Having Valve Controlled Vacuum Actuator Patents (Class 123/339.28)
  • Patent number: 9022007
    Abstract: An embodiment of an engine is described. The engine includes a first throttle valve. The first throttle valve is provided in a first intake passage coupled to an intake manifold. The first throttle valve has a default closed position. The engine further includes a second throttle valve. The second throttle valve is provided in a second intake passage coupled to the intake manifold. The second throttle valve has a default open position. The engine further includes a venturi pump that is provided between the second throttle valve and the intake manifold. When the second throttle valve is in the default open position, intake air flows through the venturi pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey
  • Patent number: 7877198
    Abstract: A system and method of identify fuel savings opportunity in a fleet of vehicles based on a determination of fuel consumption due to modifiable use conditions is described. Modifiable use conditions, such as unauthorized usage, speeding and excessive idling, which represent opportunities for fuel savings are identified and fuel consumption based on the modifiable use conditions is determined. A user-defined statistical metric for the fleet, or a portion of the fleet, can be determined for each of the modifiable use conditions evaluated. Fuel consumption of an individual vehicle, or a group of vehicles, resulting from modifiable use conditions can be compared with a larger group of vehicle, or the fleet, to determine vehicles which correspond to a metric of the fleet. Fleet managers can use this information to modify the use conditions of individual or group of vehicles to provide fuel savings for the fleet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen Tenzer, Benjamin J. Nielsen, Jon Passman