Patents by Inventor David Andrew Pierpont

David Andrew Pierpont 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: 20100077747
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine, and at least one turbocharger driven by exhaust from the first exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine in parallel with the first exhaust manifold, and at least two turbochargers driven by exhaust from the second exhaust manifold. The exhaust manifold may further have an exhaust gas recirculation circuit in fluid communication with only the first exhaust manifold. A number of turbochargers that receives exhaust from the first exhaust manifold may be less than a number of turbochargers that receives exhaust from the second exhaust manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, John Parker Timmons, Jonathan P. Kilkenny
  • Publication number: 20100037601
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system for a use with an engine having a plurality of cylinders is disclosed. The exhaust gas recirculation system may have an intake passage configured to direct combustion air to all of the plurality of cylinders, and an exhaust passage configured to receive exhaust from fewer than all of the plurality of cylinders. The exhaust gas recirculation system may also have a plurality of separate exhaust conduits in parallel communication with the exhaust passage and configured to direct exhaust from the exhaust passage to the intake passage at multiple locations along a length direction of the intake passage. The multiple locations may be separated from each other by a volume within the intake passage, and the volume may be a function of a total number of the plurality of cylinders, a number of the plurality of cylinders contributing exhaust to the exhaust passage, and a number of the multiple locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventor: David Andrew Pierpont
  • Publication number: 20100024414
    Abstract: A turbocharger for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger may have a turbine housing with a first volute, a second volute, and a common outlet. The turbocharger may also have a turbine wheel disposed between the common outlet and the first and second volutes. The turbocharger may further have a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute upstream of the turbine wheel, a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the second volute with the common outlet to bypass the turbine wheel, and a common actuator configured to move the first and second valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Craig Phillip Hittle, Jonathan P. Kilkenny, David Andrew Pierpont, Stephan Donald Roozenboom
  • Publication number: 20100024417
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold, a second exhaust manifold, and an exhaust gas recirculation circuit. The exhaust system may also have a fixed geometry turbocharger with a first volute configured to receive exhaust from the first exhaust manifold, and a second volute configured to receive exhaust from the second exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a recirculation control valve in fluid communication with the first exhaust manifold, the second exhaust manifold and the exhaust gas recirculation circuit. The recirculation control valve may have a valve element movable to selectively adjust a flow of exhaust in the exhaust gas recirculation circuit, the first volute, and the second volute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, John Parker Timmons, William L. Easley, JR.
  • Publication number: 20100024416
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine, and a first turbocharger driven by exhaust from the first exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine in parallel with the first exhaust manifold, and a second turbocharger driven by exhaust from the second exhaust manifold and having a different flow capacity than the first turbocharger. The exhaust system may further have an exhaust gas recirculation circuit in fluid communication with the second exhaust manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: John R. Gladden, David Andrew Pierpont, John P. Timmons
  • Publication number: 20100024419
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine, a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine in parallel with the first exhaust manifold, and an exhaust gas recirculation circuit in fluid communication with only the first exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a first turbocharger having dual volutes configured to simultaneously receive exhaust from the first exhaust manifold and the second exhaust manifold, and a second turbocharger configured to receive exhaust from the first turbocharger and compress air directed into the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, John Parker Timmons, William L. Easley, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090000296
    Abstract: A turbocharger is provided having a turbine wheel and a housing configured to at least partially enclose the turbine wheel. The housing may have a first turbine volute including a first inlet and a second turbine volute having a second inlet. The first and second volutes may be configured to communicate a first and second fluid flow with the turbine wheel. The housing may also have a wall member axially separating the first and second turbine volutes. In addition, the housing may have a valve configured to selectively allow fluid in the first inlet to communicate with fluid in the second inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, Paul William Reisdorf
  • Publication number: 20080081734
    Abstract: A method of operating a power system of a machine is provided. The method may include selectively supplying power from an engine to one or more other components of the machine., including, during at least some load increases on the power system, supplementing power from the engine with power from an additional power source. The method may also include, during at least some load increases on the power system, supplementing power from the engine with power from an additional power source while recirculating exhaust gas through the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Kevin Patrick Duffy, David Andrew Pierpont, Charles E. Rose
  • Patent number: 7347171
    Abstract: An engine valve actuator providing Miller cycle benefits and a method of operating an engine valve actuator are disclosed. The valve actuator employs a first force to hold an exhaust valve of the engine open during an exhaust stroke and a second, stronger force to hold the exhaust valve open during a compression stroke. The valve actuator may be operated using pressurized fluid adapted to extend an actuator piston through a cylinder. The first force may be derived by a mechanically driven actuator, while the second force may be derived from a high pressure rail of the engine. A low pressure source of the engine may be used to fill the actuator cylinder, with the high pressure rail only being placed into fluid communication with the cylinder when desired. A control valve may be employed to direct either the low pressure or high pressure fluid to the valve actuator cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Leman, David Andrew Pierpont
  • Publication number: 20080053419
    Abstract: An exhaust recirculation system is provided for reducing NOx emitted from the power source at low-idle speeds. The power source has at least one combustion chamber, an intake manifold, a first exhaust manifold, and a second exhaust manifold. The exhaust recirculation system has a valve located in at least one of the first or second exhaust manifolds. The valve is moveable to increase the temperature of an exhaust gas by directing exhaust gas from the at least one of the first and second exhaust manifolds to the intake manifold. Furthermore, the exhaust recirculation system has a controller configured to determine at least one power source condition indicative of an exhaust temperature and move the valve in response to the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: David Andrew Pierpont
  • Publication number: 20080022657
    Abstract: A power source may have at least one combustion chamber, a first valve configured to control an airflow between an air source and the at least one combustion chamber and a second valve configured to control an exhaust gas flow between the combustion chamber and an exhaust system. The power source may also have a fuel source configured to supply a fuel to the at least one combustion chamber and a controller operatively connected to the first valve and the second valve. The controller may be configured to determine one or more temperatures and, if the one or more temperatures are below a predetermined threshold, cause the first valve to substantially limit the airflow to the combustion chamber and cause the second valve to substantially limit the exhaust gas flow from the combustion chamber, such that a combustion stroke of one or more combustion cycles is executed with air substantially provided during an intake stroke of a previous combustion cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, Scott Alan Leman
  • Patent number: 7100552
    Abstract: A method of controlling a variable valve actuation system is provided. A cam assembly is operated to move an intake valve between a first position where the intake valve blocks a flow of fluid and a second position where the intake valve allows a flow of fluid. At least one operating parameter of the engine is sensed. A valve actuation period is determined based on the at least one operating parameter. A valve actuator is engaged with the intake valve to prevent the intake valve from returning to the first position in response to operation of the cam assembly. The valve actuator is released to allow the intake valve to return to the first position at the end of the determined valve actuation period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Kenneth Bloms, James J. Faletti, Scott Alan Leman, David Andrew Pierpont, James Richard Weber
  • Patent number: 7063055
    Abstract: An engine valve actuation system is provided. The system includes an engine valve moveable between a closed position and an open position. A spring is operatively connected to the engine valve to bias the engine valve towards the closed position. An actuator is operatively connected to the engine valve and is operable to selectively engage the engine valve to prevent the engine valve from returning to the closed position and to release the engine valve to allow the engine valve to return to the closed position. A sensor is configured to provide information related to the operation of the actuator. A controller is configured to transmit a signal to the actuator to engage the engine valve to prevent the engine valve from returning to the closed position and to release the engine valve to the allow the engine valve to return to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Kenneth Bloms, James J. Faletti, Richard Herman Holtman, Scott Alan Leman, David Andrew Pierpont
  • Patent number: 6928969
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine is provided. At least one operating parameter of the engine is sensed. The engine is operated in a first mode in response to the sensed operating parameter being at one of a predetermined first set of conditions. In the first mode, a cam assembly moves an intake valve from a first position when a piston starts an intake stroke and the cam assembly returns the intake valve to the first position when the piston completes the intake stroke. The engine is operated in a second mode in response to the sensed operating parameter being at one of a predetermined second set of conditions. In the second mode, the cam assembly moves the intake valve from the first position when the piston starts an intake stroke and an actuator prevents the intake valve from returning to the first position in response to the cam assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Jason Kenneth Bloms, James J. Faletti, Scott Alan Leman, David Andrew Pierpont, James Richard Weber
  • Patent number: 6837212
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for delivering fuel to at least two combustion chambers of an engine. A fuel controller receives a first fuel quantity signal indicative of a first desired quantity of fuel to be delivered to each combustion chamber of the engine during a combustion cycle. The fuel controller transmits at least one second fuel quantity signal as a function of the first fuel quantity signal, and transmits at least one third fuel quantity signal as a function of the first fuel quantity signal. The second and third fuel quantity signals are indicative of a respective second and third desired quantities of fuel to be delivered during a combustion cycle. The sum of the fuel quantities corresponding to the second fuel quantity signals transmitted during a combustion cycle are less than the first desired fuel quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jason K. Bloms, Brian G. McGee, David Andrew Pierpont, Jeffrey A. L. Smith
  • Patent number: 6807929
    Abstract: An engine valve actuation system is provided. The system includes an engine valve moveable between a closed position and an open position. A spring is operatively connected to the engine valve to bias the engine valve towards the closed position. An actuator is operatively connected to the engine valve and is operable to selectively engage the engine valve to prevent the engine valve from returning to the closed position and to release the engine valve to allow the engine valve to return to the closed position. A sensor is configured to provide information related to the operation of the actuator. A controller is configured to transmit a signal to the actuator to engage the engine valve to prevent the engine valve from returning to the closed position and to release the engine valve to the allow the engine valve to return to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Jason Kenneth Bloms, James J. Faletti, Richard Herman Holtman, Scott Alan Leman, David Andrew Pierpont
  • Patent number: 6799552
    Abstract: A system for operating an internal combustion engine includes an intake valve moveable between a first position at which fluid is blocked from flowing to or from the cylinder and a second position at which fluid is allowed to pass to or from the cylinder. The system includes a fluid actuator selectively operable to hold the intake valve from moving to the first position during a portion of a compression stroke and a control valve configured to control fluid flow between a source of fluid and the fluid actuator. A fuel supply system supplies a predetermined amount of fuel to the cylinder at an appropriate time during an engine cycle based on at least one engine operating parameter, and a controller determines a need to de-rate the engine based on a sensed parameter relating to source fluid viscosity during a cycle in which the fluid actuator is not operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Thomas J. Crowell, David Andrew Pierpont
  • Publication number: 20040118377
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for delivering fuel to at least two combustion chambers of an engine. A fuel controller receives a first fuel quantity signal indicative of a first desired quantity of fuel to be delivered to each combustion chamber of the engine during a combustion cycle. The fuel controller transmits at least one second fuel quantity signal as a function of the first fuel quantity signal, and transmits at least one third fuel quantity signal as a function of the first fuel quantity signal. The second and third fuel quantity signals are indicative of a respective second and third desired quantities of fuel to be delivered during a combustion cycle. The sum of the fuel quantities corresponding to the second fuel quantity signals transmitted during a combustion cycle are less than the first desired fuel quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Jason K. Bloms, Brian G. McGee, David Andrew Pierpont, Jeffrey A.L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20040055564
    Abstract: A system for operating an internal combustion engine includes an intake valve moveable between a first position at which fluid is blocked from flowing to or from the cylinder and a second position at which fluid is allowed to pass to or from the cylinder. The system includes a fluid actuator selectively operable to hold the intake valve from moving to the first position during a portion of a compression stroke and a control valve configured to control fluid flow between a source of fluid and the fluid actuator. A fuel supply system supplies a predetermined amount of fuel to the cylinder at an appropriate time during an engine cycle based on at least one engine operating parameter, and a controller determines a need to de-rate the engine based on a sensed parameter relating to source fluid viscosity during a cycle in which the fluid actuator is not operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas J. Crowell, David Andrew Pierpont
  • Patent number: 6658848
    Abstract: An airflow system for an engine includes a first turbine coupled with a first compressor and a second turbine coupled with a second compressor. The first turbine receives exhaust from the engine, and the first compressor supplies compressed air to the engine. The second compressor compresses air from atmosphere. A first conduit fluidly couples the first and second turbines, and a second conduit fluidly couples the first and second compressors. A wastegate valve is fluidly coupled with the exhaust manifold and movable between a first position in which exhaust fluid is allowed to bypass the first turbine and a second position in which fluid is restricted from bypassing. The airflow system includes a third conduit fluidly coupling the second compressor and the wastegate valve. The wastegate valve moves to the first position when compressed air in the third conduit has at least a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: David Andrew Pierpont