Patents Examined by Wesley Harris
  • Patent number: 9840949
    Abstract: A valve switching apparatus includes a rocker arm coming into contact with a cam to open and close a valve along with a rotation of the cam, and an eccentric generation means provided to the rocker arm so as to allow an eccentric position to be changed by rotation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jae Hee Jeon, You Sang Son
  • Patent number: 9841008
    Abstract: Solar and steam hybrid power generation system including a solar steam generator, an external steam regulator, a turboset, and a power generator. A steam outlet end of the solar steam generator is connected to a steam inlet of the turboset. A steam outlet end of the external steam regulator is connected to the steam inlet of the turboset. A steam outlet of the turboset is connected to the input end of a condenser, and the output end of the condenser is connected to the input end of a deaerator. The output end of the deaerator is connected to the input end of a water feed pump. The output end of the water feed pump is connected to a circulating water input end of the solar steam generator. The output end of the water feed pump is connected to a water-return bypass of the external steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: WUHAN KAIDI ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yilong Chen, Qingping Yang, Yanfeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9835153
    Abstract: A variable displacement oil pump includes: a variable displacement mechanism that is able to change a discharge amount per rotation of an input shaft. The variable displacement mechanism includes a pump housing, an oil pressure chamber provided in the pump housing, and a capacity adjustment member displaced by oil pressure from the oil pressure chamber. The capacity adjustment member is configured to be operated when receiving control oil pressure that is supplied from a control valve to the oil pressure chamber. The pump housing has an oil release hole that is opened to face the oil pressure chamber and that penetrates a wall section of the pump housing to partially release oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Tsuge, Noboru Takagi, Shinichiro Ito, Yuki Nishida, Hisashi Ono
  • Patent number: 9835057
    Abstract: A continuous variable valve duration apparatus may include a camshaft, a plurality of wheels mounted to the camshaft, of which a wheel key is formed thereto respectively, a plurality of cam portions of which a cam and a cam key are formed thereto respectively, of which the camshaft is inserted thereto, of which relative phase angle with respect to the camshaft is variable, a plurality of inner brackets connected with the each wheel key and the each cam key, a plurality of slider housings of which the each inner bracket is rotatably inserted thereto, and movable up and down direction of an engine, a control portion selectively moving the slider housings to adjust relative position of a rotation center of the inner brackets and a guider guiding movement of the sliding housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: You Sang Son, Kyoung Pyo Ha, Back Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 9822790
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling infiltration of ambient air into, and exfiltration of process gas out of, an organic Rankine system. A system comprises a first sealing mechanism configured to seal at least one shaft against exfiltration of a process gas when the turbomachine is operating. The system further comprises a second sealing mechanism configured to seal the at least one shaft against infiltration of ambient air when the system is in a standstill mode. The system further comprises one or more pressure sensors configured to detect a pressure of gas within the system to monitor whether infiltration of ambient air has occurred and a system purge is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Inventors: Antonio Asti, Giacomo Landi, Dante Sabella, Paolo Susini, Mario Martini
  • Patent number: 9816510
    Abstract: A fan containment system arranged to be fitted around an array of radially extending fan blades mounted on a hub in an axial gas turbine engine. Each fan blade has a respective tip. The system includes: a cylindrical fan case including a hook projecting in a radially inward direction and positioned axially forward of the radial array of fan blades; a fan track liner disposed on the radially inner surface of the fan case; and a damaging tool which projects radially inwards from the fan case towards the tips. The damaging tool has a tip radially outward of the fan blade tips. The damaging tool is configured that in the event that one of the fan blades is released from the hub, the tip of the damaging tool damages the fan blade tip of the released fan blade to promote penetration of the fan blade into the fan track liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Cedric Brett Harper
  • Patent number: 9816378
    Abstract: A compressor/motor has fluid processing stages, each having ports through which a fluid is accepted in one volume and expelled in another volume. A system of valves selectively couples the ports to define, for a first process of a cycle, a unidirectional fluid path through the fluid processing stages that expels the fluid from path-adjacent fluid processing stages in incrementally smaller volumes. In a second process of the cycle, a reverse unidirectional fluid path is defined by the valves where the fluid expelled from path-adjacent fluid processing stages is in incrementally larger volumes. A mechanical interface coupled to the fluid processing stages conveys a force to the fluid processing stages to compel the fluid through the fluid path in the first process or conveys the force from the fluid processing stages that is compelled by the fluid traversing the reverse fluid path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Keith C. Sneddon
  • Patent number: 9816402
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to heat recovery systems that employ two or more organic Rankine cycle (ORC) units disposed in series. According to certain embodiments, each ORC unit includes an evaporator that heats an organic working fluid, a turbine generator set that expands the working fluid to generate electricity, a condenser that cools the working fluid, and a pump that returns the working fluid to the evaporator. The heating fluid is directed through each evaporator to heat the working fluid circulating within each ORC unit, and the cooling fluid is directed through each condenser to cool the working fluid circulating within each ORC unit. The heating fluid and the cooling fluid flow through the ORC units in series in the same or opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Justin P. Kauffman, Andrew M. Welch, Gregory R. Dawson, Eric N. Minor
  • Patent number: 9816406
    Abstract: A multiple variable valve lift apparatus may include a camshaft rotating by driving of an engine, a cam portion formed in a cylindrical shape having a hollow that the camshaft is inserted into, rotating together with the camshaft, configured to move along an axial direction of the camshaft, and forming a zero cam and a normal cam, a valve opening/closing device configured to be operated by at least one of the zero cam or the normal cam which are formed at the cam portion, an operating device disposed on an exterior circumference of the camshaft so as to move together with the cam portion, and a solenoid configured to selectively move the operating device along an axial direction of the camshaft, in which a journal, which has a radius being equal to a radius of the zero cam, is formed at the cam portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Byong Young Choi
  • Patent number: 9810114
    Abstract: A cam follower assembly is provided including an improved lubricant flowpath. The assembly includes a generally cylindrical housing including an annular groove adapted to be in communication with a lubricant gallery in an engine block or cylinder head. An axial end of the housing includes skirt portions including openings, and one of the skirt portions includes a first recessed section indented from an outer lateral surface of the housing and extending axially between the annular groove and a respective one of the openings. A pin is mounted in the openings of the skirt portions and has a second recessed section indented from an outer lateral surface of the pin that extends to at least one of the ends of the pin. The second recessed section is in communication with the first recessed section, and a cam roller supported on the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jeffrey Shewell
  • Patent number: 9810216
    Abstract: A vane pump unit assembled into a housing includes a rotor; a plurality of vanes; a cam ring; a first plate; a second plate; a connecting bar that has a first end portion fixed to the first plate, and a second end portion which protrudes from the second plate; and a clip that prevents the second plate and the cam ring from slipping out of the connecting bar. Before the clip is assembled into the housing, the retaining of the clip is positioned at least either between the first plate and the cam ring or between the second plate and the cam ring, in a place where a gap is formed. After the clip is assembled into the housing, the housing interposes the first plate, the cam ring, and the second plate in the axial direction, and the first and second plates are in close contact with the cam ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Tsukahara, Naoya Taga
  • Patent number: 9803542
    Abstract: Rotary internal combustion engine includes a body made of four parts, each of which is an L-shaped fragment, and, when connected, forming two mutually perpendicular ring-shaped walls in plan view with ribs on the outer surface and an annular groove inside, which form two passages, each of which contain a torus-shaped rotor, which can move along the groove. Each torus-shaped rotor has longitudinal notches located outside or inside the rotor forming cavities between the rotor and groove surface, connected to chambers located outside the walls. The intake and exhaust windows are made in the walls communicating with the cavities between the rotor and groove surface. The rotors are interconnected by the kinematic chain of rotation synchronization made of successively engaged gears, one of which is engaged with one torus-shaped rotor, and the last of the gears is engaged with the output shaft, rigidly connected with another torus-shaped rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Inventor: Asker Askerovich Geidarov
  • Patent number: 9797273
    Abstract: Provided is a method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy by use of an organic rankine cycle system that accommodates a working fluid composition. The method includes sequentially performing: evaporating the working fluid composition; expanding the working fluid composition; condensing the working fluid composition; and transferring the working fluid composition, while raising a pressure thereof, by a pump. The working fluid composition contains cis-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene at a ratio higher than or equal to 92.0% by mass and lower than or equal to 99.9% by mass and trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene or 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene at a ratio higher than or equal to 0.1% by mass and lower than or equal to 8.0% by mass; and has an evaporation temperature higher than or equal to 60° C. and lower than or equal to 150° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: CENTRAL GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshio Nishiguchi, Satoru Okamoto, Masatomi Kanai
  • Patent number: 9797378
    Abstract: A direct driven wind turbine and a main bearing used in such a wind turbine is provided. A rotor of the wind turbine is directly connected with a rotating drive train of the wind turbine, the rotating drive train is directly connected with a rotor of an electrical generator of the wind turbine. The rotating drive train is connected with a stationary part of the wind turbine via at least one bearing, which allows the rotation of the drive train in relation to the stationary part. The at least one bearing is a plain bearing and the bearing is a tapered bearing, which comprises at least one conical shaped sliding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Bo Pedersen, Kim Thomsen
  • Patent number: 9797340
    Abstract: A Stirling cycle machine. The machine includes at least one rocking drive mechanism which includes: a rocking beam having a rocker pivot, at least one cylinder and at least one piston. The piston is housed within a respective cylinder and is capable of substantially linearly reciprocating within the respective cylinder. Also, the drive mechanism includes at least one coupling assembly having a proximal end and a distal end. The linear motion of the piston is converted to rotary motion of the rocking beam. Also, a crankcase housing the rocking beam and housing a first portion of the coupling assembly is included. The machine also includes a working space housing the at least one cylinder, the at least one piston and a second portion of the coupling assembly. An airlock is included between the workspace and the crankcase and a seal is included for sealing the workspace from the airlock and crankcase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: New Power Concepts LLC
    Inventors: Dean Kamen, Christopher C. Langenfeld, Prashant Bhat, Michael G. Norris, Stanley B. Smith, III, Christopher M. Werner
  • Patent number: 9784137
    Abstract: A subcritical pressure high-temperature steam power plant includes a combustion boiler system, steam turbine generator system, and condensate and feedwater system and wherein the conditions of steam generated in the boiler system and supplied to the steam turbine generator system are subcritical pressure and high temperature (turbine inlet temperature of 593° C. or more).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Noguchi, Toshihiko Sasaki, Jun Koizumi, Kazuhiko Saito, Yuichi Yoshida, Noboru Shinotsuka
  • Patent number: 9784365
    Abstract: A variable vane assembly for a gas turbine engine having an actuating system including a rotatable face gear and a respective pinion engaged to and extending transversely from the end of each of the moveable vanes. The teeth of each pinion define land surfaces angled with respect to adjacent ones of the land surfaces of the teeth of the face gear meshed therewith. A smallest axial distance between the adjacent land surfaces of the meshed pinion and face gear teeth define a backlash of the actuating system. At least one shim has a thickness adjusting an axial distance between the pinion and the face gear to set the backlash to a predetermined value. An engine with a compressor with a variable vane assembly and a method of adjusting angular variance in an actuating system for variable vanes are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Andrew Marshall, Gilles Durocher
  • Patent number: 9777698
    Abstract: A vehicle propulsion system comprises at least two motors. Combustion occurs upstream of a first motor, and a second motor is downstream of said first motor. The first motor is a turbine that drives a primary propulsion element to effect propulsion and a compressor to effect compression. The second motor is an expansion device whose incoming gases arrive from said first motor. The first motor and the second motor intercommunicate energy via electrical, electromagnetic, and/or mechanical means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventor: Daniel Keith Schlak
  • Patent number: 9771947
    Abstract: A cross-flow fan includes a plurality of fan blades provided to be circumferentially spaced apart from each other. The fan blade has an inner edge portion arranged on the radially inner side to/from which air flows in/out, and an outer edge portion arranged on the radially outer side to/from which air flows in/out. Fan blade has a blade surface extending between the inner edge portion and the outer edge portion. The blade surface includes a pressure surface arranged on the rotation direction side of the cross-flow fan and a suction surface arranged on the back side of the pressure surface. When cut along a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the cross-flow fan, the fan blade has a blade cross-sectional shape in which a concave portion concave from the pressure surface is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukishige Shiraichi, Masaki Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 9765789
    Abstract: System and method for testing a pump. The testing of the pump includes determining a Mechanical Power Index (MPI) for the pump. The MPI is determined by operating the pump at operating speed for a minimum operating interval. When the pump is stopped under normal operation by the application, the pump speed is continuously monitored. The time when the pump speed decreases to an initial speed close to the operating speed is read as an initial time. When the pump speed decreases to a final pump speed close to the critical speed, the end time is read and the elapsed time is determined as ?t=end time?initial time. The MPI is calculated to be the initial pump speed minus the final pump speed divided by ?t. The MPI can be used during the lifetime of the pump to determine when the pump is deteriorating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Follo Alessandro, Flavio Cometti, Gianluca Buccheri, Jonathan Rohed