Patents by Inventor Frank Warren Hunt

Frank Warren Hunt 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: 11118952
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes an airflow sensor disposed at least partially within an air intake system for an engine. The airflow sensor may be configured to measure a flow rate of air flowing past the airflow sensor in the air intake system, and includes a sensor element and a heater associated with the sensor element. A heater control circuit may control the heater to control a temperature of the sensor element. Further, a processor may be configured by executable instructions to cause the heater control circuit to, in a first operation mode, maintain the sensor element at a higher temperature range, and, in a second operation mode, maintain the sensor element at a lower temperature range that is above an ambient temperature and that is lower than the higher temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO AMERICAS, INC.
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Anthony P. Boone, Prashanth Avireddi, Nicholas Ryan Dal Pra, Zachariah Rabatah
  • Publication number: 20210025745
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes an airflow sensor disposed at least partially within an air intake system for an engine. The airflow sensor may be configured to measure a flow rate of air flowing past the airflow sensor in the air intake system, and includes a sensor element and a heater associated with the sensor element. A heater control circuit may control the heater to control a temperature of the sensor element. Further, a processor may be configured by executable instructions to cause the heater control circuit to, in a first operation mode, maintain the sensor element at a higher temperature range, and, in a second operation mode, maintain the sensor element at a lower temperature range that is above an ambient temperature and that is lower than the higher temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Frank Warren HUNT, Anthony P. BOONE, Prashanth AVIREDDI, Nicholas Ryan DAL PRA, Zachariah RABATAH
  • Patent number: 7017556
    Abstract: An engine startup fuel control system for use with a four-cycle internal combustion engine of the type having a plurality of combustion chambers, an air intake passageway, a source of fuel, a crankshaft and a camshaft which operates the engine cylinder valves. A multipoint fuel injector is associated with each combustion chamber and each multipoint fuel injector has an inlet connected to the fuel source and an outlet connected to the air intake passageway adjacent its associated combustion chamber. A crankshaft position sensor generates an output signal representative of the angular position of the crankshaft while, similarly, a camshaft position sensor generates an output signal representative of the angular position of the camshaft. An engine control unit is programmed to determine the synchronization of the engine in response to the output signals from the crankshaft position sensor and camshaft position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan Borg, Shigeru Oho, Frank Warren Hunt, Ayumu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7007667
    Abstract: An engine startup fuel control system for use with an internal combustion engine of the type having a plurality of combustion chambers, an air intake passage fluidly connected to each combustion chamber and a source of fuel. The system includes a multipoint fuel injector associated with each combustion chamber in which the multipoint fuel injector has an inlet connected to the fuel source and an outlet fluidly connected to the intake air passageway adjacent its associated combustion chamber. A cold start fuel injector also has an inlet connected to the fuel source and an outlet connected through a cold start passageway with each combustion chamber. A processing circuit selectively activates the multipoint fuel injectors as well as the cold start fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jonathan Borg, Shigeru Oho, Frank Warren Hunt, Ayumu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 6918383
    Abstract: A cold start fuel control system is disclosed for use with an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers, a source of fuel and an intake manifold having an inlet and an outlet port connected to each combustion chamber. The system includes a cold start fuel injector assembly having an inlet and an outlet to provide a vapor fuel charge during a cold start engine condition. The cold start fuel injector assembly inlet is fluidly connected to the source of fuel. An auxiliary intake manifold has an internal chamber and the cold start fuel injector assembly outlet is fluidly connected to the auxiliary intake manifold chamber. The auxiliary intake manifold chamber is then fluidly connected through a control orifice to each of the combustion chambers at a position downstream from the inlet of the primary intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Ayumu Miyajima, George Saikalis, Jonathan Borg, Shigeru Oho
  • Patent number: 6874467
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system having an electronically controlled throttle valve operatively disposed in an intake manifold. An idle speed control valve is operatively disposed within a bypass gas flow passageway. A control system controls the actuation of both the throttle valve and idle speed control valve to control the delivery of a combustible charge to the internal combustion engine to maximize engine efficiency and minimize noxious emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Shigeru Oho, Ayumu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 6843238
    Abstract: A cold start fuel control system is disclosed for use with an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, a source of fuel and a primary intake manifold having an inlet and an outlet and fluidly connected between the fuel source and the combustion chamber. The system includes a cold start fuel injector assembly having an inlet and an outlet with the inlet being fluidly connected to the fuel source. An auxiliary intake manifold has an interior chamber which is fluidly connected with each combustion chamber. The outlet from the cold start fuel injector is then fluidly connected to the auxiliary intake manifold so that, upon activation of the cold start fuel injector assembly, a fuel/air is inducted from the cold start fuel injector, through the auxiliary intake manifold and into the engine combustion chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Shigeru Oho, Ayumu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 6736103
    Abstract: A system for the management of fuel and fuel vapors in the cold start fuel passageway of an internal combustion engine which has a cold start fuel injector which, when activated, introduces fuel into the cold start fuel passageway. The system includes an engine control unit (ECU) which determines the probability of fuel within the cold start passageway. Different procedures programmed in the ECU are then utilized to dissipate the fuel from the cold start passageway. These procedures include delaying the initiation of the spark ignition for the engine, maintaining the heater associated with the cold start fuel injector activated for a period of time following deactivation of the cold start fuel injector, maintaining revolution of the internal combustion engine for a predetermined time period, as well as other strategies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Shigeru Oho, Ayumu Miyajima
  • Publication number: 20040074465
    Abstract: A system for the management of fuel and fuel vapors in the cold start fuel passageway of an internal combustion engine which has a cold start fuel injector which, when activated, introduces fuel into the cold start fuel passageway. The system includes an engine control unit (ECU) which determines the probability of fuel within the cold start passageway. Different procedures programmed in the ECU are then utilized to dissipate the fuel from the cold start passageway. These procedures include delaying the initiation of the spark ignition for the engine, maintaining the heater associated with the cold start fuel injector activated for a period of time following deactivation of the cold start fuel injector, maintaining revolution of the internal combustion engine for a predetermined time period, as well as other strategies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Shigeru Oho, Ayumu Miyajima
  • Publication number: 20040025837
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine of the type having an intake manifold selectively fluidly connected to a combustion chamber and a bypass gas flow passageway having an inlet open to the intake manifold and an outlet open to the intake manifold downstream for the inlet is disclosed. The system includes an electronically controlled throttle valve operatively disposed in the intake manifold and movable between an open and a closed position to control air flow through the intake manifold. An idle speed control valve is operatively disposed within the bypass gas flow passageway, and the idle speed control valve is also movable between an open and a closed position to control air flow through the bypass gas flow passageway. A control system controls the actuation of both the throttle valve and idle speed control valve to control the delivery of a combustible charge to the internal combustion engine to maximize engine efficiency and minimize noxious emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Shigeru Oho, Ayumu Miyajima
  • Publication number: 20040003790
    Abstract: A cold start fuel control system is disclosed for use with an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers, a source of fuel and an intake manifold having an inlet and an outlet port connected to each combustion chamber. The system includes a cold start fuel injector assembly having an inlet and an outlet to provide a vapor fuel charge during a cold start engine condition. The cold start fuel injector assembly inlet is fluidly connected to the source of fuel. An auxiliary intake manifold has an internal chamber and the cold start fuel injector assembly outlet is fluidly connected to the auxiliary intake manifold chamber. The auxiliary intake manifold chamber is then fluidly connected through a control orifice to each of the combustion chambers at a position downstream from the inlet of the primary intake manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Ayumu Miyajima, George Saikalis, Jonathan Borg, Shigeru Oho
  • Publication number: 20030168033
    Abstract: A cold start fuel control system is disclosed for use with an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, a source of fuel and a primary intake manifold having an inlet and an outlet and fluidly connected between the fuel source and the combustion chamber. The system includes a cold start fuel injector assembly having an inlet and an outlet with the inlet being fluidly connected to the fuel source. An auxiliary intake manifold has an interior chamber which is fluidly connected with each combustion chamber. The outlet from the cold start fuel injector is then fluidly connected to the auxiliary intake manifold so that, upon activation of the cold start fuel injector assembly, a fuel/air is inducted from the cold start fuel injector, through the auxiliary intake manifold and into the engine combustion chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Frank Warren Hunt, Shigeru Oho, Ayumu Miyajima