Patents by Inventor Eric Richard Dillen

Eric Richard 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: 9995255
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an intake manifold for an engine. In one example, the intake manifold comprises a first passage for supplying intake air to a plurality of cylinders of the engine and a second passage for supplying gaseous fuel to the plurality of cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alexis Gruschow, Leslie Orin Trask, Eric Richard Dillen, John Stephen Roth, Matthew Joseph Felion
  • Patent number: 9845774
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an intake manifold for an engine. In one example, an insert comprises an annular body having a top surface, bottom surface, inner surface, and outer surface. The insert further comprises a first groove for coupling an intake air port of an intake manifold to a cylinder head, a second groove for circulating gaseous fuel received from a gas runner of the intake manifold, and one or more openings to fluidically couple the second groove to an interior of the intake air port. The insert is configured to mix gaseous fuel and intake air at a coupling location between the intake manifold and the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alexis Gruschow, Leslie Orin Trask, Eric Richard Dillen, John Stephen Roth, Matthew Joseph Felion
  • Patent number: 9617940
    Abstract: A method involves controlling a fuel injector to inject a first quantity of a fuel into a cylinder from a plurality of cylinders, of an engine and detecting a first value of a parameter associated with the engine. The method further involves controlling the fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the fuel different from the first quantity of the fuel, into the cylinder of the engine and detecting a second value of the parameter associated with the engine. The method also involves comparing the first value with the second value and detecting a hardware anomaly associated with the engine based on the comparison of the first value with the second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Richard Dillen
  • Publication number: 20160047329
    Abstract: A method involves controlling a fuel injector to inject a first quantity of a fuel into a cylinder from a plurality of cylinders, of an engine and detecting a first value of a parameter associated with the engine. The method further involves controlling the fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the fuel different from the first quantity of the fuel, into the cylinder of the engine and detecting a second value of the parameter associated with the engine. The method also involves comparing the first value with the second value and detecting a hardware anomaly associated with the engine based on the comparison of the first value with the second value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Eric Richard Dillen
  • Publication number: 20150204285
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an intake manifold for an engine. In one example, an insert comprises an annular body having a top surface, bottom surface, inner surface, and outer surface. The insert further comprises a first groove for coupling an intake air port of an intake manifold to a cylinder head, a second groove for circulating gaseous fuel received from a gas runner of the intake manifold, and one or more openings to fluidically couple the second groove to an interior of the intake air port. The insert is configured to mix gaseous fuel and intake air at a coupling location between the intake manifold and the cylinder head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Alexis Gruschow, Leslie Orin Trask, Eric Richard Dillen, John Stephen Roth, Matthew Joseph Felion
  • Publication number: 20150204284
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an intake manifold for an engine. In one example, the intake manifold comprises a first passage for supplying intake air to a plurality of cylinders of the engine and a second passage for supplying gaseous fuel to the plurality of cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Alexis Gruschow, Leslie Orin Trask, Eric Richard Dillen, John Stephen Roth, Matthew Joseph Felion
  • Publication number: 20090044515
    Abstract: A system is provided for removing particulate matter from a diesel particulate filter. The diesel particulate filter includes at least one diesel particulate filter unit to filter particulate matter from diesel engine exhaust gas received from a diesel engine. The system includes a sensor positioned adjacent to at least one diesel particulate filter unit, where the sensor is configured to determine the extent of particulate matter trapped within the diesel particulate filter unit. The system further includes an engine controller coupled to the sensor and the diesel engine, where the sensor is configured to output a first alert signal to the engine controller upon determining that the trapped particulate matter exceeds a predetermined threshold. The engine controller is configured to increase the temperature of the diesel exhaust gas entering the diesel particulate filter upon receiving the first alert signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: SHUGUANG LU, ERIC RICHARD DILLEN, SHAWN MICHAEL GALLAGHER
  • Patent number: 7234449
    Abstract: A common rail fuel injection apparatus (1) for a multi-bank, diesel locomotive engine (10). A common rail (20,22) is disposed proximate each bank (20,22) of cylinders (12) of the engine to provide high pressure fuel (30) to a fuel flow control apparatus (14) associated with each respective cylinder. A plurality of high-pressure fuel pumps (34) provides high-pressure fuel to at least one of the common rails. A fluid cross connection (38) is provided to convey high pressure fuel between the two common rails, thereby providing for the continued delivery of fuel to all cylinders in the event of a failure of one of the high pressure pumps. The high-pressure pumps are motivated by fuel lobes (64) located on camshaft sections (50a, 50b, 50c) adjoined at a gear driven end 58 of the camshaft (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jose M. Casabianca, Shawn Michael Gallagher, Eric Richard Dillen
  • Patent number: 7101151
    Abstract: A diffuser (30) for a centrifugal compressor (60) having a flow slot (34) formed between the leading edge portion (36) of a diffuser vane (32) and an adjoining diffuser wall (70) for the passage of working fluid (67) over the vane from the pressure side ((40) to the suction side (42) of the vane. The portion (38) of the working fluid passing over the vane is injected into the flow boundary region (43), thereby minimizing the growth of a flow separation zone (58) along the suction side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Edward Loringer, Eric Richard Dillen, Anthony Holmes Furman, Kendall Roger Swenson
  • Patent number: 7066143
    Abstract: A fuel injection timing control system for diesel engines operating at high altitude, including a sensor for a parameter of the engine intake air, such as engine intake air pressure or turbocharger speed. This sensor communicates with a barometric pressure timing controller, and a throttle position sensor communicates with the barometric pressure timing controller. Nominal values of the engine intake air parameter at various throttle notch settings and various engine performance parameters are stored in a table, for a nominal barometric pressure. The barometric pressure timing controller determines the instantaneous barometric pressure by adjusting the nominal barometric pressure based on the difference between the instantaneous value for the engine intake air parameter and the nominal value for the engine intake air parameter, at the known throttle notch setting and the known engine performance parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shawn Michael Gallagher, Eric Richard Dillen
  • Patent number: 7055504
    Abstract: A fuel injection timing control system for diesel engines operating at high altitude, including a sensor for a parameter of the engine intake air, such as engine intake air pressure or turbocharger speed. This sensor communicates with a barometric pressure timing controller, and a throttle position sensor communicates with the barometric pressure timing controller. Nominal values of the engine intake air parameter at various throttle notch settings and various engine performance parameters are stored in a table, for a nominal barometric pressure. The barometric pressure timing controller determines the instantaneous barometric pressure by adjusting the nominal barometric pressure based on the difference between the instantaneous value for the engine intake air parameter and the nominal value for the engine intake air parameter, at the known throttle notch setting and the known engine performance parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shawn Michael Gallagher, Eric Richard Dillen
  • Patent number: 6945047
    Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for detecting and responding to a surge event in a locomotive engine system including a turbocharger and a diesel engine. A sensor detects an operating parameter of the turbocharged engine and generates a signal indicative of the detected operatng parameter. An engine control system is responsive to the signal representative of a sensed operating parameter, or a determined changed in a sensed parameter, for controlling a plurality of operational controls of the diesel engine system. The engine control system modifies one or more operational controls of the diesel engine system when the signal indicates a surge event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dennis Brian Shea, Eric Richard Dillen, Vincent F. Dunsworth, Shawn Michael Gallagher
  • Patent number: 6823835
    Abstract: A diesel engine, having a plurality of individually controllable fuel injected cylinders, is operated in a skip firing mode to reduce smoke emissions during low power operation. The system senses certain identified engine operating parameters and when these parameters exceed predetermined thresholds for a predetermined time, then the skip firing is implemented. In another embodiment, it is possible to implement several different skip firing patterns dependent upon engine performance. Upon implementation of skip firing, the engine timing angle is reset by a fixed angle and a multiplication factor is included in the speed loop integrator to ensure that the appropriate fuel volume value is injected into each cylinder immediately upon initiation of skip firing. Skip firing is then disabled when another set of predetermined conditions is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vincent F. Dunsworth, Eric Richard Dillen, Shawn Michael Gallagher
  • Publication number: 20040216457
    Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for detecting and responding to a surge event in a locomotive engine system including a turbocharger and a diesel engine. The apparatus includes a sensor for detecting an operating parameter of the turbocharger or the engine and generating a sensor signal indicative of the detected operating parameter. An engine control system is responsive to the sensor signal for controlling a plurality of operational controls of the diesel engine system. The engine control system modifies one or more operational controls of the diesel engine system when the sensor signal indicates a surge event. The invention also provides a method for detecting and controlling a surge event of a locomotive engine system including a turbocharger and a diesel engine operable at a plurality of discrete speeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dennis Brian Shea, Eric Richard Dillen, Vincent F. Dunsworth, Shawn Michael Gallagher
  • Patent number: 6725134
    Abstract: A diesel locomotive includes a number of auxiliary subsystems operating in conjunction with the locomotive diesel engine and deriving their energy, from the diesel engine. Included among the subsystems are various cooling systems, the battery charging system, and the electrical generation system, comprising one or more alternators drivingly coupled to the engine shaft. Each of the subsystems includes a component that is activated when one or more operational conditions associated with the subsystem are met. For instance, an engine cooling system fan motor is activated when the coolant temperature exceeds a predetermined value. Similarly, a battery charger is activated when the battery voltage falls below a predetermined value, and an alternator blower is activated when the main or auxiliary alternator temperature exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric Richard Dillen, Shawn Michael Gallagher, Norman Zethward Shilling
  • Publication number: 20030187553
    Abstract: A diesel locomotive includes a number of auxiliary subsystems operating in conjunction with the locomotive diesel engine and deriving their energy, from the diesel engine. Included among the subsystems are various cooling systems, the battery charging system, and the electrical generation system, comprising one or more alternators drivingly coupled to the engine shaft. Each of the subsystems includes a component that is activated when one or more operational conditions associated with the subsystem are met. For instance, an engine cooling system fan motor is activated when the coolant temperature exceeds a predetermined value. Similarly, a battery charger is activated when the battery voltage falls below a predetermined value, and an alternator blower is activated when the main or auxiliary alternator temperature exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Eric Richard Dillen, Shawn Michael Gallagher, Norman Zethward Shilling
  • Publication number: 20020195087
    Abstract: A diesel engine, having a plurality of individually controllable fuel injected cylinders, is operated in a skip firing mode to reduce smoke emissions during low power operation. The system senses certain identified engine operating parameters and when these parameters exceed predetermined thresholds for a predetermined time, then the skip firing is implemented. In another embodiment, it is possible to implement several different skip firing patterns dependent upon engine performance. Upon implementation of skip firing, the engine timing angle is reset by a fixed angle and a multiplication factor is included in the speed loop integrator to ensure that the appropriate fuel volume value is injected into each cylinder immediately upon initiation of skip firing. Skip firing is then disabled when another set of predetermined conditions is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventors: Vincent F. Dunsworth, Eric Richard Dillen, Shawn Michael Gallagher