Fuel Pump Flow Regulation Patents (Class 123/446)
  • Patent number: 10415520
    Abstract: A fuel supply device supplying a fuel stored in a fuel tank to an engine includes a low-pressure pump configured to feed the fuel, a high-pressure pump configured to compress the fuel discharged from the low-pressure pump and to feed to the engine, a first low-pressure passage member configured to define a first fuel passage from the low-pressure pump to the high-pressure pump, and a second low-pressure passage member configured to define a second fuel passage branched from the first fuel passage at a low-pressure junction portion and joining the first fuel passage at a low-pressure confluence portion, wherein the first fuel passage and the second fuel passage are different in at least one of (i) temperatures of the fuels that flow through the fuel passages and (ii) passage lengths of the fuel passages from the low-pressure junction portion to the low-pressure confluence portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Kato, Hisaharu Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10371143
    Abstract: A system for determining health of a component is provided. The system includes an operational parameter module associated with the component and in communication with a controller. The controller is configured to receive an operating parameter signal from the operational parameter module. The controller is configured to monitor a change of the operating parameter over a predetermined time period. The controller is configured to compare the monitored operating parameter with a first predetermined threshold. The controller is configured to determine a rate of change of the monitored operating parameter over the predetermined time period. The controller is also configured to compare the determined rate of change with a second predetermined threshold. The controller is further configured to determine the health of the component based, at least in part, on the comparisons with the first and second predetermined thresholds respectively and one or more additional parameters associated with the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew W. Billing, Brian G. Wheeler, Michael J. Campagna, Dereck G. Heffron
  • Patent number: 10352254
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device for a dual-injection internal combustion engine acquires first and second increase values, which are fuel increase ratios according to respective alcohol concentrations of a fuel injected by cylinder injection and a fuel injected by port injection. The control device determines a basic total injection amount of fuel that should be supplied to each cylinder in the case where the alcohol concentration of the fuel is zero. An amount of fuel injected from a cylinder injection valve is determined as if the alcohol concentration of the fuel were zero. A total injection amount is to correspond to an amount in accordance with the basic total injection amount and both, the first increase value and the second increase value, so that the increase in injected fuel amount is borne by port injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Wakao
  • Patent number: 10337445
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine with dual fuel injection capabilities to address fuel rail over-pressure due to stagnating hot fuel is shown. The method comprises operating an engine cylinder with only port injection, and selectively activating and deactivating the second injector in response to a rail pressure increase of a fuel rail, the fuel rail coupled to the second injector, and deactivating the second injector in response to a rail pressure decrease of the fuel rail to a lower threshold determined based on engine operating conditions. In this way, degradation of the second injector may be reduced while maintaining a desired level of engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ethan D. Sanborn, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Daniel Dusa
  • Patent number: 10316787
    Abstract: Provided is a fuel supply device for an internal combustion engine. When fuel pressure in a high-pressure fuel pipe changes as a result of the driving of a high-pressure pump, the changing fuel pressure propagates as pulsation into a low-pressure fuel pipe. A degree of influence of propagation of pulsation decreases as fuel pressure in the low-pressure fuel pipe increases. When the high-pressure pump is in an operating state where the degree of influence of the pulsation of the fuel pressure propagating from the high-pressure fuel pipe on the fuel pressure in the low-pressure fuel pipe is high, boost control for driving a feed pump to raise the fuel pressure in the low-pressure fuel pipe is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Aso, Hideaki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10273916
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine including an intake passage fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into an intake passage and a cylinder inside fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber, includes: a fuel pump pressurizing and feeding fuel, which is fed from a fuel tank, to the cylinder inside fuel injection valve; a securing part provided on a cylinder head member of the internal combustion engine to secure the fuel pump; an introducing member having heat conductivity, the introducing member connected to the fuel pump and formed with: a first introducing path for introducing fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel pump; and a second introducing path for introducing fuel from the fuel tank to the intake passage fuel injection valve; and a heat transmitting member transmitting heat between the introducing member and the securing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Nozu, Tadanori Minoura, Takeshi Ohshima, Genki Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 10273921
    Abstract: A fuel pump unit includes a pump head provided with an axial blind bore within which is arranged a piston extending from an inner end, inside the bore, to an outer end, outside the head, the outer end cooperating with a cam follower and a cam of which rotations reciprocally displace the piston. The pump unit also includes a coil spring axially compressed between pump head and the cam follower and a tubular turret assembly extending toward the cam and provided with a through bore through which extends the piston, the final spirals of the spring being slipped around the outer surface of the turret. The turret is an added part, non-integral to the pump head and, arranged in abutment against an under face of the pump head, the blind bore being coaxial to the through bore arranged in the turret.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventor: Christopher J. McCrindle
  • Patent number: 10267279
    Abstract: A control valve assembly for controlling fuel pressure in a control chamber of a fuel injector. The control valve assembly comprising a valve member arranged in a bore provided in a valve housing, at least one of the valve member and the valve housing being moveable with respect to the other, wherein the valve member comprises a fuel-receiving cavity arranged to receive fuel that distorts at least a portion of the valve member so as to increase an external dimension thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventors: Ludovic Sauvetre, David Bonneau, Philippe Barbier, Philippe Legrand
  • Patent number: 10260444
    Abstract: A direct injection fuel supply system, in one exemplary implementation, includes a lift fuel pump, a positive displacement pump, at least one fuel injector and an accumulator assembly. The lift pump is adapted to be in fluid communication with a supply of fuel and the positive displacement pump is in fluid communication with and downstream of the lift pump. The at least one injector is in fluid communication with an outlet of the positive displacement pump via a high pressure fuel line. The accumulator assembly includes an accumulator and a valve, where the valve is in direct fluid communication with the high pressure fuel line and the injector. The valve is selectively controlled to at least one of an open state providing fluid communication between the accumulator and the high pressure fuel line and a closed state blocking fluid communication between the accumulator and the high pressure fuel line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Russell J Wakeman
  • Patent number: 10247181
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel pump includes a pressurizing chamber for pressurizing fuel, an outlet valve for discharging the fuel pressurized in the pressurizing chamber to an outlet passage, a relief passage for connecting the outlet passage located downstream of the outlet valve and the pressurizing chamber with each other while bypassing the outlet valve. A relief valve device is provided in the relief passage and adapted to open when an internal pressure of the outlet passage becomes higher than that of the pressurizing chamber, thereby providing communication between the outlet passage and the pressurizing chamber. The relief valve includes a relief spring mechanism for pressing a relief valve to a relief valve seat. At least the relief spring mechanism among members of the relief valve device is provided outside the pressurizing chamber in the pump body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Usui, Hiroyuki Yamada, Kenichiro Tokuo, Toru Onose, Masami Abe
  • Patent number: 10233847
    Abstract: A method for controlling a fuel delivery system of an internal combustion engine, having a fuel delivery pump that is driven by an electric motor. The pressure that prevails in the fuel delivery system is determined by a volume difference between the fuel quantity delivered by the fuel delivery pump and the fuel requirement of the internal combustion engine and/or of the fuel delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Gerald Behrendt
  • Patent number: 10221803
    Abstract: The pressure of the fuel is increased at a constant pressure intensification ratio after operating the pressure reducing device so that the pressure difference between the fuel passage and the control chamber after the operation has a value smaller than the predetermined pressure difference, if the required pressure of the fuel is higher than a reference pressure and lower than a pressure obtained by multiplying the reference pressure by a constant pressure intensification ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Ikemoto
  • Patent number: 10208700
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for direct fuel injection. In one example, a fuel injector system includes an injector needle with an injector pin with a curved fuel channel of non-uniform width around the outer circumference of the injector pin, fluidically connected along the length of the curved fuel channel with a fuel reservoir inside the injector pin. An actuator coupled to the injector needle may sequentially move and position the injector needle to establish fluidic connection between the curved fuel channel and with one or more nozzle holes of the fuel injector at each position, where a duration of the fluidic connection at each position is based on a width of the curved fuel channel, and may determine the volume of fuel being discharged from only those nozzle holes, thereby reducing fuel spray interaction and increasing fuel spray atomization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10208727
    Abstract: A fluid conditioning module having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet is provided. The fluid conditioning module includes a first pump element, a second pump element, a pressure regulator, a controller, and a prime mover to impart rotational motion in the first and second pump elements. A first pump inlet is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet. A filter inlet is in fluid communication with a first pump outlet and a second pump outlet, and a filter outlet is in fluid communication with the fluid outlet. A pressure regulator inlet and a pressure regulator outlet are in fluid communication with the filter outlet and a recirculation conduit, respectively. The control valve has a first position and a second position, which allows fluid flow through the recirculation conduit. The controller adjusts operation of one or more of the prime mover and the control valve based upon a predetermined parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew O. Marrack, Scott F. Shafer, Martin A. Lehman, Kenneth C. Adams
  • Patent number: 10190553
    Abstract: A pumping unit has a fuel storage tank (2), a piston pump (6) for feeding the fuel to an internal combustion engine (3); a gear pump (7) for feeding the fuel from the storage tank (2) to the piston pump (6), and a hydraulic circuit (46) which connects together the storage tank (2) and the internal combustion engine (3), extends through a pump body (8) of the piston pump (6) so as to lubricate an actuating shaft (36) of the piston pump (6) and has a collection branch (55) for collecting the fuel leaks resulting from the lubrication of said actuating shaft (36); the collection branch (55) being connected to an intake (37a) of the gear pump (7) so as to lubricate an actuating shaft (42) of the gear pump (7) with the fuel from said collection branch (55).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Giuseppe Ficarella, Nello Medoro
  • Patent number: 10180123
    Abstract: A method is provided for pairing at least two injectors, e.g., two fuel injectors for a direct injection system of an internal combustion engine, wherein a criterion for the pairing of the at least two injectors is a total leakage and/or a pressure difference at a transfer pin of the respective injector. A method for producing an injector, e.g., a fuel injector for a direct injection system of an internal combustion engine, is also provided, wherein at least two instances of mechanical backlash, e.g., instances of pairing backlash, that are relevant to injection amounts, leakage amounts, and/or pressure differences of the injector are paired with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Willibald Schuerz, Roman Etlender, Werner Reim
  • Patent number: 10125749
    Abstract: A pump has at least one pump element that comprises a pump piston that is driven in a reciprocating movement by a drive shaft having at least one cam and that defines a pump working chamber which, during the suction stroke of the pump piston is selectively filled with pumped medium via an inlet valve. The at least one cam is a multiple cam having multiple cam delivery areas for the delivery strokes of the pump piston. The inlet valve is configured to be electrically actuated. The inlet valve is closed when the pump piston is situated in the cam delivery area to be used for the delivery. The inlet valve is opened when the pump piston is situated in a cam delivery area that is not to be used for the delivery. Cam profiles of the cam delivery areas of at least one multiple cam are of different design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Otto Mueller, Georg Woesten, Juergen Schneck
  • Patent number: 10113498
    Abstract: A method to control a fuel pump for a direct injection system provided with a common rail comprising the steps of calculating the objective fuel flow rate to be fed by the high pressure pump to the common rail instant by instant to have the desired pressure value inside the common rail; comparing the objective fuel flow rate with the maximum flow rate that can be delivered by the high pressure pump; and, based on the comparison between the objective fuel flow rate and the maximum flow rate that can be delivered by the high pressure pump, controlling the high pressure pump so as to alternate operating cycles of the high pressure pump with the maximum flow rate that can be delivered and idle operating cycles of the high pressure pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNETI MARELLI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luca Mancini, Paolo Pasquali, Riccardo Marianello
  • Patent number: 10107244
    Abstract: A pump unit for supplying fuel, preferably diesel oil, to an internal combustion engine has at least two cylinders (10), which are formed in at least one head (9), are slidingly engaged by respective pistons (13), and communicate hydraulically with respective fuel inlets (11) in the cylinders (10) via respective interposed intake valves (15) provided with respective valve bodies (16) incorporated in the head (9); the inlets (11) of all the cylinders (10) being closed by a single cover (33) fixed to the head (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alessandro De Luca, Vincenzo Minunno
  • Patent number: 10107285
    Abstract: A mechanism for reducing pressure pulsation includes a pair of metal dampers formed by joining two disk-shaped metal diaphragms over an entire circumference and forming a hermetically sealed space inside a joined portion. Gas is sealed in the aforementioned hermetically sealed space of the damper, and a pair of pressing members give pressing forces to both outer surfaces of the aforementioned metal dampers at a position at an inner diameter side from the joined portion. The mechanism is unitized, with the pair of pressing members being connected in a state in which they sandwich the metal damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Usui, Shingo Tamura, Katsumi Miyazaki, Sunao Takahashi, Masayuki Suganami, Minoru Hashida
  • Patent number: 10101276
    Abstract: A screening apparatus includes a light permeable measurement chip having a well retaining a liquid including microparticles, a measuring section acquiring optical information of the microparticles obtained by illuminating the microparticles, an analyzing section that extracts optical information of the microparticles, a receiving plate receiving a microparticle selectively picked up from the measurement chip, a moving section moving the measurement chip and the receiving plate against the measuring section, and a collecting section for collecting a microparticle by sucking with the suction-ejection capillary and ejecting on the receiving plate. A distal-end outer dimension of the capillary is greater than a width of the well. The capillary sucks the target microparticle at a position where the distal end of the capillary and the measurement chip are spaced by a predetermined distance and a central axis of the distal end of the capillary and a central axis of the well are mutually displaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Kimura, Ken Tsukii, Jie Xu
  • Patent number: 10087889
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel supply pump including an electromagnetically driven intake valve is configured such that a pressure equalizing hole is provided in the valve stopper positioned between the valve and a pressurizing chamber. The pressure equalization hole connects a spring storage space, provided between a valve and a valve stopper, with a surrounding fluid passage. The high-pressure fuel supply pump is further configured such that an opening of the pressure equalizing hole at the spring storage chamber side is open at a position at the inner side of a diameter of the spring. Since the pressure in the pressurizing chamber can be introduced into the inner side of the spring without traversing the spring, the unstable behavior of the spring or the valve due to the introduced pressure eliminated. Since the force applied to the valve when the valve closes is stabilized, the closing timing of the valve is stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Hayatani, Satoshi Usui, Hideki Machimura, Tatsuo Kawano, Syunsuke Aritomi, Shingo Tamura
  • Patent number: 10066583
    Abstract: The cryogenic fuel supply system for an engine is arranged in locomotive two sections connected by an inter-section connection for the purpose of transferring fuel from one section to the other. There is a cryogenic reservoir for storage of a liquefied cryogenic fuel, a positive-displacement high-pressure cryogenic pump, an oil heat-exchanger, a gas heat-exchanger, a gas mixer, a gas receiver, a fuel filter, a controlled gas metering unit, pipelines, valves, controlled valves, and a control unit. The cryogenic fuel supply system further includes an intermediate buffer arranged between the cryogenic reservoir and the positive-displacement high-pressure pump and connected to the cryogenic reservoir by pipelines and to the positive-displacement high-pressure cryogenic pump by a pipeline and two additional pipelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: OPEN JOINT STOCK COMPANY “RUSSIAN RAILWAYS”
    Inventors: Boris Mikhailovich Frolov, Valeriy Alekseevich Nikonov, Andrei Gennadievich Voronkov, Olga Vladimirovna Bychkova, Maksim Viktorovich Kolosov
  • Patent number: 10012170
    Abstract: A method for detecting a closing time of an injector valve includes receiving a valve current profile of the injector valve, processing the valve current profile using at least a slope discriminator, determining a stuck status and a closing time (if applicable) of the injector valve based on an output of the slope discriminator. An engine control unit configured to detect a closing time of an injector valve is also provided. The engine control unit has a first control logic configured to receive a valve current profile of the injector valve, a second control logic configured to process the current profile using at least a slope discriminator, and a third control logic configured to determine a stuck status and a closing time of the injector valve based on an output of the slope discriminator. Further, a vehicle system including a controller configured to detecting a valve closing time is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ningsheng Qiao, Donald P Kultgen, Pascal Barbier
  • Patent number: 10006426
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a direct injection fuel pump. The methods and system control pressure within a compression chamber so as to improve fuel pump lubrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Robin Ivo Lawther, Paul Zeng
  • Patent number: 9995237
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a lift pump of an engine fuel system. In one example, a method may comprise limiting a lift pump voltage to a lower first level when powering on a lift pump from off. The method may further comprise maintaining the lift pump voltage at the lower first level for a duration before increasing the lift pump voltage above the first level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Justin Trzeciak, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 9989017
    Abstract: A method of operating a cryogenic fuel system for supplying fuel to an engine is provided herein. A cryogenic fuel pump is operated to pump fuel to be supplied to the engine. At least a portion of the pumped fuel is diverted to be supplied to an accumulator, when a fuel demand of the engine is less than a discharge output of the cryogenic fuel pump. Further, the supply of the pumped fuel from the cryogenic fuel pump to the engine and the accumulator is stopped, when a pressure within the accumulator reaches a first predefined pressure limit. Furthermore, the fuel is supplied to the engine from the accumulator, when supply of the pumped fuel from the cryogenic fuel pump to the engine and the accumulator is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Gamache Foege, Kathryn Corine Svoboda
  • Patent number: 9970381
    Abstract: A fuel-injection system comprises a control unit that controls the injection of a fuel cylinder of an engine such that an injection volume of the fuel is injected into one of the cylinders during each work cycle of the engine. To this end, the control unit actuates an inlet valve and/or outlet valve such that, during pump strokes of a high-pressure pump which follow one another, a different high-pressure volume of the fuel per pump stroke is delivered into a pressure accumulator during at least two consecutive work cycles. The high-pressure volume that is produced per work cycle corresponds to the injection volume that is removed from the pressure accumulator per work cycle and is constant during each of the consecutive work cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Schmidbauer
  • Patent number: 9957935
    Abstract: Methods are provided for controlling a solenoid spill valve of a direct injection fuel pump, wherein the solenoid spill valve is energized and de-energized according to certain conditions. An example control strategy is provided for operating the direct injection fuel pump when fuel vapor is detected at an inlet of the direct injection fuel pump. To ensure pump effectiveness during the presence of fuel vapor, the solenoid spill valve may be maintained energized for a minimum angular duration past a top-dead-center position of a piston in the direct injection fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 9926878
    Abstract: When a plunger of a high pressure pump is rising, a high pressure pump controller closes a regulator valve by energizing a solenoid of an electromagnetic actuator of the high pressure pump to discharge fuel into a delivery pipe. Further, this fuel discharge energization is stopped before the plunger reaches top dead center at a pump TDC timing. Further, a fuel pressure of the delivery pipe is detected at the pump TDC timing, and based on that detected value, a time Td from the pump TDC timing until a valve opening timing of the regulator valve is estimated. Once the estimated time Td elapses from the pump TDC timing, the solenoid is reenergized to removed a movement speed of a movable portion in a direction that pushes the regulator valve in an opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9926861
    Abstract: A dual-fuel injection system having a combustion gas-supply device and a liquid fuel-supply device, including a combustion gas-injector unit with a liquid fuel-control part and a gas nozzle part, to which combustion gas can be supplied. The stroke of a gas nozzle needle of the combustion gas-injector unit can be controlled by liquid fuel supplied to the liquid fuel-control part. The combustion gas-injector unit defines a leakage collecting space, via which a leakage path is lead, the leakage path extending from the liquid fuel-control part into the gas nozzle part. The dual-fuel injection system has a pressure-regulating device, by which a defined pressure level can be set in the leakage collecting space. An implementation method using such a dual-fuel injection system is also proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: L'ORANGE GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Kalenborn
  • Patent number: 9897053
    Abstract: A fuel injector is provided comprising an outer housing, a nozzle housing disposed within the outer housing, a flow path between the outer housing and the nozzle housing, the flow path being coupled to a low pressure fuel source, and a circumferential gap in flow communication with the flow path and extending about a tip of the fuel injector between an outer surface of the nozzle housing and an inner surface of a combustion shield adjacent the injector tip. The circumferential gap is in flow communication with a drain gap between the outer housing and a bore for receiving the fuel injector, the drain gap routing the low pressure fuel away from the injector tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Kolhouse, Raymond V. Primus, Lester L. Peters, David L. Buchanan
  • Patent number: 9890735
    Abstract: A method and an assembly for controlling the pressure in a high-pressure region of an injection system in an internal combustion engine. A set high pressure is compared to an actual high pressure in order to determine a control deviation, the control deviation representing an input variable of a controller. A high pressure pump is controlled by a solenoid valve and the angle at which the delivery of fuel by the at least one high-pressure pump is to start is used as a manipulated variable of the high-pressure closed-loop control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 9885330
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel pump actuator used in an engine, which is used in a fuel injection system of an engine, is mounted on between a driving cam and a fuel pump plunger. The pump actuator includes a guide sleeve, a U-shaped holder, and a pin shaft roller set. The U-shaped holder is formed by stamping the steel plate integrally. The guide sleeve uses a special windowing manner. Both ends of the pin shaft do not need riveting. The structure of the present invention has less number of parts and integrated functions, which can notably reduce the entire weight, the inertial force, the friction, and the abrasion. The operation is steady. The efficiency of the engine is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Hangzhou XZB Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Na Xu
  • Patent number: 9856843
    Abstract: A fluid injector has a solid state actuator and a control piston unit arranged in a recess of an injector body. A transmission pin mechanically couples the actuator to the control piston unit. A first control chamber, coupled hydraulically to a second control chamber, is delimited by the control piston unit and the injector body. A control piston of the control piston unit has an end surface that is coupled to the transmission pin and which delimits the first control chamber. The control piston unit has a control sleeve arranged coaxially with the control piston and an inwardly directed projection that provides a driving coupling between the control piston and the control sleeve after a predefined control stroke of the control piston. The driving coupling results in the control piston influencing a free volume of the first control chamber during an axial movement of the control piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Willibald Schuerz
  • Patent number: 9840981
    Abstract: A method for adapting the injection characteristic of a fuel injection valve of an internal combustion engine to production-related tolerances is described. In the method, an injection quantity correction value is determined from the deviation of the idle travel and the deviation of the injection quantity of the injection valve before the operating phase of the injector. This injection quantity correction value is used to determine the injection-specific deviation of the injection quantity during the operating phase at the start of the operating phase of the injector in conjunction with the current deviation of the idle travel which is determined in the system. The injector-specific deviation of the injection quantity which is determined is used to correct the injection characteristic. As a result, changes in the injection quantity of an injector can be detected and corrected particularly precisely on the basis of production tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Brandt, Janos Radeczky
  • Patent number: 9822748
    Abstract: An injector has an injector body including an injector cavity defining an inner wall and a longitudinal axis, an injector orifice and a plunger slidably disposed within the injector cavity. The plunger has an outer portion and an inner portion at different locations longitudinally along the plunger. The inner portion has a plurality of surface portions including a guiding portion configured to substantially mate with the inner wall of the injector cavity, guide the plunger to slidably move in a direction along the longitudinal axis and substantially prevent the plunger from laterally translating within the injector cavity. The plurality of surface portions also includes a restriction portion configured to form a restrictive cavity between an exterior surface of the inner portion and the inner wall of the injector cavity axially along a length of the inner portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Marian Trocki, Donald J. Benson, Tamas Rauznitz, Vijaygandeeban Subbaihaannadurai, Deepak Sahini
  • Patent number: 9790907
    Abstract: The invention relates to an injection device for an internal combustion engine, comprising a needle and an armature, which is operatively connected to the needle in such a way that a movement of the needle can be produced by movement of the armature, the armature having at least one passage bore, through which fuel can be conducted to a needle tip, characterized in that a longitudinal axis of the needle and a longitudinal axis of the passage bore are oriented askew in relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Maier, Norbert Klauer
  • Patent number: 9777662
    Abstract: A method for operating a fuel delivery device of an internal combustion engine includes switching an electromagnetic actuating device of a volume control valve so as to set a delivery volume. An intensity of an energy that is supplied to the electromagnetic actuating device for switching purposes, in particular of a current supplied to the electromagnetic actuating device and/or a level of a voltage applied to the electromagnetic actuating device, depends at least intermittently on a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Richter, Burkhard Hiller, Joerg Kuempel, Rainer Winkler, Heiko Roth
  • Patent number: 9771928
    Abstract: A valve seat member which partitions between a supply passage and a pressurizing chamber, includes an inner flow path, which communicates between the supply passage and the pressurizing chamber, and an outer flow path, which is placed on a radially outer side of the inner flow path. An inner valve is seatable against inner valve seat formed in an opening of the inner flow path. An outer valve is contactable with an end surface of the inner valve, which is opposite from the inner valve seat. The outer valve is seatable against an outer valve seat, which is formed in an opening of the outer flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehiko Kato, Shinichiro Koshimoto, Osamu Hishinuma, Yutaka Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9765737
    Abstract: Exemplary fuel injectors for use in fuel injection devices are disclosed. An injector may have a control chamber, which can be selectively relieved of pressure by means of a pilot valve in order to control a nozzle needle stroke of an axially displaceable nozzle needle of the injector. The fuel injector may have at least one nozzle on a first end, and the control chamber on a second end of the nozzle needle. The control chamber may be sub-divided by a throttle plate accommodated therein into a first chamber and a second chamber, with the second chamber being positioned closer to the nozzle, and the two chambers communicating with each other via the throttle plate. First and second resilient elements may be accommodated in a pre-stressed manner against the throttle plate in the first chamber and in the second chamber, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: L'ORANGE GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Kalenborn, Michael Willmann, Horst Ressel
  • Patent number: 9766290
    Abstract: A method is described for operating at least one magnetic switching element, at least one first connection of at least one sensor device being connected to at least one connection of a coil of the magnetic switching element, and the first connection or an additional connection of the sensor device being connected to a reference potential, and a measuring state being established in which at least one connection of the coil is essentially at least temporarily decoupled from the reference potential and/or from a source activating the coil, and at least one signal of at least one sensor of the sensor device being ascertained in the measuring state from at least one electrical potential at at least one connection of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Nestor Rodriguez-Amaya, Siegfried Ruthardt, Holger Rapp, Wolfgang Stoecklein, Bernd Berghaenel, Marco Beier
  • Patent number: 9752535
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly is adapted to inject a compressed fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The compressed fuel is stored in a fuel storage tank at a fuel storage pressure and delivered to the fuel injector assembly through a fuel supply line at a fuel supply pressure. The fuel supply pressure is lower than the fuel storage pressure. The fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector and an adapter valve. The fuel injector injects the compressed gas fuel. The adapter valve is positioned between the fuel injector and the combustion chamber. The adapter valve allows the compressed gas fuel injected by the fuel injector to be discharged from an outlet of the adapter valve into the combustion chamber in an injection direction while preventing blowback gas entering the outlet from passing through the adapter valve in an ingress direction opposite the injection direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: Kevin Fern
  • Patent number: 9709055
    Abstract: A mechanism for reducing pressure pulsation includes a pair of metal dampers formed by joining two disk-shaped metal diaphragms over an entire circumference and forming a hermetically sealed space inside a joined portion. Gas is sealed in the aforementioned hermetically sealed space of the damper, and a pair of pressing members give pressing forces to both outer surfaces of the aforementioned metal dampers at a position at an inner diameter side from the joined portion. The mechanism is unitized, with the pair of pressing members being connected in a state in which they sandwich the metal damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Usui, Shingo Tamura, Katsumi Miyazaki, Sunao Takahashi, Masayuki Suganami, Minoru Hashida
  • Patent number: 9708966
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine with at least two movable bodies each being sealingly and movably received within a respective internal cavity to define at least one combustion chamber of variable volume. A pilot fuel injector and a main fuel injector are provided for each movable body. A first chamber of a common rail is in fluid communication with each main fuel injector, and a second chamber of the common rail in fluid communication with each pilot fuel injector. A first metering or pressure regulating valve is in fluid communication with the first chamber. A second metering or pressure regulating valve provides selective fluid communication between the first and second chambers; the metering or pressure regulating valves are settable at different pressure values from one another. The movable bodies may be reciprocating pistons. A method of combusting fuel in an internal combustion engine is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Edwin Schulz, Jean Thomassin
  • Patent number: 9695790
    Abstract: A hydraulic system includes a high pressure fluid source and a hydraulic actuator fluidly connected to the high pressure fluid source, and a low pressure fluid system fluidly connected to the hydraulic actuator via a fluid return line, and a hydraulic valve. The hydraulic valve includes a return spring and an elongate member, which is movably arranged in its longitudinal direction for controlling a fluid flow. The elongate member is biased to a closed position by the return spring. The elongate member forms a needle, the hydraulic valve includes a needle receiving body having a needle seat and the needle is engageable with the needle seat so as to control the fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Sergi Yudanov
  • Patent number: 9689342
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving fuel injection of an engine that includes a cylinder receiving fuel from a direct fuel injector are disclosed. In one example, a transfer function or gain of a direct fuel injector is adjusted in response to an exhaust lambda value and a first pulse width of two pulse widths provided to an injector of a cylinder during a cylinder cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Adithya Pravarun Re Ranga, Gopichandra Surnilla, Mark Meinhart, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Hao Zhang
  • Patent number: 9683509
    Abstract: In a method for actuating a switch element of a valve device between a first end position and a second end position, in a normal mode within a cycle following an end of a first energization, a movement of the switch element in a first direction effected by the loading device is retarded in a first direction by a brief second energization (“braking pulse”) that is introduced within the cycle once a pause period has ended following a characteristic point in time. It is provided that the optimum pause period and/or the optimum variable characterizing the braking pulse be ascertained in an adaptation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Maess, Joerg Kuempel, Rainer Wilms, Uwe Richter
  • Patent number: 9677494
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for mitigating loss of engine torque due to cavitation in a fuel pump. One example approach is adjusting engine operation or fuel pump operation based on ambient conditions and a measured engine torque being lower than a desired engine torque after a pre-determined duration. The ambient conditions may include one or more of ambient temperature being higher than a temperature threshold, barometric pressure lower than a threshold pressure, and fuel volatility higher than a threshold volatility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Rockwell, Jonathan Andrew Butcher, William David Treharne, Matthew D. Smith
  • Patent number: 9664157
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a high pressure common rail system of a diesel engine includes an operation condition parameter acquiring module configured to acquire operation condition parameters associated with the high pressure common rail system; a control quantity determining module coupled with the operation condition parameter acquiring module and configured to determine a control quantity for controlling the high-pressure common rail system based on the operation condition parameters, a target value of the fuel pressure within a high pressure common rail tube cavity and a control model designed based on a system physical model, wherein the control quantity is an equivalent cross-section area of the electromagnetic valve of a flow metering unit; and a drive signal determining module coupled to the control quantity determining module and configured to determine a drive signal for driving the flow metering unit based on the determined control quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Weichai Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guangdi Hu, Shaojun Sun, Dehui Tong