Patents by Inventor John S. Pipis, Jr.

John S. Pipis, Jr. 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: 9816405
    Abstract: A rocker base is disclosed for use with a valve actuation system. The rocker base may have a housing with a top, a bottom, side walls connecting the top to the bottom, and end walls disposed between the side walls. The rocker base may also have rocker arm supports located inside the housing and integrally formed with the side walls, and an injector spring pad extending from one of the end walls toward a center of the housing. The rocker base may further have a rib connecting the injector spring pad to one of the rocker arm supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Indrajith Kizhakkethara, Prabhu Nagaraj, Mallikarjuna Masala, John S. Pipis, Jr., Karen E. Snelling, Michael J. Motyl
  • Publication number: 20170089224
    Abstract: A rocker base is disclosed for use with a valve actuation system. The rocker base may have a housing with a top, a bottom, side walls connecting the top to the bottom, and end walls disposed between the side walls. The rocker base may also have rocker arm supports located inside the housing and integrally formed with the side walls, and an injector spring pad extending from one of the end walls toward a center of the housing. The rocker base may further have a rib connecting the injector spring pad to one of the rocker arm supports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Indrajith KIZHAKKETHARA, Prabhu NAGARAJ, Mallikarjuna MASALA, John S. PIPIS, JR., Karen E. SNELLING, Michael J. MOTYL
  • Patent number: 9523291
    Abstract: A valve actuation system is disclosed for an engine. The system may have at least one gas exchange valve, a rocker shaft, a camshaft, a rocker arm connected to the rocker shaft and operatively engaged with the camshaft, a valve bridge engaged with the at least one gas exchanger valve, a lash adjuster disposed in the valve bridge, and a button configured to slide on the valve bridge. The system may further include a pin fluidly connecting the rocker arm to the button and having an elongated cylindrical shaft with a first open end inside the rocker arm and a second end inside the button. The pin may also have a head connected to and a reservoir formed in the elongated cylindrical shaft. The pin may further have passages extending from the bore of the rocker arm to the reservoir, and s passage extending from the reservoir through the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Coffey, Edwin H. Langewisch, Ashwin A. Hattiangadi, David A. Cyborski, John S. Pipis, Jr., Kevin D. Yoder
  • Publication number: 20160273415
    Abstract: A valve actuation system is disclosed for an internal combustion engine. The system may have a gas exchange valve, a rocker arm pivotally connected to a shaft, a pushrod, a lash adjuster disposed in the pushrod. The system may also have an adjusting screw disposed in the rocker arm and configured to engage and fluidly supply the lash adjuster. The adjusting screw may include a shaft having a threaded outer annular surface, and a head connected to the shaft and having a rounded outer surface and a flat end face. The adjusting screw may also include an axial passage passing through the flat end face, a radial passage formed in the shaft and extending from the threaded bore of the rocker arm to the axial passage, and at least one radial groove formed in the rounded outer surface of the head and passing through the axial passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Indrajith KIZHAKKETHARA, Sathishkumar RAMAN, Bhavin N. MEHTA, John S. PIPIS, JR., Gopinath BASKARAN, Paul D. RUDOLPH
  • Publication number: 20160273416
    Abstract: A valve actuation system is disclosed for an engine. The system may have at least one gas exchange valve, a rocker shaft, a camshaft, a rocker arm connected to the rocker shaft and operatively engaged with the camshaft, a valve bridge engaged with the at least one gas exchanger valve, a lash adjuster disposed in the valve bridge, and a button configured to slide on the valve bridge. The system may further include a pin fluidly connecting the rocker arm to the button and having an elongated cylindrical shaft with a first open end inside the rocker arm and a second end inside the button. The pin may also have a head connected to and a reservoir formed in the elongated cylindrical shaft. The pin may further have passages extending from the bore of the rocker arm to the reservoir, and s passage extending from the reservoir through the head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. COFFEY, Edwin H. LANGEWISCH, Ashwin A. HATTIANGADI, David A. CYBORSKI, John S. PIPIS, JR., Kevin D. YODER
  • Patent number: 9429049
    Abstract: An intake valve actuation (IVA) system for a dual fuel engine is disclosed. The IVA system is retrofittable between the dual fuel engine and a diesel fuel engine and includes a cam lobe with a cam-profile, a rocker arm, and an IVA piston. The rocker arm has a pad surface, which includes a plane that passes through a central axis of a rocker shaft. The rocker arm is operably connected with the cam lobe and intake valves. A rotational movement of the cam lobe corresponds to switch between the open and closed positions of intake valves. The IVA piston has a face portion, which selectively abuts against the pad surface, to temporarily lock the intake valves in open position. The IVA system defines a hand-off when the face portion abuts against the pad surface. The cam-profile facilitates constant velocity of the intake valves at the hand-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bhavin N. Mehta, John S. Pipis, Jr., Anand Krishnaswamy
  • Publication number: 20150240669
    Abstract: An intake valve actuation (IVA) system for a dual fuel engine is disclosed. The IVA system is retrofittable between the dual fuel engine and a diesel fuel engine and includes a cam lobe with a cam-profile, a rocker arm, and an IVA piston. The rocker arm has a pad surface, which includes a plane that passes through a central axis of a rocker shaft. The rocker arm is operably connected with the cam lobe and intake valves. A rotational movement of the cam lobe corresponds to switch between the open and closed positions of intake valves. The IVA piston has a face portion, which selectively abuts against the pad surface, to temporarily lock the intake valves in open position. The IVA system defines a hand-off when the face portion abuts against the pad surface. The cam-profile facilitates constant velocity of the intake valves at the hand-off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bhavin N. Mehta, JOHN S. PIPIS, JR., ANAND KRISHNASWAMY
  • Patent number: 8943803
    Abstract: A power system for use with an engine having at least one cylinder, and a piston, a fuel injector, and an exhaust valve associated with the at least one cylinder, is disclosed. The power system may have an exhaust passage, an aftertreatment component disposed within the exhaust passage, and a valve actuator configured to selectively move the exhaust valve. The power system may also have a controller in communication with the fuel injector and the valve actuator. The controller may be configured to make a determination to heat the aftertreatment component, to activate the valve actuator to hold open the exhaust valve as the piston moves through a top-dead-center position to disable the at least one cylinder based on the determination, and to activate the fuel injector to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder while the at least one cylinder is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: John S. Pipis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8800531
    Abstract: A compression brake system of an internal combustion engine includes a mechanical system for coupling a camshaft to a brake actuator assembly. The mechanical system includes a stationary housing defining an aperture and a lifter is slidably disposed in the aperture. A resilient element is disposed between the housing and the shoulder and configured to bias the lifter toward the camshaft. The mechanical system is dedicated to compression braking, and therefore the camshaft may have a lobe optimized for braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Wiley, John S. Pipis, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120102920
    Abstract: A power system for use with an engine having at least one cylinder, and a piston, a fuel injector, and an exhaust valve associated with the at least one cylinder, is disclosed. The power system may have an exhaust passage, an aftertreatment component disposed within the exhaust passage, and a valve actuator configured to selectively move the exhaust valve. The power system may also have a controller in communication with the fuel injector and the valve actuator. The controller may be configured to make a determination to heat the aftertreatment component, to activate the valve actuator to hold open the exhaust valve as the piston moves through a top-dead-center position to disable the at least one cylinder based on the determination, and to activate the fuel injector to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder while the at least one cylinder is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: John S. PIPIS, JR.
  • Publication number: 20120067331
    Abstract: A power system comprising an engine, an intake air system, and an intake air bypass system. The intake air system delivers compressed air to the engine and the intake air bypass system diverts the compressed air away from the engine in response to the operation of an engine brake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John S. Pipis, JR., Homa Afjeh
  • Publication number: 20110220061
    Abstract: A compression brake system of an internal combustion engine includes a mechanical system for coupling a camshaft to a brake actuator assembly. The mechanical system includes a stationary housing defining an aperture and a lifter is slidably disposed in the aperture. A resilient element is disposed between the housing and the shoulder and configured to bias the lifter toward the camshaft. The mechanical system is dedicated to compression braking, and therefore the camshaft may have a lobe optimized for braking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Wiley, John S. Pipis, JR.
  • Patent number: 7878162
    Abstract: A variable valve actuation system is disclosed for providing exhaust to at least one component downstream of an engine. The system includes a supply of low pressure fluid, an engine fluid sump, and an exhaust valve disposed in an engine cylinder. The system also includes a hydraulic actuation system operably connected to the exhaust valve of the engine cylinder and a braking control valve operably connected to the hydraulic actuation system. The system further includes a device for accumulating fluid and a device for fluidly coupling the hydraulic actuation system to the accumulating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. McClure, Sean O. Cornell, Robert L. Miller, John S. Pipis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5727662
    Abstract: A shock absorber has a biasing member located between the base cup of a reserve tube and a cylinder end at the bottom of a pressure tube. The biasing member urges the pressure tube away from the base cup of the reserve tube and provides for movement between the lower ends of the two members without affecting the seating or sealing of the components within the shock absorber. The movement between the pressure tube and the reserve tube provides axial compliance for accommodating tubes materials having different materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Monroe Auto Equipment Company
    Inventors: Yoram Guy, John S. Pipis, Jr.