Patents by Inventor Michael Snopko

Michael Snopko 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: 20150252741
    Abstract: A method of evaluating operability of a gaseous fuel admission valve of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders and at least one gaseous fuel admission valve for each cylinder of the plurality of cylinders. The method includes operating the dual fuel internal combustion engine on liquid fuel. The method further includes supplying gaseous fuel to the gaseous fuel admission valves at a pressure above an intake manifold air pressure thereby setting a differential gas pressure across the gaseous fuel admission valves. The method also includes operating the gaseous fuel admission valves to add gaseous fuel to intake air while operating the dual fuel internal combustion engine primarily on liquid fuel. Further, the method includes measuring combustion process parameters for the cylinders. The method also includes evaluating operability of the gaseous fuel admission valves based on the measured combustion process parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eike Joachim SIXEL, Daniel WESTER, Adam STUBBS, Michael SNOPKO
  • Publication number: 20080295803
    Abstract: A machine having an internal combustion engine includes a camshaft wheel rotatably driven by a crankshaft of the engine. The camshaft wheel includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth. A first engine angle indicator is positioned among the circumferentially spaced of the camshaft wheel and is one of a missing tooth and an additional tooth. A second engine angle indicator is positioned among the circumferentially spaced teeth of the camshaft wheel less than about 90 degrees from the first engine angle indicator. The second engine angle indicator is also one of a missing tooth and an additional tooth. A camshaft wheel sensor produces a pulsetrain in response to detection of the plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth and additional teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Snopko, Robert Weber
  • Publication number: 20070169752
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a device, the device having at least two functional elements, each functional element being controlled by a control signal, is disclosed in the present disclosure. The control system may include detecting means operatively connected to the device and configured to monitor the operation of the device, and to generate a signal indicative of an operating condition of the device. The control system may also include a control module operatively connected to the at least two functional elements and the detecting means, and configured to switch the two control signals applied to the respective functional elements in response to the signal generated by the detecting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Snopko, Jack Merchant, Scott Shafer, Daniel Puckett