Patents Examined by Thomas Olszewski
  • Patent number: 9441631
    Abstract: A suction duct for a compressor such as a scroll compressor may include a plastic ring body with a metal screen heat staked in a window of the ring body to filter refrigerant gas entering the motor cavity. the ring body may be in surrounding relation of the motor and resiliently compressed in the housing through intermittent contact with the inner housing surface to better seal around the inlet port. Oil drain channels and stabilizing ribs may be along the outside surface of the ring body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Bitzer Kuehlmaschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Johnathan P. Roof
  • Patent number: 9435204
    Abstract: An engine includes a housing having a single wall, where the wall has a rib and a flange, and the wall provides a primary structure and cooling for the engine. A closeout is attached to an outer surface of the wall, and the closeout and the wall form a cavity. The closeout provides a secondary structure for containing a coolant fluid flow within the cavity. The closeout may be corrugated, and the ribs may be exposed to the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Mark David Horn
  • Patent number: 9422855
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for removing condensate from an intercooler of a turbocharged internal combustion engine. Using valves to drain condensate may create a direct fluidic connection between the compressed air of the intercooler and ambient exterior air, allowing both condensate and compressed air to escape due to valve design or failure of valve actuation devices. To provide a simple and reliable method for removing condensate without removing compressed air, a hollow valve is used to shuttle condensate from the intercooler to the exterior environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James M. Basile, Joseph Skrobowski, Scott Willis
  • Patent number: 9422858
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes an annular bypass passage with an annular bypass valve disposed therein. The bypass valve includes a fixed annular valve seat and a rotary annular valve member disposed against the valve seat. The valve member is rotatable about the axis for varying a degree of alignment between orifices in the valve seat and valve member so as to form flow passages having a flow area A for exhaust gas. The orifices are shaped to provide a first phase of evolution of the flow area A from zero up to a value A1 and then a second phase of evolution from the value A1 up to a value A2, and such that the first and second phases have distinctly different slopes on a curve of flow area versus rotational position of the valve member, with a distinct break point in the curve between the first and second phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Lombard, Valerie Bribant, Antoine Costeux
  • Patent number: 9416724
    Abstract: Embodiments for controlling boost pressure are provided. In one example, a method of controlling a turbocharger of an engine via a multi-staged wastegate comprises during a first condition, actuating a first stage of the wastegate based on boost pressure generated by the turbocharger, and actuating a second stage of the wastegate based on a temperature of a catalyst downstream of the turbocharger. In this way, catalyst heating and boost control may be provided by a common wastegate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Durand Byrd, Keith Michael Plagens, William Charles Ruona
  • Patent number: 9404411
    Abstract: A turbocharger system is provided. The turbocharger system includes a turbine positioned downstream of a combustion chamber and a turbine bypass conduit in fluidic communication with a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet. The turbocharger system further includes a wastegate positioned in the turbine bypass conduit, a wastegate actuator coupled to the wastegate adjusting a position of the wastegate, and an air-cooled solenoid valve coupled to wastegate actuator adjusting a position of the wastegate actuator, the air-cooled solenoid valve receiving cooling airflow from an intake conduit positioned upstream of a compressor mechanically coupled to the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Matthews
  • Patent number: 9394902
    Abstract: A fluid rotary machine includes first and second bodies and that are rotatable relative to each other. The second body is inside the first body to define a working fluid space there between. In addition, the machine includes a plurality of gates. Each gate 18 is supported by the first body and is movable in a radial direction with respect to the first and second bodies to extend into and retract from the working fluid space. The machine also includes a magnetic gate control system configured to exert control of the motion and/or position of the gates in the radial direction. The magnetic gate control system is a dispersed system including magnets or magnets and components made of ferromagnetic materials. The magnetic gate control system may be dispersed between the gates, and one or both of the bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: GREYSTONE TECHNOLOGIES PTY. LTD.
    Inventor: Daryl Wheeler
  • Patent number: 9393648
    Abstract: A Moineau style stator includes a stator tube having a plurality of rigid helical lobes formed on an inner surface thereof. The helical lobes define a major internal tube diameter that is greater than a pass through diameter of the tube such that the major diameter undercuts the pass through diameter of the tube. A major liner diameter may also be less than the pass through diameter so as to provide a suitable interference fit between rotor and stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SMITH INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Lance D. Underwood, William D. Murray, Thomas K. Washburn
  • Patent number: 9359940
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting intake airflow through two induction passages. In response to increased torque demand, intake airflow may be directed through a first induction passage including an exhaust-driven turbocharger compressor and through a second induction passage including an electric compressor. Further, after the turbocharger compressor increases speed, intake airflow may be directed again through the first induction passage to further increase boost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Chris C. Ahrns
  • Patent number: 9353746
    Abstract: A scroll compressor may include a scroll pumping mechanism which includes an orbiting scroll having an orbiting scroll wall extending axially from an orbiting scroll plate towards a fixed scroll and a fixed scroll having a fixed scroll wall extending axially from a fixed scroll plate towards the orbiting scroll. An axial end portion of one of the scroll walls includes a first sealing arrangement and a second sealing arrangement arranged in series along the scroll wall from the inlet to the outlet for sealing between the axial end portion of the scroll wall and the scroll plate of the opposing scroll. The first sealing arrangement may have first sealing characteristics which are selected according to the sealing requirements local to the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement may have second, different sealing characteristics which are selected according to sealing requirements local to the second sealing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Edwards Limited
    Inventors: Miles Geoffery Hockliffe, Ian David Stones, Alan Ernest Kinnaird Holbrook
  • 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: 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: 9322350
    Abstract: A method for controlling differences in cylinder mixtures for a two cylinder bank engine having a turbocharger is presented. In one example, the description includes a method for adjusting valve timing to reduce cylinder mixture variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Matthew Storhok, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9284955
    Abstract: According to a compressor of the present invention, the compressor further comprises an oil separating mechanism 40 which separates oil from the refrigerant gas discharged from the compressing mechanism 10, the oil separating mechanism 40 includes a cylindrical space 41 in which the refrigerant gas orbits, an inflow portion 42 for flowing the refrigerant gas discharged from the compressing mechanism 10 into the cylindrical space 41, a sending-out port 43 for sending out, from the cylindrical space 41 to the one container space 32, the refrigerant gas from which the oil is separated, and an exhaust port 44 for discharging the separated oil and a portion of the refrigerant gas from the cylindrical space 41, and a center of the sending-out port 43 is deviated in a direction opposite from the inflow portion 42 from a center axis of the cylindrical space 41.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hiratsuka, Osamu Aiba, Takeshi Hashimoto, Akinori Fukuda, Shiho Furuya, Atsushi Sakuda, Yoshiyuki Futagami, Hiroyuki Kawano, Yusuke Imai, Takashi Morimoto, Tatsuya Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 9282754
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the compression in the vane cell chambers in the compression region of a vane cell pump for conveying pasty substance, in particular sausage meat, and a corresponding vane cell pump, wherein the compression is adjusted by changing the guide of the vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: ALBERT HANDTMANN MASCHINENFABRIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Martin Staudenrausch
  • Patent number: 9279366
    Abstract: A rotary engine and method having a housing with a bore defining a cavity. A rotatable rotor in the cavity has a plurality of protuberant lobes with respective distal ends moving along the bore. Each of a plurality of vanes has a distal end biased to engage a perimeter of the rotor. The rotor rotates between neutral rotor positions where all of the lobes are simultaneously rotationally aligned with the vanes, and a plurality of different power stroke rotor positions between consecutive neutral rotor positions incrementally increasing in size a like plurality of volumetrically equivalent working fluid expansion chambers that are each in fluid communication with a respective working fluid inlet intersecting the bore and, in turn, incrementally decreasing in size a like plurality of volumetrically equivalent working fluid exhaust chambers each in continuous fluid communication with a respective working fluid outlet intersecting the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SPINDYNE LLC
    Inventors: Stephen W. Shields, David William Shields
  • Patent number: 9273593
    Abstract: An ECU alternatively changes a target air-fuel ratio At to a rich side and a lean side by active air-fuel ratio control. The ECU measures an oxygen storage capacity OSC of an exhaust purification catalyst based on an oscillation period of the target air-fuel ratio At and the target aft-fuel ratio At, and executes a deterioration determination with respect to the exhaust purification catalyst based on the measurement value. When executing the deterioration determination, the ECU closes a waste gate valve to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of the deterioration determination that is caused by two kinds of exhaust gas whose flow paths are different from each other arriving at the area surrounding an air-fuel ratio sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Sato
  • Patent number: 9249722
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for improving the performance of a rotary engine comprising at least one of a piston having at least one piston vane configured to rotate. A peddle block is positioned in the pathway of the piston vane, wherein as the piston vane approaches the peddle block a secondary exhaust pressure increases against the piston vane surface, the secondary exhaust pressure, in part, causes the piston vane to rotate and self-align for a subsequent cycle. A variable orifice secondary exhaust port selectively vents at least a portion of the secondary exhaust pressure, away from the piston vane setting an optimal rotational speed of the piston vane, improving performance of the rotary engine. Other exemplary embodiments include turbo-charging the rotary engine by increasing the secondary exhaust pressure, increasing the piston vane rotation, and increasing the amount of secondary exhaust pressure that is recirculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventor: Boots Rolf Hughston
  • Patent number: 9238983
    Abstract: Embodiments for heating an emission control device are provided. In one example, a method for a turbocharged engine comprises during an engine cold-start, delivering boosted air from downstream of a compressor into a wastegate duct coupled across a turbine and exothermically reacting a reductant with the boosted air upstream of an exhaust emission control device. In this way, boosted air may be used to initiate an exothermic reaction to heat the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Wen Dai, Paul M. Laing, John Hedges
  • Patent number: 9228538
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion engine control apparatus that can restrain an EGR amount from becoming excessive, and restrain destabilization of combustion . . . . First, in response to a change of an operation condition, operation amounts of a plurality of actuators that influence the EGR amount are set. When the operation amounts of the plurality of actuators are set, operation of an actuator that decreases the EGR amount (referring to an external EGR amount, an internal EGR amount or both, the same applying to the following) is started (S140), and thereafter, operation of another actuator that increases the EGR amount is started (S150).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Miyashita