Patents by Inventor Michael Andri

Michael Andri 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: 8733330
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20130345017
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 8453627
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20120259498
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 8214130
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7886729
    Abstract: An engine system includes two spark plugs in a cylinder of an engine. The two spark plugs have different heat ranges in order to address pre-ignition, where only a first spark plug operates during a first condition, and only a second spark plug operates during a second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Russell, Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7805238
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7775310
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for operating a hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle including at least an engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders, wherein the engine is mechanically coupled to at least a drive wheel of the vehicle, an energy conversion device mechanically coupled to at least one of the engine and the vehicle drive wheel, and an energy storage device coupled to the energy conversion device, the method comprising adjusting at least one of the engine and the energy conversion device so that an amount of energy stored by the energy storage device varies within a first range when the engine is operating in a first combustion mode and varies within a second range when the engine is operating in a second combustion mode, wherein the first range is different from the second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7748353
    Abstract: A system for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is provided. The system comprises a hydraulic pump configured to be powered at least partially by a source other than the engine; an adjustable hydraulic engine actuator configured to be adjusted by hydraulic fluid of the pump; a control system configured to adjust said adjustable hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Russell, Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20100147263
    Abstract: An engine system includes two spark plugs in a cylinder of an engine. The two spark plugs have different heat ranges in order to address pre-ignition, where only a first spark plug operates during a first condition, and only a second spark plug operates during a second condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Russell, Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20100116245
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7676321
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7665452
    Abstract: An engine system, comprising of a combustion chamber; a first spark plug configured to perform a spark within the combustion chamber, said first plug configured to have a first heat range; a second spark plug configured to produce a spark within the combustion chamber, said second plug configured to have a second heat range different from said first heat range of said first plug; and a delivery system configured to deliver a hydrocarbon fuel and a fluid including an alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying resulting ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Russell, Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7578281
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber including a first spark plug and a second spark plug, wherein the first spark plug is configured to operate at a higher temperature than the second spark plug, the method comprising of varying at least a resulting ratio of an amount of a fuel and an amount of a fluid delivered to the combustion chamber responsive to a first condition, and selectively using at least one of the first spark plug and the second spark plug to ignite at least one of the fuel and the fluid delivered to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Russell, Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7546821
    Abstract: A method of starting an internal combustion engine for a vehicle having at least a hydraulic pump configured to be powered at least partially by a source other than the engine and an adjustable hydraulic actuator configured to be adjusted by hydraulic fluid of the hydraulic pump is provided. The method comprises during a first start of the engine, operating with the hydraulic actuator in a first position; and during a second start of the engine, operating with the hydraulic actuator in a second position, said second position different from said first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Russell, Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20090038585
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20090038586
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Patent number: 7469672
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders configured to produce an engine output, including adjusting a condition of the engine to achieve combustion by each of spark ignition and homogeneous charge compression ignition, and varying the engine output by at least varying a number of cylinders carrying out combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20070215102
    Abstract: An engine system, comprising of a combustion chamber; a first spark plug configured to perform a spark within the combustion chamber, said first plug configured to have a first heat range; a second spark plug configured to produce a spark within the combustion chamber, said second plug configured to have a second heat range different from said first heat range of said first plug; and a delivery system configured to deliver a hydrocarbon fuel and a fluid including an alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying resulting ratios.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: John Russell, Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20070215101
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber including a first spark plug and a second spark plug, wherein the first spark plug is configured to operate at a higher temperature than the second spark plug, the method comprising of varying at least a resulting ratio of an amount of a fuel and an amount of a fluid delivered to the combustion chamber responsive to a first condition, and selectively using at least one of the first spark plug and the second spark plug to ignite at least one of the fuel and the fluid delivered to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: John Russell, Michael Andri