Patents by Inventor Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach

Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9234490
    Abstract: A linearly aligned four-cylinder internal combustion engine system operated in a 1-3-4-2 sequence, comprising a cylinder head connected with a cylinder block wherein each cylinder has at least one exhaust port to discharge exhaust gasses via an exhaust gas discharge system, for which an exhaust gas pipe is connected at each exhaust port; wherein the exhaust gas pipes of the cylinders that merge in stages into a common exhaust gas pipe and the exhaust gas discharge system emerges outside of the cylinder head. Thus exhaust gas from consecutive ignitions in adjacent cylinders is separated for a distance throughout the engine head to reduce mutual influencing in adjacent cylinders with consecutive ignitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Guenter Bartsch, Albert Breuer
  • Publication number: 20160003130
    Abstract: An engine system for a motor vehicle is provided. The engine system includes a first exhaust-gas turbine in a first turbocharger driven by exhaust gas from the engine, a second exhaust-gas turbine in a second turbocharger driven by exhaust gas from the engine, a bypass coupled upstream and downstream of the first exhaust-gas turbine, and a pneumatic charge pressure control device including a bypass valve positioned in the bypass and a charge pressure control valve pneumatically coupled to the bypass valve and an intake line downstream of a first compressor included in the first turbocharger, the pneumatic charge pressure control device further including an adaptation unit pneumatically coupled to the bypass valve and an exhaust line upstream of the second exhaust-gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Franz J. Brinkmann, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Patent number: 9222398
    Abstract: A cooling system for an engine is provided. In one embodiment, an internal combustion engine comprises a cabin heat exchanger circuit including a connecting line opening on an inlet side into a cylinder block coolant jacket, a main coolant pump arranged in the cabin heat exchanger circuit, an auxiliary coolant pump arranged in the connecting line, and a check valve. In this way, additional cooling and/or heating may be provided to the engine and associated components by the auxiliary coolant pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Mehring, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Michael Tobergte, Hans Guenter Quix
  • Patent number: 9212620
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block having a cooling jacket and a cylinder head having two cooling jackets. In one example, the internal combustion engine may be operated so as to reduce engine friction and emissions during cold engine starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Martin Lutz, Jan Mehring, Richard Fritsche
  • Patent number: 9121335
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes an oil circuit and a pump in fluidic communication with a supply line and at least one lubricant receiving component and a liquid cooling system including a coolant circuit having an oil pressure actuated coolant valve and a coolant valve control line in fluidic communication with the pump and having a first configuration in which coolant may flow therethrough and a second configuration in which coolant is inhibited from flowing therethrough, the first and second configurations triggered in response to a change in oil pressure in the coolant valve control line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Quiring, Michael Tobergte, Hans Guenter Quix, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring
  • Publication number: 20150219039
    Abstract: A method of producing an enamel coating for a cylinder bore in a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine is provided. The method also provides for coating a cast iron gray cylinder block with an enamel coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Carsten Weber, Jan Mehring, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Urban Morawitz, Maik Broda, Clemens Maria Verpoort
  • Publication number: 20150211383
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a cylinder head with at least one cylinder and a cooled turbine. Each cylinder has at least one outlet opening adjoined by an exhaust line for discharging exhaust gases from the cylinder. The exhaust line issues into an inlet region transitioning into an exhaust gas-conducting flow duct of the turbine. The turbine has at least one rotor mounted on a rotatable shaft in a turbine housing. The turbine has at least one coolant duct which is integrated in the housing and which is delimited and formed by at least one wall of the housing to form a cooling arrangement. The at least one wall of the turbine housing that delimits the at least one coolant duct is provided, at least in regions, with a thermal insulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian KUHLBACH, Clemens Maria VERPOORT, Jan MEHRING, Carsten WEBER, Stefan QUIRING
  • Patent number: 9080510
    Abstract: An engine having a cylinder head including an exhaust manifold at least partially integrated therein, the exhaust manifold including an inner separating wall fluidly dividing two merged exhaust lines, each merged exhaust line in fluidic communication with a different pair of adjacent cylinders, and an outer separating wall fluidly dividing a first exhaust line in direct fluidic communication with a first cylinder and a second exhaust line in direct communication with a second cylinder, a lateral width of the inner separating wall greater than the outer separating wall, the lateral axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis traversing centerlines of each cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Techologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Ludwig Stump
  • Patent number: 9021806
    Abstract: Embodiments for a supercharged engine are presented. In one example, a supercharged engine includes a cylinder head having at least two cylinders, each cylinder having at least one outlet opening for discharging exhaust gases and each outlet opening being adjoined by an exhaust line, with exhaust lines of at least two cylinders merging to form an overall exhaust line within the cylinder head so as to form an integrated exhaust manifold, at least two turbines arranged in series, the two turbines being of different size and arranged downstream of the exhaust manifold in the overall exhaust line, a distributor housing in which the overall exhaust line downstream of the manifold enters into and leads through to a small turbine of the two turbines, and a first turbine housing which accommodates the small turbine including at least one coolant jacket in order to form a liquid cooling arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Norbert Andreas Schorn, Carsten Weber
  • Publication number: 20150027391
    Abstract: Example embodiments for reducing thermal load in one or more exhaust gas lines are provided. One embodiment includes an internal combustion engine with liquid cooling, comprising at least one exhaust gas line, at least one coolant jacket, and a common boundary wall separating the at least one exhaust gas line and the at least one coolant jacket, wherein the common boundary wall includes a surface structure provided on sides of the coolant jacket in at least one locally limited region. In this way, the surface structure on the sides of the coolant jacket may increase heat transfer to reduce thermal loading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Guenter Bartsch, Marcus Klaar
  • Publication number: 20140338314
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a cooling jacket at least partially integrated in the cylinder head. The engine has two groups of cylinders: inside cylinders and outside cylinders. Each cylinder has at least one exhaust port, each leading to an individual duct. Individual ducts of outside cylinders converge to form an outside combined duct. In a four-cylinder engine or cylinder head, individual ducts of inside cylinders converge to form an inside combined duct with the inside combined duct remaining separated from the outside combined duct by the cooling jacket. The inside combined duct is farther away from the mounting surface of the cylinder head to the cylinder block than the outside combined duct. The cooling jacket includes upper, middle, and lower cooling jackets and connectors between the upper and lower cooling jackets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Kai Sebastian KUHLBACH
  • Patent number: 8857386
    Abstract: Example embodiments for reducing thermal load in one or more exhaust gas lines are provided. One embodiment includes an internal combustion engine with liquid cooling, comprising at least one exhaust gas line, at least one coolant jacket, and a common boundary wall separating the at least one exhaust gas line and the at least one coolant jacket, wherein the common boundary wall includes a surface structure provided on sides of the coolant jacket in at least one locally limited region. In this way, the surface structure on the sides of the coolant jacket may increase heat transfer to reduce thermal loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Guenter Bartsch, Marcus Klaar
  • Patent number: 8833073
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided herein. The internal combustion engine may include a turbocharger including a turbine positioned in an exhaust passage, the turbine having a turbine housing. The internal combustion engine may further include a cooling system having an engine block coolant jacket fluidly coupled to a pump, a cylinder head coolant jacket fluidly coupled to the pump, and a turbine coolant passage traversing the turbine housing and fluidly coupled to the pump and bypassing the engine block coolant jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring
  • Patent number: 8800525
    Abstract: A cylinder head adapted to be mounted to a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine has a cooling jacket at least partially integrated in the cylinder head. The engine has two groups of cylinders: inside cylinders and outside cylinders. Each cylinder has at least one exhaust port, each leading to an individual duct. Individual ducts of outside cylinders converge to form an outside combined duct. In a four-cylinder engine or cylinder head, individual ducts of inside cylinders converge to form an inside combined duct with the inside combined duct remaining separated from the outside combined duct by the cooling jacket. The inside combined duct is farther away from the mounting surface of the cylinder head to the cylinder block than the outside combined duct. The cooling jacket includes: upper, middle, and lower cooling jackets and connectors between the upper and lower cooling jackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Patent number: 8789368
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine which is optimized with regard to the cooling of a turbine. The engine has at least one cylinder head and block, forming at least one cylinder, and at least one turbine. Each cylinder has at least one exhaust opening for discharging the exhaust gases from the cylinder. An exhaust gas line is connected to each exhaust opening, the exhaust gas lines converging to produce at least one combined exhaust gas line, thereby forming at least one exhaust manifold, which opens into the at least one turbine having a turbine housing. The turbine has at least one flow channel conducting exhaust gas through the turbine housing, and at least one coolant passage integrated in the housing forming a cooling facility. At least one chamber is arranged between the at least one coolant passage and the at least one flow channel conducting exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Ludwig Stump
  • Patent number: 8769948
    Abstract: An exhaust gas system configured for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head having at least two cylinders, a single exhaust duct emerging from the cylinder head, an individual exhaust duct provided between each cylinder and the single exhaust duct, and a reservoir of fixed volume integrated in the cylinder head and coupled to the single exhaust duct via a connecting duct. A reservoir valve is provided in the connecting duct in some embodiments. According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed in which the reservoir valve is commanded to an open position when flow through the single exhaust duct is large and commanded to a closed position when flowrate through the single exhaust duct is small. In some embodiments, a turbine, with a selectable volume upstream of the impeller, is coupled to the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Patent number: 8621865
    Abstract: Embodiments for cooling a turbine of an engine are provided. In one example embodiment, an internal combustion engine comprises a turbocharger including a turbine having a coolant jacket integrated in a housing of the turbine, and an oil circuit coupled to the coolant jacket of the turbine. By cooling the turbine with the oil circuit, the turbine may be constructed from less-heat resistant materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Mehring, Ludwig Stump, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Carsten Weber, Franz J. Brinkmann, Frank Kraemer, Jens Groeger
  • Patent number: 8601987
    Abstract: A system for providing cooling to at least one cylinder of an engine is disclosed. The system comprises at least one coolant jacket in a cylinder head arranged on an inlet side of a cylinder and at least one coolant jacket in the cylinder head arranged on an outlet side of the cylinder. The outlet-side coolant jacket may be part of a water cooling circuit, while the inlet-side coolant jacket may be part of an oil circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring
  • Publication number: 20130291811
    Abstract: A liquid-cooled engine and method for its operation is described wherein the engine includes a cylinder head comprising at least one coolant jacket and exhaust manifold at least partially integrated therein. In one particular example, the exhaust pipes merge in stages within the cylinder head before merging into a common exhaust gas collector outside the cylinder head. Inclusion of a coolant system according to the present disclosure allows the thermal load of the cylinder head to be controlled, which thereby allows cooling to be achieved in a targeted manner inside the cylinder head by means of liquid cooling and forced convection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Patent number: 8439007
    Abstract: Engine oil may pool in various locations in the cylinder head near the valves and underneath the camshaft. Rather than directly conducting the oil to the oil return passages, the oil is conducted to a surface proximate the exhaust ducts before being conducted to the oil return passage so that the oil is readily warmed up during a cold start by the contact with a surface in the cylinder head proximate exhaust ducts. The provision of such a surface proximate exhaust ducts is facilitated by the integrated exhaust manifold design in which the exhaust ducts are merged prior to exiting the cylinder head. By rapidly heating the oil, the oil's viscosity decreases, thereby reducing friction and improving fuel efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring