Patents by Inventor Frederick K. Lenhart

Frederick K. Lenhart 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: 6611145
    Abstract: A motorcycle including a two-cylinder engine. The engine includes a housing, first and second cylinders having first and second combustion chambers, respectively, and first and second pistons reciprocating in the first and second chambers, respectively. The motorcycle further includes a spark generating circuit including a spark plug having a spark gap exposed to the first combustion chamber, an ion sensing circuit including the spark plug and being operable to generate an ion signal indicative of an ion current generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module coupled to the ion signal circuit. The analysis module is operable to receive the ion signal and to analyze the ion signal to determine whether a no-combustion event occurs in the first cylinder. The analysis module may be further operable to determine if the spark generating circuit has an intermittent connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc., Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Barth Fisk
  • Patent number: 6505606
    Abstract: A motorcycle having a system for combustion knock control. The motorcycle includes a spark generating circuit having a spark plug. The spark generating circuit produces a spark across a spark gap of the spark plug in response to a sparking signal. The motorcycle further includes an ion signal circuit that provides an ion signal indicative of an ion current being generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module electrically connected to the ion signal circuit and the spark generating circuit. The analysis module generates the sparking signal in a timed sequence, receives the ion signal from the ion signal generating circuit, measures a knock intensity within the ion signal, and modifies the timing sequence when knock is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc., Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Michael Martin
  • Publication number: 20020088432
    Abstract: A motorcycle having a system for combustion knock control. The motorcycle includes a spark generating circuit having a spark plug. The spark generating circuit produces a spark across a spark gap of the spark plug in response to a sparking signal. The motorcycle further includes an ion signal circuit that provides an ion signal indicative of an ion current being generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module electrically connected to the ion signal circuit and the spark generating circuit. The analysis module generates the sparking signal in a timed sequence, receives the ion signal from the ion signal generating circuit, measures a knock intensity within the ion signal, and modifies the timing sequence when knock is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: Harley Davidson Motor Company
    Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Michael Martin
  • Patent number: 6386183
    Abstract: A motorcycle having a system for combustion knock control. The motorcycle includes a spark generating circuit having a spark plug. The spark generating circuit produces a spark across a spark gap of the spark plug in response to a sparking signal. The motorcycle further includes an ion signal circuit that provides an ion signal indicative of an ion current being generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module electrically connected to the ion signal circuit and the spark generating circuit. The analysis module generates the sparking signal in a timed sequence, receives the ion signal from the ion signal generating circuit, measures a knock intensity within the ion signal, and modifies the timing sequence when knock is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc., Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Michael Martin
  • Publication number: 20020007818
    Abstract: A motorcycle including a two-cylinder engine. The engine includes a housing, first and second cylinders having first and second combustion chambers, respectively, and first and second pistons reciprocating in the first and second chambers, respectively. The motorcycle further includes a spark generating circuit including a spark plug having a spark gap exposed to the first combustion chamber, an ion sensing circuit including the spark plug and being operable to generate an ion signal indicative of an ion current generated across the spark gap, and an analysis module coupled to the ion signal circuit. The analysis module is operable to receive the ion signal and to analyze the ion signal to determine whether a no-combustion event occurs in the first cylinder. The analysis module may be further operable to determine if the spark generating circuit has an intermittent connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.
    Inventors: V. Dennis Lodise, Eric Norppa, Frederick K. Lenhart, Barth Fisk