Patents Examined by Willis R. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 8352161
    Abstract: An exhaust valve early-closure control brings about blowback of exhaust gas into an intake system. However, if the exhaust valve early-closure control is executed, for example, during a first idle operation immediately following the startup of the engine, or the like, the amount of blowback exhaust gas becomes excessively large. Therefore, when the post-startup increase amount has decreased to or below a lower-limit criterion value, the ECU prohibits the exhaust valve early-closure control, and changes the control to a usual valve timing control. As a result, during a period during which the combustion state has a stability margin and the amount of emission of HCs and the like is large, the exhaust emission quality can be bettered by the exhaust valve early-closure control. Besides, when the post-startup increase amount has decreased, the combustion state can be stabilized by prohibiting the exhaust valve early-closure control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Ishii, Mamoru Yoshioka, Makoto Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 8342150
    Abstract: A load control system, in certain aspects, may be configured to decrease the amount of noise pollution of a prime mover (e.g., engine) of a service pack in that it may not require the prime mover to operate at higher discrete operating speeds to deliver small amounts of air from the air compressor. The load control system may also only increase the speed of the prime mover to a minimum discrete speed required, keeping noise at a minimum. The load control system may also maximize fuel efficiency by not operating the prime mover at the highest discrete speed at all times. More specifically, the lower operating speeds may lead to less fuel consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
    Inventor: Ross Renner
  • Patent number: 8346462
    Abstract: A determination is made more simply as to a malfunction of a low pressure EGR device that supplies an EGR gas from a low pressure EGR passage connecting between an exhaust passage at a location downstream of a turbine and an intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nakamura, Hiroshi Sawada, Toru Kidokoro, Shinya Taira
  • Patent number: 8340887
    Abstract: A fuel injection control for an internal combustion engine is provided. Fuel is injected into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine. The fuel injection is divided into main injection and pilot injection in advance of the main injection. An actual compression ignition timing is detected based on a combustion state in the cylinder. A fuel injection timing of the main injection is controlled based on the actual compression ignition timing. An amount of heat release based on the pilot injection is computed. A fuel injection amount of the pilot injection is corrected based on the computed heat release amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamaguchi, Junichi Hatano
  • Patent number: 8336528
    Abstract: An EGR device includes a first cooling passage that introduces a flowing medium discharged from an engine into a main radiator so that the flowing medium is cooled therein, and then returns the flowing medium to the engine, and a second cooling passage that introduces a part of the flowing medium cooled in the first cooling passage to a sub-radiator so that the flowing medium is further cooled therein. The second cooling passage introduces the flowing medium to an EGR cooler to return the flowing medium, which is discharged from the EGR cooler, to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Hori, Satoshi Kimura, Satoshi Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 8333179
    Abstract: The invention deals with a method for operating an internal combustion engine with engine oil as the lubricant, wherein a fuel mass flow outgassing from the engine oil is ascertained and is taken into account via a map-based pilot control during the metering of a quantity of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine and wherein a fuel/air ratio supplied to the internal combustion engine is determined. Provision is made in the method according to the invention for a mass flow offset determined from the deviation of the fuel/air ratio supplied to the internal combustion engine from a nominal value to be taken into account when the metering of the quantity of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine occurs during an effective duration of the map-based pilot control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Mallebrein, Federico Buganza, Carlos Koster, Kai Jakobs, Juergen Pfeiffer, Emilie Hincker-Piocelle, Pierre-Yves Crepin
  • Patent number: 8335629
    Abstract: A method for controlling a valve of a crank case scavenged internal combustion engine includes determining a valve control sequence, wherein the valve is controlled in consecutive periods of revolutions each having a period length of at least ten revolutions, and controlling the valve according to the valve control sequence to adjust the ratio of fuel to air in a combustible mixture delivered to an engine combustion chamber. Determining the valve control sequence for each period includes providing a number of valve shut-off positions, wherein the number of valve shut-off positions corresponds to an amount of fuel or air to be supplied to the engine during the corresponding period, and determining which revolutions of the period that the valve is to be closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Husqvarna AB
    Inventors: Bo Carlsson, Mikael Larsson
  • Patent number: 8332130
    Abstract: An injection system includes an injector, first valve, second valve, and pressure sensing device. In an embodiment, first valve is in communication with an injector outlet and includes a closed position for at least partially stopping fluid flow from injector outlet. The second valve is in communication with an injector inlet and includes a closed position for at least partially stopping fluid flow to injector inlet. The pressure sensing device is configured for sensing an injector inlet pressure drop of the injector. The injection system may be configured to stop or impede fluid flow to injector inlet when the rate of pressure drop measured by the pressure sensing device is at least equal to a predetermined pressure value that represents a rate of pressure drop measured between injector inlet and second valve when the first valve and second valve are in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventor: Dale Arden Stretch
  • Patent number: 8326519
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises an intake valve deactivation module and an exhaust valve deactivation module. The intake valve deactivation module deactivates an intake valve of a cylinder of an engine based on an engine stop request such that the intake valve remains closed. The exhaust valve deactivation module deactivates an exhaust valve of the cylinder after the intake valve deactivation module deactivates the intake valve such that the exhaust valve remains closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventors: Mike M. McDonald, William C. Albertson
  • Patent number: 8322326
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (8) has an ignition device, a device for supplying fuel and a device for detecting the rpm of the engine (8). The engine (8) includes a permissible limit rpm (ng) and a control range (A) of the rpm (n) above the limit rpm (ng). A method for operating the engine (8) provides that the rpm of the engine (8) is limited in the control range (A) because of suppression of the ignition in individual engine cycles wherein the rpm (n) lies above a control rpm (na) lying in the control range (A). In the control range, and to improve the exhaust-gas values, the noncombustion engine cycle ratio (NECR) is adjusted. The NECR indicates the ratio of the number of engine cycles wherein the ignition is suppressed to the total number of ignitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Tim Gegg, Manuel Dangelmaier, Andreas Neubauer, Wolfgang Layher
  • Patent number: 8316820
    Abstract: A throttle includes a throttle body having a generally tubular throttle body side wall with a throttle body side wall interior surface defining a throttle body interior for containing an air flow path for delivering air into at least one cylinder of an engine; and a flow regulating mechanism including an diaphragm valve secured to the throttle body and extending diametrically across the throttle body interior for progressively reducing and progressively increasing the diameter of an air flow passing valve opening defined within the diaphragm valve, and thereby regulating air flow through the throttle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Inventor: Edward Cammarata
  • Patent number: 8316819
    Abstract: There is provided, in one aspect of the present description, a method of controlling a spark ignited internal combustion engine having a fuel injector which injects fuel directly into its combustion chamber. The method comprises stopping the fuel injection if a desired torque for the engine is a predetermined torque or less and a speed of the engine is a predetermined speed or greater. The method comprises resuming the fuel injection by injecting a first amount of fuel directly into the combustion chamber during a negative pressure period and injecting a second amount of the fuel into the combustion chamber during an intake period. The method further includes resuming the fuel injection by injecting a third amount of the fuel directly into the combustion chamber during the negative pressure period and injecting a fourth amount of the fuel into the combustion chamber during the intake period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masahisa Yamakawa, Shinichi Sugihara, Naohiro Yamaguchi, Keiji Araki
  • Patent number: 8316829
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for efficiently operating an engine utilizing exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The apparatus includes an exhaust manifold receiving exhaust gas from a first cylinder set, an EGR manifold receiving exhaust gas from a second cylinder set, and a passage comprising a variable restriction. The passage fluidly couples the exhaust manifold to the EGR manifold. The apparatus further includes a controller with modules for interpreting engine operating conditions and controlling actuators in response to the engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Cummins IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik L. Piper, Philip M. Dimpelfeld, Santiago A. Durango, Russell P. Durrett
  • Patent number: 8312860
    Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine includes monitoring an engine operating state and selectively operating the engine in a multiple-injection, multiple-ignition combustion mode comprising three injection events based upon the engine operating state. The selective operation includes controlling a first injection during a recompression period of the combustion cycle, controlling a second injection event effective to establish a homogeneous fuel charge prior to a main combustion, and controlling a third injection late in the compression phase of the combustion cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Hanho Yun, Nicole Wermuth, Barry L. Brown, Jun-Mo Kang, Chen-Fang Chang
  • Patent number: 8315779
    Abstract: Over a diesel engine's lifetime, engine efficiency may be reduced and some of this may be attributable to sulfur deposit accumulation in the engine. A method for controlling operation of a diesel engine operating on a fuel is provided. The method may include adjusting an injection of fuel to the engine in response to a sulfur content of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Keli Alark, Richard Kellogg Morton
  • Patent number: 8311721
    Abstract: A reserve torque system comprises a first module and a reserve torque module. The first module generates a first signal a predetermined period before an equivalence ratio (EQR) of an air/fuel mixture supplied to an engine is transitioned from a non-lean EQR to a lean EQR. The reserve torque module creates a reserve torque between when the first signal is generated and when the EQR is transitioned to the lean EQR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Robert J. Genslak, Edward Stuteville, Cheryl A. Williams, Robert C. Simon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8306720
    Abstract: In a power output apparatus, when the fuel vapor concentration is high and the target purge rate is high, an operating point on a purge priority operating line is selected as a target operating point of an engine. As a result, the intake manifold negative pressure greater than that when an operating point on an optimum fuel efficiency operating line is selected, so that the flow rate of purge gas released from a canister is increased. When the fuel vapor concentration does not fall within a high-concentration range, the necessity to immediately purge fuel vapor trapped in the canister into the intake pipe is low, and thus an operating point on the optimum fuel efficiency operating line is selected to keep the engine operating at high fuel efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Yamazaki, Shunsuke Fushiki
  • Patent number: 8306723
    Abstract: A direct-injection, compression-ignition internal combustion engine control adapts nominal minimum pulsewidth parameters controlling the fuel injectors to minimize pilot fuel delivered to the cylinders required to initiate a preliminary combustion event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Haskara, Yue-Yun Wang, Chol-Bum M Kweon, Zhiping Liu, Frederic Anton Matekunas, Paul Anthony Battiston
  • Patent number: 8297254
    Abstract: A system for safe storage and efficient utilization of a variety of fuel selections that range in composition and phase from cryogenic mixtures of solids and liquids to elevated temperature gases is provided for unique applications with various types of heat engines and fuel cells including hybridized combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Roy McAlister
  • Patent number: 8296040
    Abstract: In a method for controlling an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection, an injection parameter is determined in dependence on a temperature of the internal combustion engine. The method is characterized in that a first value of the internal combustion engine temperature is determined which, in the event of changes in the operating point of the internal combustion engine, changes comparatively quickly to a value which is characteristic of the new operating point. A second value of the internal combustion engine temperature is formed which, in the event of changes in the operating point, changes comparatively slowly, and in that the injection parameter is defined in dependence on the first value and the second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Achim Bauer