Patents Issued in April 13, 2004
  • Patent number: 6718903
    Abstract: An improved lift boat includes a hull, a plurality of legs (preferably three), a plurality of pads, one pad attached to each leg, and a jacking mechanism for moving each upward and downward. Recesses in the hull receive the pads when the lift boat is underway. Preferably, the total bottom surface area of the pads is at least 30% of the surface area of the deck of the lift boat. Preferably, the total bottom surface area of the pads is large enough such that, when the boat is loaded to capacity and is jacked up, the pads exert pressure of less than 7 p.s.i. on the sea floor. Preferably, the pads are partially recessed into the hull and extend laterally outward from the hull when the boat is underway to provide increased stability to the lift boat when it is underway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Textron, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Clay Moïse, II, Anthony V. Barrois
  • Patent number: 6718904
    Abstract: Anchor fluke (1) having a hollow plate-shaped body adapted for attachment to a shank and/or anchor lines, with a longitudinal axis and a front penetration edge (3) and a rear trailing edge (4), which are located at a distance from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis, wherein the fluke has a plane of symmetry that contains the longitudinal axis and is substantially perpendicular to the plate-shaped body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Vrijhof Ankers Beheer B.V.
    Inventor: Gijsbertus Degenkamp
  • Patent number: 6718905
    Abstract: An improved paddle craft provides a boater with exterior controls to adjust items within the craft. The craft has a shell made of a substantially continuous surface to prevent the ingress of water and an adjustable item in the paddle craft affecting a boater's ergonomics, a cockpit and cockpit opening and at least one control opening within a boater's reach when the boater is sitting in the cockpit. A control for the adjustable item is mounted to the control opening, wherein the control has a manipulable handle at the control opening through a water resistant mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Confluence Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Robert Peerson, Robert McDonough, William Smith
  • Patent number: 6718906
    Abstract: A dual scale gauge, such as a speedometer, for a motor vehicle. The gauge includes a mechanical indicator, an overlay, a first light source, and a second light source. The mechanical indicator moves in response to a sensed condition of the motor vehicle. The overlay is positioned behind the indicator. The overlay includes first and second scales that are only visible when illuminated. The first light source illuminates the first scale when the gauge is operated in a first mode. The second light source illuminates the second scale when the gauge is operated in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Volvo Trucks North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Quigley, Michael Blackard
  • Patent number: 6718907
    Abstract: A double-sided meter includes a case having two open ends, and a movement mounted in the case for measuring temperature, pressure, humidity, or other measurements. The movement is provided at front and rear surfaces with two sets of dial disc and pointer to enable observation of reading values at either side of the meter. The double-sided meter further includes at least one clip-on index that is so shaped that it has some extent of elasticity for fitly and movably attaching to a peripheral wall of the meter. Pointed free ends of the clip-on index are pointed toward scales on the dial discs at two sides of the meter to indicate a desired range of reading values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Shen Mu Kao
  • Patent number: 6718908
    Abstract: A coating machine for applying a flowable coating substance to a sheet material to improve its surface. The coating machine has a series construction which lends itself to easy modification and versatile use. The coating machine includes, in a sheet conveyance direction, a first coating unit for applying a flowable substance to a front side of the sheet material, a sheet turning unit for reversing the position of the sheet, a first coating unit for applying a flowable substance to a reverse side of the sheet material, and sheet delivery unit. The coating units may have similar or identical constructions with interchangeable dosing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Harald Bayer, Georg Herzan, Klemens Kemmerer
  • Patent number: 6718909
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of rearing a bird of germ-free status. The method comprises housing a bird as a parent bird, surgically removing an egg in its shell from the parent bird prior to transfer of the egg to the cloaca in the parent bird, incubating the egg still in its shell and hatching the egg to produce a laying bird. The invention also relates to the production of avian eggs of germ-free status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Leonard Moran
  • Patent number: 6718910
    Abstract: Agents for promoting fattening of animals which contain as the active ingredient(s) at least one member selected from among acids originating in hexoses, non-toxic salts thereof and intramolecular esterification products thereof; and a method of promoting fattening by using these agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironari Koyama, Masaaki Okada
  • Patent number: 6718911
    Abstract: A portable animal fluid dispenser (10) including a reservoir (12) and a container (14) detachably mounted to a side wall (22A) of the reservoir (12). The container (14) has an outlet in fluid communication with a passage (24) in the side wall (22A) and a closure (34) removably coupled to the passage (24). A carrier (16) is provided to attach the carrier (16) to an article worn by a person, for example a belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: G4 Ventures, Inc.
    Inventor: H. Stanley Greenberg
  • Patent number: 6718912
    Abstract: A pet drinking aid includes a cap defining an axial passage therewithin. Preferred embodiments of the cap include securing means for detachably securing the cap to a fluid container and an inwardly directed flange. The securing structure may include helical threads, an elastomeric sleeve or the like. The cap further includes a ball positioned within the axial passage of said cap and, in a preferred embodiment a biasing structure mounted relative to the cap within the axial passage. The biasing structure advantageously engages the ball to bias the ball toward the inwardly directed flange. The ball is preferably captured within the axial passage between the inwardly directed flange and the biasing structure, and the ball is capable of rotatable movement and limited axial movement against the bias of the biasing structure. The biasing structure may include a compression spring, a foam member or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Nicholas J. Pappas
  • Patent number: 6718913
    Abstract: A conduit network on a bristle face of a brush communicates with a supply of cleansing or rinsing effluent under pressure, and dispenses the effluent generally uniformly over a wide area of the bristle face through distributed outlet holes. A preferred quick connector couples the network to the effluent supply. A valve controls the rate of flow into the network. Control of brush movement during washing and grooming is facilitated by: an adjustable strap securing a user's hand to a top control face, a finger wall projecting from the control face including finger stops, a palm heel catch, liquid drain-off channels which also knurl the control face for better gripping, and a preferred length allowing a user's fingertips to overlap the front of the brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Joe A. Stupar
  • Patent number: 6718914
    Abstract: A method is provided for neutralizing the odor of low molecular weight thiols, such as found in skunk spray, in an affected area. An effective amount of a cleaning composition including an oil phase having at least one of a hydrocarbon oil and a hydrocarbon solvent, and a water phase containing water and a base is applied to the affected area. The affected area is shampooed with the cleaning composition thereby neutralizing the offensive odor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Philip J. Riddles
  • Patent number: 6718915
    Abstract: A convection pass enclosure for a boiler comprising a front wall having a gas inlet for receiving gases from the boiler; right and left side walls connected to the front wall; a rear wall having a gas outlet, the rear wall being connected between the right and left side walls; and a roof, at least one of the front wall, right side wall, left side wall and rear side wall having a heat exchanger surface in the form of a horizontal spiral tube assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: The Babcock & Wilcox Company
    Inventors: Melvin J. Albrecht, J. William Smith
  • Patent number: 6718916
    Abstract: A container for the coolant of an internal combustion engine including a first chamber (11), which forms the coolant reservoir and has a connection to a radiator. The first chamber is equipped with a sealing cap (19), and the sealing cap seals the first chamber via a threaded, bayonet or snap connection. An additional chamber (15) is provided as an overflow reservoir, which communicates with the first chamber (11) and which is equipped with an outlet. A third chamber (16) is arranged within the container, which at its geodetically lower end has a connection in the form of an opening to the second chamber (15). This third chamber (16) communicates with the first chamber (11) via an interposed pressure relief valve (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Mann & Hummel Automotive, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Hewkin
  • Patent number: 6718917
    Abstract: Crankcase scavenged internal combustion engine of two-stroke type (1) having at least one cylinder (15) and at least one air passage arranged between an air inlet (2) and the upper part of a number of scavenging ducts (3, 3′) with exhaust orientated scavenging ports (9, 9′) located close to the exhaust port (19) of the cylinder. At least one intake orientated scavenging port (14, 14′) is located close to the inlet port (33) of the cylinder and is fed by at least one scavenging duct (5, 5′), and the air passage and the scavenging ducts are so arranged that the scavenging ducts (3, 3′) can be supplied with and hold so much air that they during the following scavenging process will scavenge essentially nothing but air. The air passage is arranged from an air inlet (2) provided with a restriction valve (4) controlled by at least one engine parameter such as the carburetor throttle control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventors: Lars Andersson, Mikael Bergman
  • Patent number: 6718918
    Abstract: In a device for actuating at least one gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine, comprising at least one pivoting armature, which is operatively connected to the gas exchange valve, and at least one first and at least one second electromagnetic units for actuating the pivoting armature, the pivoting armature is included in a first functional group with an armature housing and at least one of the two electromagnetic units is included in a second functional group and the functional groups are interconnected by connection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Oliver Meister, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg
  • Patent number: 6718919
    Abstract: A valve driving apparatus includes a magnetic flux generating element in which an electromagnetic coil is wound to generate magnetic flux, a magnetic field generating element which has at least two poles to distribute magnetic flux and form at least one magnetic field region, a drive means which includes a magnetic path member, and a magnetized member arranged in accordance with the magnetic field region and having two magnetized faces with mutually different polarity to be connected and moved together with a valve rod united with a valve element. A current supply means supplies driving current to the electromagnetic coil whereby the current has polarities corresponding to either a valve closing direction or a valve opening direction of the valve element. The apparatus reduce impact of valve seating with a simple structure and controls the valve with less power consumption and with precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Mikuni Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuo Muraji
  • Patent number: 6718920
    Abstract: A camshaft rotational phase detecting apparatus for an engine provided with a variable valve timing control mechanism which controls a camshaft rotational phase of an engine valve to a target camshaft rotational phase by varying a rotational phase of a camshaft relative to a crankshaft. The camshaft rotational phase detecting apparatus is configured to detect a camshaft rotational phase as a detected camshaft rotational phase based on a signal from a sensor. In the apparatus, the detected camshaft rotational phase is substituted with a maintained rotational phase for a predetermined period and is substituted with a target camshaft rotational phase after a lapse of the predetermined period, when the camshaft rotational phase is not detected. In the apparatus, the maintained rotational phase is set corresponding to the detected camshaft rotational phase detected before a timing that the camshaft rotational phase is not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Hoshino, Yoshiaki Yoshioka, Tetsuya Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 6718921
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus to clean an oil control valve for use by an internal combustion engine. The invention causes the oil control valve to execute a cleaning routine when specific entrance criteria are met. This ensures cleaning of the valve to remove contaminants that are wedged, pinched or otherwise trapped on the valve, without interference in the operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amanpal S. Grewal, Daniel Lee McKay, Daniel George Gauthier, James Patrick Waters, Jeffrey M. Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 6718922
    Abstract: A cam phase control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided for improving the controllability in a transient state in which an actual cam phase converges to a target cam phase to accurately and readily identify model parameters even when a mechanism for changing the actual cam phase exhibits an intense friction characteristic. The cam phase control apparatus relies on a sliding mode control algorithm which models a controlled object that receives the control input to a cam phase varying device and outputs an actual cam phase as a discrete time based model, and creates a switching function as a function of time series data of a following error. An ECU functions as a sliding mode controller for determining the control input to the cam phase varying device at a predetermined control period for converging the actual cam phase to a target cam phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 6718923
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to functionally improve a hydraulic play compensation element for a valve gear of an internal combustion engine. To this end, the play compensation element is characterized by the following features. Both components (4; 6) enclose a pressure chamber (7) between them, which is sealed from the exterior and which has a volume that depends on the relative position of both components (4; 6). A pressure spring (5) that presses both components (4; 6) away from one another is mounted inside the pressure chamber (7). The pressure chamber (7) can be connected to the storage chamber (8) via a spring-loaded one-way valve (10) through which media can flow exclusively into the pressure space. An additional controllable stop valve (11) is provided in the connection of the pressure chamber (7) to the storage chamber (8). A throttling channel (17), which serves as a bypass to the one-way valve (10), is provided between the pressure chamber (7) and the controllable stop valve (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Mahle Ventiltrieb GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Barth, Oliver Fritz, Volker Korte, Martin Lechner, Christoph Steinmetz
  • Patent number: 6718924
    Abstract: A camshaft assembly and method of making a camshaft assembly is disclosed. Each of the cams includes a lobe boss portion that defines the cam lift profile, and a base portion that provides a surface for joining the cam to the shaft. In contrast to conventional ring-type cams, the base portion of the cam does not circumscribe the outer surface of the shaft, but instead extends only part way around the circumference or periphery of the shaft. This allows for radial mounting of the cams at virtually any timing angle, and permits the use of simple techniques for joining the cams to the shaft, including capacitance discharge welding. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Carl Isaacs, Michael A. Kestner, Russ Hite
  • Patent number: 6718925
    Abstract: In a heat storage tank, an elbow pipe member defining a water introduction passage is formed by connecting an inlet-side cylinder portion and an outlet-side cylinder portion to have a corner portion. A step portion is disposed in the water introduction passage around a position where center lines of both the cylinder portions are crossed with each other. The step portion has a collision surface that is set to cross with a line parallel to the center line of the inlet-side cylinder portion, so that water introduced from the inlet-side cylinder portion collides with the collision surface of the step portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Toyoshima, Toshio Morikawa, Koichi Ban
  • Patent number: 6718926
    Abstract: An inside space of a starter motor having a motor, a magnetic switch and a reduction gear train is ventilated through a ventilation passage formed in the starter motor. The ventilation passage includes a labyrinth passage formed at a portion connecting a front housing containing the reduction gear and a center housing containing the motor and the magnetic switch. The labyrinth passage connecting a motor chamber and a switch chamber prevents brush dusts generated in the motor chamber from being scattered in the other spaces. Grease splash from the gear train does not enter into the ventilation passage separated the gear train. Thus, the ventilation passage well functions for a long time without being clogged with the grease, brush dusts or the mixture thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Yokochi, Masayuki Tomura
  • Patent number: 6718927
    Abstract: Two low-voltage energy storage devices (B1 and B2) are provided in an arrangement that ensures, on the one hand, a high start power in the vehicle electrical system, resulting from being connected to a higher-level voltage, for a starter generator (SG) that is coupled to an internal combustion engine. The arrangement additionally ensures, on the other hand, full compatibility with low-voltage vehicle electrical system consumers (VB). The arrangement allows the two low-voltage energy storage devices (B1 and B2), either separately or when connected in parallel, to supply the vehicle electrical system consumers (VB) with a low voltage. In addition, the arrangement allows the two low-voltage energy storage devices (B1 and B2), when connected in series, to provide the high start power with increased voltage and correspondingly reduced current intensity at least for a cold start of the starter generator (SG).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Goetze, Hans-Peter Johanning
  • Patent number: 6718928
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1), especially of a motor vehicle. The position of a piston (2) in a cylinder (3) of the engine (1) is determined and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (4) of that cylinder (3) whose piston (2) is disposed in a work phase. In order to make possible a start of the internal combustion engine (1) as reliable as possible without an electro-motoric starter, it is suggested that the inlet and/or outlet valves (5) of at least one cylinder (3), whose piston (2) is disposed after top dead center (TDC), is brought into a position corresponding to a work phase in advance of the starting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Brueggen, Nikolaus Benninger, Udo Sieber
  • Patent number: 6718929
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine provided with a decompression mechanism, a decompression cam that is rotatable with respect to a camshaft between first and second stop positions has a cam profile so that an exhaust valve is opened at the first stop position and is closed at the second stop position. The decompression cam is rotated in the reverse direction to the first stop position by rotating a crankshaft in the reverse direction by an electric motor at startup (position P1). Only the crankshaft is then rotated in the reverse direction (position p3), and the decompression cam is rotated in the normal direction by rotating the crankshaft in the normal direction by the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Onozawa, Atsushi Ogasawara, Kuniaki Ikui
  • Patent number: 6718930
    Abstract: A first intake pipe has one end connected to a second side of the surge tank which faces a second cylinder bank, and a second intake pipe has one end connected to a first side of the surge tank which faces a first cylinder bank. Adjacent the intake pipe ends, the first and second intake pipes are inversely bent near the second and first cylinder banks respectively, and have middle portions crossing below the surge tank and have other ends connected to the first and second cylinder banks. The first and second intake pipes are arranged in an alternating position in the cylinder-row direction. First and second branch pipes have upper ends connected into the surge tank and lower ends connected to adjacent other ends of the first and second intake pipes. Variable intake elements are disposed at the upper ends of the branch pipes to open and close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Hisashi Ozeki
  • Patent number: 6718931
    Abstract: A recoil starter has a starter case provided around a starter shaft. A one-way clutch mechanism is formed between one end of the starter shaft and an engine. A reel is mounted rotatably on the starter shaft and a rope is wound in a groove of the reel. A first spiral spring has its ends fixed respectively to the starter case and reel and urges the reel in the direction in which the rope is taken up. A second spiral spring has its ends fixed respectively to the reel and transmits a rotational force of the reel to the starter shaft when the rope is drawn out. The peak load at the engine starting time is absorbed in the second spiral spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Starting Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinori Morishige, Shuhei Tsunoda, Seiichi Nieda
  • Patent number: 6718932
    Abstract: A lightweight engine poppet valve that has a valve head portion made from a lightweight, heat resistant material is attached to a hollow tube stem portion. The attachment is made with a mechanically locking interfitting joint on an extending portion of the valve head at a preselected distance. Preferably, the mechanically locking interfitting joint is a hydroformed joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Majo Cecur, Marco Querio, Sinharoy Shubhayu, Sundaram L. Narasimhan, Jose F. Masello
  • Patent number: 6718933
    Abstract: A valve seal for a rotary valve assembly for use in an internal combustion engine of the piston and cylinder type, the valve seal having a valve body member having a curved annular upper surface conforming to the spherical periphery of a spherical rotary valve, the valve seal having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough defined by an inner circular side wall, the valve body member having an annular receiving groove formed on its curved upper surface for receipt of a lubricating insert ring, the valve body member further having an outer circumferential side wall having a plurality of mounting ribs for the positioning of lateral sealing rings, the valve body member further having a plurality of radial throughbores formed between the inner circular side wall and the outer circumferential side wall, the throughbores being in the same plane as one of the sealing rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: George J. Coates
  • Patent number: 6718934
    Abstract: A balancer shaft is positioned on the center plane which divides cylinder banks of a V-type engine and which passes through an axis of the crankshaft, and is positioned directly below the crankshaft, whereby the balancer shaft is in close proximity to the crankshaft to cancel vibration forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 6718935
    Abstract: There is provided a hydraulic fuel system having an integrated and internally mounted oil circuit for providing high pressure in a hydraulically operated electronically controlled fuel injector fuel system. There is provide an internally mounted high pressure pump in a pump housing in the crankcase and connected to internally routed high pressure lines that deliver the oil to high pressure oil rails. There is provide an integrated low pressure oil reservoir in the crank case that comprises a low pressure oil cooler and reservoir. The oil cooler is preferably immersed inside the low pressure oil reservoir to optimize available engine space and improve heat transfer. There is also provided a high pressure pump filter that covers a high pressure pump inlet feed passage to prevent debris from passing into the high pressure oil pump and other components on the high pressure oil circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Meisner, Griselda Collet-Santacruz, Ruben D. Varela
  • Patent number: 6718936
    Abstract: Disclosed is a four-cycle engine for a small watercraft including a fuel injector for injecting a fuel into an air-intake passage through an injection nozzle, an openable valve provided in the air-intake passage for regulating an intake amount of air into a cylinder, a fuel supply passage through which the fuel is supplied to the fuel injector, and an oil supply passage connected to the fuel supply passage through forced oil supply means, wherein a proper amount of oil can be sufficiently supplied to the fuel supply passage by the forced oil supply means during engine running, irrespective of a position of the valve in the air-intake passage, that is, the position of an oil supply port in the air-intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6718937
    Abstract: A system and method for performing partial cylinder cut-off of an internal combustion engine is provided, the system including a rocker arm including first and second arms that are selectively joined together; a rocker arm connecting unit operated by hydraulic pressure and which performs the operation of selectively joining the first and second arms of the rocker arm; a separation-preventing unit interposed between the rocker arm and the rocker arm connecting unit, the separation-preventing unit preventing the separation of the rocker arm from the rocker arm connecting unit; and a hydraulic pressure supply unit controlled by an electronic control unit to supply and exhaust hydraulic pressure to and from the rocker arm connecting unit, the electronic control unit performing control of the hydraulic pressure supply unit according to comparisons made between received signals of vehicle state and pre-installed data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jin-Gi Kim
  • Patent number: 6718938
    Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine comprises a four-segment hinged rotor assembly accommodated in a coaxial housing such that the rotor assembles deforms and continuously adapts to the housing internal profile during its rotation. The closed non-circular rotor housing internal profile is a curve defined by a novel mathematical relationship. The curve is the locus of all points generated by the base extremities A and B of an isosceles right angle translating and simultaneously rotating triangle with the following constraints. The center point P of the base AB (of length c) of the triangle must always be located on an inscribed circle of radius c/2 and center at point O. The vertex C of the triangle must always be located on one of the four lobes of the curve of the form r=sin(2&thgr;) where angle &thgr; is the angle between line OA and the positive vertical (y) axis and also line OB and the positive horizontal (x) axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Peter Szorenyi
  • Patent number: 6718939
    Abstract: An engine cylinder induction air quantity measuring apparatus includes a controller to calculate an intake manifold inside air quantity of air in an intake manifold, from a sensed intake air quantity by performing a balance calculation to calculate a balance between an intake manifold inflow air quantity, and an intake manifold outflow air quantity; and to calculate a cylinder induction air quantity in accordance with the intake manifold inside air quantity. The controller is configured to determine whether an engine stop position of the engine is within the valve overlap period; and to set the intake manifold inside air quantity equal to an overlap stop mode final air quantity for use as an initial value of the intake manifold inside air quantity in a next start of the engine when the engine stop position is within the valve overlap period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Iwasaki, Shouichi Hayase
  • Patent number: 6718940
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved assembly for operating at least one exhaust valve and at least one intake valve in a cylinder in an engine. The assembly includes a rocker shaft, an intake rocker arm pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft for operating at least one intake valve of the engine cylinder, an exhaust rocker arm pivotally mounted on the rocker shaft for operating at least one exhaust valve of the engine cylinder. The improved assembly includes a lash adjusting assembly for adjusting a lash between at least one of the intake rocker arm and the at least one intake valve, and the exhaust rocker arm and the at least one exhaust valve. The improvement further includes a fluid supply assembly for supplying fluid to the lash adjusting assembly to operate the lash adjusting assembly. The improved assembly further includes a control assembly for controlling the operation of the supply assembly in response to predetermined engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Diesel Engine Retarders, Inc.
    Inventor: James N. Usko
  • Patent number: 6718941
    Abstract: An engine fuel control device includes an idle speed control valve that is disposed in a bypass passage that bypasses a throttle valve, a starting phase determination means that determines whether the engine is in a pre-start phase or a post-start phase, a first opening setting means that sets the opening of the idle speed control valve before starting, a second opening setting means that sets the opening of the idle speed control valve after starting, and a target opening setting means that sets at least one target opening for the idle speed control valve opening when the engine shifts from the pre-start phase to the post-start phase. While the engine is being started, the fuel control device shifts the ISC valve opening from the opening before the complete explosion is determined to the target opening after the complete explosion and eventually to the opening after the complete explosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Asano, Bunji Igarashi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 6718942
    Abstract: Method for estimation of the quantity of fresh air present in the intake and exhaust manifolds of an internal combustion engine with a recirculation circuit, by an observer, applied to a system of the third order, which models the physical system constituted by the intake and exhaust manifolds; the system is obtained from differential equations, which regulate the processes of mixing of the gases, and from an equation which represents the behavior of a lambda sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain SPA
    Inventors: Gilberto Burgio, Alessandro Palazzi, Renzo Ruggiani, Mauro Suffritti
  • Patent number: 6718943
    Abstract: In order to control vehicle shuffle, ie undesired fore and aft oscillations of the vehicle, the invention discloses a method comprising the steps of: continuously sensing the speed of the vehicle motor and producing a signal representing the speed analysing the speed signal determining a mean value for the speed signal identifying fluctuations from the mean value filtering the signal to remove the mean value and to retain the fluctuations applying a phase change to the filtered signal applying a deadband such that signals below a predetermined magnitude are ignored amplifying the filtered and phase changed signal resulting from the deadband application, and supplying the filtered, phase changed and amplified signal to a controller which controls the torque output of the vehicle motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen De La Salle, Dennis Light, Martin Jansz
  • Patent number: 6718944
    Abstract: The method and the device are used for cylinder shut-off in an internal combustion engine (10), in particular of a vehicle, using a control unit (15) in effective operational contact with the cylinders (11, 12, 13, 14) of the internal combustion engine (10), which has a monitoring unit (21), a knock regulating unit (20) and a fuel injector shut-off unit (22). At the same time the provision is made that the fuel injector shut-off unit (22) is operationally linked to the knock regulating unit (20) to achieve coordinated cylinder shut-off. The fuel injector shut-off unit (22) is provided with a memory medium (23) for storing a cylinder shut-off program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Franke, Axel Heinstein
  • Patent number: 6718945
    Abstract: A multicylinder petrol engine is provided with a hydraulic system for variable actuation of the valves, which enables easy control of operation of the engine according to different strategies. The engines according to the invention is, in particular, able to operate with a variable engine displacement in a modular way via the exclusion of selected cylinders, to control combustion by adjustment of the effective compression ration, and to control re-circulation of the exhaust gases at intake, in order to achieve low levels of consumption and reduced harmful exhaust emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Vittorio Doria, Marco Lucatello
  • Patent number: 6718946
    Abstract: A device provided with a fuel injector and a reservoir for temporarily storing the fuel to be fed to the fuel injector. Fuel is injected at least two times in one engine cycle. Pulsation of fuel occurring in the fuel injector due to a prior fuel injection is propagated to the reservoir, reflected at the reservoir, and returns to the fuel injector. Due to the effects of the returned pulsation, the fuel injection amount in the later fuel injection fluctuates. The opening timing of the fuel injector and the fuel injection pressure are employed as parameters affecting the fuel injection amount in the later fuel injection, the amounts of fluctuation of the parameters due to the pulsation are estimated, and a control value relating to the operation of the fuel injector is controlled based on the estimated amounts of fluctuation of the parameters so that a target amount of fuel is injected from the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Hokazono, Tsuneo Tsutsui, Kazuhiro Omae
  • Patent number: 6718947
    Abstract: A method for injecting fuel at at least two different high fuel pressures via injectors into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The fuel injection at the higher fuel pressure takes place by pressure-controlled features, during the fuel injection, at least one lower fuel pressure is generated. To that end, a fuel injection system has one local diversion unit for each injector, and the diversion unit can be activated or deactivated via a valve unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Mahr, Martin Kropp, Hans-Christoph Magel, Wolfgang Otterbach
  • Patent number: 6718948
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system and method are described that can provide different pressures of the supply of fuel to a power source such as an engine or a motor. The engine or the motor can power, for example, a vehicle or a generator. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel supply line to deliver fuel from a fuel tank to the engine or motor. A fuel pump outlet line delivers fuel from the tank to the fuel supply line. An in-tank return line returns fuel from a fuel return line to the tank. A regulator connects with the fuel pump outlet line to maintain a pressure of the fuel pump outlet line at or below a pressure set-point of the regulator. A solenoid valve connects with the in-tank return line such that a set-point pressure of the regulator is utilized when the solenoid valve closes the in-tank return line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephan Vahle, Thorsten Hahner, Bernd Guntermann, Stan Uszko
  • Patent number: 6718949
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for direct injection of fuels into at least one combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine has at least one fuel injection valve for each combustion chamber which can be inserted at a spray section into a respective receptacle bore hole, which is designed on the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine and has a fuel inlet opening on an inlet section. This fuel injection system also has a fuel distributor line which has a fuel outlet opening for each fuel inlet opening of the fuel injection valve. A tubular transition piece is arranged between the fuel inlet opening of each fuel injection valve and the respective fuel outlet opening and can be snarlingly connected to the fuel inlet opening of the respective fuel injection valve and to the fuel outlet opening of the fuel distributor line so that it can move within predetermined limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Gmelin
  • Patent number: 6718950
    Abstract: A hydraulically-actuated system includes a fix displacement variable delivery pump with a plurality of parallel disposed pistons that reciprocate in a pump housing the defines a high pressure portion and a low pressure area. A control device is attached to the pump housing and moveable between a first position in which the pistons displace fluid into the high pressure portion and a second position in which pistons spill fluid back to the low pressure area. The control device includes an electrically driven linear motion device, a linkage and a plurality of sleeves, one being disposed on each piston. Linear movement of the control device in turn causes linear movement of the sleeves. The position of the sleeves in turn determines the amount of output of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Haoran Hu, Bryan E. Nelson
  • Patent number: 6718951
    Abstract: An advance arrangement for use in controlling timing of fuel delivery by a fuel pump comprises an advance piston which is moveable within a first bore and which cooperates, in use, with a cam arrangement of a fuel pump to adjust the timing of fuel delivery by the pump. A surface associated with the advance piston is exposed to fuel pressure within an advance piston control chamber. A light load piston is moveable relative to the advance piston against a spring load due to a light load control spring to adjust the timing under light load conditions. A temperature control valve is operable to control fuel pressure applied to the light load piston depending on engine temperature so as to permit adjustment of the timing depending on engine temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel J Hopley
  • Patent number: 6718952
    Abstract: A fuel pump module (10) includes a fuel reservoir (R), fuel pump (26), manifold (32) connected to a pump outlet (30), a fuel line (FS) for supplying fuel to an engine (E), and a return line (FR) returning unconsumed fuel to the reservoir through a return valve (100). An external jet manifold (20) includes a nozzle (68) through which fuel is directed from the manifold, and a venturi (70) by which a low pressure region is created to draw fuel from a fuel tank (T) into the jet manifold where it is entrained and intermixed with other fuel and discharged into the reservoir. The return valve includes a plunger (122) biased to close the return valve when the fuel pump is shut off. High pressure fuel from the fuel pump acts on the plunger when the engine is running to open the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Uis, Inc.
    Inventor: James R. Finch