Patents by Inventor Adam Charles Hill

Adam Charles Hill has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12006902
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a pressurized fuel supply, and a fuel injector fluidly connected to the pressurized fuel supply. The fuel injector includes a valve seat plate forming a valve seat, an injection control valve, and a nozzle cavity. A filter, which can include a 2-dimensional filter, is positioned partially within the valve seat plate and partially within an injector body to filter an incoming flow of high-pressure fuel. The valve seat plate and filter are integrated in a valve seat plate and filter assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Benjamin Ray Tower, Venkata R. Tatikonda, Adam Charles Hill
  • Patent number: 11480129
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a fuel injector, and a fueling control unit electrically connected to a solenoid actuator in the fuel injector. The fueling control unit is structured to energize and deenergize the solenoid actuator to lift and return an armature coupled with an injection control valve. The fueling control unit also reenergizes the solenoid actuator with an armature retarding current while the armature is in flight to stabilize closing of the injection control valve. The armature retarding current can be used to electronically trim the fuel injector to limit an error in a quantity of injected fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Charles Hill
  • Publication number: 20220282692
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a pressurized fuel supply, and a fuel injector fluidly connected to the pressurized fuel supply. The fuel injector includes a valve seat plate forming a valve seat, an injection control valve, and a nozzle cavity. A filter, which can include a 2-dimensional filter, is positioned partially within the valve seat plate and partially within an injector body to filter an incoming flow of high-pressure fuel. The valve seat plate and filter are integrated in a valve seat plate and filter assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Benjamin Ray Tower, Venkata R. Tatikonda, Adam Charles Hill
  • Publication number: 20220268234
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a fuel injector, and a fueling control unit electrically connected to a solenoid actuator in the fuel injector. The fueling control unit is structured to energize and deenergize the solenoid actuator to lift and return an armature coupled with an injection control valve. The fueling control unit also reenergizes the solenoid actuator with an armature retarding current while the armature is in flight to stabilize closing of the injection control valve. The armature retarding current can be used to electronically trim the fuel injector to limit an error in a quantity of injected fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Charles Hill
  • Patent number: 11300068
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel injector, and a fueling control unit electrically connected to a solenoid in the fuel injector. The fueling control unit energizes the solenoid with a lift current pulse to lift an armature, then energizes the solenoid with a separate capture current pulse to capture the armature at a lifted position. The solenoid is deenergized a dwell time while the armature is in flight toward the lifted position. Armature lifting speed is retarded based on the deenergizing of the solenoid so as to limit bouncing of a valve pin in the fuel injector against a stop. The techniques assist in linearizing a fuel delivery curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Charles Hill, Zhenyu Li
  • Patent number: 11248575
    Abstract: A fuel injector body includes a body that includes an at least partially annular configuration defining a longitudinal axis, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction. A first counterbore and a first cavity extend from the first end toward the second end, and an external interface portion including a sealing surface is disposed axially between the first end and a shoulder. The first cavity defines a bottom surface and a peripheral surface, and the body also includes a leak passage extending from the bottom surface that is in communication with the first cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Lewis, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Venkata R. Tatikonda, Adam Charles Hill
  • Patent number: 11174827
    Abstract: A fuel injector body includes an at least partially annular configuration defining a longitudinal axis, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction. A first counterbore and a first cavity extend from the first end toward the second end, and an external interface portion includes a sealing surface disposed axially between the first end and a shoulder. The first cavity defines a bottom surface and a peripheral surface defining a first cavity diameter, and the sealing surface defines a sealing surface diameter. A ratio of the sealing surface diameter to the first cavity diameter ranges from 0.3 to 4.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata R. Tatikonda, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Stephen Robert Lewis, Adam Charles Hill