Patents by Inventor Mary Louise YEAGER

Mary Louise YEAGER 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: 9903264
    Abstract: A control system for an engine cylinder having a pre-chamber and a main chamber includes a pressure sensor being provided in the pre-chamber, and a processor coupled to the pressure sensor. The processor is configured to measure pre-chamber pressure using the pressure sensor, determine a peak pre-chamber pressure from the measured pre-chamber pressure, calculate an estimated main chamber pressure corresponding to the peak pre-chamber pressure from at least one cylinder condition at ignition, calculate a pressure ratio of the peak pre-chamber pressure to the estimated main chamber pressure, calculate a fuel parameter for at least one of the pre-chamber and main chamber from the pressure ratio to achieve a desired pressure ratio, and generate a control signal to provide fuel to at least one of the pre-chamber and main chamber in accordance with the fuel parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mary Louise Yeager, Lucas Allen Burger, Andrew Loetz, Brett Zook
  • Patent number: 9441561
    Abstract: A fuel control system for a multiple fuel internal combustion engine may include at least one cylinder pressure sensor associated with each cylinder of the engine. A data collection module may be configured to receive real-time cylinder pressure measurements from each of the at least one cylinder pressure sensors and calculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from the real-time cylinder pressure measurements. A comparison module may be configured to receive the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values from the data collection module and compare the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder to theoretical combustion parameter values to determine any difference therebetween, wherein the theoretical combustion parameter values are derived independently from any actual combustion parameter values based on real-time sensor measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Mary Louise Yeager
  • Publication number: 20160252429
    Abstract: A pressure measurement system for an engine is illustrated. The pressure measurement system includes a pressure sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure within a cylinder and an angle sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular position of a crankshaft of the engine. The pressure measurement system further includes a controller coupled to the pressure sensor and the angle sensor. The controller is configured to determine a volume of the cylinder based on the signal indicative of the angular position of the crankshaft. The controller is configured to determine a first pressure offset during a compression stroke of the engine and a second pressure offset during an expansion stroke of the engine. The controller is further configured to determine a corrected pressure value by any one of the first pressure offset and the second pressure offset based on the angular position of the crankshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mary Louise Yeager, Alasdair Owen Lee, James David Siegle
  • Publication number: 20160169133
    Abstract: A fuel control system for a multiple fuel internal combustion engine may include at least one cylinder pressure sensor associated with each cylinder of the engine. A data collection module may be configured to receive real-time cylinder pressure measurements from each of the at least one cylinder pressure sensors and calculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from the real-time cylinder pressure measurements. A comparison module may be configured to receive the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values from the data collection module and compare the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder to reference combustion parameter values to determine any difference therebetween, wherein the reference combustion parameter values are the same for each of the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Mary Louise YEAGER, Francis Leonard CLARK, Brandon Glenn GREGORY
  • Publication number: 20160169132
    Abstract: A fuel control system for a multiple fuel internal combustion engine may include at least one cylinder pressure sensor associated with each cylinder of the engine. A data collection module may be configured to receive real-time cylinder pressure measurements from each of the at least one cylinder pressure sensors and calculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from the real-time cylinder pressure measurements. A comparison module may be configured to receive the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values from the data collection module and compare the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder to theoretical combustion parameter values to determine any difference therebetween, wherein the theoretical combustion parameter values are derived independently from any actual combustion parameter values based on real-time sensor measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventor: Mary Louise YEAGER