Patents Examined by Matthew T Largi
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Patent number: 11976574Abstract: A closed loop steam engine assembly includes a steam generator and a prime mover which is driven from steam produced by the generator. A compressor receives exhaust steam from the prime mover and compresses the steam to a liquid state which is stored in a reservoir downstream of the compressor. A feed pump delivers a portion of the compressed and heated liquid from the reservoir to the steam generator, while another portion of the liquid is delivered to an inlet of the compressor, where the liquid flashes to mist and combines with the incoming exhaust steam to help condense the exhaust steam to liquid with greater efficiency than the compressor alone. An oil/fluid separation device may segregate any oil contained in the exhaust stream and route the oil back to an oil inlet of the prime mover.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2022Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Inventor: Charles Tuckey
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Patent number: 11971325Abstract: The present disclosure shows a system for checking a correct mounting of a plurality of sensors, in particular of sensors mounted in an engine system, comprising a controller configured for receiving signals from the plurality of sensors. The controller is configured to monitor a sequence and/or timing of the signals received from the sensors and to evaluate it with respect to a sequence and/or timing of a switching of a power supply to the sensors for checking the correct mounting of the sensors.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: LIEBHERR-COMPONENTS COLMAR SASInventor: Marc Cretin
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Patent number: 11952930Abstract: One exemplary embodiment is a vehicle system comprising an engine, an exhaust aftertreatment system including a heating element, an electric machine configured to selectably operate as a motor or a generator, an inverter module including a plurality of inverter phase legs and an auxiliary leg, and an electronic control system in operative communication with the inverter module and the exhaust aftertreatment system. The electronic control system is configured to evaluate whether the electric machine is operating as a generator, selectably operate the plurality of inverter phase legs to rectify AC power received from the electric machine, evaluate whether to heat one or more components of the exhaust aftertreatment system, and selectably operate the auxiliary leg to provide rectified power from the inverter legs to one or more electrical heating elements thermally coupled with the one or more components exhaust aftertreatment system effective to heat the one or more components.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Cummins Inc.Inventors: Subbarao Dakshina Murthy Bellur, Thomas A. Dollmeyer, Jennifer Rumsey, Bradford K. Palmer
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Patent number: 11946404Abstract: Various example embodiments relate to a system that includes a nozzle. A dosing line is connected to the nozzle and a fuel dosing module. The fuel dosing module is in fluid communication with the dosing line and includes an outlet in fluid communication with the dosing line. An air inlet is positioned upstream of the outlet and is configured to receive air. A fuel inlet is positioned upstream of the outlet and is configured to receive fuel. A fuel valve is positioned upstream of the outlet and downstream of the fuel inlet and is configured to control the flow of fuel. The fuel dosing module is configured to combine the fuel and the air upstream of the outlet and downstream of the fuel valve to generate an air-fuel fluid, wherein the air-fuel fluid removes particles from the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2019Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.Inventors: Mihai Chiruta, Barry Mark Verdegan, Wassem Abdalla, Z. Gerald Liu
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Patent number: 11946400Abstract: A lean-burn internal combustion engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system having an oxidation catalyst are described. A controller determines a fueling rate and a mass flowrate of the exhaust gas feedstream. An inlet temperature of the exhaust gas feedstream upstream of the oxidation catalyst is determined via the first temperature sensor, and an in-use outlet temperature of the exhaust gas feedstream is determined downstream of the oxidation catalyst via the second temperature sensor. An expected outlet temperature from the oxidation catalyst is determined based upon the inlet temperature, the fueling rate, and the mass flowrate of the exhaust gas feedstream. The oxidation catalyst is evaluated based upon the expected outlet temperature and the in-use outlet temperature.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: PACCAR IncInventors: Trevor Joseph Ott, Cynthia Chaffin Webb, Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart
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Patent number: 11950328Abstract: A control system for operating a heater includes a controller configured to determine an operational power level based on a measured performance characteristic of the heater, a power set-point, and a power control algorithm, determine a bake-out power level based on a measured leakage current at the heater, a leakage current threshold, and a moisture control algorithm, and select a power level to be applied to the heater. The selected power level is the lower power level from among the operational power level and the bake-out power level.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2019Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANYInventors: Lincoln Kirchoff, Lukas Thenmaier
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Patent number: 11946406Abstract: An electric heating device for an exhaust gas catalyst, the electric heating device including a sleeve and a heating cellular structure which is heated by a flow of electric current and which is contained in the sleeve. The electric heating device being designed to be positioned in a segment of an exhaust gas pipe upstream of a catalyst, so as to completely occupy a cross section of the segment such that exhaust gases flowing in the pipe pass through the cellular matrix before reaching the catalyst. The heating cellular structure is designed to dissipate an inhomogeneous thermal power in a section perpendicular to the direction of flow of the exhaust gases, such that the temperature of the exhaust gases at the outlet of the heating cellular structure is homogeneous in a section perpendicular to the direction of flow of the exhaust gases.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbHInventor: Steven Maertens
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Patent number: 11939958Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a wind turbine, to a wind turbine designed to carry out the method, and to a computer program product. The method for operating a wind turbine comprising a rotor with rotor blades that can be angularly adjusted via a turbine controller, in which a state variable that reflects the current thrust of the rotor is detected, has the following steps: a) ascertaining a short-term average value of the state variable; b) ascertaining the difference between the short-term average value of the state variable and the detected current state variable; c) ascertaining a first target blade angle correction value from the ascertained difference; and d) taking into consideration the target blade angle correction value while adjusting the blade angle by means of the turbine controller.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2019Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Service GmbHInventors: Karsten Warfen, Timo Gosch-Pleß
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Patent number: 11939898Abstract: An exhaust system for an internal combustion engine, in the exhaust duct of which a sensor is arranged for determining the exhaust gas composition. Furthermore, upstream of the sensor a guide vane is arranged, which is designed to increase the flow velocity of the exhaust gas in a local flow cross-section of the exhaust duct at the height of the sensor. This makes it possible to provide sufficiently high flow velocities of the exhaust gas at the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Volkswagen AktiengesellschaftInventor: Sascha Beer
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Patent number: 11933213Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for regenerating an after-treatment system of a vehicle. A first operational parameter of a first component of the after-treatment system is monitored and a second operational parameter, different to the first operational parameter, of a second component of the after-treatment system is monitored. It is determined if the first operational parameter of the first component is outside a first threshold range and if the second operational parameter is approaching a second threshold and, in response to the first operational parameter being outside the first threshold range and the second operational parameter being within the second threshold range, a regeneration sequence of the after-treatment system configured to regenerate at least the first component of the after-treatment system is initiated.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: David Cox, Mario Balenović, Christopher Ponter, Larry Rogosin, Craig Peacock
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Patent number: 11933206Abstract: A method for determining a conversion capability of one or multiple exhaust gas catalytic converters, downstream from an internal combustion engine. The method includes ascertaining a respective local temperature at multiple locations within the one or the multiple catalytic converters, ascertaining a local conversion capability for a section or a partial volume of the one or the multiple catalytic converters based on the local temperature, and ascertaining a global conversion capability of the one or the multiple catalytic converters based on the ascertained local conversion capabilities. A processing unit and a computer program product for carrying out such a method are also described.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2022Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Thomas Zein, Jan Kappa, Markus Thanner
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Patent number: 11927120Abstract: An exhaust gas sensor includes an element cover, a heater, a heater control section, and a cover state diagnosing section. The element cover accommodates a sensor element including a detection section and includes one or more gas flow holes. The heater heats the sensor element. The heater control section controls how the heater heats the sensor element. The cover state diagnosing section diagnoses a state of the element cover using heater information obtained when the heater is operated by the heater control section. The cover state diagnosing section includes a diagnosability determining section, which determines whether the state of the element cover is diagnosable based on an accuracy of the heater information obtained from an operating state of the heater and a surrounding environmental state of the element cover.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi Araki, Masato Katsuno
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Patent number: 11920532Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: a catalyst which is capable of storing oxygen; a downstream air-fuel ratio sensor that detects the air-fuel ratio of outgoing exhaust gas flowing out of the catalyst; an air-fuel ratio control unit that controls the air-fuel ratio of incoming exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst; and a catalyst state estimation unit that estimates the activity of the catalyst. The air-fuel ratio control unit controls the air-fuel ratio of the incoming exhaust gas so that the air-fuel ratio of the outgoing exhaust gas detected by the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor is maintained at a target air-fuel ratio. The air-fuel ratio control unit sets the target air-fuel ratio to a richer value when the activity of the catalyst is equal to or higher than a predetermined value than when the activity of the catalyst is lower than the predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2023Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Keiichiro Aoki
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Patent number: 11920503Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a catalyst, an oxygen concentration detector, and a control device. The catalyst is configured to clean gas emitted from the engine. The oxygen concentration detector is configured to measure oxygen concentration in the catalyst. The control device includes at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to perform processing including determining, based on condition of the engine and the oxygen concentration measured by the oxygen concentration detector, whether to prohibit the engine from being stopped.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2023Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Shuta Takeda
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Patent number: 11916390Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a wind turbine or a plurality of wind turbines combined in a wind farm, to a control unit designed for carrying out the method and to a corresponding computer program product. For the method the wind turbine or the wind farm has a control unit connected to a remote-access data transmission network for controlling the power supply to the wind turbine(s). The control unit is designed for receiving control signals of at least two higher-level controls with different priorities, and stored in the control unit is a schedule of whether, and for which of the higher-level controls, the control unit is reserved for converting control signals at a point in time, the received control signals being converted or discarded as a function of the timetable and the priority of the respective transmitting higher-level control.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2019Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Service GmbHInventor: Hennig Harden
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Patent number: 11905866Abstract: A method includes calculating whether a quantity of the PMs accumulated in a PF is at or above a risk level at which damage to the PF is caused when regenerating the PF, calculating a driving condition index by accumulating a weighting factor for a driving condition under which there is a likelihood of causing the damage to the PF, when the amount of accumulated PMs is at or above the risk level; calculating a temperature index in accordance with a temperature of the PF and a PM index in accordance with the quantity of the accumulated PMs when the quantity of the accumulated PMs is at or above the risk level; calculating a degradation condition index considering the driving condition index, the temperature of the PF, and the quantity of accumulated PMs; and changing a regeneration period of the PF according to the degradation condition index.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia CorporationInventor: Jin Ha Kim
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Patent number: 11905867Abstract: An exhaust gas aftertreatment system includes: a first sensor configured to measure a parameter in the exhaust gas aftertreatment system; a second sensor configured to measure the parameter in the exhaust gas aftertreatment system, the second sensor disposed proximate the first sensor; and at least one controller configured to alternately receive sensor values from the first sensor for a first target period of time, and receive sensor values from the second sensor for a second target period of time.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions Inc.Inventors: Nathan A. Ottinger, M. Yusuf Khan, Z. Gerald Liu, Shirish Ambadas Shimpi
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Patent number: 11898480Abstract: Systems and methods for removing accumulated soot in an aftertreatment system are disclosed herein. A method includes: determining, by a controller, an adsorption amount of soot in an exhaust aftertreatment system; comparing, by the controller, the adsorption amount of soot to a predefined adsorption amount limit; in response to the adsorption amount exceeding the predefined adsorption amount limit, initiating, by the controller, an exhaust cleaning event to remove at least some accumulated soot in the exhaust aftertreatment system; receiving, by the controller, exhaust gas data during the exhaust cleaning event; determining, by the controller, a desorption amount of soot based on the exhaust gas data; comparing, by the controller, the desorption amount of soot to a predefined desorption limit; and ceasing, by the controller, the exhaust cleaning event based on the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Cummins Inc.Inventors: Todd C. Bouws, Ankit Raghunath Lad, Joshua A. Lantz, Boopathi Singalandapuram Mahadevan, Ian W. McGiffen, Douglas A. Roxbury
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Patent number: 11891939Abstract: An under-floor catalyst (33) includes a GPF (41) capable of trapping fine exhaust particles in exhaust gas, and a downstream-side catalyst (42) positioned on the downstream side of GPF (41). GPF (41) can be supplied with secondary air. When an internal combustion engine (10) is stopped during travel, the secondary air is supplied to GPF (41) in which the fine exhaust particles are accumulated. At this time, the temperature of GPF (41) is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. Thus, a deterioration in the exhaust gas purification performance of under-floor catalyst (33) at the time of the start of internal combustion engine (10) can be suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2019Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Jin Yokoyama, Kouichi Murakami, Akikazu Sakai
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Patent number: 11891934Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine is configured to execute a regeneration process of burning and removing particulate matter accumulated in an exhaust purification device, a determination process of determining that a deviation between a first change amount and a second change amount is less than or equal to a threshold, the first change amount and the second change amount being change amounts per unit time of the temperature of exhaust gas on the upstream side and the downstream side of the exhaust purification device, respectively, and an anomaly diagnosing process that determines that the exhaust purification device is in a detached state when the determination process determines that the deviation is less than or equal to the threshold. The controller is configured to not execute the determination process during a period from the end of the regeneration process to when a post-regeneration execution condition is met.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2023Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toru Yaeo, Yoshifumi Matsuda, Masashi Hakariya, Atsushi Morikawa, Ikuo Hoda, Noriyasu Adachi, Masanori Hayashi, Kenji Igawa