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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8166932 | Method for determining the instant when the movable element of a solenoid valve reaches its end position following energization of the solenoid, by means of an analysis of the switching frequence of the solenoid driving current The movable element of a solenoid valve is displaced by means of application to the solenoid of alternating phases at constant voltage and at zero voltage, so as to give rise to an alternation of phases of charging and discharging of the solenoid (switching), corres... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8132548 | Engine valve control system and method A method of operating an engine including at least a cylinder and a valve controlled by an electric valve actuator is disclosed. In one example, a valve holding current is determined during movement of the valve. The method may be useful for determining individual h... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8047166 | Electric valve actuation system A machine includes a piston disposed in a housing and configured to reciprocate in the housing. At least one valve is coupled to the housing. A magnetically-geared valve actuation system is coupled to the at least one valve. A plurality of sensors is configured to d... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8037853 | Internal combustion engine with electronic valve actuators and control system therefor A valve assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a stationary permanent magnet assembly having at least one permanent magnet for generating a permanent magnetic field and a movable coil assembly having at least one coil of electrically conductive material... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8025034 | Interval phasing for valve timing A system for communicating information between a valve controller and an engine controller is presented. The system is designed to improve the timing of data transferred between two controllers. ... | 09/27/2011 |
| 8006657 | Mode-switching cam follower A mode-switching cam follower is disclosed, wherein the follower includes a body, a cam contact movably coupled to the body, and a latch member movably coupled to the body. A shape-memory alloy in communication with the latch member couples and decouples the latch m... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7984701 | Device for controlling the movement of a valve, in particular of an intake valve, of an internal combustion engine The device is adapted to control the movement of a valve (1) of an internal combustion engine comprising a stem (1a) which may move in translation through an opening (2a) of a hollow guide body (2) and which ends in a mushro... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7980209 | Electromagnetic valve actuator and valve guide having reduced temperature sensitivity An internal combustion engine includes an electromagnetic valve actuator having an armature between upper and lower electromagnets with a stem extending through one electromagnet and guided by a bushing with increased clearance about at least a portion of the inner ... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7946261 | Electromagnetic actuator with two electromagnets comprising magnets having different forces and method of controlling an internal combustion engine valve using same An electromagnetic actuator including an actuating member associated with an armature and able to move between two extreme positions under the action of an elastic member and two electromagnets that attract the armature to one of the extreme positions, where the ele... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7913655 | Electromagnetically-driven valve An electromagnetically-driven valve includes intake valves that are provided in a gasoline engine and that are arranged side by side; a valve plate that connects the intake valves to each other, wherein driving force that is generated by electromagnetic force is tra... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7878161 | Sliding mode control apparatus and adjusting method A sliding mode control apparatus. When displacing a controlled object to which an urging force is applied by an elastic member from one displacement end to the other displacement end, the control apparatus sets a switching hyperplane and controls the controlled obje... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7874271 | Method of operating a valve apparatus for an internal combustion engine A method includes operating an internal combustion engine according to a four-stroke combustion cycle. The four-stroke combustion cycle includes a combustion stroke, an exhaust stroke, an intake stroke and a compression stroke. A valve associated with a cylinder of ... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7841309 | Gas exchange valve actuator for a valve-controlled internal combustion engine A gas exchange valve actuator for a valve-controlled internal combustion engine is equipped with a rotor, which is to be coupled to a valve member, and a stator, wherein the rotor has at least two stacks, which are arranged at a predetermined distance from one anoth... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7823548 | Adjusting ballistic valve timing A method to adjust timing of an electrically actuated valve, said electrically actuated valve operating in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising during a cycle of said cylinder, opening said electrically actuated valve at a first valve o... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7819095 | Electronic valve system An internal combustion engine comprises a number of cylinders. The cylinders have electronically activated intake valves. Ignition coils for the cylinders are responsive to respective ignition signals such that charge accumulates in a coil for a cylinder when the ig... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7798110 | Electromagnet-equipped control device for an internal combustion engine valve The invention pertains to a device for controlling the opening and closing of an internal combustion engine valve. This device is characterized in that the magnetic circuit of the electromagnet and/or the plate contains a magnetic material having a remnant magnetiza... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7717071 | Electromechanical valve timing during a start A method for starting an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising during at least a run-up in engine speed of engine starting, adjusting intake valve timing of an electrically actuated valve of a cylinder to provide a desir... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7681539 | Method for improving operation of an electrically operable mechanical valve A method to improve the performance of an electrically operable mechanical valve actuator is described. The system is capable of providing heat to targeted areas of an actuator so that valve performance may be improved during at least some operating conditions. ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7658171 | Fuel tuned variable valve timing A system and method for fuel tuned variable valve timing is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder being further associated with at least two exhaust valves. A first exhaust valve operates according to a first valve lift curve that is... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7654235 | Valve actuating device The invention relates to an actuating device that actuates engine valves, comprising magnetizing means, a spring having a fixed end connected to an adjustable stop and having a moving end connected to the valve (1). The adjustable stop comprises meshing means... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7640899 | Adjusting electrically actuated valve lift A system and method for controlling electromechanical valves operating in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve operation can be adjusted in a number of ways. ... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7600494 | Operation of electrically actuated valves at lower temperatures A system and method for controlling electromechanical valves operating in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve operation can be improved by heating the valves, at least during some conditions. ... | 10/13/2009 |
| 7591237 | Electromechanical variable valve actuator with a spring controller Actuators, and corresponding methods and systems for controlling such actuators, provide independent lift and timing control with minimum energy consumption. In an exemplary embodiment, an electromechanical actuator comprises a housing, first and second electromagne... | 09/22/2009 |
| 7588002 | Programmable high speed valve actuator and power supply therefor An electromagnetic actuator is described in which a rotor comprising permanent magnet means is rotatable in a stator which is magnetisable by causing an electric current to flow through at least one winding associated with the stator. The rotor has at least two stab... | 09/15/2009 |
| 7584727 | Permanent magnet electromagnetic actuator for an electronic valve actuation system of an engine A valve actuator for an internal combustion engine, comprising of a core having a wound coil located therein, the core further having at least one permanent magnet located at least partially within a space defined by the coil and positioned at an angle relative to a... | 09/08/2009 |
| 7578270 | Heat activated valve system An electronically actuated valve assembly for an internal combustion engine is disclosed, wherein the valve assembly comprises a valve stem, a shape memory alloy actuator in operative communication with the valve stem, a coolant passage through which at least a port... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7540265 | Valve actuating device The invention relates to an actuating device that actuates at least one valve pair (1) of an internal combustion engine, housed inside a housing (2) comprising, for each valve (1), magnetizing means (4, 5), at least one spring (6) ... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7540264 | Initialization of electromechanical valve actuator in an internal combustion engine A method for initializing valves of an engine having a starting apparatus is disclosed. The engine may have electromechanically actuated cylinder valves. The method comprises moving at least a first valve away from a neutral position of the first valve before the en... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7527027 | Abnormality determination apparatus for intake amount control mechanism An abnormality determination apparatus for an intake amount control mechanism according to the invention includes a control portion which sets an allowable range of an opening amount of a throttle valve which provided in an intake passageway of an internal combustio... | 05/05/2009 |
| 7509931 | Power electronics circuit for electromechanical valve actuator of an internal combustion engine A dual coil half bridge converter adapted to be coupled to a dual coil actuator of a cylinder valve in an internal combustion engine is described. In one example, the converter has a first and second capacitor and a voltage source, where the converter is actuated vi... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7487749 | Electromechanical valve actuator for internal combustion engines and internal combustion engine equipped with such an actuator An electromagnetic valve actuator for internal combustion engines, includes an electromagnet and a mobile magnetic plate intended to come into contact with a part of the electromagnet. At least one stop is located on the electromagnet or on the plate to limit the co... | 02/10/2009 |
| 7464674 | Induction air acoustics management for internal combustion engine A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine control an actuator in response to variations of intake airflow relative to an average intake airflow to manage induction acoustics. The system and method may include controlling an actuator, such as ... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7461619 | Valve apparatus for an internal combustion engine A method includes operating a first cylinder defined by an internal combustion engine in a combustion mode and operating selectively a second cylinder defined by the internal combustion engine in one of a combustion mode or a pumping mode. When the first cylinder is... | 12/09/2008 |
| 7458345 | Adjusting ballistic valve timing A system and method for controlling electromechanical valves operating in an engine is presented. According to the method, valve timing can be adjusted in a number of ways. The method can also compensate for changes in the natural response of the valve apparatus. | 12/02/2008 |
| 7451728 | Electronic controlled system for engines A rotatable media storage disk creates a simulation of the rotational motion of a cam shaft which would typically provide signals to the vehicle's computer for cam shaft position and necessary requirement for valve operation. A sensor controller has been provided to... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7448350 | Internal combustion engine with electronic valve actuators and control system therefor A valve assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a stationary permanent magnet assembly having at least one permanent magnet for generating a permanent magnetic field with a radial component and a movable coil assembly having at least one coil of electric... | 11/11/2008 |
| 7441519 | Engine valve actuation system 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 f... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7438032 | Method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine The invention relates to an internal combustion engine comprising an inlet tract, leading to the inlet to a cylinder where a gas inlet valve is arranged. A valve drive for the gas inlet valve is provided, by means of which the valve stroke of the gas inlet may be ad... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7438030 | Actuator operated microvalves An actuator operated microvalve and the method of making same is disclosed and claimed. The microvalve comprises a SiC housing which includes a first lower portion and a second upper portion. The lower portion of the SiC housing includes a passageway therethrough, a... | 10/21/2008 |
| 7434552 | Method for controlling and/or regulating a constant voltage converter for at least two electromagnetic valves of an internal combustion engine, especially an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle A method for controlling and/or regulating a d.c. converter for at least two electromagnetic valves of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is provided. A current generated by the d.c. converter is supplied to each valve. A determination is made as to wh... | 10/14/2008 |
