Condition Responsive Control Of Starting Device Patents (Class 123/179.3)
  • Patent number: 10124792
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling operation a hybrid powertrain are disclosed that use low power storage and motor/generator components in line haul operations. In one embodiment, a line haul drive cycle includes a low power motor/generator executing a power assistance operation of the hybrid powertrain powered by electricity from a low power storage responsive to a monitoring by a line haul controller of ascensions of the hybrid vehicle at or near a constant speed over an uneven terrain. The line haul drive cycle further includes the low power motor/generator executing a regenerative braking operation of the hybrid powertrain supplying captured electric energy to the low power storage responsive to a monitoring by the line haul controller of descensions of the hybrid vehicle at or near the constant speed over the uneven terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. Books, Mahesh Madurai Kumar
  • Patent number: 10124903
    Abstract: A rotorcraft having at least one turboshaft engine with an electric starter powered from the onboard network that makes use of a battery and of a discharge module made up of a plurality of discharge members connected in series. An electric circuit comprises a regulator device for regulating a main bidirectional DC-DC static converter connected in series with the discharge module. The regulator device maintains equivalence between the current of the electric circuit and the current of the onboard network, regardless of the mode of operation of the discharge module, and does so by monitoring the voltage of the discharge module and the voltage of the onboard network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventor: Michel Jamot
  • Patent number: 10118602
    Abstract: An automatic start-stop system for vehicles with an automatic gearbox or and automated gearbox in which the motor vehicle can creep in a released state of a brake pedal is provided. The automatic start-stop system is designed to detect an obstruction in the present direction of travel of the vehicle, to trigger an automatic deactivation process of a drive machine of the vehicle if the vehicle speed is lower than a predefined speed threshold close to standstill and the brake pedal is actuated, and to trigger an automatic activation process of the automatically deactivated drive machine if a released brake pedal is detected, with creeping of the motor vehicle being prevented by not initiating automatic activation of the drive machine or by activating a creep prevention measure, if, upon release of the brake pedal or in a released state of the brake pedal, an obstruction situated in the present direction of travel of the motor vehicle is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gerhard Fischer
  • Patent number: 10082120
    Abstract: Provided is a device for automatically stopping an engine when an automatic stop condition is satisfied and restarting the engine thereafter when a restart condition is satisfied, the device including: a ring gear (12) to be coupled to a crankshaft of the engine; a starter motor (14) for starting the engine; a pinion gear (16) for transmitting rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; pinion-gear moving means (17) for moving the pinion gear by energization to bring the pinion gear into meshing engagement with the ring gear; and starter control means (11) for controlling a voltage to be applied to the pinion-gear moving means so as to fall within a predetermined range when the pinion gear and the ring gear are brought into meshing engagement by moving the pinion gear by the pinion-gear moving means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Daisuke Mizuno, Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara
  • Patent number: 10082121
    Abstract: In a control apparatus mounted in a vehicle supporting start-stop control, for controlling a power supply system, a target charge level setter variably sets a target charge level of a second rechargeable battery when an internal-combustion engine of the vehicle is operating. The target charge level setter sets the target charge level to a higher level as load current increases, and when setting the target charge level, performs at least one of subtracting a first load quantity indicative of a current that is supplied to first electrical loads from a detected value of the load current and adding a second load quantity indicative of a current that is supplied to second electrical loads to the detected value of the load current. The first electrical loads operate when the internal-combustion engine is operating, and the second electrical loads operate when the engine is not operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshinori Morita
  • Patent number: 10077752
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicle system including: an engine having a crankshaft to generate power; a starter motor electrically connected to a battery to start the engine; an alternator operatively connected to the crankshaft of the engine so as to generate electric power and charge the battery; a capacitor electrically connected to the alternator, the battery, and the starter motor, and enable to store the generated electric power based on a state of charge (SOC) of the battery and capacitor; and a controller to control electric connections between the alternator, the capacitor, the battery, and the starter motor. In particular, the controller determines an idle stop mode and controls a position of the crankshaft by applying a calculated electric load to the alternator such that the crankshaft position is located in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hoon Lee, Sejun Kim, Kwangwoo Jeong, Byungho Lee
  • Patent number: 10077577
    Abstract: An access control device including an electromagnetic lock module for selectively locking and unlocking a door in a door frame is provided. The access control device provides a lower profiled electromagnetic lock module to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the module, supports and integrates modern accessories such as CCTV, CCD cameras, passive motion detection with automatic background correction, digital notification display, automatic source voltage selection, door and lock status indicators, and ease of installation. The present invention further provides components and circuitry to enable connection of the electromagnetic control module to 12 or 24 volts DC or to an unfiltered rectified AC power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Hanchett Entry Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Webb, Larry Gene Corwin
  • Patent number: 10066591
    Abstract: A process for starting an internal combustion engine, providing the use of an electric motor acting on the driveshaft of the internal combustion engine, provides a positioning step, activated upon switching-off the engine, and a switching-on step, activated after a starting control, wherein said positioning step comprises: a forward rotation by a predetermined forward rotation angle; a detection of a possible stall state followed, in negative case, by an additional forward rotation until reaching a predetermined maximum forward rotation angle; an inverse rotation by a predetermined angle; and a detection of a possible stall state followed, in negative case, by an additional inverse rotation until reaching a predetermined maximum inverse rotation angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Capozzella, Jury Cantini, Jeanpaul Milani
  • Patent number: 10024293
    Abstract: In a system for controlling rotation of torque applied to a rotating shaft of an engine of a vehicle that uses the engine as a drive source thereof, a motor is provided. A main controller controls the engine and the motor. The main controller selectably activates the motor that applies first torque to the rotating shaft of the engine, and deactivates the motor. A rotary electric machine includes a rotor connected to the rotating shaft of the engine. A rotation parameter detector measures a rotation parameter associated with rotation of the rotor of the rotary electric machine. A sequence controller performs, in response to an occurrence of a trigger situation, a control sequence that controls, independently of the main controller, the rotary electric machine based on the rotation parameter measured by the rotation parameter detector, thus applying second torque to the rotating shaft of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fujita, Ryosuke Utaka, Mitsuhiro Murata
  • Patent number: 10017056
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for electric vehicles with removable homopolar generators for increased driving distances. In one embodiment, an example electric vehicle may include at least one drive motor configured to impart motion to one or more wheels of the electric vehicle, a plurality of rechargeable batteries configured to power the at least one drive motor, and a homopolar generator positioned within the electric vehicle and electrically coupled to the plurality of rechargeable batteries. The homopolar generator may be configured to generate current to charge the plurality of rechargeable batteries. The electric vehicle may include one or more solid state relays electrically coupled between the plurality of rechargeable batteries, and a controller configured to manage charging of the plurality of rechargeable batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: PREMERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Richard Edward Botts
  • Patent number: 10006430
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle including an engine, an electric motor, and a clutch disposed on a power transmission path between the engine and the electric motor, the control device of a vehicle performing an ignition start causing combustion in a cylinder of the engine to rotate the engine at a start of the engine, the control device of a vehicle switching a cylinder in which combustion is first caused in the engine based on an actuation during a rotation stop process of the engine of an exhaust valve in a cylinder stopped in an expansion stroke, when performing the ignition start at the start of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Susumu Kojima
  • Patent number: 10006376
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling an engine system with a variable cam timing device. In one example, the variable cam timing device is operated to adjust engine valve timing differently at engine stop based on whether the engine stop is in response to an operator request or in response to an automatic controller initiated engine stop without an operator request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Doering, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Alex O'Connor Gibson
  • Patent number: 10000202
    Abstract: A method and device for controlling a running mode of a hybrid vehicle are provided. The method includes monitoring power consumption of a battery when the hybrid vehicle is driven in an electric vehicle (EV) mode and calculating a threshold value for starting an engine. Then, whether to change the running mode of the hybrid vehicle is determined using the power consumption of the battery and the threshold value for starting the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Joonyoung Park, Sang Joon Kim, Jonghan Oh, Yong Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 9995230
    Abstract: In an engine control device, an automatic engine stop control section automatically stops an engine operating when an automatic engine stop condition is satisfied. An engine start control section supplies electric power to a starter to drive the starter when receiving an initial engine start intention signal transmitted from a push starter and when an automatic engine start condition has been satisfied. An engine start completion detection section detects whether the engine start of the engine has finished. An automatic engine stop permission section permits the automatic engine stop control section to stop the engine operating when the automatic engine stop permission section detects that the engine start has finished at a timing when the engine start control section has started the engine after receiving an initial engine start intention detection signal transmitted from the push starter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Minoru Okamiya
  • Patent number: 9945342
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus mounted on a vehicle includes: a first starting system provided with a first electric motor coupled to an engine, and a first power storage coupled to the first electric motor; a second starting system provided with a second electric motor coupled to the engine, and a second power storage coupled to the second electric motor; and an engine controller that stops the engine based on a stop condition and restarts the engine using the first starting system, based on a start condition. When an abnormality occurs in the first starting system in a state where the engine has been stopped based on the stop condition, the engine controller restarts the engine using the second starting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 9908577
    Abstract: A two-wheeled vehicle is provided including a frame, front and rear ground-engaging members each supporting the frame, a straddle-type seat, a handlebar for steering the vehicle, at least one light device configured to operate in a hazard mode, an engine supported by the frame and operably coupled to the ground-engaging members, a tilt sensor, and a vehicle control unit in communication with the tilt sensor. The vehicle control unit is operative to detect a tilt angle of the vehicle based on output from the tilt sensor. The vehicle control unit is operative to determine a tip-over condition of the vehicle based on the detected tilt angle exceeding a threshold tilt angle. The vehicle control unit activates the hazard mode of the at least one light in response to the determination of the tip-over condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Indian Motorcycle International, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew J. Novak, Ryan P. Lenton, II, Brian K. Langlois, Jonathon P. Oakden-Graus, Donald W. Kahl
  • Patent number: 9903332
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The control device starts executing an ignition engine start control to restart the engine operation when a predetermined engine restart request is generated, a last signal output from a crank angel sensor corresponds to the compression TDC and a signal is output from the sensor before a time elapsing from the output of the last signal reaches a predetermined time. The control device starts executing a starter engine start control when the engine restart request is generated, the last signal output from the sensor corresponds to the compression TDC and no signal is output from the sensor before a time elapsing from the output of the last signal reaches the predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Yusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9869285
    Abstract: A circuit configuration is described, for starting an internal combustion engine, using at least one starter, which includes a starter motor, an engaging relay, a switching relay and a control relay, the control relay being able to be controlled by an ignition switch, the engaging relay being able to be controlled by the control relay and a current path of the starter motor being able to be switched using the switching relay. In order for the starter, for starting an internal combustion engine, to operate more accurately, and thus to achieve a longer service life, the switching relay is able to be controlled as a function of the occurrence of a specified event, at least in the switching-off process. This has the advantage that the switching relay is able to interrupt a current path from the starter motor earlier in time, especially a main current path, so that energizing in the reverse direction is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Hartmut Wanner, Uwe Daurer
  • Patent number: 9863390
    Abstract: An engine starting apparatus is equipped with a starter which, when it is required to start an engine, moves a pinion to establish engagement with a ring gear coupled to the engine and energizes an electric motor to produce and transmit torque to the ring gear through the pinion for cranking the engine. When the rate of decrease in current flowing in the electric motor or the rate of rise in voltage appearing at a terminal of the starter or a power supply for the electric motor exceeds a given value after the engine starts being cranked, the engine starting apparatus works as a firing-up determiner to determine that the engine has been fully fired up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 9850843
    Abstract: A vehicle according to the present disclosure includes an engine configured to autostop and autostart during a drive cycle. The vehicle additionally includes a user interface and a controller. The controller is configured to present on the user interface a metric indicative of a quantity of engine autostops during a drive cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nupur Dokras, Marirose Ilkka, Kirk Pebley
  • Patent number: 9845782
    Abstract: A method for starting an internal combustion engine has the steps of: oscillating a crankshaft of the engine using the electrical actuator; then injecting fuel in a combustion chamber and igniting the fuel in this combustion chamber to cause the crankshaft to turn in a reverse direction; then injecting fuel in another combustion chamber and igniting the fuel in the other combustion chamber to cause the crankshaft to turn in a forward direction; and then injecting fuel in the other combustion chamber and igniting fuel in the other combustion chamber to cause the crankshaft to turn in the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Michel Bernier
  • Patent number: 9834235
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with a locomotive. The control system may have a component located onboard the locomotive, the component having a first state and a second state. The control system may also have an operator input device located onboard the locomotive and used to manually toggle operation of the component between the first and second states, and at least one sensor located onboard the locomotive and configured to generate a signal associated with a condition of the locomotive. The control system may also have an offboard controller located remotely from the locomotive and being configured to selectively override the operator input device and toggle operation of the component between the first and second states based on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Melas, Isaac Suwa Traylor, Gregory Raymond Kupiec, Paul P. Jezior
  • Patent number: 9828964
    Abstract: A auto-stop/start vehicle with an engine and a battery includes at least one controller that calibrates an engine auto-stop delay time based on a state of charge (SOC) of a battery. The calibrated engine auto-stop delay time increases as the SOC of the battery decreases, and decreases as the SOC of the battery increases. The controller further initiates shutdown of an engine upon expiration of the calibrated engine auto-stop delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Crist Gabriel, Cathleen Tistle
  • Patent number: 9806659
    Abstract: An inverter drive assembly includes a first bus bar having a plurality of bushings, including at least a first bushing and a second bushing, the first bus bar being configured to receive at least one DC link capacitor of the inverter drive assembly via the second bushing, a second bus bar electrically connected to the first bus bar at the first bushing, and an inverter electrically connected to the second bus bar, the inverter being configured to receive electrical current through the second bus bar, wherein a height of the first bushing defines an air gap of approximately 5 millimeters between the first bus bar and the second bus bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Allen Murphy, Jeffrey John Wolff, Jason Daniel Kuttenkuler
  • Patent number: 9790879
    Abstract: A start control device of a vehicular direct injection engine provided in a vehicle is configured to execute an ignition start to raise rotation of the direct injection engine at a start of the direct injection engine by fuel injection and multiple sparking performed for a predetermined cylinder in an expansion stroke out of multiple cylinders of the direct injection engine, the start control device of a vehicular direct injection engine reduces the number of times of sparking for the predetermined cylinder at the time of an ignition start of the direct injection engine as compared to an ignition start performed before the current ignition start based on ignition timing of the ignition start performed before the current ignition start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Susumu Kojima
  • Patent number: 9776635
    Abstract: An auto stop-start equipped vehicle power management system includes a primary power source supplying energy to an electrical starter to crank a vehicle engine and a secondary power source coupled in parallel to the primary power source. The secondary power source supplies energy to electric loads during an engine auto stop-start operation. The electrical loads maintain vehicle subsystem functionality during the engine auto stop-start operation. The energy supplied to the electrical loads is current limited during the engine auto stop-start operation. A controllable switch decouples the secondary power source from the primary power source and starter motor during the engine auto stop-start operation. Operating parameters of the electrical loads are monitored during the engine auto stop-start operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hafiz S. Khafagy, Kirk Pebley, William J. Bouse, Zeljko Deljevic
  • Patent number: 9771915
    Abstract: An engine starting apparatus is provided which is equipped with a starter, an inrush current reducer, and a starter mode switch. The inrush current reducer works to reduce an inrush current flowing through an electric motor installed in the starter when the electric motor is energized. The starter mode switch works to change a starter characteristic that is an output characteristic of the starter continuously or selectively at least between a low-torque/high-speed mode and a high-torque/low-speed mode. The starter mode switch places the starter in the high-torque/low-speed mode at least at a time when a piston of the engine is passing a top dead center, and the engine friction has been just maximized for the first time after the starter is actuated to crank the engine. This shortens a period of time required to start up the engine without sacrificing beneficial effects offered by the inrush current reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 9736995
    Abstract: A controlled environment enclosure features a heating and cooling system and a control system linked to the heating and cooling system for control of same. The control system being operable to switch between an environmental control mode for achieving user-prescribed environmental conditions within the interior space and a sterilization/pasteurization mode for heating contents of the internal space to values within a range sufficiently elevated above the prescribed environmental conditions to sterilize/pasteurize said contents of the internal space. The built-in sterilization/pasteurization function reduces or eliminates the need for personnel to physically wash down the interior space of the enclosure with cleaning chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Biochambers Incorporated
    Inventors: Rob Pauls, Marc Theroux, Bruce Kettner
  • Patent number: 9732720
    Abstract: In an engine starting apparatus, a starter control unit is configured to, upon command to start the engine, put a starter in a drive ON state to begin cranking of the engine and then put the starter in a drive OFF state at a predetermined timing. The starter control unit is configured to, when acceleration is requested within a predetermined time period from the command to start the engine, keep the starter in the drive ON state even after the time when the starter would be put in the drive OFF state without the acceleration request within the predetermined time period, and drive the starter to torque-assist the engine, thereby performing an assist mode in which both the engine) and the starter serve as drive sources for driving a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fujita, Kouichi Oosawa, Mitsuhiro Murata
  • Patent number: 9726137
    Abstract: A starting control device for an internal combustion engine is provided with a hard cranking device and a soft cranking device that are respectively capable of and incapable of cranking the internal combustion engine to a target idle rotation speed. The starting control device includes: a starting mode determination unit determining whether to carry out starting in a non-combustion pressure mode whereby starting is carried out with the hard cranking device, or in a combustion pressure combination mode whereby starting is carried out through cranking with the soft cranking device while using a combustion pressure generated by supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine in combination; and an intake air amount control unit making an amount of intake air during cranking differ between a case where starting is carried out in the non-combustion pressure mode and a case where starting is carried out in the combustion pressure combination mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ohno, Kei Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9720416
    Abstract: A determination is made that a vehicle is unoccupied. Detecting of at least one of an unexpected object in the vehicle and an intrusion into a vehicle compartment is performed. A route to a location is selected according to detected object and/or intrusion. The vehicle is navigated to the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Manoharprasad K. Rao
  • Patent number: 9688133
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid electric vehicle, includes: a temperature detector configured to detect a motor temperature of the electric motor; a pressing speed detector configured to detect a pressing speed of an accelerator pedal; an electric current detector configured to detect a value of the electric current supplied to the electric motor from the battery; and an engine controller configured to allow, when the motor temperature detected by the temperature detector is equal to or lower than a threshold temperature, the engine to be started based on the pressing speed detected by the pressing speed detector, so that the generator generates the electric power, and configured to allow, when the motor temperature is higher than the threshold temperature, the engine to be started based on the value of the electric current detected by the electric current detector, so that the generator generates the electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Nissato
  • Patent number: 9688224
    Abstract: A vehicle electric power supply apparatus includes first and second power sources connected in parallel to each other; a DC-DC converter connected between the first and second power sources; a switch connected in parallel to the DC-DC converter and connected between the first and second power sources; an opening and closing unit that is operable to open and close the switch; and a control unit that controls the DC-DC converter and the opening and closing unit. When an internal combustion engine is stopped, the control unit sets the switch to be OFF using the opening and closing unit, and the control unit causes the second power source to be discharged and the first power source to be charged until the output voltage of the second power source reaches a first voltage by electric power supply from the second power source to the first power source via the DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Takahashi, Satoshi Sekiguchi, Takushi Inoue
  • Patent number: 9631596
    Abstract: The engine starting device for stopping, when an engine automatic stop condition is satisfied, fuel injection to the engine to automatically stop the engine, and for thereafter restarting the engine when an engine restart condition is satisfied, includes: a ring gear coupled to a crankshaft of the engine; a starter motor rotated by a current supply; a pinion gear for transmitting the rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; a pinion gear moving part for moving the pinion gear toward the ring gear by a current supply, thereby meshing the pinion gear with the ring gear; and a fuel injection control part for restarting the fuel injection so that combustion is generated in a predetermined compression cylinder after the engine restart condition is satisfied and after the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Daisuke Mizuno, Osamu Ishikawa, Takeru Okabe, Koichiro Kamei
  • Patent number: 9624892
    Abstract: An apparatus for starting an engine, capable of switching output characteristics of a starter without an electronic control unit (ECU) controlling field current flowing through field coils. The apparatus includes a starter including a wound-field-type brushed direct current (DC) motor, a bypass path electrically connected in parallel with at least part of field coils of the motor, and a switch provided along the bypass path and configured to render the bypass path conducting or non-conducting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 9624859
    Abstract: An engine stopping section first selects, when an engine stop condition is satisfied, a power-generation braking mode in which a power-generation braking torque is applied to the engine by a power generation operation of the generator, to thereby apply the power-generation braking torque to the engine, and then selects a short-circuit braking mode in which a short-circuit braking torque is applied to the engine by short-circuiting each energization phase of an armature coil with a semiconductor switch and by causing a field current to flow through a field coil, to thereby apply the short-circuit braking torque to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Nozomu Kamioka, Satoshi Wachi, Toshiaki Date, Noriya Sagayama
  • Patent number: 9590498
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for selectively supplying power from a power supply to a load includes a semiconductor switch, such as an n-channel FET, along with a gate control and a charge pump. The circuit additionally includes a diode located in a ground path between a ground connection of the charge pump and a circuit ground, and a capacitor connected between the power supply and the diode. The added diode and capacitor allow the charge pump to maintain the FET in an ON state during a momentary voltage drop of the supply voltage. This circuit is preferably used with a high side switch integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Marian Queck, Volker Marr, Fried Berkenkamp
  • Patent number: 9586575
    Abstract: An electrical system includes an engine, a motor-generator and a starter mechanism, and engine systems also include the engine. The electrical system includes a first energy storage device having a first voltage level and a second energy storage device having a second voltage level less than the first voltage level. The electrical system further includes a controller configured to control the motor-generator, the starter mechanism and first and second switching devices. Current from at least one of the first and second energy storage devices is delivered to the motor-generator when at least one of the first switching device is in a first closed state and the second switching device is in a second closed state such that the motor-generator transfers torque to the starter mechanism and the starter mechanism uses the torque to start the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alan G. Holmes, Venkata Prasad Atluri, Chandra S. Namuduri, Robert S. Conell, Michael G. Reynolds, Thomas Wolfgang Nehl, Bob R. Powell, Madhusudan Raghavan
  • Patent number: 9583956
    Abstract: A charging device, a method for controlling a charging device, and a method for detecting a peripheral device are provided. The charging device comprises: a charging gun; a power module; and a controlling module coupled with the charging gun and the power module, wherein the controlling module is configured to determine whether the charging gun is connected with a peripheral device to be charged, and if yes, to control the power module to convert AC electricity to DC electricity to charge the peripheral device. A method for controlling a charging device is also provided. The method comprises: determining whether the charging gun is connected with a peripheral device; and if yes, controlling the power module to convert AC electricity to DC electricity to charge the peripheral device if the charging gun is determined to be connected to the peripheral device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: BYD Company Limited, Shenzhen BYD Auto R&D Company Limited
    Inventors: Xinghui Wang, Jianhua Zhang, Xiaofeng Shen, Kaihua Niu, Xiao Chen, Jianwei Huang, Chaojie Zong, Lin Liu
  • Patent number: 9574538
    Abstract: An idling stop control system stops an idling of an engine so as to automatically stop the engine in the case where a predetermined condition on automatic stop of the engine is established and releases the automatic stop of the engine so as to restart the engine in the case where a predetermined condition on restart of the engine is established in accordance with a driving condition of the vehicle. The idling stop control system recognizes a type of an object in front of the vehicle and restarts the engine depending on the type of the object in front of the vehicle even if the engine is in the automatic stop and the restart condition of the engine is not established with respect to the driving condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Sawada
  • Patent number: 9568177
    Abstract: A medical headlamp assembly, having a headband subassembly, including an electrical network, including a battery and an electrical jack, and a headlamp mount. Also, an electrical headlamp subassembly, has a mounting element matingly and removably engaged to the headlamp mount, and an electrical plug, matingly and removably engaged to the jack and an electrical headlamp, electrically connected to the plug. Further, the headband subassembly produces an electrical input for the headlamp subassembly and the headband subassembly includes a key resistor, the resistance value of which sets a characteristic of the electrical input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: RIVERPOINT MEDICAL, LLC
    Inventor: John Thomas Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9523339
    Abstract: An engine starting apparatus includes a starter and a starter control unit configured to control driving of the starter. The starter control unit operates a motor with a pinion engaged with a ring gear to thereby crank an engine, and de-engage the pinion from the ring gear or de-energize the motor to thereby terminate the cranking of the engine. A cranking time from when cranking of the engine is initiated to when a predetermined engine speed equal to or greater than 450 rpm is reached is equal to or less than an acceptable limit of cranking time that does not provide, to a user of a vehicle, noticeable discomfort caused by cranking noise generated during the cranking of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fujita, Mitsuhiro Murata
  • Patent number: 9518512
    Abstract: A method of starting a turbine engine, including a re-try performed if a main injector has not ignited when a shaft has reached a first predetermined speed value, the re-try including: a stopping during which a starter and the ignitor device are stopped; a second ignition during which fuel is injected into the combustion chamber, the ignitor device being actuated, the second ignition being performed when a speed of rotation of the shaft reaches a second predetermined speed value; and a second starting during which the starter is actuated once more to drive the shaft in rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Hubert Pascal Verdier, Philippe Etchepare, Pierre Giralt, Luc Reberga
  • Patent number: 9506444
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling an engine of an idle-stop and go (ISG) vehicle. The method includes allowing, when an engine stop condition is satisfied, the engine to idle-stop and maintaining, when an engine stop signal is transmitted from an outside, an idle-stop state of the engine although an engine restarting condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Hoon Jang
  • Patent number: 9500173
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an engagement process of an engaging pinion of a starter motor for a vehicle drive, in which an armature of the starter motor is moved, includes detecting a magnetic coil signal while current is applied to the magnetic coil of the magnet, in order to obtain a signal profile, particularly a current profile; generating a frequency profile by transforming the signal profile using a time-frequency transform; comparing the frequency profile to at least one reference frequency profile; and monitoring the engagement process based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Simon Casey, Tony Rocco
  • Patent number: 9488153
    Abstract: A method for operating a glow plug by means of pulse-width-modulated voltage pulses which are generated by controlling a load transistor, wherein a heating current flowing through the glow plug is measured and the duty cycle of the pulse-width-modulated voltage pulses is changed in accordance with values of the heating current. The heating current can be measured by means of a current measurement circuit, through which a sense current flows parallel to the load transistor, and the value of the heating current is calculated by multiplying a measured value of the sense current by a kILIS factor, wherein the temperature of the current measurement circuit is measured and the kILIS factor is defined in accordance with the measured circuit temperature. A glow plug control device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Bleil, Yasar Güncar, Markus Pados, Ralf Müller, Clemens Rinkert
  • Patent number: 9487208
    Abstract: A travel support device includes a mode planner that plans a travel mode that is to be one of an EV mode and an HV mode that uses at least an internal combustion engine as a drive source, for each of a plurality of sections, and an execution determiner that determines to execute a travel mode planning with the mode planner on condition that the total amount of consumption energy required for traveling the travel route is larger than an energy equivalent value that is obtained by adding a first allowance value to a remaining charge of the battery. In executing a planning based on the determination by the execution determiner, the mode planner executes the travel mode planning while assuming that energy from which energy corresponding to a second allowance value, which is smaller than the first allowance value is excluded is energy required for travelling the travel route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9481358
    Abstract: A starting method for starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle involves detecting at least one engine related parameter to determine whether an electric machine is to be used for cranking the engine and opening the clutch to separate the electric machine from the engine. Subsequently, the at least one detected engine related parameter is used to select rotatable components to be used for assisting engine start. The selected components are rotated by connecting the countershaft to the clutch. The electric machine is operated. The clutch is then closed in order to start the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Mattias Hansson
  • Patent number: 9470159
    Abstract: A method for determining the proportion of gaseous working medium in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine includes opening an injector so as to feed fuel directly into the cylinder. The injector is connected to a fuel line in which a pressure sensor is arranged. The pressure in the fuel line is measured when the injector is open. The proportion of gaseous working medium in the cylinder is determined in conjunction with an association between the measured pressure in the fuel line when the injector is open and the proportion of gaseous working medium in the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: 1AV GMBH INGENIEURGESELLSCHAFT AUTO UND VERKEHR
    Inventors: Wolfram Gottschalk, Franz Kallage, Christian Riechert, Matthias Schultalbers
  • Patent number: 9458817
    Abstract: A glow plug control method of a diesel hybrid vehicle includes: determining an operation time of a glow plug based on a coolant temperature while the vehicle runs in an electric vehicle mode with an electric motor; determining whether the inside of an engine cylinder needs to be preheated based on the coolant temperature; comparing a driver-required power with a standard start power for determining whether to start a diesel engine; determining a glow plug operation time and a standard glow operation power, when the driver-required power is under the standard start power; operating the glow plug in advance, when the standard glow operation power is less than the driver-required power; and starting the diesel engine, when the driver-required power is higher than the standard start power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Kum Lim Choi, Jin Kuk Cho