Patents by Inventor Greg Batenburg

Greg Batenburg 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: 8726785
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for hydraulic fluid supply between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic drive unit, switching hydraulic fluid flow direction to the hydraulic drive unit or stopping hydraulic fluid flow to the hydraulic drive unit when measured hydraulic fluid pressure crosses a predetermined pressure threshold value. The method further comprises calculating an amount of mechanical work done by the hydraulic drive unit and warning an operator or limiting hydraulic fluid flow rate to the hydraulic drive unit when the calculated mechanical work for the drive cycle is less than an expected amount of mechanical work. The apparatus for practicing the method further includes a pressure sensor associated with a hydraulic fluid supply conduit between the pump and the drive unit, and an electronic controller programmed to operate the drive system according to the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Batenburg
  • Publication number: 20120324878
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for hydraulic fluid supply between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic drive unit, switching hydraulic fluid flow direction to the hydraulic drive unit or stopping hydraulic fluid flow to the hydraulic drive unit when measured hydraulic fluid pressure crosses a predetermined pressure threshold value. The method further comprises calculating an amount of mechanical work done by the hydraulic drive unit and warning an operator or limiting hydraulic fluid flow rate to the hydraulic drive unit when the calculated mechanical work for the drive cycle is less than an expected amount of mechanical work. The apparatus for practicing the method further includes a pressure sensor associated with a hydraulic fluid supply conduit between the pump and the drive unit, and an electronic controller programmed to operate the drive system according to the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventor: Greg Batenburg
  • Patent number: 8240241
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for hydraulic fluid supply between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic drive unit, switching hydraulic fluid flow direction to the hydraulic drive unit or stopping hydraulic fluid flow to the hydraulic drive unit when measured hydraulic fluid pressure crosses a predetermined pressure threshold value. The method further comprises calculating an amount of mechanical work done by the hydraulic drive unit and warning an operator or limiting hydraulic fluid flow rate to the hydraulic drive unit when the calculated mechanical work for the drive cycle is less than an expected amount of mechanical work. The apparatus for practicing the method further includes a pressure sensor associated with a hydraulic fluid supply conduit between the pump and the drive unit, and an electronic controller programmed to operate the drive system according to the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Westport Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Batenburg
  • Patent number: 8028676
    Abstract: The method comprises receiving from the vehicle controller, values associated with the engine speed and of another parameter indicative of the engine operating conditions, such as the total fuelling amount, and controlling the fuel injection parameters according to the engine state, which, for example, can include a normal operation mode, a filter regeneration mode, an engine protection mode, high or low transient load modes, and operating at different altitudes, through algorithms implemented in an electronic controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Ancimer, Olivier P. M. Lebastard, Jeffrey J. Thompson, Greg A. Batenburg, Stewart Whitfield
  • Publication number: 20110088655
    Abstract: The method comprises receiving from the vehicle controller, values associated with the engine speed and of another parameter indicative of the engine operating conditions, such as the total fuelling amount, and controlling the fuel injection parameters according to the engine state, which, for example, can include a normal operation mode, a filter regeneration mode, an engine protection mode, high or low transient load modes, and operating at different altitudes, through algorithms implemented in an electronic controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Ancimer, Olivier P.M. Lebastard, Jeffrey J. Thompson, Greg A. Batenburg, Stewart Whitfield
  • Patent number: 7913496
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for pumping a cryogenic fluid from a storage vessel. The cryogenic fluid is pumped from the storage vessel to a heat exchanger and then to a delivery conduit. A pressure sensor measures fluid pressure in the delivery conduit. An electronic controller is programmed to monitor a signal from the pressure sensor, process the signal to determine from the measured process fluid pressure when cryogenic pump performance is degraded, and to send a signal to an operator of the apparatus indicating when the electronic controller determines that cryogenic pump performance has degraded below a predetermined threshold volumetric efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Batenburg, Gage Garner, Gregory Harper, Mike Ure
  • Publication number: 20100212306
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for hydraulic fluid supply between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic drive unit, switching hydraulic fluid flow direction to the hydraulic drive unit or stopping hydraulic fluid flow to the hydraulic drive unit when measured hydraulic fluid pressure crosses a predetermined pressure threshold value. The method further comprises calculating an amount of mechanical work done by the hydraulic drive unit and warning an operator or limiting hydraulic fluid flow rate to the hydraulic drive unit when the calculated mechanical work for the drive cycle is less than an expected amount of mechanical work. The apparatus for practicing the method further includes a pressure sensor associated with a hydraulic fluid supply conduit between the pump and the drive unit, and an electronic controller programmed to operate the drive system according to the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventor: Greg Batenburg
  • Patent number: 7637113
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a process fluid comprises a storage vessel, a process pump for pumping the process fluid from the storage vessel, a hydraulic drive system comprising a hydraulic drive unit operatively connected to drive the process pump, a pressure sensor for measuring hydraulic fluid pressure of the pressurized hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic drive system, and, an electronic controller programmed to monitor a signal representative of hydraulic fluid pressure that is measured by the pressure sensor, process the signal to determine when the storage vessel is empty, and stop the process pump when the storage vessel is empty. The disclosed method relates to using the disclosed apparatus to measure hydraulic fluid pressure in the hydraulic drive system, process measured hydraulic fluid pressure to determine when the storage vessel is empty, and stop the process pump when the storage vessel is empty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Batenburg
  • Patent number: 7627416
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine that can burn two fuels, the main fuel may become unavailable, either temporarily or until the main fuel is replenished. The present apparatus determines when to fuel an engine with main fuel and secondary fuel, or secondary fuel alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Batenburg, Jeff Thompson, Douglas Chambers
  • Publication number: 20090084348
    Abstract: For gaseous fuels that are injected directly into a combustion chamber the mass flow rate through an injection valve can be influenced by changes in the in-cylinder pressure. A method and apparatus are provided for accurately metering a gaseous into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The method comprises inputting a fueling command; determining from said fueling command a baseline pulse width of an injection event, based upon a baseline pressure differential across a fuel injection valve; estimating the difference between said baseline pressure differential and an actual pressure differential; calculating a corrected pulse width by applying at least one correction factor to said baseline pulse width, wherein said correction factor is a function of the estimated difference between said baseline pressure differential and said actual pressure differential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Greg Batenburg, Richard Ancimer, Mark Edward Dunn, Dale Goudie
  • Publication number: 20090070008
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine that can burn two fuels, the main fuel may become unavailable, either temporarily or until the main fuel is replenished. The present apparatus determines when to fuel an engine with main fuel and secondary fuel, or secondary fuel alone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Greg Batenburg, Jeff Thompson, Douglas Chambers
  • Publication number: 20080302109
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a process fluid comprises a storage vessel, a process pump for pumping the process fluid from the storage vessel, a hydraulic drive system comprising a hydraulic drive unit operatively connected to drive the process pump, a pressure sensor for measuring hydraulic fluid pressure of the pressurized hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic drive system, and, an electronic controller programmed to monitor a signal representative of hydraulic fluid pressure that is measured by the pressure sensor, process the signal to determine when the storage vessel is empty, and stop the process pump when the storage vessel is empty. The disclosed method relates to using the disclosed apparatus to measure hydraulic fluid pressure in the hydraulic drive system, process measured hydraulic fluid pressure to determine when the storage vessel is empty, and stop the process pump when the storage vessel is empty.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventor: Greg Batenburg
  • Publication number: 20080302111
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for pumping a cryogenic fluid from a storage vessel. The cryogenic fluid is pumped from the storage vessel to a heat exchanger and then to a delivery conduit. A pressure sensor measures fluid pressure in the delivery conduit. An electronic controller is programmed to monitor a signal from the pressure sensor, process the signal to determine from the measured process fluid pressure when cryogenic pump performance is degraded, and to send a signal to an operator of the apparatus indicating when the electronic controller determines that cryogenic pump performance has degraded below a predetermined threshold volumetric efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Greg Batenburg, Gage Garner, Gregory Harper, Mike Ure
  • Patent number: 7463967
    Abstract: An engine operating method and a direct injection gaseous fuelled system directly injects a gaseous fuel into a combustion chamber during a compression stroke, commands gaseous fuel injection pressure to a target value that is determined as a function of at least one pre-selected engine parameter, measures actual gaseous fuel injection pressure and adjusts fuel injection pulsewidth to correct for differences between the target value and the actual gaseous fuel injection pressure to thereby inject the desired mass quantity of gaseous fuel as determined from an engine map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Ancimer, Greg Batenburg, Jeff Thompson
  • Publication number: 20080226463
    Abstract: A system and method pumps process fluid from a cryogenic storage vessel to a vaporizer, and delivers the fluid as a pressurized gas. The method includes measuring process fluid temperature after the process fluid exits the vaporizer, temporarily suspending operation of the pump when the process fluid temperature is below a threshold temperature, and restarting a suspended pump if at least one predefined enabling condition is satisfied and process fluid pressure is less than a high pressure threshold. The system comprises components that cooperate with one another to execute the method, including a storage vessel, a pump, a vaporizer, a conduit for delivering a pressurized gas from the vaporizer to the end user, a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor for measuring process fluid properties within the conduit, and a controller for commanding operation of the pump responsive to temperature and pressure measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Greg Batenburg, Gage Garner
  • Publication number: 20080103676
    Abstract: An engine operating method and a direct injection gaseous fuelled system directly injects a gaseous fuel into a combustion chamber during a compression stroke, commands gaseous fuel injection pressure to a target value that is determined as a function of at least one pre-selected engine parameter, measures actual gaseous fuel injection pressure and adjusts fuel injection pulsewidth to correct for differences between the target value and the actual gaseous fuel injection pressure to thereby inject the desired mass quantity of gaseous fuel as determined from an engine map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Richard Ancimer, Greg Batenburg, Jeff Thompson