cooling device, which cools exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle through heat exchange between the exhaust gas and a coolant, includes: a plurality of tubes through which the exhaust gas flows; a tubular shell which houses the plurality of tubes and is configured to allow the coolant to flow therethrough; and a header plate disposed at an end portion in the shell to prevent the coolant from flowing out of the shell. The header plate includes support holes in which end portions of the plurality of the tubes are fitted and supported, and each of axial end faces of the plurality of tubes is located in the corresponding support hole at a position between both ends of the header plate in a thickness direction of the header plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Tomita, Toru Ikeda, Isao Kuroyanagi, Takayuki Hayashi, Takeshi Iguchi, Takao Ikeda, Ryoichi Sanada
  • Internal combustion engine including an injector combustion seal positioned between a fuel injector and an engine body
    Patent number: 9410520
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a fuel injector seal assembly comprising a seal component fabricated or formed of a first material and a thermally conductive or heat transfer component fabricated or formed of a second material that is different from the first material. The first material has a greater strength than the second material, and the second material has a greater thermal conductivity than the first material. Thus, the injector seal assembly is able to provide a primary benefit of a combustion seal while also providing an enhanced benefit of transferring heat from one portion of the fuel injector to another portion of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory S. Franks, Joshua G. Knight, Fred M. Rasener, Hanna C. Small, Eric L. Stacy, Joseph A. Worthington, Amit Yeole
  • Combustion engine comprising a central cam-drive system
    Patent number: 9382839
    Abstract: A drive cam operated combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder, each cylinder having a power conversion assembly. Each power conversion assembly includes a piston slideably assembled with a cylinder, a drive cam assembly having at least one drive cam, a piston control rocker arm assembly (including a piston control arm and a piston return arm), and a connecting rod. The drive cam oscillates the rocker arm assembly, which positions the piston through the connecting rod. The rocker arm assembly oscillation driving the piston upwards during a compression stroke and an exhaust stroke, and draws the piston downward during an intake stroke. A combustion episode during a combustion stroke introduces power into the system, which is transferred from the engine by an output shaft. The drive cam assembly can include a primary drive cam and a secondary drive cam for each rocker arm assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Inventor: Jeffrey Bonner
  • Piston for an internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 9382869
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine comprises at least one cooling channel located only in the areas of at least one inflow and at least one outflow at a low level comparatively removed from the base of the piston and at a constant higher level closer to the piston base, said cooling channel comprising steep inclines between the areas located at the low and at the high level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Nurnberg GmbH
    Inventor: Marcus Freidhager
  • Self cleaning dust box assembly for use with controlled tube assemblies, such as forming a portion of a fresh air replacement line associated with a vehicle fuel tank
    Patent number: 9371804
    Abstract: A filter box assembly for integrating into a bi-directional vent and air intake line associated with a vehicle fuel tank. The assembly includes an outer shell having an open inserting end and an opposite closed end. An inner communicable component is engageable within the open inserting end of the outer shell and collectively defines a plurality of continuous and reverse flow passageways extending between a plurality of inlet apertures defined upon a base surface of the inner component and a conduit attachment nipple extending from the inner component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: U.S. Farathane Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen G. Leonard, Kevin Charles Baxter
  • Recoil starter
    Patent number: 9371809
    Abstract: A recoil starter exemplified in the embodiment includes: a starter case; a rope reel; a recoil rope; a ratchet; and a drive pulley. When the rope reel is rotated by pulling the recoil rope, the ratchet pivots to engage an engaged unit of the drive pulley to thereby transmit a torque of the rope reel to an engine. The rope reel has: a ratchet receiving unit; and a reinforcing unit. The ratchet receiving unit is arranged to receive a front end portion of the ratchet when it is engaged with the engaged unit of the drive pulley. And, the reinforcing unit extends in a circumferential direction of the rope reel with respect to the ratchet receiving unit as its leg portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: STARTING INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Kato
  • Turbo purge module hose detection and blow off prevention check valve
    Patent number: 9359978
    Abstract: A valve assembly used as part of a vapor purge system, which uses a vacuum created by a venturi nozzle to direct purge vapor from a canister through the purge system, and into an intake manifold. The valve assembly includes a check valve which closes the flow path to prevent the uncontrolled venting of hydrocarbon rich purge vapor directly to the atmosphere, and provides an on-board diagnostic (OBD) check to make sure the system is functioning properly. The check valve is typically open because of a pressure balance around the check valve, allowing the turbo bleed flow, as well as the purge vapor, to pass through the check valve and into an air box. If the hose is disconnected, there is a pressure drop across the valve, which causes the check valve to close, preventing the release of hydrocarbons in the purge vapor to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David W Balsdon, Allen Tamman
  • Fuel injection device of direct injection engine
    Patent number: 9347410
    Abstract: A fuel injection device of a direct injection engine is provided. The device includes an engine body, a fuel injection valve, and a controller for controlling a fuel injection by the fuel injection valve. The fuel injection valve has a nozzle hole, a valve body for opening and closing the nozzle hole, and first and solenoid coils for stroking the valve body by first and second stroke amounts, respectively. The controller performs the fuel injection by the first solenoid coil in an intake stroke period within an engine operating range with an engine load below a predetermined load. The controller performs the fuel injection with a fuel pressure of 40 MPa or above by the second solenoid coil in a period between a compression stroke late stage and an expansion stroke early stage within a low-engine-speed range with an engine speed below a predetermined speed within a high-engine-load range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Nishida, Yuki Shimogawa
  • Evaporative emissions fuel system
    Patent number: 9341148
    Abstract: An engine includes a fuel tank with a fuel tank body defining an internal fuel tank volume for containing a fuel, a vent conduit integrally formed with the fuel tank body, and an air cleaner system including an air cleaner housing defining an internal air cleaner volume. The vent conduit extends between an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture. The inlet aperture is in fluid communication with the internal fuel tank volume. An opening is formed in the air cleaner housing and the vent conduit extends through the opening. The outlet aperture of the vent conduit is positioned within the internal air cleaner volume and the vent conduit provides fluid communication between the internal fuel tank volume and the internal air cleaner volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Chad J. Gartzke, Jacob Schmalz, Carl T. Tiefenthaler, Paul A. Leech, Kenneth Breitenstein
  • Piston for an internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 9341137
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a piston (10) for an internal combustion engine, comprising a piston head (11) and a piston skirt (16), with a cooling channel (15) arranged in the piston head (11) and with at least one bore (17) opening into the cooling channel (15), a conduit (18) for a cooling oil jet (A) being housed in the bore. According to the invention, a jet divider (19) is arranged at the first free end (18a) of the conduit (18) and, in the area of the second free end (18b) of the conduit (18), the outer lateral surface of conduit (18) has a contact surface (24) that lies, secured against torsion, against an inner surface (25) of the piston (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Leitl
  • Spark plug for internal combustion engines and mounting structure for the spark plug
    Patent number: 9343875
    Abstract: A spark plug for an internal combustion engine includes a housing, an insulation porcelain, a center electrode and a ground electrode. Both of a tip portion of the center electrode and an opposing portion of the ground electrode are provided with respective projection portions which are projected toward a spark discharge gap. At least one of the projection portions has an opposing face that confronts the spark discharge gap and is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the plug. The spark discharge gap is configured to be gradually enlarged, in one direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the plug, from a narrow gap on one end side toward a wide gap on the other end side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ken Hanashi
  • Connecting rod for two stage variable compression
    Patent number: 9322331
    Abstract: A connecting rod for a two stage variable compression in an internal combustion engine, the connecting rod including a combustion piston pin support eye that is arranged offset relative to an axis in an eccentrical component which is pivotable about the axis in a first direction of rotation through a first hydraulic displacement cavity and pivotable in a second direction of rotation through a second hydraulic displacement cavity, wherein a hydraulic valve is arranged in the connecting rod, wherein the hydraulic valve includes a hydraulic supply connection at which a hydraulic pressure is applied, wherein the hydraulic pressure moves a hydraulic piston against a force of a preload of a spring, wherein the hydraulic piston remains in a stable low pressure position in a low range of the hydraulic pressure due to the preload of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Hilite Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Stefanie Hutzelmann, Falk Mueller, Dietmar Schulze, Manfred Balling, Tobias Matschiner, Christian Scheibe
  • XY separate crank mechanism and driving device provided therewith
    Patent number: 9316249
    Abstract: An XY separate crank mechanism provided between a movable body reciprocating in a first direction and a rotatable crankshaft to mutually convert reciprocating motion of the movable body and rotational motion of the crankshaft, includes a support member provided freely reciprocatingly in the first direction, a crank connecting member mounted on the support member freely reciprocatingly in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and with which a crank of the crankshaft is rotatably engaged, and a connecting member configured to connect the piston and the support member and reciprocate in the first direction together with the piston and the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: TAC Research Inc., NAKASHIN REISHOKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Yoshizawa, Takumi Yoshizawa, Yutaka Yoshizawa, Satoshi Yoshizawa