Patents Examined by Jason Sheppard
  • Patent number: 9238992
    Abstract: An exhaust system in an engine includes an exhaust passage including an outlet, in fluidic communication with at least one combustion chamber in the engine, and integrated into a cylinder head in the engine and a flow rotation element including at least one vane, the flow rotation element positioned in the outlet of the exhaust passage swirling exhaust airflow exiting the exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Moetakef, Steve Poe
  • Patent number: 9228476
    Abstract: A device of an engine having a plurality of cylinders includes: exhaust passages each connected with either a single cylinder or two or more cylinders having non-adjacent exhaust order; a manifold section connected with each downstream end of the exhaust passages; a catalyst device downstream of the manifold section; and a valve driver. Within a low-speed and high-load engine operating range, the valve driver drives intake and exhaust valves of each cylinder such that, for a particular cylinder, a period of positive valve overlap overlaps an exhaust valve opening time of another cylinder adjacent in the exhaust order. The manifold section includes a part that reduces in diameter downstream from the upstream end of the manifold section, and a straight part with a substantially fixed flow area extending upstream from the downstream end of the manifold section. In this way, negative pressure may be generated due to an ejector effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9194276
    Abstract: Exhaust routing devices are disclosed that include (a) a body defining an exhaust routing chamber, the body having an intake port configured to provide fluid communication between the exhaust port of a cylinder head and the chamber, and two outlet ports configured to provide fluid communication between the chamber and first and second exhaust pipes; and (b) a gate, mounted within the chamber to pivot between a first position, in which the gate occludes one of the outlet ports, and a second position, in which the gate occludes the other outlet port. Exhaust routing systems and method of using them are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Dennis Wirt
  • Patent number: 9194315
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio imbalance among cylinders determining apparatus (a determining apparatus) according to an aspect of the present invention, obtains a parameter X for imbalance determination which becomes larger as a variation of an air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas passing through a position at which the air-fuel ratio sensor is disposed becomes larger, based on an output value Vabyfs of an air-fuel ratio sensor 67. At the same time, the determining apparatus changes a target air-fuel ratio which is a target value of an air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to an engine to “an air-fuel ratio (a target rich air-fuel ratio AFrich or a target lean air-fuel ratio AFlean) other than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio” from the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. Accordingly, the determining apparatus can obtain the parameter X for imbalance determination in a state in which a responsivity of the air-fuel ratio sensor 67 is not low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Iwazaki, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Hiroshi Sawada, Keiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 9181828
    Abstract: The description relates to an internal combustion engine having a turbocharger, having a first particle filter in the intake section of the internal combustion engine and having a low-pressure EGR line that comprises a second particle filter. A fast-reacting low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation system with small dimensions can be realized by virtue of the EGR line branching off from the exhaust section upstream of the first particle filter, and the second particle filter being provided with a heater. The description also relates to a corresponding EGR method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Winge Vigild, Daniel Roettger
  • Patent number: 9181930
    Abstract: Methods for increasing the enthalpy of a geothermal brine, methods for recovering heat enthalpy stored in a geothermal brine, and methods for the production of a heated brine from a natural geothermal reservoir are provided. The methods may be incorporated into a geosolar electric power generation project to provide a steady and flexible source of renewable energy from a geothermal heat source in combination with solar insolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Skibo Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Paul M. Klemencic
  • Patent number: 9174625
    Abstract: To improve the purification action of a catalytic converter that is being heated but has not yet reached a desired operating temperature, the internal combustion engine is driven by an electric machine to convey a flow of heating medium through a catalytic converter for heating purposes before the internal combustion engine is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Baum, Thomas Rauner
  • Patent number: 9169765
    Abstract: A method of regenerating a diesel particulate filter involves directing an exhaust stream from a combustion engine through the diesel particulate filter and selectively introducing a syngas stream at least periodically into the diesel particulate filter to regenerate it. The syngas stream is introduced at a first average flow rate during an initial regeneration stage and at a second average flow rate during a subsequent regeneration stage. In preferred embodiments the flow rate is varied in order to reduce temperature spikes and/or the rate at which CO slips through the filter during regeneration. In certain embodiments the first average flow rate is lower than the second average flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: WESTPORT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Campbell R. McConnell, Paul Sebright Towgood
  • Patent number: 9080493
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: a catalyst that is provided in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine; a HC adsorption member that is provided in the exhaust system at a position downstream of the catalyst, and that has a function of adsorbing hydrocarbon in exhaust gas; a secondary air supply device that supplies secondary air to the exhaust system at a portion upstream of the catalyst; a supply prohibition unit that prohibits supply of the secondary air when the internal combustion engine is started; and a supply start time control unit that controls the time when supply of the secondary air is started after the internal combustion engine is started based on the amount of hydrocarbon discharged from the internal combustion engine or a value correlated with the amount of hydrocarbon discharged from the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9062581
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas muffler includes a casing and a relief valve. The relief valve is provided to open when a pressure of an upstream exhaust-gas chamber is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The relief valve includes a shutter, a spring, and a seal member. The shutter member is provided to face an open end of a gas passage provided between an upstream exhaust-gas chamber and a downstream exhaust-gas chamber. The spring is to bias the shutter member in a direction in which the gas passage is closed. The seal member is disposed on a downstream side of the gas passage. The seal member is made of a metal mesh material and has a disc shape to cover the open end of the gas passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanori Usa, Tsuyoshi Mochizuki, Makoto Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9003784
    Abstract: A module for a thermoelectric generator includes first and second ends, at least one inner tube and one outer tube disposed around the outside of the inner tube and at least one thermoelectric element disposed between the inner and outer tubes. The inner and outer tubes are each electrically insulated from the at least one thermoelectric element. At least one electrically conductive first contact is provided on each of the first and second ends, for electrically conductively connecting the at least one thermoelectric element to an electrical conductor. The module can conduct a fluid or coolant flow through the module from the first end to the second end. An electrical conductor, a thermoelectric generator, a motor vehicle and a method for producing a module, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Sigrid Limbeck, Rolf Brück
  • Patent number: 8978360
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon and NOx trap and related apparatus and methods for reducing cold-start NOx emissions from an engine are provided. In one embodiment a trap includes a first, topmost layer, exposed to an exhaust gas flow path of exhaust gases from an engine, the first layer comprising a zeolite, a second layer, substantially covered by the topmost layer, the second layer comprising a NOx adsorbing material and a monolithic substrate, directly supporting the second layer and indirectly supporting the first layer, the substrate providing a substantially rigid structure of the trap. In this way, engine emissions, such as NOx and hydrocarbons may be adsorbed over the exhaust trap at low temperature and then thermally released, limiting cold start emissions beyond engines that only include a lean NOx trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Giovanni Cavataio, Jason Aaron Lupescu, Shane Elwart, James Michael Kerns, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 8973349
    Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system is provided, having an internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas conduit, an electrically heated catalyst (“EHC”) device, an oxidization catalyst (“OC”) device, an OC temperature sensor, a hydrocarbon (“HC”) adsorber, and a control module. The hydrocarbon supply is selectively activated for delivery of a hydrocarbon and formation of an exhaust gas and hydrocarbon mixture therein. The EHC device is selectively activated to produce heat and induce oxidization. The OC device is in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit and located downstream of the EHC device. The OC temperature sensor is in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit and located downstream of the OC device. The HC adsorber is located downstream of the EHC device. The control module is in communication with the hydrocarbon supply, the EHC device, the OC device, the OC temperature sensor, and the HC adsorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eugene V. Gonze, Michael J. Paratore, Jr., Christopher J. Kalebjian
  • Patent number: 8959897
    Abstract: An apparatus that raises temperature of a post-catalyst at an early time while suppressing reducing agent poisoning of the post-catalyst and discharge of a reducing agent into the outside when a pre-catalyst and the post-catalyst are arranged in series in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine in order from an upstream side thereof. The pre-catalyst is arranged to allow an exhaust gas to flow between an outer peripheral surface thereof and an inner peripheral surface of the exhaust passage. A reducing agent addition valve adding a reducing agent to allow the reducing agent to pass through the pre-catalyst is arranged immediately upstream of the pre-catalyst in the exhaust passage. Further, a retention catalyst is arranged in the exhaust passage between the pre-catalyst and the post-catalyst, to temporarily retain the reducing agent in the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 8925303
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control device of an internal combustion engine has an exhaust treatment device that purifies an exhaust gas. The exhaust gas control device is formed such that unburned fuel is supplied into the exhaust gas by a fuel addition valve, and the unburned fuel is ignited by a glow plug, to generate thereby a flame that reaches an upstream end of an exhaust treatment device. The unburned fuel is caused to become adhered to the upstream end of the exhaust treatment device before a generated flame reaches the exhaust treatment device. Then, the unburned fuel adhered to the upstream end of the exhaust treatment device burns by the flame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Tsujimoto, Mikio Inoue
  • Patent number: 8800271
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an SCR system of a vessel for discharging exhaust gas from an exhaust gas source in the vessel to an outside after performing purification of the exhaust gas. The SCR system includes an SCR reactor connected at a leading end thereof to the exhaust gas source and including a catalyst activated by the exhaust gas introduced into the SCR reactor, a reducing agent supply line supplying NH3 or urea into the SCR reactor, and a bypass system forcing the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust gas source to bypass the SCR reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Kwang Sung Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keai Yoon Hwang, Sung Chul Hwang
  • Patent number: 8713914
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device of an exhaust aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine operating lean of stoichiometry includes injecting a reductant into an exhaust gas feedstream upstream of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device at a predetermined mass flowrate of the reductant, and determining a space velocity associated with a predetermined forward portion of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device. When the space velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold space velocity, a temperature differential across the predetermined forward portion of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device is determined, and a threshold temperature as a function of the space velocity and the mass flowrate of the reductant is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Steven J. Schmieg, Michael B. Viola, Shi-Wai S. Cheng, Patricia A. Mulawa, David L. Hilden, Thompson M. Sloane, Jong H. Lee
  • Patent number: 8683782
    Abstract: Supply system for a liquid comprising a liquid tank, a supply line, a pump, a filter and a device that makes it possible to purge the line, pump and filter and that comprises a non-return device preventing liquid from entering into these elements once they have been purged. In this system, the pump, filter and non-return device are combined in a compact module, the filter at least partly surrounding the pump and the non-return device being an integral part of a common housing that surrounds the filter and at least one part of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Inergy Automotive Systems Research
    Inventors: Joel Op De Beeck, Julien Conesa, Laurent Budzyk
  • Patent number: 8677737
    Abstract: An engine powered machine is provided with a high-performance exhaust gas purification system and is capable of promptly raising a temperature of an operator's cab to a comfortable temperature. The exhaust gas purification system that makes use of an NOx removal catalyst and a reducing agent is provided with a reducing agent heater for heating a reducing agent, which is stored in a reducing agent tank, with heat of an engine cooling medium and an on/off device for controlling an introduction of the engine cooling medium into the reducing agent heater. When a temperature of the engine cooling medium is higher than a first predetermined temperature, a temperature of the reducing agent in the tank is lower than a second predetermined temperature and a temperature in an operator's cab is lower than a third predetermined temperature, a controller switches the on/off device into a closed state to increase a flow rate of the engine cooling medium to be guided to a heat exchanger of a heating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Kamiya, Kazunori Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8650859
    Abstract: A reducing agent addition valve is arranged in a position in which at least part of a reducing agent added to an exhaust gas in an exhaust passage at a location upstream of a precatalyst reaches the precatalyst in the state of liquid, and the reducing agent is supplied in a more suitable state to an exhaust gas purification device which is arranged in the exhaust passage at a downstream side of the precatalyst. When the addition of the reducing agent is performed by the reducing agent addition valve, the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing into the precatalyst is decreased so that at least part of the reducing agent, which has reached the precatalyst and has vaporized in the precatalyst, is caused to flow back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Tsujimoto