Patents by Inventor Zdenek Meistrick

Zdenek Meistrick 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: 7350502
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of controlling exhaust pressure in an internal combustion engine are disclosed. In one embodiment the apparatus may comprise: a housing; a valve disposed in the housing; an orifice formed in the valve, wherein the orifice defines a gas flowpath through the valve; and a shaft slidably disposed in a bore formed in the valve, the shaft movable between a first position, in which gas is substantially prevented from flowing through said orifice, and a second position in which gas is permitted to flow through said orifice. The position of the shaft may be selectively varied in response to an actuating force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Jacobs Vehicle Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Todd Perkins
  • Publication number: 20060107922
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of controlling exhaust pressure in an internal combustion engine are disclosed. In one embodiment the apparatus may comprise: a housing; a valve disposed in the housing; an orifice formed in the valve, wherein the orifice defines a gas flowpath through the valve; and a shaft slidably disposed in a bore formed in the valve, the shaft movable between a first position, in which gas is substantially prevented from flowing through said orifice, and a second position in which gas is permitted to flow through said orifice. The position of the shaft may be selectively varied in response to an actuating force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Todd Perkins
  • Publication number: 20060005796
    Abstract: Systems and methods for actuating engine valves are disclosed. The systems may include primary and auxiliary rocker arms disposed adjacent to each other on a rocker arm shaft. The primary rocker arm may actuate an engine valve for primary valve actuation motions, such as main exhaust events, in response to an input from a first valve train element, such as a cam. The auxiliary rocker arm may receive one or more auxiliary valve actuation motions, such as for engine braking, exhaust gas recirculation, and/or brake gas recirculation events, from a second valve train element. A hydraulic actuator piston may be disposed between the auxiliary rocker arm and the primary rocker arm. The actuator piston may be selectively locked into an extended position between the primary and auxiliary rocker arms so as to selectively transfer the one or more auxiliary valve actuation motions from the auxiliary rocker arm to the primary rocker arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Robb Janak, Zdenek Meistrick
  • Patent number: 6732686
    Abstract: The present invention is a valve opening mechanism which has been designed so as to be able to open an actuator pin (30), on which a stop (31) is provided that is through-mounted to slide freely facing in a vertical direction in relation to the top of a rocker arm (7) and which is restrained by the bottom of the rocker arm (7) tip at a specified uppermost position, and the engine valves (4), by pushing downward during the exhaust stroke of a rocker arm (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Maeda, Hisaki Torisaka, Zdenek Meistrick
  • Patent number: 6325043
    Abstract: This invention is an exhaust gas recirculation apparatus such that exhaust gas recirculation master piston (12) is activated and acts to open exhaust valve (4) on the same cylinder (1) by driving a slave piston (14), thus recirculating exhaust gas into combustion chamber (2) from exhaust port (5) as a result of the pressure difference, thereby lowering the combustion temperature within combustion chamber (2) on the next power stroke and working to reduce NOx. Moreover, by selectively maintaining and releasing oil pressure in two types of passages (13) and (31), it can also be used as a compression pressure-release engine brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignees: Hino Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Yoshihide Maeda, Vincent Pitzi
  • Patent number: 6240898
    Abstract: A valve actuating assembly for actuating at least one valve is disclosed. The valve actuating assembly includes a housing assembly, an actuating assembly for actuating at least one valve during a first valve operating event and a second valve operating event, and an assembly for modifying valve motion travel of the at least one valve during at least one of the first valve operating event and the second valve operating event. A system for providing exhaust gas recirculation and compression release braking in an engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Vincent Pitzi
  • Patent number: 6082328
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for carrying out variable timing exhaust gas recirculation is disclosed for use during both positive power and retarding operation of an internal combustion engine. Motion or energy is derived from an engine component and stored as potential energy. The stored energy is selectively applied to a valve actuator to carry out exhaust gas recirculation in an engine cylinder. The energy derived from the engine may be stored and selectively applied to the valve actuator with an electronically controlled trigger valve. The valve actuator may be a slave piston having an inner core and an outer sleeve capable of opening the valve of the cylinder in response to independent exhaust gas recirculation and compression release hydraulic systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Vincent Pitzi
  • Patent number: 6039022
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a co-axial master piston for use in providing hydraulic fluid to effectuate a compression release braking function and hydraulic fluid to effectuate an exhaust gas recirculation function. In particular, the coaxial master piston includes an inner master piston driven by an exhaust cam to provide the hydraulic force to cause the compression release braking function. An outer piston, driven by the same exhaust cam, provides the hydraulic force to cause the EGR function during positive power operation of the engine and during compression release braking when required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retardes, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Vincent Pitzi
  • Patent number: 6012424
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of carrying out exhaust gas recirculation and compression release retarding is disclosed for use during both positive power and retarding operation of an overhead cam internal combustion engine. Energy is derived from an engine component and stored as potential energy. The stored energy is selectively applied to a valve actuator to carry out exhaust gas recirculation in an engine cylinder. The energy derived from the engine may be stored in the form of a compressed hydraulic fluid and selectively applied to the valve actuator with an electronically controlled trigger valve. The valve actuator may be a slave piston having an inner core and an outer sleeve capable of opening the valve of the cylinder in response to independent exhaust gas recirculation and compression release hydraulic systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventor: Zdenek Meistrick
  • Patent number: 5809964
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for carrying out variable timing exhaust gas recirculation is disclosed for use during both positive power and retarding operation of an internal combustion engine. Motion or energy is derived from an engine component and stored as potential energy. The stored energy is selectively applied to a valve actuator to carry out exhaust gas recirculation in an engine cylinder. The energy derived from the engine may be stored and selectively applied to the valve actuator with an electronically controlled trigger valve. The valve actuator may be a slave piston having an inner core and an outer sleeve capable of opening the valve of the cylinder in response to independent exhaust gas recirculation and compression release hydraulic systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Vincent Pitzi
  • Patent number: 5787859
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of carrying out exhaust gas recirculation and compression release retarding is disclosed for use during both positive power and retarding operation of an internal combustion engine. Motion or energy is derived from an engine component and stored as potential energy. The stored energy is selectively applied to a valve actuator to carry out exhaust gas recirculation in an engine cylinder. The energy derived from the engine may be stored in the form of a compressed hydraulic fluid and selectively applied to the valve actuator with an electronically controlled trigger valve. The valve actuator may be a slave piston having an inner core and an outer sleeve capable of opening the valve of the cylinder in response to independent exhaust gas recirculation and compression release hydraulic systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventors: Zdenek Meistrick, Vincent Pitzi