Patents Examined by Wesley G Harris
  • Patent number: 11959403
    Abstract: A camshaft assembly for a vehicle valvetrain having first and second engine valves includes a camshaft, and a first camshaft cartridge axially displaceable along the camshaft and including a plurality of first cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the first engine valve. A second camshaft cartridge is axially displaceable along the camshaft and includes a plurality of second cam lobes configured to selectively impart movement to the second engine valve. An actuator is configured to axially displace the first camshaft cartridge along the camshaft. A coupling is between the first camshaft cartridge and the second camshaft cartridge. Axial displacement of the first camshaft cartridge selectively imparts movement to the second camshaft cartridge for axial displacement of the second camshaft cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Neil A Murphy
  • Patent number: 11959402
    Abstract: A method of using a through axle switching rocker arm according to one example of the present disclosure is provided. The switching rocker arm comprises an outer and inner arm and a roller axle. The inner arm is pivotally coupled to the outer arm about a pivot axle and has an inner bushing that supports an inner roller. The inner bushing defines an inner diameter. The roller axle extends through the inner bushing and defines an outer diameter. The inner diameter of the inner bushing engages the outer diameter of the roller axle thereby inhibiting further pivoting of the inner arm relative to the outer arm defining a rocker arm travel constraint. The method includes designing first and second cam profiles based on the through axle switching rocker arm such that a difference in lift between the first and second cam profiles is held within the rocker arm travel constraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventor: Dale Arden Stretch
  • Patent number: 11959665
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of enhanced geothermal energy production that transports fluid from existing underground fluid reservoirs to a deeper, higher temperature radiator zone for fluid heating before recovery at the surface. One system includes at least one radiator injection well extending from a subterranean water reservoir of a formation to a radiator zone of the formation that is located at a greater depth than the subterranean water reservoir. The radiator injection well is configured to fluidically couple the subterranean water reservoir with the radiator zone to transfer fluid contained in the subterranean water reservoir to the radiator zone for heating. At least one recovery well extends from the surface to the radiator zone and is configured to recover fluid from the radiator zone that was transferred from the subterranean water reservoir to the radiator zone. The recovered fluid is then used at the surface to generate electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventor: Domenico Daprocida
  • Patent number: 11953002
    Abstract: A scroll compressor and a method for oil enrichment and distribution, wherein the scroll compressor includes a compressor housing, two scrolls, a respective base plate, an eccentric drive, a drive shaft, an axis of rotation, a balance weight, a first bearing, a second bearing, and a counter-pressure space, and wherein a sealing washer is fixed on the first bearing at a side of the first bearing directed to the cavity of the rotatable balance weight and of the second bearing such that the sealing washer seals the first bearing on one side in a radially outer part of a region between an inner ring and an outer ring through which fluid can flow and is, at the same time, spaced from the inner ring in a radial manner such that a gap through which fluid can flow remains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Iman Nezami, Laura Arriazu, Thomas Klotten
  • Patent number: 11946394
    Abstract: A method for producing a cam phaser for a cam shaft of an internal combustion engine, the cam phaser including a rotor, a stator and at least one cover, the method including arranging the at least one cover at the stator wherein the at least one cover is a flat circular piece of sheet metal and the stator including internal vanes and external drive teeth is integrally provided from one piece of metal; sealing the at least one cover at the stator by applying a ground axial face of the at least one cover to a ground contact surface of the stator; and after the sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ECO Holding 1 GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Brand, Stephan Wanner
  • Patent number: 11939890
    Abstract: A continuous variable valve duration apparatus includes: a camshaft, a front cam unit and a rear cam unit of which the phase relative to the camshaft can be varied, a front inner wheel and a rear inner wheel, a front guide bracket and a rear guide bracket, a front wheel housing and a rear wheel housing, a front control shaft, a rear control shaft, a phase controller selectively changing the relative phase of the front control shaft and the rear control shaft, a main driving unit for driving the rear control shaft, vibration sensors that measure the vibration of each cylinder corresponding to the front cam unit and the rear cam unit and output a corresponding signal, and a controller for controlling the operation of the main driving unit and the phase controller according to the output signals of the respective vibration sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyeon Woo Kim, Back Sik Kim, Jinyoung Jung
  • Patent number: 11940182
    Abstract: A solar-powered generator captures solar energy and generates steam with the energy. The generator includes a container formed with an inner spherical wall defining an inner chamber and having an inner reflective surface containing photovoltaic cells and an outer spherical wall defining an outer chamber located between the inner and outer spherical walls. The container is formed to allow for sunlight to enter the inner chamber. An inlet port is configured to allow water to enter the outer chamber and an outlet port is configured to allow steam to exit the outer chamber, whereby sunlight entering the inner chamber through the passage bounces off of the inner reflective surface allowing thermal energy to heat the water in the outer chamber to create steam to generate electricity through an external steam turbine. While simultaneously using radiant energy to be absorbed by photovoltaic cells to generate additional electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: David W. Hancock
  • Patent number: 11905858
    Abstract: Systems and methods for intermittent supply of lubricating oil to a tip of a rocker arm assembly. In one embodiment, a lubricating oil may be selectively to a tip of a rocker arm via oil channels aligned only during opening of a valve coupled to the tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: POWERHOUSE ENGINE SOLUTIONS SWITZERLAND IP HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Sandeep Namadev Kamble, John Patrick Dowell, Samir Vikas Joshi
  • Patent number: 11905861
    Abstract: A camshaft phaser arrangement configured for adjusting a phase between a first camshaft element and a second camshaft element is disclosed. The arrangement includes a rotor configured to be drivably connected to the first camshaft element. The rotor is configured to be selectively rotationally driven via hydraulic fluid such that rotation of the rotor phases the first camshaft element. A phasing adjuster is configured to pivot based on rotation of the rotor. The phasing adjuster includes a first engagement element configured to engage with a second engagement element on the second camshaft element, such that rotation of the rotor is configured to phase the second camshaft via the phasing adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Brian Lee
  • Patent number: 11898557
    Abstract: Scroll devices with cooling fluid supplied through a crankshaft are provided. The device may comprise an orbiting scroll operably connected to a fixed scroll and a crankshaft operably connected to the orbiting scroll. A first seal may be positioned about an outer surface of the crankshaft to form a seal with the outer surface. A second seal may be positioned about an outer surface of the crankshaft to form a seal with the outer surface. A first channel and a second channel extend through the crankshaft and are in fluid communication with the orbiting scroll and a fluid source and a fluid reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Air Squared, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan D. Nicholas, John P. D. Wilson, Bryce R. Shaffer
  • Patent number: 11898558
    Abstract: A scroll compressor including: a housing; a motor provided in the housing; a rotary shaft configured to be rotated by the motor; an orbiting scroll configured to orbit in conjunction with the rotary shaft; and a fixed scroll configured to define compression chambers together with the orbiting scroll, in which the housing includes: a center housing penetrated by the rotary shaft; a front housing configured to define a motor accommodation space that accommodates the motor; and a rear housing configured to define a discharge chamber for accommodating a refrigerant discharged from the compression chambers, and an introduction chamber for accommodating a middle-pressure refrigerant introduced from the outside of the housing, in which the fixed scroll has a plurality of injection ports that guides the refrigerant in the introduction chamber to the compression chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Kyung Jae Lee, Jeoong Ki Seo, Jong Hyun Jeon
  • Patent number: 11898471
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a vane rotor and a hydraulic oil control valve. The vane rotor is fixed to an end portion of one of a drive shaft and a driven shaft and defines a through hole. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool. The sleeve includes a body portion in the through hole and a fixing portion fixed into a shaft fixing hole defined in the one. At least a portion of the through hole is sealed by the body portion. A difference between a radial dimension of the shaft fixing hole and a radial dimension of the fixing portion is greater than a total of a predetermined coaxiality between the through hole and the shaft fixing portion and a predetermined coaxiality between the body portion and the fixing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11891922
    Abstract: An improved efficiency method and device for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, and then, preferably, into electricity and/or refrigerating energy. A partially liquid stream fc0 of fluid FC is implemented; thermal energy is transferred to the stream fc0; the heated stream fc0 is sprayed to generate a fragmented stream fc1 of fluid FC. Simultaneously a partially liquid stream ft0 of fluid FT is implemented; thermal energy is transferred to the stream ft0 to generate a stream ft that may be in liquid form or a saturated liquid/vapor mixture; stream f1 is expanded in a chamber which also receives fragmented stream fc1 to form a two-phase mixed stream fc1/t whose kinetic energy is converted into mechanical energy which is optionally transformed into electrical energy or into refrigerating energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Hevatech
    Inventors: Jean-Edmond Chaix, Patrick Bouchard, Guillaume Le Guen
  • Patent number: 11885245
    Abstract: An oil pressure actuated or torsion assisted phaser with a lock pin that has a position which shuts off communication between the advance and retard chambers and the front cam bearing and/or oil control valve, effectively acting as a shutoff valve and preventing leakage of oil from the advance and retard chambers. The prevention of leakage maintains oil in the phaser after engine shutdown. Additionally, by shutting off communication between the advance and retard chambers and the oil supply, the side load on the lock pin from the oil pressure torque on the rotor vanes during unlocking of the lock pin can be reduced or eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventor: Anand Barve
  • Patent number: 11873740
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for storing and time shifting at least one of excess electrical power from an electrical power grid, excess electrical power from the power plant itself, or heat from a heat generating source, in the form of pressure and heat, for future use in assisting with a production of electricity. An oxy-combustion furnace is powered by a combustible fuel source, plus excess electricity, during a charge operation to heat a reservoir system containing a quantity of a thermal storage medium. During a discharge operation, a discharge subsystem has a heat exchanger which receives heated CO2 from the reservoir system and uses this to heat a quantity of high-pressure, supercritical CO2 (sCO2) to form very-high-temperature, high-pressure sCO2 at a first output thereof. The very-high-temperature, high-pressure sCO2 is used to drive a Brayton-cycle turbine, which generates electricity at a first output thereof for transmission to a power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Buscheck, Ravindra Shrikrishna Upadhye
  • Patent number: 11852050
    Abstract: A support arrangement for an electromagnetic actuator of a hydraulic cam phaser, the support arrangement including an actuator module including a linear electromagnetic actuator including an axially displaceable connecting rod; and a support element configured to support the actuator module on a camshaft, wherein the actuator module is connected to the support element by an electrical contact arrangement configured to actuate the linear electromagnetic actuator, and wherein the electrical contact arrangement includes an elastic clamping element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ECO Holding 1 GmbH
    Inventor: Daniel Stanhope
  • Patent number: 11852049
    Abstract: A differential device (5) of an electric actuator (1) includes a driving rotary body (2), a driven rotary body (3), and a planetary rotary body (52). A first speed reducer (5a) is formed between the planetary rotary body (52) and the driving rotary body (2). A second speed reducer (5b) is formed between the planetary rotary body (52) and the driven rotary body (3). The electric actuator (1) includes a first bearing (53) configured to support the planetary rotary body (52) on an inner side of a rotor (42) of an electric motor (4), and a second bearing (54) configured to support the planetary rotary body (52) at a position shifted in an axial direction so as to be prevented from overlapping the rotor (42). The second bearing (54) is formed of a deep-groove ball bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintarou Ishikawa, Takahide Saito
  • Patent number: 11852144
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a scroll compressor and its lubricating oil supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Danfoss (Tianjin) Ltd.
    Inventors: Qian Hu, Gang Yao, Xueyou Zhou, Alain Picavet, Arnaud Daussin, RĂ©mi Bou Dargham, David Genevois
  • Patent number: 11852053
    Abstract: An electrically-actuated variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser assembly, comprises a sun gear configured to receive input from an electric motor and one or more planet gears having radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth that engage the sun gear; a first ring gear, having radially-inwardly extending gear teeth that engage the radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth of the sun gear, configured to receive rotational output provided by a crankshaft; a second ring gear, having radially-inwardly extending gear teeth that engage the radially-outwardly-extending gear teeth of the sun gear, configured to couple to a camshaft; one or more planet gear pins that carry the planet gear(s) and engage a planetary gear set to prevent the relative rotation of the planet gear pin(s) relative to the planetary gear set; and one or more springs that bias the planet gear pin(s) and the planetary gear(s) toward the first ring gear and the second ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: Chad McCloy, Daniel Brown, Mark Wigsten
  • Patent number: 11852054
    Abstract: A variable camshaft timing (VCT) system includes an independent camshaft phaser, receiving input from a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, having an output coupled to one of an inner concentric camshaft or an outer concentric camshaft; and a dependent camshaft phaser, coupled to the other of the inner concentric camshaft or the outer concentric camshaft, comprising a half-Oldham link configured to permit radial movement of the inner concentric camshaft relative to the outer concentric camshaft in one radial direction and at least one pivotable arm configured to permit radial movement of the inner concentric camshaft relative to the outer concentric camshaft in another, different radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: Chad M. McCloy, David C. White, Shawn Blackmur, Timothy W. Kunz, Brian T. Kenyon