Patents by Inventor James Yi

James Yi 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: 20240297395
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to battery packs for electrified vehicles, and in particular relates to a separator for a battery pack. The battery pack may include a battery array including a first battery cell spaced-apart from a second battery cell by a separator, wherein the separator includes a first layer of material in contact with the first battery cell and a second layer of material in contact with the second battery cell, wherein the first and second layers of material are made of a thermally insulative material, wherein the separator includes a third layer of material and a fourth layer of material between the first and second layers of material, and wherein the third and fourth layers of material are made of a metallic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Mohammadreza Eftekhari, Steven Wooldridge
  • Patent number: 11674464
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting gaseous fuel during an engine start. In one example, a method comprises generating gaseous fuel via a fuel gasification device and injecting the gaseous fuel via a fuel injector. The fuel injector is configured to inject adjacent to an ignition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi
  • Publication number: 20230034824
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting gaseous fuel during an engine start. In one example, a method comprises generating gaseous fuel via a fuel gasification device and injecting the gaseous fuel via a fuel injector. The fuel injector is configured to inject adjacent to an ignition device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi
  • Patent number: 11371419
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pre-chamber. In one example, a pre-chamber comprises a plurality of slots fluidly coupling it to a primary combustion chamber. The plurality of slots comprising a plurality of corresponding flaps configured to direct gases through the plurality of slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Claudia Olivia Iyer, James Yi
  • Publication number: 20220136427
    Abstract: An exhaust system is provided for an automotive engine of vehicles with exhaust conduits having a textured surface. The system comprises a plurality of cylinder exhaust ports, and an exhaust manifold including a plurality of exhaust runners fluidly coupled to the plurality of cylinder exhaust ports, where at least one exhaust runner of the plurality of exhaust runners includes a plurality of steps or dimples protruding outward from the exhaust runner. In one example, the system promotes an effective mixing of oxygen and hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream to reduce engine emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Leon Hu, James Yi
  • Patent number: 11319861
    Abstract: An exhaust system is provided for an automotive engine of vehicles with exhaust conduits having a textured surface. The system comprises a plurality of cylinder exhaust ports, and an exhaust manifold including a plurality of exhaust runners fluidly coupled to the plurality of cylinder exhaust ports, where at least one exhaust runner of the plurality of exhaust runners includes a plurality of steps or dimples protruding outward from the exhaust runner. In one example, the system promotes an effective mixing of oxygen and hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream to reduce engine emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Leon Hu, James Yi
  • Patent number: 11300063
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for increasing a temperature of a catalyst of an engine by operating the engine in a split lambda catalyst heating mode. In one example, a method may include, while operating an engine in a split lambda catalyst heating mode, adjusting a magnitude of a lambda split between a rich set of combustion events and a lean set of combustion events based on soot formation in the rich set of combustion events. In this way, catalyst temperature may be increased while maintaining engine efficiency and preventing soot formation in the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Peter C. Moilanen, Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Steven Schwochert
  • Patent number: 11300085
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a system may include an injector comprising two or more passages shaped to flow a mixture in opposite directions before injecting the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Mark Meinhart, Joseph F. Basmaji, Jianwen James Yi
  • Patent number: 11293392
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a system comprises an injector spool valve having a fuel outlet shaped to flow fuel to different portions of a nozzle inlet based on an actuation of the injector spool valve, thereby adjusting a fuel injection angle of a fuel injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Joseph F. Basmaji, Mark Meinhart
  • Patent number: 11236662
    Abstract: Systems are provided for a pre-chamber. In one example, a pre-chamber comprises a passage outside of a primary combustion chamber for flowing fuel directly from a fuel injector to an interior volume of the pre-chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, James Yi, Steven Wooldridge, Michael Damian Czekala
  • Publication number: 20220018298
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for increasing a temperature of a catalyst of an engine by operating the engine in a split lambda catalyst heating mode. In one example, a method may include, while operating an engine in a split lambda catalyst heating mode, adjusting a magnitude of a lambda split between a rich set of combustion events and a lean set of combustion events based on soot formation in the rich set of combustion events. In this way, catalyst temperature may be increased while maintaining engine efficiency and preventing soot formation in the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Peter C. Moilanen, Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Steven Schwochert
  • Publication number: 20220003146
    Abstract: Systems are provided for a pre-chamber. In one example, a pre-chamber comprises a passage outside of a primary combustion chamber for flowing fuel directly from a fuel injector to an interior volume of the pre-chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, James Yi, Steven Wooldridge, Michael Damian Czekala
  • Publication number: 20210355859
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pre-chamber. In one example, a pre-chamber comprises a plurality of slots fluidly coupling it to a primary combustion chamber. The plurality of slots comprising a plurality of corresponding flaps configured to direct gases through the plurality of slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Claudia Olivia Iyer, James Yi
  • Patent number: 11149745
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for preventing compressor surge while improving compressor efficiency and performance. In one example, a method may include a recirculation passage in a compressor configured with a casing treatment and the recirculation passage being cooled by a cooling jacket within the compressor housing wall. In another example, the recirculation passage includes guide vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Liangjun Hu, Hao Wu, Jianwen James Yi
  • Patent number: 11143207
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a turbocharger system to reduce and balance axial thrust load on the turbine shaft and the associated bearing system and sealing. In one example, a partial back plate compressor may be used in combination with an axial turbine to reduce axial thrust load and to improve turbocharger transient response time. In another example, a regenerative turbocharger system with back-to-back turbo pump may be used to reduce and balance axial thrust load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Harold Huimin Sun, Leon Hu, Dave R. Hanna, Jianwen James Yi, Eric Warren Curtis
  • Patent number: 11131258
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine that includes a turbocharger with a wastegate is described. In one example, the method includes oscillating a position of the wastegate during cold engine starting as a function of a speed of an engine. The wastegate position may be adjusted to follow a square wave, sinusoidal wave, or triangle wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Leon Hu, James Yi
  • Patent number: 11105256
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pre-chamber. In one example, a pre-chamber comprises a plurality of slots fluidly coupling it to a primary combustion chamber. The plurality of slots comprising a plurality of corresponding flaps configured to direct gases through the plurality of slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Claudia Olivia Iyer, James Yi
  • Publication number: 20210262401
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine that includes a turbocharger with a wastegate is described. In one example, the method includes oscillating a position of the wastegate during cold engine starting as a function of a speed of an engine. The wastegate position may be adjusted to follow a square wave, sinusoidal wave, or triangle wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Leon Hu, James Yi
  • Publication number: 20210239034
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pre-chamber. In one example, a pre-chamber comprises a plurality of slots fluidly coupling it to a primary combustion chamber. The plurality of slots comprising a plurality of corresponding flaps configured to direct gases through the plurality of slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Claudia Olivia Iyer, James Yi
  • Patent number: 11045776
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a system may include an injection nozzle having a venturi shape with an upstream twisted fin arranged in a venturi inlet. The system may further include a downstream twisted fin arranged in a venturi outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Joseph Basmaji, Jianwen James Yi, Mark Meinhart