Patents Issued in January 17, 2017
  • Patent number: 9546561
    Abstract: A labyrinth disk for a turbomachine is provided. The disk includes a hub, a web and a frustoconical peripheral portion, having on one face labyrinth seal teeth and on the other face radial ribs. The flanks of the ribs delimit, between one another, channels which open out at the periphery of the disk. The width of the channels decreases from the base of the frustoconical portion to the opening at the periphery. The ribs are split close to the periphery, and a recess is created between the two flanks of one and the same rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Emilie Pouzet, Didier Pasquiet, Frederic Lespinasse
  • Patent number: 9546562
    Abstract: A seal segment is provided for a shroud ring of a rotor of a gas turbine engine. The seal segment is positioned, in use, radially adjacent the rotor. The seal segment includes a body portion having front and rear sides which each contain a respective slot that extends in the circumferential direction so that a respective hook formation is insertable into each slot for attaching the seal segment to the engine casing. The body portion is formed from continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite, reinforcing fibers of the composite wrapping around each slot so that, at the base of the slot, the reinforcing fibers are parallel to the surface of the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Steven Hillier
  • Patent number: 9546563
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an axial turbine including a containment shroud. In one example, an axial turbine for use in an engine system comprises a turbine disc/blisk and a shroud housing the turbine disc/blisk, the shroud including a first region, a second region, and a third region. A thickness of the second region is dependent on a length between the first region and the third region, and the third region has a burst strength that under a burst condition retains one or more fragments of the turbine disc/blisk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Suresha Kumar Panambur, Nagamohan Govinahalli Prabhakar, Subramanya Shankar, Daniel Loringer, Lukas Johnson, Andrew Theogift Jeyanth Selwyn Victor
  • Patent number: 9546564
    Abstract: A method of characterizing mechanical and thermal growth of a rotor tip clearance arrangement and a method of controlling such an arrangement. The characterization method comprising constructing a finite element model and calibration cases; run the model for the calibration cases to obtain displacements; and calculating component growth therefrom. The growth is characterized and scaled for the operating conditions. The clearance is calculated in a time step from the growths and input to a control arrangement for subsequent time steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Leo Vivian Lewis
  • Patent number: 9546565
    Abstract: A fluid supply system for a rotary machine, the system includes a rotor assembly with an array of blades arranged to be driven about a primary axis to provide propulsive thrust in use, each blade having a longitudinal axis, the rotor assembly including a casing structure, wherein the casing structure is rotatable in unison with the blades about the primary axis; and a directional fluid intake, the intake being rotatably mounted at an outer surface of the casing structure about a second axis which is angularly offset from the primary axis and which is offset from and independent of the longitudinal axis of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Nikolas Wiedemann, Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 9546566
    Abstract: The invention relates to a part comprising a coating on a superalloy metal substrate, the coating comprising a metal underlayer covering said substrate, the part being characterized in that said metal underlayer contains a base of nickel aluminide and also contains 0.5 at % to 0.95 at % of one or more stabilizer elements M from the group formed by Cu and Ag for stabilizing the gamma and gamma prime phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: SNECMA, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Jean-yves Guedou, Mathieu Boidot, Claude Estournes, Daniel Monceau, Djar Oquab, Serge Selezneff
  • Patent number: 9546567
    Abstract: A system is provided including a turbine exhaust section. The turbine exhaust section includes an exhaust flow path. The turbine exhaust section also includes an outer structure having an outer casing, an outer exhaust wall disposed along the exhaust flow path, and an outer cavity disposed between the outer exhaust wall and the outer casing. The turbine exhaust section further includes an inner structure having an inner exhaust wall disposed along the exhaust flow path, an inner cavity disposed between the inner exhaust wall and an inner casing, and a bearing cavity disposed between the inner casing and a bearing housing. In addition, the turbine exhaust section includes a strut extending between the outer structure and the inner structure. The strut includes a first flow passage configured to flow a fluid from the inner cavity to the outer cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravi Shankar Venkata Kasibhotla, Piotr Edward Kobek, Srinivasarao Pakkala, Radu Ioan Danescu, David Martin Johnson
  • Patent number: 9546568
    Abstract: A cooling structure for a bearing housing for a turbocharger is provided. The cooling structure is configured so that the cooling structure has improved productivity, the occurrence of heat soak-back is reduced, and the cooling structure has improved cooling performance. The cooling structure cools both a bearing housing 13 and a bearing 52 by cooling water flowing through an annular cooling water path 13f formed in the bearing housing 13, and is provided with: a water path inlet 13h for supplying the cooling water and a water path outlet 13j for discharging the cooling water, which are provided in the bearing housing 13 to communicate with the annular cooling water path 13f; and a partial partition 14a in the bearing housing 13 to partially close a water path which forms the shortest route between the water path inlet 13h and the water path outlet 13j.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kanzaka, Kenichiro Iwakiri, Hiroshi Ogita
  • Patent number: 9546569
    Abstract: A turbocharger has a turbine housing and a bearing housing that is connected to the turbine housing. The turbine housing is formed with a coolant inlet, a cooling jacket in the interior of the turbine housing, and a coolant outlet. The bearing housing has a coolant inlet, a cooling jacket in the interior of the bearing housing, and a coolant outlet. The coolant inlet of the bearing housing is connected to a branched coolant outlet of the turbine housing. The coolant outlet of the bearing housing is connected to a coolant return inlet of the turbine housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Mathias Bogner, Marc Hiller, Ralph-Maurice Koempel
  • Patent number: 9546570
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement is disclosed. The bearing arrangement includes first and second bearings, with each bearing including a respective support element and a respective set of rolling elements and defining a respective load path extending through the respective support element and rolling elements. The support elements are coupled such that a load applied to either support element is transmitted through both the first and second load paths. The arrangement further includes a pair of superelastic titanium alloy elements located in the respective load paths to provide resilient movement between the bearings when a load is applied to the bearing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul Fletcher, John Richard Webster, Alan Robert Maguire
  • Patent number: 9546571
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a vane and a case with a flange ring. The flange ring defines a channel that extends axially into a side of the flange ring to a channel end surface. The vane has a mounting lug that projects into the channel. The mounting lug includes a lug end surface that extends radially between substantially parallel lug side surfaces, where the lug end surface is engaged with the channel end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Mark E. Simonds
  • Patent number: 9546572
    Abstract: A turbine system is provided having a first turbine casing and a second turbine casing, the first and second turbine casings together defining an inner wall. The turbine system further includes a first attachment flange extending from a surface of the first turbine casing within the inner wall and a second attachment flange extending from a surface of the second turbine casing within the inner wall. The first attachment flange defines a first aperture and the second attachment flange defines a second aperture. A pin extends through the first aperture and into the second aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Khoa Dang Cao, Kenneth Damon Black
  • Patent number: 9546573
    Abstract: A method for installing an inner blade part or a wind turbine blade and to a lifting bracket for use in performing said method, e.g., a inner blade part for a partial pitch wind turbine blade comprising an inner blade part and an outer blade part, said inner blade part comprising a first flange for connection to a hub flange at a wind turbine hub and a second flange for connection to an outer blade part, said flanges all comprising a number of bolts and/or bolt holes. The lifting bracket has a flange for connection to a suitable number of bolts and/or bolt holes at said second flange on the inner blade part, the flange having a first surface and an opposite second surface arranged for interfacing with the first flange, and further the lifting bracket also has at least one lifting lug and at least one counter weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Envision Energy (Denmark) ApS
    Inventor: Jan Westergaard
  • Patent number: 9546574
    Abstract: A device capable of collecting a condensate from a working fluid is disclosed. The condensate can take the form of a liquid and can be injected into a flow path of an engine. In one form the engine is a gas turbine engine and the liquid is injected upstream of a combustor. The liquid can be produced using a component that cools the working fluid to condense a vapor within it. In one non-limiting form the component is part of a refrigeration system. In addition to producing condensate, the refrigeration system can cool the working fluid to be used as cooled cooling air to a turbine of a gas turbine engine. In another non-limiting embodiment a liquid derived from a blackwater containing waste from an organism can be delivered in whole or in part to a flow path of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Robert T. Duge
  • Patent number: 9546575
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9546576
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Milnes P. David, Dustin W. Demetriou, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 9546577
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus includes a driving-side rotating member, a driven-side rotating member, a fluid pressure chamber defined by the driving-side rotating member and the driven-side rotating member and divided into a retarded angle chamber and an advanced angle chamber by a parting portion, an angle detecting portion detecting a relative angle of the driven-side rotating member relative to the driving-side rotating member, a fluid control mechanism controlling a supply and a discharge of an operation fluid to and from the fluid pressure chamber, an acceleration operation quantity detecting mechanism detecting an acceleration operation quantity, and a control portion setting either a normal drive mode or an acceleration drive mode as a control mode relative to the fluid control mechanism based on the acceleration operation quantity, and controlling the fluid control mechanism so that the relative angle corresponds to a target angle determined based on the set control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kokubo, Masahiro Yoshida, Yuuki Ohta, Masaaki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9546578
    Abstract: A valve operating system for an engine is provided. The system includes first and second detent mechanisms for holding a cam element at a first position when the cam element is shifted to one side in camshaft directions, and at a second position when the cam element is shifted to the other side. The detent mechanisms include first and second detent cams and first and second pushing members, respectively. The first detent cam includes first and second grooves and a first top portion. The second detent cam includes third and fourth grooves and a second top portion. The first and second grooves have inclining portions extending from the first top portion toward bottoms thereof, inclining with respect to the camshaft directions, respectively. The third and fourth grooves have inclining portions extending from the second top portion toward bottoms thereof, inclining with respect to the camshaft directions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Akitomo Takagi, Toshimasa Kotani
  • Patent number: 9546579
    Abstract: An engine 40 includes a breather device 20 and an oil passage defining member 30 disposed in the breather device 20. The breather device 20 includes a breather main body 22 integral with a crankcase 50, and a breather cover 24. The breather main body 22 and the breather cover 24 define an enclosed space 26 in communication with an inner space of the crankcase 50. The oil passage defining member 30 includes a first member 32 integral with the crankcase 50, and a second member 34. The first and second members 32 and 34 define an oil passage 38. The crankcase 50 includes a transmission chamber 60 in which a main shaft 72 and a drive shaft 74 are disposed, and oil feed holes 82A to 82C through which the oil passage 38 and the transmission chamber 60 are in communication with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuji Isechi
  • Patent number: 9546580
    Abstract: An engine includes a crankcase; an oil sump; at least one balancing shaft mounted in a balancing tunnel of the crankcase, which includes first and second end portions and a central portion extending between the end portions; and a blow-by gas recirculation system having an inlet channel communicating with the oil sump, an outlet channel communicating with an intake manifold, a centrifugal separator arranged between said inlet and outlet channels, and a drainage channel opening into the oil sump for discharging separated liquid. The inlet channel communicates with said first end portion, and said centrifugal separator is housed in said second end portion and is driven in rotation by said balancing shaft. The outlet channel communicates with a gas outlet of said centrifugal separator, whereby, during operation, blow-by gas flows successively through the central portion and the centrifugal separator in a path from the inlet to the outlet channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giampaolo Galeazzi
  • Patent number: 9546581
    Abstract: A muffler (1) for an exhaust system of a motor vehicle internal combustion engine has a housing (2), with an exhaust gas inlet (4) and an exhaust gas outlet (5), including a circumferentially extending jacket (16) and end panels (14, 15) each axial ends. A chamber (18) in the housing interior (3), through which exhaust gas flows during operation, is axially limited by intermediate panels (20, 21) at axial ends. The thermal load on the jacket (16) is reduced with an insulating shell (29), arranged in the housing interior, extending in the circumferential direction (17) along the jacket (16). The two intermediate panels (20, 21) are supported on the insulating shell (29), each with an outer panel edge (30, 31). The insulating shell (29) is supported radially on the jacket (16) with a shell edge (33). An insulating gap (35) is formed radially between the jacket and the insulating shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Eberspächer Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Frank Müller
  • Patent number: 9546582
    Abstract: A silencer panel section may include an acoustic absorbing material, a first enclosure surrounding the acoustic absorbing material, and a first coupler configured to couple the first enclosure to a second enclosure of an adjacent silencer panel section. A silencer panel may employ a plurality of the sections coupled together to form a single silencer panel. A silencer duct may include a frame forming a working fluid flow path, and a plurality of silencer panel mounts positioned within the frame, each silencer panel mount configured to slidingly receive a silencer panel, such as the silencer panel described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Zhang, Laxmikant Merchant, Javeed Iqbaluddin Mohammed, Valery Ivanovich Ponyavin, Dinesh Venugopal Setty
  • Patent number: 9546583
    Abstract: An engine method, comprising delivering high octane fuel to a high octane fuel tank and delivering low octane fuel to a low octane fuel tank and injecting atmospheric air into an exhaust system for secondary air injection in response to delivering low octane fuel to an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas G. Leone
  • Patent number: 9546584
    Abstract: A multi-stage SCR system including a front reductant injecting device, a front mixer, a front SCR catalyst, a back reductant injecting device, a back mixer, a back SCR catalyst, and a DCU. The front and back reductant injecting devices receives reductant from an air-driven pump, which includes a liquid supply tank, a pressure tank, and solenoids control valves. Under pressure provided by a compress air source, reductant is pressed into the front and back reductant injecting devices from the air-driven pump. The front and back reductant devices also have flow-back paths fluidly connected to a reductant tank. And in purging or maintenance heating, the flow-back paths can be energized open. In the multi-stage SCR system, a DOC can be further positioned in between the two SCR devices for increasing the deNOx efficiency in the back SCR catalyst, so that the system is less sensitive to catalyst aging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Inventor: Baohua Qi
  • Patent number: 9546585
    Abstract: A system for diagnosing and/or determining the performance of a reductant delivery system may include determining a flow rate offset value for the reductant delivery system. A reduced reductant flow rate may be determined for a reductant dosing command value based, at least in part, on the determined flow rate offset when reductant dosing command is non-zero. A reductant flow rate error can be determined based, at least in part, on a difference between an expected reductant flow rate value corresponding to the reductant dosing command value and the determined reduced reductant flow rate. A performance status value indicative of a performance status of the reductant delivery system may be outputted based, at least in part, on the determined first reductant flow rate error and a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: CUMMINS IP, INC.
    Inventors: Kerang Wang, Mickey R. McDaniel, Yi Yuan, Balbahadur Singh
  • Patent number: 9546586
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system is provided with an exhaust gas purification device which is arranged in an exhaust gas route of a common rail type engine, and is structured such that a plurality of renewing modes which burn and remove a particulate matter deposited within the exhaust gas purification device is executed. One of the plurality of renewing modes is an initialization renewing (a forced renewing) mode which supplies a fuel into the exhaust gas purification device by a post injection regardless of a clogged state of the exhaust gas purification device, in the case that an accumulated drive time of the engine becomes equal to or more than a previously set time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Noma, Taichi Togashi
  • Patent number: 9546587
    Abstract: A component (6) of an exhaust system (1) for an internal combustion engine (3), of a motor vehicle, has a housing including a shell (12), two end bottoms (13, 14) and an intermediate bottom (15, 16). The shell (12) encloses an interior space (18) of the housing (11) in a circumferential direction (19). The two end bottoms (13, 14) delimit the interior space (18) in an axial direction (17) at opposite ends and are fixed to the shell (12). The intermediate bottom (15) is arranged in the interior space (18) axially between the end bottoms (13, 14) and is radially supported on the shell (12). A holding pipe (22), for connection of the component (6) to a system periphery (9), is radially held on the intermediate bottom (15) in the interior space (18), passes through one end bottom (13), is fastened thereon and is closed off in a gas-tight manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Eberspächer Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Kobe, Frank Berkemer, Martin Siring, Frank Müller
  • Patent number: 9546588
    Abstract: A method of modifying the oil cooling system of a diesel engine includes the steps of removing the original equipment liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and installing a manifold having a configuration adapted to match the mounting configuration of the oil passages of the original equipment liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. The manifold has an oil outlet port directed to a remotely mounted oil cooler. The manifold also has a water passage having a configuration that is adapted to match the mounting configuration of the water passages of the original equipment liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. The water passage causes the entirety of the flow of water to be discharged back to the water cooling system of the engine where it is circulated by the water pump through the water cooling passages in the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Neal Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Neal, Kennieth Neal
  • Patent number: 9546589
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated cooling system for a vehicle. The system includes an engine cooling loop having a first fluid configured for circulation through an engine of the vehicle and a power electronics cooling loop having a second fluid configured for circulation through at least one power electronics component of the vehicle. The engine cooling loop is fluidly isolated from, and in thermal communication with, the power electronics cooling loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Henry Todd Young, Jason Daniel Kuttenkuler, Sean Cillessen
  • Patent number: 9546590
    Abstract: A condensate reservoir for a charge air cooler of an engine has one or more inlets for receiving condensate from the charge air cooler, and a chamber for collecting the condensate from the charge air cooler. The condensate reservoir is configured to be in thermal communication with an exhaust gas recirculation duct of the engine such that thermal energy from the exhaust gas recirculation duct may be transferred to the condensate reservoir to vaporize the condensate collected in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Radmard, Martin James Styles, Graham Michael Kudar
  • Patent number: 9546591
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes a first turbine having an inlet that is fluidly coupled to an exhaust conduit; a valve assembly having an inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port, the inlet port of the valve assembly being in fluid communication with the exhaust conduit; a second turbine having an inlet that is fluidly coupled to the first outlet port of the valve assembly via a first outlet port conduit, and fluidly coupled to an outlet of the first turbine via a first turbine outlet conduit; and a controller operatively coupled to the valve assembly. The valve assembly has a first configuration that blocks fluid communication between the inlet port and the first outlet port, and the valve assembly has a second configuration that effects fluid communication between the inlet port and the first outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Xinyu Ge, Hong Liang Liang
  • Patent number: 9546592
    Abstract: A method and a system are described for a compression release brake in an engine comprising an exhaust manifold connected to a turbine provided with a variable turbine geometry wherein said turbine is further connected to a back pressure valve for controlling the pressure drop over said turbine wherein the method comprises the steps of: controlling said back pressure valve on the basis of a measured engine speed and a desired braking power; calculating a desired exhaust manifold gas pressure on the basis of said measured engine speed and said desired braking power; and, controlling said variable turbine geometry such that the difference between a measured exhaust manifold gas pressure and said calculated desired exhaust manifold gas pressure is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: DAF Trucks N.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Lingens, Roel Peters
  • Patent number: 9546593
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for regulating stable operation of an exhaust-gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine having a fresh-gas supply device, a switchover valve, a control device, a compressor for generating compressed air and an air-processing unit with a discharge valve. The compressor is operated in a suction intake mode in which the compressor is connected to an air inlet, and based on monitored operating parameters, the switchover valve switches the compressor from the suction intake mode into a pressure-charged in which the compressor is connected to an exhaust-gas turbocharger compressor. Based on monitored operating parameters when in the pressure-charged mode, the switchover valve switches the compressor from the pressure-charged mode into the suction intake mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Manuel Marx, Guang Rao
  • Patent number: 9546594
    Abstract: A guided-vane rotary internal combustion engine including a plurality of working chambers which are separated from one another by way of vane assemblies which rotate with a rotor assembly about an axis employs a rotor assembly having a plurality of sectors wherein each sector is associated with a corresponding working chamber and a plurality of spark plugs wherein each spark plug is mounted within a corresponding sector for igniting an air/fuel mixture contained within a corresponding working chamber. A rotor disk is mounted upon the rotor assembly for rotation therewith and acts as a distributor through which energizing charges are conducted to the spark plugs. In addition, a controller is utilized for selectively activating or de-activating the working chambers of the engine upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: BRM Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Arnold J. Beal
  • Patent number: 9546595
    Abstract: A cover assembly is provided for an engine block having at least one sidewall defining a service opening therein. The cover assembly includes a plate defining an opening therein, a fastening element rotatably disposed in the opening, and a clamping element. The plate has a first side, and a second side. The second side is configured to seat against an outer surface of the sidewall. The fastening element has a first portion configured to be axially restricted by the plate, and a second portion axially extending from the first portion. The second portion is disposed beyond the second side. The clamping element includes a central core disposed at the second side. The central core defines a threaded receptacle configured to engage with the second portion. The clamping element also includes multiple arms that radial extend from the central core and seat against an inner surface of the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventor: Abhinav R. Pamulaparthy
  • Patent number: 9546596
    Abstract: A silencer panel includes an acoustic absorbing material; and an enclosure surrounding the acoustic absorbing material. The enclosure includes at least one plastic, perforated side wall. A first electrostatic particle removing electrode may be associated with the enclosure to remove particles from a working fluid in conjunction with a second electrostatic particle removing electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hua Zhang, Dale Joel Davis, Valery Ivanovich Ponyavin
  • Patent number: 9546597
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a rotating assembly having a turbine wheel disposed inside a turbine housing and a compressor wheel disposed inside a compressor cover. The turbocharger also includes a waste-gate assembly configured to selectively redirect at least a portion of the engine's post-combustion gases away from the turbine wheel. The waste-gate assembly includes a valve, a rotatable shaft connected to the valve, and a bushing fixed relative to the turbine housing and disposed concentrically around the shaft such that the shaft rotates inside the bushing for opening and closing the valve. The bushing is defined by a length, an outer surface in contact with the turbine housing, and an inner surface in contact with the shaft. The inner surface includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves configured to counteract friction between the bushing and the shaft and avoid seizure of the shaft relative to the bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Julie Swartz, Robert Bielas, Louis P. Begin, Roman Mudel
  • Patent number: 9546598
    Abstract: The present application provides a variable volume combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The variable volume combustor may include a liner, a number of micro-mixer fuel nozzles positioned within the liner, and a linear actuator so as to maneuver the micro-mixer fuel nozzles axially along the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Heath Michael Ostebee, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Christopher Paul Keener
  • Patent number: 9546599
    Abstract: A turbine engine for an aircraft including a turbine engine shaft and a pumping module, including: a pump shaft, connected to the turbine engine shaft; a pump for supplying fuel to the turbine engine, mounted on the pump shaft, configured to deliver a flow of fuel as a function of a speed of rotation of the turbine engine shaft; and an electrical device mounted on the pump shaft and configured, according to a first mode of operation, to drive the pump shaft in rotation to actuate the supply pump and, according to a second mode of operation, to be driven in rotation by the pump shaft to supply electrical power to equipment of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Jean Lindeman, Philippe Jean René Marie Benezech, Jean-Luc Charles Gilbert Frealle, Bertrand Moine
  • Patent number: 9546600
    Abstract: A gas turbomachine nozzle includes a base portion having a first fluid inlet and a second fluid inlet, and an outlet portion having one or more outlets. A connection section fluidically connects the base portion and the outlet portion. An orifice plug is arranged in the base portion at the second fluid inlet. The orifice plug includes one or more openings fluidically connecting the second fluid inlet and the connection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Zhaoli Hu, Patrick Benedict Melton, Kevin Woodlock
  • Patent number: 9546601
    Abstract: The present application provides a clocked combustor can array for coherence reduction in a gas turbine engine. The clocked combustor can array may include a number of combustor cans positioned in a circumferential array. A first set of the combustor cans may have a first orientation and a second set of the combustor cans may have a second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Won-Wook Kim, Kevin Weston McMahan, Shiva Kumar Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 9546602
    Abstract: A multilayer acoustic treatment panel including a first cellular-structure core sandwiched between a perforated skin and an intermediate skin; and a second cellular-structure core sandwiched between the intermediate skin and a continuous skin. The perforated skin includes at least one pair of high-porosity zones presenting a perforation ratio greater than a perforation ratio of a remainder of the perforated skin and including an inlet zone and an outlet zone longitudinally spaced apart from each other, the high-porosity zones of a given pair communicating through the first cellular-structure core and the intermediate skin with the two ends of a soundwave flow channel arranged in the second cellular-structure core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignees: SNECMA, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE DE TECHNOLOGIE DE COMPIEGNE
    Inventors: Jacques Michel Albert Julliard, Jacky Novi Mardjono, Georges Jean Xavier Riou, Benjamin Andre Francois Poirier, Jean-Michel Jean-Francois Ville
  • Patent number: 9546603
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement is provided for a gas turbine engine with a turbine section. The cooling arrangement includes a first conduit to receive cooling air that includes particles; a separator system coupled to the first conduit to receive the cooling air and configured to remove at least a portion of the particles to result in relatively clean cooling air and scavenge air including the portion of the particles; and a second conduit coupled to the separator system and configured to direct the relatively clean cooling air to the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: John Meier, Daniel C. Crites, Yogendra Yogi Sheoran, Mark C. Morris, Jeff Howe, Ardeshir Riahi
  • Patent number: 9546604
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and computer-readable media for the detection of valve faults based on transient air pressure measurements. For example, a method for fault detection may comprise actuating a shut off valve to an open position, determining a first air pressure of air in an enclosed space at a first time, determining a second air pressure of the air in the enclosed space at a second time and in response to actuation of the shut off valve to an open position, subtracting the first air pressure and the second air pressure to obtain an actual pressure difference, comparing the actual pressure difference to a predetermined pressure difference, and determining, based on the transient comparison, whether at least one of the shut off valve and a check valve is in a failed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jesse W. Clauson, Eric E. Legg
  • Patent number: 9546605
    Abstract: The present invention addresses a solution of improving precision with which requested torque at a time of a transient operation is realized in a control device for an internal combustion engine that controls torque that is generated by an internal combustion engine by control of an air amount by means of a throttle. To this end, the present control device calculates a target intake pipe pressure for realizing a target air amount, and calculates predicted pump loss from the target intake pipe pressure. By adding the predicted pump loss to requested torque to the internal combustion engine, 360° indicated requested torque that should be realized in a compression/expansion strokes is calculated. An air amount for realizing the 360° indicated requested torque is calculated as the target air amount, and an opening of the throttle is determined based on the target air amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukikazu Ito
  • Patent number: 9546606
    Abstract: A throttle body assembly includes a housing defining a throttle bore with a throttle plate in the bore and mounted on a shaft. An electric motor has a pinion gear. A gear assembly includes an intermediate gear and a sector gear and transfers rotational drive from the electric motor to the throttle plate. Biasing structure biases the sector gear and thus the shaft to cause the throttle plate to close the throttle bore defining a closed position thereof. When the motor is energized, rotation of the pinion gear causes rotation of the gear assembly, against the bias on the sector gear, thereby causing rotation of the shaft to move the throttle plate from the closed position to an open position. A position sensor assembly determines a position of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Cowan, Mohammed Rizwan Khan, Stefan Köhler, John Norman Stockbridge, Donald Taylor
  • Patent number: 9546607
    Abstract: A variable valve device for an internal combustion engine is equipped with a variable valve mechanism capable of changing the working angle of an intake valve while holding the maximum lift amount of the intake valve constant. The variable valve device retards the timing for closing the intake valve as the load of the internal combustion engine rises, and enlarges the working angle, while holding the timing for opening the intake valve constant. Operating characteristics of the intake valve are provided in accordance with the load of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisaki Ito, Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9546608
    Abstract: In a method for cylinder equalization of a lambda-controlled internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, cylinders to be tested are trimmed with respect to the mixture composition of metered fuel, and the cylinder equalization is carried out on the basis of an uneven running or uneven running change of the internal combustion engine caused by the trimming. In addition, the uneven running or uneven running change is detected in a reference state of the internal combustion engine. The uneven runnings or uneven running changes detected during successive trimmings of the cylinders to be tested are and compared to the uneven running values detected in the reference state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Brinkmann, Wolfgang Tiebel, Holger Jessen, Roman Meyer, Thomas Federlein
  • Patent number: 9546609
    Abstract: A gas supply nozzle assembly for port injection of gaseous fuel into a cylinder of an engine includes a main body with a funnel shape that has a large area inlet for attachment to a metering valve and a small end. A centerline of the main body curves through an angle greater than zero. An end nozzle that defines a gas passage extending between an inlet and a discharge end. A check valve is clamped between the small end of the main body and the inlet end of the end nozzle, and is biased closed to block flow from the end nozzle into the main body, the opening responsive to a pressure differential to permit flow from the main body into the end nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Ovidiu Petru Popadiuc, Nicholas Denman Norris
  • Patent number: 9546610
    Abstract: A system and method for preventing unauthorized modification to engine control software or an engine control system of, for example, a refrigerated transport application is provided. Particularly, the embodiments described herein prevent unauthorized parties from inadvertently or intentionally making changes to the engine control software used for controlling the engine or the engine control system that could, for example, potentially bypass emission strategies implemented in the refrigerated transport application. Accordingly, emission strategies such as, for example, EPA Tier IV not-to-exceed (“NTE”) regulations can be maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cullen Evan Hall, Gary McGinley, Erich Albert Lucht, Michael James Vanous, Michael Dean Turnquist