Patents Examined by Thomas N. Moulis
  • Patent number: 7992538
    Abstract: A method of controlling an internal combustion engine and system including the engine is provided. The method may include closing an exhaust valve of a combustion chamber of said engine during a cylinder cycle prior to opening an intake valve of said combustion chamber. The method may include, when a desired engine torque is a predetermined torque or greater, supplying a first pilot fuel into said combustion chamber after said exhaust valve closing and supplying a first main fuel into said combustion chamber after the combustion of said first preliminary fuel during the cylinder cycle. The method may include, when a desired engine torque is less than said predetermined torque, supplying a second pilot fuel into said combustion chamber after said exhaust valve closing during the cylinder cycle and supplying a second main fuel into said combustion chamber after the supplying of said second pilot fuel into said combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamashita, Takeo Yamauchi, Masatoshi Seto
  • Patent number: 7987835
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injector, in particular a common rail injector, for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector has an injection valve element which is adjustable between a closing position and an opening position and which is switchable by means of a control valve. The control valve has a sleevelike control valve element that is adjustable along an adjustment axis and in its closing position rests sealingly on a control valve seat element. According to the invention, it is provided that the control valve seat element is disposed movably relative to the adjustment axis of the control valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Inventor: Nadja Eisenmenger
  • Patent number: 7984706
    Abstract: A method and system controls motion of an armature 112 of a fuel injector 100. The armature moves between an open coil 118 and a close coil 116 of the injector. Acceleration current of a certain polarity is applied to the open coil 118 with the armature disposed at the close coil 116. De-latching current of a polarity opposite of the certain polarity is applied to the close coil 116 to release magnetic latch on the armature thereby accelerating movement of the armature towards the open coil 118. Deceleration current is applied the close coil 116 thereby decelerating the armature prior to reaching the open coil. Latching current of the certain polarity is applied to the open coil 118 prior to or just after impact of the armature 112 with the open coil 118 to magnetically latch the armature to the open coil 118 thereby reducing bounce of the armature at impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Stewart, Jr., Ricky Lee Dynes, Benjamin Daniel Wisdom
  • Patent number: 7980218
    Abstract: In a pump driving device in an engine, driving a pump shaft of a pump mounted to an engine body by a valve-operating cam shaft supported by the engine body, a bolt is threadedly engaged with one end of the cam shaft, the bolt having a head portion in which a polygonal hole is formed, and a polygonal shaft portion is formed at one end of the pump shaft so as to be fitted into the polygonal hole. The pump shaft is driven by the cam shaft via the polygonal hole and the polygonal shaft portion. Thus, a large driving torque can be transmitted from the cam shaft to the pump shaft without reducing any effective support surface of a journal portion of the cam shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Tsubouchi
  • Patent number: 7980120
    Abstract: A fuel injector diagnostic system includes a fuel pump control module, a pressure sensor, and a diagnostic module. The fuel pump control module disables delivery of fuel to a fuel rail of an engine. The pressure sensor measures a first pressure of the fuel rail before an injection event and a second pressure of the fuel rail after the injection event on at least one of a plurality of injectors when the engine is running. The diagnostic module diagnoses a fault in the at least one of the injectors based on the first pressure and the second pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cinpinski, Byungho Lee, Donovan L. Dibble, Michael J. Lucido, Mark D. Carr
  • Patent number: 7980224
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors fluidly connected to a common rail. Each of the fuel injectors has at least one body component and includes an intensifier control valve for controlling movement of an intensifier piston, a needle control valve for controlling movement of a needle valve member, and exactly one electrical actuator coupled with the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve via a coupling linkage. The intensifier control valve and the needle control valve each include a valve member that is movable with respect to a valve seat. The electrical actuator includes an intermediate position during which the valve member of one of the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve is in contact with the respective valve seat, and the valve member of the other of the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve is out of contact with the respective valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Lewis, Bradley E. Bartley, Avinash R. Manubolu, Shriprasad G. Lakhapati, Dianqi Fang, Michael Gerstner, Christopher D. Hanson, Jeffrey M. Mullinix
  • Patent number: 7980228
    Abstract: A fuel vapor recovery system and method for an automotive vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle fuel tank is vented to atmosphere via a passageway having a carbon canister to remove fuel vapors, a bladder, and a normally-closed isolation valve. When fueling the vehicle, the gases in the fuel tank displaced by entering fuel are introduced into the carbon canister where the fuel vapors are stored. The isolation valve is commanded to open to allow such flow through the carbon canister. When the vehicle is parked for a period of a day, it undergoes a diurnal temperature change which causes fuel to vaporize into the fuel system. According to an aspect of the present development, the isolation valve remains closed and the gases are contained within the bladder as it expands or contracts as the volume of gases increases or decreases in response to temperature changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Peters, Steven James Hoffman, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 7983830
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for conserving fuel used by an engine. In some embodiments a control module processes a user-provided input, as a first function, into a second function. The second function can be used to direct the engine with a directive output power. The directive output power may have regions equal to, greater than, and/or less than what the power output would be if the engine were controlled using the user-provided input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Fuel Saving Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Yu, James W. Hill
  • Patent number: 7963269
    Abstract: A 90° integrated value calculating unit of an engine ECU calculates a 90° integrated value obtained by integrating a magnitude. A calculating unit calculates a knock magnitude by dividing 90° integrated value by a BGL. A value obtained by subtracting a standard deviation ? from a median value of 90° integrated value is determined as the BGL. An ignition timing control unit controls the ignition timing depending on whether knock magnitude is equal to or larger than a determination value. A median value calculating unit calculates median value of 90° integrated value. A standard deviation calculating unit calculates standard deviation of 90° integrated value. A first stop unit stops updating of median value and standard deviation when 90° integrated value is smaller than a first threshold value or is equal to or larger than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Rihito Kaneko, Hiroto Tanaka, Satoshi Watanabe, Norihito Hanai, Yasuhiro Yamasako, Kenji Senda, Satoshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 7958874
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation apparatus includes a housing connected with an EGR cooler via a mount face. The housing has a valve chamber accommodating a selector valve. The housing has a partition extending from the mount face close to the valve chamber to divide first and second exhaust ports opened in the mount face. A first passage leads exhaust gas into the EGR cooler through the valve chamber. A second passage recirculates exhaust gas to the intake passage through the EGR cooler and the valve chamber. A bypass passage leads exhaust gas from the engine through the valve chamber to bypass the EGR cooler. A rotation axis of the selector valve is perpendicular to an axis of the mount face, and offset away from the partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kobayashi, Osamu Shimane
  • Patent number: 7957886
    Abstract: A compressor flow rate is calculated using a compressor model, which is the physical model of a compressor. A plurality of the compressor models are provided, and the compressor model used for calculating the compressor flow rate is changed in accordance with an operational condition of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Eiraku, Hiroshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7954476
    Abstract: A fuel supply device comprises a fuel pump, a set plate, a control circuit, and an electrical wiring member. The fuel pump is disposed within a fuel tank. The set plate closes an opening of the fuel tank. The set plate comprises a controller chamber isolated from the fuel tank. The control circuit is disposed within the controller chamber. The control circuit controls the fuel pump. The electrical wiring member connects the control circuit and the fuel pump. The electrical wiring member is arranged from an interior of the controller chamber to an interior of the fuel pump and is passed through the set plate. A part of the electrical wiring member is exposed to the atmosphere. Furthermore, the exposed part is disposed within a range from the interior of the fuel tank to the interior of the controller chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Murakoshi, Koji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7954477
    Abstract: A diesel cycle internal combustion engine can be operated with a variety of fuels having different boiling points and different viscosity-temperature characteristic curves, with a fuel circuit that includes a fuel tank, a fuel pump, a fuel line, at least one fuel filter, a high-pressure pump, an injection system device and a return line to return fuel to the fuel tank, where a control valve is provided in the return line for dividing or diverting the fuel flow to the fuel tank and/or to the fuel filter, and where the fuel division or diversion is undertaken as a function of the viscosity of the fuel in use such that the fuel filter will thence be heated to a temperature based on heat transfer from the fuel in use, and further where a pressure relief valve is provided between the fuel filter and the high-pressure pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Inventors: Georg Gruber, Thomas Kaiser, Alois Dotzer
  • Patent number: 7950371
    Abstract: A control system includes a fuel pump control module and a diagnostic module. The fuel pump control module controls a fuel pump to provide fuel to a fuel rail. The diagnostic module controls the fuel pump control module to provide a predetermined amount of fuel to the fuel rail, determines an estimated pressure increase within the fuel rail based on the predetermined amount of fuel, and compares an actual pressure increase within the fuel rail to the estimated pressure increase. The fuel pump control module selectively controls the fuel pump based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cinpinski, Byungho Lee
  • Patent number: 7946271
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a haptic device in a vehicle. The system comprises a foot operated pedal of a vehicle. A sensor is coupled to the pedal and is configured to sense a position of the pedal during use. The sensor is configured to output a sensor signal associated with the position of the pedal. A processor is coupled to the sensor and is configured to receive the sensor signal. The processor outputs a control signal upon the pedal moving past a threshold position. An actuator is coupled to the processor, wherein the actuator is configured to output a haptic feedback force to the pedal upon receiving the control signal from the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventor: Pedro Gregorio
  • Patent number: 7946259
    Abstract: An engine system and method of its operation are described. The method includes: operating the combustion chamber in a four stroke cycle by repeatedly opening a first exhaust valve of the combustion chamber once every four piston strokes while holding closed a second exhaust valve of the combustion chamber; after operating the combustion chamber in the four stroke cycle, operating the combustion chamber in a two stroke cycle by repeatedly opening the first exhaust valve once every four piston strokes and repeatedly opening the second exhaust valve once every four piston strokes during a different exhaust stroke than the first exhaust valve; and after operating the combustion chamber in the two stroke cycle, operating the combustion chamber in the four stroke cycle by repeatedly opening the second exhaust valve of the combustion chamber once every four piston strokes while holding closed the first exhaust valve of the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 7946277
    Abstract: A fuel vapor storage and recovery system of an internal combustion engine includes a fuel tank and a filter device arranged in a tank venting line. A heat exchanger is disposed in the tank venting line. The heat exchanger cools the fuel vapors flowing from the fuel tank to the filter device and heats air that is aspirated for scavenging the filter device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Essig
  • Patent number: 7942132
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a fuel supply rail, a fuel injector configured to control the delivery of fuel from the fuel supply rail, and a noise filtering device engaging an upstream end of the fuel injector and/or positioned at least partially within the fuel injector. The noise filtering device defines a fuel passage configured to direct fuel from the fuel supply rail into the fuel injector. The noise filtering device can include one or more of several features including a pocket, a wrap-around shape to conform to the inlet end of the fuel injector, a face-sealing portion, a compression section, and a plurality of parallel restriction passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Venkatesh Kannan, William G. Klisz, John P. Casari, Jason L. Kramer
  • Patent number: 7938101
    Abstract: An adaptive fuel delivery control system includes a pressure monitoring module and a flow rate determination module. The pressure monitoring module determines an actual pressure drop after a fuel injection event on an injector. The flow rate determination module determines an adjusted flow rate based on a reference flow rate and the pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cinpinski, Donovan L. Dibble, Scot A. Douglas, Joseph R. Dulzo, Byungho Lee
  • Patent number: 7934488
    Abstract: Coupling device for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector to a fuel rail of a combustion engine, the coupling device having a fuel injector cup having a central longitudinal axis and being designed to be hydraulically coupled to the rail and to engage a fuel inlet portion of the injector, a first ring element being fixedly coupled to the cup, a second ring element being fixedly coupled to the injector, and a shell element with a first and second shell part. The first shell part is fixedly coupled to the second shell part. The first and second ring elements are axially arranged between the first and second shell part. The shell element is designed and arranged in a way that the first and second ring element are in engagement with the shell element to retain the injector in the cup in direction of the central longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Enio Biasci, Edoardo Giorgetti, Massimo Latini, Daniel Marc