Patents by Inventor Daniel Puckett

Daniel Puckett 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).

  • Publication number: 20220313290
    Abstract: Example lithotripsy probe assemblies, lithotripsy systems, and methods of using a lithotripsy system are described. An example lithotripsy probe assembly has a probe coupling, a probe, and a plurality of sealing members disposed on the probe coupling. The probe coupling has a probe coupling proximal end, a probe coupling distal end, a probe coupling length, and a probe coupling main body that defines a plurality of projections, a probe coupling first passageway, and a probe coupling second passageway. The probe coupling length extends from the probe coupling proximal end to the probe coupling distal end. The probe is attached to the probe coupling and is partially disposed within the probe coupling first passageway. The probe has a probe proximal end, a probe distal end, and a probe length that extends from the probe proximal end to the probe distal end and is greater than the probe coupling length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Obermiller, Matthew Jones, Angela Dowell, Apoorva Bhagwat, Daniel Puckett, Eugene Ferrari
  • Patent number: 10378500
    Abstract: A pressurized fuel system for an engine includes a fuel pump in a pump protection device structured to drain pressurized fuel from a common rail to provide fuel flow through the fuel pump that limits cavitation. The device includes a valve mechanism having a first valve and a second valve that are movable to an open position and a closed position respectively, in response to valve opening and valve closing rail pressures. The active pressure range of the device may be a medium pressure range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sunil Bean, Daniel Puckett, Michael Sattler
  • Patent number: 9982669
    Abstract: A pump system includes a pump and a storage volume in fluid communication with a discharge port of the pump. The pump includes a housing defining a pump bore and a pump piston disposed in sliding engagement with the pump bore, the pump piston being in selective fluid communication with the discharge port of the pump. A method for operating the pump system includes determining a time to drain an amount of a first fluid from the storage volume, and retracting the pump piston within the pump bore at a target retraction rate based at least partly on the time to drain the first fluid from the storage volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Desiderio, Daniel Puckett, Steven Grant, Joshua Steffen
  • Publication number: 20180087479
    Abstract: A pressurized fuel system for an engine includes a fuel pump in a pump protection device structured to drain pressurized fuel from a common rail to provide fuel flow through the fuel pump that limits cavitation. The device includes a valve mechanism having a first valve and a second valve that are movable to an open position and a closed position respectively, in response to valve opening and valve closing rail pressures. The active pressure range of the device may be a medium pressure range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sunil Bean, Daniel Puckett, Michael Sattler
  • Publication number: 20170335834
    Abstract: A fluid system such as a fuel system includes a fluid supply and a pump coupled between the fluid supply and a plurality of fluid delivery devices. The pump can be a cryogenic pump such as for liquefied natural gas, with valve mechanisms to control hydraulic actuation of a piston used to pump the liquefied natural gas. An electrically conductive coil is coupled with the piston. Related methodology is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sunil Bean, Daniel Puckett, Andrew Neaville
  • Patent number: 9482165
    Abstract: A machine includes a compression ignition engine fueled from common rail fuel injectors that predominately inject natural gas fuel that is compression ignited with a small pilot injection of liquid diesel fuel. When an engine shutdown command is communicated to an electronic controller, the supply of gaseous fuel to the gas rail is stopped and the gaseous fuel common rail is depressurized by continuing to run the engine and inject gaseous and liquid fuels while commanding a liquid pressure greater than the gas pressure. After the gas rail pressure has achieved an acceptable shutdown pressure, the engine is stopped. The gas rail pressure is then reduced to atmospheric pressure followed by the liquid fuel common rail being reduced to atmosphere pressure after stopping the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Alan R. Stockner, Nandagopal Methil, Daniel Puckett
  • Publication number: 20160265498
    Abstract: A driver circuit for a fuel injector is provided. The fuel injector is connected to an Engine Control Module (ECM) having a high-side terminal and a low-side terminal. The driver circuit includes a fault detection system for detecting a short-to-ground fault. The fault detection system includes a first module to measure a forward current flowing through the high-side terminal of the ECM and a second module to measure a return current flowing through the low-side terminal of the ECM. Further, the fault detection system includes a third module to compute a differential current based on the forward current and the return current. The fault detection system includes a fourth module to compare the differential current with a threshold current, and trigger a fault and interrupt the flow of the forward current when the differential current is greater than the threshold current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Puckett, William Eugene Hoban, JR.
  • Publication number: 20160138583
    Abstract: A pump system includes a pump and a storage volume in fluid communication with a discharge port of the pump. The pump includes a housing defining a pump bore and a pump piston disposed in sliding engagement with the pump bore, the pump piston being in selective fluid communication with the discharge port of the pump. A method for operating the pump system includes determining a time to drain an amount of a first fluid from the storage volume, and retracting the pump piston within the pump bore at a target retraction rate based at least partly on the time to drain the first fluid from the storage volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Desiderio, Daniel Puckett, Steven Grant, Joshua Steffen
  • Patent number: 9279391
    Abstract: A dual fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a gaseous fuel subsystem and a liquid fuel subsystem. A plurality of fuel injectors each define a gaseous fuel passage fluidly connected to a gaseous fuel manifold of the gaseous fuel subsystem, a liquid fuel passage fluidly connected to a liquid fuel manifold of the liquid fuel subsystem, and a liquid fuel leak path from the liquid fuel passage to the gaseous fuel passage. A liquid fuel purging mechanism includes a drain conduit and at least one valve positioned fluidly between the drain conduit and the gaseous fuel manifold, and being adjustable to fluidly connect the drain conduit to the gaseous fuel manifold, to drain leaked liquid fuel to a low pressure outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dianqi Fang, Daniel Puckett
  • Patent number: 8909457
    Abstract: 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. When transitioning from the single fuel limp home mode to the dual fuel regular mode, accumulated leaked liquid fuel in the gaseous nozzle chamber of each fuel injector is purged and burned in the respective engine cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Puckett, Steven Thomas Grant, Frank Lombardi
  • Publication number: 20140311451
    Abstract: A dual fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a gaseous fuel subsystem and a liquid fuel subsystem. A plurality of fuel injectors each define a gaseous fuel passage fluidly connected to a gaseous fuel manifold of the gaseous fuel subsystem, a liquid fuel passage fluidly connected to a liquid fuel manifold of the liquid fuel subsystem, and a liquid fuel leak path from the liquid fuel passage to the gaseous fuel passage. A liquid fuel purging mechanism includes a drain conduit and at least one valve positioned fluidly between the drain conduit and the gaseous fuel manifold, and being adjustable to fluidly connect the drain conduit to the gaseous fuel manifold, to drain leaked liquid fuel to a low pressure outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dianqi Fang, Daniel Puckett
  • Publication number: 20140316677
    Abstract: A machine includes a compression ignition engine fueled from common rail fuel injectors that predominately inject natural gas fuel that is compression ignited with a small pilot injection of liquid diesel fuel. When an engine shutdown command is communicated to an electronic controller, the supply of gaseous fuel to the gas rail is stopped and the gaseous fuel common rail is depressurized by continuing to run the engine and inject gaseous and liquid fuels while commanding a liquid pressure greater than the gas pressure. After the gas rail pressure has achieved an acceptable shutdown pressure, the engine is stopped. The gas rail pressure is then reduced to atmospheric pressure followed by the liquid fuel common rail being reduced to atmosphere pressure after stopping the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Alan R. Stockner, Nandagopal Methil, Daniel Puckett
  • Publication number: 20140238352
    Abstract: An electronic controller for a common rail fuel system detects a fault when a time sum accumulated error exceeds a threshold. The time sum accumulated error is left unchanged when the operating condition is transient, and either adds to or subtracts from the time sum accumulated error responsive to a rail pressure error and the operating condition being steady state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Nandagopal Methil, Daniel Puckett
  • Publication number: 20140188372
    Abstract: 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. When transitioning from the single fuel limp home mode to the dual fuel regular mode, accumulated leaked liquid fuel in the gaseous nozzle chamber of each fuel injector is purged and burned in the respective engine cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Puckett, Steven Thomas Grant, Frank Lombardi
  • Patent number: 7392790
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a device, the device having at least two functional elements, each functional element being controlled by a control signal, is disclosed in the present disclosure. The control system may include detecting means operatively connected to the device and configured to monitor the operation of the device, and to generate a signal indicative of an operating condition of the device. The control system may also include a control module operatively connected to the at least two functional elements and the detecting means, and configured to switch the two control signals applied to the respective functional elements in response to the signal generated by the detecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Shafer, Daniel Puckett, Jack Merchant
  • Publication number: 20070217925
    Abstract: A variable discharge pump is provided, the pump comprising a pumping chamber and a reciprocating plunger disposed within a plunger bore so as to reciprocate within the pumping chamber. The pump also has an electrically actuated spill control valve which opens or closes fluid communication between the pumping chamber and a low pressure area. The control valve is operated for a first period of time extending from a first time point occurring after the plunger passes bottom dead center to a second time point occurring before the plunger passes top dead center. The control valve is then operated for a second period of time extending from a third time point occurring between the second time point and the passing of the plunger through top dead center to a fourth time point occurring after the plunger has passed top dead center.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Ye Tian, Scott Shafer, Jianhua Zhang, Daniel Puckett
  • Publication number: 20070169752
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a device, the device having at least two functional elements, each functional element being controlled by a control signal, is disclosed in the present disclosure. The control system may include detecting means operatively connected to the device and configured to monitor the operation of the device, and to generate a signal indicative of an operating condition of the device. The control system may also include a control module operatively connected to the at least two functional elements and the detecting means, and configured to switch the two control signals applied to the respective functional elements in response to the signal generated by the detecting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Snopko, Jack Merchant, Scott Shafer, Daniel Puckett
  • Publication number: 20070169750
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a device, the device having at least two functional elements, each functional element being controlled by a control signal, is disclosed in the present disclosure. The control system may include detecting means operatively connected to the device and configured to monitor the operation of the device, and to generate a signal indicative of an operating condition of the device. The control system may also include a control module operatively connected to the at least two functional elements and the detecting means, and configured to switch the two control signals applied to the respective functional elements in response to the signal generated by the detecting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Scott Shafer, Daniel Puckett, Jack Merchant
  • Publication number: 20060124108
    Abstract: A method for detecting and controlling the position of a valve actuator is provided. The method includes applying a plurality of signals of different duration and/or magnitude to the valve actuator and measuring a signal from the valve actuator. This signal from the valve actuator is indicative of valve movement for each of the plurality of applied signals. The method further includes adjusting an injection signal to the valve actuator based at least from the measured signals from the valve actuator. This disclosure also applies this method to a solenoid actuator of a fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Daniel Puckett, David Schuh