Caterpillar Inc.

Martin A Lehman

Scott F Shafer

David Elliot Hackett

Lifeng Wang

Andrew O Marrack

Vincent John Neyens

Alan Ray Stockner

Dennis Henderson Gibson

Norval P Thomson

Daniel Peter Sergison

Steven Y Tian

Thomas Jeffrey Crowell

Aaron Michael Brown

Kenneth Carroll Adams

Jeffrey D Graves

Shane C McBride

Alan W Wells

Tryg Carl Tow

Lee A Reiners

Joseph Brock Oelze

Taylor Tang

Marian Elizabeth L Neal

Anurag Menon Kunnath

Jon Ashley Johnson

Brian C Hogan

Gregory Durst

Ross Wetzel

A plug configured to be at least partially inserted into a central housing of a turbocharger. The plug includes a body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a threaded portion extending from the second end to a location on the body between the first end and the second end. The plug further includes a heat sink coupled to the second end, and a microchip mounted to a substrate that is coupled to the heat sink, the microchip configured to store information related to the turbocharger, wherein the microchip is at least partially submerged in coolant in the central housing when the plug is inserted into the central housing of the turbocharger.

Method and apparatus for tracking a life cycle of turbocharger

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a filter assembly includes a filter housing including a housing inlet and a housing outlet, and a filtering section located downstream of the housing inlet and upstream of the housing outlet. The filtering section includes a first filtering portion, a second filtering portion, a wall longitudinally separating the first filtering portion and the second filtering portion, a filtering outlet, and a valve located in the filtering outlet. The valve includes a closed condition and an open condition, and wherein, in the valve closed condition the valve blocks flow from the second filtering portion to the housing outlet.

Filter system and method

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.

Machine system and operating strategy using auto-population of trim files

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.

Fluid conditioning module

A system for detecting a pre-fill status of a fuel filter in a fuel system includes a monitoring mechanism structured to monitor a fluid property of the fuel system indicative of priming. A control mechanism is coupled with and structured to received data from the monitoring mechanism, and outputs a signal responsive to a time to prime the fuel system that is indicative of a filter pre-fill state.

Filter pre-fill detection system and method

A fluid injection system includes a fluid injector assembly; a fluid conditioning module having an outlet port that is fluidly coupled to an inlet port of the fluid injector assembly; an injector assembly outlet conduit fluidly coupled to an outlet port of the fluid injector assembly and disposed downstream of the fluid injector assembly, the injector assembly outlet conduit defining a pressure measurement port and a flow-restricting orifice, the pressure measurement port being disposed upstream of the flow-restricting orifice along the direction of fluid flow through the fluid injector assembly; a pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the pressure measurement port; and a controller operatively coupled to the fluid conditioning module and the pressure sensor. The controller is configured to adjust a flowrate of a fluid through the injector assembly inlet conduit based on a pressure signal from the pressure sensor.

Fluid injector supply system and method for operating same

A fluid injection system includes a fluid injector assembly, a fluid conditioning module having an outlet port that is fluidly coupled to an inlet port of the fluid injector assembly via an injector assembly inlet conduit. The fluid injection system further includes a flush conduit fluidly coupled to the outlet port of the fluid conditioning module, a flush valve disposed in the flush conduit and configured to control a flowrate of fluid therethrough, and a controller operatively coupled to the fluid conditioning module and the flush valve, the controller being configured to adjust a flowrate of a fluid through the injector assembly inlet conduit by controlling a flowrate of fluid through the flush conduit.

Fuel system flush circuitry and method for operating the same

A fluid conditioning system includes a first filter mount having a first filter inlet port and a first filter outlet port, a first motor, a first pump operatively coupled to the first motor, a second filter mount having a second filter inlet port, a second pump, and a controller operatively coupled to the first motor. The controller is configured to operate the first pump at a flowrate that is higher than a flowrate of the second pump. An outlet of the first pump is fluidly coupled to the first filter inlet port via a first filter inlet conduit, and an inlet of the first pump is fluidly coupled the first filter outlet port via a first filter outlet conduit. An inlet of the second pump is fluidly coupled to the first filter outlet port via the first filter outlet conduit.

A fluid conditioning system includes a recirculation pump fluidly coupled to a reservoir via a first conduit; a delivery pump fluidly coupled in series with the recirculation pump, such that an outlet of the recirculation pump is fluidly coupled to an inlet of the delivery pump via a second conduit; and a recirculation loop including a recirculation filter, an inlet of the recirculation filter being fluidly coupled to the second conduit, and an outlet of the recirculation filter being fluidly coupled to the first conduit. The recirculation pump is configured to operate at a flow rate that is higher than a flow rate of the delivery pump.

Fluid conditioning system with recirculation loop and method for operating same

A fuel injector is disclosed for use in an engine system. The fuel injector may have a body defining a gas inlet, an oil inlet, and an oil outlet. The fuel injector may also have a nozzle connected to the body and having a base end in fluid communication with the gas inlet, and an injection tip located opposite the base end. The fuel injector may also have a valve check disposed in the nozzle and movable to selectively block and unblock the injection tip of the nozzle, and a plunger disposed in the body between the oil inlet and the oil outlet. The plunger may be movable between a flow-passing position and a flow-blocking position to cause movement of the valve check through the injection tip. The injector may further have a solenoid actuator configured to selectively move the plunger.

Engine system having hydraulically actuated gas injector

An asymmetrical orifice for bypass control in a clean fuel module may include a body having first and second end surfaces and an inner surface defining a bore through the body extending from a first opening through the first end surface to a second opening through the second end surface. The first opening has a first opening inner diameter and the second opening has a second opening inner diameter that is less than the first opening inner diameter. The asymmetrical orifice also includes a flow control contour in the second end surface surrounding the second opening of the bore. The configuration may give the asymmetrical orifice a first discharge coefficient for fluid flowing from the first opening to the second opening that is greater than a second discharge coefficient for fluid flowing in a second direction from the second opening to the first opening.

Asymmetrical orifice for bypass control

The described system and method are implemented within a motor grader or other machine for grading of surfaces, wherein the machine includes a ground engaging element, as well as one or more blades for removing surface material. In this context, the described system and method prevent slippage of the ground engaging element against the underlying surface. In an embodiment, a torque limit is applied, wherein the torque limit corresponds to a torque that is less than that required for slippage under the current operating conditions, thus avoiding the problems caused by both overly aggressive and overly conservative cut depth strategies.

Motor grader wheel slip control for cut to grade

A hydraulically actuated fuel injector includes an injector body which has an outer surface. An armature cavity is defined by the injector body and a solenoid. The solenoid includes an armature, which is positioned within the armature cavity. Attached to the armature and positioned in the injector body is a valve member that defines a centerline. A plurality of evacuation passages which extend from the armature cavity to the outer surface are defined by the injector body. The armature and the evacuation passages are positioned on opposite sides of a plane that is oriented perpendicular to the centerline.

Hydraulically actuated fuel injector with cold start features

A fluid system of an internal combustion engine has controls and a separate radiator for maintaining the temperature of incoming engine combustion air at optimum conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Congerville, IL, United States of America

Martin A Lehman