Patents by Inventor Nikolaus Benninger

Nikolaus Benninger 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: 6874530
    Abstract: A metering unit for metering liquid and/or gaseous educts by means of a feed pump for a fuel cell system, including at least one lead line for delivering an educt flow, at least one control piston, and a differential pressure valve for regulating the educt flow; the differential pressure valve has a regulatable throttling cross section, which is variable automatically, as a function of a flow pressure dictated by the control piston, in order to regulate the educt flow. The lead line leads to the control piston, and between the control piston and the differential pressure valve a first and a second connecting line are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Nau, Nikolaus Benninger, Marc Bareis, Frank Ilgner, Horst Harndorf
  • Patent number: 6810657
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the post-treatment of exhaust gas produced by an internal combustion engine (1), in particular in a motor vehicle, wherein the following are provided: a hydrolysis unit (10) and a metering device (15) connected to it via a hydrogen line (17) for the metered addition of hydrogen to the untreated exhaust gas (A) and/or to the exhaust gas treated by means of an oxidation catalytic converter (3), and a control/regulating unit (18) that is functionally connected to the hydrolysis unit (10) and the metering device (15) in order to control or regulate the production of hydrogen in the hydrolysis unit (10) and the metering device (15) as a function of certain operating states of the internal combustion engine (1) and registered parameters of the exhaust-gas system (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Nikolaus Benninger, Horst Harndorf
  • Patent number: 6718928
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1), especially of a motor vehicle. The position of a piston (2) in a cylinder (3) of the engine (1) is determined and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (4) of that cylinder (3) whose piston (2) is disposed in a work phase. In order to make possible a start of the internal combustion engine (1) as reliable as possible without an electro-motoric starter, it is suggested that the inlet and/or outlet valves (5) of at least one cylinder (3), whose piston (2) is disposed after top dead center (TDC), is brought into a position corresponding to a work phase in advance of the starting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Brueggen, Nikolaus Benninger, Udo Sieber
  • Patent number: 6588261
    Abstract: A device for determining air entering cylinders of an internal combustion engine having a supercharger. The air is determined as a function of such quantities as rpm, air throughput in the intake manifold, throttle valve position values and temperature, characterized in that at least the following physical relationships are included in the determination: suction equation of the engine balancing equation for a filling in an intake manifold flow rate equation at a throttle valve balancing equation in a volume between the throttle valve and the supercharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Lutz Reuschenbach, Nikolaus Benninger, Werner Hess, Hong Zhang, Georg Mallebrein, Harald Von Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20030089401
    Abstract: The invention relates to a metering unit for metering liquid and/or gaseous educts by means of a feed pump for a fuel cell system. The metering unit includes at least one lead line (16) for delivering an educt flow, at least one control piston (12), and a differential pressure valve (14) for regulating the educt flow; the differential pressure valve (14) has a regulatable throttling cross section (39), which is variable automatically, as a function of a flow pressure dictated by the control piston (12), in order to regulate the educt flow. The lead line (16) leads to the control piston (12), and between the control piston (12) and the differential pressure valve (14) a first and a second connecting line (28, 29) are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Michael Nau, Nikolaus Benninger, Marc Bareis, Frank Ilgner, Horst Harndorf
  • Publication number: 20020157630
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1), especially of a motor vehicle. The position of a piston (2) in a cylinder (3) of the engine (1) is determined and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (4) of that cylinder (3) whose piston (2) is disposed in a work phase. In order to make possible a start of the internal combustion engine (1) as reliable as possible without an electro-motoric starter, it is suggested that the inlet and/or outlet valves (5) of at least one cylinder (3), whose piston (2) is disposed after top dead center (TDC), is brought into a position corresponding to a work phase in advance of the starting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Brueggen Gerhard, Nikolaus Benninger, Udo Sieber
  • Patent number: 6352065
    Abstract: A method for determining a gas charge of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold. The intake manifold has a gas mixture, which is a fresh air/fuel mixture and an exhaust gas, and further has a gas mass flow from the intake manifold and an intake manifold pressure. The method includes the steps of determining a partial pressure of the fresh air/fuel mixture in the gas mass flow by setting up a mass balance for a fresh air/fuel mixture mass flow, determining a partial pressure of the exhaust gas in the gas mass flow by setting up a mass balance for an exhaust gas mass flow, and determining a gas mass flow via a throttle based on a function that depends on a temperature compensation factor, a pressure compensation factor and a factor depending on a ratio of a pressure downstream of the throttle to a pressure upstream of the throttle. The pressure downstream of the throttle corresponds to the intake manifold pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Lutz Reuschenbach, Nikolaus Benninger, Hendrik Koerner, Werner Hess, Hong Zhang, Georg Mallebrein, Harald Von Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6272427
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine as a function of performance characteristics such as load, engine speed, a corrected value for the intake air temperature being used for the control, the corrected value being obtained from the following formula: TANSK=T1+(TWS−T1)*f where TANSK=corrected value of the intake air temperature, T1=value (TANS) of the intake air temperature remote from the internal combustion engine determined by calculation or measured, TWS=value of the mean temperature of the intake manifold, f=weighting factor ranging from 0 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Manfred Pfitz, Axel Stuber, Nikolaus Benninger
  • Patent number: 6109249
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine, in particular for a motor vehicle, includes a throttle arranged in an intake pipe, through which air can be fed to a combustion chamber. Furthermore, the internal combustion engine includes a valve arranged in an exhaust gas recirculation line, through which exhaust gas can be fed to the intake pipe. A first mass flow through the throttle can be determined by a control device. Furthermore, a second mass flow through the valve can be determined by the control device. Finally, a third mass flow fed to the combustion chamber can be determined by the control device from the first mass flow through the throttle and the second mass flow through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Lutz Reuschenbach, Nikolaus Benninger, Hendrik Koerner, Werner Hess, Hong Zhang, Georg Mallebrein, Harald von Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6092507
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a control arrangement for a direct injected gasoline engine. A sensor detects at least one operating variable of the engine and an actuator adjusts the air supplied to the engine. A control unit switches the engine between a stratified charge mode of operation and a homogeneous mode of operation in dependence upon the one operating variable of the engine. The control unit drives the actuator so as to cause the actuator to undergo a defined displacement when the control unit switches between the modes of operation so that the torque of the engine is essentially the same before and after the switchover between the modes of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Bauer, Nikolaus Benninger, Uwe Maienberg
  • Patent number: 6029642
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for computing a fuel-metering signal for adjusting a pregiven lambda value for the composition of the air/fuel mixture of an internal combustion engine. In the method, a first signal is formed which represents the air quantity flowing into the engine and a second signal is formed on the basis of the first signal so that a first lambda desired value adjusts when using its second signal as a fuel-metering signal. Various additional second lambda desired values are formed as a function of operating parameters of the engine. A selection is made of those second lambda desired values having the highest priority and the fuel-metering signal is formed by weighting the second signal with the second lambda desired value of the highest priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Klaus Joos, Werner Mezger, Klaus Hirschmann, Thomas Oelker, Nikolaus Benninger, Werner Hess, Christian Tischer, Georg Mallebrein
  • Patent number: 5619974
    Abstract: A method for forming a signal relating to the quantity of exhaust gas recirculated in an internal combustion engine. The signal for the quantity of recirculated exhaust gas is formed on the basis of a signal for the stream of fresh gas fed to the internal combustion engine and a signal for the entirety of the stream of gas fed to the internal combustion engine. The signal for the entirety of the stream of gas which is fed is formed from a series of characteristic operating variables. These characteristic operating variables include, inter alia, the pressure in the intake tract, which can either be detected by means of a sensor or be formed from standby signals. The signal for the quantity of recirculated exhaust gas can be provided with a dynamic correction signal. Furthermore, the signal for the quantity of recirculated exhaust gas can be used in an exhaust gas recirculation valve with position reporting facility to identify an adaptive correction signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Rodefeld, Nikolaus Benninger
  • Patent number: 5251600
    Abstract: The arrangement for determining rotation angle of two rotating parts in an internal combustion engine includes a first rotating part having a protruding member extending laterally from the first rotating part, the first rotating part being connected with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine; a second rotating part having a protruding element extending laterally, therefrom the second rotating part being connected to a camshaft of the internal combustion engine and the second rotating part being positioned adjacent to the first rotating part; a pickup device for generating a first output signal when the protruding member passes by the pickup device during rotation of the rotating parts and for generating a second output signal when the protruding element passes by the pickup device during rotation of the rotating parts; and a signal processing device for receiving the first and second output signals from the pickup device, for determining a time interval between one of the first and one of the second
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Britsch, Nikolaus Benninger, Peter Schomakers
  • Patent number: 5239974
    Abstract: An electronic system for controlling the fuel injection of an internal-combustion engine based on the load, rotational speed, and temperature, as well as at least an oxygen probe reading in the exhaust pipe. The system determines basic injection-quantity signal as well as a transition-compensation signal to adapt the injection fuel quantity in situations of acceleration and deceleration. The system stores an engine characteristics map for a wall-film-quantity signal, and dividing factors for acceleration and deceleration. The system generates a correction value (Wkor) for the wall-film quantity signal and correction factors (FWS1kor, FWS2kor) for the two dividing factors. Three methods are provided for changing the correction factors in connection with the adaptation and these are based on a direct calculation, based on an estimation of the missing quantity and incremental calculation, and based on an incremental adjustment based on the evaluation of the oxygen-probe voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Ebinger, Peter-Juergen Schmidt, Nikolaus Benninger, Lutz Reuschenbach, Eberhard Schnaibel
  • Patent number: 5207056
    Abstract: The arrangement according to the invention permits the optimal control of the air/fuel ratio of an air/fuel mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine while considering the gas storage capability of a catalyzer. The degree of conversion of the catalyzer is dependent upon the oxygen content of the exhaust gas which is available. Since this degree of conversion is partially influenced by the oxygen given off by the catalyzer, a targeted enrichment or leaning of the air/fuel ratio can optimize the degree of conversion of the catalyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Nikolaus Benninger
  • Patent number: 5197444
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a system for supplying an internal combustion engine with fuel which includes the following functional components: a tank; a fuel pump; a metering device for metering fuel to the intake air; a feed line for conducting fuel from the fuel pump to the metering device; a reservoir which is so configured and mounted that fuel can be pumped therefrom to the metering device and which is not filled when tanking the tank and which can be again filled from the tank; and a control unit for driving the fuel pump and the metering device. The fuel pump is fixedly connected to the reservoir so that only fuel is pumped therefrom and a reservoir fill pump is provided which continuously maintains the reservoir filled as long as fuel is present in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst-Walter Lang, Nikolaus Benninger, Wolfgang Boerkel, Gunther Plapp, Rainer Schillinger, deceased
  • Patent number: 5156044
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for advancing the point in time at which the mixture control is placed into operation when starting an internal combustion engine. This advance is made possible in that the exhaust-gas probe heater is already switched on in advance of the start of the engine. Operations are utilized for triggering the required switching signal which occur when the vehicle is taken into service such as opening the doors of the vehicle. An unnecessary heating of the exhaust-gas probe is precluded by limiting the time duration of the heating pulse applied to the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Nikolaus Benninger, Gunther Plapp
  • Patent number: 5121732
    Abstract: In methods for adaptively adjusting a fuel/air mixture, the adaptation factor is rapidly adjusted to take fuel characteristics into account when it develops that after tanking, poor control results are obtained with the adaptation factor previously applicable. As soon as there is an adjustment again to good control results, the conventional relatively slow adaptation is carried out. These methods afford the advantage that they can be carried out without special expensive mixture sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Nikolaus Benninger, Wolfgang Boerkel, Stefan Miller, Guenther Plapp