Patents by Inventor Dennis Kelly Sullivan

Dennis Kelly Sullivan 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: 7121255
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (60) has a control system (66) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (62), and fuel injectors (64) for injecting fuel into the chambers. The control system controls fueling by processing engine speed and load, to select one of four fueling modes (HCCI+RVT, HCCI+IVC, HCCI+IVC+EVC, and CD+RVT) for operating the engine (FIG. 5). When HCCI+RVT mode is selected, intake valves operate with regular valve timing (RVT), and the engine is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion. When HCCI+IVC mode or HCCI+IVC+EVC mode is selected, intake valve timing is changed relative to RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause HCCI combustion. When the processing selects the CD+RVT mode, the intake valves operate with RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause CD combustion. In HCCI+IVC+EVC mode, exhaust valve closing is retarded relative to its timing in HCCI+IVC mode to reduce cylinder pressure and temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei, Dennis Kelly Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6957640
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (60) has a control system (66) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (62), and fuel injectors (64) for injecting fuel into the chambers. The control system controls fueling using a result of the processing of certain data, such as engine speed and engine load, to select one of three fueling modes (HCCI+RVT, HCCI+VVT, CD+RVT) for operating the engine. When the result of the processing selects the HCCI+RVT mode, intake valves operate with regular valve timing (RVT), and the engine is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion. When the result of the processing selects the HCCI+VVT mode, intake valve timing is changed relative to RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause HCCI combustion. When the result of the processing selects the CD+RVT mode, the intake valves operate with RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause CD combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei, Dennis Kelly Sullivan