Patents by Inventor Michael C. Wickstone

Michael C. Wickstone 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).

  • Publication number: 20240318608
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for injection of a pilot fuel into an internal combustion engine includes a variety of steady state, transient and other techniques to reduce an injection quantity of the pilot fuel and/or a carbon content of the pilot fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Sandeep Munshi, Michael C. Wickstone, Jian Huang, Ashish Singh
  • Patent number: 11053866
    Abstract: Hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injectors required a relatively small pressure bias between hydraulic fluid and gaseous fuel to be able to open and to reduce hydraulic fluid contamination of the gaseous fuel. An improved hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injector includes an injection valve in fluid communication with a gaseous fuel inlet and includes a valve member reciprocatable within a fuel injector body between a closed position and an open position. There is a lift chamber in fluid communication with a hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the lift chamber contributes to an opening force applied to the valve member. A control chamber is in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the control chamber contributes to a closing force applied to the valve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Westport Fuel Systems Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Wickstone, David K. Mumford
  • Patent number: 10605212
    Abstract: A multi-fuel rail apparatus for an internal combustion engine communicates fuel from 10 a first fuel source and a second fuel source to a plurality of fuel injectors. Each fuel injector receives fuel from the multi-fuel rail apparatus through a branch connection for each fuel. The multi fuel rail apparatus has a first elongate member including a first longitudinal bore spaced apart from a second longitudinal bore and first and second fuel inlets for fluidly communicating first and second fuels into the first and 15 second longitudinal bores respectively. There is a branch connecting structure for each fuel injector along the first elongate member for fluidly connecting the first and second longitudinal bores with respective branch connections from respective fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignees: WESTPORT POWER INC., DELPHI INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS LUXEMBOURG S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Michael C. Wickstone, Alain M. J. Touchette, Randall T. Mark, Kory L. Zeller, Jeremy Garnier, Mark Graham, Mehmet Dönmez, Cüneyt Altinol, Michael De Bruijn
  • Patent number: 10527005
    Abstract: An improved body defining a restricted fluid flow passage in a fuel supply system for delivering a gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine. The body is formed for installation between and fluidly connecting a gaseous fuel supply conduit and a gaseous fuel flow passage that defines a predetermined volume between the restricted fluid flow passage and a nozzle chamber of a fuel injector from which the gaseous fuel is injected into the internal combustion engine. The restricted fluid flow passage has the smallest effective flow area between the gaseous fuel supply conduit and the nozzle chamber. The restricted fluid flow passage is located a predetermined distance from an injection valve seal within the fuel injector. The predetermined distance is calculated as a function of the speed of sound in the gaseous fuel and an opened time of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: WESTPORT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Ashish Singh, Alain M. J. Touchette, David K. Mumford, Guowei Li, Michael C. Wickstone, Christopher J. B. Dicken
  • Publication number: 20190178172
    Abstract: Hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injectors required a relatively small pressure bias between hydraulic fluid and gaseous fuel to be able to open and to reduce hydraulic fluid contamination of the gaseous fuel. An improved hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injector includes an injection valve in fluid communication with a gaseous fuel inlet and includes a valve member reciprocatable within a fuel injector body between a closed position and an open position. There is a lift chamber in fluid communication with a hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the lift chamber contributes to an opening force applied to the valve member. A control chamber is in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the control chamber contributes to a closing force applied to the valve member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Michael C. WICKSTONE, David K. MUMFORD
  • Patent number: 10247112
    Abstract: Hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injectors required a relatively small pressure bias between hydraulic fluid and gaseous fuel to be able to open and to reduce hydraulic fluid contamination of the gaseous fuel. An improved hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injector includes an injection valve in fluid communication with a gaseous fuel inlet and includes a valve member reciprocatable within a fuel injector body between a closed position and an open position. There is a lift chamber in fluid communication with a hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the lift chamber contributes to an opening force applied to the valve member. A control chamber is in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the control chamber contributes to a closing force applied to the valve member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: WESTPORT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Michael C. Wickstone, David K. Mumford
  • Publication number: 20180223780
    Abstract: A multi-fuel rail apparatus for an internal combustion engine communicates fuel from 10 a first fuel source and a second fuel source to a plurality of fuel injectors. Each fuel injector receives fuel from the multi-fuel rail apparatus through a branch connection for each fuel. The multi fuel rail apparatus has a first elongate member including a first longitudinal bore spaced apart from a second longitudinal bore and first and second fuel inlets for fluidly communicating first and second fuels into the first and 15 second longitudinal bores respectively. There is a branch connecting structure for each fuel injector along the first elongate member for fluidly connecting the first and second longitudinal bores with respective branch connections from respective fuel injectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Michael C. WICKSTONE, Alain M.J. TOUCHETTE, Randall T. MARK, Kory L. ZELLER, Jeremy GARNIER, Mark GRAHAM, Mehmet DÖNMEZ, Cüneyt ALTINOL, Michael DE BRUIJN
  • Publication number: 20180073447
    Abstract: Hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injectors required a relatively small pressure bias between hydraulic fluid and gaseous fuel to be able to open and to reduce hydraulic fluid contamination of the gaseous fuel. An improved hydraulically actuated gaseous fuel injector includes an injection valve in fluid communication with a gaseous fuel inlet and includes a valve member reciprocatable within a fuel injector body between a closed position and an open position. There is a lift chamber in fluid communication with a hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the lift chamber contributes to an opening force applied to the valve member. A control chamber is in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid inlet such that hydraulic fluid pressure in the control chamber contributes to a closing force applied to the valve member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Michael C. WICKSTONE, David K. MUMFORD
  • Publication number: 20170356391
    Abstract: An improved body defining a restricted fluid flow passage in a fuel supply system for delivering a gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine. The body is formed for installation between and fluidly connecting a gaseous fuel supply conduit and a gaseous fuel flow passage that defines a predetermined volume between the restricted fluid flow passage and a nozzle chamber of a fuel injector from which the gaseous fuel is injected into the internal combustion engine. The restricted fluid flow passage has the smallest effective flow area between the gaseous fuel supply conduit and the nozzle chamber. The restricted fluid flow passage is located a predetermined distance from an injection valve seal within the fuel injector. The predetermined distance is calculated as a function of the speed of sound in the gaseous fuel and an opened time of the fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Ashish SINGH, Alain M. J. TOUCHETTE, David K. MUMFORD, Guowei LI, Michael C. WICKSTONE, Christopher J.B. DICKEN
  • Publication number: 20160177901
    Abstract: A split fuel rail assembly for an internal combustion engine comprises a first manifold and a second manifold connected through a connector which is directly joined to each of the manifolds and which has a cross bore fluidly connecting the first and the second manifold and a stem passage fluidly connected to a fuel supply line. The present split fuel rail assembly is easier to manufacture and assemble and can be easily installed on the cylinder head assembly of the engine, by directly mounting the split fuel rail assembly on the cylinder lead assembly without any intermediate connecting piping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher DICKEN, Michael C. WICKSTONE
  • Patent number: 8800529
    Abstract: A dual fuel injection valve with concentric needles comprises an inner needle and an outer needle surrounding the inner needle, both needles being located inside the injection valve body. The valve is provided with a first set and a second set of orifices for separately injecting two different fuels directly into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The outer needle is fixed against rotation with respect to the injection valve body such that an interlace angle between the centerlines of the first series of orifices and second series of orifices is set at different predetermined angles to reduce methane emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Wickstone, Philip G. Hill, Jian Huang, Sandeep Munshi
  • Publication number: 20140123937
    Abstract: A dual fuel injection valve with concentric needles comprises an inner needle and an outer needle surrounding the inner needle, both needles being located inside the injection valve body. The valve is provided with a first set and a second set of orifices for separately injecting two different fuels directly into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The outer needle is fixed against rotation with respect to the injection valve body such that an interlace angle between the centerlines of the first series of orifices and second series of orifices is set at different predetermined angles to reduce methane emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventors: Michael C. Wickstone, Philip G. Hill, Jian Huang, Sandeep Munshi
  • Patent number: 8272368
    Abstract: A dual fuel connector separately supplies two different fuels to fluidly isolated fuel passages within a fuel injection valve of an internal combustion engine. The dual fuel connector comprises a body with separate fluid connections to the first fuel inlet, the second fuel inlet, a first fuel rail and a second fuel rail. A first fuel passage within the body is in fluid communication with the first fuel rail and the first fuel inlet. A second fuel passage within the body is in fluid communication with the second fuel rail and the second fuel inlet, and wherein the first fuel passage is fluidly isolated from the second fuel passage. The dual fuel connector supplies two different fuels to a fuel injection valve, for engines that are not designed with a cylinder head that has internal bores that can serve as fuel rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Westport Power Inc.
    Inventor: Michael C. Wickstone
  • Publication number: 20110108004
    Abstract: A dual fuel connector separately supplies two different fuels to fluidly isolated fuel passages within a fuel injection valve of an internal combustion engine. The dual fuel connector comprises a body with separate fluid connections to the first fuel inlet, the second fuel inlet, a first fuel rail and a second fuel rail. A first fuel passage within the body is in fluid communication with the first fuel rail and the first fuel inlet. A second fuel passage within the body is in fluid communication with the second fuel rail and the second fuel inlet, and wherein the first fuel passage is fluidly isolated from the second fuel passage. The dual fuel connector supplies two different fuels to a fuel injection valve, for engines that are not designed with a cylinder head that has internal bores that can serve as fuel rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventor: Michael C. Wickstone