Caterpillar Inc.

Other

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Caterpiller Inc.

Ronald Dean Shinogle

Scott Alan Leman

Dennis Henderson Gibson

Sean Olen Cornell

Richard H Holtman

David E Martin

Clifford E Cotton, Iii

Dale C Maley

Alan Ray Stockner

Gregory W Hefler

Glen F Forck

Mark F Sommars

William J Rodier

L Glenn Waterfield

Scott F Shafer

Michael D Anderson

Thomas G Ausman

Daniel Richard Ibrahim

Ye Tian

Michael Patrick Harmon

Matthew David Friede

Michael T Zimmer

Olaf Ohligschlaeger

Homa Afjeh

Bernhard Kirsch

Scott A Chockley

Rene Schulz

Gregory D Brock

Senthilkumar Rajagopalan

Oded Eddie Sturman

Travis E Barnes

Lifeng Wang

Hongliu Du

Glenn Brian Cox

Gregory G Hafner

Justin Werner McMenamy

Steven Y Tian

John Stephen Pipis, Jr

Andrew John Kieser

Stephen Michael Wiley

Richard B League

Mark S Cavanagh

Vernon Richard Smith

Xinshuang Nan

Jianhua Zhang

Chetan J Desai

Stephen F Glassey

Richard A Weber

Amy Marie Hess

Alan R Stockner

Avtar S Sandhu

Howard N Cannon

Udo Schlemmer-Kelling

Mingchun Dong

Mark W Craig

Richard A DeKeyser

James D Peltier

Olaf Ohligschläger

Juergen Nagel

Jianyuan Yang

David M Olson

Yasser A Al-Charif

Rajendra K Patil

Clifford E Cotton Iii

Curtis R Janssen

Stephen B Hennessey

Edward J Heim

Berfan K Kochgiri

R Shannon Johnson

Virl R Voights

Mandi R Ferleyko

Norval J Weimken

A system for determining an estimated displacement of a variable displacement hydraulic pump includes a control cylinder associated with the swash plate of the variable displacement hydraulic pump to control the angle of inclination of the swash plate and a valve that controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to the control cylinder and has a position that defines an effective area of an opening of the valve. A pressure sensor generates pressure signals indicative of an output pressure from the variable displacement hydraulic pump. A controller is configured to receive pressure signals from the pressure sensor and determine an estimated displacement of the variable displacement hydraulic pump based upon the pressure signals from the pressure sensor and the position of the valve.

System for estimating a displacement of a pump

A system for selectively intensifying fuel for injection utilizing a fuel injector having an intensifier piston connected to a drain and a pressurized fuel source. The intensifier piston includes a control chamber co-axially positioned opposite from an intensification chamber, and a pressurization chamber co-axially positioned between the control chamber and the intensification chamber. The control chamber selectively fluidly communicates with the pressurized fuel source and the drain. The intensification chamber fluidly communicates with the pressurized fuel source and the pressurization chamber fluidly communicates with the pressurized fuel source and a nozzle assembly.

Fuel injector with selectable intensification

A regeneration device is disclosed. The regeneration device has an injector configured to inject pressurized fuel during an injection event. The regeneration device also has a heater configured to ignite the pressurized fuel during the injection event. The heater is also configured to purge the injector between injection events.

Regeneration system having integral purge and ignition device

A pump has a housing defining at least one pumping chamber, and a plunger slidably disposed within the at least one pumping chamber. The plunger is movable between a first and second spaced apart end positions to pressurize a fluid. The pump also has a driver operatively engaged with the plunger to move the plunger between the first end position and the second end position. The pump further has a high-pressure outlet in fluid communication with the at least one pumping chamber. The high pressure outlet passes pressurized fluid during movement of the plunger between the first end position and the second end position. The passing of pressurized fluid through the high-pressure outlet terminates before the plunger completes movement from the first end position to the second end position.

Variable discharge fuel pump

An engine valve actuation system may include an intake valve moveable between a first position that blocks a flow of fluid and a second position that allows a flow of fluid. The system may also include a cam assembly configured to move the intake valve between the first position and the second position. An electromagnetic actuator may be configured to selectively modify a timing of the intake valve in moving from the second position to the first position.

Engine valve actuation system

An internal combustion engine is provided that includes a high pressure feed line, and a plurality of fuel injectors fluidly connected to the high pressure feed line, each being operable to inject a fuel into the engine. The engine further includes an electronically controlled flow disabler disposed between the high pressure feed line and each one of the fuel injectors. Each of the flow disablers includes an actuator operable to move a valve member toward a closed position at which the flow disabler blocks a fuel flow to the respective fuel injector.

Electronic flow control valve

Reducing leakage within fuel injectors is one way in which the efficiency of the overall fuel injection system can be improved. In most fuel injectors that include a direct control needle valve, the needle valve member is still biased toward a closed position by a spring that is located in a spring chamber connected to a low pressure vent. In many instances, the needle valve member is guided in a tight clearance region adjacent the spring chamber. Since the internal plumbing of the fuel injector is connected to a high pressure rail during and between injection events, static leakage across the guide region of the needle valve member can reduce efficiency. Static leakage is reduced in the present invention by connecting the spring chamber to the common rail instead of to a low pressure vent. Such a fuel injector could find potential application in any directly controlled fuel injection system, but is particularly applicable in common rail systems in which the fuel injector remains fully pressurized between injection events.

Fuel injector with directly controlled highly efficient nozzle assembly and fuel system using same

Engineers have come to learn that a fuel injection system with a variety of capabilities to produce a variety of injection strategies can better perform and reduce emissions at all engine operation conditions than a fuel injection system limited in its control over injection timing, number, quantity and rate shapes. According to the present invention, in order to increase the variability of available injection strategies, a fuel injection system includes at least one fuel injector fluidly connectable to at least a first common rail and a second common rail. By fluidly connecting the fuel injector to the first common rail, fuel can be injected at a first pressure. By fluidly connecting the fuel injector to the second common rail, fuel can be injected at a second pressure that is independent of the first pressure.

Fuel injection system including two common rails for injecting fuel at two independently controlled pressures

Engineers have determined that the ability to front end rate shape injection events can result in a number of advantages, including improved injector performance and a reduction in undesirable emissions. In addition, engineers have learned that it is desirable for the needle valve to open slowly at the beginning of an injection event and to close abruptly to end the injection event. Therefore, the present invention utilizes at least one orifice member that is movably positioned in an injector body such that fluid flowing away from the needle valve member closing hydraulic surface flows through a relatively restricted flow path and fluid flowing toward the needle valve member flow through a relatively unrestricted flow path.

Variable control orifice member and fuel injector using same

An engine valve actuation system is provided that includes an engine valve that is movable between a first position where the engine valve prevents a flow of fluid and a second position where the engine valve allows a flow of fluid. A cam assembly is operatively connected to the engine valve to move the engine valve between the first position and the second position in a predetermined actuation pattern. A valve actuator having a piezo electric device is operable to change the movement of the engine valve from the predetermined actuation pattern. A controller is adapted to control the piezo electric device to achieve a desired valve actuation pattern.

System and method for actuating an engine valve

A fuel injector is provided which has an injector body with a metallic tip having an outer surface. A non-metallic insulator, such as a ceramic, is attached to the tip and covers a portion of the outer surface. Injector tip overheating can be a problem, especially during sustained two-cycle boosted engine compression release braking. In addition, injector tip overheating can be a problem when an engine is experiencing simultaneous engine compression release braking and exhaust braking.

Fuel injector with non-metallic tip insulator

A fluid control valve assembly controls the flow of actuation fluid to and from a fuel injector. The fluid control valve assembly includes at least one solenoid actuator attached to a valve body. The solenoid actuator includes a stator and an armature comprised of a soft magnetic material. At least one of the armature and the stator include an impact surface. The impact surface is coated with a relatively hard, nonmagnetic material coating. Thus, the relatively hard, nonmagnetic material coating will protect the relatively soft, magnetic material comprising the stator and the armature, and increase the durability of the solenoid actuator and the fluid control valve assembly.

Hard coating of an impact surface of a solenoid actuator and fuel injector using same

It is known that performance of actual fuel injectors tends to deviate from performance of a nominal injector as a function of rail pressure and on-time, due to such factors as machining tolerances of fuel injector components. In addition, performance characteristics of fuel injectors tend to change after they have been broken in. These changes can lead to unexpected inconsistencies with other engine components. For example, for those engines which utilize smoke limiting maps, when the injectors are not performing as expected, the injection adjustments that result from use of the smoke limiting maps can sometimes become fruitless. Therefore, the present invention includes two in-chassis strategies for evaluating fuel injector performance, including a bare acceleration test and a loaded fuel injector performance test.

Determination of fuel injector performance in chassis

Electrically controlled fuel injection systems should be able to operate at low voltage. In order to operate an electrically controlled fuel injection system at low voltage, the voltage available to an electrical actuator is monitored. The electrical actuator is coupled to a valve positioned within a passageway in which high pressure actuation fluid flows to and from an hydraulically actuated device, such as a fuel injector and/or an engine brake. If the voltage available to the electrical actuator falls below a predetermined voltage, the pressure differential across the valve is reduced. Although the principal application of the present invention is in the fuel injection system, the present invention has application in any electrically controlled fluid system at low voltage.

Electrically controlled fluid system with ability to operate at low energy conditions

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Ronald Dean Shinogle