Patents Examined by Thomas N. Moulis
  • Patent number: 10920738
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine for an aircraft can include a crankshaft configured to drive a propeller; a camshaft coupled to the crankshaft; and an ignition controller coupled to the camshaft and including a visual indicator, the visual indicator configured to produce a visual signal at a predetermined angular position of the engine. An ignition controller for an internal combustion engine can include a housing and a P-lead connection extending from the housing, the ignition controller configured to selectively supply or cut main electrical power from the engine via the P-lead connection, the ignition controller also configured to selectively supply its own power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Continental Motors, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey K. Hunt
  • Patent number: 10920736
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine for an aircraft can include a crankshaft configured to drive a propeller; a camshaft coupled to the crankshaft; and an ignition controller coupled to the camshaft and including a visual indicator, the visual indicator configured to produce a visual signal at a predetermined angular position of the engine. An ignition controller for an internal combustion engine can include a housing and a P-lead connection extending from the housing, the ignition controller configured to selectively supply or cut main electrical power from the engine via the P-lead connection, the ignition controller also configured to selectively supply its own power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Continental Motors, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey K. Hunt
  • Patent number: 10920719
    Abstract: A compressor that feeds intake air under pressure is attached to an intake passage of an internal combustion engine. An intercooler that cools intake air is attached to a portion of the intake passage on a downstream side of the compressor. One end of an exhaust gas recirculation passage that allows a part of exhaust air flowing in an exhaust passage to return is connected with the exhaust passage in the internal combustion engine. The other end of the exhaust gas recirculation passage is connected with a portion of the intake passage on an upstream side of the compressor. A dehumidifier that removes moisture contained in gas is attached to a portion of the intake passage from a connecting portion with the exhaust gas recirculation passage through the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Miyake
  • Patent number: 10916991
    Abstract: Multiphase electromagnetic machines, such as free-piston engines or compressors, may require, or supply, a pulsed power profile from or to a DC bus, respectively. The pulsed power profile may include relatively large fluctuations in instantaneous power. Sourcing, sinking, or otherwise exchanging power with an AC grid, via an inverter, may be accomplished by using an energy storage device and a DC-DC converter coupled to a DC bus. The energy storage device may aid in smoothing the pulsed power profile, while the DC-DC converter may aid in reducing fluctuations in voltage across a DC bus due to energy storage in the energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Mainspring Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Da Costa, John Powers
  • Patent number: 10900450
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel injector having a nozzle with first and second sets of spray orifices formed therein. The fuel injector also includes a first and a second outlet check movable to open and close the first and second sets of spray orifices. Spray plume ducts are supported at fixed orientations relative to a nozzle of the fuel injector, and each are oriented in-line with a center axis defined by one of the spray orifices. The spray plume ducts may be directly attached to the fuel injector or to a duct carrier mounted to an engine head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignees: Caterpillar Inc., Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Bobby John, Robert Michael Campion, Jonathan W. Anders
  • Patent number: 10890122
    Abstract: At start of an engine, a fuel injection amount is set to a jump-over injection amount if the engine speed obtained in each cycle is higher than or equal to a determination threshold value, which is set lower than a lower limit of a resonance speed range of powertrain by a predetermined reference value. If the engine speed is lower than the value, the fuel injection amount is set to a step-over injection amount that is smaller than the jump-over injection amount. This setting makes it possible to increase the engine speed such that the engine speed approaches the lower limit of the resonance speed range causing resonance in the powertrain, up to a predetermined range, and then causes the engine speed to jump straight to an engine speed which exceeds the resonance speed range, while in the process of increasing the engine speed by executing the combustion cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kanae Fuki, Kotaro Takahashi, Toru Kobayashi, Hiromu Sugano, Masahiro Tateishi, Ryohei Karatsu, Takamitsu Miyahigashi, Jiro Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10871111
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes an intake channel with an inlet and an outlet, a control element, an exhaust gas recirculation channel with an opening, a recirculation channel, and a shaft having the control element eccentrically mounted thereon. The exhaust gas recirculation channel enters the intake channel. The opening of the exhaust gas recirculation channel is a valve seat for the control element. The shaft acts as an axis of rotation for the control element. A rotation of the shaft moves the control element between a first end position where the control element throttles the intake channel and a second end position where the control element contacts the valve seat at the opening of the exhaust gas recirculation channel. The axis of rotation is arranged in a plane which passes through the valve seat at the opening of the exhaust gas recirculation channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignees: PIERBURG GMBH, FORD-WERKE GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Vierkotten, Patrick Sutty, Christian Vigild, Andreas Kuske, Franz Arnd Sommerhoff, Joerg Kemmerling, Vanco Smiljanovski, Helmut Kindl, Hanno Friederichs
  • Patent number: 10871112
    Abstract: A method and system for predicting the occurrence of a knock which will have a predetermined intensity or higher (intense knock) in an engine that burns an air-fuel mixture of gasoline fuel. The pressure in a combustion chamber is detected during an initial stage of combustion. This pressure is compared with a preset reference value to determine whether or not the cylinder inner pressure exceeds the reference value during the combustion. When the cylinder inner pressure exceeds the reference value, it is predicted that the intense knock will occur before an end of the combustion. If the intense knock is predicted, additional fuel or other material can be injected into the combustion chamber to prevent the occurrence of the intense knock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji Shishime, Takashi Kohata, Yuichiro Tsumura, Daisuke Tanaka, Taiki Maiguma
  • Patent number: 10865727
    Abstract: A method for controlling at least one switchable valve, a brake impulse that slows down the valve movement being produced during the controlling of the at least one valve. At least one parameter of the brake impulse determines the position and/or the duration of the brake impulse. A parameter is modified, and the reaction of a measurement quantity or of a characteristic feature derived from the measurement quantity is evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Jahn, Juergen Graner, Haris Hamedovic, Christian Steinbrecher, Bastian Reineke, Wolfgang Fischer, Andreas Rupp
  • Patent number: 10859027
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an engine comprises an engine speed sensor generating an engine speed signal, a throttle position sensor generating a throttle position signal, a sensor module comprising at least one of a fuel pressure sensor generating a fuel pressure signal corresponding to a fuel pressure and a fuel temperature sensor generating a fuel temperature signal corresponding to a fuel temperature into the engine. A controller is coupled to the fuel injector, the engine speed sensor and the sensor module. The controller determines a pulse width duration for the fuel injector based on engine speed and throttle position, determining a pulse width correction factor as a function of at least one of the fuel temperature signal and the fuel pressure signal, determining a second pulse width duration based on the first pulse width, and operating the fuel injector with the second pulse width duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Dallas J. Blake
  • Patent number: 10850608
    Abstract: A sensor adapter assembly configured to couple a vapor pressure sensor to a fuel tank includes a base housing configured to couple to the fuel tank, and an insert adapter coupled to the base housing. The insert adapter defines a sensor insertion aperture configured to provide fluid communication to a space inside the fuel tank. The insert adapter is configured to couple to the vapor pressure sensor such that at least a portion of the vapor pressure sensor extends through the sensor insertion aperture into the space inside the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Michael Olesnavich, Ron Sexton
  • Patent number: 10851742
    Abstract: An intake system of a vehicle includes: an intake manifold having a plurality of runners for supplying intake gas to a multiple-cylinder engine; a surge tank cover coupled to the intake manifold to define a surge tank communicating with the plurality of runners via the intake manifold; an intake air inlet formed on the intake manifold as a passage through which intake air flows into the surge tank; an intake outlet formed on the intake manifold as a passage through which intake air sequentially passing through the intake air inlet, the surge tank, and the plurality of runners, and is discharged to the engine as the intake gas; a gas inlet which is a passage formed on the intake manifold and selectively receiving recirculation exhaust gas; and a gas chamber formed on the intake manifold so that the recirculation exhaust gas flows in through the gas inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Il Suk Yang, Sangwook Kweon, Soo Hyung Woo
  • Patent number: 10844810
    Abstract: A leakage detecting device includes a first sensor, a second sensor, a pump, a leakage determination portion and a determination resetting portion. The first sensor, which is provided in a first passage connecting a fuel tank to a canister, detects density of vaporized fuel generated in the fuel tank. The second sensor, which is provided in a third passage connecting the canister to the pump, detects pressure in the third passage. The pump is provided between the third passage and an atmospheric passage. The leakage determination portion determines whether there is leakage in a vaporized fuel processing system or not, based on a time-variable amount of the pressure detected by the second sensor. The determination resetting portion resets a leakage determination result of the leakage determination portion, based on a time-variable amount of the density and the time-variable amount of the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiki Yasuzaka, Tomohiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 10830198
    Abstract: A method for deposit mitigation in a gaseous fuel injector that introduces a gaseous fuel through a gaseous fuel orifice directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine includes at least one of a) reducing the ago length of the gaseous fuel orifice by substantially between 10% to 50% of a previous length of a previous gaseous fuel orifice showing deposit accumulation above a predetermined threshold; b) providing the gaseous fuel orifice with an inwardly and substantially linearly tapering profile; c) determining deposit mitigation is needed; and performing at least one of the following deposit mitigation techniques i) increasing gaseous fuel injection pressure wherein deposit accumulation is reduced during fuel injection; and ii) decreasing gaseous fuel temperature wherein a rate of deposit accumulation is reduced; and d) injecting compressed air through the gaseous fuel orifice during shutdown of the internal combustion engine; whereby torque loss in the internal combustion engine due to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: WESTPOINT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Dominique J. Soleri, Patric Ouellette, Hamed Karimi Sharif
  • Patent number: 10815915
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining an idle, recommended cool-down period (RCDP) for a prime mover of a grounds maintenance vehicle. Delaying engine shutdown until after expiration of the RCDP allows engine components to adequately cool. In some embodiments, systems and methods may provide a quantitative indication of the time remaining in the RCDP, while other embodiments may notify an operator that a re-start of the engine is necessary to continue cool-down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: EXMARK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Andre, Christian S. C. Bryant
  • Patent number: 10808571
    Abstract: A turbine engine component includes a wall extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge. The wall includes a hot side facing a gaspath when the gaspath component is in an installed state, and a cold side opposite the hot side. At least one minicore cooling circuit is disposed between the hot side and the cold side within the wall. At least one cooling fluid inlet connects the minicore cooling circuit to a coolant source. At least one film cooling hole connects the minicore cooling circuit to the hot side surface. The minicore cooling circuit includes an edge plenum having a thickness normal to the hot side surface that is larger than a thickness of the majority of the minicore cooling circuit normal to the hot side surface. The edge plenum is a portion of the at least one minicore cooling circuit most proximate to one of the leading edge and the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, Matthew A. Devore, Renee J. Behlman
  • Patent number: 10781779
    Abstract: An improved fuel injection device for internal combustion engines comprising a slidable (pilot) valve instead of a needle valve principle. The valve does not comprise a seat, so, even in the case of a spring-loaded embodiment of the valve there is no risk of hammering of the valve on a seat with the pertaining generation of noise. The improved fuel injector allows a larger nozzle diameter and, therefore, a larger number of nozzle holes, if required or deemed useful. For rotating embodiments of the fuel injector, the valve or at least its spring, in the case of a spring-loaded embodiment of the valve, can be located in the static section of the rotating fuel injector, thus eliminating the balancing problem of prior art rotating fuel injectors which comprise a spring in the rotating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: T.D.C. PRODUCTS B.V.
    Inventor: Tjeerd Sijtse Ijsselstein
  • Patent number: 10753335
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine for an aircraft can include a crankshaft configured to drive a propeller; a camshaft coupled to the crankshaft; and an ignition controller coupled to the camshaft and including a visual indicator, the visual indicator configured to produce a visual signal at a predetermined angular position of the engine. An ignition controller for an internal combustion engine can include a housing and a P-lead connection extending from the housing, the ignition controller configured to selectively supply or cut main electrical power from the engine via the P-lead connection, the ignition controller also configured to selectively supply its own power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Motors, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey K. Hunt
  • Patent number: 10753267
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatus are disclosed for affecting working fluid flow in a system that delivers material between two locations by carrying the material in the working fluid. For example, embodiments of the disclosed apparatus may be used in an internal combustion engines to carry fuel droplets to a combustion area using air as the working fluid. The apparatus may include a passage including a funnel portion and tumble area that direct working fluid into a stratified stream. The stratified stream may include an outer boundary flow having a toroidal and/or helical flow characteristic and an inner flow carrying injected material that is bound by the outer flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Inventors: Elario D. Dalmas, II, Brett J. Leathers
  • Patent number: 10746147
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-pressure line for conveying a fluid under high pressure to a consumer, in particular for supplying fuel under injection pressure to one or more injectors (14) of a combustion engine. It comprises a first (1), a second (2), and a third line section (3), which line sections (1, 2, 3) are flowed through successively in the intended operation of the high-pressure line and are jointly formed by a ones-piece component (4) made of metal, wherein the first line section (1) and the third line section (3) each have a smaller flow cross-section than the second line section (2) arranged between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: PETER FUCHS TECHNOLOGY GROUP AG
    Inventors: Alkan Göcmen, Peter Fuchs