Patents by Inventor Nick Hertlein

Nick Hertlein 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: 12486816
    Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle includes at least one processor; and a memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor and in response to receiving an engine start signal, cause the engine control system to perform a method, the method including causing a crankshaft of an engine of the vehicle to begin to rotate and to rotate through a first plurality of rotations, and causing, for each combustion chamber of at least one combustion chamber of the engine, an exhaust valve of the combustion chamber to remain in an opened position while the crankshaft rotates through the first plurality of rotations and prior to fuel being injected into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2025
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart, Stephen Anthony Ciatti, Nick Hertlein
  • Publication number: 20250084802
    Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle includes at least one processor; and a memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor and in response to receiving an engine start signal, cause the engine control system to perform a method, the method including causing a crankshaft of an engine of the vehicle to begin to rotate and to rotate through a first plurality of rotations, and causing, for each combustion chamber of at least one combustion chamber of the engine, an exhaust valve of the combustion chamber to remain in an opened position while the crankshaft rotates through the first plurality of rotations and prior to fuel being injected into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicant: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart, Stephen Anthony Ciatti, Nick Hertlein
  • Patent number: 12152543
    Abstract: A method includes detecting a diesel engine runaway event in a diesel engine and, in response to detecting the diesel engine runaway event, deactivating all cylinders in the diesel engine such that no combustion occurs in any cylinders of the diesel engine and no cylinders of the diesel engine produce power, wherein deactivating the cylinders of the diesel engine includes mechanically decoupling a camshaft of the diesel engine from inlet valves of the cylinders of the diesel engine, and wherein deactivating cylinders of the diesel engine prevents flow of air from an intake manifold into combustion chambers of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Nick Hertlein, Maarten Meijer, Steve Ciatti, Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart
  • Patent number: 12037956
    Abstract: A method for starting a vehicle's engine includes: causing a crankshaft of the engine to begin to rotate and to rotate through a first plurality of rotations; and causing, for each combustion chamber of at least one combustion chamber of the engine, an exhaust valve of the combustion chamber to remain in an opened position while the crankshaft rotates through the first plurality of rotations and prior to fuel being injected into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart, Stephen Anthony Ciatti, Nick Hertlein
  • Patent number: 10539544
    Abstract: A testing device is capable of testing a NOx sensor in an environment that does not have dew point detection capability. The testing device includes a connector configured to be coupled to the NOx sensor, an output indicator, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to send an unverified dew point signal to the NOx sensor via the connector and receive a sensor signal from the NOx sensor via the connector. The unverified dew point signal includes an indication that a temperature of the environment is at or above the dew point. The sensor signal includes an indication of operation of the NOx sensor in the environment. The circuitry is further configured to determine a status of the NOx sensor based on the received sensor signal and indicate, via the output indicator, the status of the NOx sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: John Bessman, Richard Jeffrey Currie, Michael Gerty, Nick Hertlein
  • Publication number: 20170131251
    Abstract: A testing device is capable of testing a NOx sensor in an environment that does not have dew point detection capability. The testing device includes a connector configured to be coupled to the NOx sensor, an output indicator, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to send an unverified dew point signal to the NOx sensor via the connector and receive a sensor signal from the NOx sensor via the connector. The unverified dew point signal includes an indication that a temperature of the environment is at or above the dew point. The sensor signal includes an indication of operation of the NOx sensor in the environment. The circuitry is further configured to determine a status of the NOx sensor based on the received sensor signal and indicate, via the output indicator, the status of the NOx sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: John Bessman, Richard Jeffrey Currie, Michael Gerty, Nick Hertlein