Patents by Inventor Puning Wei

Puning Wei 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: 11619274
    Abstract: A slack adjuster and systems, components, and methods can comprise a base enclosure, a pair of floating piston assemblies, and a pair of sensing piston assemblies. The base enclosure can define an internal chamber that extends along a longitudinal axis of the base enclosure and an inlet channel that extends along a transverse axis of the base enclosure perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The internal chamber can have a first chamber portion, a second chamber portion, and a center chamber portion that intersects the inlet channel. The floating piston assemblies can be respectively provided in the first and second chamber portions. Likewise, the sensing piston assemblies can be respectively provided in association with the floating piston assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 11572925
    Abstract: A slack adjuster assembly and systems, components, and methods can comprise a sensing piston assembly that includes a housing, a piston slidably provided in the housing, and a biasing member provided in the housing. The biasing member can be configured to bias the piston away from an end wall of the housing. The piston can have an end wall opposite the end wall of the housing, where the end wall of the piston can have at least one orifice that extends from a first side of the end wall of the piston to a second side of the end wall of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Pengfei Ma, Puning Wei, Aleksander Gust
  • Publication number: 20220333658
    Abstract: A slack adjuster assembly and systems, components, and methods can comprise a sensing piston assembly that includes a housing, a piston slidably provided in the housing, and a biasing member provided in the housing. The biasing member can be configured to bias the piston away from an end wall of the housing. The piston can have an end wall opposite the end wall of the housing, where the end wall of the piston can have at least one orifice that extends from a first side of the end wall of the piston to a second side of the end wall of the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Pengfei MA, Puning WEI, Aleksander GUST
  • Publication number: 20220186802
    Abstract: A slack adjuster and systems, components, and methods can comprise a base enclosure, a pair of floating piston assemblies, and a pair of sensing piston assemblies. The base enclosure can define an internal chamber that extends along a longitudinal axis of the base enclosure and an inlet channel that extends along a transverse axis of the base enclosure perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The internal chamber can have a first chamber portion, a second chamber portion, and a center chamber portion that intersects the inlet channel. The floating piston assemblies can be respectively provided in the first and second chamber portions. Likewise, the sensing piston assemblies can be respectively provided in association with the floating piston assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Puning WEI
  • Publication number: 20100318276
    Abstract: The control system controls lean-rich modulation of fueling using a set of engine specific fueling parameter maps. One set of maps is a set of lean fueling maps, and another set is a set of rich fueling maps. The two map sets each comprise a fuel injection pressure map, an EGR valve opening map, and a VGT valve opening map, established for the particular diesel engine, with neither form of modulation requiring post injection. The strategy is represented by a flow diagram and is useful in regenerating an NOx adsorber catalyst in the engine exhaust system in a manner that controls torque so that the regeneration process is transparent to the operator of the vehicle, while producing significant fuel savings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7742867
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (20) has a control system (26) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (22), and fuel injectors (24) for injecting fuel into the chambers (22). The control system (26) controls fueling using a result of the processing of certain data, such as engine speed and engine load, to select one of three fueling modes (HCCI, HCCI+CD, CD) for operating the engine (20). When the result of the processing selects the HCCI mode, the engine (20) is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion in all combustion chambers (22). When the result of the processing selects the HCCI+CD mode, the engine (20) is fueled to cause HCCI combustion in some chambers (22) and CD (conventional diesel) combustion in the remaining chambers (22). When the result of the processing selects the CD mode, the engine (22) is fueled to cause CD combustion in all chambers (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbal Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7631489
    Abstract: In a conventional diesel combustion mode, one or more cylinders (12) of an engine (10) is or are fueled to cause conventional diesel combustion in each such cylinder. The resulting exhaust gas is treated by a diesel particulate filter (36) in an exhaust system (34) before exiting the exhaust system. In an alternative diesel combustion mode, such as HCCI, one or more cylinders of the engine are fueled to create in each such cylinder an in-cylinder fuel-air charge that ignites by auto-ignition as the charge is increasingly compressed. Also a bypass valve (38) is opened so that the resulting exhaust gas bypasses the DPF as the exhaust gas passes through the exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7461627
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (10) has a control system (40), one or more combustion chambers (12), and fuel injectors (42, 44) for injecting fuel into the combustion chambers. The control system controls fueling using a result of the processing of engine speed and engine load to select a particular domain for engine operation (HCCI, HCCI+CD, or CD, —FIG. 1). When the processing selects HCCI, the engine is fueled to cause alternative diesel combustion (such as HCCI) in all combustion chambers. When the processing selects CD, all combustion chambers are fueled for conventional diesel combustion. When the processing selects HCCI+CD, a first group of combustion chambers are fueled for HCCI combustion and a second group for CD combustion. Each group (G1, G2) has its own EGR valve (34, 38) and turbocharger (22, 24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Publication number: 20080027618
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (20) has a control system (26) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (22), and fuel injectors (24) for injecting fuel into the chambers (22). The control system (26) controls fueling using a result of the processing of certain data, such as engine speed and engine load, to select one of three fueling modes (HCCI, HCCI+CD, CD) for operating the engine (20). When the result of the processing selects the HCCI mode, the engine (20) is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion in all combustion chambers (22). When the result of the processing selects the HCCI+CD mode, the engine (20) is fueled to cause HCCI combustion in some chambers (22) and CD (conventional diesel) combustion in the remaining chambers (22). When the result of the processing selects the CD mode, the engine (22) is fueled to cause CD combustion in all chambers (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Zhengbal Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7299771
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (200) includes a coolant pump (212) having a pump outlet (214), and a first exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler (206) fluidly connected to the pump outlet (214). A crankcase (202) is fluidly connected in parallel with the EGR cooler (206) to the pump outlet (214) for receiving coolant therefrom. A cylinder head (204) is fluidly connected to the crankcase (202) for receiving coolant therefrom. A thermostat (232) is fluidly connected between the cylinder head (204) and the coolant pump (212). A valve system (238) has a first selectable position fluidly connecting the flow from the first EGR cooler (206) to the flow in the cylinder head (204), and a second selectable position fluidly connecting the flow from the first EGR cooler (206) to the thermostat (232) in bypassing relation to the cylinder head (204). Each of the first or second position is effected in response to an engine operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Puning Wei, Zhengbai Liu
  • Publication number: 20070251234
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (10) has a control system (40), one or more combustion chambers (12), and fuel injectors (42, 44) for injecting fuel into the combustion chambers. The control system controls fueling using a result of the processing of engine speed and engine load to select a particular domain for engine operation (HCCI, HCCI+CD, or CD,—FIG. 1). When the processing selects HCCI, the engine is fueled to cause alternative diesel combustion (such as HCCI) in all combustion chambers. When the processing selects CD, all combustion chambers are fueled for conventional diesel combustion. When the processing selects HCCI+CD, a first group of combustion chambers are fueled for HCCI combustion and a second group for CD combustion. Each group (G1, G2) has its own EGR valve (34, 38) and turbocharger (22, 24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Publication number: 20070157893
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (200) includes a coolant pump (212) having a pump outlet (214), and a first exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler (206) fluidly connected to the pump outlet (214). A crankcase (202) is fluidly connected in parallel with the EGR cooler (206) to the pump outlet (214) for receiving coolant therefrom. A cylinder head (204) is fluidly connected to the crankcase (202) for receiving coolant therefrom. A thermostat (232) is fluidly connected between the cylinder head (204) and the coolant pump (212). A valve system (238) has a first selectable position fluidly connecting the flow from the first EGR cooler (206) to the flow in the cylinder head (204), and a second selectable position fluidly connecting the flow from the first EGR cooler (206) to the thermostat (232) in bypassing relation to the cylinder head (204). Each of the first or second position is effected in response to an engine operating parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Puning Wei, Zhengbai Liu
  • Patent number: 7171957
    Abstract: An engine (10, 100) utilizes “regular EGR cooling” when operating in HCCI mode within a low load range and “enhanced EGR cooling” that allows the engine to continue to operate in HCCI mode when engine load increases beyond the low load range. When engine load increases to a high load range, the combustion mode changes over to conventional diesel combustion, and exhaust gas recirculation reverts to “regular EGR cooling”. In a first embodiment, cooling is provided by two heat exchangers, one being a regular EGR cooler always used when cooling is needed and the other, an enhancing EGR cooler that is selectively used. In a second embodiment, cooling is also provided by two heat exchangers, one being an EGR cooler through which liquid coolant always flows when cooling is needed, and the other being a radiator used selectively to cool the liquid coolant before it enters the EGR cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Patent number: 7168250
    Abstract: An engine system (100) has a valve system (137). An inlet of a turbine (109) is fluidly connected to a first inlet (119) of the valve system (137). An outlet of the turbine (123) is fluidly connected to a second inlet (113) of the valve system (137). An outlet of a compressor (155) is fluidly connected to a first outlet (115) of the valve system (137). An inlet of the compressor (141) is fluidly connected to a second outlet (111) of the valve system (137). An inlet of an exhaust gas recirculation system (133) is fluidly connected to a third outlet (121) of the valve system (137), and an outlet of the exhaust gas recirculation system is fluidly connected to a third inlet (117) of the valve system (137).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Puning Wei, Zhengbai Liu
  • Patent number: 7140357
    Abstract: A vortex mixing system mixes intake air with exhaust gases for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in an internal combustion engine. The vortex mixing system may have a vortex mixing device connected to an intake air conduit, a supply conduit, and an EGR conduit. The vortex mixing device may have a plenum disposed around a mixing conduit, which is connected to the intake air conduit and the supply conduit. The plenum is connected to one or more cross conduits and to the EGR conduit. The cross conduits extend across a mixing chamber formed by the mixing conduit. The cross conduits generate one or more vortices in the intake air. Each cross conduit has one or more outlets. The cross conduits direct the exhaust gases through the outlets into the vortices. The exhaust gases mix with the intake air in the vortices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Puning Wei, Zhengbai Liu
  • Publication number: 20060236693
    Abstract: An engine system (100) has a valve system (137). An inlet of a turbine (109) is fluidly connected to a first inlet (119) of the valve system (137). An outlet of the turbine (123) is fluidly connected to a second inlet (113) of the valve system (137). An outlet of a compressor (155) is fluidly connected to a first outlet (115) of the valve system (137). An inlet of the compressor (141) is fluidly connected to a second outlet (111) of the valve system (137). An inlet of an exhaust gas recirculation system (133) is fluidly connected to a third outlet (121) of the valve system (137), and an outlet of the exhaust gas recirculation system is fluidly connected to a third inlet (117) of the valve system (137).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Puning Wei, Zhengbai Liu
  • Patent number: 7121255
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (60) has a control system (66) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (62), and fuel injectors (64) for injecting fuel into the chambers. The control system controls fueling by processing engine speed and load, to select one of four fueling modes (HCCI+RVT, HCCI+IVC, HCCI+IVC+EVC, and CD+RVT) for operating the engine (FIG. 5). When HCCI+RVT mode is selected, intake valves operate with regular valve timing (RVT), and the engine is fueled to cause homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion. When HCCI+IVC mode or HCCI+IVC+EVC mode is selected, intake valve timing is changed relative to RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause HCCI combustion. When the processing selects the CD+RVT mode, the intake valves operate with RVT, and the engine is fueled to cause CD combustion. In HCCI+IVC+EVC mode, exhaust valve closing is retarded relative to its timing in HCCI+IVC mode to reduce cylinder pressure and temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei, Dennis Kelly Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7117843
    Abstract: A compression ignition engine (20) has a control system (26) for processing data, one or more combustion chambers (22), and fuel injectors (24) for injecting fuel into the combustion chambers. The control system controls fueling using a result of the processing of certain data, such as engine speed and engine load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Publication number: 20060200297
    Abstract: An engine (10, 100) utilizes “regular EGR cooling” when operating in HCCI mode within a low load range and “enhanced EGR cooling” that allows the engine to continue to operate in HCCI mode when engine load increases beyond the low load range. When engine load increases to a high load range, the combustion mode changes over to conventional diesel combustion, and exhaust gas recirculation reverts to “regular EGR cooling”. In a first embodiment, cooling is provided by two heat exchangers, one being a regular EGR cooler always used when cooling is needed and the other, an enhancing EGR cooler that is selectively used. In a second embodiment, cooling is also provided by two heat exchangers, one being an EGR cooler through which liquid coolant always flows when cooling is needed, and the other being a radiator used selectively to cool the liquid coolant before it enters the EGR cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei
  • Publication number: 20060185353
    Abstract: In a conventional diesel combustion mode, one or more cylinders (12) of an engine (10) is or are fueled to cause conventional diesel combustion in each such cylinder. The resulting exhaust gas is treated by a diesel particulate filter (36) in an exhaust system (34) before exiting the exhaust system. In an alternative diesel combustion mode, such as HCCI, one or more cylinders of the engine are fueled to create in each such cylinder an in-cylinder fuel-air charge that ignites by auto-ignition as the charge is increasingly compressed. Also a bypass valve (38) is opened so that the resulting exhaust gas bypasses the DPF as the exhaust gas passes through the exhaust system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Zhengbai Liu, Puning Wei