Patents by Inventor Rodney D. Harms

Rodney D. Harms 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: 10563545
    Abstract: Some examples described herein may involve determining an advance timing window between the valve opening or closing and a designated time that the valve is scheduled to open or close; determining a closing velocity of the valve; monitoring an engine speed of the engine; determining valve lash information based on the advance timing window, the closing velocity, and the engine speed, wherein the valve lash information identifies a magnitude of the valve lash or whether the magnitude of the valve lash associated with the valve satisfies a threshold; and performing an action based on the valve lash information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Yanchai Zhang, Zhaoxu Dong, Arun Rajendran, Yifeng Lu, Xuefei Hu, Lidi Chen, Rodney D. Harms
  • Publication number: 20190316496
    Abstract: Some examples described herein may involve determining an advance timing window between the valve opening or closing and a designated time that the valve is scheduled to open or close; determining a closing velocity of the valve; monitoring an engine speed of the engine; determining valve lash information based on the advance timing window, the closing velocity, and the engine speed, wherein the valve lash information identifies a magnitude of the valve lash or whether the magnitude of the valve lash associated with the valve satisfies a threshold; and performing an action based on the valve lash information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Yanchai ZHANG, Zhaoxu DONG, Arun RAJENDRAN, Yifeng LU, Xuefei HU, Lidi CHEN, Rodney D. HARMS
  • Publication number: 20170363026
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine is disclosed. The method includes activating an engine idling reduction mode. The engine is shut down when the engine idling mode is active and when a measure of at least one first parameter, associated with each of one or more components coupled to the engine, is in respective predetermined ranges. The one or more components comprise at least a transmission assembly. The at least one first parameter corresponds to a temperature of oil in the transmission assembly. The engine is started when the engine idling mode is active and when the measure of the at least one first parameter, associated with at least one of the one or more components, is less than predetermined threshold values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Lane Slabaugh, Michael Kenning, Rodney D. Harms