Patents Issued in June 13, 2017
  • Patent number: 9677444
    Abstract: A reductant supply system for an exhaust aftertreatment system is disclosed. The reductant supply system may include a controller configured to receive an engine system operation signal and transmit a reductant delivery signal in response to the engine system operation signal, an injector configured to dispense a reductant fluid into an exhaust gas flow of the exhaust aftertreatment system in response to the reductant delivery signal, and a pump configured to actuate between an off condition and an on condition in response to the reductant delivery signal. Furthermore, the reductant supply system may include a recycle line and a two-way valve positioned in the recycle line configured to actuate between a closed position and an open position in response to the reductant delivery signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Dea, Brian M. Cole
  • Patent number: 9677445
    Abstract: Systems and methods to selectively control plurality of dosing modules may include receiving data indicative of an exhaust flow rate. An amount of reductant to be dosed may be determined based, at least in part, on the data indicative of the exhaust flow rate. A decomposition delay time may also be determined and a first dosing module and a second dosing module may be selectively activated. The first dosing module may be selectively activated at a first time and the second dosing module is selectively activated at a second time. The second time is based on the first time and the determined decomposition delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Rafael Nunez, Atul Abhyankar, Ken Hummel, Justin Kruer, Tyler Lorenz, Farshad Farid, Arun Shori Sundaravel
  • Patent number: 9677446
    Abstract: System for storing an internal combustion engine exhaust gas liquid additive, the said system comprising a tank for storing the additive and an “immersed” baseplate (1) positioned through an opening made in the bottom wall of the tank, the said baseplate comprising at least one orifice through which a system for injecting the said additive into the exhaust gases can be fed, and also incorporating at least one other active component of the storage system and/or of the injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: PLASTIC OMNIUM ADVANCED INNOVATION AND RESEARCH
    Inventors: Francois Dougnier, Joel Op De Beeck
  • Patent number: 9677447
    Abstract: An aftertreatment module is disclosed for use with an engine. The aftertreatment module may have an inlet housing at least partially defining an inlet passage for exhaust, and at least one mixer disposed in the inlet passage. The aftertreatment module may also have an outlet housing at least partially defining an outlet passage for exhaust, and a catalyst housing removably connected between the inlet housing and the outlet housing. The aftertreatment module may further have a plurality of catalyst substrates configured to be mounted in the catalyst housing, to receive exhaust from the inlet passage in parallel, and to discharge exhaust to the outlet housing in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Upano Isada, Kurtis Edward Chenoweth, Eric Spaeth, Ping Xiang, Yung T. Bui
  • Patent number: 9677448
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for addressing engine cold-start emissions while an exhaust catalyst is activated. In one example, a method for improving exhaust emissions may include flowing ionized air into an engine exhaust, downstream of an exhaust catalyst, to oxidize exhaust emissions left untreated by the catalyst. The approach reduces the PM load of the exhaust as well as of a downstream particulate matter filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Kenneth James Miller, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, John Eric Rollinger
  • Patent number: 9677449
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system for controlling the temperature of an exhaust reductant used within an exhaust treatment system of a work vehicle may generally include a tank having a plurality of walls defining an enclosed volume for containing the exhaust reductant. The tank may also include a threaded port defined through a first wall of the plurality of walls. The system may also include an electric heating device having a mounting portion and a heating element. The mounting portion may be configured to be screwed into the threaded port to couple to the electric heating device to the tank. In addition, the system may include a controller communicatively coupled to the electric heating device that is configured to control the operation of the electric heating device based on a temperature associated with the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: William Adamson, Eran Salzman
  • Patent number: 9677450
    Abstract: An exhaust gas retreatment system of an internal combustion engine includes a particle filter; and a sensor positioned, in a flow direction of the exhaust gas, downstream of the particle filter. The sensor is configured to measure the oxygen content and/or the NOx content in the exhaust gas downstream of the particle filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: MAN Diesel & Turbo SE
    Inventors: Peter Lauer, Andreas Döring
  • Patent number: 9677451
    Abstract: An electronic control module for operating an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The electronic control module is configured to monitor a first air-fuel equivalence ratio of engine exhaust gases upstream of a NOx trap, and to activate a diagnostic routine for the NOx trap when the first air-fuel equivalence ratio is smaller than one. The diagnostic routine enables the electronic control module to monitor a second air-fuel equivalence ratio of engine exhaust gases downstream of the NOx trap, to use the first and second air-fuel equivalence ratios to calculate an index that is representative of the conversion efficiency of the NOx trap, and to identify a failure of the NOx trap when the efficiency index is lower than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Giordano, Roberto Argolini, Cristian Taibi
  • Patent number: 9677452
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to suppress a reduction in accuracy of abnormality diagnosis with an abnormality diagnosis device for an exhaust gas control apparatus that performs the abnormality diagnosis regarding the exhaust gas control apparatus by using the amount of NOx flowing into an SCR catalyst as a parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kogo, Makoto Ogiso, Taiga Hagimoto, Arifumi Matsumoto, Kazuya Takaoka, Hirokazu Nishijima, Kenji Furui
  • Patent number: 9677453
    Abstract: An exhaust manifold for an exhaust system of a combustion engine includes an outer shell, an inner shell arranged in the outlet shell, and an inlet flange which is configured for attachment to a cylinder head of the combustion engine and has a receptacle. The inner shell is floatingly supported in the outer shell and has an inlet-flange-side edge which is formed with an outwardly bent flange positioned in the receptacle of the inlet flange. The outer shell has an inlet-flange-side edge which has at least one area which rests in the receptacle upon the outwardly bent flange and is joined with the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Mario Wegener, Elmar Grussmann, Uwe Fischer, Tobias Gockel
  • Patent number: 9677454
    Abstract: A gasket is provided that can effectively alleviate stresses arising therein when at high temperatures. A substantially annular gasket 1 used in coupling an outlet 30 of a turbocharger 3; the gasket 1 includes a gasket face 10 that is an abutting face of the gasket 1 that abuts a flange 31 when the gasket is in a state fitted to the flange 31 of an outlet 30; and the gasket face 10 is an annular shape having the plurality of fastener holes 11A, 13A, 15A and 17A, and in an area between one fastener hole and another fastener hole, the width of a portion H that reaches the highest temperature by exhaust gas channeled by the W/G valve 5 impinging thereon is formed to be the narrowest, and the width gradually increases as approaching towards the one fastener hole or the other fastener hole from the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinori Hashimoto, Takahiro Shinkai
  • Patent number: 9677455
    Abstract: An exhaust system component includes stacking features that prevents binding among adjacent components in a stack. The stacking features are arranged along a shell of the exhaust system component, such as along a sidewall extending from a panel of the shell. The stacking features can be arranged to define a gap between opposing surfaces of stacked shells. The stacking features can be in the form of indentations and can be formed in curved portions of the sidewall to conserve material thickness, which can be critical in exhaust system applications. The stacking features can result in a stack of components with uniform spacing among the components of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Big Rapids Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Drost, John J. Chaput
  • Patent number: 9677456
    Abstract: A vehicle having: an internal combustion engine provided with a plurality of cylinders, at least one cylinder block, in which the cylinders are located, and at least one head, which is fixed to the cylinder block, and a liquid cooling system, comprising a hydraulic circuit, inside of which a coolant flows, which is circulated by a circulation pump. The hydraulic circuit has an initial section, which is located inside the head of the internal combustion engine, and a final section, which is obtained inside the cylinder block of the internal combustion engine. In the hydraulic circuit, the delivery of the circulation pump is directly connected to the inlet of the initial section, and the outlet of the initial section is directly connected to the inlet of the final section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Medda, Davide Frigeri
  • Patent number: 9677457
    Abstract: A vehicle has at least one component which is cooled by a cooling air mass flow delivered from a conveying device such as a fan or a spoiler. A nominal value is predetermined for the cooling air mass flow which, for an assumed maximum thermal loading of the component, cools adequately for operation of the component. A control device controls an intensity of the cooling air mass flow and dimensions it, taking into consideration thermal demands of the component at least in an upper driving speed range, such that a sum of a power consumption of the component, of the conveying device and of a portion of a traction power of the vehicle that is allotted to the delivery of the cooling air mass flow is smaller than a sum of the power consumption of the component, the conveying device and the portion that is allotted to the delivery of the cooling air mass flow at the predetermined nominal value thereof, of a traction power of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Brendel, Frank Elsenheimer, Arnd Rueter
  • Patent number: 9677458
    Abstract: A temperature control device for an internal combustion engine includes a determining drive processor and an abnormality determining processor. The determining drive processor drives an electric pump when the difference between the water temperature and the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a predetermined value while the electric pump is stopped. The abnormality determining processor determines that at least one of the water temperature sensor and the ambient temperature sensor is abnormal on a condition that the decrease amount of the water temperature. The determining drive processor includes a stopping processor, which stops driving of the electric pump when the cumulative amount of coolant discharged from the electric pump reaches the predetermined cumulative amount with driving of the electric pump. The predetermined cumulative amount is set according to the volume of the engine passage between the inlet of the engine passage and the water temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kentaro Mushiga
  • Patent number: 9677459
    Abstract: An engine is provided. In one embodiment, the engine includes a precombustion chamber having a body, a secondary combustion chamber disposed at least partially in the body, and a plurality of passages configured to place the precombustion chamber in fluid communication with a main combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas Compression Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Gene McClendon, Randall A. Coleman
  • Patent number: 9677460
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a branch communication valve in a twin turbocharger system. A branch communication valve may be positioned adjacent to a dividing wall separating a first scroll and a second scroll of the twin turbocharger. In an open position, the branch communication valve increases fluid communication between the first scroll and the second scroll and in a closed position, the branch communication valve decreases fluid communication between the first scroll and the second scroll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Styles, Jack Adams, Keith Michael Plagens, Neal James Corey, David Born, Xiaogang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9677461
    Abstract: Embodiments for vacuum generation are provided. In one example, a method for an engine including a turbocharger having a compressor driven by a turbine comprises generating vacuum via exhaust flow through an ejector, and applying vacuum from the ejector to a wastegate actuator. In this way, vacuum produced via high-pressure exhaust resulting from boosted engine operation may be used to actuate the wastegate valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 9677462
    Abstract: In a valve device for a turbine of an exhaust gas turbocharger having a valve element for adjusting the pressure of the charge air supplied to, and pressurized by, the exhaust gas turbocharger, wherein the valve element is mounted on a shaft which is rotatably supported at a first bearing point on a housing element so that the valve element can be pivoted about an axis of rotation relative to the housing element by an actuating element connected to the shaft adjacent the housing element, the shaft is further supported at a second bearing point which is spaced from the first bearing point and disposed at the side of the actuating element remote from the housing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Markus Mueller, Cornel Gutmann, Annette Seeger
  • Patent number: 9677463
    Abstract: An object is to provide an axial-flow turbine for a turbocharger in which low-temperature outside air or lubricant oil does not flow backward into a gas flow path from a gap between an upstream end face of a hub part and a housing end face. An axial-flow turbine for a turbocharger includes a bearing, a rotational shaft supported rotatably by the bearing, a hub part disposed on an axial end of the rotational shaft, a turbine wheel having a plurality of rotor blades protruding outwardly in a radial direction from a circumferential face of the hub part; and a housing which houses the turbine wheel and which at least includes a rotational shaft housing section accommodating the rotational shaft, a scroll part which swirls gas having been introduced into the housing around the rotational shaft, and a bend section which is formed around the rotational shaft housing section and configured to direct gas having flowed out from an outlet of the scroll part in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Takata
  • Patent number: 9677464
    Abstract: A single-shaft dual expansion internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a cylinder head, a single crankshaft, a control shaft and first, second and third multi-link connecting rod assemblies. First and second power cylinders and an expander cylinder are formed in the engine block. First and second power pistons are moveable in the first and second power cylinders and are connected to respective first and second crankpins of the crankshaft. An expander piston is moveable in the expander cylinder and is connected to a third crankpin of the crankshaft. First and second multi-link connecting rod assemblies are coupled to first and second swing arms of the control shaft. A third multi-link connecting rod assembly is coupled to a third swing arm of the control shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Russell P. Durrett, Paul M. Najt, Peter P. Andruskiewicz, Elliott Ortiz-Soto
  • Patent number: 9677465
    Abstract: A natural gas engine in which natural gas fuel is injected into an intake system passage, diesel fuel serving as an ignition source is injected into a cylinder, and when igniting the natural gas fuel, the natural gas fuel is combusted by compression ignition of the diesel fuel that has been injected into the cylinder without the use of a spark ignition system. The engine has a mechanism that introduces exhaust gas into a cylinder during an intake stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: Toshitaka Minami
  • Patent number: 9677466
    Abstract: A method of managing a power demand to assure the operation of a pilotless aircraft. The aircraft includes an internal combustion engine supplying a maximum principal power which can vary. The management method is particularly suitable for a rotary wing pilotless aircraft. It guarantees the storage of an amount of electrical energy at least equal to a recovery energy of the aircraft in the event of failure of the internal combustion engine. This recovery energy enables the control of autorotation and landing of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS GROUP SAS
    Inventors: Hichem Smaoui, Bruno Rechain, Fabien Retho
  • Patent number: 9677467
    Abstract: Even in the case where a crankshaft extends in a substantially vertical direction, it is possible to reduce a situation that sprays of fuel injected from injectors may adhere to inner wall surfaces of intake passages, and it is possible to make the fuel supply to combustion chambers stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsushi Achiwa, Keisuke Daikoku
  • Patent number: 9677468
    Abstract: A two-cycle engine that includes a high pressure fuel pump that pressurizes fuel to produce pressurized fuel and pumps the pressurized fuel from a fuel controller to a fuel injector. The fuel injector injects the pressurized fuel into a cylinder. A high pressure air pump pressurizes air to produce pressurized air and pumps the pressurized air from an air controller to an air injector. The air injector injects the pressurized air into the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventor: Kan K Cheng
  • Patent number: 9677469
    Abstract: A reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine having a hydraulic adjustment mechanism which is assigned to a connecting rod and which comprises at least one eccentric, for adjusting at least one variable compression ratio in at least one cylinder of the reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine by means of a change in an effective length of a connecting rod. Also proposed is a method for changing the effective length of a connecting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: FEV Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Karsten Wittek
  • Patent number: 9677470
    Abstract: A ballistic cover system that embodies a novel ballistic blanket and method for containing energy and fragmentation projected during a supercharged engine explosion is provided. The ballistic cover system enables the ballistic blanket to react to the engine explosion, positioning itself from a racing configuration to a ballistic configuration. A plurality of restraint straps are attached to the supercharger, keeping it along a controlled path during the explosion. Moreover, two of the restraint straps act as mounting rails that the ballistic blanket rides along when reactively moving from the racing configuration to the ballistic configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Inventors: David George Brown, Susan JoAnne Brown
  • Patent number: 9677471
    Abstract: One of the objects of the invention is to provide a water-saving type advanced humid air gas turbine system (AHAT) that can decrease the amount of makeup water to be supplied from the outside, by reducing the amount of water consumed when the gas turbine system is starting up, shut down, or subjected to load rejection. The gas turbine system includes a compressor, the compressed air header for generating humidified combustion air, a combustor for generating combustion gas, and the turbine. When the gas turbine system is starting up, shut down or subjected to load rejection, steam coming from the heat recovery steam generator is recovered by blocking the first steam system and making the second steam system communicate with the heat recovery steam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Takahashi, Kazuhiko Sato, Yasushi Takeda
  • Patent number: 9677472
    Abstract: A disclosed gas turbine engine includes a case for a case for a compressor section including a bleed air slot. The bleed air slot includes an inlet having a first area radially inward of an outlet having a second area with the second area being greater than the first area. The bleed air slot further includes a center portion disposed along a radial line extending from an axis of the engine and an elongated portion extending from the opening at an angle relative to a line normal to the radial line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brittany Travis, Crystal Monteiro, Sean Nolan, Rishon Saftler, John P. Virtue, Jr., Stephen A. Sarcich
  • Patent number: 9677473
    Abstract: An exhaust gas turbocharger coupling assembly configured to couple an exhaust gas turbocharger to an engine exhaust manifold is provided herein. The coupling assembly includes a first flange, the first flange being coupleable to either the engine exhaust manifold or the exhaust gas turbocharger; and one or more overhanging lips coupled to the first flange, the overhanging lips overhanging the first flange so as to define a slot between the first flange and the overhanging lip, where the slot is configured to receive a second flange associated with the other of the engine exhaust manifold or the exhaust gas turbocharger so as to restrict the first and second flanges moving apart when assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: John Dartnell
  • Patent number: 9677474
    Abstract: A surface heat exchanger is provided which utilizes forward and aft brackets to retain the heat exchanger in position. The surface heat exchanger includes a plurality of core cooling channels as well as fins which are disposed for air flow through the gas turbine engine. The brackets include a low-friction wear material as well as an isolator sheet which provides some spring force on the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: UNISON INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Walter Arthur Hundley, Jr., Derek Thomas Dreischarf, Dattu G V Jonnalagadda, Mark Phillip Drake
  • Patent number: 9677475
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbine section that includes a turbine rotor arranged in a plenum. A compressor section includes a compressor rotor assembly that has spaced apart inner and outer portions that provide an axially extending cooling channel. Compressor blades extend radially outward from the outer portion which provides an inner core flow path. A rotor spoke is configured to receive a first cooling flow and fluidly connect the outer portion to the cooling channel. The compressor rotor assembly has a coolant exit that is in fluid communication with the cooling channel. The compressor rotor assembly is configured to communicate the first cooling flow to the turbine rotor. A bleed source is configured to provide a second cooling flow. A combustor section includes an injector in fluid communication with the bleed source. The tangential onboard injector is configured to communicate the second cooling flow to the turbine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 9677476
    Abstract: Presented herein are turbine machines, turbine control systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for controlling turbines including a compressor, a combustion system, and a turbine section comprising a turbine operating at an initial turbine output while using initial parameter values for the respective control parameters of the turbine. The techniques involve, for respective selected control parameters, selecting an adjustment of the initial parameter value of the selected control parameter, and predicting a predicted turbine output of the turbine operated using the adjustment of the selected control parameter and the initial parameter values for other control parameters; comparing the predicted turbine outputs for the adjustments of the respective control parameters to select, from the control parameters, a target control parameter having a target adjustment that results in the target turbine output; and operating the turbine with the target adjustment of the target control parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan York Smith, John Rogers Huey, Prabhanjana Kalya
  • Patent number: 9677477
    Abstract: A fuel system includes: a constant-volume pump and a centrifugal pump increasing the pressure of fuel to be supplied to an engine for aviation and discharging the fuel; an operation controller configured to select in accordance with the operation state of the engine, one of a constant-volume pump-using mode of increasing the pressure of fuel using the constant-volume pump and a centrifugal pump-using mode of increasing it using the centrifugal pump; and a speed changer connecting the engine and the centrifugal pump, changing the rotational speed of rotational power output from the engine and transmitting the rotational power to the centrifugal pump, and being capable of adjusting the speed-changing ratio of the rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Oba
  • Patent number: 9677478
    Abstract: A cylinder deactivation arrangement and method of cylinder deactivation are disclosed for an internal combustion engine having a number of cylinders with at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve per cylinder. Each intake valve includes two different lifting levels, wherein the cylinder deactivation arrangement has an even number of cylinders. A first set of cylinders constituted by half of the even number of cylinders have intake valves configured for fully opened and partly opened lifting levels, and a second set of cylinders constituted by the other half of the even number of cylinders have intake valves configured for fully opened and closed lifting levels. The first set of cylinders have exhaust valves configured for fully opened lifting levels and the second set of cylinders have exhaust valves configured for fully opened and closed lifting levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventor: Mats Moren
  • Patent number: 9677479
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling engine operation. One method comprises during a first condition, operating the engine with a single cylinder deactivated and remaining cylinders activated with a first intake duration, and during a second condition, operating the engine with the single cylinder deactivated and the remaining cylinders activated with a second intake duration. The method further comprises during a third condition, operating the engine with all cylinders activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brad Alan Boyer, Gregory Patrick McConville, James Douglas Ervin, Kim Hwe Ku
  • Patent number: 9677480
    Abstract: An automotive internal combustion engine electronic control unit for performing safety-related functions with a predetermined automotive safety integrity level, including: a microcontroller and an integrated circuit distinct from and communicating with the microcontroller. The microcontroller performs one or more safety-related functions with the same automotive safety integrity level as required to the automotive engine electronic control unit. The integrated circuit performs one or more safety-related functions with an automotive safety integrity level that is lower than that of the microcontroller. The integrated circuit performs, for each performed safety-related function, a corresponding diagnosis function for detecting failures in the performance of the safety-related function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A
    Inventors: Piero Carbonaro, Giovanni Dallara, Alessandro Fusari, Alberto Pezzoli, Francesco Traversi, Loris Lambertini
  • Patent number: 9677481
    Abstract: Methods are provided for improving boost pressure control in a boosted engine system. In one example, in response to an operator actuated tip-in of an accelerator pedal, an air bypass around an air compressor supplying air to an air inlet of an engine may be opened for a predetermined time, and after the predetermined time, said air bypass may be increased in response to a ratio of outlet pressure to inlet pressure of said compressor being at or around a hard surge limit. In this way, by increasing the opening of the air bypass, compressor operation may be moved out of a hard/soft surge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hamid-Reza Ossareh, Baitao Xiao, Adam Nathan Banker
  • Patent number: 9677482
    Abstract: A supercharging system includes an internal combustion engine, a supercharger, and an electronic control unit configured to compute an integrated value of the intake air amount during a predetermined period on the basis of a detected result of a first sensor. The predetermined period is a period from a start of an increase in the supercharging pressure to an end of the increase at the time when the intake air amount is increased in a state where no command to reduce the supercharging pressure by a supercharging pressure reduction mechanism is issued. The electronic control unit is configured to acquire a peak supercharging pressure from a detected result of a second sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether the supercharging system has an abnormality on the basis of the integrated value of the intake air amount and the peak supercharging pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Katayama, Takuya Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9677483
    Abstract: In a method for identifying a fuel type or a fuel mixture for a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine having (i) a first intake opening connected to a first intake manifold inside which a first fuel injector is located, and (ii) a second intake opening connected to a second intake manifold inside which a second fuel injector is located, in a first method step, the first fuel injector remains closed, and in a second method step the first fuel injector is opened again and a first test fuel quantity is injected into the combustion chamber in the second method step via the first intake opening, and a second test fuel quantity is injected via the second intake opening, the first test fuel quantity and the second test fuel quantity being made up to form a predefined fuel quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Marko Lorenz, Andreas Posselt, Andrea Krusch, Andreas Gutscher, Haris Hamedovic
  • Patent number: 9677484
    Abstract: A fuel reformer includes a reforming-fuel injection valve and a fuel reformer catalyst disposed in an EGR pipe and performs a catalyst recovery control when a preset fuel cut execution condition is satisfied. In the catalyst recovery control, a fuel reforming capacity of the fuel reformer catalyst is recovered by stopping an injection of a main fuel and an injection of a reforming-fuel, while supplying additional air to the catalyst by maintaining both of an EGR valve and a throttle valve in a valve open state. Further, in the catalyst recovery control, temperature and a carbon deposit amount of the fuel reformer catalyst are estimated or detected based on which of an opening of the EGR valve and an opening of the throttle valve are adjusted. As a result, fuel reforming capacity is recovered without decreasing a fuel consumption rate improvement effect and a worsening of exhaust emission or drivability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Inuzuka, Hideki Obayashi, Takeshi Mizobuchi
  • Patent number: 9677485
    Abstract: An EGR apparatus includes an EGR passage to allow part of exhaust gas discharged from a combustion chamber to flow in an intake passage and recirculate back to the combustion chamber and an EGR valve to regulate EGR gas in the EGR passage. The EGR valve includes a valve seat, a valve element, and a step motor. An ECU calculates a target correction value corresponding to an operating condition of an engine, cuts off energization to the step motor in order to hold the EGR valve at a predetermined opening degree during operation thereof, and then restarts energization to the step motor, calculates an energization cutoff correction value corresponding to an elapsed time from energization cutoff, and corrects the target correction value by the calculated energization cutoff correction value in order to control the EGR valve to the target opening degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Minoru Akita, Mamoru Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 9677486
    Abstract: A method of controlling a motor vehicle having a turbocharged engine is disclosed in which deactivation of cylinders of the engine is controlled to prevent the rotational speed of a turbocharger of the engine falling below a predefined limit TA, TB. Following commencement of a coast down of the motor vehicle all cylinders of the engine are first deactivated so as to maximise energy recuperation from the motor vehicle by a belt integrated starter generator driveably connected to the engine. However, if the speed of the turbocharger reaches one of the speed limits TA, TB at least one cylinder of the engine is reactivated to keep the turbocharger spinning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donatus Andreas Josephine Kees, Anthemios Philemon Petridis
  • Patent number: 9677487
    Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for providing information to a vehicle driver allows the driver to make an informed decision regarding selecting higher or lower octane fuel to operate the vehicle. In one example, the driver is presented fuel cost per unit distance traveled based on operating the vehicle on higher octane fuel and lower octane fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Crist Gabriel, Christopher Alan Lear
  • Patent number: 9677488
    Abstract: A self-diagnosing method for diagnosing a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system of a vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine. An SCR system is arranged downstream of the engine, and the SCR system includes at least one exhaust gas sensor that is sensitive to nitrogen oxides (NOx) gas. The method includes a first diagnosing sequence (S1) of ensuring that the vehicle is in a stationary state, controlling the engine to operate in a high NOx output engine operating state and in a low NOx output engine operating state, registering an output signal of the at least one exhaust gas sensor when the engine operates in each of the high NOx output engine operating state and low NOx output engine operating state, and diagnosing NOx measurement performance of the at least one exhaust gas sensor on the basis of the registered sensor output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Henrik Nilsson
  • Patent number: 9677489
    Abstract: A method and control unit for a start of an Otto engine operated at low temperatures, using ethanol and/or gasoline, having direct injection. The method includes generating by a high pressure pump a fuel pressure in a high pressure system connected to a high pressure reservoir; a sensor monitoring the fuel pressure in the reservoir and the system; injecting the fuel, by an injector, from the reservoir into a cylinder of the engine, the fuel pressure, an injection quantity and a fuel quantity being specified by a control unit based on, sensor the fuel pressure being specified based on the operating point of the engine up to an upper pressure which is below a starting pressure to which the fuel is increased before the fuel injection, and the fuel pressure in the reservoir and the system being limited to a maximum by an opening pressure of a limiting valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Friedrich Schwarz, Peter Schenk
  • Patent number: 9677490
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust purification catalyst which can store oxygen, controller for controlling the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas to become a target air-fuel ratio, and a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor. An abnormality diagnosis system performs an active air-fuel ratio control which alternately controls the target air-fuel ratio to rich and lean air-fuel ratios, and diagnoses abnormality of said exhaust purification catalyst based on the output air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel ratio sensor. The abnormality diagnosis system judges that the exhaust purification catalyst is abnormal when the output air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel ratio sensor reaches a rich judgment air-fuel ratio and a lean judgment air-fuel ratio during the active air-fuel ratio control, and judges that said air-fuel ratio control is abnormal when the output air-fuel ratio reaches only one of the rich and lean judgment air-fuel ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Kubo, Yasushi Iwasaki, Kouichi Kitaura, Hiroshi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9677491
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided reusing processed sensor data to identify multiple types of sensor degradation. In one example, a central peak of a distribution, such as a generalized extreme value distribution, of sensor readings is re-used to identify asymmetric sensor degradation and stuck in-range sensor degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hassene Jammoussi, Imad Hassan Makki, Mark Thomas Linenberg, Gladys G. Soriano, Kenneth John Behr
  • Patent number: 9677492
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle powertrain includes a controller that is operative to automatically control at least one powertrain function other than engine torque based on a measured torque and a predetermined torque range. The predetermined torque range is based on a first engine torque estimate. The measured torque is related to actual engine torque, and can be measured directly at the engine crankshaft, or in another location in the powertrain and then transferred to the engine space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph F. Kucharski, Yuji Fujii, Alexander O'Connor Gibson, Nimrod Kapas, Gregory Michael Pietron, Diana Yanakiev
  • Patent number: 9677493
    Abstract: A system for reducing environmentally harmful emissions from an internal combustion engine. The system may incorporate an exhaust after-treatment device. The exhaust after-treatment device may use selective catalytic reduction to remove certain emissions from the exhaust of the engine. Urea solution may be inserted into the exhaust emissions, which is decomposed to ammonia to become a reduction agent for reduction of NOx in the emissions. The engine may be managed by a controller and the exhaust after-treatment device may be managed by another controller. These controllers may be cascaded, or be managed by a third controller that provides hierarchical or coordinated control of engine performance and emissions reduction. The engine and the exhaust after-treatment device may be modeled to aid in designing and building a system for coordinated control of an actual engine and a selective catalytic reduction after-treatment device. The controllers may be predictive model controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell spol, s.r.o.
    Inventors: Greg Stewart, Jaroslav Pekar, Daniel Pachner