Patents by Inventor Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja

Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja 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: 11708810
    Abstract: An engine head assembly includes a double-walled fuel connector assembly in an engine head and forming a high-pressure fuel supply passage and a low-pressure fuel return passage. The engine head assembly also includes a fuel injector. A high-pressure fuel inlet path extends between a fuel inlet and spray orifices through an injector body in the fuel injector. A low-pressure cooling fuel outlet path extends between an injection control valve seat in the fuel injector and a cooling fuel outlet in a nozzle case of the fuel injector. Expelled cooling fuel is passed through the low-pressure fuel return passage in the double-walled fuel connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Zhenyu Li, Benjamin R Tower, Aniket Suresh Dighe
  • Publication number: 20220282692
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a pressurized fuel supply, and a fuel injector fluidly connected to the pressurized fuel supply. The fuel injector includes a valve seat plate forming a valve seat, an injection control valve, and a nozzle cavity. A filter, which can include a 2-dimensional filter, is positioned partially within the valve seat plate and partially within an injector body to filter an incoming flow of high-pressure fuel. The valve seat plate and filter are integrated in a valve seat plate and filter assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Benjamin Ray Tower, Venkata R. Tatikonda, Adam Charles Hill
  • Publication number: 20220096974
    Abstract: A filtration device includes a guide member and an adjustable ring assembly. The guide member is configured to be secured to an interior of a fuel device and includes a plurality of holes to guide fuel therethrough. The adjustable ring assembly is configured to be positioned within the interior of the fuel device to filter the fuel flowing through the fuel device. The adjustable ring assembly has a plurality of stackable rings that are concentrically aligned. A junction between a first ring and a second ring, of the plurality of stackable rings, defines a plurality of openings that fluidly communicate with the plurality of holes. The plurality of openings are smaller, respectively, than the plurality of holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Adam C. HILL, Stephen Robert LEWIS, Manjunath BANNUR NAGARAJA
  • Patent number: 11280306
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes an injector housing, a check control valve assembly within the injector housing, a direct-operated check, a valve biaser supported on the injector housing, and a dry-running protection valve trapped between the valve biaser and the injector housing. The dry-running protection valve limits expelling drained actuation fluid from the fuel injector to enable filling a low-pressure volume therein in advance of filling a low pressure drain line common to a plurality of fuel injectors in an internal combustion engine system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Venkata R. Tatikonda, Benjamin R. Tower
  • Patent number: 11248575
    Abstract: A fuel injector body includes a body that includes an at least partially annular configuration defining a longitudinal axis, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction. A first counterbore and a first cavity extend from the first end toward the second end, and an external interface portion including a sealing surface is disposed axially between the first end and a shoulder. The first cavity defines a bottom surface and a peripheral surface, and the body also includes a leak passage extending from the bottom surface that is in communication with the first cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Robert Lewis, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Venkata R. Tatikonda, Adam Charles Hill
  • Patent number: 11220980
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors connected to a common drain conduit, and a plurality of isolation valve assemblies each positioned fluidly between the common drain conduit and one of the plurality of fuel injectors. Each isolation valve assembly includes a valve member movable between a closed position to block an injection control valve assembly in the fuel injector from the common drain conduit, and an open position, and a biaser biasing the isolation valve member toward the closed position such that fuel injectors are isolated from fluid pressure pulses produced by nozzle check actuation to limit cross-talk among the fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Siddharth Nair, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja
  • Patent number: 11174827
    Abstract: A fuel injector body includes an at least partially annular configuration defining a longitudinal axis, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction. A first counterbore and a first cavity extend from the first end toward the second end, and an external interface portion includes a sealing surface disposed axially between the first end and a shoulder. The first cavity defines a bottom surface and a peripheral surface defining a first cavity diameter, and the sealing surface defines a sealing surface diameter. A ratio of the sealing surface diameter to the first cavity diameter ranges from 0.3 to 4.4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata R. Tatikonda, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Stephen Robert Lewis, Adam Charles Hill
  • Publication number: 20210164425
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes an engine head, a pressurized fuel supply conduit, and a fuel return conduit. Fuel injectors are positioned in fuel injector bores in the engine head, and each include an intensifier plunger, a nozzle check, an injection control valve, and an intensifier control valve. Fuel recovery fittings are coupled to the plurality of fuel injectors and each fluidly connect an actuation fuel outlet in one of the fuel injectors to the fuel return conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Goudarz Hajialimohammadi, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja
  • Patent number: 11002233
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes an engine head, a pressurized fuel supply conduit, and a fuel return conduit. Fuel injectors are positioned in fuel injector bores in the engine head, and each include an intensifier plunger, a nozzle check, an injection control valve, and an intensifier control valve. Fuel recovery fittings are coupled to the plurality of fuel injectors and each fluidly connect an actuation fuel outlet in one of the fuel injectors to the fuel return conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Goudarz Hajialimohammadi, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja
  • Patent number: 10895233
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors each having an injection control valve assembly, a direct operated nozzle check, a high pressure nozzle supply passage, and a check control chamber. A common drain conduit fluidly connects to each of the plurality of fuel injectors to receive drained actuating fluid. A plurality of pressure regulating valves each having a static geometry are positioned fluidly between the common drain conduit and the check control chamber in one of the plurality of fuel injectors. Operating a fuel system according to the present disclosure includes limiting cross-talk between injectors in the fuel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Siddharth Nair, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja
  • Publication number: 20200362797
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors connected to a common drain conduit, and a plurality of isolation valve assemblies each positioned fluidly between the common drain conduit and one of the plurality of fuel injectors. Each isolation valve assembly includes a valve member movable between a closed position to block an injection control valve assembly in the fuel injector from the common drain conduit, and an open position, and a biaser biasing the isolation valve member toward the closed position such that fuel injectors are isolated from fluid pressure pulses produced by nozzle check actuation to limit cross-talk among the fuel injectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Siddharth Nair, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja
  • Publication number: 20200362805
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors each having an injection control valve assembly, a direct operated nozzle check, a high pressure nozzle supply passage, and a check control chamber. A common drain conduit fluidly connects to each of the plurality of fuel injectors to receive drained actuating fluid. A plurality of pressure regulating valves each having a static geometry are positioned fluidly between the common drain conduit and the check control chamber in one of the plurality of fuel injectors. Operating a fuel system according to the present disclosure includes limiting cross-talk between injectors in the fuel system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Siddharth Nair, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja
  • Patent number: 10267281
    Abstract: A filter for a fuel injection system includes a body that defines a longitudinal axis, a first end face, a second end, an outer surface extending between the first end face and the second end, an inner surface defining an inner chamber closed at the first end face and open at the second end. The body also defines at least one perforated portion formed in the outer surface extending from the outer surface to the inner surface, at least one slot extending axially along the outer surface. The slot is open and is in fluid communication with the first end face and defines an edge along the outer surface. The edge provides fluid communication between the slot and the perforated portion. Additionally, the edge and an inlet channel of the fuel injection system are adapted to define a first filtration zone. The perforated portion defines a second filtration zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Siddharth Nair, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Ramshankar Muthukumar, Ponraj Balasundaram
  • Publication number: 20180291853
    Abstract: A filter for a fuel injection system includes a body that defines a longitudinal axis, a first end face, a second end, an outer surface extending between the first end face and the second end, an inner surface defining an inner chamber closed at the first end face and open at the second end. The body also defines at least one perforated portion formed in the outer surface extending from the outer surface to the inner surface, at least one slot extending axially along the outer surface. The slot is open and is in fluid communication with the first end face and defines an edge along the outer surface. The edge provides fluid communication between the slot and the perforated portion. Additionally, the edge and an inlet channel of the fuel injection system are adapted to define a first filtration zone. The perforated portion defines a second filtration zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Siddharth Nair, Manjunath Bannur Nagaraja, Ramshankar Muthukumar, Ponraj Balasundaram