Patents by Inventor James L. Knowlton

James L. Knowlton 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).

  • Publication number: 20090194042
    Abstract: A fuel supply system (1) is disclosed for use with an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell system (408). The fuel supply system may include a water supply (4) for supplying water; a fuel supply (3) for supplying fuel; a fuel reformer (10) including an air inlet (52,70) converts the water, air, and fuel into hydrogen and byproducts, and supplies the hydrogen to combustion chambers (2) of an internal combustion engine; and an injector subsystem (5) coupled to the water supply injects water into the combustion chambers following ignition of the hydrogen in the combustion chambers. The fuel supply system may include a water recovery subsystem (6) coupled to an exhaust output (9) of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine producing an exhaust including water vapor and CO2, the water recovery subsystem comprising a filter (13) for removing CO2, from the water vapor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Alan J. Workman, James L. Knowlton, Donalee Knowlton
  • Patent number: 6508210
    Abstract: A fuel supply system is disclosed for use with a vehicle propulsion system such as an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell system. The fuel supply system includes a water supply, fuel supply, and fuel conversion device coupled to the water and fuel supplies for generating hydrogen from the water and fuel and supplying the hydrogen to an intake manifold of the propulsion system with which the fuel supply system is used. The fuel conversion device preferably includes a vaporization chamber, an inlet nozzle for introducing fine droplets of fuel and water into the vaporization chamber, an air inlet for introducing air into the vaporization chamber to create turbulence in the chamber, a heater in the vaporization chamber for heating the turbulent fuel/water mix at temperatures that cause the mix to convert into hydrogen, and an outlet for supplying the generated hydrogen and air to the vehicle propulsion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Tyma, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Knowlton, Alan J. Workman
  • Publication number: 20010013321
    Abstract: A fuel supply system is disclosed for use with a vehicle propulsion system such as an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell system. The fuel supply system includes a water supply, fuel supply, and fuel conversion device coupled to the water and fuel supplies for generating hydrogen from the water and fuel and supplying the hydrogen to an intake manifold of the propulsion system with which the fuel supply system is used. The fuel conversion device preferably includes a vaporization chamber, an inlet nozzle for introducing fine droplets of fuel and water into the vaporization chamber, an air inlet for introducing air into the vaporization chamber to create turbulence in the chamber, a heater in the vaporization chamber for heating the turbulent fuel/water mix at temperatures that cause the mix to convert into hydrogen, and an outlet for supplying the generated hydrogen and air to the vehicle propulsion system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: August 16, 2001
    Inventors: James L. Knowlton, Alan J. Workman
  • Patent number: 5666929
    Abstract: A fuel vaporization device for an internal combustion engine comprising a vaporization chamber, a liquid fuel inlet to the chamber including a fuel distributor having the capacity to inject tiny fuel droplets into the chamber, an ambient air inlet to the chamber to allow ambient air to mix with the fuel droplets, an annular ambient air distribution ring having circumferentially spaced air distribution inlet holes, positioned upstream of the vaporization chamber, and having an axial outlet surrounding the fuel distributor, at least one turbulence generator in the chamber for creating ambient air turbulence for mixing fuel droplets and ambient air, at least one heater in the chamber to convert the fuel droplet-ambient air mixture to a homogeneous gaseous air-fuel mix as the mixture passes through the chamber, a heater controller operably associated with the heater and preset to regulate thermal output from the heater responsive to temperature of the gaseous air-fuel mix to prevent the temperature from exceeding
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Tyma, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Knowlton, Alan J. Workman
  • Patent number: 5123398
    Abstract: A fuel gasifier for an internal combustion engine having a gasification chamber, a device for injecting fuel into the chamber in droplets of about 30-50 microns or less in diameter, an ambient air inlet to the chamber with a flow control therefor, to admit a controlled amount of ambient air to mix with the fuel, a heater in the chamber to elevate the fuel temperature and convert the fuel to a gaseous state, a fuel and air mixing and transfer impeller in the chamber for increasing turbulence and propelling the mixture from the chamber, an annular venturi flow passage for flow of additional ambient air past the outside of the chamber, and a plurality of radial passages between the chamber and the venturi passage for flow of the turbulent mixture into the venturi passage and entrainment of the fuel and air mixture into the additional ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Sunotyx Incorporated
    Inventors: Rudolph W. Klaus, James L. Knowlton