Patents Issued in March 20, 2018
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Patent number: 9920704Abstract: At least after off of an injection pulse of partial lift injection, a difference between a first filtered voltage being a negative terminal voltage of a fuel injection valve filtered by a first low-pass filter and a second filtered voltage being the terminal voltage filtered by a second low-pass filter is calculated, and time from a predetermined reference timing to a timing when the difference between the filtered voltages has an inflection point is calculated as voltage inflection time. Subsequently, an injection quantity corresponding to current voltage inflection time is estimated for each of injection pulse widths with a relationship between the voltage inflection time and the injection quantity, the relationship being beforehand stored for each of the injection pulse widths.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Katsurahara, Nobuyuki Satake, Keisuke Yanoto
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Patent number: 9920705Abstract: A combination port fuel injection (PFI) and direct injection (DI) dual path fuel injection system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) that switches between the PFI portion and the DI portion depending on the engine operating point and fuel flow requirements. During transitions in engine loading, the ECU instructs the PFI portion to increase injection for a limited amount of time, while instructing the DI portion to maintain a current injection. Subsequently, fueling is transitioned from the PFI portion back to the DI portion. Advantageously, the combination PFI and DI dual path fuel injection system mitigates the emission of particles during transient engine operating conditions.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignees: Robert Bosch, LLC, Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Michael Mosburger
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Patent number: 9920706Abstract: Methods of laser powering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with heat engines are disclosed. The laser powered heat engines are used in conjunction with devices for absorbing laser optical radiation, turning the laser optical radiation into heat, supplying the heat to a working fluid of the heat engine and harvesting mechanical work from expanding working fluid in the heat engine.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Inventors: Dmitriy Yavid, Stephen Jon Blank
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Patent number: 9920707Abstract: The container unit type cogeneration engine generator comprises a long generator container in which an engine and components on a generator main body side including a generator driven by the engine are accommodated, and a short exhaust heat utilizing container in which a boiler that generates steam and hot water for hot-water supply by utilizing exhaust heat of the engine and an exhaust heat utilizing apparatus including a heat exchanger are accommodated. A combination container unit is configured so that shorter walls on one end side of the both containers in a longer direction are positioned on a same straight line, and making both longer walls of the long generator container and the short exhaust heat utilizing container to face each other. Both containers are coupled with a plurality of pipes along the shorter direction of the containers across the facing walls along which the both containers are arranged.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2012Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Tomokazu Yamanaka, Takuya Hirai, Shuichi Shimodaira, Hirokazu Narita, Takeshi Abe
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Patent number: 9920708Abstract: A nose cone assembly for a gas turbine engine and method of circulating air in a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The nose cone assembly includes a nose cone having an aperture communicating air to an interior space of the nose cone and a discharge member communicating the air out of the nose cone.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Nathan Snape, Anthony R. Bifulco, William K. Ackermann, Becky E. Rose, Jesse M. Chandler
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Patent number: 9920709Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a thrust reverser of an aircraft, comprising: a wall having a first surface that partially forms a flow channel associated with an air flow, a blocker door having a second surface that partially forms the flow channel, and a dielectric elastomeric device that is configured to selectively expand and contract within a cavity formed between the wall and the blocker door where the cavity is substantially radially adjacent to the flow channel when the thrust reverser is in a stowed state.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Rohr, Inc.Inventors: Joel H. Frank, Lubomir A. Ribarov
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Patent number: 9920710Abstract: An exhaust system for a variable cycle aircraft engine. The exhaust system comprises a core exhaust for bypass air and hot gases of combustion. The core exhaust includes a convergent-divergent nozzle. The convergent-divergent nozzle is formed from a plurality of flaps and seals. The exhaust system comprises a third air duct for a third stream of air. The third stream of air is selectively exhausted from the third duct through a secondary nozzle or divergent slots in the convergent-divergent nozzle, or both depending upon the flight mode. A diverter valve is positioned in the third stream duct to selectively control the flow of third stream air through the secondary nozzle, the divergent slots and combinations thereof.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David Lynn Dawson, Erin Lee Lariviere, Brian Joseph Petersen, Robert Jerome Ellerhorst
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Patent number: 9920711Abstract: A natural gas fueling system supplies methane gas to an engine and includes a filter assembly. The filter assembly includes a gas inlet configured to receive inlet gas and a methane permeable filter configured to separate methane gas and first contaminant gases from the inlet gas. The natural gas fueling system also includes a reformer apparatus configured to convert the first contaminant gases into a reformed gas stream including methane gas. The reformed gas is supplied to the gas inlet and is recirculated through the filter assembly to extract the methane gas from the reformed gas stream.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: CUMMINS INC.Inventors: Corey W. Trobaugh, Randy E. Berg, Daniel A Norrick, Brian K. Wagner
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Patent number: 9920712Abstract: A feedstock delivery system transfers a carbonaceous material, such as municipal solid waste, into a product gas generation system. The feedstock delivery system includes a splitter for splitting bulk carbonaceous material into a plurality of carbonaceous material streams. Each stream is processed using a weighing system for gauging the quantity of carbonaceous material, a densification system for forming plugs of carbonaceous material, a de-densification system for breaking up the plugs of carbonaceous material, and a gas and carbonaceous material mixing system for forming a carbonaceous material and gas mixture. A pressure of the mixing gas is reduced prior to mixing with the carbonaceous material, and the carbonaceous material to gas weight ratio is monitored. A transport assembly conveys the carbonaceous material and gas mixture to a first reactor where at least the carbonaceous material within the mixture is subject to thermochemical reactions to form the product gas.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2017Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: ThermoChem Recovery International, Inc.Inventors: Ravi Chandran, Daniel A. Burciaga, Daniel Michael Leo, Shawn Robert Freitas, Dave G. Newport, Justin Kevin Miller, Kaitlin Emily Harrington, Brian Christopher Attwood, Emily Jane Schultheis, Kelly Ann Kishton
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Patent number: 9920713Abstract: A reciprocating piston cryogenic pump has been suspended from stroking when process fluid discharge temperature from a vaporizer dropped below a threshold to prevent freezing of a heat exchange fluid circulating through the vaporizer and damage to downstream components. Suspension of the pump results in a decrease of process fluid pressure downstream of the vaporizer, which is undesirable. In the present technique, a temperature is monitored correlating to process fluid temperature downstream of the vaporizer. The amount of process fluid discharged from the pump in each cycle is adjusted as a function of the temperature such that the average residence time of the process fluid in the vaporizer is increased as the discharge amount decreases, increasing process fluid discharge temperature. The average mass flow rate of the process fluid through the vaporizer is unchanged regardless of pump discharge amount such that process fluid pressure downstream of the vaporizer is maintained.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Westport Power Inc.Inventors: Gregory A. Batenburg, Jason J. Coatta
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Patent number: 9920714Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes an engine block having at least one cylinder. The internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head engaged with the engine block. The internal combustion engine includes a pre-chamber assembly associated with the cylinder head. The pre-chamber assembly includes a pre-chamber in fluid communication with a main combustion chamber. The pre-chamber assembly includes a fuel supply unit in fluid communication with the pre-chamber to selectively supply fuel to the pre-chamber. The pre-chamber assembly includes an auxiliary unit configured to produce oxygen and hydrogen. The auxiliary unit is in fluid communication with the pre-chamber to supply oxygen to the pre-chamber and in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber to supply hydrogen to the main combustion chamber. The pre-chamber assembly includes an ignition unit associated with the pre-chamber to selectively ignite a mixture of fuel and oxygen in the pre-chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David M. Ginter, Sai Keat Paul Wang, Charlie C. Kim, Arnold M. Kim, Daniel G. Van Alstine
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Patent number: 9920715Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for adjusting a flow of exhaust gas in an exhaust gas recirculation system. In one embodiment, a method for an engine comprises controlling a flow of exhaust gas through an exhaust gas recirculation system of an engine system based on a choke level of a turbocharger. For example, the flow of exhaust gas in the exhaust gas recirculation system may be reduced to within a threshold of a choke level of the turbocharger, in response to an ambient condition.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Robert Mischler, Luke Henry, Greg Thomas Polkus
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Patent number: 9920716Abstract: Methods and systems for predictive emission maintenance of an engine. In one embodiment, a method for predictive emission maintenance of an engine is provided. The method can include a controller obtaining operational status information of the engine upon startup of a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) or a TRU generator set (GenSet). The method also includes the controller predicting engine emission maintenance based on the operational status information. Also, the method includes the controller providing an advanced notification warning based on whether the controller predicts engine emission maintenance.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATIONInventor: Erich A. Lucht
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Patent number: 9920717Abstract: A preheating device for an internal combustion engine may include an inlet connection for connecting a distributor rail of a fuel injection system and an outlet connection for connecting a fuel injector of the fuel injection system. A preheating chamber may be fluidically connected with the inlet connection and the outlet connection and be flowable through by a fuel flow. At least one electrical heating element may be included for heating the fuel flow in the preheating chamber. At least one metallic heating body, which may be exposed to the fuel flow in the preheating chamber, may receive the at least one heating element.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Mahle International GmbHInventors: Tadeu Amaral, Roberta Cruz, Fernando Yoshino, Fabio Moreira, Juergen Stehlig, Patrik Klingbacher, Werner Schadler, Mario Wetzl
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Patent number: 9920718Abstract: An air flow control system of a vehicle may include an engine mixing air and fuel and generating a rotation force by combusting the mixture of the air and the fuel in a combustion chamber, main ducts provided in a front side of the vehicle to transmit air to the combustion chamber of the engine, heat dissipation members provided adjacent to the main ducts to cool a fluid flowing inside thereof through heat exchange with external air, assistant ducts branched from the main ducts to transmit air flowing in the main ducts to the heat dissipation members, and control valves provided in the assistant ducts to control air supplied to the heat dissipation members.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Jongwoo Nam, Hanshin Chung, Joonho Lee, Hyun Cho
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Patent number: 9920719Abstract: A filter device is provided with a filter housing and a housing cover closing off the filter housing. A filter element is disposed in the filter housing. The filter element comprises a first form-fit part projecting past an outer wall surface of the filter element. The housing cover is provided with a second form-fit part correlated with the first form-fit part. The first and second form-fit parts engage each other in a mounted state of the filter element on the housing cover. The first form-fit part is a laterally projecting hook.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbHInventors: Klaus Waltenberg, Bernd Joos
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Patent number: 9920720Abstract: A blowby gas treatment device is configured to discharge blowby gas inside an internal combustion engine to an intake passage inside an intake manifold. The blowby gas treatment device includes a blowby gas passage, a flow control valve, a communication hole, and a lid. The blowby gas passage includes an engine gas passage and an intake manifold gas passage. The communication hole is provided in the intake manifold. The communication hole is configured to connect outside of the intake manifold and a part of the intake manifold gas passage on a downstream side of the flow control valve in a gas flow direction. The communication hole opens the intake manifold gas passage to the atmosphere. A lid is configured to open and close the communication hole.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yukio Iwazume, Hideto Yano
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Patent number: 9920721Abstract: The invention relates to a distribution module (11) for distributing an inlet mixture to at least two cylinders of a heat engine, this inlet mixture selectively comprising:—cooled inlet air, or—non-cooled inlet air, or—recirculation gas, or—a combination of at least two of the above elements, the module (11) comprising:—a first inlet (21) for conveying cooled inlet air into the module (11),—a second inlet (22) for conveying non-cooled inlet air into the module (11),—a third inlet (23) for conveying recirculation gas into the module (11), the module being arranged to distribute the inlet mixture substantially equally between said at least two cylinders.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle MoteurInventors: Mathieu Lallemant, Franck Girardon, Patrick Lebrasseur
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Patent number: 9920722Abstract: An intake system of an engine includes an engine and an intake manifold. The intake manifold defines individual intake air passageways each connecting one of cylinders to a volume chamber. Each of the individual intake passageways includes a first route and a second route. The first route has a natural frequency, of an air column, synchronized with a first revolution higher than an engine revolution for maximum torque such that a dynamic supercharging effect is obtained at the first revolution. The second route has a natural frequency, of an air column, synchronized with a second revolution higher than the engine revolution for maximum torque such that a dynamic supercharging effect is obtained at the second revolution. The second revolution differs from the first revolution. A difference between the first and second revolutions is set lower than or equal to 15% of a maximum engine revolution.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Fusatoshi Tanaka, Mikiko Kojo, Motoo Hayakawa, Shigehiro Sakogawa, Hitoshi Hongou, Norifumi Irie
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Patent number: 9920723Abstract: A multilayered motor vehicle pipeline, wherein the pipeline has at least two layers, preferably at least three layers of plastic. At least one surface of at least one layer connected to another layer is configured profiled, wherein the profiling has maxima and minima. The height difference ?h between the maxima and the minima directly adjacent to the maxima is between 1 and 100 ?m.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: TI Automotive (Fuldabrück) GmbHInventors: Werner Zimmer, Frank Fahrenholz
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Patent number: 9920724Abstract: A chemical scavenging component includes a porous body that has a radical-scavenging material. The radical-scavenging material has a composition that includes cerium oxide that is chemically active with regard to oxygen-containing radicals.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Susanne M. Opalka, Haralambos Cordatos
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Patent number: 9920725Abstract: In a fuel injection valve, a bobbin includes a bobbin main body serving as a part around which a coil is wound, and a terminal housing portion projecting upward from a part of a circumferential direction of the bobbin main body. The terminal housing portion is exposed to the exterior of a cap. A terminal is inserted into the terminal housing portion and electrically connected to the coil. A gap is provided between the core and a housing portion inner surface serving as a core side surface of the terminal housing portion. Resin used to form the connector mold penetrates the gap.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Norihisa Fukutomi, Akio Shingu, Kyosuke Watanabe, Tsuyoshi Munezane, Manabu Hirai
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Patent number: 9920726Abstract: A first spring axially urges a needle valve toward an injection hole. A second spring axially urges a movable core toward a stationary core with an urging force that is smaller than an urging force of the first spring. A stopper is placed on one axial side of the movable core where the injection hole is located. The stopper limits movement of the movable core toward the injection hole to limit an amount of compression of the second spring.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Haruki Suzuki, Akinori Harada
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Patent number: 9920727Abstract: To reduce collision noise created by the operation of an electromagnetic suction valve provided on a high pressure fuel supply pump. In the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the mass of a member which collides by magnetic attractive force is reduced to reduce the noise to be generated. The thus configured present invention provides the following advantageous effects. The noise generated when a core and an anchor collide with each other by magnetic attractive force depends on the magnitude of the kinetic energy of a moving element. The kinetic energy to be consumed in the collision is only the kinetic energy of the anchor. The kinetic energy of a rod, being absorbed by a spring, does not contribute to the noise; thus, the energy when the anchor and the core collide with each other can be reduced, whereby the noise to be created can be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventors: Tatsuo Kawano, Kenichiro Tokuo, Satoshi Usui, Hiroyuki Yamada, Katsumi Miyazaki
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Patent number: 9920728Abstract: A mounting is provided for fuel injection systems, the mounting connecting a fuel injection valve to a fuel-conducting component, and having a connecting body and a connecting piece that are connected to one another. Inside the connecting body and the connecting piece there is configured a receptacle space in which a fuel connector of the fuel injection valve is at least partly situated. An inner collar is configured on the connecting piece. In addition, an elastically deformable element is provided. The elastically deformable element is supported at least indirectly on the inner collar of the connecting piece. In addition, the fuel connector is supported at least indirectly on the elastically deformable element. In addition, a fuel injection system having such a mounting is described.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Wilhelm Reinhardt, Volker Scheef, Michael Mayer, Andreas Rehwald, Jan Herrmann, Philipp Rogler, Andreas Glaser, Hans-Georg Horst, Martin Riemer, Michael Knorpp, Michael Fischer
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Patent number: 9920729Abstract: Embodiments may provide a starting device for a gas internal combustion engine whereby non-combusted gas accumulating in the gas internal combustion engine and an exhaust channel is discharged before ignition startup of the gas internal combustion engine and abnormal combustion of the gas internal combustion engine is prevented so as to improve safety, breakage prevention, durability and reliability.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hideki Nishio, Michiyasu Ishida, Hirotoshi Kitagawa
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Patent number: 9920730Abstract: In a method of starting an internal combustion engine having a plurality of piston-cylinder units wherein there are dead volumes upstream of the piston-cylinder units, wherein upon an attempt at starting the internal combustion engine, the pistons are driven in the cylinders by an auxiliary motor. The maximum permissible duration of a starting attempt is restricted by a predetermined starting time (ts) of the internal combustion engine. The starting time (ts) is calculated and predetermined prior to or at the beginning of a starting attempt of the internal combustion engine depending on a state of the internal combustion engine and/or the auxiliary motor.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: GE Jenbacher GmbH CO OGInventors: Herbert Schaumberger, Nikolaus Spyra, Francisco Lopez
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Patent number: 9920731Abstract: A method for restart when Start-Stop Coasting (SSC) is released may include: determining whether a traveling vehicle satisfies a condition for releasing SSC after entry into SSC (S100); determining whether emergency startup of the vehicle is required (S200) when the traveling vehicle satisfies the condition for releasing SSC after entry into SSC; and performing a first startup process (S300) in which a clutch (420) is engaged along with an operation of a starter motor (430) when the emergency startup of the vehicle is required.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANYInventors: Hyung-Ju Lee, Kyu-Jin Jo, Jae-Woong Yoo
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Patent number: 9920732Abstract: An engine starting device is provided with a battery, a starter motor, an inrush current limit circuit and a control unit. The inrush current limit circuit has a resistor and a bypass relay connected in parallel. The inrush current limit circuit is interposed between the battery and the starter motor. The bypass relay has a normally open contact that is configured to be closed at a time of engine startup. The control unit is programmed to include a fault identification unit that identifies a location of fault occurrence in the inrush current limit circuit based on a minimum voltage of the battery existing while the starter motor is determined to be in operation and an amount of decrease in voltage of the battery existing while the normally open contact is determined to be actuated in a closing direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiromoto Shimizu, Takayuki Iwasaki, Ryo Sano, Motoyuki Hattori, Yuuichi Hosaka
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Patent number: 9920733Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 6, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATIONInventors: Cullen Evan Hall, Gary McGinley, Erich Albert Lucht, Michael James Vanous, Michael Dean Turnquist
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Patent number: 9920734Abstract: A starter (1) includes a motor unit (3), an output shaft (4) configured to receive a rotational force of the motor unit (3) and rotate, a pinion gear (74) (a pinion mechanism) helically engageable with a ring gear (23) of an engine, a clutch mechanism (5) configured to transmit the rotational force of the output shaft (4) to the pinion gear (74), and an electromagnetic device (9) configured to bias a pressing force toward the ring gear (23) to the clutch mechanism (5) and the pinion gear (74), wherein a plunger spring (91) (a backlash absorption mechanism) configured to bring one end (81a) (a point of action) of a plunger inner part (81) in constant elastic contact with the clutch mechanism (5) is installed at the electromagnetic device (9).Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2012Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Mitsuba CorporationInventors: Tomohiko Ikemori, Hiroshi Ooka, Masaaki Oya, Shigehiro Kanbe, Masataka Odagiri, Mitsuhiro Kogure, Hiroki Yamada
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Patent number: 9920735Abstract: A drive control circuit includes: a first protection circuit connected between a signal input line and a ground line and clamps a voltage of AC noise superimposed on the signal input line at one clamp level; a second protection circuit connected between the signal input line and the ground line and clamps the voltage of the AC noise superimposed on the signal input line at an other clamp level; and a drive signal generation circuit generating the drive signal based on a comparison between a voltage in the signal input line and Vt. The input signal has binary levels including an L-level voltage VL and an H-level voltage VH, and a mean voltage of the AC noise is lower than a differential voltage between Vt and VL and higher than a differential voltage between Vt and VH.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Motoo Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 9920736Abstract: In a general aspect, a circuit for controlling operation of an ignition circuit including an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device can include a current slope detection circuit configured to detect a slope of a current in a primary winding of an ignition coil included in the ignition circuit and a driver circuit coupled with the current slope detection circuit. The current slope detection circuit can be further configured to, during charging of the ignition coil, if the detected slope is above a first limit, provide a first indication to the driver circuit; and, if the detected slope is below a second limit, provide a second indication to the driver circuit. The driver circuit can be configured to, in response to receiving the first indication or the second indication, modify operation of the ignition circuit.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Qingquan Tang, James E. Gillberg
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Patent number: 9920737Abstract: In an internal combustion engine that causes a predetermined gas flow in a combustion chamber, discharge plasma generated by a discharge device is caused to effectively absorb energy of an electromagnetic wave emitted from an electromagnetic wave emission device. At a time when a discharge operation and an emission operation are simultaneously performed so as to ignite a fuel air mixture, an emitting position of the electromagnetic wave on an antenna during the emission operation is located downstream of the discharge gap in a direction of the gas flow at the discharge gap so as to face toward the discharge plasma that has been drifted due to the gas flow.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2012Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: IMAGINEERING, INC.Inventors: Yuji Ikeda, Seiji Kanbara
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Patent number: 9920738Abstract: A method for introducing microwave energy into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine in which the microwaves reach a combustion chamber through a microwave window, wherein the microwaves are run about a circumference of the combustion chamber and radially coupled into the combustion chamber after passing through the microwave window. Accordingly a device for introducing microwave energy into the combustion chamber of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with at least one cylinder with a cylinder head and a combustion chamber in the cylinder includes at least one circumferential annular hollow conductor cavity extending about the combustion chamber and including at least one feed for the microwave and at least one outlet opening for the microwave arranged between the annular hollow conductor cavity and the combustion chamber. An internal combustion engine includes the features of the device.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2016Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: MWI Micro Wave Ignition AGInventors: Armin Gallatz, Volker Gallatz, Arnold Moebius, Manfred Thumm
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Patent number: 9920739Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for securing a lightning protection cable (e.g. a conductor) of a lightning protection system within a wind turbine rotor blade. The lightning protection system includes a plurality of lightning receptors configured along either or both of the pressure or suction sides of the rotor blade. The lightning receptors are connected via the conductor so as to form a conductive circuit. Further, a cover assembly defining a passageway therethrough is configured to receive at least a portion of the conductor along a length thereof. Thus, the cover assembly can be secured to an inner surface of the internal cavity so as to maintain a location of the conductor. Accordingly, the conductor is free to move within the cover assembly since the wire is not directly attached to the rotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Afroz Akhtar, Venkateswara Rao Kavala, Parnasree Maiti
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Patent number: 9920740Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade element includes a first portion and a second portion connected to each other is described. The first portion includes a rear surface for facing a surface of a wind turbine rotor blade and the second portion includes a top surface which includes an angle between 90° and 180° with the rear surface of the first portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2012Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Peder Bay Enevoldsen, Jens Jørgen Østergaard Kristensen, Jason Stege, Carsten Thrue
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Patent number: 9920741Abstract: A swept wind turbine blade (20) includes a blade body (24) extending along a length between a root (26) and a tip (28) of the blade (20). A pitch axis (36) extends through the root (26) of the blade (20). A reference line (48) defines a deviation from the pitch axis (36) and corresponds to a swept shape of the blade (20) along its length. The reference line (48) has a zero sweep at the root (26), a zero slope at the root (26), and a positive curvature (66) along a segment within 25% of the length from the root (26) to the tip (28) of the blade (20).Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2012Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: John M. Obrecht, Lasse Gilling, Henrik Fredslund Hansen, Scott J. Johnson, Ryan A. Sievers
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Patent number: 9920742Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for operating a wind turbine. More specifically, the system and method determines a dynamic cut-in wind speed for the wind turbine based on one or more environmental conditions. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a predetermined cut-in wind speed for the wind turbine based on at least one estimated environmental condition for a wind turbine site; determining one or more actual environmental conditions near the wind turbine for a predetermined time period at the wind turbine site; determining a variance between the at least one estimated environmental condition and the one or more actual environmental conditions; calculating a dynamic cut-in wind speed based on the variance; and, operating the wind turbine based on the dynamic cut-in wind speed so as to increase wind turbine operational efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Vijaykumar Muppayya Hiremath, Shimnamol Padmanabhan Nair, Aswini Karteek Bommareddy, Karthikeyan Appuraj
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Patent number: 9920743Abstract: A wind turbine includes wind turbine blades, a wind turbine rotor coupled to the wind turbine blades, a wind turbine generator coupled to the wind turbine rotor, a wind turbine converter coupled to the wind turbine generator, a controllable brake comprising one or more sources of controllable rotor torque adjustment for providing a first level of torque adjustment, a discrete brake for more coarsely providing a second level of torque adjustment, and a controller programmed for responding to a deceleration event by determining a required torque adjustment for braking, determining a sequence of applying the controllable brake and the discrete brake for driving a combination of the first and second levels of torque adjustment towards the required torque adjustment, and providing control signals for decelerating the wind turbine.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Pranav Agarwal, Govardhan Ganireddy, Mark Edward Cardinal, Venkata Krishna Vadlamudi
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Patent number: 9920744Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to systems and methods for detecting rotor asymmetry of a wind turbine. The method includes measuring wind condition at a location downwind of the rotor for a plurality of rotor positions. Another step includes storing the measured wind condition(s) in predetermined wind bins. The method also includes analyzing the stored wind conditions for each of the predetermined wind bins. If a particular wind bin reaches a certain threshold of captured data points, then the method includes determining a variance between each of the stored wind conditions for the predetermined wind bins that have reached the threshold, wherein a variance between any one of the measured wind conditions greater than a predetermined amount is indicative of rotor asymmetry.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Thorsten Honekamp
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Patent number: 9920745Abstract: Wind farm comprising a farm master and a plurality of wind energy installations. The farm master has a controller with an input for a control parameter for power supplied to a grid and transmits desired value specifications to a local controller of the wind energy installations. The local controller has a dual structure and comprises a desired value channel, to which the desired value specification is applied by the farm master and which is designed to output a stationary reactive power desired value, and a responsive channel comprising an autonomous controller, to which no desired value specification is applied by the farm master and to which an actual voltage of the particular wind energy installation is applied via a washout filter. The autonomous controller with the washout filter enables a fast and dependent response to transient disturbances (e.g., voltage spikes and voltage dips as a result of a short circuit).Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: SENVION SEInventor: Jens Fortmann
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Patent number: 9920746Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a generator of electric energy that is connected to an electrical supply grid on a grid connection point, comprising the following steps: feeding electrical power into the electrical supply grid, whereby the generator is operated in a first operating point, interrupting the feeding so that no power is fed into the supply grid if a fault in the electrical supply grid or a fault of the feeding into the electrical supply grid exists or is displayed, resuming the feeding so that electrical power is again fed into the supply grid, whereby the generator resumes the feeding in a second operating point or is gradually increased in said second operating point, and the second operating point is designed in such a way that it feeds into the supply grid with a higher stability reserve than the first operating point.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbHInventors: Volker Diedrichs, Kai Busker, Alfred Beekmann
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Patent number: 9920747Abstract: A method of controlling power provided by a generator to an end system in which power is diverted from the output of said generator to an auxiliary system during periods of excessive power output from the generator. The diverted power is stored in an energy store and, during periods of lower power output from the generator, is returned to the end system by discharging the energy store. The diversion and return of power is controlled to maintain the power delivered to the end system at a desired mean power level. Diversion of power from the generator also has the effect of preventing the generator from producing excessive voltage levels.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Openhydro IP LimitedInventors: Edward Spooner, Simon Cawthorne
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Patent number: 9920748Abstract: Tooling and a method of using the tooling for aligning flanges of a wind turbine tower segment of a tower section to correct deformities that might otherwise prevent fasteners from passing through apertures of adjacent flanges to gather the segments into tower sections.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/SInventor: Ben Møller Nielsen
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Patent number: 9920749Abstract: A method for producing power from two geothermal heat sources includes: separating a first geothermal fluid from a first geothermal heat source into geothermal vapor comprising steam and non-condensable gases, and geothermal brine; supplying the geothermal vapor to a vaporizer; vaporizing a preheated motive fluid using heat from the geothermal vapor, wherein the heat content in the geothermal vapor exiting the flash tank is only enough to vaporize the preheated motive fluid in the vaporizer; expanding the vaporized motive fluid in a vapor turbine producing power and expanded vaporized motive fluid; condensing the expanded vaporized motive fluid to produce condensed motive fluid; and preheating the condensed motive fluid in a preheater using heat from a second geothermal fluid from a second geothermal heat source having a lower temperature and salinity content that the first geothermal fluid, thereby producing the preheated motive fluid, make-up water and heat-depleted geothermal brine.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventor: Lucien Y. Bronicki
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Patent number: 9920750Abstract: A data center includes computing devices, an air handling system, a heat engine, and a generator. Air moved by the air handling system flows across heat-producing components in the computing devices in the data center. Heat from air that has flowed over the heat-producing components heats a hot section of the heat engine. The heat engine generates mechanical work based on a temperature differential between a hot section of the heat engine and a cold section of the heat engine. The generator generates electricity from the mechanical work generated by the heat engine.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Peter George Ross
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Patent number: 9920751Abstract: A hydraulic axial piston machine includes a drive shaft, a swashplate pivotable about a pivot axis to change inclination relative to a drive shaft axis, and an actuating piston approximately parallel to the drive shaft axis. The actuating piston has a first end which engages and adjusts the swashplate and a second end which bounds an actuating chamber. Fluid flows to the actuating chamber to pivot the swashplate one direction and is forced out of the actuating chamber when the swashplate pivots the other direction. A return element on the actuating piston incorporates a position of the actuating piston and thus the inclination of the swashplate into a control valve. The return element is positioned such that its longitudinal axis and an actuating piston longitudinal axis span a plane that differs from a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2011Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Herbert Dreher
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Patent number: 9920752Abstract: A fluid pump includes a pump body having a fluid path with an inlet and an outlet. The fluid pump also includes a diaphragm disposed along the fluid path between the inlet and the outlet, a non-return valve to control direction of flow along the fluid path, and a diaphragm actuating unit. The diaphragm actuating unit includes an unbalanced motor. Further, a steam generator may include the fluid pump.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2013Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventor: Mohankumar Valiyambath Krishnan
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Patent number: 9920753Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to nutating a piston drive linkage oriented around a longitudinal axis in response to the rotation of a drive shaft about a drive axis of rotation, said longitudinal axis being offset and canted with respect to said drive axis of rotation. In an illustrative example, the piston drive linkage may be formed as an umbrella shape with multiple arm members extending radially from the longitudinal axis. The distal ends of each of the radial arm members may attach to a stationary piston crank. The nutating motion of the piston drive linkage may impart a substantially linear motion profile substantially parallel to the drive axis of rotation. A shaft extending along the longitudinal axis from the piston linkage may advantageously freely insert into and rotate within a receptacle of a spinner body being rotated around the drive axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Nextern, Inc.Inventors: Ryan Douglas, Casey Carlson, Dennis Berke