Patents by Inventor Rodney J. Hemmerlein

Rodney J. Hemmerlein 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: 20230323868
    Abstract: A valve includes a valve body having a valve plunger barrel formed therein and configured to be mounted to a pump head of a fuel pump, a valve plunger arranged to perform reciprocal motion with respect to the valve plunger barrel, a drive assembly configured to cause the valve plunger to perform reciprocal motion, and a spacer configured to couple to the valve plunger to perform reciprocal motion together with the valve plunger and configured to interface with the pump head. The spacer has a spacer body with first and second opposing spacer surfaces and with a central aperture extending from the first to the second spacer surface and configured to receive the valve plunger therethrough. At least one of the first and second spacer surfaces includes one or more grooves recessed into the spacer body to reduce or inhibit cavitation of the interface of the spacer and pump head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Michael A. Lucas
  • Patent number: 10677119
    Abstract: Systems and methods including spacers comprising a first face configured to engage with a cam shaft, a second face, and a third face operationally coupled to the first face and the second face, wherein the third face is configured to displace a lubricating fluid and permit rotation of the cam shaft are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony A. Shaull, Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Richard Davis Thomas
  • Patent number: 10041430
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for adjusting a fuel injector drive signal during a fuel injection event wherein the system comprises an engine having a fuel injector, a fuel control module configured to generate control signals corresponding to a desired fueling profile of a fuel injection event, and a fueling profile interface module that outputs drive profile signals to the fuel injector in response to the control signals to cause the fuel injector to deliver an actual fueling profile, wherein the fueling profile interface module changes the drive profile signals during the fuel injection event in response to a parameter signal indicating a characteristic of the actual fueling profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Jalal Syed, Ulf Carlsson, Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Douglas W. Memering
  • Publication number: 20170298887
    Abstract: Fueling systems and methods are disclosed. Various fueling systems may comprise a single fuel pump configured to supply fuel to a first fuel rail at a first fuel pressure along a first fuel circuit and configured to supply fuel to a second fuel rail at a second fuel pressure along a second fuel circuit, wherein the first fuel rail and second fuel rail are arranged in parallel, and the first fuel circuit is independent of the second fuel circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Lester L. Peters, Bradlee J. Stroia, Anthony Shaull, Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Richard Davis Thomas
  • Publication number: 20170254237
    Abstract: Systems and methods including spacers comprising a first face configured to engage with a cam shaft, a second face, and a third face operationally coupled to the first face and the second face, wherein the third face is configured to displace a lubricating fluid and permit rotation of the cam shaft are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Anthony Shaull, Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Richard Davis Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160222905
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for adjusting a fuel injector drive signal during a fuel injection event wherein the system comprises an engine having a fuel injector, a fuel control module configured to generate control signals corresponding to a desired fueling profile of a fuel injection event, and a fueling profile interface module that outputs drive profile signals to the fuel injector in response to the control signals to cause the fuel injector to deliver an actual fueling profile, wherein the fueling profile interface module changes the drive profile signals during the fuel injection event in response to a parameter signal indicating a characteristic of the actual fueling profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Jalal Syed, Ulf Carlsson, Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Douglas W. Memering
  • Patent number: 8554454
    Abstract: A method for testing a fuel injector including providing an engine with a common rail fuel injection system having one or more fuel injectors; operating the engine at a selected set of operating conditions; conducting a motoring event; allowing a first settling duration; measuring a first rail pressure; operating a first selected injector including operating the first selected injector singly in response to a selected fuel quantity, a selected number of combustion cycles, and a selected number of injections per combustion cycle; allowing a second settling duration; measuring a second rail pressure; calculating a pressure difference value in response to the first rail pressure and the second rail pressure; inferring an amount of fuel delivered by the first selected injector in response to the pressure difference value; and evaluating a first performance factor of the first selected injector in response to the amount of fuel delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Michael R. Tidwell, Anand Manthena
  • Publication number: 20110313639
    Abstract: A method for testing a fuel injector including providing an engine with a common rail fuel injection system having one or more fuel injectors; operating the engine at a selected set of operating conditions; conducting a motoring event; allowing a first settling duration; measuring a first rail pressure; operating a first selected injector including operating the first selected injector singly in response to a selected fuel quantity, a selected number of combustion cycles, and a selected number of injections per combustion cycle; allowing a second settling duration; measuring a second rail pressure; calculating a pressure difference value in response to the first rail pressure and the second rail pressure; inferring an amount of fuel delivered by the first selected injector in response to the pressure difference value; and evaluating a first performance factor of the first selected injector in response to the amount of fuel delivered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Michael R. Tidwell, Anand Manthena
  • Patent number: 6293251
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a pair of electronically controllable high pressure fuel pumps operable to supply high pressure fuel from a lower pressure fuel source to a high pressure fuel accumulator having a pressure sensor associated therewith. The fuel collection chamber feeds an electronically controllable valve operable to dispense the high pressure fuel to a fuel distribution unit supplying fuel to a number of fuel injectors. A control computer is provided for controlling the high pressure fuel pump and valve in response to requested fueling, engine speed and fuel pressure provided by the pressure sensor. The accumulator pressure signal is processed in accordance with the present invention for diagnosing erratic pressure sensor failures. The control computer is operable to compute error pressure values based on differences between peak accumulator pressure values and a target pressure value, and compute pressure error variance values based on subsets of the pressure error values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Cummins Engine, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Stephen West
  • Patent number: 6053147
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a pair of electronically controllable high pressure fuel pumps operable to supply high pressure fuel from a lower pressure fuel source to a high pressure fuel accumulator having a pressure sensor associated therewith. The fuel collection chamber feeds an electronically controllable valve operable to dispense the high pressure fuel to a fuel distribution unit supplying fuel to a number of fuel injectors. A control computer is provided for controlling the high pressure fuel pump and valve in response to requested fueling, engine speed and fuel pressure provided by the pressure sensor. The accumulator pressure signal is processed in accordance with the present invention for diagnosing erratic pressure sensor failures. The control computer is operable to compute error pressure values based on differences between peak accumulator pressure values and a target pressure value, and compute pressure error variance values based on subsets of the pressure error values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney J. Hemmerlein, Stephen West