Patents by Inventor Kevin B. Fuqua
Kevin B. Fuqua 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).
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Patent number: 11300071Abstract: A cylinder for opposed-piston engines includes a liner with a bore and longitudinally displaced intake and exhaust ports near respective ends thereof. An intermediate portion of the liner between the exhaust and intake ports contains a combustion chamber formed when the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore are in close mutual proximity. A compression sleeve encircles and reinforces the intermediate portion of the liner. An annular grid of pegs disposed between the intermediate portion and the compression sleeve supports the compression sleeve against the liner and defines a turbulent liquid flow path extending across the intermediate portion in a direction that parallels the longitudinal axis of the liner.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2015Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Patent number: 10323563Abstract: A configuration for a uniflow-scavenged, opposed-piston engine reduces exhaust cross-talk caused by mass flow between cylinders resulting from one cylinder having an open exhaust port during scavenging and/or charging while an adjacent cylinder is undergoing blowdown. Some configurations include a wall or other barrier feature between cylinders that are adjacent to each other and fire one after the other. Additionally, or alternatively, some engine configurations include cylinders with intake and exhaust ports sized so that there is an overlap in crank angle of two or more cylinders having open exhaust ports of about 65 crank angle degrees or less.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventors: Rodrigo Zermeño Benitez, Brian J. Callahan, Kevin B. Fuqua, Christopher J. Kalebjian
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Patent number: 10190492Abstract: The timing or phasing of port openings and closings during operation of an opposed-piston engine is varied in response to changing engine speeds and loads by changing crankshaft phasing.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2013Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, Fabien G. Redon
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Patent number: 10001057Abstract: An opposed-piston engine includes an inline cylinder block with an open exhaust chamber that contains all of the engine's exhaust ports. Exhaust outlets open from the exhaust chamber through opposing sides of the cylinder block. A turbocharger is positioned on each side of the cylinder block and has an inlet closely coupled with a respective exhaust outlet. The exhaust chamber is divided into separate collector sections, each collector section containing the exhaust ports of one or more cylinders, and each turbocharger has a first inlet closely coupled with a first collector section and a second inlet closely coupled with a second collector section. The engine has a cylinder firing sequence which alternates between the cylinders in the first and second collector sections.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2014Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Patent number: 9849770Abstract: An engine placement configuration for a heavy-duty truck includes a chassis having two spaced-apart frame rails running in a longitudinal direction of the chassis, between front and rear ends, and a front wheel assembly with an axle attached to the frame rails. An opposed-piston engine is supported on the frame rails and positioned between the front end and the axle. The opposed-piston engine includes a cylinder assembly with a longitudinal axis disposed between the frame rails and oriented vertically with respect to the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, the opposed-piston engine includes a row of cylinders disposed between the rails and running in the longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2013Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Publication number: 20170321591Abstract: A configuration for a uniflow-scavenged, opposed-piston engine reduces exhaust cross-talk caused by mass flow between cylinders resulting from one cylinder having an open exhaust port during scavenging and/or charging while an adjacent cylinder is undergoing blowdown. Some configurations include a wall or other barrier feature between cylinders that are adjacent to each other and fire one after the other. Additionally, or alternatively, some engine configurations include cylinders with intake and exhaust ports sized so that there is an overlap in crank angle of two or more cylinders having open exhaust ports of about 65 crank angle degrees or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2016Publication date: November 9, 2017Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventors: RODRIGO ZERMEÑO BENITEZ, BRIAN J. CALLAHAN, KEVIN B. FUQUA, CHRISTOPHER J. KALEBJIAN
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Patent number: 9593627Abstract: A combustion chamber for an opposed-piston engine includes a squish zone defined between circumferential peripheral areas of opposing end surfaces of the pistons, a cavity defined by one or more bowls in the end surfaces, and at least one injection port that extends radially through the squish zone into the cavity. The cavity has a cross-sectional shape that imposes a tumbling motion on air flowing from the squish zone into the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, Fabien G. Redon, Huixian Shen, Michael H. Wahl, Brendan M. Lenski
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Patent number: 9581024Abstract: An opposed-piston engine has a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinders arranged inline, with each cylinder including an intake port longitudinally separated from an exhaust port. The engine is equipped with an air handling system that includes intake and exhaust chambers inside the cylinder block. All of the cylinder intake ports are contained in the intake chamber to receive charge air therein. The intake chamber includes elongated air inlets opening through opposing sides of the cylinder block. The exhaust chamber includes at least one exhaust outlet opening through a side of the cylinder block; all of the cylinder exhaust ports are contained in the exhaust chamber to discharge exhaust thereinto.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, John J. Koszewnik, Suramya D. Naik, Fabien G. Redon, Gerhard Regner, Rodrigo Zermeño-Benitez
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Open intake and exhaust chamber constructions for an air handling system of an opposed-piston engine
Patent number: 9551220Abstract: An opposed-piston engine has a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinders arranged inline, with each cylinder including an intake port longitudinally separated from an exhaust port. The engine's air handling system includes open intake and exhaust chambers in the cylinder block. The open chamber constructions eliminate the need for multi-pipe manifolds and smooth the flow of charge air.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2014Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, John J. Koszewnik, Suramya D. Naik, Fabien G. Redon, Gerhard Regner, Rodrigo Zermeño Benitez -
Publication number: 20160356241Abstract: A cylinder for opposed-piston engines includes a liner with a bore and longitudinally displaced intake and exhaust ports near respective ends thereof. An intermediate portion of the liner between the exhaust and intake ports contains a combustion chamber formed when the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore are in close mutual proximity. A compression sleeve encircles and reinforces the intermediate portion of the liner. An annular grid of pegs disposed between the intermediate portion and the compression sleeve supports the compression sleeve against the liner and defines a turbulent liquid flow path extending across the intermediate portion in a direction that parallels the longitudinal axis of the liner.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2015Publication date: December 8, 2016Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Patent number: 9488099Abstract: An opposed-piston engine with a single crankshaft has a rocker-type linkage coupling the crankshaft to the pistons that utilizes a rotatable pivot rocker arm with full-contact plain bearings. A rocker-type linkage utilizes a rotatable pivot bearing with an eccentric aspect to vary translation of piston linkage along the axial direction of a cylinder, which shifts the top dead center (TDC) and bottom dead center (BDC) locations of a piston so as to change the volume of charge air compressed during the power stroke.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2016Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Patent number: 9435290Abstract: An engine structure for a multi-cylinder, opposed-piston engine includes a cylinder block with a plurality of inline cylinders. Each cylinder has ends with an outside diameter and an intermediate portion between the ends of a relatively larger outside diameter than the ends. The cylinder block includes a bearing web structure that positions bearing web elements outside of a plane that longitudinally bisects all of the cylinders. The cylinder block is split into two sections so as to permit cylinder liners to be inserted into and removed from cylinder tunnels in the cylinder block.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2014Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Publication number: 20160252014Abstract: An opposed-piston engine with a single crankshaft has a rocker-type linkage coupling the crankshaft to the pistons that utilizes a rotatable pivot rocker arm with full-contact plain bearings. A rocker-type linkage utilizes a rotatable pivot bearing with an eccentric aspect to vary translation of piston linkage along the axial direction of a cylinder, which shifts the top dead center (TDC) and bottom dead center (BDC) locations of a piston so as to change the volume of charge air compressed during the power stroke.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Applicant: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventor: KEVIN B. FUQUA
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Patent number: 9359896Abstract: An opposed-piston engine with a single crankshaft has a rocker-type linkage coupling the crankshaft to the pistons that utilizes a rotatable pivot rocker arm with full-contact plain bearings. A rocker-type linkage utilizes a rotatable pivot bearing with an eccentric aspect to vary translation of piston linkage along the axial direction of a cylinder, which shifts the top dead center (TDC) and bottom dead center (BDC) locations of a piston so as to change the volume of charge air compressed during the power stroke.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2011Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: ACHATES POWER, INC.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Publication number: 20160032824Abstract: An opposed-piston engine includes an inline cylinder block with an open exhaust chamber that contains all of the engine's exhaust ports. Exhaust outlets open from the exhaust chamber through opposing sides of the cylinder block. A turbocharger is positioned on each side of the cylinder block and has an inlet closely coupled with a respective exhaust outlet. The exhaust chamber is divided into separate collector sections, each collector section containing the exhaust ports of one or more cylinders, and each turbocharger has a first inlet closely coupled with a first collector section and a second inlet closely coupled with a second collector section. The engine has a cylinder firing sequence which alternates between the cylinders in the first and second collector sections.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicant: Achates Power, Inc.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Publication number: 20160032861Abstract: An engine structure for a multi-cylinder, opposed-piston engine includes a cylinder block with a plurality of inline cylinders. Each cylinder has ends with an outside diameter and an intermediate portion between the ends of a relatively larger outside diameter than the ends. The cylinder block includes a bearing web structure that positions bearing web elements outside of a plane that longitudinally bisects all of the cylinders. The cylinder block is split into two sections so as to permit cylinder liners to be inserted into and removed from cylinder tunnels in the cylinder block.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicant: Achates Power, Inc.Inventor: Kevin B. Fuqua
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Publication number: 20150337727Abstract: An opposed-piston engine has a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinders arranged inline, with each cylinder including an intake port longitudinally separated from an exhaust port. The engine is equipped with an air handling system that includes intake and exhaust chambers inside the cylinder block. All of the cylinder intake ports are contained in the intake chamber to receive charge air therein. The intake chamber includes elongated air inlets opening through opposing sides of the cylinder block. The exhaust chamber includes at least one exhaust outlet opening through a side of the cylinder block; all of the cylinder exhaust ports are contained in the exhaust chamber to discharge exhaust thereinto.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2014Publication date: November 26, 2015Applicant: Achates Power, Inc.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, John J. Koszewnik, Suramya D. Naik, Fabien G. Redon, Gerhard Regner, Rodrigo Zermeño-Benitez
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Open Intake and Exhaust Chamber Constructions for an Air Handling System of an Opposed-Piston Engine
Publication number: 20150337728Abstract: An opposed-piston engine has a cylinder block with a plurality of cylinders arranged inline, with each cylinder including an intake port longitudinally separated from an exhaust port. The engine's air handling system includes open intake and exhaust chambers in the cylinder block. The open chamber constructions eliminate the need for multi-pipe manifolds and smooth the flow of charge air.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2014Publication date: November 26, 2015Applicant: Achates Power, Inc.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, John J. Koszewnik, Suramya D. Naik, Fabien G. Redon, Gerhard Regner, Rodrigo Zermeño Benitez -
Patent number: 8997712Abstract: In a two-stroke opposed-piston engine, a ported cylinder with a pair of opposed pistons is equipped with an engine brake including an engine braking valve that can be opened to release air from the cylinder as the pistons cycle between BDC and TDC positions.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2014Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Achates Power, Inc.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, Iain J. Read
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Publication number: 20150068492Abstract: In a two-stroke opposed-piston engine, a ported cylinder with a pair of opposed pistons is equipped with an engine brake including an engine braking valve that can be opened to release air from the cylinder as the pistons cycle between BDC and TDC positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Applicant: Achates Power, Inc.Inventors: Kevin B. Fuqua, lain J. Read