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).

  • Publication number: 20130031901
    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: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Norbert Andreas Schorn, Carsten Weber
  • Publication number: 20120312002
    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: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Ludwig Stump
  • Publication number: 20120291728
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine is provided. The method comprises adjusting an oil pressure in an oil circuit, the oil circuit including a pump in fluidic communication with a hydraulically adjustable cam follower and switching the hydraulically adjustable cam follower into a connected state to a disconnected in response to the oil pressure adjustment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Mehring, Klemens Grieser, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner
  • Publication number: 20120285164
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a turbocharged internal combustion engine are provided herein. One example system includes a cylinder head with at least two cylinders, at least two exhaust openings per cylinder, at least one of which is engageable. The system further includes a first exhaust manifold integrated in the cylinder head and connecting the engageable openings with a first turbocharger turbine, and a second, separate exhaust manifold integrated in the cylinder head and connecting the non-engageable openings with a second turbocharger turbine in parallel with the first turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Norbert Andreas Schorn, Guenter Bartsch, Rainer Friedfeldt
  • Publication number: 20120285401
    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: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Quiring, Michael Tobergte, Hans Guenter Quix, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring
  • Publication number: 20120240574
    Abstract: Embodiments for controlling exhaust flow are provided. Example embodiments include a cylinder head having two integrated exhaust manifolds, wherein each exhaust manifold is coupled to a turbine of a turbocharger. After passing over the turbines, the exhaust gas may exit through a shared balcony-like projection arranged between the exhaust manifolds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Rainer Friedfeldt, Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Publication number: 20120240573
    Abstract: A supercharged internal combustion engine having at least two exhaust-gas turbochargers is provided. The engine includes a first exhaust manifold and a second exhaust manifold which are permanently connected to one another upstream of the two turbines of the turbochargers via at least one connecting duct which cannot be closed off. In this way, overflow of exhaust from the one exhaust manifold may be transferred to the other exhaust manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Norbert Andreas Schorn, Rainer Friedfeldt, Guenter Bartsch
  • Publication number: 20120240572
    Abstract: Embodiments for a turbocharged engine including two turbochargers are provided. In one example, a turbocharger engine includes two turbochargers arranged in parallel, each coupled to a separate exhaust manifold. Bypass of exhaust around both turbochargers may be provided via a single wastegate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Norbert Andreas Schorn, Rainer Friedfeldt, Guenter Bartsch, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Patent number: 8256213
    Abstract: A cylinder head has at least three cylinders each coupled to at least one exhaust port, individual exhaust ducts coupled to each of the exhaust ports, and a combined exhaust duct coupling all individual exhaust ducts. The combined exhaust duct emerges from the cylinder head at a location displaced longitudinally from a center of the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Guenter Bartsch, Jens Dunstheimer, Martin Lutz
  • Publication number: 20120180476
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a supercharged internal combustion engine having at least one liquid-cooled cylinder head with at least two cylinders, each cylinder having at least one exhaust gas outlet opening with an exhaust line attached to each outlet. The exhaust lines from each outlet merge to form an integrated exhaust manifold within the cylinder head and an overall exhaust line directing exhaust gas outside of the cylinder head, and the at least one liquid-cooled turbine having a turbine housing arranged in said overall exhaust line. Further, a bypass line, separate from the exhaust lines forming the integrated exhaust manifold, branches off upstream of the turbine conducting blown-off exhaust gas past the turbine and outside of the turbine housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Rainer Friedfeldt
  • Publication number: 20120174580
    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: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Ludwig Stump
  • Publication number: 20120103283
    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: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Mehring, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Michael Tobergte, Hans Guenter Quix
  • Publication number: 20120090320
    Abstract: An engine combustion system is disclosed which includes: a cylinder head having at least two cylinders; an exhaust duct adjoining each cylinder with the exhaust ducts of at least two cylinders converging to form an exhaust manifold within the cylinder head and two turbines arranged downstream of the exhaust manifold. In one embodiment, the two turbines are arranged in parallel with a control element disposed upstream of one of the turbines to close off flow to the one turbine. Alternatively, a first of the turbines has a first bypass duct having a first valve. Flow exiting the turbine and the bypass path converge and are provided to a second of the turbines that has a second bypass duct having a second valve. By controlling positions of each valve, flow can provided solely to the associated turbine, the associated bypass duct, or a combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Dirk Borrmann, Rainer Friedfeldt
  • Publication number: 20120085299
    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: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Guenter Bartsch, Marcus Klaar
  • Patent number: 8146543
    Abstract: A cylinder head for an internal combustion engine has at least two cylinders, each cylinder having an outlet opening for discharging the exhaust gases out of the cylinder, an assembly end side for connection to a cylinder block of the engine, an exhaust-gas line adjoining each outlet opening, the exhaust-gas lines of the at least two cylinders merging within the cylinder head to form a combined exhaust-gas line, and a coolant jacket interior to and at least partially integrated in the cylinder head, the coolant jacket made up of a lower coolant jacket and an upper coolant jacket, and at least one connection between the lower coolant jacket and the upper coolant jacket immediately adjacent the combined exhaust-gas line for allowing the passage of coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring, Martin Lutz, Jens Dunstheimer, Christoph Holbach, Markus Hermanns
  • Publication number: 20120067306
    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: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jan Mehring, Ludwig Stump, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Carsten Weber, Franz J. Brinkmann, Frank Kraemer, Jens Groeger
  • Publication number: 20120060778
    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: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Publication number: 20120055424
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a cylinder head having at least one cylinder. The cylinder head comprises a radial turbine including a rotor arranged in a turbine casing and rotatably mounted on a shaft, an overall exhaust line which opens into an inlet zone of the radial turbine, said zone merging into a flow duct which carries exhaust gas, and at least one coolant duct integrated into the turbine casing to form a cooling system, the at least one coolant duct extending in a spiral around the shaft in the casing, wherein the at least one coolant duct extends circumferentially around and at a distance from the flow duct over an angle ?, where ??45°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
  • Publication number: 20110296834
    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: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring
  • Patent number: 8061131
    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, 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: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach