Patents by Inventor Alan R. Stockner
Alan R. Stockner 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).
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Publication number: 20140216403Abstract: A gas fuel system for an engine is disclosed. The gas fuel system includes a fuel tank configured to supply cryogenic fuel. A cryogenic pump is configured to pressurize the cryogenic fuel received from the fuel tank. A heat exchanger is configured to receive the pressurized cryogenic fuel and an engine coolant. Further, the engine coolant flows through the heat exchanger to vaporize the pressurized cryogenic fluid. The gas system further includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of temperature of the engine coolant. Further, the controller sends a signal to impose one or more parasitic loads on the engine based on the temperature of the engine coolant.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2013Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventor: Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20140182552Abstract: A dual fuel common rail system may be operated in a regular mode in which a relatively large charge of gaseous fuel is ignited by compression igniting a relatively small injection quantity of liquid diesel fuel. The dual fuel system may be operated in a single fuel limp home mode in which liquid diesel fuel is injected at higher pressures. Over pressurization of the gaseous fuel side of the fuel system due to leaked liquid fuel is avoided by regularly injecting leaked liquid fuel, but not gaseous fuel, from the gaseous nozzle outlet set during the limp home mode of operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2013Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Cory A. Brown, Joshua W. Steffen, Dana R. Coldren, Alan R. Stockner, Hoisan Kim, Dianqi Fang
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Publication number: 20140130522Abstract: A conditioning system for a liquefied gas includes a source of liquefied gas, the liquefied gas provided from the source at a first temperature. A first heater is disposed to heat a flow of the liquefied gas to a second temperature. An accumulator is disposed to collect and store a quantity of the liquefied gas at the second temperature. A second heater is disposed to receive a flow of gas from the accumulator and the first heater, the second heater operating to heat the gas to a third temperature and provide the heated gas at the third temperature to a gas outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Joshua W. Steffen, Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20140069386Abstract: A dual fuel engine powers a machine by burning natural gas and liquid diesel fuel. When operating in a low load mode, some of the engine cylinders are fueled with a high ratio of diesel/gas, and the remaining cylinders are unfueled. When operating in a high load mode, all of the engine cylinders are fueled with a low ratio of diesel/gas. When operating in a limp home mode, the fuel injectors are configured to inject only diesel fuel into all of the plurality of engine cylinders.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Dana R. Coldren, Joshua W. Steffen, Gregg W. Uhland, Brian K. Garman, Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20140053800Abstract: A machine includes a machine body and a dual fuel compression ignition engine attached to the machine body. A dual fuel system is operably coupled to supply the engine with liquid diesel fuel and natural gas fuel directly into respective cylinders of the engine. The fuel system includes an insulated tank for storing the natural gas fuel, a pressure sensor positioned to measure fluid pressure within the tank, and a pump for drawing the natural gas fuel from the tank. An electronic controller is in communication with the pressure sensor and has a cryogenic system diagnostics algorithm executable thereon that is configured to receive a pressure signal from the pressure sensor, detect a cryogenic system fault based on the signal, and generate a notification signal based on the fault.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2012Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Joshua W. Steffen, Dana R. Coldren, Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20140041633Abstract: A dual fuel compression ignition engine operates by injecting gaseous fuel and liquid diesel fuel from a common fuel injector directly into each engine cylinder. The gaseous fuel is ignited by compression igniting a small pilot injection quantity of the liquid diesel fuel. Evaporated natural gas from a cryogenic tank and/or a fuel conditioning module is dosed into an intake manifold of the engine with an electronically controlled supply valve. The electronically controlled supply valve may open to supply evaporated gas to the intake manifold contingent upon combustion conditions in the engine cylinder demonstrating a low risk of methane slip, and the dosing quantities are limited to reduce risk of ignition of an air/gas mixture in the intake manifold.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Hoisan Kim, Mark F. Sommars, Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20130306029Abstract: An engine includes an engine having at least one cylinder and a cooling system that circulates coolant. A gaseous fuel system includes a heater and a gaseous fuel injector. Liquefied gaseous fuel is heated by extracting engine heat from the engine coolant and providing it to a stream of liquefied gaseous fuel passing through the heater. Heated gaseous fuel is injected directly into the cylinder. A liquid fuel system having an injector provides liquid fuel directly into the cylinder as ignition source. A sensor measures an outlet coolant temperature from the heater and provides a signal to a controller such that the engine can operate in a normal or in a thermal management mode during which engine heat extracted from the engine coolant is reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2012Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Alan R. Stockner, Frank J. Lombardi
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Patent number: 8500036Abstract: A component includes a transmission arrangement for transmitting a force between an actuator and a control valve. The transmission arrangement includes a post that is associated with the actuator. The control valve is displaceable to an open position from a closed position when an opening force is applied to the control valve that is greater than a closing force provided to the control valve. The transmission arrangement is disposed in the component between the post and the control valve actuator and arranged to mechanically transmit by physical contact an actuator force from the post to the control valve when the post begins to travel towards the extended stroke position, and hydraulically amplify the actuator stroke between the post and the control valve when the post travels from the retracted stroke position to the extended stroke position.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Jay Venkataraghavan, Alan R. Stockner
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Patent number: 8499739Abstract: A fluid injector for an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The fluid injector may have a housing at least partially forming a fluid chamber. The housing may have a central axis, and a fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber. The supply of fluid may be in a tangential direction relative to the central axis.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2006Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Glenn Brian Cox, Stephen Michael Wiley, Alan R. Stockner, Thomas Randall McClure, Xiaohui Gong, Qiang Chen, Robert Lowell Miller
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Patent number: 8322004Abstract: A metallic fuel system component includes an internal surface and an external surface. The metallic fuel system component is made by inducing compressive residual stress in only a portion of the internal surface of the metallic fuel system component by transmitting a laser shock wave through the metallic fuel system component from the external surface to the internal surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2009Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Caterpilar Inc.Inventors: Stephen R. Lewis, Alan R. Stockner, Dennis H. Gibson, Marion B. Grant, Jr., Avinash R. Manubolu
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Patent number: 8261718Abstract: Mixing a pumped fluid with a lubrication fluid within a pump can undermine the lubricity of the lubrication fluid. In order to reduce mixing of fluids within a pump of the present disclosure, a pump is provided that comprises a housing, a piston, a first annulus, and a second annulus. The housing includes an inlet for the pumped fluid, an inlet for the lubrication fluid provided at a first pressure, and a piston bore fluidly coupled to the inlet for the pumped fluid. The piston is moveable within the piston bore. The first annulus is fluidly coupled to the inlet for the lubrication fluid. The second annulus is configured to be fluidly coupled to a drain circuit provided at a second pressure less than the first pressure. The first annulus and the second annulus are located along the length of the piston bore.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2007Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Scott F. Shafer, Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20120199101Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors each defining a nozzle supply passage, a nozzle outlet, a low pressure space, and a drain. The fuel system includes a plurality of mechanically actuated pressure intensifiers each including a tappet and being positioned partially within one of the fuel injectors, and a common rail fluidly connecting with each of the fuel injectors. Each of the fuel injectors further includes an injection pressure control mechanism having an injection pressure control valve. Each injection pressure control valve blocks the corresponding pressure intensifier from the common rail and fluidly connects the pressure intensifier with the low pressure space at a first position, and fluidly connects the pressure intensifier with the common rail and blocks the pressure intensifier from the low pressure space at a second position. Each of the fuel injectors further includes a pressure recovery mechanism having a pressure recovery valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2011Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Dana R. Coldren, Alan R. Stockner
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Patent number: 8202064Abstract: A liquid pump includes an electronically controlled throttle inlet valve to control pump output. With each reciprocation cycle, a plunger displaces a fixed volume of fluid. When less than this fixed volume is desired as the output from the pump, the electronically controlled throttle inlet valve throttles flow past a passive inlet check valve to reduce output. As a consequence, cavitation bubbles are generated during the intake stroke. Cavitation damage to surfaces that define the inlet port passage are avoided by a specifically shaped and sized cavitation flow adjuster extending from the valve member of the passive inlet check valve. By positioning the cavitation flow adjuster in the inlet port passage, a flow pattern is formed in a way to encourage cavitation bubble collapse away from surfaces that could result in unacceptable cavitation damage to the pump.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Ye Tian, David C. Mack, Alan R. Stockner
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Patent number: 8061328Abstract: Mixing of lubrication fluid and pumped fluid within a pump can undermine lubricity of the lubrication fluid and/or contaminate the pumped fluid (e.g. fuel) with lubrication fluid. In order to reduce mixing of fluids within a high pressure pump of the present disclosure, a lubrication fluid is supplied to the high pressure pump. A low pressure pump supplies a second fluid to the high pressure pump. The pressure of the second fluid is increased within at least one piston bore of the high pressure pump. Mixing of the lubrication fluid and the second fluid is reduced by fluidly connecting a weep annulus which is opened to the at least one piston bore to a low pressure pump inlet of the low pressure pump.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2005Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Scott F. Shafer, Alan R. Stockner, Greg W. Hefler, Chris L. Stewart, Dan Rushton
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Publication number: 20110272499Abstract: A component includes a transmission arrangement for transmitting a force between an actuator and a control valve. The transmission arrangement includes a post that is associated with the actuator. The control valve is displaceable to an open position from a closed position when an opening force is applied to the control valve that is greater than a closing force provided to the control valve. The transmission arrangement is disposed in the component between the post and the control valve actuator and arranged to mechanically transmit by physical contact an actuator force from the post to the control valve when the post begins to travel towards the extended stroke position, and hydraulically amplify the actuator stroke between the post and the control valve when the post travels from the retracted stroke position to the extended stroke position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2010Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Jay Venkataraghavan, Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20110146600Abstract: A pumping element for pressurizing a fluid within a fluid pump includes a plunger reciprocally disposed within a bore defined in a pump housing. The plunger and housing at least partially define a pressurization chamber into which fluid is pressurized. A flow path is defined between the plunger and the bore, the flow path permitting fluid to pass from the pressurization chamber during pressurization of fluid disposed therein. A weep annulus is formed between the plunger and the bore, the weep annulus being disposed adjacent to the bore and being part of a cooling circuit for the pumping element. The housing further defines cooling and drain passages which are in fluid communication with one another via the weep annulus. The plunger an bore are convectively cooled when cooling fluid is supplied to the weep annulus via the cooling passage and drained away via the drain passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Senthilkumar Rajagopalan, Alan R. Stockner, Tejas Mayavanshi, Stephen R. Lewis
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Publication number: 20110064588Abstract: A liquid pump includes an electronically controlled throttle inlet valve to control pump output. With each reciprocation cycle, a plunger displaces a fixed volume of fluid. When less than this fixed volume is desired as the output from the pump, the electronically controlled throttle inlet valve throttles flow past a passive inlet check valve to reduce output. As a consequence, cavitation bubbles are generated during the intake stroke. Cavitation damage to surfaces that define the inlet port passage are avoided by a specifically shaped and sized cavitation flow adjuster extending from the valve member of the passive inlet check valve. By positioning the cavitation flow adjuster in the inlet port passage, a flow pattern is formed in a way to encourage cavitation bubble collapse away from surfaces that could result in unacceptable cavitation damage to the pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2010Publication date: March 17, 2011Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David C. Mack, Ye Tian, Alan R. Stockner
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Publication number: 20110030343Abstract: An engine exhaust aftertreatment system including a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The SCR system includes a reductant injection system configured to introduce a reductant into a exhaust stream of a engine, a SCR catalysts configured to reduce NOx in the presence of a reductant, and a SCR monitoring system configured to determine temperatures associated with the SCR system. The SCR system also includes a heat source configured to raise the temperature of the exhaust stream and a controller configured to operate the heat source to reach exhaust stream temperatures in the SCR system of at least about 400 degrees Celsius based on the temperature associated with the SCR system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2009Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Matthew Thomas Kiser, Cornelius N. Opris, Alan R. Stockner, Jinhui Sun, Zhiyong Wei
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Patent number: 7857605Abstract: A liquid pump includes an electronically controlled throttle inlet valve to control pump output. With each reciprocation cycle, a plunger displaces a fixed volume of fluid. When less than this fixed volume is desired as the output from the pump, the electronically controlled throttle inlet valve throttles flow past a passive inlet check valve to reduce output. As a consequence, cavitation bubbles are generated during the intake stroke. Cavitation damage to surfaces that define the inlet port passage are avoided by a specifically shaped and sized cavitation flow adjuster extending from the valve member of the passive inlet check valve. By positioning the cavitation flow adjuster in the inlet port passage, a flow pattern is formed in a way to encourage cavitation bubble collapse away from surfaces that could result in unacceptable cavitation damage to the pump.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2006Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Caterpillar IncInventors: Ye Tian, Alan R. Stockner, David C. Mack
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Publication number: 20100276520Abstract: A metallic fuel system component includes an internal surface and an external surface. The metallic fuel system component is made by inducing compressive residual stress in only a portion of the internal surface of the metallic fuel system component by transmitting a laser shock wave through the metallic fuel system component from the external surface to the internal surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2009Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Stephen R. Lewis, Alan R. Stockner, Dennis H. Gibson, Marion B. Grant, JR., Avinash R. Manubolu