Patents by Inventor Adam Stubbs

Adam Stubbs 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: 11614045
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of controlling an engine and more particularly for controlling the transition between operating modes of an internal combustion engine such as between an economy mode and a performance mode. The method comprising the steps of determining a current fuel-air ratio at which the engine is operating and comparing it with a predetermined fuel-air ratio limit. The time duration for which the current fuel air-ratio is below the fuel-air ratio limit is determined and compared with a predetermined waiting time threshold value. A count is triggered, which is based on a difference between the current fuel-air ratio and the fuel-air ratio limit when the engine is operating at a current fuel-air ratio which is below the fuel-air ratio limit and this is compared with an intensity threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Adam Stubbs, Kane Lok, Chris Burgess
  • Publication number: 20210340928
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of controlling an engine and more particularly for controlling the transition between operating modes of an internal combustion engine such as between an economy mode and a performance mode. The method comprising the steps of determining a current fuel-air ratio at which the engine is operating and comparing it with a predetermined fuel-air ratio limit. The time duration for which the current fuel air-ratio is below the fuel-air ratio limit is determined and compared with a predetermined waiting time threshold value. A count is triggered, which is based on a difference between the current fuel-air ratio and the fuel-air ratio limit when the engine is operating at a current fuel-air ratio which is below the fuel-air ratio limit and this is compared with an intensity threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Adam Stubbs, Kane Lok, Chris Burgess
  • Patent number: 10215125
    Abstract: A process of controlling operation in a multi-cylinder engine either during start of operation or low-load conditions is disclosed. The process may include skipping a supply of fuel in a first set of cylinders of the multi-cylinder engine for a pre-defined number of multiple working cycles. The process may further include supplying fuel-air mixture to a second set of cylinders of the multi-cylinder engine for the pre-defined number of multiple working cycles. The process may also include executing combustion of the fuel-air mixture supplied to the second set of cylinders for the pre-defined number of multiple working cycles. In addition the process may include either changing a selection of cylinders included in the first set of cylinders and the second set of cylinders respectively, or switching the supply of fuel, after the pre-defined number of multiple working cycles, from the second set of cylinders to the first set of cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike Joachim Sixel, Andre Schmidt, Adam Stubbs, Kai Ruschmeyer, Christian Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9719447
    Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The method may include receiving knock data corresponding to knock levels over a time period. The method may also include determining from the knock data whether the knock levels change over the time period. Further, the method may include determining that a variation in the gas composition of the gaseous fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine has occurred when the knock levels change over the time period. In addition, the method may include adjusting an operating condition of the internal combustion engine to adapt a knock susceptibility of the internal combustion engine to the varying gas composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike Joachim Sixel, Daniel Wester, Arvind Sivasubramanian, Adam Stubbs
  • Publication number: 20170204802
    Abstract: A process of controlling operation in a multi-cylinder engine either during start of operation or low-load conditions is disclosed. The process may include skipping a supply of fuel in a first set of cylinders of the multi-cylinder engine for a pre-defined number of multiple working cycles. The process may further include supplying fuel-air mixture to a second set of cylinders of the multi-cylinder engine for the pre-defined number of multiple working cycles. The process may also include executing combustion of the fuel-air mixture supplied to the second set of cylinders for the pre-defined number of multiple working cycles. In addition the process may include either changing a selection of cylinders included in the first set of cylinders and the second set of cylinders respectively, or switching the supply of fuel, after the pre-defined number of multiple working cycles, from the second set of cylinders to the first set of cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike Joachim SIXEL, Andre SCHMIDT, Adam STUBBS, Kai RUSCHMEYER, Christian HOFFMANN
  • Patent number: 9605602
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas or dual fuel engine having a plurality of cylinders, includes monitoring a characteristic of each of the plurality of cylinders during operation of the gas or dual fuel engine. The method also includes detecting a pre-ignition condition associated with one or more cylinders of the plurality of cylinders based on the monitored characteristic. The method further includes reducing fuel supply to the one or more cylinders having the pre-ignition condition. The fuel supply to remaining cylinders of the plurality of cylinders is increased, to maintain a constant power output of the gas or dual fuel engine. The method further includes adjusting an amount of air supplied to each of the plurality of cylinders based on the increased amount of fuel supplied to the remaining cylinders, to maintain an air-to-fuel ratio within a desired range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike Sixel, Adam Stubbs, Aradhita Subirkumar Chakrabarty, Daniel Wester, Rodney Stazicker, Michael Andrew Snopko, Arvind Sivasubramanian
  • Patent number: 9528456
    Abstract: A method of controlling a valve assembly includes calculating, by a controller of the valve assembly, one or more electrical signals to move a valve element of the valve assembly dependent on an actual and a desired position of the valve element. The method also includes sending, by the controller, the one or more electrical signals to an electrical actuator of the valve assembly. The method further includes detecting a valve fault condition defined as the actual position of the valve element failing to match the desired position of the valve element after a configurable period has elapsed. When the valve fault condition is detected, the method includes substituting the data corresponding to the desired position of the valve element with pulses of waveform data which oscillate about a value corresponding to the desired position of the valve element until either of two predetermined conditions is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventor: Adam Stubbs
  • Publication number: 20160010581
    Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The method may include receiving knock data corresponding to knock levels over a time period. The method may also include determining from the knock data whether the knock levels change over the time period. Further, the method may include determining that a variation in the gas composition of the gaseous fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine has occurred when the knock levels change over the time period. In addition, the method may include adjusting an operating condition of the internal combustion engine to adapt a knock susceptibility of the internal combustion engine to the varying gas composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike Joachim SIXEL, Daniel WESTER, Arvind SIVASUBRAMANIAN, Adam STUBBS
  • Publication number: 20150252738
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas or dual fuel engine having a plurality of cylinders, includes monitoring a characteristic of each of the plurality of cylinders during operation of the gas or dual fuel engine. The method also includes detecting a pre-ignition condition associated with one or more cylinders of the plurality of cylinders based on the monitored characteristic. The method further includes reducing fuel supply to the one or more cylinders having the pre-ignition condition. The fuel supply to remaining cylinders of the plurality of cylinders is increased, to maintain a constant power output of the gas or dual fuel engine. The method further includes adjusting an amount of air supplied to each of the plurality of cylinders based on the increased amount of fuel supplied to the remaining cylinders, to maintain an air-to-fuel ratio within a desired range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike SIXEL, Adam Stubbs, Aradhita Subirkumar Chakrabarty, Daniel Wester, Rodney Stazicker, Michael Andrew Snopko, Arvind Sivasubramanian
  • Publication number: 20150252741
    Abstract: A method of evaluating operability of a gaseous fuel admission valve of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders and at least one gaseous fuel admission valve for each cylinder of the plurality of cylinders. The method includes operating the dual fuel internal combustion engine on liquid fuel. The method further includes supplying gaseous fuel to the gaseous fuel admission valves at a pressure above an intake manifold air pressure thereby setting a differential gas pressure across the gaseous fuel admission valves. The method also includes operating the gaseous fuel admission valves to add gaseous fuel to intake air while operating the dual fuel internal combustion engine primarily on liquid fuel. Further, the method includes measuring combustion process parameters for the cylinders. The method also includes evaluating operability of the gaseous fuel admission valves based on the measured combustion process parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike Joachim SIXEL, Daniel WESTER, Adam STUBBS, Michael SNOPKO
  • Publication number: 20140332705
    Abstract: A method of controlling a valve assembly includes calculating, by a controller of the valve assembly, one or more electrical signals to move a valve element of the valve assembly dependent on an actual and a desired position of the valve element. The method also includes sending, by the controller, the one or more electrical signals to an electrical actuator of the valve assembly. The method further includes detecting a valve fault condition defined as the actual position of the valve element failing to match the desired position of the valve element after a configurable period has elapsed. When the valve fault condition is detected, the method includes substituting the data corresponding to the desired position of the valve element with pulses of waveform data which oscillate about a value corresponding to the desired position of the valve element until either of two predetermined conditions is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventor: Adam Stubbs
  • Publication number: 20130313454
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring operation of a valve assembly includes a valve element movable between open and closed stops. A position of the valve element between the stops establishes the extent to which the valve is open. The valve assembly includes a DC motor for moving the valve element in response to an electric signal; a position sensor for detecting an actual position of the valve element; and a controller configured to receive data corresponding to a desired position of the valve element, and to supply a calculated electric signal to the motor to move the valve element from the actual position to the desired position. The method comprises: measuring the electric signal output from the controller for input to the motor when the valve element is stationary, and comparing the measured electric signal with a reference electric signal in order to identify a fault.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventor: Adam Stubbs