Patents Issued in September 18, 2007
  • Patent number: 7270059
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the electrical initiation of at least one pyrotechnic microcharge (3), this device being characterized in that it comprises a support element having at least one conductive finger (6) connected to a first terminal of a central control unit (8), a second terminal of said central control unit (8) being intended to be electrically connected to an electrically conductive support for the pyrotechnic microcharge (3). The invention also relates to a microactuator (1, 1a, . . . , 1h) and a microsystem (1?) that use such an initiation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignees: SNPE Materiaux Energetiques, bioMerieux
    Inventors: Denis Roller, Patrick Broyer, Bruno Colin
  • Patent number: 7270060
    Abstract: A rod sleeve made of smart material sleeves and/or steel sleeves with smart material rings surrounds the rod of a kinetic energy projectile. The rod may be made of DU, tungsten, or other material. Smart materials are materials such as nickel-titanium (nitinol) and copper aluminum nickel (CAN) that can be trained to change to one or more particular shapes at predetermined temperatures. The change in shape occurs on a molecular level, almost instantaneously. The rod sleeve can be made all or in part from smart material. The smart material is trained to shrink at cold temperatures and expand at hot temperatures. The sleeve may then be heated and expanded to allow the sleeve to be pressed on the rod. As the sleeve cools, it compresses and provides required support to rod during gun launch of the kinetic energy projectile. The sleeve heats up while traveling down range due to the aero-ballistic heating of the sleeve material. At this higher temperature, the sleeve expands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Leon Manole, Stewart Gilman, Ernest Logsdon, Daniel Vo
  • Patent number: 7270061
    Abstract: A rail-car unloading apparatus and method for the same configured to move over a surface. The rail-car unloading apparatus comprises a frame structure, having opposite first and second sides, hydraulic arms and hydraulic legs. The hydraulic arms are coupled to the frame structure with at least two of the hydraulic arms extendable from the first side of the frame structure and at least two of the hydraulic arms extendable from the second side of the frame structure. The hydraulic legs are coupled to the hydraulic arms and configured to extend transverse from the arm portions. The hydraulic legs are operable to move the frame structure between a non-elevated position and an elevated position. With this arrangement, the hydraulic arms are configured to move the frame structure laterally toward the hydraulic legs disposed on one of the first side and second side of the frame structure while the frame structure is in the elevated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Ashross LLC
    Inventor: Lloyd Ash
  • Patent number: 7270062
    Abstract: A height adjustable structure comprises a base, a height adjustment column disposed above the base and supported thereon, and a table top or chair seat support disposed above the height adjustment column. Alternatively the height adjustable structure comprises two or more base sections, a height adjustment column disposed above each base section and supported thereon, and a table top or chair seat support disposed above the height adjustment columns. Each height adjustment column comprises a telescoping spring height adjustment lifting mechanism. The telescoping spring height adjustment lifting mechanism is typically a gas spring. Actuation mechanisms which actuate or unlock each lockable telescoping spring height adjustment lifting mechanism are used to allow the user to easily make height adjustments. The actuation mechanisms may extend above the table top. Connecting bars may be used to connect more than one actuation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: John E. Larson
  • Patent number: 7270063
    Abstract: A method of removing mercury or mercury-containing material from flue gas produced by a coal-burning main furnace includes feeding coal, which contains mercury or mercury-containing material, to a main furnace which produces flue gas. The method further includes feeding the coal to an auxiliary burner which produces a slipstream of flyash, feeding the slipstream of flyash from the auxiliary burner into the flue gas produced by the main furnace, and introducing a mercury-active oxidant to the coal being fed to the auxiliary burner, the combustion air fed to the auxiliary burner, and/or the flyash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Afton Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Allen A. Aradi, Michael W. Meffert
  • Patent number: 7270064
    Abstract: An apparatus for discrete distribution of granules, such as seed, fertilizer or the like includes a path forming device having an inlet (6) adapted to be associated with a granules container of an agricultural machine, and an outlet (7) adapted to be associated with a coulter of the agricultural machine. The path (25) is defined by at least one wall extending on either side of and along at least a part of the extension of the path, wherein the path is formed about a substantially vertical axis. Also included is an agricultural machine (10) provided with such an apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Vaderstad-Verken AB
    Inventors: Mats Kjelsson, Crister Stark
  • Patent number: 7270065
    Abstract: A system and method for electronically pulsing chemical with seed. The system and method incorporate a seed dispensing tube configured to dispense seeds, a granule tube configured to dispense chemical, an electrical valve configured to open so that chemical granules may be dispensed from the chemical granule tube, and a proximity sensor operably coupled to the electrical valve, the sensor being configured to sense a seed dispensed from the seed dispensing tube. The system may also include a metering mechanism for metering the quantity of chemical that is dispensed with the seed. The metering mechanism may be controlled by a radar unit on a tractor associated with the system, and the metering mechanism may be programmed to dispense a predetermined quantity of chemical with the seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: AMVAC Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Larry Conrad
  • Patent number: 7270066
    Abstract: To ensure the possibility of offshore shipping of a liquid medium, primarily oil, from an onshore tank farm into sea-going tankers in the winter time in the ice conditions by ensuring both mooring to an offshore terminal and single-point mooring of a tanker at any time, without depending on the dominating wind and sea condition, in a direction most convenient for it with the possibility of its roundabout turning, with the subsequent servicing of it by transporting a liquid medium into such a tanker the following transformations have been made: a known ice breaker (1) is provided with: a diving station (5) installed on its deck (3), the diving station being provided with a diving trunk (6) made in the hull (2) of the ice-breaker (1), a device for the protection of a flexible hose (8) of an underwater pipeline against ice action, the device being made, according to the first embodiment, in the form of a cylinder (7) provided with guides (13) for moving in a guiding trunk (10) made in the stern side of the hu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Murmansk Shipping Company, Joint Stock Company
    Inventors: Nikolai Vladimirovich Kulikov, Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Ruksha
  • Patent number: 7270067
    Abstract: The present invention simplifies sailing providing control of one or more sails with a wheel. The proposed system eliminates the need to control boom-footed sails separately, giving benefits of less gear and rig for short handed sailing. The wheel controlling the sails provides visible and obvious correlation between sails control action and achieved result, much like rudder control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventors: Sergey Antonov, Alexei I Antonov
  • Patent number: 7270068
    Abstract: A rudder control device for a boat can include a handle position sensor for detecting an operation angle of a handle. An engine control unit can be provided for receiving a detection signal from the handle position sensor. A motor can be provided for receiving a control signal from the engine control unit to drive a steering member to a predetermined rotation angle corresponding to the operation angle. The engine control unit can receive a signal from a speed sensor for detecting a boat speed to control an upper limit of the rotation angle to be smaller when the boat speed is higher than a predetermined value than when not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7270069
    Abstract: The present invention is a dispenser mounted on the aft section of a torpedo for deploying an elongated, flexible article along a deployment axis. There is a molded elastomeric encasement over the exterior perimeter of the outer weldment of the dispenser for providing shock, impact, and force protection to the dispenser. A metal stiffener plate is secured to the top portion of the encasement for distributing localized compressive loads on weak sections of the dispenser. The encasement together with the stiffener plate enlarges the dispenser to approximately the same outer diameter as the torpedo to which it is attached. The encasement incorporates a fore and aft groove at a lower position with small notches for positioning and anchoring a torpedo power cable. The encasement further incorporates a pivoting retention door assembly for restraining the torpedo power cable within the groove in the encasement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Robert C. Thibodeau, David A. Abdow, George M. Kotas
  • Patent number: 7270070
    Abstract: A system (10) for coupling first and second vessels (12,14) to minimize movement therebetween while allowing for lightering. The system (10) comprises rams (20,22) and coupling heads (36,38) associated with the first vessel (12), and receivers (24,26) associated with the second vessel (14) for receiving the coupling heads (36,38). The system (1) allows for at least three configurations: a first configuration in which the rams (20,22) are extended and the coupling heads (36,38) are rotated such that first faces (42) interlock with the receivers (24,26); a second configuration in which the rams (20,22) are extended and the coupling heads (36,38) are rotated such that second faces (44) abut the receivers (24,26); and a third configuration in which the rams (20,22) are retracted such that the coupling heads (36,38) do not interact with the receivers (24,26). Lightering is accomplished by a series of short-duration switches between the second and third configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Intercontinental Engineering Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Clare J. Kuhlman
  • Patent number: 7270071
    Abstract: The present invention is a deep draft partially submersible and buoyant floating vessel comprised of at least three independent vertical columns. The columns have an upper column with an upper column diameter and a lower column integrally connected to the upper column with a lower column diameter smaller than the upper column diameters. The lower column contains a variable ballast, a free flooding ballast, and a lower column fixed ballast. The lower pontoon is connected to each lower column opposite the upper column. The lower pontoon has lower pontoon fixed ballast means. A deck is located on the columns for supporting a tensioner assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: ATP Oil & Gas Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Shivers, III, William T. Bennett, Jr., David Trent
  • Patent number: 7270072
    Abstract: An anchor system designed to quickly anchor and release a boat in shallow water with minimal effort and little to no distraction from other activities such as fishing, which has an anchor sleeve containing a sleeve liner through which an anchor pole with a pointed bottom end passes through, said anchor pole extending below the hull of a boat into the lake or river bottom beneath, and which anchor pole can engage a locking insert when the anchor pole is twisted in either direction, said locking insert located in a notch cut out of the top of the sleeve liner, allowing the anchor pole to be locked in a stowed position, and which has an upper flange which engages a hand grip wrapped around the top of the anchor pole, preventing the top end of the anchor pole from dropping completely through the boat hull, and which has a bottom flange attached to the boat hull bottom through which the anchor pole passes, and which has an attaching nut which attaches the anchor sleeve to the boat deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Donald L. Waldrop
  • Patent number: 7270073
    Abstract: An aesthetically pleasing anchor system designed to quickly anchor and release a boat in shallow water with minimal effort and little to no distraction from other activities such as fishing, which has an anchor sleeve containing a sleeve liner through which an anchor pole with a pointed bottom end passes through, said anchor pole extending below the hull of a boat into the lake or river bottom beneath, and which anchor pole can engage a locking insert when the anchor pole is twisted in either direction, said locking insert located in a notch cut out of the sleeve liner, allowing the anchor pole to be locked in a stowed position, and which has an upper flange which engages a hand grip wrapped around the top of the anchor pole, preventing the top end of the anchor pole from dropping completely through the boat hull, and which has a bottom flange attached to the boat hull bottom through which the anchor pole passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Donald L. Waldrop
  • Patent number: 7270074
    Abstract: A diver propulsion system includes separate battery and motor-transmission modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventors: James T. Pradetto, Dean A. Vitale
  • Patent number: 7270075
    Abstract: The specification discloses a combination cruising top and storage cover for a boat of the kind having a deck disposed between fore and aft ends of the boat, the deck including a passenger area, the combination cruising top and storage cover comprising at least first and second cover portions selectively pivotally moveable towards each other and into a first, raised configuration, wherein the at least first and second cover portions are arranged vertically adjacent each other in generally lapped relation to define a cruising top for a boat, and selectively pivotally moveable away from each other and into a second, lowered configuration, wherein the at least first and second cover portions are each positioned vertically lower than in the first, raised configuration and arranged generally horizontally in substantially end-to-end relation to thereby define a storage cover for covering at least a portion of a boat's deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Bruce K. Jones
  • Patent number: 7270076
    Abstract: A flag pole mounted unfurling device is installed on a flagpole and rotates to minimize the unwanted furling of the flag. The device includes a lower swivel, an upper swivel, and a baton that extends between the lower swivel and the upper swivel to retain the two swivels in alignment and properly separated. The upper swivel and lower swivel are free to rotate around the axis of the pole while the baton serves to couple the upper and lower swivels together, both rotationally and longitudinally. The entire assembly is longitudinally retained on the pole by an upper collar and a lower collar and minimizes the unwanted furling of a flag through ‘dynamic instability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Arthur Lee Evans
  • Patent number: 7270077
    Abstract: A apparatus for use in surviving at least one of an avalanche and a mudslide. The apparatus includes a housing having a selectively inflatable member stored therein. The apparatus further includes a means connected to the housing for securing the housing to a user and means connected to the selectively inflatable member for inflating the selectively inflatable member. Upon activation of the inflating means the selectively inflatable member is caused to inflate and be expelled from the housing forming a support for the user and stay on a surface of at least of avalanching snow and sliding mud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Ralph Frank Beck
  • Patent number: 7270078
    Abstract: An assembly for feeding and milking animals comprises a feeding system with a movable feed platform and a drive unit for driving the feed platform. The feed platform is provided with a number of feeding places. The assembly further comprises a milking system for automatically milking animals on the feed platform, which milking system comprises sets of teat cups. At least a large number of the sets of teat cups is disposed separately from the feed platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Lely Enterprises AG
    Inventors: Karel Van Den Berg, Greorgius Rudolphius Bos
  • Patent number: 7270079
    Abstract: The invention relates to a milk conveyer device (100) for an animal. The milk conveyer device is to be implemented in a milking arrangement which comprises a milk storage reservoir (101) coupled to a milking attachment for attaching to an animal to be milked through a main milk conduit (103, 105). A sample element (109, 111) extracts milk, which is collected in a sample reservoir (115, 117). The sample reservoir (115,117) is connected to an analysis element (129) through an analysis conduit (123, 125). During the flow of the milk from the sample reservoir to the analysis element (129), the milk itself provides a cleaning effect. The flow is initially at a high flow rate and later at a reduced flow rate. A plurality of analysis conduits (123, 125) are connected to the analysis element (129), which comprises a selector unit (127), which couples milk from one of the analysis conduits (123, 125) to the analysis element (129).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Lattec I/S
    Inventors: Leif Börje Johannesson, Ola Sandberg, Lars Andersson
  • Patent number: 7270080
    Abstract: An animal treat dispensing assembly includes a base and a housing attached to and extending upwardly from the top side of the base. The housing has a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. The housing has an open upper end defining a fill opening. The front wall has as dispensing opening therein. A pivot rod is positioned in the housing. A pivot member is pivotally coupled to the pivot rod. The pivot member has a top side that is planar. The top side abuts an upper edge of the dispensing opening when the top side is horizontally orientated. A panel is attached to the pivot member and extends outwardly of the dispensing opening. A plurality of animal treats is positioned in the housing, and the panel is moved downwardly so that one of the treats is dispensed outwardly through the dispensing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Matthew J. Kane
  • Patent number: 7270081
    Abstract: An pet food dispensing device includes a dispenser, an outer case, a pet food container, a slant guide, a driving device, and dispensing spouts. The dispenser includes a shaft, a dispensing disc, and a stirrer. The dispensing disc includes a top and bottom layers, which are positioned adjacently. The top layer of the dispensing disc includes one or more bumps on the top surface. The stirrer of the pet food dispenser includes a first flap extended from the first edge of the bottom layer of the dispensing disc, and the first flap is bent downwardly below the horizontal plane. In another embodiment, the stirrer includes an inner case and an elastic string member adjacently below the dispensing disc. The angle of the arc recess defined by the top and bottom layers varies from zero to one hundred eighty degrees. An outer case houses all parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Sung Ho Park
  • Patent number: 7270082
    Abstract: A drinking fountain for pets has a base with a water receptacle therein and a dome-shaped reserve water tank on the base. A drinking bowl on the top of the tank and a pump system for conveying water in the receptacle to the drinking bowl. Water pumped into the bowl overflows the bowl and flows down over a portion of the surface of the reserve water tank and returns to the receptacle. When the water in the receptacle falls below a predetermined level, water from the reserve tank automatically flow from the tank to the receptacle to increase the water to the prescribed level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Rolf C. Hagen, Inc.
    Inventor: Robin Plante
  • Patent number: 7270083
    Abstract: A device (10) for repelling selected aquatic creatures, such as sharks. The device consists of an electromagnetic field generator (21, 30) for generating an electromagnetic field (50) that repels sharks and is supported by a buoyant device (20). This provides a shark-free region about the device (10). Multiple devices can be connected together to form an array of repelling devices, thereby extending the shark-free region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Seachange Technology Holdings Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Michael Wescombe-Down
  • Patent number: 7270084
    Abstract: A pet shipping assembly for small animals includes a container and a container lid. The container includes a base wall and a side wall extending upwardly from the base wall. The side wall can include a plurality of vent holes. An interior wall extends from the base wall and/or the side wall to create a food/water compartment. The container lid is configured to selectively attach to the side wall of the container. The container lid includes at least one food/water opening located on the lid such that when the lid is attached to the side wall to cover the inside of the container, the food/water opening in the lid is generally aligned with the food/water compartment in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Marshall Farms Group, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenneth Louis Van Fleet, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7270085
    Abstract: A container apparatus includes a container having an interior compartment and an opening communicating with the interior compartment. A first interlocking closure member extends at least partially within the compartment through the opening to an exterior of the container. A second interlocking closure member is removably secured to the first interlocking closure member and covering the opening, such that items placed within the interior compartment are restricted from being dispensed via the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Triple Crown Dog Academy, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Joe Wolfe, Jr., Harold Keith Benson, Robert Troy Dunn, Jessy B. Gabriel
  • Patent number: 7270086
    Abstract: A stream generator wherein a continuous evaporating heating surface is disposed in a heating gas duct through which a heating gas flows in an approximately horizontal manner. The continuous evaporating heating surface comprises a plurality of steam-generating pipes which are connected in a parallel manner enabling flowthrough of a flow medium, and is configured in such a manner that a steam-generating pipe which is heated more than another stream-generating pipe of the same continuous evaporating heating surface has a higher throughput of a flow medium compared to the other steam-generating pipe. An object is to produce a particularly low-cost steam generator exhibiting particularly high mechanical stability with different thermal loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
  • Patent number: 7270087
    Abstract: A heat trap assembly for providing a thermal dam within piping associated with water heaters is disclosed. The heat trap includes an elongated housing, a fin and a flap member. The housing includes first and second ends, and an interior opening extending therethrough to define an internal passage. The fin has a multi-sided body and is fixedly inserted into the housing. The flap member has a flexible disk-shaped body with first and second faces, an outer peripheral edge and an aperture disposed inward of the outer peripheral edge. A portion of the fin is inserted through the aperture. The outer peripheral edge is essentially contiguous with an interior wall surface of the housing in the absence of water flow within the internal passage, and is bendable in a direction of flow when water is flowing toward the first face or the second face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Bradford White Corporation
    Inventors: David P. Passerell, Joseph C. Passerell, Michael C. Passerell, Steven J. Passerell, Jason D. Passerell
  • Patent number: 7270088
    Abstract: A system for storage and delivery of a fuel additive to a fuel tank includes a reservoir in fluidic communication with a volumetric pump, through a tubular member such as a steel-braided hose. The pump is in further fluidic communication with the fuel return line of a vehicle, via another tubular member, such as a steel-braided hose. Valves disposed along the fluidic pathway prevent backflow of additive. The pump is electrically connected to and actuated by a timer, the timer calibrated to a rate of the pump to provide a predetermined amount of fuel additive necessary to treat an amount of fuel added to the fuel tank of the vehicle. A user interface with user-selectable, volumetric settings and control switches is electrically connected to the timer. A related method of adding a fuel additive to the fuel tank of a vehicle is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: William Trace Whitehall
  • Patent number: 7270089
    Abstract: At least one engine operating parameter other than total fuel energy content is taken into account when transitioning between operating modes in a dual fuel or other multimode engine (20) in order to maintain a smooth transition between modes. The parameter preferably comprises at least one of primary fuel excess air ratio (lambda) and ignition timing and preferably is controlled in addition to total fuel energy content control. Lambda control is especially beneficial because it permits the control system to compensate for the engine's inability to substantially alter the instantaneous air mass in the combustion chamber during the transition period. For instance, during a transition from pilot ignited gaseous fuel mode to diesel mode, the controlled parameter preferably comprises diesel lambda, and the controlling step comprises setting diesel lambda at a relatively high value at the beginning of the transition period and thereafter reducing diesel lambda during the transition period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Clean Air Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Hoi Ching Wong
  • Patent number: 7270090
    Abstract: An engine cooling system is described that uses the same actuator to adjust both fan speed and coolant pump speed based on operating conditions of the engine and vehicle. The airflow and coolant flow are thus dependent, however, they are independent from engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 7270091
    Abstract: A pair of exhaust ports (4, 4) have flat portions (9, 9) formed on respective inner peripheral surfaces thereof and facing in directions opposite to each other. An intervening cooling water passage (14) is formed between the flat portions (9, 9) when a cylinder head (1) is cast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Matsui, Toshihiko Oka, Koichi Yoshimoto, Yoshinori Sakurai, Akimasa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7270092
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine with improved efficiency provides continuous variable displacement and/or compression ratio tuning to one of a number of fuel types to be used by the engine. By varying displacement without changing the compression ratio, the engine can be tuned to operate on a given fuel more efficiently according to the load demands on the engine. By varying the compression ratio, the engine can be converted for use with the most economical fuel type available. The engine can be of a radial configuration with an offset crankshaft and a common cam throw-piece that can be positioned on the crankshaft to change the stroke and/or compression ratio affected by one or an array of pistons. An onboard electronic control can be used to detect engine efficiency, change engine displacement and/or compression ratio, change fuel supply, and compute fuel economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Carl D. Hefley
  • Patent number: 7270093
    Abstract: A valve assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a stationary permanent magnet assembly having at least one permanent magnet for generating a permanent magnetic field with a radial component and a movable coil assembly having at least one coil of electrically conductive material for generating a magnetic field with an axial component that intersects the radial component when an electrical current is applied to the at least one coil to thereby move the coil assembly with respect to the permanent magnet assembly. A valve is connected to the coil assembly for movement therewith. Electronic control of the valve assembly together with engine modifications permits the engine to dynamically switch between two-cycle and four-cycle modes of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Len Development Services Corp.
    Inventor: Hector Eduardo Luercho
  • Patent number: 7270094
    Abstract: An electric variable valve timing mechanism and a starter are actuated by electricity supplied from a common battery. During an engine starting process, the starter is actuated, and an electronic control unit controls the electric variable valve timing mechanism. The electronic control unit limits the actuation of the electric variable valve timing mechanism on the condition that, during the engine starting process, the voltage value of the battery falls below a predetermined threshold value that degrades the operation of the starter. As a result, the engine is started in a stable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Zenichiro Mashiki, Haruyuki Urushihata
  • Patent number: 7270095
    Abstract: An engine body includes a plurality of cylinders, and the intake valve lift-amount of each cylinder is changed based on the engine operating state. A pressure sensor continuously detects the intake pressure, which is the pressure in an intake pipe, to detect the intake pressure decrease amount, which is the amount of decrease in the intake pressure caused due to execution of the intake stroke, of each cylinder. The air quantity variation correction coefficient, which is used to compensate for the variation in the in-cylinder supplied-air quality with each cylinder, is calculated based on the detected intake pressure decrease amount, and the fuel injection amount is corrected using the air quantity variation correction coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Tsunooka, Masashi Hakariya
  • Patent number: 7270096
    Abstract: A twin vane-type phaser is described which is provided with a locking mechanism for locking the drive member to the driven members when the pressure in the working chambers is a below is predetermined value. The locking mechanism comprises two coaxial locking pins 114, 118 mounted in a common bore 110 in the centrally located member 32. The locking pins are resiliently urged apart by a spring 120 into bores in the two outer members 38, 40 and are retracted by pistons 112, 116 when the hydraulic pressure in the working chambers attains the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Mechadyne PLC
    Inventors: Timothy Mark Lancefield, Richard Alwyn Owen
  • Patent number: 7270097
    Abstract: An engine assembly is provided including an engine crankshaft and a balance shaft connected with the crankshaft and rotatably driven thereby. A vehicle component such as a hydraulic pump or an overhead camshaft is operatively connected with the balance shaft such that it is rotatably driven by the crankshaft through the balance shaft. A camshaft drive system includes the engine crankshaft, the balance shaft and the overhead camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregg T. Purcilly, Franz Decarli, Chris Cowland
  • Patent number: 7270098
    Abstract: A heater for a liquid has a combustion chamber, a jacket for the liquid extending about the combustion chamber and a burner head assembly connected to the combustion chamber. The burner head assembly includes a housing having a burner mounted thereon and a hollow interior. A control module and a fan are mounted in the hollow interior, the fan being connected to an electric motor. A compressor and a fuel pump are mounted on the housing and are operatively connected to the electric motor. The control module may include controls for exercising components of the heater prior to combustion, thereby verifying operation of these components. Preferably there is a speed control for the motor, such as a closed loop speed control which regulates motor speed and accordingly output of the heater. Preferably there is a backup system using a lookup table in the event that the closed loop speed control fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Teleflex Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Young, Douglas Thompson Paul, Angelo Faccone
  • Patent number: 7270099
    Abstract: A glow plug (20) for an internal combustion engine (110) essentially includes: a body (27) intended to be fixed to the engine, and a core (29) extending in a direction of elongation (11), connected to the body and intended to extend inside the combustion chamber (9) of the engine, measurement elements (200, 55, 65) intended to determine the pressure internal to the combustion chamber (9) through the displacement of the core (29) under the effect of pressure, characterized in that the glow plug is equipped with elements (50, 60) that make it possible to quantify the displacement of the core with respect to the cylinder head (5) of the engine on which the glow plug is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive
    Inventor: Yves Dordet
  • Patent number: 7270100
    Abstract: An electric starter for a walk-behind, powered, rotary cultivator having a gasoline engine having a crankshaft and a recoil starter connected to the gasoline engine. The electric starter includes an electric motor connected to the crankshaft between the recoil starter and the engine so that activation of the electric motor starts the engine and the recoil starter can also be used to start the engine; a battery connected to the electric motor; a start switch between the battery and the electric motor; and a battery charger. The electric starter is intended for use on cultivators generally having less than about 2 horsepower. The recoil starter is intermittently engageable with the crankshaft through the electric motor. The electric motor may also act as a generator supplying electric current to the battery to charge the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Ardisam, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Ruppel, Ronald Ruppel
  • Patent number: 7270101
    Abstract: An arrangement for attaching a blade to a shaft for use in intake manifolds, uses fasteners that create a load on the blade. Fasteners are inserted through fastener holes in the blade and through shaft holes in the shaft. Once inserted outward pressure by the fastener on the shaft and the blade places the assembly under a constant load. The load prevents the shaft and the blade from vibrating against each other during engine operation. The same attachment method can also be used to retain and bias a shaft locater to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: MAHLE Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Letourneau
  • Patent number: 7270102
    Abstract: A resin intake manifold is provided with two separated bodies manufactured by connecting protrusions of weld portions of the separated bodies to each other in accordance with a vibration welding, and a cover wall in which one of the weld portions is arranged in an inner side or an outer side of the protrusion with leaving space with the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Tanikawa, Kazuhiro Aiki
  • Patent number: 7270103
    Abstract: A variable intake passage is made of a tubular space that is formed with a fixed member and a movable member arranged to face the fixed member and having a relative position with the fixed member changed. The movable member is moved to increase or decrease a distance of an air introducing portion from the combustion chamber to thereby change a passage length. The variable intake passage has a cross section that gradually increases from an upstream side to a downstream side in the air introducing direction. When the passage length of the variable intake passage is changed, the cross section of the air introducing portion of the variable intake passage is changed correspondingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Kobori
  • Patent number: 7270104
    Abstract: An engine balancer system is provided in which a balancer housing disposed so as to face an oil pan beneath a crankshaft is formed by joining an upper housing and a lower housing via mating faces, and the height of the mating faces is lower on a vehicle front side than on a vehicle rear side. Oil discharge holes or discharging oil that is within the balancer housing are formed in the mating faces on the higher side of the balancer housing and in the upper housing above the mating faces on the lower side of the balancer housing. This enables the position of the oil discharge hole on the lower side to be as high as possible, thereby suppressing penetration of oil into the interior of the balancer housing through the oil discharge hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisayuki Hashimoto, Tomoji Suganami, Haruo Watanabe, Kazuhito Okazaki
  • Patent number: 7270105
    Abstract: A slant engine for a utility engine which a cylinder is attached to the crankcase with slanted with respect to the a rotational direction of a crankshaft, comprises a reservoir oil tank formed outside of the crankcase at lower portion for reserving lubricant, a communication pipe connected to bottom portions of the reservoir oil tank and the crankcase for communicating the lubricant in the crankcase and the reservoir oil tank, and a vent pipe connected to both of the reservoir oil tank and the inside of the crankcase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Furuya
  • Patent number: 7270106
    Abstract: In a nutating engine (or more generally a rotary displacement device) the cycling of combustion occurs between inner and outer spherical surfaces. The combustion chambers are additionally defined only by the surfaces of teeth of specially designed gears. These gears are the Rotator (2), two consecutive of some number of free-planetary gears (3A-E), and the lobed Nutating Member (1). The latter is enjoined to execute precessional rotation relative to the former and maybe both affixed with counterweights (11A,B; 12A,B) and subjected to reverse-English transforming the precessional rotation to a stress-free mode in both the Newtonian and Eulerian sense. The insertion of optional butterfly-shaped plugs (4A-E, 5A-E, 8A-E) boosts the compression ratio. Truly, no past engine possesses the characteristics of the instant invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: John Stark
  • Patent number: 7270107
    Abstract: A pre-combustion chamber for an engine is made more simply removable from the cylinder head by integrating the chamber design and not threading the assembly to the head. The assembly is provided as an integrated design using a seal that helps dissipate heat from the spark plug and a cover that is held down by flange bolts that extend into threaded bores into the head in a location more removed from the heat generated in the chamber. As a result the chamber is more simply installed and removed without damage to the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas C. Riggs
  • Patent number: 7270108
    Abstract: An engine of the opposed piston, two-stroke, compression ignition type includes provision for injection of a main charge of liquid fuel into the bore of a cylinder between opposed pistons early in a compression stroke to permit the fuel to evaporate and mix with air during the remainder of the compression stroke to the point where the stoichiometric components of the mixture are insufficient for autoignition. Further provision is made for injection of a pilot charge of liquid fuel into the compressed air/fuel mixture later in the compression stroke. The pilot charge provides a stoichiometric component which autoignites, thereby activating ignition of the compressed air/fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Achates Power LLC
    Inventor: James U. Lemke