Patents Examined by Tu M. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7640729
    Abstract: A method for operating a particulate filter situated in an exhaust gas area of an internal combustion engine and a device for carrying out the method are described. A measure of the particulate matter burn-off rate is detected for influencing and/or monitoring the particulate matter burn-off rate or for influencing and/or monitoring the particulate filter temperature. A secondary air flow supplied by a secondary air pump is blown into the exhaust gas area upstream from the particulate filter. The secondary air flow is determined as a function of the detected measure of the particulate matter burn-off rate. If necessary, the secondary air flow may be enriched by an oxygen flow or nitrogen flow supplied by an air separation unit. The method prevents the particulate filter from being damaged by an unacceptably high particulate matter burn-off rate or an unacceptably high particulate filter temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Dürnholz, Carsten Becker, Markus Hernier
  • Patent number: 7637097
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program including a step (S102) of limiting the maximum opening amount of a throttle valve to TH (1) when failure has occurred in a pressure sensor (“YES” in step S100); a step (S202) of limiting the maximum opening amount to TH (2) when open failure has occurred in at least one of two vacuum pressure ASVs provided for banks of a V-type engine, and an electromagnetic ASV (“YES” in step S200); a step (S302) of limiting the maximum opening amount to TH (3) when open failure has occurred in both of the vacuum pressure ASVs (“YES” in step S300); a step (S402) of limiting the maximum opening amount to TH (4) when open failure has occurred in one of the vacuum pressure ASVs (“YES” in step S400); and a step (S502) of reducing the throttle valve opening amount TH to the limited maximum opening amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomokazu Muraguchi, Akito Onishi
  • Patent number: 7637099
    Abstract: A fluid entrainment apparatus is provided which operates to mix a first fluid stream with a second fluid stream. The apparatus includes first and second fluid flow conduits. The first fluid flow conduit includes a nozzle portion having a converging bore through which the first fluid is accelerated. Additionally, the second fluid flow conduit includes a nozzle portion having a converging bore, a duct portion having a generally cylindrical bore, and a diffuser portion having a diverging bore. The nozzle portion of the second fluid flow conduit is mounted with respect to the nozzle portion of the first fluid flow conduit such that an annular port is formed through which the second fluid passes to mix with the first fluid. Additional fluid mixing occurs in the duct portion and the diffuser portion. The fluid entrainment apparatus may be configured for use within a vehicle exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Raj P. Ranganathan, Brent T. Deep, Bala K. Murthy, Thomas Stewart, Anthony F. Grzelakowski
  • Patent number: 7634907
    Abstract: System in which the depollution device is associated with an oxidation catalyst, and the engine is associated with a common rail for feeding it with fuel and adapted to implement a regeneration strategy using at least one post-injection of fuel into the cylinders. In the system, a request for regeneration (req.RG) can be detected, whether the engine is in a stage of idling can be detected, a temperature downstream from the catalyst can be acquired, a maximum duration for post-injection application during the stage of idling can be determined on the basis of said temperature, and the post-injection can be progressively reduced as soon as the duration of use has reached the maximum duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventor: Christophe Colignon
  • Patent number: 7634905
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine and a device for implementing the method, in which a diagnosis is performed of an adjusting device situated in the exhaust duct of the internal combustion engine, which distributes the exhaust gas between a first and at least one second exhaust gas path. A transit time from a change of a characteristic quantity of the exhaust gas in front of the adjusting device until the appearance behind the adjusting device detected by a sensor is compared to a specified transit time threshold value. The transit time threshold value is specified as a function of a setpoint position of the adjusting device. In the event of a deviation from or exceedance of the threshold value, a fault signal is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Heinstein, Klaus Ries-Mueller
  • Patent number: 7631493
    Abstract: A diesel particulate filter (14) which traps particulate matter and a NOx trap catalyst (13) which traps nitrogen oxides are installed in series in an exhaust passage (10) of a diesel engine (1). A controller (21) calculates a particulate matter deposition amount in the diesel particulate filter (14) (S4). The controller (21), when the particulate matter deposition amount exceeds a first predetermined amount (PM2), prevents sharp increase of the particulate matter deposition amount by prohibiting rich spike where the oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas is controlled to a value corresponding to a rich air-fuel ratio in order to regenerate the NOx trap catalyst (13) (S301, S302, S306), and prevents the particulate matter deposition amount of the diesel particulate filter (14) from reaching a limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shirakawa, Yasutaka Ishibashi, Hikari Todoroki
  • Patent number: 7628013
    Abstract: A control device is applied to a multi-cylinder 4-cycle charge compression ignition-type internal combustion engine. The control device operates to open an exhaust valve in an exhaust stroke of each cylinder, operates to close an intake valve before an intake bottom dead center, and then, operates to open the exhaust valve again before the intake bottom dead center. An exhaust flow rate regulating valve is disposed in a collecting portion of an exhaust path and its opening is controlled. Hereby, a period in which the exhaust valve is open in an intake stroke of one cylinder and a period in which the exhaust valve is open in an exhaust stroke of another cylinder partially overlap each other. Combustion gas pushed out of a combustion chamber of the other cylinder in the overlapping period is pushed into a combustion chamber of the one cylinder via the exhaust path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidefumi Aikawa, Tatsuo Kobayashi, Fumito Chiba
  • Patent number: 7621121
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for purifying exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine provided with an LNT and a particulate matter filter arranged in an exhaust gas conduit of the engine. The method includes de-sulfurization of the LNT and regeneration of the particulate matter filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Filip Acke, Roger Tengblad, John Korsgren, Maria Karlsson
  • Patent number: 7614212
    Abstract: An engine control apparatus is configured to prevent damage to a catalytic converter caused by the occurrence of temperature differences. The engine control apparatus is particularly useful in a catalytic converter having a thin-walled ceramic carrier. The engine control apparatus prohibits cutting of the fuel supply during vehicle deceleration for a prescribed amount of time after operation of either an engine speed limiter component, which cuts the fuel supply when the engine speed exceeds an allowable engine speed, or a vehicle speed limiter component, which cuts the fuel supply when the vehicle speed exceeds an allowable vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Sakai
  • Patent number: 7614213
    Abstract: An engine exhaust emission purification apparatus for reducing and purifying NOx in the exhaust emission by using a liquid reducing agent having a temperature maintenance device for maintaining a temperature of at least a part of a liquid reducing agent supply system configured by an injection nozzle and piping of the injection nozzle at a temperature lower than a boiling point of a solvent of the liquid reducing agent or equal to or higher than a melting point of dissolved matter in which the liquid reducing agent existing in the liquid reducing agent supply system conducts heat exchange with the liquid reducing agent supply system thereby being maintained at a temperature lower than the boiling point of the solvent or equal to or higher than the melting point of the dissolved matter and resultantly, occurrence of precipitation of the dissolved matter due to evaporation of only the solvent in the liquid reducing agent supply system does not occur, and even If precipitation of the dissolved matter occurs, the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiminobu Hirata, Hisashi Akagawa, Shuichi Nakamura, Hiroki Ueno, Ikuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 7607295
    Abstract: A particulate accumulation amount estimating system is configured to accurately estimate an amount of particulate matter accumulated in a particulate filter based on the pressure difference across the particulate filter even when ash is accumulated in the particulate filter. The particulate accumulation amount estimating system is configured to estimate a particulate accumulation amount of particulate matter accumulated in the particulate filter based on a pressure difference that was detected across the particulate filter and an effective area change of the particulate filter that was detected due to the accumulation of ash in the particulate filter. The estimate of the particulate accumulation amount based on the pressure difference across the filter will be lower as the estimate value of the ash accumulation amount becomes larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Yokoyama, Katsuhiro Shibata, Terunori Kondou, Yoshiaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7607290
    Abstract: An exhaust purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust purifying mechanism, a fuel adding device, an electronic control device. The exhaust purifying mechanism is located in an exhaust passage and traps particulate matter. The fuel adding device adds fuel to exhaust gas that passes through the mechanism. The electronic control device detects a pressure difference between a section upstream and a section downstream of the exhaust purifying mechanism. While the fuel adding device is adding fuel to exhaust gas, the electronic control device compares the pressure difference that is detected at a predetermined point in time with the pressure difference reference value. When the pressure difference exceeds the pressure difference reference value, the electronic control device sets the manner of adding fuel to intermittent fuel addition. As a result, the exhaust purifying apparatus decreases the amount of particulate matter that remains in the exhaust purifying mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Tatsuhisa Yokoi, Yasuhiko Otsubo, Shigehiro Matsuno, Takayoshi Inaba
  • Patent number: 7607293
    Abstract: Provided is an intake manifold pressure control apparatus, or vacuum pump, for a hybrid propulsion system. The vacuum pump is operable to evacuate the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, thereby lowering the Manifold Absolute Pressure, or MAP, to a predetermined level to enable a quick restart of the internal combustion engine. This vacuum pump may also be used to evacuate hydrocarbons, or HCs, from within the intake system to prevent evaporative emissions from the intake manifold upon engine shutdown. In the preferred embodiment, the vacuum pump is operated by a motor that can simultaneously operate an auxiliary transmission oil pump. Additionally, the present invention provides a method of controlling the hybrid propulsion system to enable the manifold pressure control apparatus to lower the MAP value within the intake manifold as well as a method of evacuating HCs from the intake manifold upon engine shutdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, William L. Aldrich, III, Nathaniel S. Epperly
  • Patent number: 7603848
    Abstract: The ignition timing is sustained at an initial value during a predetermined time beginning at a start of an engine, and is retarded after the predetermined time is elapsed to heat a catalyst at an early time. The predetermined time ends when the negative pressure of an intake pipe or the negative pressure of a brake booster reaches to a predetermined value. That is, the predetermined time is a period, which begins at a start of the engine and ends when a proper negative pressure can be sustained in the brake booster. As a result, it is possible to assure a negative pressure in the brake booster at an early time and to reduce exhaust emission at a start of the engine simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Majima
  • Patent number: 7603851
    Abstract: This system in which the engine implements regeneration strategies at a first level and at a second level depending on different engine operation control parameters in order to obtain different temperature levels in the exhaust line involves acquiring the exothermic temperature level of the catalyst, comparing it with a threshold value so that in the event of the threshold being exceeded while the second level strategy is being applied, the system is controlled to regulate one of the engine operation control parameters in order to reduce the exothermic temperature level, and if this temperature level does not drop back below the threshold value at the end of a first time period, the system is controlled to switch over to the first level strategy, and if this exothermic temperature level still does not drop below the threshold value at the end of a second time period, to stop the regeneration strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventor: Christophe Colignon
  • Patent number: 7600373
    Abstract: A regeneration controller that prevents overheating when performing burn-up heating for completely burning particulate matter by intermittent fuel addition to an exhaust system or intermittent increase of fuel addition to the exhaust system. The regeneration controller includes first and second exhaust temperature sensors (44, 46), each detecting the exhaust temperature at a location downstream from the exhaust purification apparatus. An ECU (70) determines the timing for stopping fuel addition to the exhaust system or increase of fuel addition to the exhaust system based on the elapsed time of fuel addition to the exhaust system or increase of fuel addition to the exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shigehiro Matsuno, Yasuhiko Otsubo, Tatsuhisa Yokoi, Hiroki Matsuoka, Takayoshi Inaba
  • Patent number: 7594390
    Abstract: In combustion control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas purifying section is disposed in an exhaust system of the engine, a determination is made, on the basis of a state of the exhaust gas purifying section, whether a request is issued to switch a combustion mode of the engine to a split retard combustion (predetermined fuel combustion mode) in which a preliminary fuel combustion is carried out at least once at or near to a top dead center and a main fuel combustion to develop a main torque is started after a completion of the preliminary fuel combustion, and the combustion mode of the engine is switched to the split retard combustion when the combustion mode switching request determining section determines that the request is issued and during a transient driving state of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Kitahara
  • Patent number: 7591130
    Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for a vehicle including an internal combustion engine and a continuously variable transmission capable of controlling an output speed of the engine. A controller of the control apparatus determines a first operating point at which a total fuel consumption amount is minimized as an optimal operating point, such that the total fuel consumption amount is obtained by adding an amount of a fuel consumed by an exhaust purifying device disposed in an exhaust system to an amount of a fuel consumed by the engine for generating a required output. The controller then controls an engine load and also controls a speed ratio of the transmission so that the engine operates at the optimal operating point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Ito
  • Patent number: 7591132
    Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system for an internal combustion engine is provided including an apparatus and method to inject a reductant into the exhaust gas feedstream. Included is a fuel metering device adapted to inject reductant into the exhaust gas feedstream and a controllable pressure regulating device. A control module is operatively connected to the reductant metering device and the controllable pressure regulating device, and, adapted to effect flow of reductant into the exhaust gas feedstream over a controllable flow range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael B. Viola
  • Patent number: 7584603
    Abstract: An active system for regenerating a NOx adsorber and a particulate filter, the system includes a fuel source, a reformer for generating hydrogen and carbon monoxide in fluid communication with the fuel source, a first valve, a second valve, and a third valve in fluid communication with the reformer, an oxidation catalyst, a NOx adsorber located downstream from the oxidation catalyst, a particulate filter located downstream from the NOx adsorber; and wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve control fluid flow from the reformer to the oxidation catalyst, the NOx adsorber, and the particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joachim Kupe, James Zizelman, Jean J. Botti