Patents Issued in November 29, 2016
  • Patent number: 9506352
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a turbine blade of a gas turbine with an airfoil arranged on a blade root and having at least one cooling air duct running in the longitudinal direction of the turbine blade, arranged inside the turbine blade and extending through the blade root, characterized in that at least one swirl-generating element is arranged in the transitional area between blade root and airfoil in the cooling air duct, with the swirl-generating element including an outer ring and several swirl-generating stator vanes arranged thereon, which are connected to a centric area, as well as to a method for its manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Knut Lehmann, Tijana Filipova
  • Patent number: 9506353
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan section including a fan with a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an axis. Each of the plurality of fan blades includes a mid-span shroud and a speed change device in communication with the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Michael A. Weisse, Steven H. Zysman
  • Patent number: 9506354
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade of the embodiment is made up of plural rotor blades each including: a blade effective part, a blade planting part, and a cover part, in which the cover parts adjacent in a turbine rotor circumferential direction are engaged with each other to make up an annular blade cascade. From among the rotor blades, a cover part of a stopping blade implanted to a planting part of the turbine rotor or the cover part of at least one of the rotor blades engaged with the cover part of the stopping blade is formed at the blade top part of the rotor blade so as to be able to be fitted when the rotor blade is installed in the turbine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Norimichi Mori, Itaru Murakami, Tsutomu Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 9506355
    Abstract: A method for fabricating turbine engine blade or vane made of composite material includes: performing three-dimensional weaving to make a single-piece fiber blank; shaping the fiber blank to obtain a single-piece fiber preform having a first portion forming a preform for at least a blade/vane airfoil, at least one second portion forming a preform for an inner part of a blade/vane inner platform or for an outer part of a blade/vane outer platform, and at least one third portion forming a preform for an outer part of a blade/vane inner platform or for an inner part of a blade/vane outer platform; and densifying the fiber preform with a matrix to obtain a composite material blade, and forming a single piece with an inner and/or outer platform(s) incorporated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: Snecma, Herakles
    Inventors: Romain Nunez, Stephane Blanchard, Guillaume Renon, Dominique Coupe, Clement Roussille, Antoine Jean-Philippe Beaujard, Elric Georges Andre Fremont
  • Patent number: 9506356
    Abstract: A retention feature for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The retention feature includes a ceramic post, an insert, and a braze layer coupling the insert to the ceramic post. The ceramic post includes a body adapted to be coupled to a turbine engine component and a head coupled to the body. The insert is arranged in a space formed in the head and the braze layer extends from the ceramic post to the insert to bond the insert to the ceramic post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Loftus, Adam L. Chamberlain, Ted J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 9506357
    Abstract: A staking tool includes an assembly having two substantially parallel punch members. The punch members are located partially in a punch body, and the punch body is located adjacent to a lower shaft. The lower shaft has an angled face configured to contact the punch body so that an angle is formed between the punch body and lower shaft. A main shaft is connected to the lower shaft. A cap is connected to the main shaft. A blow applied to the cap transfers force to the punch body, and the angled face redirects the direction of the force by the angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Brian Kenneth Bassett
  • Patent number: 9506358
    Abstract: Disclosed is a variable pitch propeller having a blade pivoted rotatably to a cylindrical propeller casing, a drive shaft, coupled to a propulsor and positioned coaxially inside the propeller casing, a kinematic mechanism coupled to the drive shaft, or to the propeller casing, and to the blade, for adjusting the rotary motion of the blade about its axis of pivoting to the propeller casing, and means for coupling in rotation the drive shaft to the propeller casing. The propeller provides a non-null angular range of relative rotation of the blade about its axis of pivoting, with respect to the propeller casing, or vice versa. The means for coupling in rotation the drive shaft to the cylindrical propeller casing include an elastic element interposed between the drive shaft and the cylindrical casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: MAX PROP S.R.L.
    Inventor: Massimiliano Bianchi
  • Patent number: 9506359
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustion system for use with a cooling flow. The combustion system may include a head end, an aft end, a transition nozzle extending from the head end to the aft end, and an impingement sleeve surrounding the transition nozzle. The impingement sleeve may define a first cavity in communication with the head end for a first portion of the cooling flow and a second cavity in communication with the aft end for a second portion of the cooling flow. The transition nozzle may include a number of cooling holes thereon in communication with the second portion of the cooling flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Won-Wook Kim, Kevin Weston McMahan, Jaime Javier Maldonado
  • Patent number: 9506360
    Abstract: A continuous-flow machine, especially an axial compressor, having at least one guide vane ring that includes at least one row of adjustable guide vanes, whereby each guide vane is tapered relative to its vane body in the direction of its longitudinal axis as seen in a side view of the guide vane. In order to increase the stability of the flow in the continuous-flow machine, each row of guide vanes comprises first guide vanes and second guide vanes, whereby, as seen in a combined side view of a first guide vane and of a second guide vane, each first guide vane is tapered along its vane body in the lengthwise direction, and each second guide vane is tapered in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventor: Roland Wunderer
  • Patent number: 9506361
    Abstract: A gas turbine having an annular casing with a series of circumferentially spaced openings defined therethrough; a plurality of vanes extending radially inwardly though respective casing openings, an outer end of the vanes projecting radially outwardly from the casing through the respective openings and located within the respective openings by grommets, and an inner end of the vanes being mounted to an inner portion of the casing; a flexible, segmented strap extending around the annular casing, surrounding the projecting outer ends of the vanes; and a spring radially loading the flexible strap configured to apply a tension force to the flexible strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Bruce Fielding, Nathan Tomes, Thomas Veitch
  • Patent number: 9506362
    Abstract: Various embodiments include steam turbine static nozzles having transitional interfaces. In one embodiment a steam turbine static nozzle blade includes: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a first side having one of: an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall, or an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall; and a second side opposing the first side and having an angled interface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 9506363
    Abstract: A welding method including the steps of: providing, in a first position, a weld target assembly having a welding region and a weld tab located adjacent the welding region, the weld tab changeable from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration when subject to a first type of weld operation; performing a first weld process on the welding region and weld tab; moving the assembly from the first to a second position; providing safeguard apparatus for cooperating with the weld tab to: prevent the assembly from moving to the second position when the first weld procedure did not include the first type of weld operation; and permit the assembly be moved to the second position when the first weld procedure included the first type of weld operation. The assembly includes a sub-assembly having a foot member and blade portion welded together, thereby ultimately forming an output guide vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Matthew David Curren
  • Patent number: 9506364
    Abstract: At least one sealing arrangement is provided for a connecting mechanism between an inner annular member or an outer annular member and an associated segment to connect between the annular members and the segments. The sealing arrangement includes an elastic sealing member provided between the sealing surfaces, disposed linearly along a side of polygon defined around a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryozo Tanaka, Tomoki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9506365
    Abstract: Embodiments of a gas turbine engine component having sealed stress relief slots are provided, as are embodiments of a gas turbine engine containing such a component and embodiments of a method for fabricating such a component. In one embodiment, the gas turbine engine includes a core gas flow path, a secondary cooling flow path, and a turbine nozzle or other gas turbine engine component. The component includes, in turn, a component body through which the core gas flow path extends, a radially-extending wall projecting from the component body and into the secondary cooling flow path, and one or more stress relief slots formed in the radially-extending wall. The stress relief slots are filled with a high temperature sealing material, which impedes leakage between the second cooling and core gas flow paths and which fractures to alleviate thermomechanical stress within the radially-extending wall during operation of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jason Smoke, Bradley Reed Tucker, Ardeshir Riahi, Ed Zurmehly, Alexander MirzaMoghadam
  • Patent number: 9506366
    Abstract: A helical seal system includes a first component, and a second component rotatable relative to the first component. The second component extends from a high pressure portion to a low pressure portion through an intermediate portion. A helical seal is provided on the intermediate portion of the second component. The helical seal includes at least one thread component having a pitch that is configured and disposed to draw fluids from the low pressure portion toward the high pressure portion when the second component is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Radu Ioan Danescu, David Martin Johnson
  • Patent number: 9506367
    Abstract: A blade outer air seal (BOAS) for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a seal body having a radially inner face and a radially outer face that axially extend between a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion and a seal land that extends from the seal body and includes an inward pointing extension that extends radially inwardly from the radially inner face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian Ellis Clouse
  • Patent number: 9506368
    Abstract: A housing structure for a turbomachine having a stationary blade ring annularly surrounding a flow channel, and having a seal carrier ring which also annularly surrounds the flow channel, the stationary blade ring and the seal carrier ring being connected to each other, and either the stationary blade ring or the seal carrier ring having a one-sidedly open receptacle in the radial direction in relation to the flow channel and a radially projecting engagement area which corresponds to the connected seal carrier ring or stationary blade ring and which is held in a form-fitting manner in the axial direction and in the radial direction in the direction of the closed side of the receptacle but is freely movable with respect to the connected receptacle and the seal carrier ring or stationary blade ring having this receptacle in the radially opposite direction in the direction of the receptacle opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Manfred Feldmann, Janine Sangl, Norbert Schinko
  • Patent number: 9506369
    Abstract: An arrangement for heating and cooling a turbine casing of a gas turbine engine, the arrangement comprising an inboard duct, adjacent to an inboard surface of the turbine casing, an outboard facing wall of the inboard duct having a plurality of impingement holes opening towards the inboard surface of the casing, through which temperature control fluid can pass from within the inboard duct to impinge upon the inboard surface of the turbine casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: John H. Boswell, Ian Tibbott
  • Patent number: 9506370
    Abstract: A generator system fluidly connected between a first preexisting pipe and a second preexisting pipe comprising a generator with a first preexisting pipe flange and a second preexisting pipe flange, without forming any holes in the first and second preexisting pipes. A first and second generator flange for engaging a non-magnetic section of pipe and the preexisting pipes and a plurality of coils secured to the non-magnetic section of pipe. A plurality of rare earth magnets secured to an outer surface of a rotating drum or a propeller and configured to energize the plurality of coils. At least one radial bearing, a thrust bearing and a junction box electrically connected to the plurality of coils for receiving energy produced by the plurality of coils and for transmitting a current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TAZMAN TUBINZ, INC.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Kaiser, Bryon D. Hodges, James R. Oldham
  • Patent number: 9506371
    Abstract: A turbocharger (1) with variable turbine geometry (VTG) having a guide grate (18) which surrounds a turbine wheel (4) radially at the outside, which has an adjusting ring (5) operatively connected to the guide blades (7) via associated blade levers (20) which are fastened to blade shafts (8) at one of the ends thereof. Each blade lever (20) has a lever head (23) which can be placed in engagement with an associated engagement recess (24), which has a base wall (26), of the adjusting ring (5), and which has a stop (25) at least for setting the minimum throughflow through the nozzle cross sections formed by the guide blades (7). The stop is a first support point (25) on the base wall (26), wherein, in the minimum throughflow position, the lever head (23) makes contact, via a wall surface (27) facing toward the base wall (26), with said first support point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Ramb, Dietmar Metz
  • Patent number: 9506372
    Abstract: A damper (2) for damping a blade movement of a turbomachine (1), and to a method for producing the damper (2). The damper (2) has at least one side surface (21, 21?) which can be brought into frictional contact with a friction surface of the turbomachine (1) in order to damp a blade movement. The side surfaces (21, 21?) are asymmetrically convex in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Schoenhoff, Manfred Dopfer, Martin Pernleitner, Wilfried Schuette
  • Patent number: 9506373
    Abstract: A steam turbine arrangement is provided and includes a first steam turbine with a first steam outlet, wherein the first steam turbine exhibiting a first sealing leakage, a second steam turbine exhibiting a second sealing leakage, and a third steam turbine with a cooling steam inlet, a functional device and a cooling arrangement. The cooling arrangement is coupled to the cooling steam inlet. The cooling arrangement is adapted for guiding a cooling steam to the functional device for cooling purposes. A steam pipe is coupled to the first steam turbine and to the second steam turbine such that a first steam being provided by the first sealing leakage and a second steam being provided by the second sealing leakage is gathered to a cooling steam in the steam pipe. The steam pipe is coupled to the cooling steam inlet such that the cooling steam is injectable to the cooling arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Olga Chernysheva, Oskar Mazur
  • Patent number: 9506374
    Abstract: A component of a turbine includes a vane, a carrier element and at least four interfaces between the vane and the carrier element. The at least four interfaces are sealed via leaf seals. A method for sealing against leakage between a vane and a carrier element of the above-mentioned turbine component includes sealing the at least four interfaces by way of leaf seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Stephen Batt
  • Patent number: 9506375
    Abstract: There is provided a fan guard for mounting on an electrically-operated axial-flow fan. The fan guard comprises a plurality of fasteners for extending into a plurality of respective holes on the fan and further comprises a projection projecting outwardly from the fan guard from a central support which, in use, is coincident with a central region of the air flow from the axial-flow fan. The fasteners secure the fan guard on the fan by a friction fit between the fasteners and the holes, thereby rendering installation of the fan guard on a fan, and removal of the fan guard from the fan quick and straightforward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: CONTROL TECNIQUES LIMITED
    Inventor: Charles Anthony Cachia
  • Patent number: 9506376
    Abstract: A fossil-fired steam generator for a steam power station includes a number of economizer, evaporator and superheater heating surfaces forming a flow path through which a flow medium flows in a plurality of pressure stages. In a high-pressure stage, an overflow line is connected to the flow path on its inlet side and leads to an injection valve disposed upstream in the flow path from a superheater heating surface in a medium-pressure stage on the flow medium side. The overflow line has two supply lines of which a first supply line branches off on the flow medium side upstream from a high-pressure preheater and a second supply line branches off on the flow medium side downstream from the high-pressure preheater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Martin Effert, Frank Thomas
  • Patent number: 9506377
    Abstract: A method and a configuration recover thermal energy in a thermal treatment of cold-rolled steel strip in an annealing furnace. The steel strip is heated up in a protective gas atmosphere to a temperature above the recrystallization temperature, and is subjected in a first, slow cooling phase and a second, fast cooling phase to a protective gas. The temperature of the protective gas is reduced during the first phase down to an intermediate temperature and in the second phase from the intermediate temperature to a final temperature. A first heat exchanger transfers the thermal energy of the protective gas by an oil circuit and a second heat exchanger to a working medium, and which evaporates and is fed to a steam motor, which converts the thermal energy contained in the working medium into energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: BILSTEIN GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Gerald Zwickel
  • Patent number: 9506378
    Abstract: A variable valve timing control apparatus has a drive rotary member having therein working chambers; a vane rotor relatively rotatably housed in the drive rotary member and defining the working chambers as retard and advance working chambers; and a spring forcing the vane rotor in one rotation direction with respect to the drive rotary member. The vane rotor has a tubular portion formed with the vane rotor and protruding from a middle position of a side of the vane rotor and a recessed portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion. An engaging end of an outermost circumferential portion of the spring is engaged with the drive rotary member, an engaging end of an innermost circumferential portion of the spiral spring is engaged with the tubular portion, and part of the innermost circumferential portion is inserted in the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Taisuke Sakane
  • Patent number: 9506379
    Abstract: A concentric cam shaft phaser, including: a first camshaft; a second camshaft located radially inside of the first camshaft; a control gear in contact with the first camshaft and fixedly connected to the first camshaft by a weld, a press fit, or a shrink fit; a rotor non-rotatably connected to the second camshaft; and a stator non-rotatably connected to the control gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Craig Dupuis
  • Patent number: 9506380
    Abstract: A camshaft phaser has a central-position locking device for locking the rotor in a central locking position relative to the stator. One or more of the vanes altogether have at least two pressure medium conduits each fluidically connect two working chambers of different directions of action. The pressure medium conduits have check valves of different directions of action which allow the pressure medium to be transferred in one direction and prevent it from being transferred in the respective opposite direction, depending on the direction of rotation of the rotor relative to the stator. A valve device is provided in the rotor hub, the at least one switchable valve device in one operating position allowing the working chambers between which transfer of pressure medium is prevented by the check valve or between which no check valve is provided to be fluidically connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Torsten Zschieschang
  • Patent number: 9506381
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a valve lift determination module and a fault detection module. The valve lift determination module determines valve lift based on at least one of a first period when a valve is open and N differences between a first value of a valve lift signal generated by a valve lift sensor when the valve is closed and a second value of the valve lift signal when the valve is open, wherein N is an integer greater than one. The fault detection module detects a fault in a valve actuator based on the valve lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ronald J. Kubani, Scott T. Feldmann, Donovan L. Dibble
  • Patent number: 9506382
    Abstract: A valve actuation system is provided. A fluid actuator is configured to selectively prevent a valve from moving to a particular position. A source of fluid is in fluid communication with the fluid actuator. A bi-directional control valve is configured to control a flow of fluid between the source of fluid and the fluid actuator. A fluid passageway connects the bi-directional control valve with the fluid actuator. A relief valve is in fluid communication with the fluid passageway and moveable between a closed position to prevent a flow of fluid therethrough to create a high pressure circuit in the valve actuation system and an open position to allow a flow of fluid therethrough to create a low pressure circuit in the valve actuation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kendall Yeager, Victor Yacoub, Kevin Schreader
  • Patent number: 9506383
    Abstract: A blow-by gas refluxing device is provided for an engine system including an engine and an intake air passage communicating with the engine for supplying intake air into the engine. The blow-by gas refluxing device includes a plurality of blow-by gas refluxing passages each having an inlet communicating with the engine and an outlet communicating with the intake air passage. The outlets of the blow-by gas passages communicate with the intake air passage at different positions along the length of the intake air passage and each of the blow-by gas passages has a backflow preventing device disposed therein, so that blow-by gas produced in the engine can flow into the intake air passage via at least one of the blow-by gas refluxing passages throughout the entire operational range of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hattori, Hirokazu Konohara, Minoru Onobayashi
  • Patent number: 9506384
    Abstract: There is disclosed a plugged honeycomb structure. A plugged honeycomb structure includes a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure body having porous partition walls defining a plurality of cells which become through channels for a fluid and extend from a first end face to a second end face, and plugging portions disposed in open ends of predetermined cells in the first end face and open ends of residual cells in the second end face, and the partition walls are constituted of a porous body including ?-Al2O3 as a main phase and further including aluminum titanate and glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Kikuchi, Takafumi Kimata
  • Patent number: 9506385
    Abstract: A fuel fired burner defines an axially extending flow path. An airless fuel nozzle sprays fuel droplets within the fuel fired burner in a direction generally along the axially extending flow path. An exhaust gas inlet directs exhaust gases from a vehicle exhaust system toward the airless nozzle in a direction that is transverse to the axially extending flow path. The exhaust gas mixes with the fuel droplets resulting in an exhaust gas/fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: Navin Khadiya, Nicholas J. Birkby, Steven Beesley, Mark Ramsbottom, Philip M. Dimpelfeld
  • Patent number: 9506386
    Abstract: An injection device comprises a volume, an injection device to inject a jet of liquid reagent into the volume, at least one first impactor positioned in the volume, and a first heating device to heat the first impactor. The first heating device comprises a first heating member having a device having a thermally conductive zone in contact with the first impactor or defining the first impactor. A resistive heating element is housed in the device and arranged to heat the thermally conductive zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Faurecia Systemes D'Echappement
    Inventor: Jean-Paul Brunel
  • Patent number: 9506387
    Abstract: The present invention provides a highly durable, electrically heated catalytic converter including an insulation layer formed on an inner tube, wherein the insulation layer is less susceptible to cracking and peeling even when high thermal stress occurs in the insulation layer at and near the end portion of an inner tube, at upstream of a catalyst carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: IBIDEN CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Mutsuda, Hideyuki Komitsu, Shoji Ogimura
  • Patent number: 9506388
    Abstract: Various embodiments for an exhaust gas treatment device for a vehicle system are provided. In one example, the vehicle system includes an engine with a longitudinal axis, where a crankshaft of the engine is parallel to the longitudinal axis and an exhaust gas treatment device mounted on the engine, vertically above the engine such that a longitudinal axis of the exhaust gas treatment device is aligned in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the engine, the exhaust gas treatment device configured to receive exhaust gas from an exhaust manifold of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Lloyd Flynn, James Edward Arner, Shishir Tiwari, Shashi Kiran
  • Patent number: 9506389
    Abstract: A method for nitriding of at least one component of an aftertreatment system is provided. The method includes passing heated gases through the at least one component of the aftertreatment system. The method also includes heating the at least one component, based on the passage of the heated gases. The method further includes dosing a reductant into the at least one component. The method includes forming a nitride layer on an inner surface of the at least one component, based on the passage of the heated gases and the dosing of the reductant. The method also includes controlling the formation of the nitride layer on the at least one component based on adjusting at least one of the passage of the heated gases or the dosing of the reductant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Zachary S. Birky
  • Patent number: 9506390
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for modeling a reductant temperature and storage distribution of a SCR catalyst axially and radially. In one example, a method may include modeling an expected distribution of stored reductant among a plurality of axial zones and a plurality of radial zones of an SCR catalyst arranged in an engine exhaust passage and comparing the expected distribution with a reductant storage setpoint of each zone to adjust radial and axial storage locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cory Scott Hendrickson, Devesh Upadhyay
  • Patent number: 9506391
    Abstract: A honeycomb structure includes a honeycomb structure body and a pair of electrode members, an electrical resistivity of the honeycomb structure body is from 1 to 200 ?cm, each of the pair of electrode members is formed into a band-like shape extending in a cell extending direction of the honeycomb structure body, one electrode member is disposed on a side opposite to the other electrode member via a center of the honeycomb structure body, there are formed one or more electrode member slits as slits opened in an electrode member region, there are formed one or more honeycomb structure body slits as slits opened in a honeycomb structure body region, and a depth of at least one of the electrode member slits is deeper than a depth of at least one of the honeycomb structure body slits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumi Mase, Yoshiyuki Kasai, Yoshimasa Omiya
  • Patent number: 9506392
    Abstract: An exhaust gas guide element for conducting at least a portion of an exhaust gas to a sensor for a vehicle. The exhaust gas guide element has a greater extent in a direction of a longitudinal axis than in a direction of a transverse axis, and is gas-permeable along the direction of the longitudinal axis. One end of the gas guide element along the direction of the longitudinal axis is configured as a receiving region, and the opposite end is configured as a measuring region. A sensor can be positioned in the measuring region, and a gas receiving element is positioned in the receiving region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Fix, Andreas Krauss, Markus Widenmeyer
  • Patent number: 9506393
    Abstract: A muffler unit configured to be attached to a vehicle includes a first exhaust pipe. The muffler unit includes a muffler and a second exhaust pipe. The muffler includes a first main body preferably having a tubular shape and including a first support with a first opening and a second support with a second opening, and a first lid. The first and second openings are oriented in a radial direction of the first main body. The second exhaust pipe includes a second main body, a second lid covering a right end of the second main body, and an exhaust inlet disposed in a left end of the second main body. The second exhaust pipe extends into the first and second openings and is supported by the first and second supports. The second main body includes a communication port in communication with an inner space of the first main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masato Fujita
  • Patent number: 9506394
    Abstract: A method of controlling the temperature of an engine of a vehicle, such as an internal combustion engine and/or the temperature of one or more auxiliary components of the vehicle, such as a cabin heater for the vehicle includes monitoring one or more parameters of the engine including the temperature of the engine. Optionally data relating to the temperature of the engine is feedback to a control unit. The method includes monitoring one or more requirements of the one or more auxiliary components of the vehicle and/or monitoring one or more parameters of the one or more auxiliary components of the vehicle. In dependence upon said monitoring, the method includes selecting a cooling mode for a cooling system disposed about said engine and said one or more auxiliary components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: William Hutchins, Stuart Briscoe
  • Patent number: 9506395
    Abstract: A cooling system for a supercharged internal combustion engine may include a charge air cooling circuit, in which a low-temperature coolant circulates and which may have a low-temperature charge air cooler for cooling charge air and a low-temperature coolant cooler for cooling the low-temperature coolant. The system may include a refrigerant circuit, in which a refrigerant circulates and which has a vaporizer for vaporizing the refrigerant and a condenser for condensing the refrigerant. The system may include a coupling heat exchanger for a fluidically separated, heat-transmitting coupling of the charge air cooling circuit with the refrigerant circuit. The coupling heat exchanger may be arranged in a vaporizer bypass of the refrigerant circuit thereby bypassing the vaporizer and be arranged in a coupling branch of the charge air cooling circuit. The coupling branch may branch off via a branching-off point from a feed of the charge air cooling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Isermeyer, Peter Wieske, Rene Dingelstadt
  • Patent number: 9506396
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a twin scroll turbocharged engine with a junction configured to selectively control exhaust gas delivery to an exhaust gas recirculation system and a twin scroll turbine are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Styles, Brad Boyer, Lawrence Marshall, James Leiby
  • Patent number: 9506397
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for an engine comprises adjusting an engine operating parameter based on exhaust pressure, the exhaust pressure estimated based on wastegate actuator motor current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amey Y. Karnik, Yan Wang, Vladimir V. Kokotovic, James Alfred Hilditch, Allan Roy Gale
  • Patent number: 9506398
    Abstract: A wastegate valve device for a supercharging device may include a valve disc, which is connected to an actuator device via a drive train. The wastegate valve device may include at least one damping element arranged between the valve disc and the actuator device. The drive train may have an inner section, which is arranged inside a fluid path of a driving fluid. The inner section may include a spindle arm, which is connected to a spindle and to the valve disc. The spindle may be connected to an operating arm, which is arranged in an outer section of the drive train. The operating arm may be arranged outside the fluid path, and may be connected to an operating rod, which is connected to the actuator device. The damping element may be arranged in a connection region of the drive train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Marius Dusik, Werner Schadler, Peter Wieske
  • Patent number: 9506399
    Abstract: An object is to provide an electric supercharging device that has a high degree of freedom in layout and can suppress the generation of heat from an electric motor. The electric supercharging device 1 includes an electric motor 2, a compressor 3 that supercharges intake air for a vehicle engine, a hydraulic accelerator 10 that accelerates the rotation of the electric motor 2 and transmits the rotation to the compressor 3, and rotation speed adjustment controller 4 that controls the rotation speed of the electric motor 2 and an acceleration ratio of the hydraulic accelerator 10 and adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Hayashi, Motoki Ebisu
  • Patent number: 9506400
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator that can be operated in a broad temperature range is disclosed, which comprises a first ammonia conversion part having a hydrogen-generating material which reacts with ammonia in a first temperature range so as to generate hydrogen; a second ammonia conversion part having an ammonia-decomposing catalyst which decomposes ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen in a second temperature range; an ammonia supply part which supplies ammonia; and an ammonia supply passage which supplies ammonia from said ammonia supply part to the first and second ammonia conversion parts. The first temperature range includes temperatures lower than the second temperature range, and hydrogen is generated from ammonia by selectively using the first and second ammonia conversion parts. An ammonia-burning internal combustion engine and a fuel cell having the hydrogen generator are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kyoichi Tange, Norihiko Nakamura, Haruyuki Nakanishi, Hidekazu Arikawa
  • Patent number: 9506401
    Abstract: A method of detecting shaft break in a gas turbine engine having a shaft system. The shaft system including a shaft that couples a compressor and a turbine. First construct a frequency model of the shaft system. Then determine a notch frequency and a first torsional frequency for the shaft system from the model. Then in real time measure a rotational speed of the shaft; detect the presence or absence of a feature at least one of the notch frequency and the first torsional frequency in the measured speed; and generate a shaft break signal in response to the absence of at least one of the features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Marko Bacic, Stephen Granville Garner