Actuator Circuit (e.g., Engine Condition Responsive Electronic Circuit Actuates Injector Valve) Patents (Class 123/478)
  • Patent number: 11939903
    Abstract: A method for operating an exhaust burner with a secondary air system downstream of a combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The method includes: activating an ignition device as a function of a release condition, the ignition device being heated up to a specifiable target temperature; metering fuel at a first time point into a combustion chamber of the exhaust burner at a first injection frequency using an injection valve, and the combustion chamber not being actively supplied with air; setting a first target air-mass flow using a secondary air system at a further, second time point, wherein the air-mass flow is increased strictly monotonically; controlling the air-fuel ratio to a first target air-fuel ratio as a function of a lambda sensor starting from the second time point, and metering fuel at a second injection frequency; setting a second target air-mass flow at a further, third time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Disch, Patrick Hoff, Torsten Kunz, William Krein
  • Patent number: 11913724
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a furnace for debinding and sintering additively manufactured parts comprising a unitarily formed retort having at least one open side, a heater for heating a sintering volume within the retort to a debinding temperature and to a sintering temperature, an end cap sealing the at least one open side, a forming gas line penetrating the end cap for supplying forming gas at a flowrate, and a heat exchanger within the retort, outside the sintering volume, and adjacent a heated wall of the retort, the heat exchanger having an inlet connected to the forming gas line and an outlet to the sintering volume, wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat exchange tube length sufficient to heat the forming gas to within 20 degrees Celsius of the sintering temperature before the forming gas exits the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: MARKFORGED, INC.
    Inventor: Gregory Thomas Mark
  • Patent number: 11873775
    Abstract: An injection amount variation of a plurality of fuel injection valves is reduced regardless of a state of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Itaba, Osamu Mukaihara, Takao Miyake, Takuya Watai
  • Patent number: 11692501
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector diagnostic. In one example, a method may include modifying an injection pattern to determine a relative fuel mass error of an injector. A fuel injector correction may be determined based the relative fuel mass error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rani Kiwan, Ross Pursifull
  • Patent number: 11669000
    Abstract: A method for controlling an optical device including a movable section including an optical section that refracts incident video image light in accordance with the angle of incidence of the video image light and outputs the refracted video image light and a holding section that supports the optical section, and an actuator that causes the movable section to swing, the method including applying a drive signal to the actuator to cause the movable section to swing. The drive signal is a trapezoidal wave having a trapezoidal waveform. Each leg section of the trapezoidal wave is formed of a first leg section and a second leg section connected to the first leg section. The inclination of the second leg section respect to the flat section of the trapezoidal wave is smaller than the inclination of the first leg section with respect to the flat section of the trapezoidal wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corportation
    Inventor: Takao Hirakura
  • Patent number: 11512657
    Abstract: A controller performs hydrolock prevention control when an engine is started. The controller determines whether a crankshaft rotates a predetermined number of times upon starting the engine without ignition of the engine. The controller performs the ignition of the engine after the crankshaft rotates a predetermined number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 11454202
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for ascertaining a closure point in time of an injector of an internal combustion engine using a classifier. The method includes: ascertaining a time series of input signals, each corresponding to a point in time within the time series, and each characterizing a deformation of the injector; ascertaining a plurality of first values using the classifier based on the time series, in each case a first value corresponding to a point in time of the time series, and the first value characterizing a probability that the closure point in time of the injector matches the point in time; ascertaining a plurality of second values, each being a sum of neighboring first values, of a first value and the first value, the second value corresponding to the point in time to which the first value corresponds; ascertaining the closure point in time based on the largest second value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Hopf, Erik Tonner, Frank Kowol, Jens-Holger Barth, Konrad Groh, Matthias Woehrle, Mona Meister, Roland Norden
  • Patent number: 11428183
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve driving device that drives an electromagnetic valve for injecting a fuel, includes: a first charging route that charges a bootstrap capacitor from a battery without intervention of a boost circuit; a second charging route that charges the bootstrap capacitor from the boost circuit; and a switching control unit that switches a charging route for charging the bootstrap capacitor to the first charging route or the second charging route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD., NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventors: Motoaki Kato, Atsushi Ogawa, Kengo Nomura, Keisuke Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11371870
    Abstract: An air flow rate measurement device includes a flow rate detection unit, a detected flow rate response compensation unit, a pulsation amplitude calculation unit, a correction value calculation unit, and an error correction unit. The flow rate detection unit detects a detected flow rate. The detected flow rate response compensation unit advances a response time of the detected flow rate and calculating a compensation flow rate which is an output obtained by compensating for a response delay of the detected flow rate. The pulsation amplitude calculation unit calculates a pulsation amplitude correlated with a pulsation amplitude in the detected flow rate. The correction value calculation unit calculates a pulsation correction value which is a value for correcting the compensation flow rate based on the pulsation amplitude. The error correction unit corrects the compensation flow rate based on the pulsation correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noboru Kitahara, Teruaki Kaifu, Tomoaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 11371459
    Abstract: To appropriately adjust a pressure of a fuel according to a valve closing force of a fuel injection valve. To that end, a control device for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel pressure control unit that controls a pressure of a fuel supplied to a fuel injection valve that injects the fuel to an internal combustion engine. The fuel injection valve includes a plunger rod that is a valve body, a solenoid coil that is a drive unit for driving the plunger rod, and an orifice cup in which a fuel injection hole that is opened and closed according to drive of the plunger rod is formed. A cylinder pressure sensor that detects an in-cylinder pressure is attached to the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiichirou Ohata
  • Patent number: 11365700
    Abstract: An ECU opens a valve element to inject fuel in conjunction with energization of a fuel injection valve provided for an engine. The ECU includes an injection control unit, a characteristic acquisition unit, and a fuel injection correction unit. The injection control unit implements a partial-lift injection during which the valve element does not reach a full-lift position to open the fuel injection valve by an energization time. The characteristic acquisition unit acquires an actual lifting behavior of the valve element as an actual lift characteristic when the partial-lift injection is implemented. The fuel injection correction unit compares the actual lift characteristic acquired by the characteristic acquisition unit with a predetermined reference characteristic and corrects a fuel injection quantity in the partial-lift injection based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Yanoto, Kazuya Kogo, Hatsumi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11359572
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for learning emergency injection correction of an injector for preventing misfire. A misfire rate in a multi-stage injection mode is monitored, and it is controlled to be forcibly switched to a single injection mode when the misfire rate by the monitoring is equal to or greater than a specific value, such that injector injection correction learning is performed according to a learning entry condition. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the deviation between cylinders by the sufficient injection amount deviation correction learning, thereby preventing misfire of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyung-Ho Ahn
  • Patent number: 11352973
    Abstract: Operating a machine system includes triggering, based on activation of an on-board electronic control system, interrogation of electronically controlled components installed in a machine to read a plurality of electronic trim files each resident on a different one of the electronically controlled components. A data structure on an electronic storage medium in the control system is populated with the electronic trim files each time the control system is activated, such as by turning on an ignition switch. Operating the machine system also includes outputting control signals based on the electronic trim files to run the machine system based on operation of the electronically controlled components responsive to the outputted control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Lehman, Vincent Neyens, Scott Shafer, Andrew Marrack
  • Patent number: 11333083
    Abstract: Present embodiments provide a throttle body which may be used with a variety of engines of different manufacturers. The throttle body may be used to replace mechanical or hydraulically controlled carburetors with electronic fuel injection. The throttle body may provide improved fuel pathways and fuel injector placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Holley Performance Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura Shehan, Amy Gieske, Jonathan Sams, Adam Layman
  • Patent number: 11326539
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting a malfunction of a voltage-limiting circuit of a control circuit, the control circuit including an output port connected to a capacitive actuator of a motor vehicle, an output voltage on the output port being, in the absence of a malfunction of the voltage-limiting circuit, equal to or lower than a theoretical maximum value. The capacitive actuator is arranged in series with a commutator, the method including steps of: placing the commutator in an open state; activating the control circuit; measuring the output voltage over the output port; and evaluating a criterion for detecting a malfunction of the voltage-limiting circuit as a function of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Sébastien Chiabo, Sébastien Delepouve
  • Patent number: 11326545
    Abstract: An injection control device includes: a fuel injection quantity command value output unit that outputs a command value for a fuel injection quantity of a fuel injection valve; a fuel injection quantity correction unit that calculates an air-fuel correction amount and corrects the command value for the fuel injection quantity; and a controller that executes current control on the fuel injection valve. The controller executes current area correction by calculating an area correction amount for an energization time. The injection control device further includes a learning controller that stops the air-fuel learning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Kato, Yasumasa Ishikawa, Yohei Suganuma
  • Patent number: 11319893
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for balancing injector fueling. In one example, a method includes learning portions of a transfer function shape by firing a plurality of injectors at PWs of a set of PWs following a reference injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Pursifull, Joseph Thomas, Michael Uhrich, David Oshinsky, Rani Kiwan
  • Patent number: 11313315
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus including a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform controlling a fuel injector so as to inject a fuel of a target injection amount by dividing into a plurality of times at a predetermined time interval in an area from a first crank angle at which an intake stroke is started to a second crank angle at which a compression stroke is ended, and setting the predetermined time interval. The microprocessor is configured to perform the setting including setting the predetermined time interval so that a spray length from a tip of the fuel injector to a tip of a spray of the fuel injected from the fuel injector becomes shorter than the spray length when the fuel of the target injection amount is injected at once in the area by a predetermined rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Hata, Hidekazu Hironobu, Daiki Yamazaki, Masatoshi Nakajima, Takaya Kawana
  • Patent number: 11305750
    Abstract: A method for controlling starting of a mild hybrid vehicle includes receiving a starting-request signal and in response, increasing a rotation speed of the engine by driving the MHSG by electricity supplied from a battery. Status data of the mild hybrid vehicle for controlling starting of the engine is monitored to obtain an engine rotation speed from the status data and determine an injection-starting rotation speed based on the status data. When the engine rotation speed is greater than the injection-starting rotation speed, fuel injection of the engine is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jungsup Byun, Seungwoo Lee, Minkyu Han
  • Patent number: 11306666
    Abstract: A method detects coking in the inlet section of an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection, a throttle valve and a variable inlet valve lift controller. A correction value calculated by the inlet valve lift controller as an offset value with a preset valve lift is determined. In parallel, a first quantity deviation test is carried out by which a first air ratio value is determined, which is formed from a first lambda value measured during the first quantity deviation test and a desired lambda value of the fuel combustion in the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine, wherein, in the first quantity deviation test a load control process is carried out by way of the variable inlet valve lift controller. In a second quantity deviation test, a second air ratio value is determined which is formed from a lambda value measured during the second quantity deviation test and a desired lambda value of the fuel combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Joerg Koehler
  • Patent number: 11306677
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus including a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform calculating injection target values per a combustion cycle, controlling a fuel injector so as to inject fuel in accordance with the injection target values, instructing a switching between a first mode injecting the fuel and a second mode stopping the fuel injection, determining whether it is possible to inject the fuel in accordance with the injection target values when the switching from the second mode to the first mode is instructed, and modifying the injection target values by reducing a target injection frequency when it is determined to be impossible to inject the fuel in accordance with the injection target values, and the controlling including controlling the fuel injector, when the injection target values are modified, so as to inject the fuel in accordance with modified injection target values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Nakajima, Masahiro Takeuchi, Hidekazu Hironobu, Daiki Yamazaki, Nobuaki Ito, Ryuichi Hata, Yasunori Shinmi
  • Patent number: 11293372
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adjusting fuel injector operation according to fuel pressure and electrical fuel injector signals are described. In one example, the fuel injector transfer function values are adjusted in a way that may lower a burden on fuel injector adaptation. The methods and systems described herein may be suitable for direct and port fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Pursifull, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Michael Uhrich, David Oshinsky
  • Patent number: 11279444
    Abstract: A watercraft includes a hull, an engine compartment defined at least in part by the hull, an engine disposed in the engine compartment, an air intake conduit fluidly connected to the engine, an air filter fluidly connected to the air intake conduit, and a shroud connected to an inlet end of the air intake conduit located in the engine compartment. The shroud has an open end and a closed end. The open end is open to flow of air therethrough and the closed end is closed to flow of air therethrough. The shroud has a sidewall extending between the closed and open ends. The shroud is oriented such that the open end is disposed rearward of the closed end. Noise exiting the inlet end of the air intake conduit and the air filter is reflected generally rearward by the shroud. An engine assembly for a watercraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Bourret, Patrice Dusablon, Geno Mangubat, Michael Rodgers
  • Patent number: 11268471
    Abstract: A method for identifying a type of a fuel injector installed in an internal combustion engine includes generating a control signal to supply electrical energy from a power source for actuating the fuel injector, monitoring the electrical energy, identifying a pattern in the electrical energy, the pattern being indicative of the type of the fuel injector, and outputting a notification indicative of an incorrect injector type based on the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Adam C. Hill, Manjunath B. Nagaraja, Stephen R. Lewis
  • Patent number: 11248550
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device (1) includes an injector-temperature calculation unit (21a), an engine-temperature calculation unit (21b), an operating-state control unit (21c), a cold/warmed-up state determination unit (21d), an ambient-temperature calculation unit (21e), and a correction unit (21f). The correction unit (21f) corrects an engine temperature calculated based on an injector temperature, when it is determined that an engine is in a cold state and a difference between the injector temperature and an ambient temperature is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Sasaki, Takahiro Kashima
  • Patent number: 11225242
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a traction motor include operating the engine at an operating point selected based on system efficiency, operating the electric machine to provide an electric machine torque responsive to a difference between a driver demand torque and the engine torque associated with the operating point, and limiting a rate of change of the electric machine torque in response to a rate of change of the driver demand torque. The electric machine torque rate limit may vary continuously responsive to the rate of change of driver demand torque and whether the driver demand torque is increasing or decreasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alec Bolthouse, Justin Panhans, Douglas Michael Smith, Minku Lee, Joshua Nicholas Dewalt, Andrew E. Burt, Fazal Urrahman Syed
  • Patent number: 11204013
    Abstract: A method for ignition control in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine by means of acquiring an electric signal relating to ionizing currents emitted in said combustion chamber, comprising a step of detecting a substantially stepped trend of said electric signal and a consequent step of inhibiting a corrective action of an ignition advance and/or of a fuel injection limitation curve in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: FPT INDUSTRIAL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Pittatore, Francesco Sanarico
  • Patent number: 11192210
    Abstract: A retaining ring configured for in-field repair of a fuel injector sleeve upper seal leak, comprising: a circular side wall comprising a barrel-shaped outer surface and a substantially cylindrical inner surface; wherein the outer surface comprises a lower curved portion and a central portion having a curvature that is less pronounced than the lower curved portion; and wherein the lower curved portion is configured to guide the retaining ring into the fuel injector sleeve and the circular side wall has an outer diameter at the central portion that is larger than an inner diameter of the fuel injector sleeve at a location of the upper seal leak such that the retaining ring forces the fuel injector sleeve outwardly at the location of the upper seal leak as the retaining ring is moved into an installed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Lukasik, Kenneth G. Mark, Kent H. Clark
  • Patent number: 11181068
    Abstract: An injection control device includes: a fuel injection quantity command value output unit that outputs a command value for a fuel injection quantity of the fuel injection valve; a fuel injection quantity correction unit that calculates an A/F correction amount and corrects the command value of the fuel injection quantity; and a controller that executes current control on the fuel injection valve. The controller executes current area correction. The injection control device further includes an area correction abnormality determination unit that determines an area correction abnormality. The area correction abnormality determination unit changes the abnormality determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Kato, Yasumasa Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11156188
    Abstract: System for adapting an internal combustion engine to be powered by gaseous fuel in gas phase and by gaseous fuel, an internal combustion engine arrangement comprising the system and a method for adapting an internal combustion liquid fuel engine to be powered by gaseous fuel in gas phase and gaseous fuel in liquid phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: AC S.A.
    Inventors: Piotr Dobrogowski, Marcin Trocki, Andrzej Sadowski, Tomasz Cybulko
  • Patent number: 11156169
    Abstract: An engine control apparatus includes a throttle valve, an accelerator opening detector, a throttle opening controller, and an intake air density detector. The throttle valve is configured to regulate an intake air volume of an engine. The accelerator opening detector is configured to detect an accelerator opening that is an operation amount of an accelerator operation member with which a driver operates an accelerator. The throttle opening controller is configured to increase a throttle opening of the throttle valve in accordance with an increase in the accelerator opening. The intake air density detector is configured to detect information about an intake air density of the engine. In a low intake air density state where the intake air density is a predetermined value or lower, the throttle opening controller decreases a sensitivity of the throttle opening relative to the accelerator opening in a partial range of a range where the accelerator opening is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Konosuke Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 11143134
    Abstract: An engine controller is provided. A second calculation process calculates an intake air amount without using an output of an air flow meter. A second determination process determines whether an intake air pulsation in an intake passage is great without using the output of the air flow meter. When the intake air pulsation is determined to be great by at least one of a first determination process and the second determination process, a calculation method switching process selects the calculated value of the intake air amount obtained by the second calculation process as a calculated value of the intake air amount used to determine an operation amount of an actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamada, Shunsuke Kurita
  • Patent number: 11118515
    Abstract: Present embodiments provide a throttle body which may be used with a variety of engines of different manufacturers. The throttle body may be used to replace mechanical or hydraulically controlled carburetors with electronic fuel injection. The throttle body may provide improved fuel pathways and fuel injector placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Holley Performance Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura Shehan, Amy Gieske, Jonathan Sams, Adam Layman
  • Patent number: 11092105
    Abstract: An energization instruction switch switches energization instruction signals to instruct energization of fuel injection valves. A first cylinder designation switch designates one of the energization instruction signals to designate a valve closing detection cylinder. A valve closing detection unit monitors downstream voltage of the fuel injection valve to detect occurrence of an inflection point in change of the downstream voltage to detect a valve closing. A second cylinder designation switch designates one of the downstream voltages and designates the valve closing detection cylinder. A valve closing time measuring unit measures a valve closing time, which is from a switching timing of the energization instruction signal from ON to OFF to a valve closing detection timing, for injection of the valve closing detection cylinder. A valve closing time learning unit learns the valve closing time measured by the valve closing time measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Inaba, Yuusuke Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11078861
    Abstract: The fuel injection control device and fuel injection control method according to the present invention allow a fuel injection device to perform fuel injection in the case where an open period of the intake valve and an open period of the exhaust valve overlap with each other, and sets the timing to start injection to the closing timing of the exhaust valve, and that sets the timing to end injection to the timing at which a deceleration rate of intake air speed becomes the local maximum. As such, the homogeneity of in-cylinder air-fuel mixture can be improved while preventing the adhesion of fuel to the inner wall of the intake port and the blow-through of fuel to the exhaust passage from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohsuke Kanda, Atsushi Murai, Yoshitatsu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11073100
    Abstract: Calibration techniques for forced-induction engines having low pressure cooled exhaust gas recirculation (LPCEGR) systems include commanding an EGR to a fully-closed position, after the EGR valve has reached the fully-closed position, commanding the engine to operate at fixed steady-state conditions for a calibration period, wherein the fixed steady-state conditions comprise at least a fixed throttle valve angle, a fixed injected fuel mass, and a fixed cylinder air/fuel ratio (AFR), during the calibration period, increasingly opening the EGR valve and monitoring a AFR of exhaust gas produced by the engine, calibrating an EGR fraction estimation and EGR transport delay model based on previously measured and/or modeled total engine flow and the monitored exhaust gas AFR during the calibration period, and storing the calibrated model at a memory of a controller of the engine for future usage to improve engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Tyler Tutton, William P Attard
  • Patent number: 11067012
    Abstract: Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood
  • Patent number: 11053870
    Abstract: Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood
  • Patent number: 11035311
    Abstract: A method for controlling the air-fuel ratio of a vehicle includes: calculating the air amount charged in a cylinder of an engine by using a fresh air amount, a residual air amount remaining inside the cylinder of the engine, and a backflow gas amount flowing back into the cylinder upon the valve overlap of an intake vale and an exhaust valve of the engine, correcting it with the purge gas flow rate supplied to an intake manifold of the engine when the active purge system is operated, calculating the final fuel amount by correcting the fuel amount injected by a fuel injection device with the amount of the fuel component contained in the purge gas when the active purge system is operated, and controlling the air-fuel ratio based on the final air amount and the final fuel amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Young-Kyu Oh
  • Patent number: 11002213
    Abstract: Provided are an internal combustion engine control device and control method in which a multi-injection process comprises performing an intake synchronized injection and an intake asynchronous injection to inject a required injection amount of fuel by operating a port injection valve for injecting fuel into an intake passageway. A variable process includes variably setting an injection timing for the intake synchronized injection on the basis of at least two of three parameters. The injection timing for the intake synchronized injection is expressed by the rotation angle of a crank shaft of an internal combustion engine. The three parameters include a rotational speed of the crank shaft of the internal combustion engine, a valve-opening start timing of an intake valve, and a temperature of an intake system of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Niwa, Masanori Toya, Takashi Yoshida, Takayuki Omachi
  • Patent number: 10975778
    Abstract: A control device for controlling an internal combustion engine equipped with an engine body, a variable compression ratio mechanism A configured to be able to change a mechanical compression ratio of the engine body, and an intake system configured to be able to make exhaust discharged from combustion chambers of the engine body be recirculated to an intake passage of the engine body. The control device is provided with a compression ratio control part controlling the variable compression ratio mechanism A so that the mechanical compression ratio becomes the target compression ratio. The compression ratio control part sets the target compression ratio at a lower value when exhaust is being recirculated at a predetermined operating region at an engine low load side than when exhaust is not being recirculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yamashita, Yukihiro Nakasaka, Hiroki Murata
  • Patent number: 10974278
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a vibration element like for example a sonotrode with a component fixed thereto. To provide a vibration element having a component fixed thereto, which is simple to manufacture, has a long service life and in addition prevents detachment of the component from the sonotrode, it is proposed according to the invention that the vibration element has a bore and the component has a fixing portion fitted in the bore, wherein arranged between the fixing portion and the bore is an elastic element which is either elastically deformed, and more specifically preferably parallel to the bore axis, or is arranged at least partially within a recess provided in the inside surface of the bore in such a way that the component can be removed from the bore only by elastic deformation of the elastic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: HERRMANN ULTRASCHALLTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Michael Knorr
  • Patent number: 10968807
    Abstract: A catalyst deterioration detection system 1 comprises an air-fuel ratio sensor 41, a current detection device 61, a voltage application device 60, a voltage control part 71, an air-fuel ratio control part 72 and a deterioration judging part 73. The air-fuel ratio control part executes fuel cut control, and, after the fuel cut control, executes rich control. The voltage control part, if judging that the air-fuel ratio of the outflowing exhaust gas has reached the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio when setting the applied voltage to a first voltage in a limit current region during the rich control, changes the applied voltage from the first voltage to a second voltage in a limit current region. The deterioration judging part judges the degree of deterioration of the catalyst based on the output current of the air-fuel ratio sensor when the applied voltage is set to the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 10968854
    Abstract: A port injection valve injects fuel into an intake passage. A base injection amount is an injection amount proportional to an amount of fresh air introduced into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. A division process involves dividing the base injection amount into a synchronous injection amount and an asynchronous injection amount. In an intake-synchronous injection, the fuel is injected in synchronization with a period in which an intake valve is open. In an intake-asynchronous injection, the fuel is injected at a time advanced with respect to the intake-synchronous injection. In a selective correction process, the asynchronous injection amount is corrected according to a required correction amount for the base injection amount, and the synchronous injection amount is not corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koumei Miyata, Masanori Toya, Masanao Idogawa, Kosuke Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10955047
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus including a torque transmission detecting part detecting a torque transmission state switched by a torque transmission switching part and a microprocessor configured to perform setting a target speed of an internal combustion engine in accordance with the torque transmission state detected by the torque transmission detecting part. The microprocessor is configured to perform the setting including increasing the target speed when a switch to the off-gear state is detected by the torque transmission detecting part after a switch instruction to an off-gear state the first is output by a first switch instruction part, while not increasing the target speed even when the switch to the off-gear state is detected by the torque transmission detecting part after a switch instruction to a reverse in-gear state or forward in-gear state is output by the second switch instruction part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Kazusa
  • Patent number: 10900438
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an input module structured to interpret a fuel pressure command indicative of a target fuel pressure within an accumulator and a target fuel injection characteristic, a pump module structured to control a pump assembly to provide fuel to the accumulator to maintain the target fuel pressure within the accumulator, an injector module structured to control a plurality of fuel injectors to inject fuel into an engine based on the target fuel injection characteristic, a pressure module structured to interpret pressure data regarding an actual fuel pressure within the accumulator and to determine a pressure difference between the target fuel pressure and the actual fuel pressure, and a modulation module structured to determine a final fuel injection command responsive to the pressure difference exceeding a first magnitude threshold where the final fuel injection command is based on the pressure difference and the target fuel injection characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark N. Bays, Michael R. Tidwell
  • Patent number: 10876486
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device first causes a first power supply unit to apply a voltage to a fuel injection valve, subsequently causes a second power supply unit to apply a voltage to the fuel injection valve, and after the first power supply unit applies the voltage, executes a lift position determination process to determine that a valve element of the fuel injection valve reaches a predetermined lift position based on a change in a drive current. A first control unit performs a drive control on the fuel injection valve without executing the lift position determination process. A second control unit executes the lift position determination process and performs a drive control on the fuel injection valve. The second control unit controls the drive current to decrease when the valve element reaches the predetermined lift position compared to a case where the first control unit performs drive control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya Kogo
  • Patent number: 10859026
    Abstract: In the communication interruption state in which the transmission of a drive control command value DUTY from an engine control unit (ECU) 1 to a fuel pump driver (FPD) 2 is disabled, the FPD 2 is configured so as to drive a fuel pump 4 by using the maximum command value DTYMAX (100%) as a drive control command value DUTY. A stop state of the fuel pump 4 is maintained even if the drive control command value DUTY is the maximum command value DTYMAX when an ignition switch 21 is in the OFF State so as to have stopped the fuel pump 4, while the fuel pump 4 is driven when the ignition switch 21 is in the ON state and the drive control command value DUTY is the maximum command value DTYMAX.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Sasaki, Kazunori Kawamura, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Akira Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10823103
    Abstract: In the communication interruption state in which the transmission of a drive control command value DUTY from an engine control unit (ECU) 1 to a fuel pump driver (FPD) 2 is disabled, the FPD 2 is configured so as to drive a fuel pump 4 by using the maximum command value DTYMAX (100%) as a drive control command value DUTY. A stop state of the fuel pump 4 is maintained even if the drive control command value DUTY is the maximum command value DTYMAX when an ignition switch 21 is in the OFF State so as to have stopped the fuel pump 4, while the fuel pump 4 is driven when the ignition switch 21 is in the ON state and the drive control command value DUTY is the maximum command value DTYMAX.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Sasaki, Kazunori Kawamura, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Akira Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10774771
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes one or more processors configured to determine when a change in one or more of oxygen or fuel supplied to an engine. The one or more processors also are configured to, responsive to determining the change in oxygen and/or fuel supplied to an engine, direct one or more fuel injectors of the engine to begin injecting fuel into one or more cylinders of the engine during both a first fuel injection and a second fuel injection during each cycle of a multi-stroke engine cycle of the one or more cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
    Inventors: Roy James Primus, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil