Patents Issued in January 2, 2024
  • Patent number: 11859556
    Abstract: An air starter for starting a turbine engine that includes a housing, a turbine member, a drive shaft, and at least one bearing assembly. The housing can define an interior where the turbine member rotatably couples to the drive shaft, where the drive shaft or turbine member are rotatably supported by the least one bearing assembly. A scoop wheel located in the interior of the housing provides lubrication to the at least one bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Unison Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Nilesh Vilas Varote, David Raju Yamarthi, David Allan Dranschak, Eliel Fresco Rodriguez, Amit Arvind Kurvinkop
  • Patent number: 11859557
    Abstract: A generator drive disconnect device comprising a drive transfer means (100) having a connected configuration, and a disconnected configuration. The disconnect device further comprises a disconnect mechanism, configured to move the drive transfer means from the connected configuration to the disconnected configuration, and a latch mechanism configured to the hold the drive transfer means in the disconnected configuration. The latch mechanism includes a latch member, which is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position, and a biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism is configured to generate a biasing force to bias the latch member towards the extended position and to apply a reaction force to the latch member to resist movement of the latch member towards the retracted position, the reaction force having a magnitude which increases as a function of the distance of the latch member from the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN ELECTRICAL & POWER
    Inventor: John Nixon
  • Patent number: 11859558
    Abstract: A device for driving an integrated generator from an accessories relay box of a turbomachine. The device includes first and second electric motors arranged to transfer electric power from one to the other, one or more controllers configured for controlling said electric motors, and an epicyclic reduction gear train. The gear train includes a first element intended to be coupled to the accessories relay box, a second element intended to be coupled to the generator, and a third element driven to rotate by said first electric motor. The control means are configured to modify the speed of rotation of the third element in such a way that the second element is driven to rotate at a constant speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Huguette De Wergifosse
  • Patent number: 11859559
    Abstract: An electric power generating apparatus for use in an aircraft is an electric power generating apparatus connected through an emergency cut-off device to a gear box such that the gear box can transmit power to the electric power generating apparatus, the gear box being configured to decrease speed of rotational power of an aircraft engine. The electric power generating apparatus includes: a manual transmission configured to change the speed of the rotational power transmitted from the emergency cut-off device and including a plurality of gear stages; and an electric power generator to which the rotational power which has been changed in speed by the manual transmission is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kippei Matsuda, Kenji Usuki, Tatsuhiko Goi, Kenichiro Tanaka, Hideyuki Imai
  • Patent number: 11859560
    Abstract: A power transmission module for an aircraft, the module including a torque input connected to a turbine shaft, a first torque output and a second torque output, the power transmission module including a mechanical reducer including a sun gear forming the torque input, and planet gears carried by a planet carrier, wherein each of the planet gears includes at least three independent toothings and further includes a first toothing meshed with the sun gear, a second toothing meshed with an element forming one of the torque outputs, and a third toothing meshed with another element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Guillaume Pierre Mouly, Adrien Louis Simon, Guillaume Julien Beck, Simon Loic Clement Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 11859561
    Abstract: A method of determining an inlet total air pressure includes determining a first parameter indicative of a first inlet total air pressure. The method includes executing a sequence that includes: determining a mass air flow passing through the air inlet based on the first parameter, determining a Mach number of air passing through the air inlet based on the mass air flow, determining a static air pressure at the air inlet, determining an air pressure ratio based on the Mach number, generating a subsequent parameter indicative of the revised inlet total air pressure based on the air pressure ratio and the static air pressure, and substituting the subsequent parameter for the first parameter. The method includes executing at least one additional instance of the sequence with the subsequent parameter, and outputting the subsequent parameter as the inlet total air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Yves Cloutier
  • Patent number: 11859562
    Abstract: A system for controlling a turbine is disclosed. The system includes a turbine control fuel governor that has a plurality of VCPIDs operating in parallel with one another. Each VCPID is associated with a respective turbine parameter and one or more external parameters. Each VCPID incorporates feedback from the parallel operating VCPIDs to feed an integral term of a current VCPID in the following manner: a previous derivative gain and a previous proportional gain are summed and subtracted from a selected output for the turbine to yield a result, and the result is input to an integral gain portion of the current VCPID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Signal Power Group Operating LLC
    Inventors: David Keith Crowe, Elden W. Crom
  • Patent number: 11859563
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine of an aircraft, the engine having a bleed air system. The method includes in flight, directing pressurized air from a source of pressurized air external to the engine to the bleed air system of the engine. An aircraft, comprising a first engine having a bleed air system, a second engine having a bleed air system, and a source of pressurized air that is external to the first and/or the second engine, the source of pressurized air being selectively fluidly connectable to the bleed air system of the first and/or the second engine, is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Kevin Ng, Philippe Beauchesne-Martel
  • Patent number: 11859564
    Abstract: A fuel supply system includes a pump to be connected to a fuel tank. A metering valve is downstream of the pump. A control is programmed to control at least one of the pump and metering valve. The control is operable to take in a flow demand signal and a fuel pressure signal from a controller associated with a gas turbine engine. The flow demand signal is indicative of a desired flow volume and the fuel pressure signal is indicative of a desired fuel pressure. Operation conditions are identified for the at least one of said pump and the metering valve. A gas turbine engine and fuel supply system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Edward W. Goy, Ryan Shook, Benjamin T. Harder
  • Patent number: 11859565
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: a combustor that combust the fuel and having an exit, a combustor exit temperature (T40) is the average temperature of flow and a combustor exit pressure (P40) is the total pressure there; a turbine including a rotor having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein a turbine rotor entry temperature (T41) is an average temperature of flow at the leading edge and a turbine rotor entry pressure (P41) is the total pressure there; and a compressor having an exit, wherein a compressor exit temperature (T30) is the average temperature of flow at the exit from the compressor and a compressor exit pressure (P30) is the total pressure there (all at cruise conditions). A method of determining at least one fuel characteristic includes changing a fuel supplied to the engine; and determining a change in a relationship between T30 or P30, T40 and T41, or of P40 and P41, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Benjamin J Keeler, David M Beaven, Craig W Bemment, Paul W Ferra, Kevin R Mcnally, Andrea Minelli, Martin K Yates
  • Patent number: 11859566
    Abstract: An emergency vehicle throttle management system includes a system controller having a main body, a processor, a memory, a multiplex connectivity component, a powertrain connectivity component, and a life safety connectivity component. The life safety connectivity component functioning to communicate directly with one of the life safety systems onboard the emergency vehicle. The powertrain connection component functioning to communicate with the powertrain components of the emergency vehicle which are mechanically coupled to the life safety system. The system controller including functionality for transmitting a powertrain resource request to the powertrain of the emergency vehicle in response to a throttle adjustment request received from the life safety system or a command from the throttle pedal of the vehicle. A throttle rule management unit evaluates error notifications received from the multiplex system, and selectively instructs the throttle source circuit to generate powertrain resource requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventor: Bradley Busch
  • Patent number: 11859567
    Abstract: A method of controlling a skip-fire cylinder deactivation system of an engine system is provided. The method includes a controller deactivating a cylinder of the engine system to operate the engine system in a skip-fire mode. The method further includes determining a temperature of an injector tip nozzle associated with the cylinder and comparing the temperature of the injector tip nozzle to a threshold a temperature. In response to determining that the temperature of the injector tip nozzle is greater than the threshold temperature, the cylinder is activated by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Ross A. Phillips
  • Patent number: 11859568
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic calibration of large industrial engines in applications where the quality of the fuel supply is unknown and/or variable over time, particularly engines that drive compressors on a natural gas well site. A combination of throttles and an oxygen sensor including a mass-flow-air throttle and a mass-flow-gas throttle to determine the mass flow of air and mass flow of gas. As a response to exhaust gas oxygen level readings, the mass flow measurements are used to determine real time air-fuel ratios. An algorithm uses the air-fuel ratios as input data, wherein a microcontroller adjusts the throttles to meet engine performance demands. Additionally, using the air-fuel ratio data and suggested engine OEM calibration specifications as block multiplier inputs, particular fuel properties, such as British Thermal Unit (BTU) content, can be accurately interpolated, thereby enabling automatic calibration of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: EControls, LLC
    Inventors: Kennon Guglielmo, Justin H. Sanders, Michael T. Hambidge, Timothy J. Westerdale, James Cole, Chad Stovell
  • Patent number: 11859569
    Abstract: Systems and methods for mitigating exhaust gas emissions via cylinder deactivation are provided. A system includes a controller coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric motive device. The controller includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instruction that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to: receive a power request less than a current power output from the internal combustion engine; command the electric motive device to provide a supplemental power output based on the received power request; command the internal combustion engine to operate in a cylinder deactivation mode whereby at least one cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the internal combustion engine is deactivated; responsive to determining that a power output of the internal combustion engine is substantially equivalent to the power request after commanding the internal combustion engine to operate in the cylinder deactivation mode, deactivate the electric motive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Cummins Inc., Tula Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Avra Brahma
  • Patent number: 11859570
    Abstract: A toothed wheel forming a target for a camshaft position sensor includes a circular body provided with two opposite main faces and is provided on its circumference with teeth. The series of teeth includes eight teeth, each tooth having, for a given first direction of rotation of the wheel, a rising edge and a falling edge and two neighboring teeth being separated by a recessed part. The edges of a first type, rising or falling, are evenly distributed at the periphery of the toothed wheel. The angular length of the recessed parts is greater than or equal to arctan(Llow/R)°CAM, where R is the radius and Llow is the minimum distance between two teeth to detect a low level, except for one recessed part, and the angular length of a tooth is greater than arctan(Lhigh/R)°CAM, except for one tooth, where Lhigh is the minimum length of a tooth allowing detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Fabien Joseph, Stéphane Eloy
  • Patent number: 11859571
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for estimation of a road roughness index (RRI) and adjusting vehicle operation based on the metric. In one example, a method may include estimating the RRI as a function of a pitch energy and a roll energy of the vehicle travelling on the road. In response to the RRI being higher than a threshold, engine operation such as EGR flow rate may be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John E. Rollinger, Adam Richards, Robert Grant, Steven Lin, Matthew Gerow
  • Patent number: 11859572
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device according to an embodiment is a device for controlling fuel injection performed by a fuel injection device disposed in a cylinder of a two-stroke engine, comprising: a scavenging and exhaust gas state quantity acquisition part configured to acquire a parameter related to a state quantity of scavenging and exhaust gas in the cylinder; a swirl momentum calculation part configured to calculate a momentum of swirl generated in the cylinder on the basis of the parameter; and a fuel injection pressure calculation part configured to calculate an injection pressure of fuel from the fuel injection device corresponding to the momentum of swirl calculated by the swirl momentum calculation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kengo Tanaka, Takashi Ueda, Yuki Koshiba, Sigetoshi Sugata
  • Patent number: 11859573
    Abstract: An interface circuit assembly for use with an electronic control unit and oxygen sensor of an internal combustion engine. The assembly includes an input port coupled to receive a signal from the oxygen sensor and a processing unit coupled with the input port. The processing unit increases the signal to an output voltage as a function of hydrogen being provided to the internal combustion engine. An output port is coupled with the processing unit and provides the output voltage to the electronic control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Resonance Technology LLC
    Inventor: Michael Manford Beckman
  • Patent number: 11859574
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine is provided, which includes the steps of injecting main fuel by a fuel injector during an intake stroke or a compression stroke, providing a mixture gas containing fuel and air inside a cylinder, applying by an ignition device a high voltage between electrodes of a spark plug at a timing when the mixture gas is not ignited, detecting a parameter related to a current value of an electric-discharge channel generated between the electrodes, determining by a controller whether the detected parameter is within a range between a first threshold and a second threshold to determine a flowing state of a vortex inside the cylinder, operating the spark plug to carry out a supplemental ignition when the parameter is determined to be outside the range, and igniting the mixture gas by operation of the spark plug after the supplemental ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Ota, Yoshihisa Nou
  • Patent number: 11859575
    Abstract: An arrangement for an internal combustion engine includes a crank case, a cylinder liner disposed in a cylinder of the crank case and including a flange, and a cylinder head disposed on an end of the cylinder delimiting a combustion zone inside the cylinder liner, wherein the flange of the cylinder liner is braced between the cylinder head and the crank case, wherein a flange cooling cavity is provided, which is delimited by a circumferential surface of the flange of the cylinder liner and the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Innio Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG
    Inventor: Florian Becker
  • Patent number: 11859576
    Abstract: A cylinder head assembly includes a cylinder head casting, and an injector sleeve within an injector bore in the cylinder head casting. The injector sleeve includes a first sleeve end, and an injector clamping surface formed by an inner sleeve surface adjacent to a cylindrical second sleeve end. The injector sleeve further includes a sleeve clamping surface in contact with an upward facing middle deck surface of the cylinder head casting, and a reaction wall extending between the injector clamping surface and the sleeve clamping surface to transfer an injector clamping load to the upward facing middle deck surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.
    Inventor: Raji Rexavier
  • Patent number: 11859577
    Abstract: An engine device including a cylinder block having one side portion to which a flywheel that is rotated integrally with a crankshaft is disposed. The engine device is provided with a starter that transmits a rotational force to the flywheel at a time of engine start. A flywheel housing, which accommodates the flywheel and includes a starter attachment pedestal for attaching the starter, is attached to the one side portion of the cylinder block. The starter is disposed inner side of the engine than a portion of the flywheel housing, the portion being located outermost in the engine with respect to a direction that is perpendicular to a direction along a crankshaft center and that is parallel to the cylinder head joining surface of the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koki Kashiwa, Hiroaki Naganawa
  • Patent number: 11859578
    Abstract: A first cascade segment of a thrust reverser system has a first cascade segment flow area and is associated with a first lateral sector. A second cascade segment has a second cascade segment flow area and is associated with a second lateral sector. The second cascade segment flow area may be at least 1.2 times the first cascade segment flow area. The first lateral sector has a first leakage flow area and a first total flow area that is equal to a sum of at least the first cascade segment flow area and the first leakage flow area. The second lateral sector has a second leakage flow area and a second total flow area that is equal to a sum of at least the second cascade segment flow area and the second leakage flow area. The second total flow area may be within 10% of the first total flow area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Radhakrishna Chilukuri, Ashok Babu Saya, Hussain Mahamed Javed Tapadar
  • Patent number: 11859579
    Abstract: A system for multiple burns from a solid fuel rocket motor may extinguish rocket fuel after the rocket has been ignited. The motor may be extinguished via rapid decompression of the combustion chamber. The fuel may then be reignited by a suitable igniter, and the process of extinguishing and reigniting may be repeated, enabling multi-burn maneuvers. A decompressive extinguishing plug nozzle may extinguish solid rocket fuel after the rocket has been ignited and/or keep a rocket in a disarmed (zero thrust) state until the rocket is to be armed. The nozzle may include a plug that mostly impedes the opening of the nozzle and an outer cowl that is movable to rapidly decompress the combustion chamber. This rapid decompression extinguishes the solid rocket fuel. In some aspects, the fuel can be reignited and extinguished multiple times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TRIAD NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Dallmann, Ian Shelburne, Kavitha Chintam, Malakai Coblentz, David Hemsing, Joseph Lichthardt, Bryce Tappan, Mahlon S. Wilson
  • Patent number: 11859580
    Abstract: A device for supplying injection water capable of stably supplying the water to a water injection system of a vehicle. The device for supplying injection water includes a storage unit configured to store water, a management unit mounted on the storage unit and configured to detect a state of the water stored in the storage unit and manage the water, a transport unit connected to the storage unit through the management unit and configured to outwardly move the water, and an integrated controller configured to control operations of the management unit and the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION, HYUNDAM INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Won Lee, Seung Hoon Choi, Seong Cheol Cho, Yong Taek Hwang, Chan Yo Jeon
  • Patent number: 11859581
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine is configured to execute a first injection process that causes a water injection valve to inject water when an intake valve is open and a second injection process that causes the water injection valve to inject water when the intake valve is closed. The controller is further configured to set a pressure of the water supplied to the water injection valve to be higher in the second injection process than in the first injection process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Suzuki, Tomihisa Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11859582
    Abstract: An intake sound amplifier amplifies intake sound that is transmitted from an engine mounted in an engine compartment of a vehicle to a cabin. The intake sound amplifier includes a first passage branched from an intake passage, through which intake air is introduced into an engine; a device body that includes a vibrating body vibrated by pulsation of the intake air and is connected to a downstream end of the first passage; and a second passage that is connected to a downstream end of the device body and extends to the cabin side. The device body is located outward in a vehicle width direction of a side frame that extends in a vehicle front-rear direction and separates inside of the engine compartment from outside in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yousuke Iwasaki, Satoshi Kusumoto, Shin Kodama
  • Patent number: 11859583
    Abstract: A fuel injector is disclosed. The fuel injector may have an injector body having a fuel inlet and at least one orifice. The fuel injector may also have a first check valve member. The first check valve member may be selectively movable to fluidly block a first flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the at least one orifice. The fuel injector may have a second check valve member. The second check valve member may be selectively movable to fluidly block a second flow of fuel from the fuel inlet to the at least one orifice. The fuel injector may also have a control valve assembly. The control valve assembly may be configured to selectively operate either the first check valve or both the first check valve and the second check valve to fluidly connect the fuel inlet and the at least one orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sana Mahmood, Robert M. Campion, Lifeng Wang
  • Patent number: 11859584
    Abstract: Provided is a solenoid valve control device capable of detecting a motion of a valve body in response to a drive command without adding a special circuit. According to the present invention, a solenoid valve control device controls opening and closing of a solenoid valve in an internal combustion engine system including: a fuel pump including a plunger that that increases or decreases a volume of a pressurizing chamber by moving up and down with rotation of a pump drive cam, a solenoid valve for sucking fuel into the pressurizing chamber, and a discharge valve for discharging fuel in the pressurizing chamber; and a fuel rail (common rail) that accumulates fuel discharged by the fuel pump. The solenoid valve control device includes a control unit that determines whether or not closing of the solenoid valve has succeeded based on fuel pressure 604 of the fuel rail, or calculates a discharge amount by closing the solenoid valve based on the fuel pressure of the fuel rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Nakai, Osamu Mukaihara, Toshihiro Aono
  • Patent number: 11859585
    Abstract: An electrical connector for an electrical connection within a fuel system, the electrical connector comprising first and second electrical connector pins, and an overmould for the first and second electrical connector pins. Each of the first and second electrical connector pins includes an external portion which projects from the overmould, an internal portion to which the overmould is applied, and a chamfered portion located between the internal portion and the external portion. The internal portion of each of the first and second electrical connector pins includes a region having a first dimension adjacent to the chamfered region and at least two axially spaced projections which extend radially from the internal portion beyond the region having a first dimension, adjacent ones of the axially spaced projections being separated axially by a region of the internal portion having a reduced dimension compared to the region having a first dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventors: Lydia Amarquaye, Jack Coxon, Adrian Lord
  • Patent number: 11859586
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes an injector body with a fuel chamber configured to receive fuel from a fuel line, an injector tip provided at an end of the injector body, and one or more nozzle assemblies provided in the injector tip. The one or more nozzle assemblies have a fuel channel in fluid communication with the fuel chamber, a premixing tube fluidly connected to the fuel channel, and a port fluidly connected to the premixing tube. The premixing tube has an orifice providing an outlet for the injector tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Xin Yu
  • Patent number: 11859587
    Abstract: A method for starting an internal combustion engine and a motor vehicle are provided. The internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders. To start the internal combustion engine while deactivated, a predefined amount of working gas is introduced into the cylinder that fires first. A crankshaft of the internal combustion engine is driven by an electric motor and by the movement of a piston coupled to the crankshaft and associated with the cylinder that fires first to introduce the predefined amount of working gas. Subsequently, the internal combustion engine is started by the ignition of a mixture including the predefined amount of working gas and a predefined amount of fuel inside the cylinder that fires first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kilian Ludwiczek
  • Patent number: 11859588
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, fuel injection is stopped to automatically stop the engine when automatic stop conditions are met. When there is a request to restart the engine while an engine speed is decreasing due to automatic stoppage, the engine is started by resuming fuel injection if the engine speed is equal to or greater than a combustion recoverable rotational speed threshold, at which restarting is possible only by fuel injection. When there is a request to restart the engine while an engine speed is decreasing due to automatic stoppage, the engine is started using a starter motor if the engine speed is less than the combustion recoverable rotational speed threshold. When there is a request to restart the engine in a brake ON state, the engine is not started by resuming fuel injection, but rotated and started using the starter motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shouta Hamane, Tadashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 11859589
    Abstract: A DC power plant generating DC power from a variety of engines including a Stirling cycle engine. The DC power plant includes a relatively small start-up power source that is discontinued after the engine is running. A method for producing DC power for a load including starting up an engine using power supplied by a relatively small power supply supplemented by a capacitor bank, providing output from the engine to a generator, producing alternating current (AC) power by the generator, converting the AC power to direct current (DC) power, disabling output of the DC power during a first set of pre-selected conditions, limiting a rate of change of current of the DC power during a second set of pre-selected conditions, reducing conducted and radiated emissions of the DC power, disconnecting the DC power from the load under a third set of pre-selected conditions, and providing the DC power to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Andrew A. Schnellinger, James R. Lowell, Bryan A. Finseth, Christopher L. Barber, Jason M. Sachs, Donald J. Lucas, Shannon Prescott, Jeffrey W. Kite, Andras K. Fekete, Douglas R. Adams
  • Patent number: 11859590
    Abstract: A battery pack for use in providing starting power for a starter motor of an internal combustion engine and to supply power to one or more auxiliary loads. The battery pack includes an outer housing that encloses a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack further includes a control module. The control module includes a processing circuit configured to control one or more functions associated with the internal combustion engine and an interface circuit configured to interface with the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Koenen
  • Patent number: 11859591
    Abstract: In a gasoline internal combustion engine having a first and second spark plugs for each cylinder, associated, respectively, with a combustion pre-chamber and with a combustion chamber, engine crank angle of ignition (ECAI) of the first and second spark plugs are controlled as a function of engine load and engine rotation speed, and as a function of a required value of torque delivered by the engine, referring to a single normalized reference surface, which is the same for any operating point of the engine, and which supplies efficiency of the engine as a function of a difference between ECAI of the first spark plug and an optimal value of this angle at which the efficiency becomes maximum, and as a function of a difference between the ECAI of the second spark plug and an optimal value of this angle at which the efficiency becomes maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Maserati S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Fabbri, Filippo Carra, Lorenzo Paolucci, Simone Ferrante, Francesco Marcigliano
  • Patent number: 11859592
    Abstract: Provided is a wind turbine, including a tower, a foundation, a transition piece, which is arranged between the tower and the foundation and which connects the tower to the foundation, a platform, which is arranged inside the transition piece, a service lift, which is lowered to the platform, and a permanent working platform which is arranged below the platform and in a distance thereof. Due to the permanent working platform, the service lift is easily accessible from below. The labor- and cost-intensive installation of a temporary scaffold below the platform is expendable. Advantageously, the working platform can also be used for array cable installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventors: Amandeep Gagein, Pankaj Narang, Frederik Sig Pedersen, Anders Nygaard Rasmussen, Vipin Sendwal
  • Patent number: 11859593
    Abstract: A method for transporting a tower section of a wind turbine, comprising the steps of: providing a tower section which is adapted to be transported in a predetermined transport position, wherein the tower section when in the transport position has a longitudinal axis extending in the horizontal direction and a wall extending along the longitudinal axis, wherein the tower section is adapted to adopt a first vertical height when in an unstressed state in the transport position, applying a deformation force to the wall so as to elastically deform at least one portion of the tower section in such a way that the tower section adopts a second vertical height that is smaller than the first vertical height when in an elastically deformed state in the transport position, and locking the tower section in the elastically deformed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Knoop, René Mertens
  • Patent number: 11859594
    Abstract: A management system for controlling a wind turbine according to prescribed rules and a safety system, separate from the management system, for monitoring the wind turbine on the basis of operational characteristic values, wherein the safety system transfers the wind turbine to a safe plant state independently of the management system if safety-critical operational characteristic values violate safety parameters stored in the safety system, in order to change at least one safety parameter stored in the safety system a parameter block comprising the at least one safety parameter and at least two safety features is supplied to the safety system and accepted by the safety system only after a positive check on the safety features, wherein the check on at least one of the safety features requires comparison against check information available directly on the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Service GmbH
    Inventors: Karsten Warfen, Stefan Behl
  • Patent number: 11859595
    Abstract: A wind turbine is provided including a generator, an electrolytic unit, a system inlet and a system outlet, wherein the electrolytic unit is electrically powered by the generator to produce hydrogen from an input fluid, in particular water, wherein the hydrogen produced can be taken out of the wind turbine by the system outlet, wherein the wind turbine further includes a safety system controlled by a control unit configured to evacuate the hydrogen out of the wind turbine) by a plurality of gas outlets distributed on a platform of the wind turbine and configured to release the hydrogen to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventor: Johnny Soerensen
  • Patent number: 11859596
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electric heating thermal management system for an oil and gas transportation pipeline based on renewable energy and CO2 energy storage. It transmits the feedback data value through a data collection device arranged in the pipeline to the early warning device by the control device. After analysis and processing, the early warning device can feed back the data value to the control device and the remote operation device in two modes. Different degrees of heating amount can be generated for the oil and gas transportation pipelines at different positions in different modes. Hierarchical and distributed management control for the oil and gas transportation pipelines can be targetedly conducted in unblocked, easily blocked and blocked positions of the oil and gas transportation pipeline. The present invention couples the renewable energy electricity supply device and the CO2 energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Cong Chen, Yongchen Song, Xi Wang, Zherui Chen, Jingyue Sun, Yu Liu, Yi Zhang, Mingjun Yang, Jiafei Zhao, Weiguo Liu, Yan Qin, Zheng Ling, Lanlan Jiang, Lunxiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11859597
    Abstract: An offshore power generation structure comprising a submerged portion having a first deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage evaporator system, a second deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage condensing system, a third deck portion housing power generation equipment, cold water pipe; and a cold water pipe connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: The Abell Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry R. Cole, Jonathan M. Ross, Andrew Rekret, Henry Sibenaller, William Schulz, Russ Krull, Laurence Jay Shapiro
  • Patent number: 11859598
    Abstract: SMA actuators and related methods are described. One embodiment of an actuator includes a base; a plurality of buckle arms; and at least a first shape memory alloy wire coupled with a pair of buckle arms of the plurality of buckle arms. Another embodiment of an actuator includes a base and at least one bimorph actuator including a shape memory alloy material. The bimorph actuator attached to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Duane M. Jelkin, Raymond R. Wolter
  • Patent number: 11859599
    Abstract: A vacuum arc thruster with multi-layer insulation includes a housing, an anode unit and a cathode unit spaced apart from each other in the housing, and an insulator disposed between the anode unit and the cathode unit. The insulator includes a plurality of fuel layers and a plurality of insulating layers. Each insulating layer is located between every two adjacent fuel layers. Accordingly, a multiple-layer design is formed by arranging the fuel layers and the insulating layers which are made of different materials in an alternating manner, thereby attaining the maximum field emission effect, increasing the stability and efficacy of operating the vacuum arc thruster, and prolonging the service life of the thruster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: National Cheng Kung University
    Inventors: Yueh-Heng Li, Hsun-Chen Hsieh, Ping-Han Huang, Wei-Cheng Lo
  • Patent number: 11859600
    Abstract: A liquid feed pump which increases the liquid flow velocity in a stagnation area in the pressure chamber of a plunger pump, thereby improving the liquid replacement speed in the plunger pump. When the liquid in the liquid feed pump is replaced, a first plunger slides back and forth in the space between a lower limit point and an upper limit point, and the second plunger stops at least temporarily at a position near to the upper limit point or slides back and forth for a shorter distance than when the liquid feed pump usually feeds the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Tsukada, Daisuke Akieda, Shinya Ito, Kenichiro Nishiki
  • Patent number: 11859601
    Abstract: A fluid routing plug for use with a fluid end section. The fluid end section being one of a plurality of fluid end sections making up a fluid end side of a high pressure pump. The fluid routing plug is installed within a horizontal bore formed in a fluid end section and is configured to route fluid throughout the fluid end section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Kerr Machine Co.
    Inventors: Nicholas Son, Micheal Cole Thomas, Christopher Todd Barnett, Kelcy Jake Foster, John Keith
  • Patent number: 11859602
    Abstract: Provided are an electroosmotic pump, including: a membrane; a first electrode which is provided on one surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support; and a second electrode which is provided on the other surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support, and a fluid-pumping system including the electroosmotic pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: EOFLOW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jesse Jaejin Kim, Yongchul Song
  • Patent number: 11859603
    Abstract: A 3D-printed oil separation assembly for use in a reciprocating compressor is provided. The compressor includes a suction chamber, a crankcase chamber, and at least one partition member at least partially separating the suction chamber and the crankcase chamber. The at least one partition member further includes at least one opening. The 3D-printed oil separation assembly comprises a coalescing structure positioned within the crankcase chamber adjacent the at least one partition member at the at least one opening; and at least one securing structure secured in operable relation with the at least one demisting structure so as to secure the coalescing structure relative to the opening. The coalescing structure comprises at least one structure selected from the group consisting of a baffled structure, a demisting structure, and combinations thereof. At least a portion of the coalescing structure is 3D-printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Copeland Industrial LP
    Inventors: Steven Fels, Steven Cihlar, Pruthviraj Nagnath Pawar, Jean-Louis Picouet
  • Patent number: 11859604
    Abstract: A reciprocating compressor includes a cylinder that defines a compressing space and a discharge muffler configured to receive refrigerant compressed in the cylinder and to discharge the refrigerant. The discharge muffler includes a discharge muffler body and a discharge guide supported by the discharge muffler body. The discharge muffler body defines a discharge space configured to receive the refrigerant from the cylinder and includes a wall protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the discharge muffler body. The discharge guide is coupled to the wall and includes a pipe that defines a pipe inflow hole configured to receive the refrigerant from the discharge space and a pipe outflow hole configured to discharge the refrigerant. The discharge guide further includes a fixing bracket that couples the pipe to the discharge muffler body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaeho Cho, Sukang Kim
  • Patent number: 11859605
    Abstract: A system has a compressor for discharging compressed gas, an aftercooler for cooling the compressed gas, a first cooling liquid pathway for supplying a cooling liquid to the compressor and for cooling the cooling liquid by means of a cooling heat exchanger, and a second cooling liquid pathway for passing the cooling liquid through the aftercooler and for recovering waste heat from the cooling liquid by means of a heat recovery heat exchanger, in which the compressor system includes a first valve and a second valve disposed in a plurality of bypass pathways connecting the first cooling liquid pathway and the second cooling liquid pathway, a third valve and a fourth valve disposed in the first cooling liquid pathway, and a control unit, and in which the control unit performs first control to close the first valve and the second valve and open the third valve and the fourth valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Matsuzaka, Masakatsu Okaya