Patents Examined by Thomas Denion
  • Patent number: 9347339
    Abstract: A system and method for converting otherwise wasted energy produced in the form of heated gases as a byproduct of an industrial process into electrical energy. At least some waste gases are diverted from a typical exhaust structure through a heat exchanger and back into the exhaust structure. The amount of gases flowing through the heat exchanger is monitored and regulated by a controller. A heat source liquid is simultaneously circulated under pressure through the heat exchanger and through an organic Rankine cycle system. The amount of heat source liquid being circulated is also monitored and regulated by the controller. The ORC system converts the heat from the heat source liquid into electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TMEIC Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmet Durmaz, Marcelo Andres Lara
  • Patent number: 9347713
    Abstract: Heat transfer fluid in vapor only state is cycled through solar collector(s) (12) and a sensible heat storage medium (14) to transfer heat from the solar collector(s) (12) to the sensible heat storage medium (14). The heat transfer fluid is a liquid at ambient temperature, but substantially in the vapor state throughout the entire cycle when in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: SUNRISE CSP PTY LIMITED
    Inventor: Joseph Sydney Coventry
  • Patent number: 9347384
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine is provided with: a variable valve driving mechanism capable of changing a working angle of an intake valve while keeping a maximum magnitude of lift and opening timing constant; a reduction catalyst which absorbs nitrogen oxide in exhaust during lean combustion and reduces the nitrogen oxide absorbed during rich combustion; and a control unit changing, according to a load on the internal combustion engine, an amount of advance of closing of the intake valve at the time of switching to rich combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Takada, Shinobu Ishiyama, Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9341138
    Abstract: An engine assembly (6) of the type running on liquid air or another gas that is substantially inert in liquefied state, for a vehicle in general and for an urban motor vehicle in particular, such as a bus (1) or a taxi, comprises a Stirling engine (9), in which the gasification of the liquid air takes place, with transformation into kinetic mechanical energy of the latent heat relative to the change in state of the air from liquid state to compressed gas state, as well as a volumetric or flow motor (11), in which the air in compressed state expands up to a pressure substantially equal to atmospheric pressure, with transformation of the mechanical pressure energy into kinetic mechanical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Ariante Limited
    Inventors: Vitaliano Russo, Giorgio Targa
  • Patent number: 9341188
    Abstract: A bolt fastening system for a turbomolecular pump wherein a first member is fastened in an axial direction with respect to a second member by multiple bolts arranged concentrically with respect to a rotor shaft center. The bolt-fastening system equipped with multiple pairs of non-penetrating pinholes arranged concentrically with respect to a rotor shaft center and formed opposing one another in respective opposing faces of the fastened first and second members, and equipped with pins provided for each pair of pinholes and inserted into the pairs of pinholes. When the size of a gap between a bolt and a bolt hole formed in the first member is Db, and a sizes of the gaps between the pins and the pinholes formed in the first and second members are Dp1 and Dp2, the gap sizes Db, Dp1, and Dp2 satisfy the equation Db?(Dp1+Dp2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahito Kogame
  • Patent number: 9339950
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reprogrammable shape change sheet, a method of shaping a surface and a reprogrammable injection molding machine. The sheet comprises a plurality of muscle elements capable of changing shape upon electric stimulation, the elements being arranged in an array to define a surface. According to the invention, the muscle elements comprise two muscle material layers capable of changing shape upon electric stimulation and a flexible wiring layer sandwiched between the muscle material layers, the wiring layer being electrically connected to said muscle material layers for delivering electric stimulation signals to the muscle material layers for changing the shape of the muscle elements and further the topology of the surface. The invention provides a new shape change sheet structure, which can be made thin, accurate and durable for various uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Inventor: Shane Allen
  • Patent number: 9341139
    Abstract: Provided is a drive device efficiently converting thermal energy of a vertical high-temperature tank and a vertical low-temperature tank into a drive force. The volume variable container (11) at a vertical high-temperature tank (1) side is supported on the forward side of a horizontal communication pipe (7) in the travel direction, and the volume variable container (12) at a vertical low-temperature tank (2) is supported on the rear side of the horizontal communication pipe (7) in the travel direction, and enclosed gas is transferred by a pressure difference between the volume variable container (11) and the volume variable container (12). A travel belt 4 travels with respect to an insulation wall (3) due to a total buoyancy difference (F1?F2) between the total buoyancy (F1) of the buoyancy of the volume variable container (11) and the total buoyancy (F2) of the buoyancy of the volume variable container (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9334863
    Abstract: A pump includes a plurality of pumping stages comprising a respective plurality of pumping mechanisms driven by one or more drive shafts for pumping fluid through the pumping stages from a pump inlet at a high vacuum stage to a pump outlet at a low vacuum stage; a lubrication chamber housing a bearing assembly for supporting the drive shaft for rotational movement, the drive shaft extending from the high vacuum stage to the lubrication chamber through an opening of a head plate of the lubrication chamber; an inter-stage purge port through which gas can enter the pump at an inter-stage location downstream of the high vacuum; a lubrication chamber purge port located in the lubrication chamber through which purge gas can flow from a source of purge gas; wherein the inter-stage port is connected to the lubrication chamber for controlling the pressure of purge gas in the lubrication chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Philip John Stephens, Ian David Stones, Malcolm William Gray, Paul David Neller
  • Patent number: 9334833
    Abstract: A turbocharger system for ensuring a sufficient exhaust gas recirculation (“EGR”) amount in all operating conditions, and reducing NOx emission from an engine. The system includes an EGR controller that re-circulates a part of exhaust gas discharged from the engine to an intake side. The turbocharger is a power-assisted turbocharger including an electric motor that assists a drive force of a compressor. The EGR controller controls an amount of exhaust gas recirculated to the intake side so as to inhibit the generation of NOx regardless of an amount of oxygen necessary for combustion of the engine. An electric motor control unit drives the electric motor, by the control of the EGR controller, when the amount of oxygen necessary for the combustion of the engine is deficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Isao Kitsukawa, Tomohiro Sugano, Yoshiyuki Abe, Haruyo Kimura, Akira Iijima, Naoki Ishibashi, Syougo Sakashita
  • Patent number: 9334821
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for an engine, which makes an appropriate increasing correction to a fuel amount at the time of restart after the stop period of the engine, thereby making it possible to cut down on the amounts of NOx emissions, is provided. The fuel injection control apparatus comprises an injection volume control unit for controlling a fuel injection volume, a supplied oxygen amount detection unit for detecting a supplied oxygen amount, an activity determination unit for determining whether or not an exhaust purification catalyst is in an active state, and an amount increasing correction unit for making an increasing correction to the fuel injection volume in accordance with the detection results of the supplied oxygen amount detection unit and the determination results of the activity determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Wataru Matsumura, Toshiyuki Miyata, Katsunori Ueda
  • Patent number: 9334801
    Abstract: A supersonic inlet includes a relaxed isentropic compression surface to improve net propulsive force by shaping the compression surface of the inlet to defocus the resulting shocklets away from the cowl lip. Relaxed isentropic compression shaping of the inlet compression surface functions to reduce the cowl lip surface angle, thereby improving inlet drag characteristics and interference drag characteristics. Supersonic inlets in accordance with the invention also demonstrate reductions in peak sonic boom overpressure while maintaining overall engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Preston A. Henne, Timothy R. Conners, Donald C. Howe
  • Patent number: 9334854
    Abstract: A closed-cycle cryogenic engine includes a high specific heat working fluid remaining in a gaseous phase. The high temperature heat reservoir is the natural environment and the low temperature heat reservoir is created artificially by evaporating water. Isothermally compressing the working fluid at low temperature by absorbing compression heat by evaporating water extracts heat energy from the environment, converting it into net output. A plurality of serially connected isentropic expanders is interposed with a like plurality of re-heating stages. The temperature difference between the high and low temperature heat reservoirs is a few degrees, allowing expansion operation with low expansion ratios, enabling a large number of expanding and reheating steps Each engine cycle extracts natural heat energy from the environment, converting a large fraction into high density net output work. Very little water, the engine's only fuel, is consumed since evaporating water's latent heat is high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Inventor: Michael Minovitch
  • Patent number: 9328634
    Abstract: There is provided a steam power cycle system that permits to perform an appropriate heat exchange between a working fluid that is a non-azeotropic mixture and a heat source, to enhance the performance of the whole system. More specifically, a plurality of condensers are provided so as to be connected to each other in series, and the working fluid in a gas phase from the expander is introduced into the respective condensers. Consequently, the ratio of a low boiling point substance of the working fluid becomes higher toward the posterior condenser, it is possible to make the condensation temperature of the working fluid lower than that of the anterior condenser. It is therefore possible to make the temperature of the working fluid possibly close to the temperature of the low-temperature fluid, thus permitting an effective use of the difference in temperature of the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SAGA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Ikegami, Takafumi Morisaki
  • Patent number: 9328637
    Abstract: A camshaft adjuster having a pot-like stator drivable by a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; and a rotor rotationally fixedly connected to a camshaft of the internal combustion engine; having an outer ring and an inner ring arranged concentrically with respect to the outer ring; and radially oriented webs connecting the outer ring and the inner ring to each other, which subdivide the annular space formed between the outer ring and the inner ring into working chambers, wherein the working chambers are subdivided into oppositely acting pressure chambers by stator webs connected to the stator and projecting laterally into the working chambers; and the rotor is mounted by the outer ring in the radial direction on a cylindrical wall of the pot-like stator, wherein at least one depression forming a pocket to receive hydraulic oil is provided on the radial outer side of the outer ring and/or on the radial inner side of the cylindrical wall of the pot-like stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Weber, Dirk Heintzen
  • Patent number: 9322301
    Abstract: A method of externally modifying a Carnot engine cycle. A first step involves providing a heat exchange path between an external environment and a fluid circulating in a carnot engine. A second step involving permitting the carnot engine to draw from an endless supply of heat or cold in the external environment to regenerate the Carnot engine cycle as entropic losses are encountered and as differential heat energy is converted into power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Inventor: Robert Thiessen
  • Patent number: 9322317
    Abstract: A motorcycle is equipped with a V-type engine in which front and rear cylinders are arranged in a V-shape along a vehicle front and rear direction. An exhaust device includes: a catalyst device disposed on an exhaust downstream side of a collection part of an exhaust pipe of the front cylinder and an exhaust pipe of the rear cylinder; and a connecting pipe via which the exhaust pipe of the front cylinder and the exhaust pipe of the rear cylinder communicate with each other, and the connecting pipe passes through a space between the exhaust pipe of the rear cylinder and the catalyst device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Sasaki, Yoshisato Inayama, Kazuhiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9322314
    Abstract: A method for operating a dosing unit for dosing reducing agent into an exhaust gas treatment device for purifying the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, includes providing the dosing unit with at least one delivery pump, at least one injector and a line section for conducting reducing agent from the delivery pump to the injector. The dosing unit is first operated for dosing reducing agent into the exhaust gas treatment device. Then, the dosing unit is shut off. Subsequently, a first pressure is maintained in the line section for at least a first time period, with the first pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure. A motor vehicle having the dosing unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Jan Hodgson, Sven Schepers, Peter Hirth
  • Patent number: 9322322
    Abstract: A turbocharger system for a vehicle may include a turbocharger, a tank for compressed gas and an exhaust manifold conduit in fluid communication with an inlet of the turbocharger. The tank is in fluid communication with the manifold conduit and is arranged to push compressed gas into the manifold conduit during a predetermined pulse duration time period for initial compressor spin up in the turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Goran Almkvist, Jonas J Bjorkholtz
  • Patent number: 9322321
    Abstract: A fresh air system for supplying combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine with fresh air may include a housing through which a fresh air path is routed. The fresh air system may include a charge air cooler arranged in the fresh air path. The housing may include an insertion opening, through which the charge air cooler is laterally inserted into the housing transversely to the fresh air path. An outer end region of the charge air cooler may close off the insertion opening and include a circumferential holding flange. The circumferential holding flange may be clamped between a holding rim enclosing the insertion opening and a separate holding frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Brand, Ivano Morgillo
  • Patent number: 9316122
    Abstract: A steam cycle system comprises a boiler comprising a superheat section, a reheat section, and an economizer section, wherein the boiler is configured to receive a feedwater stream; a steam turbine system comprising a high pressure turbine and a lower pressure turbine, wherein the steam turbine system is configured to receive steam generated by the boiler; a condenser configured to receive at least a portion of the outlet steam from the steam turbine system and output the feedwater stream; a high pressure feedwater heat exchanger configured to receive at least a portion of the feedwater stream, allow for an energy exchange between the portion of the feedwater stream and a steam stream, and output the portion of the feedwater stream to the boiler; a steam extraction line configured to provide a steam flow from an outlet of the high pressure turbine to the high pressure feedwater heater; a feedwater temperature control device configured to control the temperature of the feedwater stream by modulating the energy
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Invensys Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Labbe