Patents Issued in April 21, 2020
  • Patent number: 10626797
    Abstract: A compressor for a turbine engine comprises radially spaced inner and outer bands defining a flow path between them, at least one vane extending between the inner and outer bands, a seal adjacent the inner band, and a cooling air circuit through the inner band proximate the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arvind Namadevan, Sivaprakaash Karuppanchetty, Rajesh Kumar, Rajendra Mahadeorao Wankhade
  • Patent number: 10626798
    Abstract: A thermal energy exchange system for cooling air of a gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger located at a diffuser of the gas turbine engine. The diffuser is positioned axially between a compressor and a combustor of the gas turbine engine. A fuel source is operably connected to the heat exchanger to direct a flow of fuel through the heat exchanger via a fuel pipe and toward a fuel nozzle of the combustor. An airflow inlet directs a cooling airflow through the heat exchanger to reduce an airflow temperature via thermal energy exchange between the cooling airflow and the flow of fuel. An airflow outlet directs the cooling airflow from the heat exchanger toward one or more of components of the turbine to cool the one or more components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James D. Hill, Steven J. Laporte, Wendell V. Twelves, Jr., Stephen K. Kramer, Simon Pickford
  • Patent number: 10626799
    Abstract: Acoustic structures in which acoustic septa are located in the cells of a honeycomb for reducing the noise generated from a source. The honeycomb used to form the acoustic structure has walls that contain convex and concave contours which make the honeycomb flexible. The acoustic septa are formed by inserting planar acoustic inserts into the honeycomb cells to form a septum cap which is friction-locked within the cell and then permanently bonded in place. The planar acoustic septum is configured to match the unique shape of the cell contours to provide desired friction-locking when inserted into the cells and desired acoustic properties after being permanently bonded in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HEXCEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa D. Bowen, Jessica Miller
  • Patent number: 10626800
    Abstract: A case cooling calibration system for a gas turbine engine includes a rotor casing, and a stage, rotatably mounted within the rotor casing. The rotor-casing includes in-series fluid communication, a duct, a flow control valve, and a manifold. The valve regulates an air flow through the duct to the manifold, which is arranged radially outwardly around the casing radially coplanar with the rotor stage. A temperature sensing apparatus is positioned on the rotor casing, radially outwardly of the rotor stage. A controller regulates the valve in a stepwise manner providing a variable cooling air-flow to the rotor-casing. A processor calculates a correction depending on a comparison between the rotor casing temperature and a predicted rotor-casing temperature for a given engine power condition. An engine controller controls the valve depending on the correction characteristic to maintain a predetermined operational radial clearance between the rotor-stage and the rotor-casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Jonathan E Holt, Leo V Lewis
  • Patent number: 10626801
    Abstract: An example method to extract bleed air from an aircraft engine includes extracting, via a plenum positioned in a compressor of the aircraft engine, bleed air from a first bleed port associated with a first stage of a compressor and a second bleed port associated with a second stage of the compressor. The plenum is configured to combine the extracted bleed air from the first and second bleed ports and fluidly couple the extracted bleed air to one or more systems of an aircraft. The method includes regulating a pressure of the extracted bleed air in the plenum by adjusting a flow of bleed air through the first bleed port via a first valve associated with the first bleed port and adjusting a flow of bleed air through the second port via a second valve associated with the second bleed port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Steve G. Mackin, Sean C. Thomas, Brian W. Debronsky
  • Patent number: 10626802
    Abstract: A bleed air valve comprises a piston that moves along a guide, where the piston includes a first surface and an opposing second surface. A pressure divider network includes a divider network inlet having an inlet cross sectional area in fluid communication with a fluid passage, a divider network outlet having an outlet cross sectional area in fluid communication with ambient pressure, and a network chamber in fluid communication with the divider network inlet and the divider network outlet. The network chamber has a pressure value between pressure at the divider network inlet and pressure at the divider network outlet. A shuttle valve includes a shuttle inlet and a shuttle outlet, where the shuttle outlet is in fluid communication with the first surface. An electromechanical valve receives a command signal and in response provides compressed air to an electromechanical valve output that is in fluid communication with the shuttle inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Goodman, Michael D. Greenberg
  • Patent number: 10626803
    Abstract: A method for actively calculating a capability of an electronically controlled valve is provided. The method including the steps of: a) operating the electronically controlled valve in accordance with a task; b) testing the electronically controlled valve in order to determine a range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with an initial gain, wherein the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the valve has been operated in accordance with the task; c) determining a new gain required for providing a predetermined range of movement of the electronically controlled valve; and d) repeating steps a-c at least once, wherein the new gain is used to operate the valve in accordance with the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tyler J. Selstad
  • Patent number: 10626804
    Abstract: A dual fuel engine system, such as for diesel and natural gas operation, includes a control system having an electronic control unit structured to vary a stored control valve for a fuel delivery parameter, responsive to engine power output. The engine power output can be determined by in-cylinder pressure monitoring during a liquid fuel mode. The stored control value can be a dynamically updated value in an engine fueling map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Atterberry, Matthew Engfehr, Hua Xu
  • Patent number: 10626805
    Abstract: The present disclosure improves serviceability of an automotive powertrain unit without deteriorating NVH characteristics. A powertrain includes an engine having a cylinder head; and a transmission coupled to the engine. The engine includes an EGR connected between an intake passage and an exhaust passage. The transmission is provided below the cylinder head in a vehicle height direction. The EGR is provided along a side of the cylinder head toward the transmission, and supported by the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Koguchi, Shinji Fujihira, Ryotaro Nishida, Takeshi Nakahira
  • Patent number: 10626806
    Abstract: A control process for controlling an engine speed governor of an engine is provided. The process comprises the steps of calculating the current engine power being developed by the engine, and determining an appropriate engine speed for the current engine power based upon a first engine map. The process then instructs the speed governor to adjust the engine speed in accordance with the first map if required. The process monitors for desired engine power requests, and calculates a power ratio of desired engine power versus current engine power upon receiving a desired engine power request. The process then establishes an engine speed adjustment value based upon a second engine map of power ratio versus speed adjustment value, and instructs the speed governor to adjust the engine speed in accordance with the speed adjustment value. A speed governor system incorporating the control process, and a work machine or vehicle incorporating such a system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Paul Moore, William Carroll
  • Patent number: 10626807
    Abstract: To provide a controller and a control method for an internal combustion engine capable of suppressing causing erroneous determination of combustion state even if noise component is superimposed on the ion current. In combustion state determination processing which determines combustion state of each combustion based on ion current, a controller for an internal combustion engine calculates a minimum value of ion current during a processing period, and prohibits determination of combustion state at a time point when the minimum value of ion current is below a preliminarily set determination prohibition threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Matsushima, Takahiko Inada
  • Patent number: 10626808
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for controlling an internal combustion engine comprising: determining a speed of the internal combustion engine; determining a cylinder wall temperature of a combustion cylinder of the internal combustion engine; selecting an injection mode based at least in part on the speed and the cylinder wall temperature; and actuating a fuel injector associated with the combustion cylinder based on the selected injection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Gerhard Eser, Erwin Achleitner, Florian Kleiner
  • Patent number: 10626809
    Abstract: An engine device includes a main throttle valve disposed at a portion where an outlet of a supercharger and an inlet of an intercooler are coupled to each other, an exhaust bypass flow path configured to couple an outlet of an exhaust manifold to an exhaust outlet of the supercharger, an exhaust bypass valve disposed in the exhaust bypass flow path, an air supply bypass flow path configured to bypass a compressor of the supercharger, and an air supply bypass valve disposed in the air supply bypass flow path. Within a low load range of a load on the engine device, when the load is lower than a predetermined load, feedback control is performed on the main throttle valve, and when the load is higher than the predetermined load, map control based on a data table is performed on the main throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichi Hirose, Tatsuro Ohsara, Taishi Murakami
  • Patent number: 10626810
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a diesel engine includes a neighboring temperature estimating section which estimates a temperature of a neighborhood of a glow plug that heats an interior of a cylinder upon startup, and a supercharging pressure control section which controls a supercharging pressure in such a way that a rotation fluctuation of the engine does not increase, on the basis of the estimated temperature of the neighborhood of the glow plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Nishizawa, Shuichi Iio, Kiyoshi Ohga, Ryota Nakayama, Takashi Yamazaki, Yoshihiro Imaoka, Yasushi Ohmura, Isshou Uehara, Masahiko Nakano, Manabu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10626811
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing exhaust gas recirculation to a two stroke opposed piston diesel engine are described. In one example, high and low pressure exhaust gas recirculation systems may be activated or deactivated in response to exhaust gas hydrocarbon concentration and particulate matter flow rate from the engine. In addition, operation of the low and high pressure exhaust gas recirculation systems may be responsive to an operating state of a supercharger compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Styles, Eric Matthew Kurtz
  • Patent number: 10626812
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder engine includes first and second subsets of cylinders. A dedicated-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system is associated with the second subset of cylinders. A plasma ignition system is disposed in the second subset of cylinders. A controller operates the plasma ignition system to control the plasma igniters to execute plasma discharges in the second subset of cylinders to generate residual exhaust gas, which is recirculated through the dedicated-cylinder EGR system to the intake air system for introduction into intake air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Cherian A. Idicheria, Edward J. Keating, Paul M. Najt, Richard S. Davis
  • Patent number: 10626813
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling knock in an internal combustion engine are presented. In one example, spark timing is retarded in engine cylinders where engine knock is indicated and spark is subsequently advanced after it has been retarded. The rate spark timing is advanced may be based on a way engine cylinders have been deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Chris Paul Glugla
  • Patent number: 10626814
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes an electronic control unit configured to execute dither control processing in a first mode and a second mode. The dither control processing is processing for operating a fuel injection valve such that an air-fuel ratio of at least one cylinder among cylinders becomes lean air-fuel ratio, and an air-fuel ratio of cylinders different from the at least one cylinder becomes rich air-fuel ratio when a condition that a regeneration request of the filter occurs is established. In the second mode, an absolute value of the difference between the air-fuel ratio in the lean combustion cylinder and the air-fuel ratio in the rich combustion cylinder smaller than in the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomokazu Akutsu, Takashi Nakamura, Noriyasu Kobashi
  • Patent number: 10626815
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust purification catalyst and downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor. The control system performs feedback control so that the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst becomes a target air-fuel ratio and performs learning control which corrects the control center air-fuel ratio based on the output air-fuel ratio of the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor. The target air-fuel ratio is switched between the lean air-fuel ratio and the rich air-fuel ratio. In the learning control, when the target air-fuel ratio is set to the rich air-fuel ratio and the output air-fuel ratio of the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor is maintained in an air-fuel ratio region in proximity to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio judgment time or more, stoichiometric air-fuel ratio stuck learning is performed, changing air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas to the rich side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuntaro Okazaki, Norihisa Nakagawa, Yuji Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10626816
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for compression heating of air. In one example, a method may include, during an engine start and prior to a first combustion event, deactivating cylinder exhaust valves while spinning the engine electrically and unfueled until a threshold intake air temperature is reached, and alternately activating and deactivating the exhaust valves of one or more cylinders to maintain the intake air temperature above the threshold temperature after the first combustion event. In this way, a temperature of an air charge may be increased, resulting in increased fuel economy and decreased vehicle emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 10626817
    Abstract: A system that includes: a gas turbine having a combustion system; a control system operably connected to the gas turbine for controlling an operation thereof; and a combustion auto-tuner, which is communicatively linked to the control system, that includes an optimization system having an empirical model of the combustion system and an optimizer; sensors configured to measure the inputs and outputs of the combustion system; a hardware processor; and machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a tuning process for tuning the operation of the combustion system. The tuning process includes the steps of: receiving current measurements from the sensors for the inputs and outputs; given the current measurements received from the sensors, using the optimization system to calculate an optimized control solution for the combustion system; and communicating the optimized control solution to the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen William Piche, Fred Francis Pickard, Robert Nicholas Petro, Yan Liu, Nurali Virani
  • Patent number: 10626818
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes an electronic control unit configured to perform dither control processing for controlling the fuel injection valve based on a requested injection amount such that a part of cylinders among a plurality of cylinders becomes a lean combustion cylinder and cylinders different from the part of cylinders among the cylinders become a rich combustion cylinder, and restriction processing for, in a case where the requested injection amount is equal to or greater than a first injection amount, making no restriction on the dither control processing, and in a case where the requested injection amount is within a second injection amount range of an injection amount smaller than the first injection amount, restricting the dither control processing to a side where a leaning degree of an air-fuel ratio of a cylinder having a leanest air-fuel ratio among the cylinders decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Nose, Keiichi Myojo, Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Eiji Ikuta
  • Patent number: 10626819
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust purification catalyst and an air-fuel ratio sensor arranged at a downstream side of the exhaust purification catalyst, stops or decreases a feed of fuel as fuel cut control, and controls an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas to a rich air-fuel ratio after the end of the fuel cut control as post reset rich control. The diagnosis system calculates a first characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio at the time when the output air-fuel ratio first passes a first air-fuel ratio region leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and a second characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio at the time when the output air-fuel ratio first passes a second air-fuel ratio region including a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The diagnosis system diagnoses the abnormality of the air-fuel ratio sensor based on the first characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio and the second characteristic of change of air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyamoto, Keiichiro Aoki, Yasushi Iwazaki
  • Patent number: 10626820
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing a variable valve timing system configured for enhancing precision of diagnosis regarding a variable valve timing system by precisely diagnosing whether an oil pressure detecting device of the variable valve timing system normally operates, may include a normal operation time determining operation of determining a normal operation time of an oil pressure detecting device to determine whether the oil pressure detecting device is normal after an engine starts, and a diagnosing operation of diagnosing whether the oil pressure detecting device is normal according to whether the oil pressure detecting device of the VVT system is turned off within the normal operation time or whether oil pressure reaches reference pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Yong Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 10626821
    Abstract: A method and system improving vehicle operation is presented. In one example, the vehicle data is transmitted between a vehicle and a cloud computer. The cloud computer adjusts engine control parameters and the vehicle is operated based on the adjusted engine control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joe F. Stanek, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Tony Lockwood, Sam Hashemi
  • Patent number: 10626822
    Abstract: A valve operating system for a multicylinder engine opens and closes a pair of valves provided on each of cylinders by means of a pair of rocker arms operated by a cam provided on a camshaft supported on a cam holder. When viewed in a direction of a cylinder axis, the pair of rocker arms of at least one of the cylinders are inclined in opposite directions to each other with respect to a direction orthogonal to a camshaft axis. Therefore, thrust loads acting on the camshaft from the pair of rocker arms are counteracted individually for each of the cylinders, thereby enabling the thrust load to be reduced and axial movement of the camshaft to be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTORS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeya Harada, Kiyohiko Masago, Masaru Kawano, Naoya Ashita, Kei Ueda, Koji Katsumata, Koichi Ogino, Hitoshi Ouchi
  • Patent number: 10626823
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery unit, includes: a heat exchanger that is provided inside an exhaust pipe through which exhaust gas flows, the heat exchange being formed from silicon carbide, and the heat exchanger performing heat exchange between the exhaust gas and a heat medium; and a retention member that is provided at the periphery of the heat exchanger, is formed of a ceramic sheet or an expandable graphite sheet, and is sandwiched between the exhaust pipe and the heat exchanger, thereby retaining the heat exchanger in the exhaust pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, IBIDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshio Murata, Yoshihiro Koga
  • Patent number: 10626824
    Abstract: A thrust reverser includes: a thrust-reversing element movable between a stowed position and a deployed position; at least one hydraulic actuator operably coupled to move the thrust-reversing element between the stowed and deployed positions; at least one hydraulic primary lock configured to transition, in response to a first activation pressure, between an engaged state, where movement of the thrust-reversing element is inhibited, and a released state, where movement of the thrust-reversing element is uninhibited; and a directional control unit fluidly coupled to the hydraulic actuator and the hydraulic primary lock, the directional control unit configured to transition from a first stage to a second stage in response to a second activation pressure that is greater than the first activation pressure, and where a transition from the first stage to the second stage by the directional control unit causes the hydraulic actuator to move the thrust-reversing element to the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Thomas Kopecek, Julian Sweet
  • Patent number: 10626825
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for a fuel bowl to supply liquid fuel to a carburetor. The fuel bowl comprises a float chamber and a fuel inlet cavity which receives a fuel delivery insert. The fuel delivery insert receives a fuel inlet valve and comprises passages to direct incoming fuel to a bottom portion of the float chamber. A float comprises an elongate member rotatably hinged within a float cavity of the fuel delivery insert, such that the float rises according to a quantity of fuel within the float chamber. The fuel inlet valve supplies liquid fuel to the float chamber by way of the passages according to the operation of the float within the float chamber. A ventilation chamber allows air and fuel vapors to exit as liquid fuel enters the float chamber while preventing liquid fuel from entering into the carburetor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: K&N Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: John Kyle
  • Patent number: 10626826
    Abstract: A method for checking the tightness of a fuel supply system of a motor vehicle is provided. The fuel supply system includes a volume-changing element, which is provided in the fuel tank and the volume of which is connected to the environment. The fuel tank is typically closed off from the environment by way of a valve unit. For tightness testing, a differential pressure with respect to the environment is produced in the tank interior by way of a gas-conveying device while the volume change element is connected to the environment. The differential pressure is held by switching a suitable shut-off valve and is monitored over a certain time span or checked after a certain time span. Sufficient tightness of the fuel supply system is inferred if the differential pressure still exceeds a certain threshold value after the time span.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Emmanuel Arras, Markus Huber
  • Patent number: 10626827
    Abstract: A vehicle control device controls a vehicle that includes an actuator capable of generating a gas flow at a scavenging target portion of an internal combustion engine during an engine stop. The vehicle control device is configured, when at least one of a specified temperature condition and a specified humidity condition is met after the engine stop, to execute a scavenging control. The specified temperature condition is that, after the engine stop, a temperature correlation value correlated with the temperature of the scavenging target portion is higher than that at the engine stop time point. The specified humidity condition is that, after the engine stop, a humidity correlation value correlated with the absolute humidity of the gas at the scavenging target portion is higher than that at the engine stop time point. The scavenging control operates the actuator to cause the gas flow at the scavenging target portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hironori Ito
  • Patent number: 10626828
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control valve of an engine, which includes a plurality of engine exhausts ports, a catalytic converter, a plurality of combustion chambers, and an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) line, includes: a valve body having an inflow port communicating with only some of the plurality of engine exhaust ports, an exhaust port communicating with the catalytic converter and a recirculation port communicating with the EGR line; and a valve flap assembly rotatably installed at the valve body to block one of the exhaust port and the recirculation port while opening the other of the exhaust port and the recirculation port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dong Ho Chu, Hyeon Ho Kim, Hyuk Im, Dong Hee Han
  • Patent number: 10626829
    Abstract: Provided is a fuel reformer for a vehicle. The vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a fuel tank in which fuel of the internal combustion engine is stored, and a fuel supply device configured to supply the fuel in the fuel tank to the internal combustion engine. The fuel reformer includes an irradiator configured to emit light from an irradiation portion. The irradiation portion is disposed at a position where the fuel stored in the fuel tank is irradiated with the light without the light passing through a gas phase region in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norio Inami
  • Patent number: 10626830
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for indicating whether a canister purge valve in a vehicle evaporative emissions control system is degraded. In one example, an air intake system hydrocarbon (AIS HC) trap temperature may be monitored during a refueling event, and responsive to an indication that the AIS HC trap temperature change is greater than a predetermined threshold, it may be indicated that the canister purge valve is degraded. In this way, diagnosis of whether a vehicle canister purge valve is degraded may be indicated without the use of engine manifold vacuum, and may be advantageous for vehicles configured to operate for significant amounts of time without engine operation, or without intake manifold vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 10626831
    Abstract: To provide a running gear structure of an internal combustion engine capable of reducing the size of the internal combustion engine. In a running gear structure of an internal combustion engine including a supercharger and a supercharger driving mechanism transmitting power to the supercharger and driving the supercharger, the supercharger driving mechanism is provided with driving force transmission members (a third intermediate gear and a fourth intermediate gear) disposed on a side opposite to cylinders of the internal combustion engine across valve trains driving a valve gear using, as a power supply, driving force of the crankshaft rotated by explosion in the cylinders. The valve train is disposed closer to an inner side of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hodaka Mukohara, Yamato Nakamizo
  • Patent number: 10626832
    Abstract: An engine component includes a tubular member, of stratified layers, curved on both ends and comprising outwardly protruded nozzles located on one side. Each of the nozzles comprising an elongated body and a tip defining apertures. The tubular member forms a nitrous oxide delivery apparatus configured to increase an internal combustion engine's power output and is located in a cavity of an intake manifold such that there is no seal between the member and the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Donald Wicks, Robert Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10626833
    Abstract: An engine device including: an EGR device configured to circulate, as EGR gas, a portion of exhaust gas exhausted from an exhaust manifold to an intake manifold; and an EGR cooler configured to cool EGR gas and supply the EGR gas to the EGR device. The EGR cooler includes a heat exchanger and a pair of flange portions. The heat exchanger has a coolant passage and an EGR gas fluid passage alternately stacked. The flange portions are disposed on the heat exchanger. An outlet of the coolant is disposed in one of the flange portions, while an inlet of the coolant is disposed in the other flange portion. An inlet of the EGR gas is disposed in one of the flange portions, while an outlet of the EGR gas is disposed in the other flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Uchibori, Masahiro Akei
  • Patent number: 10626834
    Abstract: A vehicle component includes a surface that is configured to contact a fuel containing ethanol and zinc ions. A sacrificial carbon layer is disposed on the surface. The sacrificial carbon layer has a thickness of greater than or equal to about 250 nm to less than or equal to about 5 ?m. The sacrificial carbon layer includes carbon that is configured to complex and solubilize ZnO deposited on the surface, wherein the ZnO forms from the zinc ions carried by the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Zhongyi Liu, Michael P. Balogh, Nicholas P. Irish, Matthew T. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 10626835
    Abstract: Fuel flows from first and second fuel guide channels into the swirl chamber and is guided to the nozzle hole while swirling in the swirl chamber in the identical direction. The nozzle hole is divided into an inlet portion near a fuel-inflow end and an outlet portion near a fuel-outflow end. The outlet portion has a flow passage cross-sectional area gradually increasing towards a fuel outflow-side opening end, and includes a curved surface formed by smoothly connecting an inner surface of the nozzle holes at an upstream end side in a fuel flow direction to an inner surface of the nozzle holes at the portion near the fuel-inflow end so as to smoothly and gradually increase the flow passage cross-sectional area. The curved surface ensures further thin film-like flow by expanding a flow of the fuel in the nozzle holes by the Coanda effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: ENPLAS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10626836
    Abstract: A control method of an idle stop and go system is provided. The method includes determining whether a stop condition of an engine operating in an idle state is satisfied and determining whether a pressure increase value of a brake oil formed during a predetermined time period is greater than a predetermined value when the stop condition of the engine is satisfied. A valve connected to a hydraulic line to which the brake oil pressure is transmitted is then temporarily closed and then reopened when the pressure increase value is greater than the predetermined value. The engine is stopped after the valve is temporarily closed and reopened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Sang Bum Goh
  • Patent number: 10626837
    Abstract: A protection circuit for protecting an energy storage device includes a first circuit region between a first terminal of the energy storage device and a first connector node, a second circuit region between a second terminal of the energy storage device and a second connector node, a latching circuit to electrically couple the first connector node to the first terminal of the energy storage device when the latching circuit is in a closed configuration, and a contactor circuit electrically coupled to an operational switch of the latching circuit, the contactor circuit comprising a capacitor to store charge and a microcontroller to monitor an electrical property of the energy storage device to determine if a short circuit occurs and, if a short circuit does occur, cause the capacitor to discharge to the operational switch of the latching circuit to cause the latching circuit to transition to the open configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: CONCORDE BATTERY CORPORATION
    Inventor: David George Vutetakis
  • Patent number: 10626838
    Abstract: A temperature control system for an engine. The system includes a thermal storage expansion tank defining a thermally insulated interior volume for storing engine coolant. The system further includes a pump that pumps engine coolant that has exited the thermal storage expansion tank back into the thermally insulated interior volume of the thermal storage expansion tank and forces air out of the thermal storage expansion tank to store coolant in the thermally insulated interior volume when the engine is off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alec Bergweiler, Dwayne Taylor, Robert Brinker
  • Patent number: 10626839
    Abstract: An ignition system for a light-duty combustion engine includes a charge winding, a microcontroller and a power supply sub-circuit. The sub-circuit is coupled to both the charge winding and the microcontroller and includes a first power supply switch, a power supply capacitor and a power supply zener. The sub-circuit is arranged to turn off the first power supply switch so that charging of the power supply capacitor stops when the charge on the power supply capacitor exceeds the breakdown voltage on the power supply zener. In at least some implementations, the power supply capacitor may power the microcontroller and the power supply sub-circuit may limit or reduce the amount of electrical energy taken from the induced AC voltage of the charge winding to a level that is still able to sufficiently power the microcontroller yet saves energy for use elsewhere in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Walbro LLC
    Inventors: Martin N. Andersson, Cyrus M. Healy
  • Patent number: 10626840
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjust spark timing based on ambient humidity and transient tip-in parameters. In one example, a method may include, during a tip-in, retarding spark timing based on each of ambient humidity, peak air charge, and rate of change of air charge. As such, the spark timing retard may be higher at lower humidity levels, and the spark timing retard may be lower at higher humidity levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Glugla, Mohannad Hakeem
  • Patent number: 10626841
    Abstract: A step-up converter and an ignition system including a step-up converter are provided, which enable a better automated manufacture and reduced electrical insulation measures by a step-up converter constructed as follows: a transformer including a primary coil and a secondary coil galvanically isolated from the primary coil, the secondary coil being wound in multiple layers, and the primary coil being wound coaxially to the secondary coil over an outermost layer of the secondary coil, a first electrical terminal of the secondary coil branching off from an innermost layer of the secondary coil. The first electrical terminal of the secondary coil is configured for electrical connection to a high-voltage terminal for the spark gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Steinberger
  • Patent number: 10626842
    Abstract: A laser device includes a light source device including a semiconductor laser; and a laser cavity irradiated with light from the light source device and including a saturable absorber. A beam waist diameter r of the light that irradiates the laser cavity and an initial transmittance T0 of the saturable absorber satisfy a relationship of 7.75×T04?7.77×T03+3.13×T02+0.16×T0+0.74?r?2.62×T0+0.675.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ikeoh, Kentaroh Hagita, Naoto Jikutani, Yasuhiro Higashi, Kazuma Izumiya
  • Patent number: 10626843
    Abstract: One heat engine includes a hydro-electric turbine, a steam source configurable to generate steam from a hot water source, a condenser, and a slug intake bend in a first pipe coupled between the steam source and the condenser. The slug intake bend is configurable to receive a slug of water from a cold water source. The steam from the hot water source pushes the slug of water up a vertical distance to the condenser. The condenser is configurable to receive the slug of water and the steam and provide liquid water from the slug of water and steam to power the hydro-electric turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventor: Job Freedman
  • Patent number: 10626844
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hydraulic drive train including a check valve provided in a return oil passage disposed between a branching position of a first branching oil passage and a branching position of a second branching oil passage, wherein at the time of starting of startup of the hydraulic drive train, the switching valve is closed, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve is set to the initial opening degree, the on-off valve is opened, the boost pump is driven by the drive motor, and the hydraulic oil is supplied to the hydraulic pump, thereby assisting the rotational speed of the vanes by the hydraulic oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shin Asano, Kensuke Futahashi, Yoshitomo Noda, Kyota Tokuyama, Sho Onodera, Yukihito Okuda
  • Patent number: 10626845
    Abstract: A wind turbine with reduced electromagnetic scattering includes a wind turbine support structure having a cylindrical shape, a wind turbine blade supported by the wind support structure, and a plurality of multi-layer absorbers to limit the electromagnetic scattering, the absorber including at least cobalt ferrite alloy nano-particles, cobalt ferrite alloy nano-flakes, and air. The wind turbine blade includes a blade root, a blade tip opposite the blade root, and a blade middle part extending between the blade root and the blade tip. The plurality of multi-layer absorbers further includes a planar absorber that covers the wind turbine support structure, and a curved absorber that covers the middle part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz University
    Inventors: Hatem Rmili, Abdullah Dobaie, Raj Mittra
  • Patent number: 10626846
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of the blade segments having a pressure side shell member, a suction side shell member. The blade further including a coupling component extending spanwise and structurally connecting the first blade segment and the second blade segment. A thermal actuation component is coupled to the coupling component and passively actuated in response to a change in thermal conditions so as to provide for aeroelastic tailoring and pitch control to the wind turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andreas Herrig, Dominic Alexander von Terzi, Shivaram Ac, Vidyashankar Ramasastry Buravalla, Norman Arnold Turnquist