Patents by Inventor Eric Dillen

Eric Dillen 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: 11982241
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a multi-fuel engine. In one example, a method includes adjusting a substitution ratio based on an intake manifold temperature. The method further including adjusting the intake manifold temperature to increase the substitution ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen
  • Publication number: 20240088418
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a plurality of fuel cells. The method includes coordinating a distribution of a power demand in response to a power request of a power system comprising a plurality of fuel cells, the power output of each of the fuel cells selected based on a respective efficiency of each of the fuel cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Gayathri Indra Seenumani, James D. Brooks, David Allen Eldredge, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • Patent number: 11835002
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for using only hydrogen as fuel in a duel fuel engine. In one example, a method may include direct injecting only hydrogen as fuel to one or more engine cylinders and compression igniting the injected hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen, Thomas Michael Lavertu
  • Patent number: 11821375
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for skipping fire in one or more cylinders in a dual fuel engine. In one example, a method may include injecting a combination of two fuels to a first set of cylinders of the engine while disabling fuel injection to all remaining cylinders of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen
  • Patent number: 11725619
    Abstract: An alignment system includes an optical sensor device that may be inserted into a passage of a body that is located between a fuel injector and a combustion chamber of an engine cylinder. The body is shaped to transmit fuel ejected from a spray hole in a fuel injector into the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder. The system also includes a controller that may examine output of the optical sensor device and determine whether the passage of the body is aligned with the spray hole of the fuel injector based on the output from the optical sensor device. The controller may change a position of one or more of the body or the fuel injector responsive to determining that the passage of the body is not aligned with the spray hole of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Jay Richerson, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen, Kevin Bailey, Kent Jeffries, Brett Heher, Manuel Licon Flores
  • Patent number: 11719154
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for engine startup. In one example, a method for an engine includes injecting a fuel mixture with a proportion of a first fuel to a second fuel to decrease carbon emissions, in response to detection of or request for the engine to start. The proportion of the first fuel to the second fuel in the injected fuel mixture is decreased in response to engine speed reaching an idling speed. The first fuel may be a non-hydrocarbon-based fuel and the second fuel may be a hydrocarbon-based fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen
  • Publication number: 20230235708
    Abstract: A vehicle control system and a method of operating thereof may include determining a first ratio at which to operate a vehicle system at a first location along a route along which the vehicle system moves. The first ratio may be based on an amount of a first fuel of a first fuel source relative to an amount of a second fuel of a second fuel source. The vehicle system may be powered by one or more of the first or the second fuel sources. First operational settings at which to control the vehicle system may be determined based on the first ratio between the first and second fuel sources at the first location along the route. Operation of the vehicle system may be controlled according to the first operational settings to move the vehicle system according to the first ratio at the first location along the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen
  • Publication number: 20230202347
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for energy management at a consist. In one example, a method for the energy management includes coordinating a distribution of a power demand in response to a power output of each of a fuel cell system, a battery system, and an engine system. The power output of each of the fuel cell system, the battery system, and the engine system may be selected based on a respective efficiency of each system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen, Adam Edgar Klingbeil
  • Publication number: 20230193841
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a multi-fuel engine. In one example, a method includes adjusting a substitution ratio based on an intake manifold temperature. The method further including adjusting the intake manifold temperature to increase the substitution ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen
  • Publication number: 20230193840
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for venting fuel lines in a dual-fuel engine. In one example, a method may include in response to an engine shut-down request, venting fuel lines to remove hydrogen from the fuel lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Eric Dillen, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu
  • Publication number: 20230184181
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for using only hydrogen as fuel in a duel fuel engine. In one example, a method may include direct injecting only hydrogen as fuel to one or more engine cylinders and compression igniting the injected hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen, Thomas Michael Lavertu
  • Publication number: 20230175446
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for skipping fire in one or more cylinders in a dual fuel engine. In one example, a method may include injecting a combination of two fuels to a first set of cylinders of the engine while disabling fuel injection to all remaining cylinders of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen
  • Publication number: 20230175431
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a multi-fuel engine. In one example, a method includes adjusting an ignitability of a combustion mixture comprising ammonia and hydrogen. The combustion mixture may further include a carbon-containing fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen
  • Publication number: 20230151764
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for engine startup. In one example, a method for an engine includes injecting a fuel mixture with a proportion of a first fuel to a second fuel to decrease carbon emissions, in response to detection of or request for the engine to start. The proportion of the first fuel to the second fuel in the injected fuel mixture is decreased in response to engine speed reaching an idling speed. The first fuel may be a non-hydrocarbon-based fuel and the second fuel may be a hydrocarbon-based fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen
  • Patent number: 11635046
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for controlling emissions and a likelihood of engine knock during combustion in a multi-fuel engine. A method for an engine includes mixing an amount of a first fuel and an amount of a second fuel to combust a fuel mixture having a fuel ratio of the first fuel relative to the second fuel, the first fuel having a faster combustion flame speed relative to the second fuel, the fuel mixture having an air-to-fuel ratio with an amount of air delivered to the engine. The method further includes controlling either or both of a speed of combustion and a stability of combustion of the fuel mixture with the amount of air delivered to the engine by changing at least one of the fuel ratio, the air-to-fuel ratio, or both of the fuel ratio and the air-to-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen
  • Patent number: 11619183
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a multi-fuel engine. In one example, a method includes increasing a temperature reducing mass of a combustion mixture during a transition to multi-fuel combustion from single-fuel combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen
  • Publication number: 20230081493
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for adjusting a speed of a turbocharger compressor using an electric motor in response to a relative substitution rate of first and second fuels in a multi-fuel engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen
  • Patent number: 11598271
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a method for a multi-pressure fueling system. In one example, the multi-pressure fueling system includes providing a first fuel delivery pressure enabling high pressure direct injection of a fuel at a first injector and a second fuel delivery pressure insufficient for high pressure direct injection, at a second injector, based on engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen
  • Patent number: 11598249
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for adjusting a speed of a turbocharger compressor using an electric motor in response to a relative substitution rate of first and second fuels in a multi-fuel engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Dillen
  • Patent number: 11598276
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a substitution ratio based on water in a combustion mixture of a multi-fuel engine. In one example, a method includes adjusting a substitution ratio in response to an amount of water provided to a multi-fuel engine configured to combust a first fuel and a second fuel, the second fuel different than the first fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Eric Dillen