Patents by Inventor Andrew Joseph Loetz

Andrew Joseph Loetz 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: 11959414
    Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine includes spark-igniting gaseous hydrogen fuel and air, and propagating combustion gases of the spark-ignited mixture outwardly from a spark gap. The propagating combustion gases are impinged upon a cone surface of a piston so as to limit a flame area of the propagating combustion gases. Additional gaseous hydrogen fuel and air is ignited in the combustion cylinder by way of the propagating combustion gases to urge a piston toward a bottom-dead-center position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lee Schroeder, Andrew Joseph Loetz, Jaswinder Singh, Yongxian Gu, Jonathan William Anders, Naga Krishna Chaitanya Kavuri
  • Publication number: 20240068418
    Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes conveying hydrogen fuel and hydrocarbon fuel into a cylinder in a gaseous fuel engine for combustion. Operating a gaseous fuel engine system further includes receiving an increased engine power output request, boosting a power output of the gaseous fuel engine by varying a ratio of the hydrogen fuel and the hydrocarbon fuel combusted in the cylinder, and varying an in-cylinder combustion parameter based on the varying a ratio. Perturbation to a performance profile of the gaseous fuel engine is thereby limited. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Joseph Loetz, Jaswinder Singh, David Todd Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20240068425
    Abstract: An engine system includes a cylinder block, and a cylinder head attached to the cylinder block and including exhaust ports. Exhaust collection passages are formed in the cylinder head and each fluidly connect to one of the exhaust ports. An unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) emissions mitigation conduit fluidly connects to the exhaust ports to route UHC to an oxidation catalyst or for recirculation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Joseph Loetz
  • Patent number: 11773795
    Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes spark-igniting a gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in a prechamber sparkplug to ignite a main charge containing gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in a cylinder. Operating the gaseous fuel engine system also includes determining a preignition condition and conveying cooling air to the prechamber sparkplug based on the preignition condition to limit preignition of gaseous hydrogen fuel and air in the prechamber sparkplug. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jaswinder Singh, Eric Lee Schroeder, Andrew Joseph Loetz, Ryan Mchael Snodgrass, Adam Joseph Clute, Patrick John Seiler, Christopher Ronald Gehrke
  • Publication number: 20230304436
    Abstract: Operating a gaseous fuel engine includes spark-igniting gaseous hydrogen fuel and air, and propagating combustion gases of the spark-ignited mixture outwardly from a spark gap. The propagating combustion gases are impinged upon a cone surface of a piston so as to limit a flame area of the propagating combustion gases. Additional gaseous hydrogen fuel and air is ignited in the combustion cylinder by way of the propagating combustion gases to urge a piston toward a bottom-dead-center position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lee Schroeder, Andrew Joseph Loetz, Jaswinder Singh, Yongxian Gu, Jonathan William Anders, Naga Krishna Chaitanya Kavuri