Patents Examined by Xiao Mo
  • Patent number: 9915194
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating an engine with variable displacement engine (VDE) operation coupled to a twin scroll turbocharger. One method comprises directing exhaust from a first outer cylinder and a first inner cylinder of four cylinders to a first scroll of the twin scroll turbocharger, directing exhaust from a second outer cylinder and a second inner cylinder of the four cylinders to a second scroll of the twin scroll turbocharger, and during a first condition, firing all four cylinders with uneven firing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brad Alan Boyer, Gregory Patrick McConville, Kim Hwe Ku, James Douglas Ervin
  • Patent number: 9903285
    Abstract: A target air amount for achieving a requested torque is back-calculated from the requested torque using a virtual air-fuel ratio. The virtual air-fuel ratio is changed from a first air-fuel ratio to a second air-fuel ratio in response to a condition for switching an operation mode being satisfied. After the virtual air-fuel ratio is changed, the target air-fuel ratio is maintained at the first air-fuel ratio until the ignition timing reaches a retardation limit. Subsequently, in response to the ignition timing reaching the retardation limit, the target air-fuel ratio is switched from the first air-fuel ratio to a third air-fuel ratio. After switching of the target air-fuel ratio, in response to a difference between the target air amount and an estimated air amount becoming equal to or less than a threshold value, the target air-fuel ratio is switched from the third air-fuel ratio to the second air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Saito, Noriyasu Adachi, Satoru Tanaka, Satoshi Yoshizaki, Ryutaro Moriguchi, Yosuke Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9903336
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for igniting a gas-fuel mixture, in particular in internal combustion engines, wherein at least one gas discharge gap bounded by two electrodes is ignited by means of a high voltage, which is produced by an ignition circuit and applied to the gas discharge gap. After the breakdown of the gas discharge gap, the current through the gas discharge gap is controlled by a control circuit in such a way that the gas discharge lies in the abnormal glow range, in which the voltage across the gas discharge gap rises for currents greater than 0.1 A having a positive slope. The current through the gas discharge gap is controlled in such a way that said current lies between 0.1 A and 10 A, preferably is greater than 0.1 A and less than or equal to 3 A, more preferably lies between 0.5 A and 1 A, wherein the voltage lies between 250 V and 3000 V, preferably between 500 V and 2000 V.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Reimann
  • Patent number: 9903292
    Abstract: An abnormality diagnosis system of limit current type air-fuel ratio sensors comprises a current detecting part and a sensor temperature control device. The abnormality diagnosis system uses the current detecting part to detect the output current of the air-fuel ratio sensor when the air-fuel ratio is made the rich air-fuel ratio in the state where temperature of the air-fuel ratio is made the first temperature and when the air-fuel ratio is made the rich air-fuel ratio in the state where the temperature of the air-fuel ratio is made a second temperature higher than the first temperature. It is judged that the air-fuel ratio sensor is abnormal if the output current when the temperature of the air-fuel ratio sensor is the first temperature is larger than the output current when it is the second temperature by a predetermined value or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyamoto, Toru Kidokoro, Yasushi Iwazaki, Kenji Suzuki, Koji Ide
  • Patent number: 9867270
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic wave emission device in which the destination to which an electromagnetic wave is supplied can be switched among a plurality of emission antennas, wherein there are no problems such as breakage of a switching element even in a case where a large-power electromagnetic wave is emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9863386
    Abstract: In a high pressure pump in a system for fuel injection in a combustion engine, determining whether a predetermined partial load operating condition prevails in the combustion engine, at which one single of several pump elements (10) in the high pressure pump is capable of alone delivering a fuel pressure requested in an accumulator tank (6), according to a first reference value, and to achieve a reproducible increase of the fuel pressure to a second reference value. If applicable, the high pressure pump's pump elements are controlled so that one single pump element alone delivers the fuel pressure in the accumulator tank according to the first reference value, whereupon this reference value is changed to the second reference value, and the actual development of the pressure in the accumulator tank as a function of time is determined, and compared with stored values of similar developments for the determination of information regarding the pump element's performance ability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventor: Kim Kylström
  • Patent number: 9862273
    Abstract: A work vehicle including an internal combustion engine that generates power and an exhaust gas treatment device that treats exhaust gas emitted from the internal combustion engine, the work vehicle includes: a detection unit that detects an abnormality of the exhaust gas treatment device; an output restriction unit that restricts output of an output generation device included in the work vehicle when the detection unit detects the abnormality of the exhaust gas treatment device; a display control unit that causes a display unit to display information that the restriction on the output is allowed to be temporarily released; and a releasing unit that releases the restriction on the output in response to an instruction to temporarily release the restriction on the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Shimazu, Hayato Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9863353
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for estimating an exhaust air/fuel ratio based on outputs from an exhaust oxygen sensor. In one example, a method may include adjusting engine operation based on an air-fuel ratio estimated based on an output of the exhaust oxygen sensor and a learned correction factor. For example, the oxygen sensor may operate in a variable voltage mode in which a reference voltage of the oxygen sensor may be adjusted between a lower first voltage and a higher second voltage, and the learned correction factor is based on the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel A. Makled, Gopichandra Surnilla, Richard E. Soltis, Kenneth John Behr
  • Patent number: 9856844
    Abstract: A fuel pump for a direct injection system having: a pumping chamber; a piston, which is mounted in a sliding manner on the inside of the pumping chamber; an intake channel, which originates from a wall of the pumping chamber and has a housing portion; an intake valve, which is inserted into the housing portion of the intake channel; and a locking ring nut with an annular shape, which is threaded and is screwed into the housing portion of the intake channel so as to strike against the intake valve; the housing portion has an annular abutment, which reduces the diameter of the housing portion and against which the intake valve strikes; the locking ring nut is screwed into the housing portion with a tightening force that is sufficient to determine a plastic deformation of the annular abutment against the intake valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNETI MARELLI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Michele Petrone, Enrico Vezzani, Massimo Mattioli
  • Patent number: 9822754
    Abstract: A fuel property determination apparatus for an internal combustion engine is applied to an internal combustion engine that is equipped with an ignition plug and an ignition timing controller. An electronic control unit provided in the fuel property determination apparatus executes a determination process of making a determination on a property of a fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine based on an ignition sufficiency ratio, during a predetermined period after startup of the internal combustion engine. The electronic control unit is configured to determine that the property of the fuel is heavy when a determination index value that is obtained by subjecting the ignition sufficiency ratio to a smoothing process is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold. The electronic control unit is configured to set a smoothing coefficient to a value corresponding to each of a first period, a second period, and a third period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Yamashita, Mikio Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9816444
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is configured to: calculate measured data of MFB based on in-cylinder pressure detected by an in-cylinder pressure sensor; execute engine control based on a measured value of a specified fraction combustion point that is calculated based on the measured data of MFB; and calculate a first correlation index value for the measured data (current data) and the reference data of MFB and a second correlation index value for the current data and the immediately preceding past data. The engine control is suspended that uses the measured data of the specified fraction combustion point based on the current data when both of the first correlation index value and the second correlation index value are less than a determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiki Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 9803574
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for addressing pre-ignition that may be induced in response to actions taken to mitigate a cylinder misfire. An amount of engine load limiting applied may be adjusted to reduce the likelihood pre-ignition while also addressing component over-temperature issues. By limiting an engine load while shutting off fuel in a misfiring cylinder, and while combusting a lean air-fuel mixture in the remaining cylinders, pre-ignition induced by the misfire-mitigating lean combustion conditions can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Ford General Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Paul Charles Mingo, Robert Sarow Baskins, Sue Kay Wagers
  • Patent number: 9797331
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is configured to: calculate measured data of MFB using an output signal of an in-cylinder pressure sensor after performing a first low-pass filtering; execute engine control based on the measured value of a specified fraction combustion point that is calculated based on the measured data of MFB; and prohibit the engine control when the first correlation index value is less than a first determination value and a first correlation degree is lower than a first degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keisuke Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9790866
    Abstract: A fuel removal method is for an internal combustion engine that has a closed- and open-loop control system and a lubricant circuit containing a lubricant. The closed- and open-loop control system has characteristic values for operation of the internal combustion engine. The method includes carrying out a load point shift starting from a first operating point of the internal combustion engine to a second operating point of the internal combustion engine with the aid of the closed- and open-loop control system. The load point shift is carried out when a fuel characteristic value, which characterizes a fuel quantity formed in the lubricant, is greater than or equal to a fuel threshold value. The second operating point having a second scavenging gradient which is greater than a first scavenging gradient of the first operating point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Markus Sitzler, Thomas Rauner
  • Patent number: 9784220
    Abstract: An intake air control apparatus of an engine includes a housing having an intake air inflow passage for receiving external air, an exhaust gas inflow passage for receiving recirculated exhaust gas, and an intake air supply passage for supplying the external air from the intake air inflow passage or the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas inflow passage to the engine. A motor gear rotates together with an output shaft of the motor. A connection gear is engaged and rotates together with the motor gear. A recirculation gear is engaged and rotates together with the connection gear. A recirculation valve opens and closes the exhaust gas inflow passage since the recirculation valve rotates together with the recirculation gear. An intake air gear is engaged and rotates together with the connection gear. An intake air throttle valve opens and closes the intake air inflow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: JongMan Jun, Hyoung Hyoun Kim
  • Patent number: 9765733
    Abstract: An evaporation fuel purge system includes: a fuel tank; a canister that absorbs and desorbs evaporation fuel emitted from the fuel tank; an intake passage for an internal combustion engine in which the evaporation fuel desorbed from the canister is mixed with fuel for combustion; a purge passage that connects the canister to the intake passage; an ejector device disposed in the purge passage; and a fluid drive device. The ejector device has a nozzle part that accelerates external fluid. The fluid drive device sends outside air corresponding to the external fluid to flow into the nozzle part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Hamanakodenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideya Tochihara, Tetsunori Inoguchi
  • Patent number: 9765722
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for an engine, the fuel injection system includes injectors and an electronic control unit. The injectors include needle valves; and the ECU is configured to: (i) execute partial lift injection and full lift injection with the injectors, the partial lift injection being injection during which the needle valve does not reach a fully-open state and the full lift injection being injection during which the needle valve reaches the fully-open state; (ii) operate the engine in a partial lift injection region where the injection of a required injection amount of a fuel is shared by the partial lift injection and the full lift injection; and (iii) perform the amount of correction of the required injection amount with respect to the injection amount shared by the full lift injection when the required injection amount is corrected while the engine is operated in the partial lift injection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Higuchi, Tomohiro Nakano, Rihito Kaneko, Eiji Murase
  • Patent number: 9752534
    Abstract: An engine fuel supply apparatus includes: a fuel chamber provided in a carburetor; a first communication passage for opening the interior of the fuel chamber to the atmosphere; a second communication passage for communicating the interior of the fuel chamber with the interior of a Venturi section; and a passage switching section capable of switching between the first and second communication passages and mechanically connected to the main switch so that it can operate in response to the main switch shifting between an ignition position and a stop position. The passage switching section switches the second communication passage to the first communication passage in response to the main switch shifting from the stop position to the ignition position and switches the first communication passage to the second communication passage in response to the main switch shifting from the ignition position to the stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Arai, Katsuki Honma, Masaki Ando
  • Patent number: 9745912
    Abstract: A method for avoiding pre-ignitions during the operation of an internal combustion engine includes measuring a noise level of a combustion process using an acceleration sensor. An amplitude an amplitude of the measured noise level is measured to detect pre-ignitions. If, in the analysis, the measured noise level of a combustion cycle exceeds a limiting value n times, a safety operating mode of the internal combustion engine for reducing an effecting compression in the combustion chamber is activated. The safety operating mode is maintained if exceeding of the amplitude limiting value is also detected in subsequent combustion cycles of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Ruben Emiel Van den Bergh
  • Patent number: 9745945
    Abstract: An engine system for a vessel propulsion device includes an engine including an intake amount adjusting unit and an ignition plug, and configured to generate a drive force for the vessel propulsion device. The engine system includes an ignition timing control unit, a knocking detecting unit, a knocking retard control unit that retards the ignition timing of the ignition plug by a unit retard amount when the knocking detecting unit detects knocking, an abnormality judging unit that, when a state where the knocking detecting unit detects knocking at intervals within a predetermined time continues, judges that an abnormality has occurred based on a continued state of knocking detection, and an intake amount limiting unit that limits the intake amount of the engine based on judgment of an abnormality made by the abnormality judging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Kinoshita