Patents Issued in October 25, 2016
  • Patent number: 9476377
    Abstract: A method includes determining a stored injection relationship that includes a number of fuel performance parameters. In one form the fuel performance parameters are related to a particular shape, and may be related to a particular operating condition. The method includes determining a fuel performance outcome during a fuel injection event, and updating the stored injection relationship in response to the fuel performance outcome. The fuel performance outcome can be an injected fuel quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Donald J. Benson
  • Patent number: 9476378
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a system for diagnosing a common rail diesel engine. The method for diagnosing a common rail diesel engine may include setting a time when a pressure of a common rail becomes a first set pressure to a diagnosis start time and neglecting a state of the common rail until the pressure of the common rail decreases from the first set pressure to a second set pressure which is a diagnosis end pressure, verifying a time when the pressure of the common rail becomes the second set pressure and determining the time as a diagnosis end time when the pressure of the common rail becomes the second set pressure, calculating a diagnosis time as an elapsed time from the diagnosis start time to the diagnose end time, and diagnosing that fuel leaks from the common rail when the diagnosis time is shorter than a diagnosis set time by comparing the diagnosis time with the diagnosis set time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Tae Seong Lee
  • Patent number: 9476379
    Abstract: An injection unit (9) for injection of a first fuel (f1) and a second fuel (f2) in a combustion space. The injection unit (9) receives the first fuel (f1) from a fuel source (7) at a high pressure, and a second fuel (f2) from a second fuel source (15) at a lower pressure, an actuator (29) initiates a process of injecting at least the second fuel (f2) in the combustion space, and an injection nozzle (36) injects at least the second fuel (f2) in the combustion space. The injection unit includes a pressure boosting device (40) for increasing the pressure of the second fuel (f2) higher than the pressure in the second fuel source (15) by means of the pressure of the first fuel (f1), before the second fuel is injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventor: Kim Kylström
  • Patent number: 9476380
    Abstract: An engine provided with a plurality of cylinders includes a plurality of connecting lines connecting a first intake port of each of the cylinders having a present firing order and a second intake port of each of the cylinders having a next firing order, and connecting valve units opening and closing the each of the connecting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Won Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 9476381
    Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The piston may have a piston skirt with a center axis. The piston may also have a piston crown disposed adjacent a top of the piston skirt. The piston crown may have a diameter D. The piston crown may have a piston crown margin of width b extending in a circumferential direction. The piston crown may also have a piston trough with a depth t. The piston trough may have a piston trough wall with a base diameter. The piston trough may also have at least one recess with a height h. The height h parallel to the direction of the center axis may satisfy the following requirement: 0.2 t<=h<=t.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Böwing, Enrico Drehobl, Christian Drexel, Manfred Rapp
  • Patent number: 9476382
    Abstract: A gasket having a first upper layer, a second lower layer and a spacer layer is provided. The first upper layer has a bead located between two lands. The second lower layer also has a bead located between two lands. The spacer layer has an embossment located between two lands. A coating may be located within the embossment. The beads are located in an axial relationship with respect to the embossment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffery A. Foster
  • Patent number: 9476383
    Abstract: A thrust reverser with grids includes a jet engine pylon, a one piece cowl either directly or indirectly slidably mounted on the jet engine pylon between a direct jet position and a reverse jet position, and a system for locking this cowl on a beam. The system has a single tertiary lock, which is positioned on one side of the jet engine pylon being capable of locking a corresponding upper edge of the cowl. In addition, the tertiary lock includes a locker to lock the cowl, a blocker for blocking the locker, and a position detector in order to detect the position of the locker. The system further includes another detector to detect proper closing of the other upper edge of the cowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: AIRCELLE
    Inventor: Pierre Caruel
  • Patent number: 9476384
    Abstract: The invention relates to an actuation device (1) for moving the movable cowling of a thrust reverser, comprising: an actuator (7) with a first member (12) such as a screw, and a second member (14) such as a nut, wherein the first and second members are capable of engaging such that the rotation of the first member results in a translation of the second member, a locking device (33) including a locking part (34) movable between a locked position for preventing to the rotation of the first member and an unlocked position for enabling the rotation of the first member, and a lock inhibiting device (42) comprising a recess (46) and a ball (47) movable in the recess between a stowed position, in which the ball enables the movement of the locking part, and an inhibition position in which the ball prevents the locking part from returning into the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SAGEM DEFENSE SECURITE
    Inventors: Daniel Arnaud, David Charrier, Mickael Werquin, Rinaldo Fadini, Sebastien Coureux
  • Patent number: 9476385
    Abstract: A propulsion system and methods are presented. A substantially tubular structure comprises a central axis through a longitudinal geometric center, and a first fan rotates around the central axis, and comprises a first fan hub and first fan blades. The fan hub is rotationally coupled to the substantially tubular structure, and the first fan blades are coupled to the first fan hub and increase in chord length with increasing distance from the first fan hub. A second fan is rotationally coupled to the substantially tubular structure and rotates around the central axis and contra-rotates relative to the first fan. Second fan blades are coupled to the second fan hub, and a nacelle circumscribing the first fan and the second fan is coupled to and rotates with the first fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew D. Moore, Kelly L. Boren
  • Patent number: 9476386
    Abstract: A turbocharger device includes a turbine and a compressor coaxially connected to each other. The turbine is equipped to an exhaust system of an engine. The compressor is equipped to an intake air system of the engine. An EGR device recirculates a part of exhaust gas as EGR gas from a downstream of the turbine to an upstream of the compressor. The EGR device includes an EGR cooler, which is to cool EGR gas, and an EGR valve unit, which is to control a flow of EGR gas according to an opening of an EGR valve. The EGR cooler, the EGR valve unit, and the turbocharger device are screwed to a common bracket and are positioned relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Osamu Sato
  • Patent number: 9476387
    Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing an EGR system are presented. The method provides for indicating EGR system degradation in response to a temperature at an outlet of an EGR cooler. The method may require less calibration effort than a model based diagnostic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yong-Wha Kim, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Eric Kurtz
  • Patent number: 9476388
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for reducing cylinder-to-cylinder variation in exhaust gas recirculation. In one embodiment, a system comprises a first cylinder group of an engine having a first number of cylinders, a second cylinder group of the engine having a second number of cylinders that is not an integer multiple of the first number of cylinders, and an exhaust system coupled to the first cylinder group and the second cylinder group. In at least one mode of operation, the exhaust system has exhaust ports of the first cylinder group fluidly coupled to an intake of the engine and exhaust ports of the second cylinder group fluidly decoupled from the intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vijayaselvan Jayakar, Amit Kumar Sharma, Jennifer Anne Lachapelle, Trideep Singh
  • Patent number: 9476389
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine may include at least one distributor unit to supply liquid fluid and a plurality of preheating systems each connected to the distributor unit. The respective preheating systems may have a preheating chamber and at least one heating element. A plurality of connection nozzles may each be connected to respective preheating systems. A fuel path may lead from the distributor unit through the respective preheating chambers to the respective injection nozzles of the plurality of preheating systems. The respective preheating systems may include a housing having an inlet and an outlet. The housing may be connected via a plug-in connection on the inlet to the distributor unit and via a plug-in connection on the outlet to the respective injection nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Tadeu Amaral, Roberta Cruz, Fabio Moreira, Juergen Stehlig
  • Patent number: 9476390
    Abstract: An intake system for a vehicle includes an air cleaner assembly in a compact size. Intake passages introduce intake air to front and rear cylinder blocks of a multicylinder engine, and an air cleaner assembly is connected to upstream ends of the intake passages. A space inside an air cleaner case of the air cleaner assembly is partitioned into upper and lower sides by a partition wall, forming a clean chamber above the partition wall and a dirty chamber below. The intake passages are arranged to pass through the dirty chamber in an up-down direction, and inlets of the intake passages are arranged in the clean chamber. A through hole is formed in the partition wall between the intake passages for the front and rear cylinder blocks. An air cleaner element, configured to clean incoming intake air, is arranged to occlude the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Nishimura, Masahiro Kontani
  • Patent number: 9476392
    Abstract: A fluid pump includes an electric motor having a commutator and one or more brushes communicated with the commutator, and a pumping assembly driven by the electric motor. An outer shell of the pump encloses at least a portion of the electric motor and the pumping assembly, a cap is carried by the outer shell and has a brush passage formed therein for each brush, with each brush passage including a cavity defined by at least one wall. A brush cap has an end received in the cavity with an interference fit wherein the end of the brush cap has an outer diameter that is larger than the diameter of the cavity and the end of the brush cap has strength that causes it to deform upon installation into the cavity without causing significant plastic deformation of the wall of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Edward J. Talaski
  • Patent number: 9476393
    Abstract: A heated fuel injector for supplying fuel to a fuel consuming device includes a fuel inlet for receiving fuel, a fuel outlet for dispensing fuel from the fuel injector, and a fuel injector body extending along an axis and fluidly connecting the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet such that fuel flows within the injector body. A cylindrical heating element radially surrounds the fuel injector body and operates to heat fuel flowing through the fuel injector body. An annular space is defined between the heating element and the fuel injector body sufficiently large to accommodate thermally caused radial differential expansion between the fuel injector body and the heating element. A conductive material fills the annular space and has a melting point sufficiently low to be a liquid as the heating element operates to thereby substantially prevent transfer of mechanical stress to the heating element due to the radial differential expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel F. Kabasin, Jason C. Short, Patrick M. Griffin
  • Patent number: 9476394
    Abstract: A motor includes a stator with a bobbin. The bobbin has a lower end winding portion, a head part retainer portion that retains a head part of a winding, and a control portion disposed between the lower end winding portion and the head part retainer portion. A head part retainer surface formed on a pump part side of the head part retainer portion and an end face formed on a pump part side of the control portion are positioned on the same plane and on a pump part side relative to a winding retainer surface that is formed on a pump part side of the lower end winding portion. Thus, when the winding is wound in layers onto the winding retainer surface of the bobbin, collapsing of a middle part of the winding onto the head part of the winding is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuo Hayakawa, Eiji Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9476395
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle has an engine, a starter motor that starts the engine, a driving motor that transmits a motor torque to the engine and a drive wheel, a starting motor selective control unit that starts the engine using the starter motor in response to a driving force request by a driver of the hybrid vehicle during a selected mode of operation in which the driving motor serves as the driving source, and that starts the engine using the driving motor in response to a system request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., RENAULT S.A.S.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Konishi, Kakuzou Kaneko, Susumu Kubo
  • Patent number: 9476396
    Abstract: Locking device for positive locking a rotor of a wind turbine, with a rotor shaft of a drive train rotatably mounted on a machine frame of the wind turbine, a locking disk and a locking bolt, the rotor shaft being non-rotatably connected with the locking disk, which has one or more through-openings for the engagement of the locking bolt, wherein the locking bolt can be substantially locked on the machine frame in a circumferential direction of the rotor shaft, and is arranged on the machine frame for displacement in substantially an axial direction of the rotor shaft, the locking bolt is constructed to be substantially rotationally symmetric about its center axis, in particular cylindrical-shaped, and is supported in a housing, wherein the housing is constructed with an inner hollow-cylindrical seat for receiving the locking bolt and an outer cylindrical shape with a center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SUZLON ENERGY GMBH
    Inventors: Mario Fritzsche, Frank Schorer
  • Patent number: 9476397
    Abstract: A glowplug control device for controlling an applied voltage or power for a glowplug is provided, which includes a target calculating module for calculating a target applied voltage or power to adjust a glowplug temperature to a predetermined target temperature, an output module for applying the target applied voltage or power to the glowplug when the target applied voltage or power is below a maximum applicable voltage or power, and applying the maximum applicable voltage or power to the glowplug when the target applied voltage or power is above the maximum applicable voltage or power, and a temperature estimating module for estimating the glowplug temperature to be the target temperature when the target applied voltage or power is applied to the glowplug, and estimating the glowplug temperature to be below the target temperature by a temperature decrease amount when the maximum applicable voltage or power is applied to the glowplug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Motonori Yoshida, Shingo Harada
  • Patent number: 9476398
    Abstract: A control device suitable for use in a vehicle includes a circuit board and a spring element. The circuit board includes a circuit element electrically connected thereat. The spring element is engaged with the circuit element and biased or urged towards the circuit element to exert a force at the circuit element in a direction generally parallel to a surface of the circuit board. The circuit element is electrically connected at the circuit board via a solder joint. When a temperature at the solder joint exceeds a threshold temperature, the spring element moves the circuit element along the surface of the circuit board to break the electrical connection at the solder joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Ralf Biegert
  • Patent number: 9476399
    Abstract: An acoustic resonance igniter uses high-pressure helium to heat a resonance cavity so a hot surface of the resonance cavity forms a source of ignition to a combustion chamber. The resonance cavity may be round or may extend linearly to increase the size of the hot surface. The combustion chamber is cooled by arranging a feed of hydrogen and oxygen which is oxygen rich and which becomes more so when ignition occurs. A second combustion chamber receives the combustion chamber output and adds additional hydrogen through ports tangential to the wall of the second combustion chamber to enrich the fuel ratio and cool the second combustion chamber. The acoustic resonance igniter is used to ignite a large rocket engine or to form a rocket thruster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Orbital Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Scott M. Munson
  • Patent number: 9476400
    Abstract: A spring suspension system includes a top spring assembly connected to a top end of a stator and a top end of a cable and a bottom spring assembly connected to a bottom end of the stator and a bottom end of the cable. The top spring assembly includes a central spring connected to the top end of the cable at a bottom end of the central spring and a set of symmetrically arranged springs, each connected to the top end of the stator and to a top end of the central spring, configured to accommodate torsional and rotational components of an input force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ENERGYSTICS, LTD.
    Inventor: Reed E. Phillips
  • Patent number: 9476401
    Abstract: A marine hydrokinetic electric power generator comprises one of a stator and a rotor which is adjustably movable through an infinite number of positions from being proximate to one another so that their magnetic fields overlap mostly to a position such that the rotor is most distant from the stator and has little overlap of magnetic field strength. Hatch and speed control may be also provided by a spur/helical gear assembly of sun and planetary gear sets referred to herein as a Transgear™ gear assembly. The variable (or fixed) power generator in operation may comprise one of a rotor and a stator being out of phase with one another by an angle, for example, the one of the rotor or the stator leading or lagging the other and the phase angle, frequency or voltage of output power to a power grid corrected responsive to inputs from the power grid and the marine hydrokinetic turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Differential Dynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Kyung Soo Han
  • Patent number: 9476402
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating electrical power using a solar power system comprising pressurized pipes for transporting liquid water. The pressurized pipes flow through solar collectors which concentrate sunlight on the water flowing through the pipes. The pressurization in the pipes allows for the water flowing therethrough to absorb large quantities of energy. The pressurized and heated water is then pumped to a heat exchanger where the thermal energy is released to produce steam for powering a steam turbine electrical generator. Thereafter, the water is returned to the solar collectors in a closed loop to repeat the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: U S MICROPOWER INC
    Inventor: Michael Newman
  • Patent number: 9476403
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wind turbine enabling a cost effective and easy attachment/replacement of rotor blades and to a method of attaching a rotor blade to a hub of a wind turbine. The wind turbine in accordance with the invention comprises a tower resting on a base, at least one rotor blade having a blade connector portion, a nacelle housing a shaft to which a hub is attached, the nacelle being mounted atop the tower. Said hub of the wind turbine comprises a plurality of hub connection flanges, each hub connection flange being adapted to be detachably connected to a blade connector portion of a rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Barnhart Crane and Rigging Co.
    Inventors: Neil Smith, Josh Kissinger, Ole Kils
  • Patent number: 9476404
    Abstract: In a method an inner segment is first pre-assembled on each of a number of outer segments by at least one fixing element, so as to produce a plurality of segment modules having each a predetermined air gap between the inner segment and the outer segment. The inner segments and the outer segments are assigned to the rotor or stator of the electrical machine. The inner segments of the plurality of segment modules are fastened to an inner assembly device (for example a hub). The outer segments of the plurality of segment modules are fastened to an outer assembly device (for example a supporting structure). Finally, the fixing elements between the inner segments and the outer segments are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Kornel Feher, Ulrich Hartmann, Martin Junge, Andreas Jöckel, Martin Kristl, Wilfried Luchs, Oliver Memminger, Joachim Mucha, Axel Möhle
  • Patent number: 9476405
    Abstract: A wind turbine for converting wind energy into electric energy using a primary and secondary pivotable wind rotor. The rotors of the wind turbine have a horizontal and a vertical axis. The secondary rotor rotates independently from the wind, enabling a continuous production of electric energy, which is advantageous in that the turbine overcomes drawbacks in intermittent wind speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ENEL GREEN POWER, S.P.A.
    Inventors: Luigi La Pegna, Renzo Piano
  • Patent number: 9476406
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade (80, 82) having a spanwise series of vortex generators (26, 28, 26P, 28P, 64, 66) and having a trailing edge (42) defining a waveform. The vortex generators are aligned with a predetermined position or phase (44, 46) of a respective period of the trailing edge waveform. Each vortex generator may be designed to create a vortex (27, 29) that crosses the trailing edge at an angle of less than 30 degrees from parallel to the trailing edge. The blade may include alternating ridges (52) and troughs (54) that end at the waveform trailing edge. A front end of each trough may form a V-shaped drop-off in the suction side of the blade that forms a pair (64, 66) of vortex generators to create counter-rotating vortices within the trough that entrain energy to the bottom of the trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: John M. Obrecht, Arni T. Steingrimsson
  • Patent number: 9476407
    Abstract: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of operating a wind turbine having a rotor with a plurality of blades, a nacelle, one or more pitch systems for pitching the blades, a system for determining a speed of the rotor, and a system for determining a fore-aft speed of the nacelle. The method comprises determining the speed of the rotor, determining the fore-aft speed of the nacelle, and calculating a difference between the determined speed of the rotor and a predefined speed of reference of the rotor. After, pitch commands are obtained by performing a PID control of this calculated difference of speeds, said PID control being tuned for adapting the sensitivity of the PID control as a function of the determined fore-aft speed of the nacelle. Then, the one or more pitch systems pitch the blades in accordance with said obtained pitch commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ALSTOM RENOVABLES ESPA{tilde over (E)}A, S.L.
    Inventor: Isaac Pineda Amo
  • Patent number: 9476408
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine generator is provided, the wind turbine generator converting mechanical energy to electrical. The method comprises: determining an electromagnetic power reference representing the electromagnetic power generated by the wind turbine generator, wherein the electromagnetic power reference is determined based on a desired output of the wind turbine generator; controlling the electrical power generated by the wind turbine generator using a control signal, wherein the control signal is derived from the electromagnetic power reference and is modified in dependence on an inverse power function of the wind turbine generator by incorporating minimal copper loss constraint and stator voltage limiting constraint such that non-linearity of the wind turbine generator is compensated in the control loop and it operates at its maximum efficiency. One effect of the method is that classical linear control loop design can be employed in spite of the plant being a non-linear identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Shu Yu Cao, Anshuman Tripathi, Kim B. Larsen, Gert Karmisholt Andersen, Lars Helle
  • Patent number: 9476409
    Abstract: An offshore wind turbine apparatus may include a platform and an equalizer with sealed internal volumes, a turbine mast connected to the platform, a turbine which is connected to the turbine mast, and turbine blades connected to the turbine. The apparatus may be rotatably mounted on a barge via a trunnion. The apparatus may rotate from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially upright position when sufficient ballast material is inserted into the equalizer. The equalizer may rest on a sea floor. The platform may provide a restorative buoyant force that tends to cause the apparatus to return to the upright position when perturbed from the upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Zachry Construction Corporation
    Inventor: Jean J. Abiassi
  • Patent number: 9476410
    Abstract: An offshore floating platform having at least one buoyant column with an upper end extending above a sea surface, a lower end submerged below the sea surface, and at least one keel tank disposed at the lower end. A deck is supported at the upper end the column. An ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system is integrated with the platform in which heat is extracted from warm sea surface waters to vaporize a liquid working fluid and heat is rejected to cold water from lower depths of the sea to condense the vaporized working fluid. At least one turbine and power generator is disposed on the deck, at least one evaporator is disposed on the platform beneath the deck, and at least one condenser is disposed on the seabed or platform or keel tank a distance beneath the evaporator. A desalination system may also be combined and incorporated with the OTEC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Nagan Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 9476411
    Abstract: A cold water pipe assembly, and mechanisms for generating a cold water pipe assembly, are provided. A plurality of mooring lines are secured to a pipe end member. A pipe segment of a plurality of pipe segments is slidably coupled with respect to the mooring lines at a plurality of locations on a pipe wall of the pipe segment. The plurality of pipe segments is iteratively extended to form a pipe assembly of a desired length by joining a next pipe segment to a previous pipe segment to extend the pipe assembly, and lowering the pipe end member and the pipe assembly by extending the mooring lines. At least some of the next pipe segments are slidably coupled with respect to the mooring lines at a plurality of locations on a respective pipe wall of the at least some of the next pipe segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Randy L. Gaigler, Matthew B. Ascari, Corey A. Fleischer, James A. Waicukauski
  • Patent number: 9476412
    Abstract: A resistively heated shape memory polymer device is made by providing a rod, sheet or substrate that includes a resistive medium. The rod, sheet or substrate is coated with a first shape memory polymer providing a coated intermediate unit. The coated intermediate unit is in turn coated with a conductive material providing a second intermediate unit. The second coated intermediate unit is in turn coated with an outer shape memory polymer. The rod, sheet or substrate is exposed and an electrical lead is attached to the rod, sheet or substrate. The conductive material is exposed and an electrical lead is attached to the conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: John E. Marion, III, Jane P. Bearinger, Thomas S. Wilson, Duncan J. Maitland
  • Patent number: 9476413
    Abstract: An electric propulsion system includes a first stationary plasma thruster including a single first cathode, a first anode, and a first gas manifold, and a second stationary plasma thruster including a single second cathode, a second anode, and a second gas manifold. The system further includes an electrical connection device common to the first and second cathodes, first and second gas flow rate control devices with a common fluid flow device for feeding gas, and a selective control device for activating at any given instant only one of the first and second cathodes in co-operation with one or the other of the first and second anodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Anthony Claude Bernard Lorand
  • Patent number: 9476414
    Abstract: A reciprocating compressor may include a shell, a first cylinder, a plate, a second cylinder, and a piston. The first cylinder may be disposed within the shell and may include a first valve. The plate may be fixed relative to the first cylinder and may include a second valve. The second cylinder may be axially aligned with the first cylinder and may be moveable relative to the first cylinder between first and second positions. The piston may be disposed within the second cylinder and may include a third valve. The piston may reciprocate relative to the first and second cylinders. The piston and the plate may define a first compression chamber therebetween. The piston and the first cylinder may define a second compression chamber therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank S. Wallis
  • Patent number: 9476415
    Abstract: A method includes driving a fluid pumping unit having a plurality of pumping cylinders via a plurality of hydraulic cylinders respectively of a hydraulic power unit. The method further includes controlling activation of the hydraulic power unit such that each stroke of the corresponding piston assembly between the top dead center and the bottom dead center follows a corresponding trapezoidal velocity profile with respect to a time duration. Controlling activation includes controlling flow of a hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic power unit so as to control the corresponding trapezoidal velocity profile with respect to the time duration of the corresponding piston assembly to obtain a predefined flow rate of the fluid medium from the pumping unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shyam Sivaramakrishnan, Todd Alan Anderson, Matthew David d'Artenay, Dean David Marschke
  • Patent number: 9476416
    Abstract: The air compressor contains a casing member, a driving member, and a cylinder member. The casing member has a first accommodation section, a second accommodation section, and a connection section connecting the first and second accommodation sections. The first accommodation section has a number of first inlets and first outlets. The driving member is located between the first and second accommodation sections, and is adjacent to the first outlets. The cylinder member is located both in the second accommodation section and the connection section, and is adjacent to the second outlets. The outside cool air is drawn into the casing member through the first inlets. A portion of the drawn air is released through the first outlets, forming a first flow path for cooling down the driving member. Another portion is released through the second outlets, forming a second flow path for cooling down the cylinder member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Inventor: Chi-Wen Chen
  • Patent number: 9476417
    Abstract: A method for detecting and localizing a valve leak in a piston machine having a shaft includes: attaching one or more vibration sensor to a valve block of the piston machine; measuring the vibrations from at least one of the vibration sensors; attaching a sensor to the piston machine where the sensor is designed to produce, directly or indirectly, an angular shaft position signal for the shaft; determining, directly or indirectly, an angular shaft position signal for the shaft; transforming vibration signals from the one or more vibration sensors into one envelope signal representing an instant vibration level; using the angular position signal for constructing window functions that pick the envelope signal in selected angular shaft sectors; using the window functions to find sector based averages of the vibration level; and comparing said averages with a critical ambient vibration level to detect and localize leaks in one or two valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO NORWAY AS
    Inventors: Åge Kyllingstad, Pål Jacob Nessjøen
  • Patent number: 9476418
    Abstract: A system for determining mechanical stress of a compressor is provided. The system includes a reciprocating compressor. The system also includes a magnetostriction sensor coupled to the reciprocating compressor and configured to measure a change in magnetic permeability of a target material of the reciprocating compressor. Furthermore, the system includes a processor configured to convert the measured change in the magnetic permeability of the target material into an estimated mechanical stress under which the target material is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Terrance Hatch, Lam Arthur Campbell, Pekka Tapani Sipilä
  • Patent number: 9476419
    Abstract: An adhesive dispensing system includes a pump and at least one sensor positioned to sense movements of a component of the pump and produce signals based on the sensed movements. The dispensing system also includes a controller communicating with the at least one sensor to collect information regarding operational cycles of the pump based on the signals. As a result, one or more diagnostic processes are enabled at the controller during operation of the adhesive dispensing system. These diagnostic processes may include a leak rate test for the dispensing system, an overspeed detection test for the pump, and expected life cycle monitoring of the pump or other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventor: Peter W. Estelle
  • Patent number: 9476420
    Abstract: A supply pump includes a housing, a tappet and an anti-rotation pin. The housing has a cylindrical slide wall and an attachment hole. The tappet is provided in the housing to be slidably reciprocatable along the slide wall, and the tappet has an elongated hole. The anti-rotation pin includes an end pin inserted into the attachment hole to be attached to the housing, and a plug fixed to the housing to prevent the end pin from dropping out of the attachment hole. The end pin is fitted into the elongated hole of the tappet to prevent the tappet from rotating with respect to the housing. The end pin is provided separately from the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadaaki Makino
  • Patent number: 9476421
    Abstract: A cylinder head for a two-stage reciprocating piston compressor includes an intercooler that is designed as a cooled overflow channel between the pressure side of the first stage and the suction side of the second stage, wherein the overflow channel has a substantially slot-like cross-section, and the overflow channel is in addition divided by at least one indirectly cooled center rib so that therefrom at least two overflow channel portions and are created. The cylinder head has a cylinder head upper part and a cylinder head lower part, the cross-section of the indirectly cooled center rib is divided in its longitudinal extent thereby forming a passage gap between the overflow channels and that run on both sides, and one portion of the center rib is formed from the cylinder head upper part and the other portion of the center rib is formed from the cylinder head lower part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Hoerbiger Kompressortechnik Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Cesak, Bernhard Spiegl, Andreas Brandl
  • Patent number: 9476422
    Abstract: A sliding vane, positive displacement pump is provided which uses a fixed disc configuration wherein a rotor includes a pair of discs affixed to opposite faces of the rotor so as to rotate with the rotor/shaft. Preferably, the discs each have an outer diameter proximate the outer diameter of the rotor and define an outer disc surface which faces radially outwardly towards an opposing, inside surface of the pump head or other casing structure. A dynamic seal is provided along the outside disc diameter which eliminates the formation of slip between end surfaces. The path of fluid traveling from the high pressure pump side near the outlet to the low pressure side of pump near the inlet is controlled with a radial clearance that is defined between the OD of each disc and the ID of the stationary head. This effectively eliminates direct slip paths extending radially across axially-directed end faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael D Walters
  • Patent number: 9476423
    Abstract: A Roots pump comprises a plurality of multi-toothed rotary pumps, each forming a pump stage, and connection channels connecting respective adjacent pump stages. The invention provides that the connection channels are arranged in partitioning walls separating the adjacent pump stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: OERLIKON LEYBOLD VACCUM GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Birch, Thomas Dreifert, Robert Jenkins, Clive Tunna
  • Patent number: 9476424
    Abstract: A household appliance includes a tub, in which a liquid is at least temporarily contained, and a pump assembly for effecting liquid flow within the tub. The pump assembly includes a housing including an integrally formed flow path portion defining an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path extending between and interconnecting the inlet and the outlet. The flow path portion defines a turn, such that part of the flow path extends in a direction oriented at an angle relative to the inlet axis. The pump assembly includes a rotatable impeller. The impeller includes a plurality of blades extending at least substantially radially from the impeller axis and configured to propel a fluid at least substantially axially thereby. The impeller is positioned in the flow path adjacent the inlet such that the impeller axis and the inlet axis are at least substantially parallel or at least substantially aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Jason A. Richter, William D. Moore, Joshua M. Biro
  • Patent number: 9476425
    Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) are provided, and example of an apparatus includes a rotation rate or other sensor located in, for example, an ESP gauge. When the ESP is started the rotating elements rotate in a first direction while the static elements will experience an opposing torque in a second opposite direction. The small rotational movement of the ESP gauge housing, for example, is sensed by the sensor and is used to determine the direction of rotation of the motor and pump to ensure proper ESP motor and/or ESP assembly configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Eric Atherton
  • Patent number: 9476426
    Abstract: An axial fan assembly includes a hub, a plurality of connection structures, and a plurality of isolated members. The hub is rotatable about an axis of rotation and includes a radially extending face and a cylindrical portion extending axially from the face. The face includes a radially inner face portion and a radially outer face portion. The plurality of connection structures extends radially inwardly from the radially outer face portion and extends radially outward from the radially inner face portion. The plurality of isolated members extends radially outwardly from the radially inner face portion and is isolated from the plurality of connection structures and from the radially outer face portion by a plurality of slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: Robert Bosch LLC, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dana Nicgorski, Friedrich Meyer, Michael Strupp, William M. Stevens
  • Patent number: 9476427
    Abstract: A counter-rotating wet gas compressor for deployment and operation on the sea floor is described. The compressor has alternating rows of impellers, with each successive row of impellers being mounted a central hub or to an outer sleeve. According to some embodiments, no static diffusers are positioned between the alternating counter-rotating rows of impellers such that the design is structurally robust, compact and capable of compressing fluids that contain significant portions of liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: FRAMO ENGINEERING AS
    Inventors: Bernt Helge Torkildsen, Per Gunnar Vikre, Hans Frederik Kjellnes