Patents by Inventor Mitchell B. Juchems

Mitchell B. Juchems 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: 12116941
    Abstract: Operating a fuel system for an engine includes moving a plunger during a pumping cycle between an advanced position and a retracted position, and pulsing a solenoid actuator in an electrical circuit during at least one off cycle of the plunger where the plunger is neither advancing nor retracting with a plurality of current pulses of varied duration. An electrical property such as a freewheeling response in the electrical circuit induced by moving a valve in response to each respective current pulse is monitored, and a valve timing of the valve determined based on the monitored electrical property. The fuel system including a fuel injector may be electronically trimmed based on the determined valve timing. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell B. Juchems, Daniel R. Puckett, Andrew O. Marrack, Kaushik Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 12110832
    Abstract: A fuel injection installation method includes detecting an actuation timing of a first valve of a fuel injector, detecting an actuation timing of a second valve of the fuel injector, detecting a return timing of the first valve of the fuel injector, and detecting a return timing of the second valve of the fuel injector. The method includes, for one or more fuel injection events, modifying at least one of: a maximum amplitude of solenoid current, an average amplitude of solenoid current, a start time of solenoid current, an end time of solenoid current, or a total time of solenoid current. The modification is based on the actuation timing of the first valve, the actuation timing of the second valve, the return timing of the first valve, and the return timing of the second valve, and may be performed for installation of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew O. Marrack, Mitchell B. Juchems
  • Patent number: 11946430
    Abstract: Controlling a fuel injector in a fuel system for an engine includes switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply during energizing a solenoid actuator in a fuel injector, and generating a solenoid energizing waveform including a pull-in tier produced by a boosted voltage incipient current, a boosted voltage second current, and a lower voltage later current, based on the switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply. Controlling a fuel injector further includes detecting an arrival timing of the valve based on a property of the lower voltage later current, and electronically trimming the fuel injector based on the detecting an arrival timing. Related control system logic is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell B Juchems, Daniel Reese Puckett
  • Publication number: 20240044299
    Abstract: A fuel injection installation method includes detecting an actuation timing of a first valve of a fuel injector, detecting an actuation timing of a second valve of the fuel injector, detecting a return timing of the first valve of the fuel injector, and detecting a return timing of the second valve of the fuel injector. The method includes, for one or more fuel injection events, modifying at least one of: a maximum amplitude of solenoid current, an average amplitude of solenoid current, a start time of solenoid current, an end time of solenoid current, or a total time of solenoid current. The modification is based on the actuation timing of the first valve, the actuation timing of the second valve, the return timing of the first valve, and the return timing of the second valve, and may be performed for installation of the fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew O. MARRACK, Mitchell B. JUCHEMS
  • Patent number: 11795887
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a fuel injector, the fuel injector having an injection control valve, a solenoid that, when energized, is configured to modify a position of the injection control valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to generate a command for energizing the solenoid, identify variability in one or more injection events, and based on the identified variability, increase an amount of energy supplied to the solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell B. Juchems, Andrew O. Marrack
  • Patent number: 11795886
    Abstract: Operating an engine system and fuel system includes energizing a solenoid actuator for a spill valve in a fuel injector in a first engine cycle via a standard waveform to inject a shot of fuel. Operating an engine system and fuel system further includes determining suitability for reduced energy operating of the fuel system, and energizing the solenoid actuator via a reduced energy waveform based on the determining suitability so as to inject one or more shots of fuel in a second engine cycle. The operating methodology and control logic can extend an engine speed range for multi-shot fuel injection in an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew O. Marrack, Daniel Reese Puckett, Mitchell B. Juchems
  • Publication number: 20230193844
    Abstract: Controlling a fuel injector in a fuel system for an engine includes switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply during energizing a solenoid actuator in a fuel injector, and generating a solenoid energizing waveform including a pull-in tier produced by a boosted voltage incipient current, a boosted voltage second current, and a lower voltage later current, based on the switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply. Controlling a fuel injector further includes detecting an arrival timing of the valve based on a property of the lower voltage later current, and electronically trimming the fuel injector based on the detecting an arrival timing. Related control system logic is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell B Juchems, Daniel Reese Puckett
  • Publication number: 20230184189
    Abstract: Operating an engine system and fuel system includes energizing a solenoid actuator for a spill valve in a fuel injector in a first engine cycle via a standard waveform to inject a shot of fuel. Operating an engine system and fuel system further includes determining suitability for reduced energy operating of the fuel system, and energizing the solenoid actuator via a reduced energy waveform based on the determining suitability so as to inject one or more shots of fuel in a second engine cycle. The operating methodology and control logic can extend an engine speed range for multi-shot fuel injection in an engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew O. Marrack, Daniel Reese Puckett, Mitchell B. Juchems
  • Patent number: 11293370
    Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel injector of an engine system includes applying a pull-in current to close a spill valve of the fuel injector and detecting a timing at which the spill valve closes. The method also includes adjusting at least one of an amplitude of the pull-in current, a duration of the pull-in current, or a timing of a start of an application of the pull-in current based on the detected timing of the closing of the spill valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Puckett, Andrew O. Marrack, Michael E. Sattler, Mitchell B. Juchems