Patents Issued in November 2, 2004
  • Patent number: 6810832
    Abstract: An efficient economical automated animal house is provided to increase the health and longevity of animals, such as poultry, and swine. The automated poultry house provides for automatic removal of contaminated bedding and replacement with fresh or recycled bedding. The automated animal house also greatly reduces concentration of dust and noxious gases to provide for a cleaner and healthier environment for the animals and workers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Kairos, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Joe Ford
  • Patent number: 6810833
    Abstract: An animal habitat and display system provided in a frame having at least one set of guide rails supporting a pull-out drawer having at least one compartment with a viewing window and a movable wall section for gaining access into the compartment which defines an internal habitat environment. A selectively operable regulator element in communication with the internal environment is selectively operable via an environmental control unit having a control panel for regulating the internal habitat environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: North American Pet Products
    Inventors: Ronald K. Bonner, Eric R. Knudsen
  • Patent number: 6810834
    Abstract: An agricultural floor panel and system having a design for improved strength and cleaning is described. The floor panel is designed for support on at least two cross beams. The floor panel has two opposing edges, each edge having a plurality of flanges for supporting engagement on the cross beams and the plurality of flanges defining a plurality of recesses between adjacent flange. The flanges and recesses are adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding flanges and recesses of an adjacent panel and also include a locking and spacing system for locking adjacent panels together while substantively maintaining a gap between the opposing edges of two adjacent panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Agra Flooring International Ltd.
    Inventors: Warren W. Hutchings, Thomas Christie, Warren J. Blatz
  • Patent number: 6810835
    Abstract: A moisture separator 100 includes a plurality of flat frame plates 102 disposed parallel to each other to define a plurality of zigzag passages 101 between the frame plates 102, side walls facing the upstream side of the passages 101 defining entrance openings 120a and 122a of droplet collecting pockets 120 and 122.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Ishiguro, Yoshiyuki Kondo, Yasuhiko Hirao, Hiroshi Hirano, Toshiyuki Mizutani, Tomoyuki Inoue, Kaori Nagai, Junichiro Kodama
  • Patent number: 6810836
    Abstract: A finned tube water heater has a pair of flow manifolds each having a water inlet and a water outlet and a series of connected openings. Circular flow tubes have connecting ends which fit within the connecting openings of the manifold so that the tubes are arranged in a stacked fashion to form a tube bundle. A burner communicates with the interior space within the stacked tube bundle for producing products of combustion for heating water flowing in the flow tubes. The flow tubes have external fins which are crushed to form upper and lower flat stacking surfaces for stacking the tubes to form the tube bundle. The fins are also crushed to form angled baffled surfaces about a external periphery of the tubes. The baffle surfaces serve to retain heat from the products of combustion of the burner which are released into the interior space within the stacked tube bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Riverside Hydronics, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Allen Ferguson, Frank Austin Myers, Richard Patrick Carter, Michael James Hubbard, Curtis Allan Hissam, Scott Kevin White
  • Patent number: 6810837
    Abstract: A flow control apparatus for a boiling water nuclear reactor steam dryer is provided. The steam dryer includes at least one discharge plenum. In an exemplary embodiment, the flow control apparatus includes a support member, an elongate perforated plate member coupled to the support member, and at least one positioning member coupled to the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Johnathan D. Lazarus, John Lynch, Alfred S. Nelson
  • Patent number: 6810838
    Abstract: A coolant system and method for control of cylinder temperature in a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine includes an inlet rail for receiving coolant from a pump, an outlet rail located on a side of the cylinder head opposite the inlet rail and a plurality of individual coolant flow passages extending within the cylinder head and connecting the inlet rail with the outlet rail. A control valve and an associated temperature sensor are provided within each of the coolant flow passages and a controller individually controls each of the control valves in accordance with a signal received from its associated temperature sensor. The control valves may be controlled to bring the temperatures detected by their associated temperature sensors into conformance with an optimum temperature predetermined for engine speed and/or engine torque load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Karl Harry Hellman
  • Patent number: 6810839
    Abstract: The control device for a control motor of an engine has: a control information output unit for detecting an operational state of the engine as control information; target value computing unit for obtaining a target value of the motor corresponding to the control information; current value detecting unit for detecting a current value of the motor; motor control signal determining unit for generating a motor control signal for controlling a drive of the motor based on the target value and the current value; drive unit for driving the motor based on the motor control signal; and control state information determining unit for generating control state information indicating a change in the operational state of the engine based on a change in the control information. The target value computing unit corrects the control information based on the control state information so as to obtain a suitable target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Manabu Gohou
  • Patent number: 6810840
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine including cylinders with inlet and outlet valves, a first inlet valve drive having a first degree of adjustability for operating an inlet valve of at least one cylinder and a second inlet valve drive having a second degree of adjustability for operating an inlet valve of the at least one cylinder, the engine includes other cylinders having inlet valves with inlet valve drives having only the second degree of adjustability for operating the inlet valves of the other cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler A.G.
    Inventor: Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 6810841
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a valve of an internal combustion engine. The system includes an electromagnet actuator having a coil and an armature magnetically coupled to the coil. The armature is coupled to the valve to stroke the valve between an open and closed position in response to a drive signal fed to the coil. The system produces an error signal as a function of a difference between a predetermined desired position time history (i.e., position trajectory), yd, for the armature for each stroke of the armature and the actual position trajectory of the armature, y, during such stroke. The error signal is used to produce a feedforward command signal to a feedfoward controller for use in providing the drive signal to the coil during a subsequent stroke. The response of the feedforward controller to the error signal in providing the drive signal is an inverse function of the relationship between a change in armature position in response to a change in the drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Katherine Peterson, Yan Wang, Thomas Megli
  • Patent number: 6810842
    Abstract: An oil control valve (60) that controls a valve timing gear mounted on a cylinder head (1) of an internal combustion engine. The oil control valve includes a housing (3) with plural oil lines; a spool type valve (5) that moves in the housing to open and close the oil lines; and a solenoid (31) having a metal case (33) and driving the spool type valve. And this housing (3) is mounted on the cylinder head (1). At least a part of the metal case (33) passes through a through hole (183) through a cylinder head cover (18) covering the cylinder head (1) and is disposed outside the cylinder head cover (18). As a result, all parts of the oil control valve (60) are disposed inside the head cover (18), and even in case of oil leakage, the oil does not leak out of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Itou
  • Patent number: 6810843
    Abstract: In a VCT system having a feedback loop for controlling a phaser angular relationship, a control law disposed to receive a plurality of set point values and a plurality of feed back values is provided to include: a computation block for receiving the plurality of set point values as inputs, the computation block outputting a first output and a second output; a first summer for summing the first output and the plurality of feed back values to produce a first sum (e0); a phase integrator and a phase compensator receiving the first sum (e0) and derivatives (e1) thereof outputting a processed value (e2); a amplifier amplifying the second output by a predetermined scale (Kff); and e) a second summer for summing the processed value (e2) and the amplified second output to produce a second sum (e3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley B. Quinn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6810844
    Abstract: A method of variably actuating a valve of an engine includes selecting one of three valve lift profiles dependent at least in part upon engine operating conditions and parameters. The selected valve lift profile is phased relative to the angular position of the engine crankshaft dependent at least in part upon engine operating conditions and parameters. The valve is actuated according to the selected and phased valve lift profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark C. Sellnau
  • Patent number: 6810845
    Abstract: A lubrication system for an internal combustion engine having valves to optimize oil flow through an engine to increase engine efficiency. The lubrication system includes an engine driven oil pump connected to supply pressurized oil through a main oil feed to a main bearing gallery, a cam gallery, a cam phaser and switching valve lifters. A pair of pressure increasing valves connected to the main bearing gallery and the cam gallery selectively restrict oil flow to the cam gallery and the main bearing gallery to raise oil pressure supplied to the cam phaser. A pressure regulator valve is connected to the cam gallery to control oil pressure supplied to the switching lifters for cylinder deactivation or stepping valve train operation. The optimization of oil flow allows the engine to use a smaller oil pump and thereby increase engine efficiency while providing for actuation of the cam phaser or the switching lifters over the full engine speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Plenzler, Liyun Zheng
  • Patent number: 6810846
    Abstract: To provide a flow path structure of a hollow tube capable of reducing facility cost and product cost by promoting assembling operability, a rocker shaft is constituted by including a tubular member having a hollow portion and a partitioning member interposed at the hollow portion of the tubular member for partitioning the hollow portion into a plurality of flow paths along an axial direction and the partitioning member is constituted by a plate member including a partitioning portion for partitioning the hollow portion into the flow paths along the axial direction and a close contact portion brought into close contact with an inner face of the tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Murata, Toshihiko Oka
  • Patent number: 6810847
    Abstract: A charge dissipative cover for the spark plug boot and an ignition wire connected with spark plug of an engine includes a woven fiberglass sheath surrounding the spark plug insulator and spark plug boot and having an exterior coating comprising a silicone-based base coat containing aluminum flake and a dielectric silicone-based top coat containing ceramic pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Ernest T. Jefferson
  • Patent number: 6810848
    Abstract: An air intake channel system for internal combustion engines is provided. The system includes several air intake channels each of which is formed by at least a first and a second channel member. A common channel member is allocated to two of the air intake channels and includes two air inlet openings. By pivoting the common channel member, the length of the air intake channels can be jointly varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Pierburg GmbH
    Inventors: Tomislav Vadlja, Armin Huck, Hans-Ulrich Kuehnel
  • Patent number: 6810849
    Abstract: A four-stroke internal combustion engine is provided that is capable of use in many power tools, including those power tools subjected to tippable applications. There is provided within an engine housing an oil reservoir and a valve chamber which independently communicate with a crank chamber. A strategically placed divider and passageway, located within the engine housing, appropriately direct lubricant within the engine housing so that the internal cavity of the engine is lubricated during use in various operating attitudes, and so that the fluid flows to and is held in the proper chambers of the engine housing during storage. There is also provided a breather arrangement for an internal combustion engine which includes a cam shaft having a hollow passageway in communication with the crank chamber and the air intake system of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas Robert Hirsch, Mark Donald Schaefer, Michael Paul Braun, Peter Hotz, Darrell Albert Wiatrowski, Ronald Lee Bartelt, Brian Hubbard
  • Patent number: 6810850
    Abstract: A controlled exhaust brake for an engine comprises an exhaust restrictor located in an exhaust system downstream of an exhaust manifold of an engine. An actuator operably associated with the restrictor adjusts the restrictor. A pressure sensor operably associated with the exhaust manifold senses pressure in the exhaust manifold. A controller determines a set pressure in the exhaust manifold correlated with speed of the engine. The controller is in communication with the pressure sensor and the actuator, and causes adjustment of the restrictor in order to achieve and maintain the set pressure in the exhaust manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Jenara Enterprises Ltd.
    Inventors: Derek Anderson, Mark A. Israel, Robert B. Price
  • Patent number: 6810851
    Abstract: Supplementary control valve devices (26) may be utilized to control the flow of a fluid within an intake passage (16) of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and may include a valve member (56) axially reciprocally disposed within the intake passage and at least partially defining a solenoid armature (60). First and second solenoids (38, 50) are provided on opposite sides of the solenoid armature to reciprocally move the valve member between a valve open position and a valve closed position. Sealing contact faces are preferably defined by pole faces (68, 70) of the second solenoid and a peripheral fluid flow passage (34) extends through apertures (46) defined within the second solenoid and between the sealing contact faces. The valve member closes the peripheral fluid flow passage when pressed against the sealing contact faces. Springs (62, 64) preferably bias the valve member towards a central position between the first and second solenoids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Meta Motoren- und Energie-Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Kreuter
  • Patent number: 6810852
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for controlling an output quantity of a drive unit of a vehicle for at least one operating state of the vehicle which makes possible to optimally consider the power requests of motor-specific or vehicle-specific components without affecting the driving comfort. A desired value for the output quantity is adjusted to a target value in dependence upon at least a request of a motor-specific component or a vehicle-specific component (1, 5). This target value is furthermore adjusted in dependence upon that a driver command, which is pregiven at an operator-controlled element (10), has reached this target value in the first operating state or in a second operating state different from the first operating state. The desired value for the output quantity is likewise increased up to reaching the target value with an increase of the driver command pregiven at the operator-controlled element (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Schuster, Stephan Israel
  • Patent number: 6810853
    Abstract: An electronic throttle control (ETC) system to control an idle speed of an engine includes an accessory that increases a load on the engine and a controller that generates an idle request signal based on the increased load. The controller compares the idle request signal to an idle maximum signal and sets an idle command signal equal to the idle request signal if the idle request signal is less than the idle maximum signal. The controller determines the idle command signal based on the idle request signal, a previous idle command signal and the idle maximum increase signal if the idle request signal is greater than the idle maximum signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin C. Wong, Paul A. Bauerle, Todd R. Shupe, Edward J. Tully, Kerfegar K. Katrak
  • Patent number: 6810854
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting a desired torque to a throttle area to generate the desired torque in an internal combustion engine including the steps of converting the desired torque to an air per cylinder value, converting the desired torque to an indicated mean effective pressure, converting the indicated mean effective pressure to a manifold pressure, and converting the manifold pressure to the throttle area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Stroh
  • Patent number: 6810855
    Abstract: An atmospheric pressure is obtained from an intake pressure resulting immediately before an intake stroke, an injection fuel pressure P is calculated which is constituted by a differential pressure between a fuel pressure which is supplied to an injector 13 from the atmospheric pressure so obtained, a pump delivery pressure and the intake pressure and the intake pressure which is an injection atmosphere, a fuel injection time coefficient Qt0 per unit mass which is metered when a reference injection fuel pressure is P0 is divided by a square root P1/2 of the injection fuel pressure to calculate a fuel injection coefficient Qt, and a fuel injection time required to attain a desired air-fuel ratio is calculated using the fuel injection coefficient Qt so calculated, whereby it is possible to realize a highly accurate control of the fuel injection time when a regulator for regulating an upper limit value for a fuel pump delivery pressure is provided on a fuel tank side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hasegawa, Yuichiro Sawada
  • Patent number: 6810856
    Abstract: A fuel injection system has a pressure booster unit (1), disposed between a pressure reservoir chamber and a nozzle chamber, which unit has a displaceable piston unit (4) for boosting the pressure of the fuel to be supplied to the nozzle chamber. For controlling the pressure booster unit (1), the piston unit (4) has a transition from a larger to a smaller piston cross section and a differential chamber (2) formed thereby, which is connected to the pressure reservoir chamber via a filling path (13) having a filling valve (10). A reduction in the control quantity during the triggering of the pressure booster unit (1) and the performance of a rapid restoration of the piston unit (4) are attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Christoph Magel
  • Patent number: 6810857
    Abstract: The fuel injection system has one high-pressure fuel pump and one fuel injection valve, communicating with it, for each cylinder of the engine. The fuel pump piston is driven in by the engine and defines a pump work chamber communicating with a pressure chamber of the fuel injection valve. The fuel injection valve has a first hollow injection valve member movable in an opening direction counter to a closing force by the pressure prevailing in the pressure chamber to control at least one first injection opening. A second injection valve member is guided displaceably inside the first injection valve member and is movable counter to a closing force in an opening direction by the pressure prevailing in the pressure chamber member to control at least one second injection opening. One face is associated respectively with the first injection valve member and the second injection valve member and is acted upon by the pressure prevailing in a fuel-filled pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Boehland, Godehard Nentwig
  • Patent number: 6810858
    Abstract: A fuel injection mode is flexibly controlled according to the actual extent of adverse effects on an internal combustion engine from both deterioration of exhaust gas emissions and fuel dilution caused by fuel adhering to the piston top face and the cylinder inner peripheral face. A dilution degree counter value C is counted up when a coolant temperature at engine startup THWST and an intake air quantity sum value after engine startup GASUM are each equal to, or less than, respective predetermined values. A fuel dilution flag is set to “ON” when the dilution degree counter value C is equal to, or greater than, a predetermined value CH. A fuel injection timing of an intake stroke injection is changed to a timing on the advance side when this fuel dilution flag is “ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukikazu Ito, Kiyoo Hirose, Koji Honda
  • Patent number: 6810859
    Abstract: Disclosed here is a control unit employed for an internal combustion engine and provided with air flow sensor output correcting element capable of correcting a detected voltage error to occur in the air flow sensor according to a surge voltage and a supply voltage at each actuation of the thermal type air flow sensor. The thermal type air flow sensor output correcting element includes surge time measuring element for measuring a surge time in a value detected in the thermal type air flow sensor at the time of the sensor power on and supply voltage detecting means. The output correcting element thus calculates a warming-up characteristic correction amount for the thermal type air flow sensor according to the measured surge time and the detected supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Akagi, Hiroshi Hirayama, Takuto Okamoto, Kazuhiko Miya, Hatsuo Nagaishi, Tetsuya Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 6810860
    Abstract: A starting fuel injection control device for an internal combustion engine including a unit for estimating the starting ability of the internal combustion engine, a crank angle detecting unit for outputting a crank angle signal in synchronization with a specific crank angle position of each cylinder of the internal combustion engine and a cylinder discriminating unit for discriminating a reference crank angle of a specific cylinder. The device also includes a unit for simultaneously injecting fuel to all the cylinders before the completion of the cylinder discrimination at the starting time and a unit for starting the independent injection by turns separately for each cylinder in synchronization with the crank angle signal from the time just after the completion of the cylinder discrimination, and a unit for starting simultaneously injects fuel to another cylinder where intake is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Tani, Hitoshi Inoue, Koji Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 6810861
    Abstract: A shut off valve is provided in an intake line farther upstream than a throttle valve of the intake passage and farther downstream than an air cleaner. This shut off valve is opened by a signal or the like from an ECU when an engine is operating. Further, the shut off valve closes when the engine is stopped so as to suppress evaporative fuel inside the intake passage from flowing outside through the air cleaner. The evaporative fuel trapped inside the intake passage passes through a bypass passage that provides communication between the intake passage and the canister, and is then adsorbed with an adsorbent in the canister. A blow-by passage is also connected to the intake passage that is closed off by the shut off valve. Because the blow-by passage is closed off by a blow-by valve, which is closed during normal operation when the engine is stopped, sticking of the shut off valve and the throttle valve and the like due to the inflow of blow-by gas into the intake passage is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyoda Boshoku Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Itakura, Naoya Kato, Masaki Takeyama, Yoshinori Inuzuka, Minoru Honda, Kouichi Oda
  • Patent number: 6810862
    Abstract: A diaphragm operated pressure responsive valve has its inlet connected to a fuel tank vapor line and the valving chamber openly connected to the storage canister and to the engine air intake manifold vapor purge control valve. The diaphragm is operable to vary the spring bias on a valve member disposed in the chamber for biasing closed the vapor line from the tank in the event of high vacuum from the engine purge control valves. A bleed bypass permits continued bleed flow of vapor from the tank to the valving chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Rudolph Bergsma
  • Patent number: 6810863
    Abstract: A gas/air mixer assembly provides a Venturi metering system that may draw fuel from a zero governor, mix it with air to form a homogenous gas/air mixture for delivery to an internal combustion engine. The gas/air mixer assembly may also accept fuel under pressure from a gas metering valve or fuel injector for delivery to an internal combustion engine. The mixer includes an air horn, the relative position of which in relation to a shaped restriction body governs the air flow into the engine intake manifold. The flange of the air horn is configured to redirect the flow of air without generating significant turbulence, and providing a maximum velocity perpendicular flow to the injection of fuel to be mixed therein. The relative position of the air horn to the shaped restriction body is determined based on the cubic capacity and speed of the engine with which it is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Woodward Governor Company
    Inventors: Bryan Memmott, Mark A. Fisher, Jerry D. Hielkema
  • Patent number: 6810864
    Abstract: A fuel conditioning device designed for interposition between an engine's fuel supply line and the engine's fuel combustion zone, which device has a cylindrical body portion, with an input end and an output end, and a flow through passageway in the body portion. The input end is in fluid communication with the fuel supply line, and the output end is in fluid communication with the fuel combustion portion of the engine. Disposed within the body portion is a series of only plastic disks at each end that move the incoming and outgoing fuel in a quasi-sinusoidal pattern, and such movement of fuel is also carried out through a series of cells formed of a pair of plastic spaced and opposed disks with a copper-based disk in intimate contact with a zinc-based disk between each such pair of opposed spaced disks, between the series of only plastic disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Donald C. Folk
  • Patent number: 6810865
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recycle (EGR) isolation flange that includes an annular body that defines a central aperture therethrough and a plurality of axially extending bosses that extend from the body is disclosed. Additionally, a method for coupling an exhaust gas recycle flange to an isolation flange is disclosed where the EGR flange is mated to the isolation flange by receiving an isolation flange boss within a boss receiving aperture of the EGR flange and by disposing a seal ring between the EGR flange body and the isolation flange body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventor: David Hewkin
  • Patent number: 6810866
    Abstract: An engine includes cams for actuating intake and exhaust valves controlling transport of air and combustion products to and from a combustion chamber of the engine. The cams have valve opening and closing curves capable of being timed so that the intake valve opening curve partially overlaps the exhaust valve closing curve, allowing retention of some combustion products in the combustion chamber with an incoming air charge. At least one of the cams has variable timing to vary the valve overlap for controlling the amount of exhaust gas retention or recirculation (EGR). The overlapping portions of the cam opening and closing curves are extended to provide a relatively linear variation in valve overlap area over the range of cam variable timing. Thus, variation of exhaust gas retention in the combustion chamber becomes a relatively constant function of the duration of valve overlap in each engine cycle and control of the amount of EGR is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Brian W. Geiser
  • Patent number: 6810867
    Abstract: A mixing device is provided for an exhaust gas recirculation system of an internal combustion engine with an intake air line and an exhaust gas recirculation line. The outlet opening of the recirculation line or admission opening of the intake air line opens into the intake air line and a swirl generating element and/or a turbulence generating element is provided in the area of the admission opening of the mixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Schmid, Matthias Seltsam
  • Patent number: 6810868
    Abstract: An ignition coil has an outer coil unit, an inner coil unit, a coil case in which the outer and inner coil units are housed and a tower case accommodating lower parts of outer and inner spools. The outer spool is made of resin material whose bonding strength to resin insulating material, with which the tower case is filled, is weak. An axial leading end of the outer spool is positioned axially away from a reference position by a distance equal to or shorter than 60% of a reference length or by a distance equal to or longer than 90% of the reference length. With this ignition coil, cracks are suppressed on the resin insulating material opposed to the axial leading end of the outer spool otherwise caused by thermal stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tsunenaga, Kazutoyo Osuka, Jyunichi Wada
  • Patent number: 6810869
    Abstract: An ignition device for a personal watercraft engine, which allows mounting of a four-cycle engine on the personal watercraft and prevents occurrence of leakage of current. The engine for driving a jet propelling pump is provided in a watercraft body surrounded by a hull and a deck. A spark plug for spark ignition is provided in a cylinder head of the engine, and an integral cap ignition coil having a water-proof structure is water-tightly provided in the cylinder head in such a manner as to be located on the spark plug at an uppermost portion of the engine. A water-escape groove continuous to a recess for receiving a cap is formed in an upper surface of the cylinder head. A bottom surface of the escape groove is formed into a shape tilted downwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Gokan, Toru Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6810870
    Abstract: A toy gun includes a gun body, a support seat, a magazine, a gas control device, and a slide. The gas control device is mounted in the support seat and includes a link, a press plate, a baffle, a first clamping block, a driven block, a second clamping block, a limit plate, a hammer, a first shaft, and a second shaft. Thus, the gas control device can control operation of the gas valve of the gas chamber of the magazine exactly, so that the toy gun is operated smoothly and stably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Yih Kai Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Che Hu
  • Patent number: 6810871
    Abstract: A pneumatic assembly preferably includes a compressed gas storage area, a firing valve, and a bolt arranged along substantially the same horizontal axis. A valve retainer, a compressed gas storage area housing, and a bolt assembly are preferably arranged to form a substantially contiguous assembly housing. The firing valve is preferably configured to open when gas pressure is applied to a surface area thereof through a control valve. The bolt is preferably configured to move to a closed position before the firing valve is actuated. The control valve is preferably an electro-pneumatic valve configured to actuate the firing valve in response to a trigger pull of a paintball gun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Smart Parts, Inc.
    Inventor: Danial Jones
  • Patent number: 6810872
    Abstract: A blister pack for a inhalant medicator has a plurality of medical powder storage chambers spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction. The inhalant medicator includes a pricking tool with a pair of parallel pins that prick inflow and outflow holes in one of the medical powder storage chambers during a preliminary operation of inhalant medication. The inflow and outflow holes are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in a direction parallel to a lid panel of the blister pack to produce turbulent airflow within the medical powder storage chamber during inhalation during which the medical powder is inhaled by a patient's breathing. The medical powder storage chambers are dimensioned and designed to properly regulate or control properties of the airflow passing through the medical storage chamber, to ensure the airflow is suitable for the medical powder storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignees: Unisia Jecs Corporation, Dott Limited Company
    Inventors: Hisatomo Ohki, Shigemi Nakamura, Kazunori Ishizeki, Yoshiyuki Yazawa, Akira Yanagawa
  • Patent number: 6810873
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multidose powder inhaler for the dispensing of a powdered medicament by inhalation. The device comprises two or more medicament containers for different drug powders which are inhaled as a combined medication, and separate aerosolization channels for each drug powder. The device of the invention is useful, for example, in the treatment of asthma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Innovata Biomed Limited
    Inventors: Jussi Haikarainen, Kari Seppälä, Tommi Koskela, Antti Koivisto, Matti Silvasti
  • Patent number: 6810874
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multidose powder inhaler for the dispensing of a powdered medicament by inhalation. The device comprises two or more medicament containers for different drug powders which are inhaled as a combined medication. The device of the invention is useful, for example, in the treatment of asthma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Innovata Biomed Limited
    Inventors: Tommi Koskela, Antti Koivisto, Matti Silvasti, Jussi Haikarainen
  • Patent number: 6810875
    Abstract: Mouthpieces for particulate inhalers typically have either stationary particle deflectors or rotatable devices for changing the flow of particulate material through the mouthpiece. However, these mouthpieces do not prevent the build up of particulate drug on the walls of the mouthpiece. Thus, there is provided a mouthpiece (10) for use in an inhaler for particulate medicament, the mouthpiece having an inlet (12) and an outlet (13) for particulate medicament, a helical member (15) disposed between the inlet and the outlet for, in use, imparting a rotational movement to an air flow which is drawn through the mouthpiece and in which medicament is entrained, wherein the helical member (15) is, in use, axially movable between a first position and a second position such that it restricts the build up of medicament on the inside of the mouthpiece (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Andi-Ventis Limited
    Inventors: John Nicholas Staniforth, David Alexander Vodden Morton, Iain Grierson McDerment
  • Patent number: 6810876
    Abstract: The apparatus provides for the determination of the instantaneous phase in the respiratory cycle, subject's average respiration rate and the provision of ventilatory assistance. A microprocessor (16) receives an airflow signal from a pressure transducer (18) coupled to a port (17) at a mask (11). The microprocessor (16) controls a servo (19), that in turn controls the fan motor (20) and thus the pressure of air delivered by the blower (10). The blower (10) is coupled to a subject's mask (ii) by a conduit (12). The invention seeks to address the following goals: while the subject is awake and making substantial efforts the delivered assistance should be closely matched in phase with the subject's efforts; the machine should automatically adjust the degree of assistance to maintain at least a specified minimum ventilation without relying on the integrity of the subject's chemoreflexes; and it should continue to work correctly in the pesence of large leaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: ResMed Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Berthon-Jones
  • Patent number: 6810877
    Abstract: A circuit for use in respiration type apparatus using a piezoresistive transducer and wherein the temperature effects on system stabilization are minimized and system initialization times are reduced. The circuit comprises a differential sensor amplifier response to the output of the piezoresistive transducer, a dc negative feedback circuit connected to the output of the differential amplifier, an initialization circuit for reducing the initialization time of the circuit, a diode clamp and voltage follower for clamping the voltage output and a voltage comparator for tracking the circuit operating point and switching its output state when a sudden voltage change caused by a patient breath is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Medical Electronics Devices Corp.
    Inventor: Kenneth H. Ball
  • Patent number: 6810878
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for stabilizing at least one medical device such as a tracheal or gastric tube entering or covering at least one facial cavity such as the mouth and/or nose, taking advantage of a stabilization stent to secure to a patient's face the tracheal or gastric tube without the need to apply tape to the face, while maintaining visibility of tube markings, preventing kinking of the tube, and keeping the infant's face visible to parents and caregivers. In one form, the invention comprises a transverse stent comprising a superior border opposed to an inferior border, an inner surface and an outer surface. A first facial interface is attached to a first terminal end of the transverse stent, and positioned to mechanically clasp to a first side of a patient's face. A second facial interface is attached to a second terminal end of the transverse stent and positioned to mechanically clasp to a second side of a patient's face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventor: Charles Palmer
  • Patent number: 6810879
    Abstract: A positioning device for a patient undergoing a lateral epidural procedure. The positioning device includes a shoulder harness subassembly and a leg saddle subassembly. The shoulder harness subassembly is adapted to fit over the shoulders of the patient, and includes a chest strap extending downwardly from the front thereof. The leg saddle subassembly is adapted to fit behind the upper right and left legs of the patient, the saddle subassembly having a saddle strap extending upwardly therefrom. An adjustable strap attachment means is attached to one of the lower end of the chest strap or the upper end of the saddle strap. The adjustable strap attachment means is adapted to adjustably receive the other strap and hold the other strap at a location that restrains the patient in the desired fetal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Inventor: Ronald E. Tinsley
  • Patent number: 6810880
    Abstract: A surgical system, including a sealable pouch or envelope with surgical implements in the envelope is disclosed. The envelope is formed by the folds in a membrane and includes adhesive on the envelope to adhere the envelope to the surgical site. The system may include a port in the membrane to communicate between the interior and exterior of the envelope. When used for implant surgery, the port helps to provide sterile access to the implant site and also helps to ensure that the implant site does not become contaminated. The adhesive helps to position the system to the patient, and placement of the surgical implements inside the envelope helps to ensure sterility of the implements. The envelope can be opened over the surgery site and adhered to the incision site on the patient, thereby forming a sterile field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul B. Jennings, Jr., Paul D. Drumheller, Terry A. Hubbard, Krzysztof R. Pietrzak
  • Patent number: 6810881
    Abstract: A drape including a sensing device is disposed over a thermal treatment system having a basin recessed therein to form a drape container or receptacle within the basin for collecting a sterile medium. The thermal treatment system may either heat or congeal the sterile medium. The sensing device is typically disposed through the drape to provide a signal indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to the system to facilitate control of system operation. In addition, the sensing device may be affixed to a plural basin drape utilized for a multiple basin thermal treatment system. The drape forms a drape receptacle within each basin, while a sensing device is typically disposed within each drape receptacle to detect the presence of liquid and/or a leak within that drape receptacle to facilitate control of system operation in substantially the same manner described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: O.R. Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Durward I. Faries, Jr., Bruce R. Heymann, Calvin Blankenship