Patents Issued in October 21, 2008
  • Patent number: 7438033
    Abstract: As for a reference valve timing varying rate A obtained by a deviation ?? between a target VVT phase ?T and an actual VVT phase ?, when a varying rate ??th of an accelerator opening degree resulting from the manipulation of the driver is relatively low, a VVT-ECU places a limit on the valve timing varying rate. When the varying rate ??th of the accelerator opening degree is relatively high, it varies the valve timing with the reference valve timing varying rate A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihito Moriya
  • Patent number: 7438034
    Abstract: In a camshaft adjusting device comprising an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the phase positions of first and second camshafts with respect to a crankshaft driving the camshaft adjusting device, the adjusting mechanism includes an adjustment input and first and second outputs connected to the first and second camshafts respectively, with first and second transmission ratios, respectively, for changing the phase angles between the drive input and the first and second outputs respectively, at different rates when the adjustment input is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Daimler A G
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 7438035
    Abstract: A cam drive apparatus comprising a magnetic gear adapted to communicate rotational movement between a crankshaft and a cam shaft, wherein said magnetic gear comprises an outer member comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced magnet means, said outer member being mounted for rotation with one of said crankshaft and camshaft, an inner member comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced magnet means, said inner member being concentrically arranged within said outer member to define an annular gap therebetween, and an intermediate member comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced ferromagnetic pole pieces located within said annular gap between said inner and outer members and being mounted for rotation with the other of said crankshaft and camshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Philippe S. Farah
  • Patent number: 7438036
    Abstract: A valve stem seal having an annular valve body with an upper surface, a lower surface, and defining an aperture is disclosed. The valve body is positioned for selective sealing engagement with a valve stem. At least one orifice is disposed on an inner surface of the annular valve body between the annular valve body and the valve stem. The orifice controls the rate of oil flow between the annular valve body and the valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Eric W. Hesher, Robert W. Lehmann
  • Patent number: 7438037
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes: a cylinder block having one or more cylinders, a cylinder liner in a tubular shape disposed inside the cylinder; a piston reciprocating inside the cylinder liner and having a top land portion formed of an outer periphery of the piston sandwiched between a piston head and an uppermost ring groove; and a liner installation ring forming, inside the cylinder, a circular step portion protruding toward the inner periphery of the cylinder liner. The liner installation ring is disposed in the cylinder block or the cylinder liner in such a manner that the bottom face of the liner installation ring face to the uppermost portion of the cylinder liner. The liner installation ring is disposed at a position in accordance with the upper end position of the top land portion when the piston reaches a top dead center. The liner installation ring is set to protrude from the inner periphery of the cylinder liner in an inward direction at a length of 0.05 mm or more to 0.5 mm less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Riken
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Oogake, Masaki Yamada, Kazuki Satou
  • Patent number: 7438038
    Abstract: A cylinder liner for an internal combustion diesel engine and corresponding method of construction and method of improving engine performance therewith has a cylindrical inner wall providing a bore extending along a central axis for reciprocation of a piston therein. The inner wall has an axial lower portion and an axial upper portion. The lower portion has a first diameter below a top-dead-center plane and the upper portion has a second diameter provided by a material formed as one piece with the inner wall, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Miguel Azevedo, Benjamin Louis Johnson
  • Patent number: 7438039
    Abstract: A large-bore (at least 180 mm diameter) diesel engine cylinder configuration featuring a piston crown bowl having an acute re-entrant angle and, optionally, an anti-polish ring. The acute re-entrant angle crown bowl involves a maximum radius of the crown bowl exceeding a minimum crown bowl radius, wherein the maximum crown bowl radius is located farther from the squish face than is the minimum crown bowl radius. The acute re-entrant angle crown bowl applied to large-bore, medium-speed diesel engines yields an improvement in performance and emissions characteristics. The anti-polish ring may be integrally formed with the cylinder liner and used in any internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh B. Poola, Nicholas Gryfakis, German A. Acosta, John L. Beasley, James L. Blase, Michael Goetzke
  • Patent number: 7438040
    Abstract: A motorcycle with a low floor is configured such that secondary vibration of an engine can be largely reduced and an increase in engine width can be suppressed. The motorcycle with a low floor includes step floors on which to put a rider's feet on left and right sides of a vehicle body frame. An engine is provided between the step floors. A plurality of exhaust pipes extend respectively from cylinders of the engine, the exhaust pipes being gathered at a gathering portion. The engine is an in-line 3-cylinder engine having cylinder portions inclined forwardly. The exhaust pipes extend downwards from the cylinder portions on the basis of each cylinder. The exhaust pipes are bundled and extend on the right side of the engine, in a position on the lower side of one of the step floors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruomi Sugita, Heijiro Yoshimura, Osamu Suzuki, Atsushi Ogasawara, Yukinori Kurakawa, Yukiya Ueda, Toshio Yamamoto, Takayuki Konuma, Mitsuo Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7438041
    Abstract: A piston pin carries out an eccentric coupling of connecting rod and crank connected with the driving shaft. The piston pin is shaped like a cylinder, has two cuts disposed orthogonally to the axis of the piston pin. The cuts form three sectors. The two external sectors correspond to the connection with the crank and the internal sector is coupled to the connecting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Garavello Renato
  • Patent number: 7438042
    Abstract: There is provided a method of stopping an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber and an intake valve which opens during an intake stroke of an engine cycle to allow air to be inducted into the combustion chamber. The method comprises advancing closing timing and reducing a lift of the intake valve to reduce air charged in said combustion chamber and shutting off fuel to the combustion chamber upon a request of engine stop, maintaining a speed of the internal combustion engine within a predetermined range without supplying fuel to the combustion chamber and with the advanced closing timing and the reduced lift of the intake valve at least for one intake stroke of the combustion chamber, and decreasing the speed of the internal combustion engine with the advanced closing timing and the reduced valve lift of the intake valve from the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Takuji Kawada
  • Patent number: 7438043
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided that basically comprises a cylinder block, a cylinder head, a piston, an auxiliary chamber partition wall and a spark plug. The auxiliary chamber partition wall is coupled to the cylinder head and extending toward the main chamber to form an auxiliary combustion chamber inside an area enclosed by the auxiliary chamber partition wall. The auxiliary chamber partition wall has at least one jet aperture through which the auxiliary combustion chamber fluidly communicates with the main combustion chamber. A tip portion of the auxiliary chamber partition wall that faces toward the piston has a smaller wall thickness than other portion of the auxiliary chamber partition wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taisuke Shiraishi, Akihiko Kakuho, Eiji Takahashi, Morihiro Nagamine
  • Patent number: 7438044
    Abstract: Disclosed is a diesel engine comprising a cylinder head; a combustion chamber within the cylinder head, the combustion chamber being in the shape of a bowl; and a piston having a piston crown, the piston crown having a dome-shape for protruding within the cylinder head during a combustion operation near or at top dead center. The engine is preferably a two stroke crankcase compression engine. Use of a combustion chamber in the shape of a shallow bowl along with other parameter selection decreases the rates of combustion pressure rise while providing reasonable power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Engine Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Gary Webster, Dennis Raymond
  • Patent number: 7438045
    Abstract: In a method of operating an internal combustion engine with a switch-over capability between a compression ignition mode of operation and a spark ignition mode of operation in higher load ranges which includes a cam-operated valve drive with a valve control providing, in the compression ignition mode of operation, for an increased valve overlap of the valve opening times, smooth engine operation and optimal exhaust gas emissions are obtained also during rapid load changes upon changing the engine operating mode as the change-over is accompanied by changes of the injection parameters, the throttling parameter and the valve control, which are coordinated with respect to one another as the valve control is switched over by changing the amplitude and phase position of the valve stroke of at least one of the inlet and outlet valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Rüdiger Herweg, Matthias Pfau, Jochen Schäflein, Mayk Stelter
  • Patent number: 7438046
    Abstract: A failure detection apparatus for preventing erroneous detection due to a degradation of a sensor and thereby accurately performing failure detection of a variable valve timing and lift control system is provided. The detection apparatus detects a failure of a variable valve timing and lift control system in an engine. The detection apparatus detects a vibration inside an engine cylinder, extracts the component of seating sound of the valve from the output signal of the sensor, determines an actual seating time of said valve from the component of seating sound, and calculates a target seating time of said valve based on at least one of a requested lift amount, a requested advance angle, and a requested open angle depending on the operating conditions. The detecting apparatus corrects the actual seating time for a stationary deviation between the actual seating time and the target seating time caused by degradation or unevenness of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsura Okubo, Yuji Yasui, Masahiro Sato, Koichiro Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 7438047
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a multi-cylinder engine comprising a throttle body (5) in which a throttle intake-air passage (6) is provided. A throttle valve (7) is arranged in this throttle intake-air passage (6). Attached to the throttle body (5) is an injector (8), a leading end portion (9) of which is arranged opposite to an interior area of the throttle intake-air passage (6) downstream of the throttle valve (7) and is opened to provided a liquid-fuel injection hole (10). An intake-air pressure sensor (15) is attached to the throttle body (5) together with the injector (8) and an intake-air pressure introduction passage (18) has an inlet (18a) provided by opening an inner peripheral surface of the throttle intake-air passage (6) upstream of the injector (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kawasaki, Yutaka Teruumi, Koji Fujimura, Hiroshi Inoue, Tetsushi Karasawa, Seiji Izuhara
  • Patent number: 7438048
    Abstract: An object is to prevent deterioration in both exhaust emission and fuel efficiency by suitably combining OTP boosting with power boosting. An electronic control unit (ECU) 30 of the present invention is arranged to control a fuel injection amount of an injector 7 to an engine 1 according to an operating condition of the engine 1, and perform OTP boosting of the fuel injection amount to prevent overheating of a discharge passage 3 and a catalyst converter 11 when the engine 1 comes into a high load and high rotation operating condition and perform power boosting that increases the fuel injection amount to enrich an air-fuel ratio to an output air-fuel ratio when the engine 1 comes into a high load operating condition. The ECU 30 executes the power boosting when the engine 1 comes into the high load and high rotation operating condition and executes the OTP boosting later from the start of the power boosting, delayed by a period attributable to at least an increased amount of fuel by the power boosting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignees: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Onobayashi, Hirokazu Konohara, Nobuhiro Ogasawara, Kunihiko Sato
  • Patent number: 7438049
    Abstract: The start of the combustion (CRK) of a mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is determined in accordance with a pressure (pc) that is measured in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gianluca Caretta, Rainer Hirn, Antonio Lentini
  • Patent number: 7438050
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a fuel injector which functions as a positive displacement pump and dispenses an amount of fuel which is fixed for each and every operation of the injector, and a controller which controls the operation of the fuel injector. In response to an increasing engine speed and/or load the controller increases in amount the fuel delivered per engine cycle by increasing in number the occasions the fuel injector is operated per engine cycle. In response to a decreasing engine speed and/or load the controller reduces in amount the fuel delivered per engine cycle by reducing in number the occasions the fuel injector is operated per engine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Scion-Sprays Limited
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen
  • Patent number: 7438051
    Abstract: A method and a device for supplying fuel to internal combustion engines comprise a regulated high-pressure system and a controlled low-pressure system, wherein an adaptation value for correcting the desired preliminary pressure is detected in an adaptation mode, in order to adjust a variable preliminary pressure in the low-pressure system. For this purpose, the preliminary pressure is specifically changed in the adaptation mode until vapor bubbles are detected by a regulator response of the high-pressure regulator of the high-pressure system. When vapor bubbles are detected, current process parameters of the fuel supply system are determined and the adaptation value is derived therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Axel Wachtendorf, Leonhard Lang, Nicola Piantadosi
  • Patent number: 7438052
    Abstract: A device for determining abnormality of a fuel supply system, which is capable of determining abnormality of the fuel supply system including a fuel pressure sensor more accurately. A device for determining abnormality of a fuel supply system that has a fuel pressure sensor for detecting pressure of fuel in an accumulator as detected fuel pressure calculates a predetermined normal-time fuel pressure indicative of pressure fuel in the accumulator which is to be detected when the system is normal, according to a fuel flow rate relationship parameter indicative of a relationship between an inflow fuel amount parameter indicative of an amount of fuel flowing into the accumulator and an outflow fuel amount parameter indicative of an amount of fuel flowing out of the accumulator, and determines abnormality of the fuel supply system based on a result of comparison between the detected fuel pressure and the calculated normal-time fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Awano, Atsushi Izumiura, Daisuke Sato
  • Patent number: 7438053
    Abstract: A purpose of the present invention is to provide a fuel delivery pipe having a flexible absorb wall surface formed on a wall surface thereof in which a fuel introduction pipe is connected to an interior of the fuel delivery pipe body at one end thereof in a longitudinal direction in order to achieve a suppression of a transfer of a first mode of a standing wave and a second mode of the standing wave and an enhanced placement layout and inexpensive cost. The fuel delivery pipe includes the flexible absorb wall surface formed on the wall surface thereof and injection nozzles, in which fuel introduction pipe 10 is connected to one end of fuel delivery pipe body 1 of a returnless type without a circuit returning to a fuel tank and is coupled with the fuel tank through an underfloor pipe arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Usui Kokusai Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Serizawa
  • Patent number: 7438054
    Abstract: A fuel injector comprising: an injection valve provided with a mobile needle to regulate the fuel flow; an actuator adapted to shift the needle; an injection nozzle; a supporting body having a tubular shape and displaying a feeding channel; a sealing body provided with a valve seat of injection valve and comprising a disc-shaped capping element, which lowerly and fluid-tightly closes the feeding channel and is crossed by the injection nozzle, and a guiding element, which rises from the capping element, has a tubular shape, and accommodates the needle therein; an external fuel guiding channel defined between the feeding channel and the guiding element; a number of through feeding holes obtained in the lower part of the guiding element and leading towards valve seat; and a shutter head having an essentially spherical adjustment zone, which is integral with the needle, externally engages the guiding element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A.
    Inventors: Michele Petrone, Massimo Mattioli, Massimo Lolli, Francesco Paolo Loperfido
  • Patent number: 7438055
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a fuel injector socket including a first attachment feature and a fuel injector including a second attachment feature that corresponds with the first attachment feature. The first attachment feature engages with the second attachment feature connecting the fuel injector to the fuel injector socket and preventing rotational movement of the fuel injector relative to the fuel injector socket. The corresponding attachment features not only enable simple connection and disconnection of a fuel injector to a fuel injector socket of a fuel rail, but can also be integrated into existing injector to fuel rail assembly processes and are applicable in any fuel injection system. The corresponding attachment features may be used with metal fabricated fuel rail assemblies as well as for fuel rail assemblies where the manifold supply tube and the fuel injector sockets are overmolded with a plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc
    Inventors: Wenbin Xu, David A. Webb, Christopher A. Tucker, Christopher M. Cass
  • Patent number: 7438056
    Abstract: A method for setting an initial compensation value of a sensor complex module, the method including the steps of: reading a preset sensitivity value and an offset; detecting an acceleration value; calculating an accelerating-force sensitivity value using the acceleration value and the offset value; calculating an accelerating-force error value using the accelerating-force sensitivity value and the sensitivity value; calculating a gradient error value using the accelerating-force error value and the acceleration of gravity; setting a polarity value according to the accelerating-force sensitivity value; and setting the accelerating-force error value, the gradient error value and the polarity as the initial compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoung Soo Chae, Ghun Hahm, Hyun Joon Kim, Sung Whan Cho
  • Patent number: 7438057
    Abstract: A common rail fuel injection system having a low-pressure region from which a high-pressure fuel pump acts on fuel with high pressure and delivers it to a high-pressure fuel accumulator from which fuel is supplied to injectors that inject the highly pressurized fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine in which the high-pressure pump, the high-pressure fuel accumulator, and the injectors are associated with a high-pump, pressure region. In order to avoid undesirable delays in the starting of the internal combustion engine, a check valve device is connected between the low-pressure region and the high-pressure region so that when a negative pressure is generated in the high-pressure region, fuel flows from the low-pressure region into the high-pressure region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Scheurer, Timo Steinbach
  • Patent number: 7438058
    Abstract: In order to discharge air cleaned free from evaporated fuel vapor in a canister installed under the front seat floor, have none of the air coming inside a passenger room and inhibit water, dirt and dust from being absorbed in a drain pipe in a canister, the following drain pipe in a canister is invented. The drain pipe in canister is connected with a canister body installed under a front seat floor of a vehicle. The drain pipe in the canister comprises a first part extending from the canister body up to an upper portion of an engine room disposed on a front side of a passenger room, and a second part extending from the first part to a portion under a floor of the passenger room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Ito, Naritoshi Muramatsu, Takenobu Haga, Hiroaki Mihara, Yasuhiro Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7438059
    Abstract: A small engine fuel tank vapor emission system is described with a separate surge tank having a vapor vent/rollover valve and separate a vapor storage space which may be found in a common housing or remote from the surge tank. The surge tank is located at a level above the fuel tank and is connected to have its inlet receive vapor from the fuel tank. The outlet of the vapor vent/rollover valve is connected to supply vapor purge flow to the engine air inlet either directly or through the storage space, which may be charged with adsorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Vaughn K. Mills, Peter G. Belanger, Andrew W. McIntosh
  • Patent number: 7438060
    Abstract: A diagnostic control system for a purge valve that regulates fuel vapor flow from a fuel system into an intake manifold for an engine includes a calculation module and a malfunction module. The calculation module estimates a plurality of areas based on a plurality of pressure signals and calculates an average rate of increase of vacuum pressure in the fuel system during operation of the purge valve. The malfunction module determines whether the average rate of increase of vacuum pressure is within a predetermined range generating a purge valve functioning signal, and generates a purge valve malfunction signal when the average rate of increase of vacuum pressure is not within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Kurt D. Mc Lain
  • Patent number: 7438061
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided, comprising an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable geometry intake air compressing device and a control module operative to estimate exhaust gas pressure during ongoing engine operation. The control module is adapted to monitor sensing devices of the internal combustion engine, and is adapted to execute algorithms. The method comprises monitoring signal inputs from the sensing devices, and determining operating parameters for exhaust flow and an exhaust pressure of the intake air compressing device. An exhaust pressure ratio is determined based upon the parameters for exhaust flow and the exhaust pressure of the intake air compressing device. An exhaust pressure is determined based upon the exhaust pressure ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Anupam Gangopadhyay
  • Patent number: 7438062
    Abstract: A flow passage switching valve provided with a swing arm type valve element comprises a housing formed with a first passage communicated with an inlet port, a second passage communicated with an outlet port, a bypass passage for providing communication between the first passage and the second passage, an introduction port through which a fluid flowing in the first passage is introduced into an external part, and a discharge port through which the fluid introduced into the external part is discharged into the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Okawa, Masahiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7438063
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system. A water jacket in a cylinder block is configured for coolant to flow therein. A cylinder head is attached to the cylinder block. A cylinder is disposed in the cylinder block and the cylinder head. An intake manifold runner is connected to an intake hole of the cylinder. An exhaust manifold runner is connected to an exhaust hole of the cylinder. A first recirculation gas pathway is disposed in the cylinder block, and receives recirculated exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold runner. A second recirculation gas pathway is disposed in the cylinder head, and has a first end connected to the first recirculation gas pathway and a second end connected to the intake manifold runner. A recirculation valve, mounted at the second recirculation gas pathway, controls supply of the recirculated exhaust gas to the intake manifold runner. An engine control unit controls the recirculation valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Youngmin Sohn, Wootae Kim, Chun Woo Lee, Myong Ho Kim, Ingee Suh, Seung Woo Lee, Sung Wook Lee, Jin Hong Kim, Yong Yun Hwang
  • Patent number: 7438064
    Abstract: A mixture-lubricated internal combustion engine has a cylinder (2) in which a combustion chamber (3) is formed. The combustion chamber (3) is delimited by a piston (5) mounted to move back and forth. The piston (5) drives a crankshaft (7) rotatably journalled in a crankcase (4). The engine has an inlet channel (9) which supplies fuel and combustion air into the combustion chamber (3) as well as an exhaust outlet (13) from which exhaust gases flow from the combustion chamber. The intake inlet (11) and the exhaust outlet (13) are valve controlled. A flow connection is present between the crankcase (4) and the inlet channel (9). A good idle stability and a good idle acoustic of the engine are achieved in that at least one control valve (23, 33, 43, 63) is mounted in the flow connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Borchardt, Kai-Ulrich Machens, Rainer Ziegler, Robert Wirtz
  • Patent number: 7438065
    Abstract: A breather device disposed in a timing-gear chamber of an engine includes an oil separator rotatable with a camshaft, and a tubular breather housing that removes the oil mist by working in cooperation with the oil separator. The oil separator has a plurality of fins arranged annularly around an axis line of the camshaft at fixed intervals. The tubular breather housing has openings in a periphery wall thereof and surrounds the oil separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshisyuki Matsushima, Mitsugi Chonan, Kentaro Hirota
  • Patent number: 7438066
    Abstract: A method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine, in which the fuel quantity to be injected into the engine is limited to a limiting value. The limiting value is predefined on the basis of the output signal of a closed-loop controller or an open-loop controller and a precontrol value. Furthermore, the precontrol value is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Michalske, Sascha-Juan Moran Auth
  • Patent number: 7438067
    Abstract: A method of controlling an internal combustion engine system. The method comprises supplying a first amount of electric energy to heat to an upstream sensor located in an exhaust gas passage upstream of an exhaust gas after-treatment device and adjusting an air-fuel mixture supplied to the internal combustion engine based on an output of the upstream sensor during a first engine operating condition, and supplying a second amount of electric energy, which is smaller than the first amount, to heat the upstream sensor and adjusting the air-fuel mixture based on an output of a downstream sensor located in the exhaust gas passage and downstream of the exhaust gas after-treatment device during a second engine operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Saito, Masanori Matsushita
  • Patent number: 7438068
    Abstract: An interactive catapult training device is provided for teaching and demonstrating the principles of problem solving using tools and techniques of applied statistics, Six Sigma, lean manufacturing and other process excellence techniques. The device includes a base and a hub fixed to a position with respect to the base and removable from the base. A swing arm is coupled to and rotatable about the hub from a first angle to a second angle, the swing arm being removable from the hub. A cup is fixed to a position with respect to the swing arm and adapted to receive a projectile, the cup being removable from the swing arm. A spring is coupled between a first coupling point fixed with respect to the base and a second coupling point on the swing arm. The spring provides tension for setting the swing arm in motion from the first angle to the second angle. The spring can be removable from the first and second coupling points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Srikanth R. Nanguneri
  • Patent number: 7438069
    Abstract: An archery bow limb may comprise a thermoplastic material having reinforcing. A tension side of the bow limb may have continuous unidirectional reinforcing spanning substantially the entire length of the bow limb. A method of manufacturing such bow limbs may comprise building up layers of reinforcing fibers preimpregnated with thermoplastic resin (prepregs) over a core of thermoplastic material to make a preform, and compression molding the preform to consolidate the thermoplastic of the prepreg layers to one another and to the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Gary L. Simonds
  • Patent number: 7438070
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to an improved archery bow having a greatly enhanced ability to absorb shock, vibration and sound. In order to achieve improved sound and vibration dampening, the bow riser, and optionally the bow limbs are coated with an energy absorbing and/or dampening coating. The coating is permanently attached to the riser and/or the limbs of the bow and greatly reduces undesired vibrations and/or noise generated by and during the archery bows use, without interfering with the performance of the bow. The invention also relates to treestands and archery accessories having a low noise profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Ralph J. Mancini
  • Patent number: 7438071
    Abstract: A portable cooking apparatus is provided comprising a cooking chamber having a fire bowl mounted on a base; and at least one shelf being directly and pivotally attached to the base, the shelf is foldable inwardly towards the fire bowl during a stowage position and extendable outwardly away from said fire bowl during the usage position and there is a distance between the shelf and the fire bowl to avoid heat damage to the shelf when the fire bowl is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products, Co.
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Adrian A. Bruno, Robert DeMars
  • Patent number: 7438072
    Abstract: A portable anesthetic machine comprises a chassis having a cradle which removably receives a vaporizer, a control panel and a support member. The control panel and support member are pivotal relative to each other to selectively change the machine between carrying and use configurations. The control panel includes a gas flow path having gas inputs connectable to sources of carrier gases, a manifold which combines the gases, a carrier gas outlet and inlet connectable to the vaporizer input and outlet, respectively, a common gas port, and flow control devices to control the carrier gas flow rate and to control the anesthetic and carrier gas mixture. A controller is also provided which controls the flow of gas into and around the vaporizer to maintain a substantially constant concentration of anesthetic agent in the gas stream delivered to the patient without the need to adjust the flow of gases from the gas supply sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: John I. Izuchukwu
  • Patent number: 7438073
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) to assist a patient's respiration by delivering air to a patient through a mask, the mask designed to be connected to a first extremity of a tube, the apparatus including: a control unit (2) to adjust the pressure delivered by a blower (4), a first pressure sensor (6) for sensing pressure PM at the first tube extremity and being connected to the control unit, and a second pressure sensor(8) for sensing pressure PB at the air output of the blower and being connected to the control unit; so that, when a tube is connected to the mask and connected to the apparatus at its second extremity, the air flowing from the apparatus to the mask, the control unit is able to calculate the airflow at the tube's second extremity from the pressures PM and PB and from the tube's airflow resistance coefficient Kt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Kaerys S.A.
    Inventors: Alain Delache, Véronique Delache
  • Patent number: 7438074
    Abstract: A method of assessing the spine of a patient is provided, the method comprising (a) placing a patient to be assessed in a prone position; (b) providing a magnetometer; (c) identifying a vertebra of the spine to be assessed; (d) placing the magnetometer over the vertebra to be assessed and obtaining a magnetometer reading of the vertebra; (e) identifying at least one additional vertebra to be assessed and repeating step (d) for the at least one additional vertebra. The method also includes delivering a chiropractic adjustment to the vertebra and obtaining another magnetometer reading to determine if a change of about 1.0% absolute value has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Toftness Post Graduate School of Chiropractic, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Toftness
  • Patent number: 7438075
    Abstract: A carwash includes a single thru-beam or retroreflective photoelectric sensor that can determine the position of a vehicle's left side, right side, front end and back end. To accomplish this, the sensor is coupled to a spray arch that travels around the vehicle while spray washing the vehicle's exterior. In some embodiments, the sensor responds to a beam projected from an emitter that also travels with the spray arch, whereby the emitter, the sensor and the spray arch move in unison. The beam is preferably projected at an acute angle to a horizontal plane so that the sensor can detect the presence of the vehicle without the spray arch having to get too close. To avoid over twisting the sensor's electrical cable, the arch alternately rotates CW and CCW to limit cumulative rotation in any one direction. In some cases, the single sensor responds to beams from multiple emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Washworld, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan G. Huntington, Peter T. Jensen, Kenneth R. Smith, Buddy R. Starnes, David C. Stock, Robert J. Harter
  • Patent number: 7438076
    Abstract: A washing agents dispenser for dishwashing machines has a body with a compartment for containing a washing agent, a compartment cover which can be opened and closed in a planar motion, a locking/release system for the cover, and a seal, for the cover, having a surface which is partially inclined with respect to the plane of motion of the cover for facilitating closing of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Eltek S.p.A.
    Inventors: Daniele Cerruti, Fabio Nebbia, Franco Musso, Corrado Gambino
  • Patent number: 7438077
    Abstract: An umbrella has an intermediate point of equilibrium between its fully open and closed positions, which reduces the peak force required to move the umbrella in either direction. To actuate the umbrella, a resiliently flexible steel band is able to not only carry tension to pull the umbrella open, but the band also has sufficient rigidity to operate in compression to push the umbrella closed. The band's flexibility allows it to feed through a small sidewall hole in the mast as well as snake through a hinge on an umbrella mast that can tilt. Manually sliding an actuator sleeve upward closes the umbrella. Sliding the sleeve down opens the umbrella. Although lifting to close and lowering to open may seem counterintuitive at first, such action greatly reduces the maximum force required to operate the umbrella.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Robert J. Wilson
  • Patent number: 7438078
    Abstract: There is a combination sleeping bag system. There is a tent member, including a tent base, a tent wall coupled to the tent base and defining a tent interior, and a tent aperture through the tent wall; and a sleeping bag defining a sleeping cavity, extending through the tent aperture, and including a head portion disposed within the tent interior, a foot portion disposed exterior the tent member, and a storage cavity accessible from the sleeping cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventors: Peter Woodruff, Ronald Shawn Naccarato, Tony Reece
  • Patent number: 7438079
    Abstract: Method for supplying a high purity gas product comprising providing a first gas stream including a major component and at least one impurity component, determining the concentration of the at least one impurity component, and comparing the concentration so determined with a reference concentration for that component. When the value of the concentration so determined is less than or equal to the reference concentration, the first gas stream is utilized to provide the high purity gas product. When the value of the concentration so determined is greater than the reference concentration, a second gas stream comprising the major component is provided and the first and second gas streams are mixed to yield a mixed gas stream having a concentration of the at least one impurity component that is less than the reference concentration. The mixed gas stream is utilized to provide the high purity gas product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Perry Cohen, Frank Kenneth Schweighardt, David John Farese
  • Patent number: 7438080
    Abstract: A system and method for dewatering an area in which a catch basin is situated within the area to collect water and conduit conveys the collected water to an elongated discharge chamber having a muzzle at a distal end in communication with a desired outfall body and a substantially closed proximal end. Compressed air released into the proximal end of the discharge chamber forcibly discharges water out of the discharge chamber via the muzzle and into the outfall body to dewater the area. A vent permits escape of air as the discharge chamber fills. Backflow prevention valves maintain discharge out of the muzzle and prevent any water from the outfall body from flowing back into the discharge chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Garrett Johnson
  • Patent number: 7438081
    Abstract: A valve for an inflatable includes both inflation/deflation and pressure release functions. The valve has a housing which receives a core, a spring, and a nut. The nut is threadably received by the core and slidably received by the housing, and holds the core and spring in place within the housing. The inflation function includes a one way valve, and the release pressure of the pressure release function may both be adjusted and disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventor: Xing Chen
  • Patent number: 7438082
    Abstract: The invention concerns a valve arrangement for external operation including: a feed opening, a delivery opening, a connecting passage which connects the feed opening to the delivery opening, a first valve which is adapted to enable the fluid connection through the connecting passage in a first functional position and to close same in a second functional position, and an actuating device for actuating the first valve. Valve arrangements of that kind suffer from the disadvantage that they are not suitable for frost-resistant operation as freezing water can damage parts of the valve arrangement. That disadvantage is overcome by the invention insofar as there is provided a second valve which is closed in the first and second functional position and which co-operates with a drain opening which is so connected to the connecting passage that in a third functional position in which the first valve is closed and the second valve is opened the liquid in the connecting passage can flow away through the drain opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Interforge Klee GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Klee