Patents Examined by Jonathan R Matthias
  • Patent number: 11773761
    Abstract: The enclosed disclosure relates to vehicle systems in which an engine, a particulate filter fluidly coupled with the engine, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system fluidly coupled with the engine downstream of the particulate filter, an electrical heating device implemented with the particulate filter, and a controller operatively coupled with the engine and the electrical heating device, are implemented. The controller can detect, when the engine is turned off, a condition for turning on the engine, detect a temperature of the particulate filter of the SCR system, activate the electrical heating device in response to the detected temperature being below a lower temperature threshold, and turn on the engine in response to the detected temperature being at or above the lower temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Jinyong Luo, Xiaobo Song, Colin L. Norris, Xing Jin, Matthew L. Anderson, Ying Yuan
  • Patent number: 11772485
    Abstract: In an engine, an air cleaner and a muffler are located laterally opposite to each other with an engine body therebetween, the air cleaner and the muffler are located forward of the engine body in the longitudinal direction, a fuel tank is longer laterally than longitudinally when viewed from above and is located rearward of the engine body in the longitudinal direction, and an oil filler port which is sealed by a cap is provided to the fuel tank at a position laterally deviated leftward. A level gauge, which can be visually recognized when the cap is removed and the oil filler port is viewed from above and from the front side longitudinally, is provided inside the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunori Matsubara, Ryota Morinaga
  • Patent number: 11767781
    Abstract: An exhaust treatment system includes an exhaust line, a series of emission treatment units, and an electronic control unit. The series of emission treatment units includes a catalytic unit, a particulate filter unit, an oxidation catalytic unit, a hydrogen injection unit, and a Lean NOx Trap (LNT) for trapping select emissions. A method of operating an exhaust treatment system includes introducing a fuel to a combustion engine of a motor vehicle, directing emissions from the combustion engine to an exhaust line, and passing the emissions in the exhaust line through a series of emission treatment units on the exhaust line. The method further includes injecting hydrogen into the exhaust line via a hydrogen injection unit, where an amount of hydrogen gas injected from a hydrogen inlet line reduces the trapped emissions in the LNT to an inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Emmanuel Laigle, Christophe Chaillou, Caroline Norsic, André Nicolle
  • Patent number: 11761367
    Abstract: A shielding element, which comprises at least two sections that are embodied to be linearly connected to each other in abutting fashion on at least one contact surface so as to enclose a three-dimensionally shaped profile or pipe segment of an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine over a certain length when in use. In order to modify a shielding element of the above-mentioned type while amplifying its effect with other positive properties, it is proposed for the sections of the shielding element to each comprise at least one electrical heating system, which, in an installed position, is thermally directed at the pipe segment that is to be enclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Andreas Hubert, Peter Schölzel
  • Patent number: 11753973
    Abstract: An exhaust apparatus includes a chamber disposed below an engine, an inlet pipe guiding exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe to the chamber, a tail pipe discharging the exhaust gas from the chamber to an outside, a first partition wall partitioning an inside of the chamber to a pair of left and right spaces, and a second partition wall partitioning one of the left and right spaces to a pair of front and rear spaces. Another of the left and right spaces is a first expansion chamber into which the inlet pipe enters. A rear space of the front and rear spaces is a second expansion chamber disposed downstream of the first expansion chamber. A front space of the front and rear spaces is a third expansion chamber disposed downstream of the second expansion chamber, and the tail pipe enters into the front space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kohei Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11753980
    Abstract: Engine exhaust gas treatment article comprising a contoured honeycomb body (300) including a contoured outlet end face (316) are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing an engine exhaust gas treatment article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Thorsten Rolf Boger, Ameya Vinay Joshi, Konstantin Vladimirovich Khodosevich, Kunal Upendra Sakekar, Edward Zhmayev
  • Patent number: 11746719
    Abstract: To keep medium purification efficiency at a high level and prevent deterioration of emission performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11725564
    Abstract: A method includes acquiring nitrogen oxide (NOx) data indicative of a first amount of NOx in an exhaust flow exiting an engine and a second amount of NOx in the exhaust flow exiting an exhaust aftertreatment system coupled to the engine where the exhaust aftertreatment system including a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system including a SCR catalyst; determining a NOx conversion efficiency fault is present within the exhaust aftertreatment system based on the first amount of NOx and the second amount of NOx; monitoring an actual amount of NOx in the exhaust flow downstream of the SCR catalyst; determining an expected amount of NOx downstream of the SCR catalyst; and determining the SCR catalyst is responsible for the NOx conversion efficiency fault in response to the actual amount of NOx differing from the expected amount of NOx by more than a threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Aniket Gupta, Michael J. Cunningham, Michael Haas, Govindarajan Kothandaraman
  • Patent number: 11719147
    Abstract: The exhaust gas after-treatment system of an engine configured as a gas engine or as a dual-fuel engine includes a catalyst, that can be flowed through by exhaust gas, a control tube extending through a recess in the catalyst, which control tube is movable relative to the catalyst and is flowable through by exhaust gas, and an actuator which is equipped to move the control tube relative to the catalyst dependent on at least one operating condition of the engine and/or at least one operating condition of the exhaust gas after-treatment system such that in a first relative position of the control tube relative to the catalyst, the catalyst can be flowed through by exhaust gas but not the control tube, and in a second relative position of the control tube relative to the catalyst, the control tube can be flowed through by the exhaust gas but not the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: MAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS SE
    Inventor: Klaus Strobl
  • Patent number: 11719148
    Abstract: A diesel exhaust fluid transfer circuit providing a fluid transfer connector for securely connecting a port fitting of a diesel exhaust fluid device to a diesel exhaust fluid hose. The fluid transfer connector comprises an attachment nut attachable to a port fitting of the diesel exhaust fluid device. The fluid transfer connector further comprises a hose adapter including a fluid conduit and an annular wiper seal coaxially aligned with the fluid conduit. With the attachment nut attached to the port fitting, the fluid conduit is slidable over the port fitting and connectable to the attachment nut, and the annular wiper seal wipes any residue on the port fitting as the fluid conduit is slid over the port fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Inventor: Shawn A. Rockey
  • Patent number: 11719151
    Abstract: A system includes a controller configured to perform an enable operation responsive to receiving information indicative of an enable parameter, the enable operation includes: determining a predicted downstream NOx value of an exhaust gas stream exiting a NOx storage catalyst; determining a downstream NOx value of the exhaust gas stream exiting the NOx storage catalyst; determining an error between the predicted downstream NOx value and the determined downstream NOx value; comparing the error to an error threshold; and determining that the NOx storage catalyst is in good health responsive to determining that the error does not exceed the error threshold. The controller is further configured to perform a disable operation responsive to receiving information indicative of a disable parameter, the disable operation causing a deactivation of at least a portion of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Haas, Krishna Kamasamudrum, Ashok Kumar
  • Patent number: 11713703
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrically heated catalyst device includes preparation of a metal thin plate as a material of a metal electrode layer. The metal thin plate includes wiring portions, a base, a terminal portion, a second base, and a pseudo terminal portion. The method includes supplying current between the terminal portion and the pseudo terminal portion of the metal thin plate after fixing layers are formed; and forming the metal electrode layer by removing a portion of the metal thin plate between a smallest cross-sectional area portion and a distal end of the pseudo terminal portion through melting and cutting of the smallest cross-sectional area portion using the Joule heat generated by the supplied current. The smallest cross-sectional area portion is a part of the metal thin plate that has a smallest area in a cross section perpendicular to the extending direction of the wiring portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Sadamitsu
  • Patent number: 11708820
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid drive device including a main power source; an auxiliary power source; a main deformation part configured to be deformable in response to receiving a voltage from the main power source; and an auxiliary deformation part configured to connect to the main deformation part and to be deformable in response to receiving a voltage from the auxiliary power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: AGENCY FOR DEFENSE DEVELOPMENT
    Inventors: Sung Hoon Ahn, Jin Woo Oh, Gil Yong Lee, Sung Hyuk Song, Min Sik Kim, Woo Kyun Jung, Hye Sung Lee
  • Patent number: 11708776
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas processing device, an air-fuel ratio sensor is provided such that a measuring portion is located in a region surrounded by a downstream-side end surface of a TWC, an upstream-side end surface of a GPF, and an inner wall surface of a case against which the exhaust gas G that has passed through the TWC flows, that is the region a region on the GPF side of the center of the TWC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Marelli Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Sugaya, Shunichi Mitsuishi, Takaharu Yamamoto, Satoru Yokoshima, Tooru Hisanaga, Daisuke Shimamura
  • Patent number: 11698015
    Abstract: Ceramic honeycomb bodies and methods for canning the bodies are disclosed herein. The honeycomb bodies comprise a porous ceramic honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure comprises a network of cells defined by walls that extend in an axial direction about a longitudinal axis from an inlet end to an outlet end of the honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure also comprises a portion of cells with protrusions. The portion of cells with protrusions supports a greater concentration of catalyst, as compared to a portion of cells without protrusions. The portion of cells with protrusions is disposed off-center with respect to the longitudinal axis of the honeycomb structure such that the portion of cells with protrusions (and greater concentration of catalyst) corresponds to areas of high exhaust flow through the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas Munroe Beall, Kenneth Richard Miller
  • Patent number: 11698018
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine including an upstream cleaning device and a downstream cleaning device that are provided in an exhaust gas passage and a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of exhaust gas between the upstream cleaning device and the downstream cleaning device is provided. The control device includes a first temperature estimating unit configured to estimate a temperature of the downstream cleaning device from the temperature of exhaust gas detected by the temperature sensor and a second temperature estimating unit configured to estimate a temperature of the downstream cleaning device without using the temperature of exhaust gas detected by the temperature sensor. An abnormality determining process for the upstream cleaning device is performed when at least the temperature of the downstream cleaning device estimated by the second temperature estimating unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sohichi Imai, Yuya Yoshikawa, Kazuhiro Hasegawa, Yoshifumi Matsuda, Masanao Idogawa, Takahiro Uchida, Yuki Yabushita
  • Patent number: 11692470
    Abstract: A muffler for use with an internal combustion engine is provided. The muffler includes a first tube configured to receive a first exhaust stream. The first tube includes a first inlet portion, a first outlet portion spaced apart from the first inlet portion, and a first intermediate portion extending between the first inlet portion and the first outlet portion. The muffler also includes a second tube configured to receive a second exhaust stream. The second tube includes a second inlet portion, a second outlet portion spaced apart from the second inlet portion, and a second intermediate portion extending between the second inlet portion and the second outlet portion. The first intermediate portion and the second intermediate portion cross each other, are at least partially stacked on each other, and are in fluid communication with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Herwat, Boyd Boehlke, Bradley Smith, Jason Johnson
  • Patent number: 11686237
    Abstract: A method for NOx emission control during start of a vehicle comprising an exhaust aftertreatment system, an engine, and a NOx sensor is provided. The method includes determining a temperature of the NOx sensor; if the determined temperature of the NOx sensor is below a predetermined threshold, initiating heating of the NOx sensor, and performing a preventive action for delaying engine start until a determined temperature of the NOx sensor exceeds or is equal to the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dan Stenqvist, Martin Wilhelmsson
  • Patent number: 11680533
    Abstract: A controller, in shifting the state of the EGR system from the EGR operating state to the EGR non-operating state at the time of performing the deceleration of the vehicle, calculates a provisional EGR ratio that is a provisional value of the current EGR ratio, estimates the provisional EGR ratio as the actual EGR ratio when a fore-and-aft differential pressure of the EGR valve is equal to or more than a predetermined value, performs correction to make the provisional EGR ratio smaller, and estimates the corrected provisional EGR ratio as the actual EGR ratio when the fore-and-aft differential pressure of the EGR valve is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Takaki, Kenji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11668217
    Abstract: A device for exhaust gas aftertreatment in an internal combustion engine can be connected to an outlet of the internal combustion engine. The device comprises an exhaust gas system with an exhaust gas channel in which a three-way catalytic converter is arranged, and an exhaust gas burner with which hot burner exhaust gases can be fed into the exhaust gas channel at a feed point upstream from the three-way catalytic converter. The three-way catalytic converter is configured as a lambda probe catalytic converter and comprises a first catalyst volume and a second catalyst volume, whereby a lambda probe is arranged downstream from the first catalyst volume and upstream from the second catalyst volume, whereby the first catalyst volume has a lower oxygen storage capacity than the second catalyst volume. A method for exhaust gas aftertreatment in an internal combustion engine has such an exhaust gas aftertreatment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AKITENGESELLSCHAFT, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Falk-Christian Baron Von Ceumern-Lindenstjerna, Stefan Paukner, Michael Kaack, Sebastian Hemminger