Patents Issued in May 1, 2007
  • Patent number: 7210421
    Abstract: A latch system for a watertight bulkhead door for closing a bulkhead opening. A plurality of surrounding shield elements are translated by an articulated mechanism into and out of locking engagement with the bulkhead door. A continuous wedged striker along the periphery of the door surface is engaged by wedged surfaces on the shield elements when the shield elements are translated into locking relationship with the door, causing a gasket in the door to be compressed against a collar surrounding the bulkhead opening. The shield elements abut each other in closed position, forming a continuous frame around the door to shield the gasket from fire and to provide a small radar cross-section. Preferably, the exterior shield elements are mounted to a prior art articulated dogging mechanism disposed on the interior of the bulkhead. A plurality of translatable inner bulkhead shields is also provided to cover the articulated mechanism for safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Performance by Design International, Inc.
    Inventor: David E. Pendergraph
  • Patent number: 7210422
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fin stabilization system adapted to minimize roll about the longitudinal axis of the boat during sharp cornering at very high speeds. In one form, equipment such as a machine gun is mounted to the bow of the boat and targets are adapted to be engaged in high-speed maneuvers when cornering and the deck of the boat is not excessively rolled whereby blocking visibility in a turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Aluminum Chambered Boats LLC, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Hickok, Mark R. Morgan, Richard M Benson, Michael A. Baker
  • Patent number: 7210423
    Abstract: A thru-hull cap cover for a watercraft thru-hull and method therefor capable of covering and protecting the exposed exterior end of a thru-hull from the elements, thus reducing the need to replace a watercraft thru-hull.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: Paul A. Haugen
  • Patent number: 7210424
    Abstract: A high-density plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, having a susceptor for supporting an object to be processed positioned therein and a dielectric window positioned on the processing chamber to form an upper surface of the processing chamber. A reaction gas injection device injects a reaction gas into an interior of the processing chamber. An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) antenna, which is installed on a center of the dielectric window, transfers radio frequency (RF) power from an RF power supply to the interior of the processing chamber. A waveguide guides a microwave generated by a microwave generator. A circular radiative tube, which is installed on the dielectric window around the ICP antenna and is connected to the waveguide, radiates a microwave toward the interior of the processing chamber via a plurality of slots formed through a bottom wall of the radiative tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuri Nikolaevich Tolmachev, Sergiy Yakovlevich Navala, Dong-joon Ma, Dae-il Kim
  • Patent number: 7210425
    Abstract: A transport tank for use in live haul truck transport of aquatic species such as catfish is formed of rotomolded plastic. The tank has a grooved floor which is covered with a perforated plate. The grooves contain aeration lines which run along the length of the floor. The aeration lines have threaded end fittings which engage a doubly threaded nut which is received in a sidewall opening of the tank. The hoses can be removed for servicing by simply unthreading the doubly threaded nut and pulling the aeration lines out of the sidewall openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: Bill Battle
  • Patent number: 7210426
    Abstract: A pet carrier for transporting an animal includes a floor panel having a substantially rigid bottom, a pair of side panels each having a lower edge and an upper portion, the lower edges of each side panel attached to opposite ends of the floor panel, and an arcuate top panel having a pair of oppositely located lateral edges, a pair of oppositely located ends, and an inner surface, the ends being fixedly attached to the floor panel and the lateral edges being releasably attached to the side panels. At least two arches are detachably engaged to the top panel inner surface and spaced above the floor panel, the arches being formed from a resiliently planar material and bent to conform with the arcuate top panel. An inflexible bar is positioned along an apex of the top panel inner surface for providing longitudinal stability to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Style Living Corporation
    Inventor: Angie Yeung
  • Patent number: 7210427
    Abstract: A portable livestock panel system for effectively containing livestock in a humane manner. The portable livestock panel system includes a plurality of posts each having a plurality of receiver apertures and a plurality of fastener apertures, a plurality of cross members receivable within the receiver apertures of the posts, and a plurality of fastener members extendable through the fastener apertures within the posts and the cross members for securing the same. The posts and the cross members are preferably comprised of a resilient plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: Frank D. Dillman
  • Patent number: 7210428
    Abstract: A livestock management system is provided that sorts animals for split-weight feeding based on a calculated median weight of a herd. The system includes a pen area partitioned into a first feeding area containing at least a first feeder, a second feeding area containing at least a second feeder, and a common watering area containing at least one waterer. First and second one-way gates are respectively provided between the feeding areas and the watering area allowing animals to pass from the feeding areas into the watering area. A walk-through scale has an inlet open to the watering area, and first and second outlets open to the first and second feeding areas, respectively. The walk-through scale has a sort gate for selectively directing animals into the first and second feeding areas based on a comparison of a detected weight of the animal and a calculated median weight of the herd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Osborne Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald M. Thibault
  • Patent number: 7210429
    Abstract: An engine including a stationary housing; a cylinder bank rotatably mounted to the housing about a central longitudinal axis, the cylinder bank having a plurality of cylinders therein radially distanced from and parallel to the central longitudinal axis, each cylinder having a cylinder wall, an intake port, an exhaust port, a valve assembly governing the opening and closing of the intake port and the exhaust port, a piston moveable within the cylinder between an up position and a down position, and a connecting member having an inner end connected to the piston and an outer end; a torque plate operatively connected to the outer ends of the connecting members, the torque plate being rotatably mounted in a torque plane defined by the outer ends of the connecting members and which makes an oblique angle to a plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis, so that as the cylinder bank rotates the torque plate sequentially guides each piston from the up position to the down position during a first portion of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: Douglas Marshall Johns
  • Patent number: 7210430
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for extracting energy from an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes a chamber having a primary piston and a secondary piston with a combustion portion of the chamber situated adjacently between the primary piston and secondary piston. The secondary piston includes a substantially lesser mass than that of the primary piston. The chamber includes at least one fluid port for supplying fuel to the combustion portion and an out-take port for releasing combustive exhaust. The chamber includes a controller for controlling the combustion therein at selected cycles of the primary piston. With this arrangement, the secondary piston is configured to draw a portion of energy from combustion controlled by the controller in the chamber. Such portion of energy is provided with a rapid response to an energy transferring portion interconnected to the secondary piston, which in turn, transfers and/or converts the energy for acting on a load or external application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Sarcos Investments LC
    Inventors: Stephen C. Jacobsen, Marc Olivier, Michael Morrison, Shane Olsen
  • Patent number: 7210431
    Abstract: A combustion-type power tool includes a cylinder and a combustion chamber frame disposed to surround the cylinder and movable along the cylinder. A partition wall divides an inner space of an outer frame into a first space in which the cylinder and the combustion chamber frame are disposed and a second space in which a gas cartridge cylinder is disposed and has a through-hole through which the first space and the second space are in fluid communication with each other. A plurality of ribs is formed on an outer surface of the cylinder for regulating an exhaust gas flow generated by combustion of a gaseous mixture in the combustion chamber. The ribs enable exhaust gas discharged from the combustion chamber to be directed away from the through-hole, thereby enabling the gas cartridge cylinder to be maintained at a substantially constant temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomasa Nishikawa, Yoshitaka Akiba, Shoichi Hirai, Haruhisa Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 7210432
    Abstract: A two-stroke engine is for a portable handheld work apparatus such as a motor-driven chain saw, cutoff machine, brushcutter or the like. A combustion chamber (3) is configured in the cylinder (2) of the engine (1) and is delimited by a reciprocating piston (5). The piston (5) drives a crankshaft (7) via a connecting rod (6). The crankshaft (7) is rotatably journalled in the crankcase (4). The two-stroke engine includes a discharge opening (10) for conducting exhaust gases out of the combustion chamber (3) and an inlet (11) via which an air/fuel mixture is conducted to the crankcase (4). The air/fuel mixture passes via at least one transfer channel (12, 15) from the crankcase (4) into the combustion chamber (3). The transfer channels (12, 15) open at one end with a transfer window (13, 16) into the combustion chamber (3) and are connected at the other end to the crankcase (4). A bypass channel (20) conducts essentially fuel-free gas and opens via a membrane valve (19) into the transfer channel (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Heiko Rosskamp, Jörg Schlossarczyk, Konrad Knaus, Gerhard Osburg
  • Patent number: 7210433
    Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine includes dual transfer passages in gaseous communication between a crankcase chamber and a combustion chamber of the engine, an air passage through the crankcase to the crankcase chamber and in gaseous communication with a carburetor of the engine. A rotatable circular disk or crank-web is rotatably connected to a crankshaft. A piston may be used to open and close a top end of the passages. An air inlet port to the transfer passage for stratified scavenging is opened and closed by the crank-web that has passages and cutouts. The rotary valve replaces the one-way reed valve used in stratified scavenged and charged two-stroke engines. The air passes from lower ends of the transfer passages to top ends and into the crankcase through a piston passage, through the adjacent transfer passages directly, or through a passage in the piston into the crankcase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventors: Nagesh S. Mavinahally, Jay S. Veerathappa
  • Patent number: 7210434
    Abstract: A hydraulic fluid cam providing variable valve actuation in an engine is disclosed. In one embodiment, the hydraulic fluid cam is adapted to vary valve timing while holding valve displacement constant. In another embodiment, the hydraulic fluid cam is adapted to vary valve displacement, while holding valve timing constant. Some embodiments are adapted to vary both valve timing and displacement simultaneously to optimize engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Tae-kyung Kim
  • Patent number: 7210435
    Abstract: A desmodromic valve and cam system is provided which is adapted to be installed into an internal combustion pushrod engine. The system includes a camshaft assembly having a plurality of removably attached cam lobes installed onto a main camshaft; a valve connector assembly installed onto a distal tip of each valve; a rocker having a valve movement end mechanically linked to a respective valve connector and a pushrod connecting end mechanically linked to an upper distal end of a pushrod; a hydraulic lifter follower assembly assigned to each valve which includes a pin disposed on a distal end thereof which is adapted to engage and track a follower groove formed on each respective cam lobe; and a pushrod assigned for each valve, each pushrod having lower distal end mechanically linked to a respective hydraulic follower lifter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: Julian A. Decuir, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7210436
    Abstract: The invention relates to a four-stroke internal combustion engine (10), especially for lawnmowers, comprising at least one cylinder for a reciprocating piston which acts via a connecting rod on a crankshaft (12) and at least one overhead camshaft (16) for driving overhead gas exchange valves and a transmission (60) between crankshaft (12) and camshaft (16) with a motion plane within a transmission chamber (70) which is perpendicular to the crankshaft axis (14). It is proposed that at least one camshaft bearing (91) for bearing the camshaft (16) is configured as a tunnel bearing, with preferably one bore (93) of a bearing block (92) of at least one camshaft bearing (91) comprising substantially at least one recess (94) corresponding to the shape of the cam. The internal combustion engine (10) is easy to make and comes with reliable lubrication for the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Nikolaus Oberleitner, Rudolf Gande
  • Patent number: 7210437
    Abstract: The invention proposes a periodically actuable tappet (1) for a valve train, said tappet (1) comprising a hollow cylindrical skirt (2) that can be arranged through an outer peripheral surface (3) in a guide bore (4) of a surrounding structure (5), said skirt (2) comprising a window-type aperture (6) in which a separate anti-rotation device (8) is arranged through a radially inner portion (7), a radially outer portion (9) of the anti-rotation device (8) extending beyond the skirt (2) for guidance in a longitudinal groove (10) that intersects the guide bore (4), wherein the anti-rotation device (8), as viewed in cross-section, is substantially mushroom-shaped, the inner portion (7) has a rectangular cross-section corresponding to a geometry of the aperture (6) of the skirt (2), into which cross-section, the outer portion (9) merges in the manner of a roof through a fractional cylindrical outer peripheral surface (11), inner legs (12) of the outer portion (9) extend beyond the aperture (6) in peripheral directio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Norbert Geyer
  • Patent number: 7210438
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine with variable actuation valves, each variable actuation valve is actuated by an actuator assembly including an actuating piston slidably mounted in a guide bushing. Between the actuating piston and the stem of the respective valve is interposed an auxiliary hydraulic tappet comprising a first bushing and a second bushing positioned inside the first bushing in such a way as to define a first chamber between the second bushing and the actuating piston, and a second chamber between the two bushings of the hydraulic tappet. The first chamber is fed a pressurized chamber of the engine lubrication loop. A check valve controls a communication between the two chambers of the tappet, to allow the passage of fluid in the direction of the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Gianluca Canino, Stefano Chiappini, Francesco Vattaneo
  • Patent number: 7210439
    Abstract: The invention proposes a switching element (1) for a valve train of an internal combustion engine, particularly for valve deactivation, with a simple-to-implement measure for adjusting the coupling lash of its coupling means (8) in a receptacle (6) using two retaining rings (19, 20), one of which is stocked in a variety of thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Norbert Geyer, Peter Sailer, Oliver Schnell
  • Patent number: 7210440
    Abstract: A camshaft assembly includes an inner shaft, an outer tube surrounding and rotatable relative to the inner shaft, and two groups of cam lobes mounted on the outer tube. The first group of cam lobes is fast in rotation with the outer tube and the second group is rotatably mounted on the outer tube and connected for rotation with the inner shaft by means of pins that pass with clearance through slots in the outer tube. A spring is incorporated in the camshaft assembly to bias the inner shaft relative to the outer tube towards one extreme of its angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Machadyne PLC
    Inventors: Nicholas James Lawrence, Richard Alwyn Owen, Timothy Mark Lancefield, Ian Methley
  • Patent number: 7210441
    Abstract: A priming and purging system and method for an internal combustion engine having a diaphragm carburetor includes a pump in fluid communication with the carburetor, a portion of the engine, and a fuel tank. The pump is manually actuatable to draw liquid fuel and any fuel vapors and gases from the carburetor and to deliver at least some liquid fuel into a portion of the engine to prime the engine and liquid fuel and any fuel vapor and gases toward and preferably into the fuel tank to facilitate purging the carburetor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Michael P. Burns
  • Patent number: 7210442
    Abstract: An engine control system includes an ignition switch, a starter switch which operates a starter of an engine after the ignition switch has been turned on, and a voltage increasing circuit which increases a battery voltage to a higher voltage. The engine control system controls the voltage increasing circuit to start to increase a voltage from a battery to the higher voltage upon a timing of turning on the starter switch. Thus, radio noises caused by an operation of the voltage increasing circuit may be avoided from time at which the ignition switch is turned on to time at which the starter switch is turned on (during a quiet time period).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshio Toyoshima
  • Patent number: 7210443
    Abstract: The present invention provides an engine stoppage notification apparatus with which, due to its compatibility with and good correspondence to the intention of a driver to start off a vehicle and to stop and idle the vehicle, it is possible to anticipate the possibility of enhancement of product quality along with alleviation of the burden upon the driver. This engine stoppage notification apparatus notifies the driver that the engine is about to stop when the engine has satisfied certain predetermined stoppage permission conditions, and includes a notification device which, from when the stoppage permission conditions are satisfied until the engine stops, issues a notification of the engine stoppage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoo Shimokawa, Satoshi Chida, Kazuhito Tokugawa, Shinichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7210444
    Abstract: An air intake system for an internal combustion engine has at least one air box and a short duct for each cylinder. Each duct can be extended to provide higher torque at low speed. At high speed, the shorter duct length can be selectively provided for enhanced engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Norbert Korenjak, Heinz Kusel
  • Patent number: 7210445
    Abstract: A piston-cam engine includes a drive cylinder, a drive piston operably disposed therein having a piston head and a shaft, a support frame having a drive shaft rotatably movably connected thereto, a cam connected to the drive shaft having a peripheral surface and having a plurality of lobes thereon, a roller member connected to the piston shaft and adapted for engagement with the peripheral surface of the cam, and a biasing element for biasing the roller member continuously against the peripheral surface of the cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventor: Ray O. Chaney
  • Patent number: 7210446
    Abstract: An engine having a rotary member and a first linear member includes a first axis about which the rotary member rotates and a second axis coupling the rotary member to an offset rotary element. The first linear member is coupled to the offset rotary element by a first coupling. The second linear member is coupled at one end to the offset rotary element by the first coupling and at an opposite end to a housing. The first linear member moves back and forth in lateral fashion from a first position to a second position. The lateral movement of the first linear member causing continuous rotational movement of the rotary member in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Inventors: Tihomir Sic, Miladin Vidakovic
  • Patent number: 7210447
    Abstract: The invention concerns an ignition device for internal combustion engine, containing: a main chamber (1) designed for including a main combustible mixture, and fitted with a compression system of said mixture, and an igniter (11) containing a precombustion chamber (2) designed for receiving reactants and an ignition system (13,14) of the reactants contained in the precombustion chamber (2), said precombustion chamber (2) being defined by a precombustion chamber body (12) having a head (12a) including at least one passageway (15), said head (12a) of the precombustion chamber body separating the precombustion chamber (2) from the main chamber (1) and communicating the precombustion chamber (2) and the main chamber (1) by dint of the passageway(s) (15), characterised in that the head (12a) is coated at least partially externally with a coating layer (R) of at least one refractory material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Cyril Robinet, Nicolas Tourteaux
  • Patent number: 7210448
    Abstract: An engine is provided which includes various precise configuration parameters, including dimensions, shape and/or relative positioning of the combustion chamber features, resulting in a combustion process minimizing NOx emissions and particulates. The combustion chamber includes one or more of the following: a spray angle relative to an inner bowl floor angle; a vertical distance from the tip of the piston bowl to the injection orifices; a number of injection orifices; a swirl ratio; a vertical distance from the injection orifices to an inner face of the cylinder head; a radius of curvature of an outer bowl section; chamfer with dimensional parameters; and a transition radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald W. Stanton, Randall L. Zehr, Wayne A. Eckerle, Francois Ntone
  • Patent number: 7210449
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method, according to which the air fed to the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine is pre-compressed by means of a boosting device, particularly an exhaust gas turbocharger. The valve overlap of the gas exchange valves of the internal combustion engine is adjusted by variably displacing the camshaft. The quantity of fuel to be injected, which is required for homogeneously operating the internal combustion engine, is determined and injected directly into the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine, the total quantity of fuel to be injected being divided into two partial quantities. A first partial quantity is injected into the intake stroke while a second partial quantity is injected into the compression stroke. The ratio at which the two partial quantities are divided is defined according to the load range of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Beer, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7210450
    Abstract: An intake control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a variable valve operating mechanism capable of varying a lift and operation angle of an intake valve continuously and a control unit that controls an intake air amount by varying the lift and operation angle of the intake valve in accordance with an operating condition of the engine. The control unit has a learning section that learns a controlled position of the variable valve operating mechanism at a learning position that is a predetermined lift and operation angle located between a minimum value and a maximum value of the lift and operation angle that can be actually realized by the variable valve operating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Arinaga, Ryosuke Hiyoshi, Shin Ishizaki, Shinichi Takemura, Takanobu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7210451
    Abstract: A throttle control device includes a motor coupled to the throttle shaft, so that the throttle valve rotates to open and close an intake air channel as the motor is driven. A detection device serves to detect the degree of opening of the throttle valve and includes a pair of magnets and a sensor. The magnets are mounted to the throttle shaft via a magnet support and are positioned to oppose each other across the rotational axis of the throttle shaft in order to produce a uniform magnetic field. The sensor is mounted to the throttle body and serves to detect a direction of the magnetic field produced by the magnets, so that the detection device outputs a signal representing the degree of opening of the throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ikeda, Koji Yoshikawa, Kazumasa Nakashima
  • Patent number: 7210452
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, for preventing a throttle valve from freezing when the internal combustion engine is stopped. A control unit is constructed to receive power from a battery ancillary to an internal combustion engine when the internal combustion engine is stopped and perform a probability determination of whether or not the probability of a throttle valve freezing is high. When this probability is high, the control unit controls the throttle valve to execute a freeze protection operation, including a valve opening and closing operation of the throttle valve, before the throttle valve freezes. The probability determination is carried out using environmental temperature detecting means, engine temperature detecting means, date/time information outputting means, location information detecting means, and a drive level of an exhaust recirculating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Nakashima, Ikuo Musa, Ken Tachibana, Masato Oonishi
  • Patent number: 7210453
    Abstract: A throttle control device for transmitting signals to an electronic fuel control system for a vehicle engine is provided that includes an electromagnetic field generator and first and second electromagnetic field sensors positioned proximal to electromagnetic field. The electromagnetic field and the first and second sensors being manipulatable relative to each other, and the sensors being responsive to the relative manipulation. The sensors configured to independently transmit signals representative of said relative manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Williams Control Industries Inc.
    Inventors: John Herrick, Fred Yates, Jeffrey Scott Morgan, Edward Ramsden
  • Patent number: 7210454
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having cylinders capable of selectively resting during engine operation is capable of eliminating step increases in engine output when the number of operative cylinders is changed. The internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders divided into two or more groups, at least some of the cylinders being restable. A throttle valve of each of the cylinders is independently operable on the basis of the group to which the cylinder belongs, and the number of resting cylinders is controlled according to the throttle grip opening. The throttle valve opening is different between the groups, except for the full opening condition and the full closure condition of the throttle valve, and an ECU is provided for opening the throttle valve of the next cylinder group before the throttle valve opening of the former cylinder group reaches the full opening condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hayato Maehara, Shinji Saito, Kazuhito Hotta, Takaaki Tsukui
  • Patent number: 7210455
    Abstract: A system is described using a fuel quality sensor for controlling various aspects of engine operation. In particular, an acoustic wave sensor is utilized to measure viscosity and density of gasoline fuels. This measurement is utilized to predict engine combustion quality during an engine start. Based on the prediction, the method adjusts engine operating parameters (such as fuel injection amount and ignition timing) to achieve improved vehicle driveability and engine combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacobus Hendrik Visser, Allan Joseph Kotwicki, Allan J. Lippa, Carina Eva Irene Bjornsson, Carol S. Smith, Daniel Lawrence Meyer, John D. Russell, Michael John Cullen, Michael Howard Parsons, Philip William Husak
  • Patent number: 7210456
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1) generates power by burning an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber (3). The internal combustion engine (1) is provided with an in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) and an ECU (20). The ECU 20 calculates at two predetermined points control parameters each of which is a product of an in-cylinder pressure detected by the in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) and a value obtained by exponentiating an in-cylinder volume at the time of detecting the in-cylinder pressure by a predetermined index number, as well as determines a misfire condition in the combustion chamber (3) based on the difference component in the control parameters between the two predetermined points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Moriya, Kouhei Miwa
  • Patent number: 7210457
    Abstract: An engine includes cylinders, a sensor for detecting information related to combustion states of the cylinders. Each cylinder is provided with an ignition device, an intake valve, and an exhaust valve. The engine also includes a control apparatus that obtains the information from the sensor. Based on the information from the sensor, the control apparatus identifies a cylinder of the most violent combustion. The control apparatus controls at least one of the valve timing of the intake valves, the valve timing of the exhaust valves, and a fuel injection amount to the cylinders, thereby suppressing the combustion of all the cylinders, such that the combustion state of the identified cylinder becomes an appropriate combustion state. As for a cylinder the combustion state of which is out of a predetermined range and is a state causing misfire, the control apparatus selectively activates the corresponding ignition device to perform assisted ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kuzuyama
  • Patent number: 7210458
    Abstract: A device and a method for determining pressure fluctuations in a fuel supply system provide two signal filters to enable determining as much information about pressure fluctuations as possible with minimal sensor use. A sensor signal which is characteristic of a pressure in the area of a fuel injector is filtered using the two filters, which have filter characteristics that differ from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Walther, Oliver Schulz, Oliver Becker
  • Patent number: 7210459
    Abstract: A common-rail fuel injection system includes a common rail, an injector, a control device and a pressure sensor. The common rail stores the high-pressure fuel. The injector injects the fuel stored in the common rail. The control device obtains an injection quantity from the injector in accordance with an operating state so as to control and on-off valve of the injector based on the injection quantity. The common-rail pressure sensor detects a common-rail pressure of the fuel stored in the common rail. The control device includes correction means for, obtaining a pressure drop quantity of the common rail pressure upon establishment of a predetermined learning condition, obtaining a leakage quantity change of the injector, and correcting the injection quantity based on the leakage quantity change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Masamichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 7210460
    Abstract: A low cost bypass pressure regulator preferably for a returnless fuel system supplying liquid fuel to a fuel injector of the combustion engine. The pressure regulator preferably has a valve head disposed at least in part in a valve chamber defined by a circumferentially continuous inner surface carried by a valve body and which transitions radially outward with respect to a center axis and in a downstream direction. The valve head preferably tapers radially inward from a downstream peripheral outer edge of the head. In a closed position, the valve head engages a seat carried by the body with the peripheral outer edge downstream of the seat and radially spaced from and fitted closely to the valve chamber continuous inner surface thus defining a close fit region therebetween. As the valve head opens, the flow cross-section enlarges which reduces or eliminates oscillation of the valve head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Douyama, Kerry E. Grifka, Kevin L. Israelson, Ronald H. Roche, Edward J. Talaski
  • Patent number: 7210461
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle with a cylinder head, an intake manifold, and a fuel distributor rail. The downstream end of the intake manifold is connected by a flange to intake channels in the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. The fuel distributor rail is located at the downstream end of the intake manifold and is connected to fuel injection valves. The internal combustion engine is installed in the motor vehicle in such a way that the intake manifold is located on the side of the cylinder head on which the external crash force will act during a crash. A protective strap, which extends at least over the entire width of the flange, is attached to the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Nico Schreeck, Andreas Deyda, Kurt Hoppe
  • Patent number: 7210462
    Abstract: A support element for the mutual support of a fuel injector in a valve seat, in particular of the valve seat of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, and of the fuel injector at a fuel distribution line has a clasp and thereon developed radially and axially deformable clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Scheffel, Martin Andorfer, Rocco Scholz
  • Patent number: 7210463
    Abstract: A pump having least one pump element with a pump piston guided in a sealed fashion in a cylinder bore (26) of a housing part delimiting a pump working chamber in the cylinder bore, and driven into a stroke motion. The working chamber is connected to an inlet conduit through by an inlet valve opening into the pump working chamber and to an outlet conduit through an outlet valve opening out from the working chamber. The inlet valve has a valve element acted on in a closing direction by a valve spring. The inlet conduit includes a first blind bore which adjoins the pump working chamber and has a smaller diameter than the cylinder bore a valve seat is formed at the transition from the cylinder bore to the first blind bore, and a second blind bore, as another part of the inlet conduit, feeds into the first blind bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Haberer
  • Patent number: 7210464
    Abstract: In a fuel pump control system for an internal combustion engine whose operation is switched between cut-off-cylinder operating mode during which some of the cylinders are non-operative and full-cylinder operating mode during which all of the cylinders are operative and having a fuel injector connected to the fuel supply line and supplied with fuel pressurized by the fuel pump, it is discriminated whether the operation of the engine is in the full-cylinder operating mode or in the cut-off-cylinder operating mode, the operation of the fuel pump is controlled based on the discriminated operating mode of the engine, i.e., is controlled such that the delivery flow rate of the fuel pump when the engine is discriminated to be in the cut-off-cylinder operating mode, is reduced relative to that when the engine is discriminated to be in the full-cylinder operating mode, thereby reducing the power consumption and operating noise of the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Asao Ukai, Toshitaka Hachiro, Tomohiro Nishi, Takahiro Yonekura
  • Patent number: 7210465
    Abstract: A fuel supply device for a fuel returnless system is disposed in a fuel tank and includes: a fuel pump that draws, pressurizes, and discharges fuel in the fuel tank; a pressure regulating valve that regulates the pressure of the pressurized fuel and drains a surplus of the pressurized fuel into the fuel tank; an intake filter that removes foreign matters contained in fuel drawn into the fuel pump; and a pressurized fuel return passage through which a part of the pressurized fuel is returned to a fuel intake passage extending from an interior of the intake filter to a pump intake port of the fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Ikeya
  • Patent number: 7210466
    Abstract: A vapor control system includes a vapor receiver having an inlet through which vapor is received, an outlet through which vapor is discharged, and a control valve having a first inlet in communication with the outlet of the fuel receiver, a second inlet in communication with a pressure source and an outlet. The control valve also includes a valve having a closure moveable between a first position, preventing communication between the first inlet and the outlet, and a second position permitting communication between the first inlet and the outlet in response to a pressure signal over a threshold pressure provided from the pressure source through the second inlet. Movement of the closure to its second position permits routing of vapor from the vapor receiver, through the first inlet and out of the outlet of the control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ronald H. Roche
  • Patent number: 7210467
    Abstract: An apparatus including a reciprocating internal combustion engine and a thermochemical recuperator in which a fuel is reformed. The thermochemical recuperator is heated by exhaust gases from the reciprocating internal combustion engine and steam for the reforming process is produced by passing feed water through an engine lubricating oil heat exchanger, an engine cooling system heat recovery system and an exhaust gas heat recovery system arranged in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: Chol-Bum Kweon, Mark J. Khinkis, Vilyam G. Nosach, Robert F. Zabransky
  • Patent number: 7210468
    Abstract: A method for an internal combustion engine includes the steps of collecting exhaust gas in a volume (502) and flowing exhaust gas out of the volume in a first and a second portions (504). The first portion forms a tailpipe gas stream (506), and the second portion forms an EGR gas stream (508). The tailpipe gas stream goes through a turbine (510), and is heated in a heat exchanger (512). The heat exchanger transfers thermal energy out of the EGR gas stream (516) to heat the tailpipe gas stream. The EGR gas stream is recirculated into an intake of the internal combustion engine (518).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Gregory J. Saele
  • Patent number: 7210469
    Abstract: A method for an internal combustion engine includes the steps of collecting exhaust gas in a volume (902) and flowing exhaust gas out of the volume in a first and a second portions (904). The first portion forms a tailpipe gas stream (906), and the second portion forms an EGR gas stream (908). The tailpipe gas stream goes through a turbine (910). The EGR gas stream is catalyzed by an oxidizer coating in a heat exchanger, and thermal energy is transferred from the EGR gas stream to the tailpipe stream in the heat exchanger (916).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Gregory J. Saele
  • Patent number: 7210471
    Abstract: A breather chamber is located in a blow-by gas passage to separate oil from blow-by gas. A partitioning member partitions the interior of the breather chamber into a plurality of spaces. The partitioning member is arranged such that the spaces extend along the flowing direction of the blow-by gas and that an adjacent pair of the spaces are connected at ends in the flowing direction. A separating member is provided in at least one of the spaces. The separating member obstructs the flow of the blow-by gas in the associated space, thereby separating oil from the blow-by gas. Therefore, oil is separated from the blow-by gas securely and is prevented from being brought out of the breather chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Ikeda, Masao Murayama, Takuo Nakayama, Yuki Nakamura, Masato Soma