Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8051840 | Apparatus for reducing fuel waxing A fuel filter for an internal combustion engine is provided comprising a fuel conduit configured to transport fuel from a fuel tank to an internal combustion engine. A fuel filter manifold has an inlet and an outlet for fluid communication with the fuel conduit. A f... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8020537 | Fuel economizer fuel vapor system for internal combustion engine A fuel vaporizer system for an internal combustion engine including a first closed chamber defining a first volume, the first closed chamber having a heat transfer surface; a second closed chamber at least partially surrounding the first closed chamber and defining ... | 09/20/2011 |
| 7992549 | Method of fueling an internal combustion engine using pressurized and heated fuel A method of operating an internal combustion engine comprises the steps of (a) pressurizing a liquid fuel to a pressure above 150 psig; (b) heating the liquid fuel to a temperature above 500° F. to produce a heated liquid fuel; (c) suddenly reducing the pressure of... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7980230 | Fuel economizer fuel vapor system for internal combustion engine A fuel vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having a closed pressure chamber defining a volume, to be heated, and a liquid fuel supply system disposed to emit a liquid fuel spray. The closed pressure chamber may be constructed and arranged relative to the hea... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7963271 | System and method for heating viscous fuel supplied to diesel engines A heat transfer system is used for heating a viscous fuel supplied to a diesel engine. The heat transfer system includes a heat exchanger provided at a predetermined location within the heat transfer system. A hot fluid and viscous fuel are circulated in a heat exch... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7963272 | System and method for fueling diesel engines with vegetable oil A heated fuel delivery system for vegetable oil or other fuels of temperature dependent viscosity, which may be used as fuel for a diesel engine. The system includes one or more heated fuel lines and/or a heated fuel tank to heat the fuel and reduce its viscosity fo... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7938104 | Fuel evaporator system for vaporizing liquid fuels to be used within combustion-powered devices A liquid fuel supply and evaporator system for use in connection with combustion-powered fastener-driving tools comprises an evaporator housing which is disposed in thermal communication with the combustion chamber housing of the tool in order to absorb heat or ther... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7886725 | Fuel economizer fuel vapor system for internal combustion engine A fuel vaporizer for an internal combustion engine having a closed pressure chamber defining a volume, to be heated, and a liquid fuel supply system disposed to emit a liquid fuel spray. The closed pressure chamber may be constructed and arranged relative to the hea... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7832382 | Chemical heating device for cold environment heating utility use A strap-like support includes means for removably affixing chemical heating elements to one side of the support and means for removably securing the ends of the support whereby the support can be removably attached to the fuel filter of a diesel engine. Alternativel... | 11/16/2010 |
| 7748365 | Portable gas powered internal combustion engine arrangement A gas powered internal combustion engine in which the gas is provided from pressurized liquid gas in an LPG container and in which the LPG container is rigidly mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine at a preselected angle to be in conductive heat transfe... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7743755 | Portable gas powered internal combustion engine arrangement A gas powered internal combustion engine in which the gas is provided from pressurized liquid gas in an LPG container and in which the LPG container is rigidly mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine at a preselected angle to be in conductive heat transfe... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7681558 | System and method to control fuel vaporization A method for improving fuel heating is presented. The method can reduce system complexity and cost when fuel is heated within a fuel injector. In one embodiment, the method independently heats and injects fuel by changing the direction of current flow through a fuel... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7661414 | Internal combustion engine system An internal combustion engine system includes a fuel tank containing ethanol, a fuel tank containing at least one of gasoline and GTL naphtha, a reforming device for reforming ethanol to obtain diethyl ether, a heat exchange device for heating a heating medium, an e... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7650878 | System and method for fueling diesel engines with vegetable oil A heated fuel delivery system for vegetable oil or other fuels of temperature dependent viscosity, which may be used as fuel for a diesel engine. The system includes one or more heated fuel lines and/or a heated fuel tank to heat the fuel and reduce its viscosity fo... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7644705 | Fuel delivery system Fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine comprising a method and apparatus for generating and delivering a homogeneous charge with a variable fuel/air ratio which relies on fuel-absorbent, air-permeable evaporative wick membranes in a primary mixing re... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7631637 | System for improving fuel utilization A vapor fuel air mixture supply system for a combustion engine, whereby the mixture of air and fuel vapor is elevated in temperature prior to combustion. The liquid fuel may be vaporized in a fractionation process and further heated to enhance flame speed combustion... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7578287 | Fuel filter for automobile In a fuel filter for an automobile, a filter element for filtering fuel is accommodated in a tubular filter case having a bottom surface and a side surface. A fuel heater is mounted on the side surface of the filter case. Therefore, the filter case and the filter el... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7543575 | Fuel system for an internal combustion engine A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a delivery unit and a pressure region into which the delivery unit feeds; the fuel system includes at least one heater and a control unit, which activates the heater when the delivery unit is switched off so t... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7527047 | Regulator thermostat support of heat engine with external hot water circuit The invention concerns a regulator thermostat support of heat engine with external hot water circuit, consisting of a specific regulator thermostat housing support (11) replacing the existing support and comprising means (12, 13) for mounting a double ... | 05/05/2009 |
| 7478628 | Vapor and liquid fuel injection system A fuel delivery system and method in an internal combustion engine including directing fuel in thermal contact with an exhaust system of the engine to vaporize the fuel, using liquid fuel when vaporized fuel is not available, and controlling the temperature of the v... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7451747 | Heating system for liquefied gas fuel supply apparatus and fuel supply appartus for liquefied gas engine A heating system for liquefied gas fuel supply apparatus is applied to a liquefied gas fuel supply apparatus that causes a vaporizer to vaporize liquefied gas fuel and supplies the vaporized fuel to an internal combustion engine, the heating system including a circu... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7424886 | Portable gas powered internal combustion engine arrangement A gas powered internal combustion engine in which the gas is provided from pressurized liquid gas in an LPG container and in which the LPG container is rigidly mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine at a preselected angle to be in conductive heat transfe... | 09/16/2008 |
| 7415975 | Operating system, kit and method for engine An operating system and method for an engine is provided in which at least some fuel is preheated prior to delivery to the combustion system of the engine. A control system is also provided to operate the engine at higher than normal excess air ratios. The system ca... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7404395 | Devices and methods for conditioning or vaporizing liquid fuel in an intermittent combustion engine A device and method for conditioning and/or volumetric heating fuel within an intermittent combustion engine in order to enhance fuel combustion and emission performance is provided. Such a device can include a fuel injector configured to eject a fuel spray having a... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7401601 | Heat exchanger module For use in an internal combustion engine equipped with a fuel injection system, a heat exchanger module features a distributor block, which is connected via at least one first fuel line with the intake of the injection system and via at least one second fuel line wi... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7398771 | Device for heating A device for heating a first medium which is in liquid state and/or frozen state includes a reservoir disposed on an engine-driven vehicle and an element for heating the first medium present in the reservoir. The heating element is disposed inside the reservoir for ... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7373932 | Heating apparatus for liquefied gas fuel supply system A heating apparatus for a liquefied gas fuel supply system includes a heating unit, a detecting unit and a setting unit. The liquefied gas fuel supply system vaporizes liquefied gas fuel to supply the vaporized gas fuel to an internal-combustion engine. The heating ... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7370610 | On-board fuel fractionation system and methods to generate an engine starting fuel A Fuel Fractionation System (FFS) and associated methods to generate and store a fuel for internal combustion engines is provided. FFS provides a distillation column assembly to distill liquid fuel to form a volatile light fraction secondary fuel. The distillation c... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7360368 | System and method for vaporizing a cryogenically stored fuel A system and method for vaporizing a cryogenically stored fuel, particularly hydrogen, liquefied by cooling below the ambient temperature is provided. A system for vaporizing a cryogenically stored fuel uses heat arising in the area of a fuel consumer, and includes:... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7357124 | Multiple capillary fuel injector for an internal combustion engine A fuel injector for vaporizing a liquid fuel for use in an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector includes a plurality of capillary flow passages, each of the plurality of capillary flow passages having an inlet end and an outlet end; a heat source arranged a... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7353810 | Heating element for fuel tank A heating element for a fuel tank takes the form of an immersion heater commonly used in process applications to heat the contents of a fuel tank. The heater would be encased within a well for ease of servicing and replacement as well as safety. The tank heater woul... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7350514 | System for vaporizing liquid fuel The vaporizing liquid fuel system converts virtually all of the liquid passing through it to a vapor state for chemical or physical processes in the vapor state. One chemical process is combustion in an engine or fuel burning apparatus such as a heating device. The ... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7337768 | Multiple capillary fuel injector for an internal combustion engine A fuel injector for delivering fuel to an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector includes a fuel injector housing, a system for metering vaporized fuel to the internal combustion engine, the system positioned within the fuel injector housing, and a system for... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7337869 | Hydraulic hybrid vehicle with integrated hydraulic drive module and four-wheel-drive, and method of operation thereof A vehicle includes an integrated drive module coupled to an axle thereof. The module includes a hydraulic motor configured to provide motive power at an output shaft, and a differential for distributing the motive power to right and left portions of the axle. The hy... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7322404 | Helical coil-on-tube heat exchanger A coil on tube heat exchanger is provided that uses multiple parallel helical coil tubes to limit liquid pressure losses while providing similar performance and production times to previous coil and tube designs. Two or more coil tubes are wrapped together around a ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7316207 | Devices, systems and methods for introducing additives into an internal combustion engine Device, systems and methods for introducing water into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, incorporating an injector and a heater, are shown and described. The injector is configured to inject water at a pulse rate and frequency controlled by va... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7311268 | Nozzle body for a cleaning system on a motor vehicle A nozzle body for a cleaning system on a motor vehicle includes at least one feed line element adapted for connection to a cleaning liquid supply container. At least one nozzle element is connected to the feed line element by a channel section in the basic body. A h... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7287521 | System and method for improved engine starting using heated intake air A system for an internal combustion engine, the engine having an intake and exhaust manifold, the system comprising of a heat exchanger configured to extract energy from engine exhaust gases; a catalyst coupled between said heat exchanger and the exhaust manifold of... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7287744 | Fuel conditioning apparatus A fuel conditioning system (10) comprises a housing (12) defining a chamber (14) and provided with an inlet (16) upstream of the chamber (14) and an outlet (18) downstream of the chamber (14). A hemispherical seat ( | 10/30/2007 |
| 7249596 | Fuel system for an internal combustion engine and method for controlling same A fuel system for use in an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of fuel injectors, each injector including at least one capillary flow passage, the at least one capillary flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end, a heat source arranged along th... | 07/31/2007 |
