Patents by Inventor Leo Spiegel

Leo Spiegel 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: 6866031
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine, especially an Otto engine, with intake valves and with a fuel injector, which is arranged and designed so that it injects the fuel directly into a combustion chamber of working cylinders of the internal combustion engine. At least in the region of the neck, the intake valves have a surface that is designed to counteract the formation of carbon deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Volkswagen, AG
    Inventors: Leo Spiegel, Günter Sōhlke, Gerrit Suck
  • Publication number: 20040112327
    Abstract: The invention concerns an internal combustion engine, especially an Otto engine, with intake valves (20) and with a fuel injector (40), which is arranged and designed in such a way that it injects the fuel (42) directly into a combustion chamber (16) of working cylinders (14) of the internal combustion engine. At least in the region of the neck (68), the intake valves (20) have a surface that is designed in such a way that it counteracts the formation of carbon deposits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Leo Spiegel, Gunter Sohlke, Gerrit Suck
  • Publication number: 20040103876
    Abstract: This invention concerns an internal combustion engine, especially an Otto engine, especially of a motor vehicle, with a fuel injector (40), which is arranged and designed in such a way that it injects the fuel (42) directly into a combustion chamber (16) of working cylinders (14) of the internal combustion engine, and with at least one intake valve unit per working cylinder (14), which comprises an intake valve and an intake valve seat. In this regard, at least one intake valve unit is designed with means that hinder heat dissipation in such a way that increased surface temperatures of more than 380° C. develop in the area of the neck (68) of the intake valve (20) in at least one predetermined region (112) of the load-speed characteristic diagram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Leo Spiegel, Gunter Sohlke, Gerrit Suck
  • Patent number: 6666177
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine with at least one working piston with a variable compression ratio, which can be changed as a function of an operating state of the internal combustion engine, the method including the steps of: detecting, with a knock sensor, when the compression ratio is too high; reducing the compression ratio (V) when the knock limit (L) is at least reached by a first, predetermined value (V1), which is a function of the operating state, over a first, predetermined time period (t1-t0); subsequently increasing the compression ratio (V) by a second, predetermined value (V2) over a second, predetermined time period (t2-t1) until the knock limit (L) is at least reached again; and determining at least one of the first predetermined value (V1), the first time period (t1-t0), the second predetermined value (V2), and the second time period (t2-t1) as a function of load demand on the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Stiebels, Ekkehard Pott, Leo Spiegel
  • Patent number: 6647711
    Abstract: A device for supplying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine to a catalytic converter, having multiple exhaust gas supply lines including at least one exhaust gas supply line that serves as a heat-conveying line to promote a transfer of exhaust gas heat to the catalytic converter and at least one other exhaust gas supply line that serve as a heat exchanger to promote an extraction of heat from the exhaust gas upstream of the catalytic converter. A switchable control mechanism controls a flow cross-section of at least one of the exhaust gas supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Leo Spiegel, Michael Zillmer, Ekkehard Pott
  • Patent number: 6378486
    Abstract: The invention relates to a four stroke internal combustion engine with applied ignition, wherein fuel is directly injected into a combustion chamber by means of an injector. Said engine comprises at least one admission channel with an admission valve and at least one exhaust channel with an exhaust valve, the admission valve and the exhaust valve being placed on opposite sides of the combustion chamber and the injector being placed on the admission valve side. Said engine also comprises a cavity formed in a piston top. A piston exhibits a central longitudinal axis extending in the direction of displacement of said piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Leo Spiegel, Oliver Fladung, Michael Lindlau, Eduard Lippert, Bernd Stiebels, Jörg Theobald
  • Patent number: 5617058
    Abstract: An all digital switching amplifier wherein linearization of the power switch is accomplished solely by using three states. A small, fixed width, bi-state compensating carrier waveform is added to the leading or training edges of an oversampled main input pulse producing a compensated composite waveform. This compensating carrier linearizes output from a power switch by effecting common mode cancellation of switch time errors. Output pulse width combinations for the compensating carrier are obtained from a look-up table stored in memory. A correction mechanism is implemented to correct for harmonic distortion that is dependent on the modulation level or index and results from the compensating carrier modulation. The correction mechanism applies the inverse of the modulation induced distortion to the oversampled compensated composite input signal to null distortion products resulting from the modulation scheme used to apply the small carrier to linearize the performance of the tri-state power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Apogee Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew A. Adrian, Michael S. Danielson, David B. Meyers, Leo Spiegel
  • Patent number: 5588504
    Abstract: A process and an assembly for supplying a liquid lubricant to points of a reciprocating piston engine which are to be lubricated and which include at least running surfaces of a piston-cylinder tube unit of the reciprocating piston engine. The reciprocating piston engine has a piston and a cylinder. According to the process, the lubricant in at least one conditioning device is united with a gaseous transport medium. In the conditioning device, a lubricating mixture is formed including small liquid particles of lubricant carried by the gaseous transport medium. At least one of the lubricating mixture and the lubricant is passed with the gaseous transport medium through a plurality of supply ducts corresponding to the points to be lubricated. The gaseous transport medium and excess lubricant are drawn away through at least one drain disposed in a region of the points to be lubricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: FEV Motorentechnik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Leo Spiegel, Franz Pischinger
  • Patent number: 5400970
    Abstract: A device for the combined blowoff of fuel and air for direct fuel injection systems in internal combustion engines. The device includes a housing having a fuel connection and an air connection as well as a blowoff aperture connected with both connections and closable by electromagnetically operable valves. A fuel valve is arranged behind an air valve, also opening toward said blowoff side of said blowoff aperture. Both valves are arranged concentrically relative to each other and capable of resting with their valve seats sealing against the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: FEV Motorentechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Alt, Gunter Gurich, Michael Huser, Leo Spiegel, Franz Pischinger
  • Patent number: 5195143
    Abstract: A loudspeaker system using ribbon transducer elements wherein the ribbon elements of the high and mid-range transducer units form a plurality of conductive circuits separated by spaces, or cuts, therebetween which have substantially smooth, undulating wave forms. The magnetic circuit return paths thereof are arranged so as to be remote from and out of the transmitting paths of the acoustic signals generated at such units and the surfaces of the magnetic circuit components and a baffle structure associated therewith are shaped to reduce diffraction effects in the acoustic signals therefrom. A woofer ribbon element has a plurality of interconnected conductive circuit regions to form a generally serpentine shaped circuit, which regions are separated by channels, or cuts, each of which has a smooth, undulating wave form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Apogee Acoustics, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo Spiegel, Mark B. Nazar
  • Patent number: 4550228
    Abstract: The speaker system consists of a single housing containing a tweeter, mid-range and woofer transducer units. The tweeter unit consists of an elongated, aluminum ribbon positioned vertically and connected to the top and bottom of a rigid elongated frame. The ribbon is located between sets of split magnets which are designed to provide a shaped magnetic field that helps center the ribbon in a direction perpendicular to its length. Additional electromagnetic centering is provided by flat ribbon conductors located on the surfaces of the magnets sets which return the current carried by the ribbon. The mid-range transducer is similar to the tweeter transducer in construction except that the edges of the mid-range ribbon are mechanically attached to the frame by foam strips. In addition, the mid-range ribbon is transversely corrugated at variable slant angles relative to ribbon longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Assignee: Apogee Acoustics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Walker, Leo Spiegel, Anthony J. Shuman, James L. Kirtley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4537067
    Abstract: An inertial borehole survey system is disclosed. The survey system of the present invention includes a probe suitable for insertion into a borehole. The probe includes a plurality of temperature sensitive inertial measuring instruments which are utilized to survey the borehole during the descent or ascent of the probe. Accuracy of these instruments is maintained by enclosing the instruments in a thermal insulating package and by providing a mass of isothermal heat absorbing material which exhibits a phase change at a temperature well above most ambient temperatures. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a heat absorbing material is utilized which exhibits a phase change at a temperature of 116.degree. F. The probe also includes a longitudinal air passage which permits ambient temperature air to be utilized to cool the isothermal heat absorbing material by passing air through the length of the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1985
    Assignee: Wilson Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Harper E. Sharp, Leo Spiegel, Richard M. Masters, Elmer J. Frey, John R. Howatt, Gary E. Walker
  • Patent number: 4454756
    Abstract: A system and method for surveying, with accuracies better than one foot per thousand feet of depth, very deep boreholes having the attendant small diameters, high temperatures and high pressures with very high accuracy. A downhole probe is used having a small diameter, less than about four inches. Three linear type accelerometers and at least two gyros to provide three sensitive axes are fixedly mounted at points spaced along the axis of an elongated, rigid, thermally conductive support member to form an instrument cluster. Signals from these instruments are then processed and transmitted serially over a conductor of a conventional wireline to the surface unit where a surface computer continuously computes and records the current position of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: Wilson Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Harper E. Sharp, Leo Spiegel, Richard M. Masters, Elmer J. Frey, John R. Howatt, Gary E. Walker
  • Patent number: 4364045
    Abstract: A displacement measuring transducer performs a direct conversion of changes in physical position, particularly angular position, into a digital form suitable for input to a digital microprocessor. The transducer is of the inductive type. Two inductance legs are connected at a common input to form a three-terminal bridge device. To sense positional changes, a step voltage is applied to the input and the transient response at the output of each leg is sampled periodically. Digital circuitry compares the responses of each leg to a fixed reference voltage and produces a binary digital count proportional to the motion sensed by the transducer. This transducer provides high resolution and low noise over a wide dynamic range. It also allows temperature compensation and scale factor calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1982
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Leo Spiegel
  • Patent number: 4274040
    Abstract: A solenoid torquer system with flux rate feed-back. The system includes a torquer coil and an associated core, and a device adapted to drive a current through the coil having an amplitude proportional to the difference between a coil current command signal and the actual current in the coil. A flux rate servo loop includes a sensor coil coupled to the core to provide a signal representative of the flux rate in the core. This flux rate signal is compared with a flux rate command signal having a ternary width-modulated form. The resultant difference signal is used as the current command signal. The system network provides a precise flux level, or force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Leo Spiegel