Patents by Inventor William L. Easley

William L. Easley 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: 9238996
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body having an outer cylindrical surface defining a longitudinal piston axis, a combustion face defining a compound combustion bowl, and a compound rim extending radially outward from the compound combustion bowl to the outer cylindrical surface. The compound combustion bowl includes a convex inner bowl surface defining a conical projection and a concave outer bowl surface. The compound rim includes a flat outer rim surface adjoining the outer cylindrical surface, and a convex inner rim surface adjoining the compound combustion bowl. The convex inner bowl surface transitions smoothly to the concave outer bowl surface, and the convex inner rim surface transitions abruptly to the concave outer bowl surface at an edge of the compound combustion bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Easley, David A. Pierpont, Karthikeyan C. Venkatasubramaniam, John P. Timmons
  • Publication number: 20150128899
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston body having an outer cylindrical surface defining a longitudinal piston axis, a combustion face defining a compound combustion bowl, and a compound rim extending radially outward from the compound combustion bowl to the outer cylindrical surface. The compound combustion bowl includes a convex inner bowl surface defining a conical projection and a concave outer bowl surface. The compound rim includes a flat outer rim surface adjoining the outer cylindrical surface, and a convex inner rim surface adjoining the compound combustion bowl. The convex inner bowl surface transitions smoothly to the concave outer bowl surface, and the convex inner rim surface transitions abruptly to the concave outer bowl surface at an edge of the compound combustion bowl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Easley, David A. Pierpont, Karthikeyan C. Venkatasubramaniam, John P. Timmons
  • Patent number: 8978621
    Abstract: A piston for a compression ignition internal combustion engine includes a piston body having a combustion face defining a combustion bowl, and the combustion face including a compound bowl surface and a compound rim surface. The combustion face is profiled to balance a combustion efficiency property of the piston with emissions properties of the piston, and includes a profile of rotation defining a convex curve segment bisected by the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of concave curve segments outboard of the convex curve segment. The profile of rotation further includes a compound rim profile defining a plurality of convex curve segments corresponding to an inner rim surface. The convex curve segment of the compound bowl profile defines a relatively small radius of curvature, and the plurality of convex curve segments corresponding to the inner rim surface define a relatively large radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Easley, David A. Pierpont, Karthikeyan C. Venkatasubramaniam, John P. Timmons
  • Patent number: 8650860
    Abstract: A temperature control system is provided for use with a hybrid engine. The system includes a controller configured to receive a signal representative of a temperature associated with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst configured to receive an exhaust gas stream produced by a hybrid engine. The controller is also configured to transmit a first signal to a generator operably coupled to a battery and the hybrid engine, and transmit a second signal to a heater configured to heat the SCR catalyst, wherein the first and second signals are configured to regulate the temperature associated with the SCR catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Applegate, William L. Easley, Jr., Michael S. Bond
  • Patent number: 8176737
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold, a second exhaust manifold, and an exhaust gas recirculation circuit. The exhaust system may also have a fixed geometry turbocharger with a first volute configured to receive exhaust from the first exhaust manifold, and a second volute configured to receive exhaust from the second exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a recirculation control valve in fluid communication with the first exhaust manifold, the second exhaust manifold and the exhaust gas recirculation circuit. The recirculation control valve may have a valve element movable to selectively adjust a flow of exhaust in the exhaust gas recirculation circuit, the first volute, and the second volute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, John Parker Timmons, William L. Easley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8161747
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine, a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine in parallel with the first exhaust manifold, and an exhaust gas recirculation circuit in fluid communication with only the first exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a first turbocharger having dual volutes configured to simultaneously receive exhaust from the first exhaust manifold and the second exhaust manifold, and a second turbocharger configured to receive exhaust from the first turbocharger and compress air directed into the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, John Parker Timmons, William L. Easley, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110253096
    Abstract: A piston for a compression ignition internal combustion engine includes a piston body having a combustion face defining a combustion bowl, and the combustion face including a compound bowl surface and a compound rim surface. The combustion face is profiled to balance a combustion efficiency property of the piston with emissions properties of the piston, and includes a profile of rotation defining a convex curve segment bisected by the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of concave curve segments outboard of the convex curve segment. The profile of rotation further includes a compound rim profile defining a plurality of convex curve segments corresponding to an inner rim surface. The convex curve segment of the compound bowl profile defines a relatively small radius of curvature, and the plurality of convex curve segments corresponding to the inner rim surface define a relatively large radius of curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: William L. Easley, David A. Pierpont, John P. Timmons, Karthikeyan C. Venkatasubramaniam
  • Patent number: 7762060
    Abstract: An exhaust treatment system is provided. The system may include a particulate trap configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from an exhaust flow of an engine. The system may also include a catalyst configured to chemically alter at least one component of the exhaust flow. Further, the system may include an exhaust conduit configured to direct the exhaust flow from the engine to the particulate trap and the catalyst. In addition, the exhaust treatment system may include a heating system configured to maintain the temperature of the catalyst above a first predetermined temperature. The heating system may also be configured to periodically raise the temperature of the particulate trap above a higher, second predetermined temperature to thereby effectuate a regeneration of the particulate trap by oxidizing particulate matter accumulated in the particulate trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Easley, Jr., Maarten Verkiel, Aaron D. Strauser, James J. Driscoll, Wade J. Robel
  • Publication number: 20100024419
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine, a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from the engine in parallel with the first exhaust manifold, and an exhaust gas recirculation circuit in fluid communication with only the first exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a first turbocharger having dual volutes configured to simultaneously receive exhaust from the first exhaust manifold and the second exhaust manifold, and a second turbocharger configured to receive exhaust from the first turbocharger and compress air directed into the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, John Parker Timmons, William L. Easley, JR.
  • Publication number: 20100024417
    Abstract: An exhaust system for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The exhaust system may have a first exhaust manifold, a second exhaust manifold, and an exhaust gas recirculation circuit. The exhaust system may also have a fixed geometry turbocharger with a first volute configured to receive exhaust from the first exhaust manifold, and a second volute configured to receive exhaust from the second exhaust manifold. The exhaust system may also have a recirculation control valve in fluid communication with the first exhaust manifold, the second exhaust manifold and the exhaust gas recirculation circuit. The recirculation control valve may have a valve element movable to selectively adjust a flow of exhaust in the exhaust gas recirculation circuit, the first volute, and the second volute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: David Andrew Pierpont, John Parker Timmons, William L. Easley, JR.
  • Patent number: 7472696
    Abstract: A method for recirculating exhaust gas includes operating an intake valve to open an intake port of a combustion chamber, operating an exhaust valve to open an exhaust port of the combustion chamber, and directing exhaust gas from the exhaust port to an exhaust recirculation port of the combustion chamber. The method also includes operating an exhaust recirculation valve to open the exhaust recirculation port to allow the exhaust gas to enter the combustion chamber and determining at least one valve actuation condition for controlling actuation of each of the intake valve and the exhaust recirculation valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Easley, James J. Faletti, George E. Donaldson
  • Publication number: 20080295493
    Abstract: A temperature control system is provided for use with a hybrid engine. The system includes a controller configured to receive a signal representative of a temperature associated with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst configured to receive an exhaust gas stream produced by a hybrid engine. The controller is also configured to transmit a first signal to a generator operably coupled to a battery and the hybrid engine, and transmit a second signal to a heater configured to heat the SCR catalyst, wherein the first and second signals are configured to regulate the temperature associated with the SCR catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Brian C. Applegate, William L. Easley, JR., Michael S. Bond