Supercharging Means Driven By Engine Exhaust Actuated Motor Patents (Class 60/605.1)
  • Publication number: 20070266706
    Abstract: An engine system is disclosed that monitors for boost leak. The system has an engine, a compressor located upstream of the engine, at least one auxiliary flow device located downstream of the engine, and a computing system operable to determine an estimated value corresponding to a flow of fluid through the compressor. The estimated value takes into account a flow of fluid from the compressor toward the at least one auxiliary flow device distinct from a flow from the compressor toward the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Christopher Ronald Gehrke, Michael Paul Withrow, James Harris Mutti
  • Patent number: 7296562
    Abstract: A control system for estimating the performance of a compressor is disclosed. The control system has a compressor fluidly connected to an inlet manifold of a power source. The control system also has a power source speed sensor to provide an indication of a rotational speed of the power source, an inlet pressure sensor to provide an indication of a pressure of a fluid within the inlet manifold, an inlet temperature sensor to provide an indication of a temperature of the fluid within the inlet manifold, an atmospheric pressure sensor to provide an indication of an atmospheric pressure, and a control module in communication with each of the sensors. The control module is configured to monitor an engine valve opening duration and an exhaust gas recirculation valve position, and estimate a compressor inlet pressure based on the provided indications, the monitored duration, and the monitored position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Caterpiller Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Withrow, Kevin L. Dea, Christopher R. Gehrke, Michael R. Donoho, II
  • Patent number: 7281528
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for mechanically driving a supercharger and a combination harmonic pulley system and supercharger mounted on a powered vehicle including a crankshaft, the supercharger having a supercharger driveshaft and adapted to provide boost air to the intake of the internal combustion engine, driving the crankshaft which rotates the harmonic pulley system. In general the harmonic pulley system includes a harmonic balancer, a drive shaft pulley, a crankshaft bolt, an alignment structure and a drive belt. The harmonic balancer having a first and second ledge, an annular ring and a central aperture, the driveshaft pulley having an inner and outer region, the inner region includes a first shoulder and presenting a pulley aperture aligned with the central aperture, the outer region including a second shoulder and providing an engaging surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Accessible Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Jones, Michael A. Carlson
  • Publication number: 20070227141
    Abstract: An air intake system for a power source can include a first jacket water aftercooler, a second jacket water aftercooler, a compressor system, and an air intake for the power source. The first jacket water aftercooler and the second jacket water aftercooler can be located fluidly upstream from the air intake for the power source and fluidly downstream from the compressor system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jiubo Ma, Sen Hwee Lim, Nilkanth Dinesh Desai, Kent Clark Bates, Ajey Janardan Kulkarni, Ashok Nanjundan, James Carl Durand
  • Publication number: 20070227142
    Abstract: An exhaust gas turbocharger for an internal combustion engine has a volute or spiral turbine housing and a compressor housing where a turbine rotor and a compressor impeller are connected with one another by a common shaft. The exhaust gas inlet to the turbine housing has a fixed flow splitter. A pivotal flow control gate is attached to the downstream end of the fixed flow splitter. Control means is provided to timely pivot the pivotal flow control gate toward the turbine rotor and thus provide an initial high velocity spin to the rotor when turbo charged boost pressure is demanded. An adjustable directional flow control valve uses boost pressure from the compressor to timely actuate a piston and lever connected to the pivotal flow control gate or a signal from an engine control module (ECM) can be directed to an hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical actuator having a reciprocatable control rod connected to the flow control gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Jimmy L. Blaylock, Richard T. Brown
  • Publication number: 20070214789
    Abstract: A vehicle or stationary power plant having an internal combustion engine as a drive source and having components adapted to be supplied with heat from a medium accommodated in a closed loop. The turbine of the exhaust gas turbocharger provided for turbocharging the internal combustion engine acts as a heat source. A heat exchanger is disposed externally on the turbine housing and can be incorporated or switchable into the medium loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventor: Erwin Stiermann
  • Publication number: 20070199321
    Abstract: An air intake structure for a small watercraft for ensuring the capacity of an inter-cooler and for connecting the inter-cooler to a supercharger by a simply shaped communicating portion. In an air intake structure for a small watercraft, an intake passage and an exhaust passage can be disposed on the left side and the right side, respectively, of a plurality of cylinders. A turbocharger is disposed rearwardly of the engine with the turbocharger is connected to an intake passage via an inter-cooler. In addition, the inter-cooler is disposed rearwardly of the engine, with the distribution passage being disposed forwardly of and on the left side of the inter-cooler so as to extend in the forward and rearward direction. The inter-cooler is connected to the rear end of the distribution passage with an intake pipe contiguous to cylinders being bent rearwardly along a side surface of the engine body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Inventors: Takayoshi Miura, Masatsugu Matsumoto, Yosuke Hoi, Yoshitaka Hayama
  • Patent number: 7260933
    Abstract: In a method for limiting a boost pressure of an internal combustion engine which is supercharged by the compressor of an exhaust gas turbocharger including a control unit in which a desired boost pressure value is compared with a limiting value and when the desired boost pressure value exceeds the limiting value, the boost pressure is limited to the limiting value, and the limiting value is determined by a simulation model in the form of a group of a characteristic curves established as a function of an existing operating state of the internal combustion engine, a temperature, a pressure (p1), and a air mass flow rate which occur upstream of a compressor of the exhaust gas turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Christian Barba, Gunter Moll, Joachim Zeger
  • Publication number: 20070180824
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling an engine system comprising an internal combustion engine, a supercharging system having at least one supercharger to boost intake air to the internal combustion engine, a turbine, and a motor. The turbine receives an exhaust gas flow through flow restriction and is capable of at least partly driving the supercharging system. The motor is capable of at least partly driving the supercharging system. The method comprises reducing the flow restriction and increasing power to drive the motor as a desired intake airflow of the engine increases. By reducing the flow restriction, such as increasing nozzle opening of a variable geometry turbine (VGT), as desired intake airflow of the engine increases, such as when the engine speed increases, an excessively high pressure in the exhaust passage may be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Naoyuki Yamagata
  • Publication number: 20070175216
    Abstract: A turbocharger with a variable nozzle has a turbine impeller, a compressor impeller, a shaft coupling the turbine impeller and the compressor impeller, a bearing housing rotatably supporting the shaft, and a turbine housing accommodating the turbine impeller. The turbocharger further includes a variable nozzle mechanism, provided in a compressor impeller side in a radial-direction outer side of the turbine impeller, for adjusting a flow rate of an exhaust gas directed to the turbine impeller. The bearing housing has a radially expanded portion that extends to a radial-direction outer side to be coupled to the turbine housing at a radial-direction outer side portion thereof such that the variable nozzle mechanism is accommodated between the turbine housing and the radially expanded portion. Between the variable nozzle mechanism and the radially expanded portion, a heat shield plate is provided for preventing a heat transmission between them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: ISHIKAWAJIMA-HARIMA HEAVY INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20070169478
    Abstract: An actual value of a turbine flow cross section of a turbocharger of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle is set for a change in the load on the internal combustion engine from a larger load value to a smaller load value. The actual value setting of the smaller load value is delayed to a setpoint value that is specified for the smaller load value under stationary conditions. A device controls the progression of the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Andreas Sterner, Matthias Hofstetter
  • Publication number: 20070151243
    Abstract: The invention concerns turbochargers, or more particularly to multivariable dual stage series turbochargers having two degrees of freedom. A multistage series turbocharger apparatus has a low pressure turbocharger comprising a low pressure compressor and a low pressure turbine; a high pressure turbocharger comprising a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine, and a exhaust gas recirculation device. A controller controls the operation of at least two of the low pressure compressor, high pressure compressor, low pressure turbine, high pressure turbine, and exhaust gas recirculation device such that at least one operating parameter is maintained at about a selected value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventor: Gregory E. Stewart
  • Patent number: 7231760
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine which has charge-air supercharging by means of an exhaust-gas turbocharger and secondary air injection, the flow path of which is selected in such a way that the quantity of secondary air injected has an influence on the rotational speed of the turbocharger. By monitoring the rotational speed of the turbocharger, an increase in the rotational speed caused by the secondary air injection is determined, and the quantity of secondary air injected is worked out from the increase in rotational speed. This has the advantage that there is no need for complex temperature-measuring methods as have hitherto been employed. Rotational speed measurement can be carried out contactlessly and with absolutely no wear in particular by means of inductive rotational-speed sensors. Moreover, these inductive rotational-speed sensors can be miniaturized and produced at extremely low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Michael-Rainer Busch
  • Patent number: 7225619
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having an exhaust-gas turbocharger allows for an optimized charge air pressure buildup. For this purpose, an actuator for influencing the charge air pressure generated by a compressor of the exhaust-gas turbocharger is triggered. A characteristic of a trigger signal of the actuator is specified as a function of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Herz, Helge Frauenkron
  • Patent number: 7219630
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine and method is disclosed wherein separate compression and power cylinders are used and a regenerator or pair of regenerators is mounted between them to provide heat for hot-air ignition. The single regenerator embodiment operates as a two-stroke cycle engine and the embodiment with an alternating pair of regenerators operates as a four-stroke cycle engine. The engine varies the amount of air entering the power cylinder to control the engine output during naturally aspirated operation using valve timing and/or volume control of dead space and can optionally include supercharging to control the engine at higher output levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventor: Richard Patton
  • Patent number: 7165402
    Abstract: A combustion engine for a vehicle comprising at least one exhaust gas collector for receiving the gases combusted in the engine, an exhaust gas driven turbo compressor for connection downstream the exhaust gas collector, and a mounting device for mounting the turbo compressor on the engine. The invention is characterised in that the mounting device comprises a suspension device arranged on the engine body for suspending the turbo compressor such that the weight of the turbo compressor is supported and that the turbo compressor after the suspension is connectable to the exhaust gas collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Saab Automobile AB
    Inventor: Christer Blom
  • Patent number: 7162861
    Abstract: A method of providing extra air to the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine. A small flow of air is diverted from the output of an air-charging device, such as a turbocharger, to an entry point upstream of an emission control device. The air is supplied in a controllable fashion so as to improve the efficiency of the emission control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventor: Magdi K. Khair
  • Patent number: 7143580
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine, having an exhaust recirculation (EGR) system and a charge air cooler, to prevent overheating the charge air cooler. The system calculates the output temperature of a turbocharger compressor as a function of ambient air temperature, air pressure, air mass flow rate, and turbo speed by processing an equation and controls the engine to modify charge air flow to reduce the output temperature of the turbocharger compressor if that temperature exceeds that of a determined crucial temperature above which charge air cooler damage could occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventor: Ping Ge
  • Patent number: 7108488
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a foil bearing assembly mounted in a center housing between a compressor and a turbine of the turbocharger. The bearing assembly forms a unit installable into the center housing from one end thereof, and the center housing is a one-piece construction. The bearing assembly includes a foil thrust bearing assembly disposed between two foil journal bearings. The journals foils are mounted in annular bearing carriers fixedly mounted in the center housing. A radially inner portion of a thrust disk of the thrust bearing assembly is captured between a shaft and a shaft sleeve of the turbocharger. The center housing defines cooling air passages for supplying cooling air to the foil bearings, and optionally includes a water jacket for circulating engine coolant through the center housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Duane Larue, Sun Goo Kang, Werner Wick
  • Patent number: 7104352
    Abstract: A snowmobile (20) having an engine (34) with an air charging system (70). The air charging system (70) is connected to an intercooler assembly (57), which includes a heat exchanger (56) mounted adjacent to an intercooler opening (48) in the track tunnel (36). A snow retention area (54) is located above the heat exchanger (56) allowing for snow/ice to be thrown from a snowmobile drive track (38) and build up on top of the heat exchanger (56), allowing the snow/ice to absorb heat from intercooler assembly (57).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Polaris Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven M. Weinzierl
  • Patent number: 7104060
    Abstract: An exhaust energy recovery system for a combustion engine having an exhaust passage has a displacement expansion device and a generator. The expansion device is located in the exhaust passage. Exhaust gas is introduced into the expansion device. The expansion device has an expansion chamber the volume of which varies in accordance with the pressure of exhaust gas and generates power in accordance with the volume variation of the expansion chamber. The generator generates electricity in accordance with the power generated by the expansion device. This efficiently recovers exhaust gas and effectively uses the recovered exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Ogawa, Yukio Shimokawa
  • Patent number: 7100375
    Abstract: A system for limiting the rotational speed of a turbocharger is disclosed. The turbocharger includes a compressor having an outlet fluidly coupled to an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a compressor outlet, a turbine having an inlet fluidly coupled to an exhaust manifold of the engine and an outlet. A control computer is configured to compute a maximum compressor outlet pressure value as a function of the compressor inlet pressure, the compressor inlet temperature, an operating condition other than the compressor inlet pressure or temperature and a maximum allowable turbocharger speed value, and to control a turbine swallowing capacity or efficiency control mechanism in a manner that limits compressor outlet pressure to the maximum compressor outlet pressure value to thereby limit rotational speed of the turbocharger to the maximum turbocharger speed value. The operating condition may be, for example, engine intake air flow rate or engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott R. Baize, Jason V. Dukes, Norbert J. Rehm, IV, Dave L. Dunnuck
  • Patent number: 7093589
    Abstract: A system that enables enhanced air flow to the air intake of an internal combustion engine having a turbocharger is disclosed. The air induction system includes a plenum or expansion chamber located within the area directly in front of the inlet of the turbocharger. Alternatively, the air induction system may include a diffuser and/or an expansion chamber for reducing the velocity of the air flow within the clean air duct in an area directly in front of the inlet of the turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Christian Sorersen, James John Kempf, Ryan E. Grimes
  • Patent number: 7089737
    Abstract: A housing for a turbocharger comprises a housing shell which surrounds, at least partially, a rotor space, at least one manifold of a combustion engine, a pipe for connecting the housing shell with at least one manifold of the combustion engine, and a cylinder head of said combustion engine. All these parts are integrally cast as one single piece. This may be effected by a method which comprises the steps of: joining and bonding sand cores for part of a housing shell of the turbocharger with sand cores for shaping the cavities of the manifold, and these, in turn, with sand cores for shaping the cylinder head. Subsequently, inserting said joint and bonded sand cores into respective firmly interconnected molds for molding said part of a housing shell of said turbocharger, for said manifold and said cylinder head, and filling molten metal into said molds and allowing solidification of said metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: BorgWarner, Inc.
    Inventor: Hartmut Claus
  • Patent number: 7082763
    Abstract: The invention concerns an exhaust gas turbocharger (1) having a shaft (2) on which a turbine wheel (4) and a compressor wheel (3) sit and which is guided in radial bearings (5, 6) and in at least one axial bearing (9), which is characterized in that the radial bearings (5, 6) are embodied as passive magnetic bearings having permanent magnets (23 through 31) generating axial magnetic fluxes; and the axial bearing (9) is embodied as an active magnetic bearing having an electromagnet (55), an axial sensor, and a controller for controlling the electrical current impinging upon the electromagnet (55).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignees: Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH, Borgwarner Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Fremerey, Matthias Lang, Jens-Wolf Jaisle
  • Patent number: 7076952
    Abstract: A supercharged internal combustion engine system wherein the supercharger assembly includes an ejector pump driven by high-pressure air for pumping intake air into engine combustion chamber. Included are means for sensing engine power demand and controlling the supercharging action. A compressor and an air tank for providing high-pressure air for driving the ejector pump are also disclosed. During periods of natural aspiration the ejector pump can be by-passed to reduce flow impedance. The ejector pump can use a driving nozzle with a fixed throat or a variable throat, or a lobed nozzle. Effective supercharging is achieved even at low engine speeds. One of the objects of the invention is to obtain more power from small displacement ICE and thus providing automotive vehicles with sufficient acceleration in addition to good fuel economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Inventor: Jan Vetrovec
  • Patent number: 7073334
    Abstract: In a variable exhaust gas turbocharger for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas turbine and a compressor with a variable vane structure wherein the exhaust gas turbocharger comprises a housing and a compressor wheel which is connected to an exhaust gas turbine wheel via a shaft, the compressor has a radial inflow flow passage in which a variable vane structure or throttle device is arranged upstream of the compressor wheel and another vane structure is arranged in the radial flow passage downstream of the compressor wheel in the direction of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Siegfried Sumser, Peter Fledersbacher, Wolfgang Erdmann, Manfred Stute
  • Patent number: 7062910
    Abstract: In a case where an oscillation frequency per unit time of a first feedback amount of supercharging pressure (VNT) control exceeds a judgment value, or in a case where an oscillation frequency per unit time of a second feedback amount of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control exceeds a judgment value, it is determined that a target VNT opening degree or a target EGR opening degree is in a hunting state. In the case where the hunting of the target VNT opening degree or the target EGR opening degree is detected, a first or a second gain correction coefficient multiplied to the first or the second feedback amount is changed to a value to decrease an absolute value of the first or the second feedback amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyohisa Inoue
  • Patent number: 7062915
    Abstract: High-efficiency combustion engines, including Otto cycle engines, use a steam-diluted fuel charge at elevated pressure. Air is compressed, and water is evaporated into the compressed air via the partial pressure effect using waste heat from the engine. The resultant pressurized air-steam mixture then burned in the engine with fuel, preferably containing hydrogen to maintain flame front propagation. The high-pressure, steam-laden engine exhaust is used to drive an expander to provide additional mechanical power. The exhaust can also be used to reform fuel to provide hydrogen for the engine combustion. The engine advantageously uses the partial pressure effect to convert low-grade waste heat from engine into useful mechanical power. The engine is capable of high efficiencies (e.g. >50%), with minimal emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Inventor: Lawrence G. Clawson
  • Patent number: 7056103
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling components associated with turbomachinery by means of one or more venturis placed in the intake flow of air into the compressor with an air inlet upstream of the venturis and an air outlet integral to at least one venturi. The partial vacuum created from the one or more venturis draws air past components that are desired to be cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald D. LaRue
  • Patent number: 7047742
    Abstract: The turbocharged engine in accordance with the present invention comprises an EGR unit having an EGR passage linking an intake passage and an exhaust passage and an EGR valve provided in the EGR passage. The engine further comprises deceleration deciding unit for deciding as to whether a vehicle decelerates, and intake air release unit for opening the EGR valve and causing part of the intake air present in the intake passage to flow into the exhaust passage through the EGR passage when the deceleration deciding unit decides that the vehicle is decelerating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Kono, Kenji Hatano, Shinichiro Kawai, Hideki Osada
  • Patent number: 7028475
    Abstract: A fluid machine according to the present invention has an expansion-and-compressor device selectively operating as an expansion device for collecting waste heat from an internal combustion engine and converting the collected heat energy into mechanical rotational force, and as a compressor device for compressing refrigerant for a refrigerating cycle for air conditioner. The fluid machine further comprises an electric rotating device selectively operating as an electric power generator and as an electric motor. A power transmission device is further provided between the expansion-and-compressor device and the electric rotating device for selectively transmitting the rotational force from the expansion-and-compressor device to the electric rotating device and vice versa. The power transmission device is composed of a planetary gear train so that it can change rotational speed to be transmitted to the expansion-and-compressor device or to the electric rotating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Iwanami, Yasushi Suzuki, Keiichi Uno, Kazuhide Uchida, Tadashi Hotta, Hironori Asa, Yasuhiro Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7021058
    Abstract: A supercharging air compressor for an internal combustion engine, having a compressor wheel which is rotatably mounted in a compressor inlet duct, and to which combustion air can be fed via the compressor inlet duct. A partial stream of the compressed supercharging air is branched off downstream of the compressor wheel and is fed to a temperature reducing unit. The branched-off partial stream is fed, as cooling air, to a component of the supercharging air compressor after it has flowed through the temperature reducing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Helmut Scheinert
  • Patent number: 7010917
    Abstract: A turbocharger comprises a compressor wheel (7) assembled to one end of a turbocharger shaft (8). A nut (17) is threaded on to the end of the shaft (8) to clamp the wheel (7) on the shaft to prevent both axial movement of the wheel (7) along the shaft (8) and rotational slippage. The torque capacity of the coupling between the compressor wheel (7) and nut (17) is increased by treating contacting surfaces of the coupling to increase their co-efficient of friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Holset Engineering Company, Limited
    Inventor: Anthony Billington
  • Patent number: 7004154
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cooling intake air prior to entry into a combustion chamber of a boosted internal combustion engine. The invention provides an air intake system comprising a cooler disposed in an intake passage downstream of a charger; a bypass passage for communication between a portion of said intake passage located upstream of said cooler and a portion of said intake passage located downstream of said cooler so as to allow a flow of air discharged from the charger to bypass the cooler; a bypass control valve disposed in said bypass passage to open and close the bypass passage and a flow restriction disposed in the bypass passage limiting the flow in the event that the bypass control valve remains in an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Joyce, Chris Whelan, Iain William Gouldson, Chris Bush, Noel Henderson
  • Patent number: 6996986
    Abstract: A control system of this invention for use with a variable geometry turbocharger is designed to enable turbocharger control based solely on engine speed. The control system takes measured engine speed and sends the same to an engine control unit (ECU) having an actuator position v. engine speed map. The ECU utilizes only the measured engine speed to determine a desired actuator position from the map, and produces a control signal for effecting actuator operation. The control signal generated by the ECU can be converted to an analog signal by pulse width modulation, for example. The control signal is sent to an actuator for placing the actuator into the desired actuator position. The actuator is connected to a variable geometry member in the turbocharger so that operation and placement of the actuator into the desired actuator position thereby places the variable geometry member into a desired position to effect the desired change in turbocharger operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Don Arnold
  • Patent number: 6983596
    Abstract: A rotary valve (1) particularly suitable for use in a turbocharger for an internal-combustion engine, the rotary valve provided between a turbocharger inlet port (10) and at least first and second scroll passages (13, 14), the rotary valve rotatable between (a) a position at which at least one scroll passage is blocked and a bypass outlet is blocked, (b) a position at which no scroll passage is blocked and the bypass outlet is blocked, and (c) a position at which no scroll passage is blocked and the bypass outlet is not blocked. The control valve is rotatable about a central axis, includes a disk-shaped base (2) and a control surface (4) provided upon said base, the control surface preferably being generally wedge shaped, and the disk optionally having an aperture (7) for communication with the bypass outlet. The rotary valve is preferably mounted on both sides via a shaft (112a, 112b) extending through the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Frankenstein, Steve McKinley
  • Patent number: 6983597
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling an internal combustion engine (1) having a compressor (5) for compressing the air drawn in by suction by the engine (1). The compressor is especially an exhaust-gas turbocharger. With the method and arrangement, a requirement-proper and timely opening of a valve (10) of an air path (15) is ensured for avoiding compressor pumping. The air path (15) bypasses the compressor (5). The valve (10) of the air path (15), which bypasses the compressor (5), is controlled in dependence upon at least one pregiven characteristic line (20, 25) of a compressor characteristic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Sabine Wegener, Rainer Hild
  • Patent number: 6945046
    Abstract: The invention concerns a casing aggregate for the turbine of an exhaust turbocharger. The invention is identified by the following characteristics: a spiral casing adapted for surround the running wheel of the turbine; a tongue-like wall part (tongue) in the inside of the spiral casing; an inlet connection; an outlet connection; a flange to connect to a bearing casing; wherein the casing aggregate is manufactured of thin-walled precision casting; wherein the casing aggregate is made of at least two parts, so that at least one separation joint is present; and the separation joint is arranged as follows: it runs in an axially perpendicular level; it runs along the apex line of the spiral casing; it extends over an arc of a circle of approximately 270 degrees; it lies outside of the area of the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Ruediger Allmang, Hartmut Claus, Volker Simon
  • Patent number: 6938419
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which is mounted in a vehicle and has a supercharger that is located along an intake passage of the internal combustion engine and driven by a motor, includes a controller which drives the motor to perform supercharging during warm-up of the internal combustion engine, and supercharges a plurality of times intake air to be supplied to the internal combustion engine. Accordingly, the intake air is supercharged a plurality of times during warm-up of the internal combustion engine, so the temperature of the intake air is raised sufficiently to warm up the engine, thus enabling the engine to be warmed up effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihide Okuyama, Chika Kanba, Osamu Igarashi
  • Patent number: 6938614
    Abstract: An air intake apparatus for supplying air to an internal combustion engine comprises a hollow enclosure, an air filter and an air compressor which when activated compresses air supplied to the engine. The enclosure houses the air filter and compressor. An engine air supply path through the enclosure passes from an air inlet to the enclosure to an air outlet from the enclosure via the air filter, said enclosure inlet and enclosure outlet defining respectively an upstream end of the air supply path and a downstream end of the air supply path. The enclosure housing is subdivided by a dividing plate which holds the air filter upstream of the air compressor. The dividing plate also has an air inlet feature to allow air to enter an inlet to the air compressor after the air has passed through the air filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Anderton Criddle, Kevin Paul Cutts, Olivier Henri Eugene Desmons, Guy Morgan, Scott John Moore, Guy David Morris, John Charles New, James Justin Tindall
  • Patent number: 6920754
    Abstract: A high-pressure ratio turbocharger of this invention has a two-stage compressor section comprising a first-stage compressor impeller rotatably disposed in a first compressor housing, and a second-stage compressor impeller rotatably disposed in a second-stage compressor housing. The first and second stage compressor impellers are attached to a common shaft, and are positioned within respective compressor housing in a direction facing away from one another. A portion of the second-stage compressor housing is formed from a compressor backplate attached to a turbocharger center housing. A scroll seal is disposed between the first and second-stage compressor housings, and is interposed between the impellers to separate outlet air flow between each respective first and second-stage compressor chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Don Arnold, Gary Vrbas
  • Patent number: 6915634
    Abstract: A supercharger arrangement for an engine assembly 10 is disclosed, the arrangement including first and second superchargers 22A, 22B that are mounted on the engine assembly by means of separate first and second mounting members 46, 48 respectively. Each mounting member defines an integrated supercharger lubrication conduit 62A, 62B, 64A, 64B and the present invention is characterized in that the superchargers 22A, 22B are of substantially identical construction and are separable from the first and second mounting members 46, 48. The integrated lubrication conduits 62A, 62B, 64A, 64B are routed through their respective said mounting members in such a manner as to enable the first and second superchargers to be mounted on the engine assembly 10 in substantially mirror image orientations thereabout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Eric Dumas, Pierre Gonzalez, Pascal Hottebart, Benjamin Lheriau
  • Patent number: 6907735
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for generating electricity for use with liquid hydrogen storage facility. The system includes a liquid hydrogen storage tank with a pressure relief. An energy conversion device is connected to the pressure relief valve an converts the hydrogen into rotational energy to operate an electrical generator. Electricity created by the generator can be fed back to operate ancillary loads in the facility, or sold for use in a main electrical grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Proton Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Wolff, Antonio John Speranza, Oscar Chow
  • Patent number: 6898934
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provide external blow-off in a turbocharger having an internal recirculation valve configured for attachment to a valve mounting flange defining a recirculation valve inlet port connected in fluid communication with an outlet of a compressor of the turbocharger, and a recirculation valve outlet port connected to an inlet of the compressor, through use of an external blow-off adaptor that is configured for installation between the internal recirculation valve and the valve mounting flange. The external blow-off adapter is configured for producing a desirable sound when the recirculation valve is operating in the recirculation mode with the external blow-off adaptor installed between the recirculation valve and the valve mounting flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Ethan Bayer, Jack Kulick, Peter Szadyr
  • Patent number: 6883319
    Abstract: A multicylinder internal combustion engine with an exhaust-driven turbocompressor and with a divided exhaust gas flow has at least two exhaust valves (2,3) and one intake valve per cylinder. A first exhaust valve (2) is connected to a first exhaust manifold which leads to the turbine of the compressor, while a second exhaust valve (3) is connected to a second exhaust manifold which opens downstream of the turbine. The charging pressure in the engine can be regulated by virtue of the opening periods of the exhaust valves (2,3) being varied in relation to one another in order to adapt the flow through the exhaust turbine to a value which provides the desired charging pressure in the engine. By opening the second exhaust valve (3) increasingly earlier, an increasingly lower charging pressure can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Saab Automobile AB
    Inventor: Martin Ekenberg
  • Patent number: 6883503
    Abstract: A supercharging system for supplying pressurized combustion air to a piston engine of an aircraft at high altitudes. The engine has an output shaft on which the propeller is supported, together with a small ducted centrifugal fan. The duct leads to the intake side of the engine. A diverter is movable to one position constraining pressurized air to enter the engine through the intake side, and a second position which diverts compressed air away from the intake side. Natural aspiration is employed at low altitudes and supercharging is employed at altitudes wherein there is an oxygen deficiency. Preferably, the centrifugal fan is located between the propeller and the engine block, has blades staggered from those of the propeller so as to be directly exposed to incoming air. The centrifugal fan blades are preferably of different pitch than the propeller blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Inventor: Ernest A. Carroll
  • Publication number: 20040255582
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas turbocharger including a compressor wheel, the compressor wheel is cooled by at least one nozzle which is arranged in close axial proximity to the axis of rotation of the compressor wheel for spraying the backside of the compressor wheel near the center thereof with coolant whereby the coolant, utilizing the centrifugal forces of the rotating compressor wheel, is completely distributed over the entire wheel back surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Siegfried Sumser, Helmut Finger, Eduard Heinz, Lionel Le Clech, Wolfram Schmid
  • Patent number: 6829893
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine for generating a rotational movement is provided to drive a compressor unit which is connected on the output side, for generating compressed air from ambient air. A control unit triggers the generating of compressed air when compressed air is demanded. An auxiliary compressor unit covers peak demands for compressed air and is fluidically connected in parallel with respect to the internal-combustion-engine-driven compressor unit. The auxiliary compressor unit is driven by an electric motor. The control unit starts the operation of the auxiliary compressor unit in the event of a detected peak demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Doerr, Eduard Gerum
  • Patent number: RE38671
    Abstract: A system (40) for starting an internal combustion engine (12) of an automotive vehicle (10) has a controller (54) coupled to a starter/alternator (42). The engine (12) has a crankshaft (50) and a turbocharger (24). The controller (54) initiates the starting of the engine (12) by rotating the crankshaft (50). The rotating crankshaft (50) displaces an amount of air from the cylinders (14) of the engine (12) to rotate the rotor shaft of the turbocharger (21). The turbocharger (25) thus draws in air, compresses the air and provides the compressed air to the cylinders (14). When the engine is started the initial power is increased due to the compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurinder Singh Kahlon, Ning Liu, Robert Joseph Mohan