Abstract: A filter assembly for a motor-vehicle air cleaner includes a main filter, an auxiliary filter set apart from the main filter, and a filter mount fixed to and configured to support the main filter and the auxiliary filter. In one embodiment, the filter mount is fittable in and removable from a housing of the air cleaner, and comprises a sealing element passing between the main filter and the auxiliary filter.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 19, 2009
Date of Patent:
July 3, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Giriraj Srinivasan, Thanh Pham, Roger Khami, William C. Ronzi
Abstract: Systems and methods are described for controlling a power transfer rate in to and/or out of an energy storage device on-board a vehicle, such as a locomotive, during a power transfer opportunity. In one example, the method includes adjusting the power transfer rate based on a predetermination of a duration of the power transfer opportunity to match a duration of power transfer to the duration of the opportunity and achieve a specified state of charge.
Abstract: A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor.
Abstract: A method for registering a content change in a fuel system of a motor vehicle, where the fuel system is configured to receive a first fuel and a second fuel into a common space. A first condition is correlated to receiving the first fuel, and a second condition is correlated to receiving the second fuel. The method comprises admitting fuel to the fuel system and indicating that the first fuel has been admitted if a condition responsive to admitting the fuel matches the first condition and does not match the second condition.
Abstract: A method for controlling emissions from an engine includes reducing trapped nitrogen oxides to ammonia on an LNT catalyst while concurrently oxidizing soot accumulated on the LNT catalyst, and, flowing the ammonia so formed to an SCR catalyst.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 7, 2010
Date of Patent:
July 3, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Karen Marie Adams, Yisun Cheng, Giovanni Cavataio
Abstract: A turbocharger system for an internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger with a utility pedestal extending between the turbocharger and a mounting point associated with the cylinder block. The utility pedestal includes a mounting pad for attaching the combined turbocharger and pedestal assembly to an engine, as well as oil and coolant supply passages for supplying the turbocharger with coolant and lubricating oil under pressure. The utility pedestal's fastening system is configured so as to cover a minimum amount of space of the engine surface to which the pedestal is mounted, so as to reduce the footprint of the turbocharger system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 25, 2008
Date of Patent:
July 3, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Christopher Kelly Palazzolo, Patrick Sexton
Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating an engine with a first cylinder providing a net flow of gases from the intake to the exhaust while combusting; and a second cylinder providing a net flow of gases from the exhaust to the intake. Both the first and second cylinders may carry out combustion during such operation.
Abstract: A method of cooling an engine control unit (ECU) coupled to an engine in a vehicle having a cabin climate control system, comprising operating the vehicle cabin climate control system according to a customer-based climate control setting during a first operating condition, and overriding said customer-based setting during a second operating condition including an ECU over-temperature condition.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 21, 2006
Date of Patent:
June 26, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Bruce Bryant, Suresh Sureshbabu, Michiel J. van Nieuwstadt
Abstract: A liquid dispenser includes an exterior surface and an interior surface. The interior surface encloses a volume that tapers outwardly in a downward direction so that any horizontal cross-section of the volume fits inside each horizontal cross-section below it from a full to an empty level of the dispenser. The interior surface also includes a projection oriented opposite the exterior surface and configured to limit a motion of solids within the dispenser. The structure so provided enables the solid, e.g., a frozen liquid, to slide to the heated, bottom portion of the dispenser as liquid is drawn from the dispenser thus providing faster melting.
Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for controlling an engine in a vehicle in response to an equilibrium value of an exhaust gas constituent generated from an exhaust gas sensor. One example method comprises during engine fueling below a threshold amount where at least one intake valve and one exhaust valve of the engine are operating: generating an equilibrium value of an exhaust gas constituent reading of the exhaust gas sensor, the equilibrium value based on a trajectory of the exhaust gas constituent reading, and under selected engine combusting conditions, adjusting the sensor signal based on the equilibrium value.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 11, 2011
Date of Patent:
June 26, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Dave Charles Weber, David John Kubinski, Chuan He, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt
Abstract: A method for controlling differences in cylinder mixtures for a two cylinder bank engine having a turbocharger is presented. In one example, the description includes a method for adjusting valve timing to reduce cylinder mixture variation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 13, 2007
Date of Patent:
June 26, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Eric Matthew Storhok, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
Abstract: A computing device configured to execute computer code to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) for creating a multi-frame presentation is provided. The generated GUI may include a canvas pane configured to display a main frame and supporting frame icons representing a plurality of supporting frames of the presentation. The generated GUI may further include a connector tool operable within the canvas pane for creating a link between a source element and a target element, the source element being the main frame or an element of the main frame, the target element being a supporting frame or an element of a supporting frame, the link being defined by an associated linking script, the connector tool being operable to create the link via a click-and-drag action from the source element to the target element.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 12, 2008
Date of Patent:
June 19, 2012
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Cheryl S. White, Douglas W. Herman, Casey A. Anderson, Bartosz Gulik, Patrick Schreiber, Ravipal Soin, Robert S. Dietz, Hana Kim, David Matthew Snow
Abstract: A method is provided for reducing degradation in a fuel cell assembly, including at least one fuel cell with a PBI membrane, during standby, operation. The method may include electrochemically consuming an oxidant from a cathode coupled to the PBI membrane in response to a disconnection of an external load and supplying fuel to remove or electrochemically consume any back-diffused oxidant to the associated fuel cell sufficient to replace or consume the back-diffused oxidant while the external load is removed, and/or also may include controlling a standby temperature of the fuel cell. In this way, it may be possible to avoid increased cell voltage decay associated with degradation of the PBI in a simple and cost effective system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 7, 2012
Date of Patent:
June 19, 2012
Assignee:
ClearEdge Power, Inc.
Inventors:
Yang Song, Zakiul Kabir, Craig Evans, Lin Qiu, Donald L. Maricle
Abstract: The description relates to an exhaust gas purification system for exhaust gases that are emitted from an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel engine. In one embodiment, exhaust gases from the engine are separated into two streams. The two exhaust streams are processed differently so as to take advantage of different attributes of different aftertreatment devices.
Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are described. In one example, the engine may operate in a two stroke cycle to provide increased engine torque when a recharging operation of the on-board energy storage device is requested. Further, a transition from a four stroke cycle to the two stroke cycle may be performed while maintaining the transmission in the previously selected gear ratio in response to a requested increase in charging or a requested increase in wheel torque as requested by the vehicle operator.
Abstract: Fuel is evacuated from a fuel rail by directing liquid fuel from the fuel rail to a fuel tank and then by directing gaseous fuel from the fuel rail to a fuel vapor canister.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 28, 2010
Date of Patent:
June 12, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey
Abstract: Provided is an integrated gas panel apparatus which has excellent responsiveness, stabilizes gas concentration, and furthermore, can keep a conventional panel shape as it is. A panel body comprises at least a main flow channel block body for forming a main flow channel, and a branch flow channel block body for forming a branch flow channel. The branch flow channel block bodies are arranged on the both right and left sides to face each other by having the main flow channel block body at the center.
Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling access of application programs to an adaptive input device are described herein. One exemplary computing system includes an application programming interface executable on a computing device for controlling said access to an adaptive input device having a plurality of display regions. The application programming interface is configured to receive a display request from one of the application programs to display formatted output on the composite display and is further configured to apply at least a display sharing policy based on application-specific policy settings received from the application program for defining an application-specific area including at least one of the display regions. Further, the application programming interface is configured to generate formatted output based on the application-specific policy settings, and to send the formatted output to the application-specific area for display.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 22, 2009
Date of Patent:
June 12, 2012
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation
Inventors:
Robert D. Young, Daniel M. Sangster, Marc DesCamp, Scott M. Mail, Vincent Ball, Dennis Meinhardt
Abstract: A method and system for fuel vapor control in a hybrid vehicle (HEV). The HEV fuel vapor recovery system includes a fuel tank isolation valve, which is normally closed to isolate storage of refueling from storage of diurnal vapors. The method for fuel vapor control includes selectively actuating the fuel tank isolation valve during interrelated routines for refueling, fuel vapor purging, and emission system leak detection diagnostics to improve regulation of pressure and vacuum the HEV fuel vapor recovery system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 28, 2011
Date of Patent:
June 12, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Timothy DeBastos, John Michael Kacewicz, Scott Bohr, Russell Randall Pearce, Christopher Kragh, Patrick Sullivan, William Euliss, Michael Igor Kluzner
Abstract: A method of operating an engine system is described in which a back-pressure valve of a low pressure EGR system can be modulated at a lower frequency during an EGR operation, and at a higher frequency when additional exhaust gas sensing is requested. Back-pressure valve modulation can therefore be used to promote exhaust gas mixing while providing EGR. Exhaust gas constituents in the mixed exhaust gas can then be sensed with higher accuracy by downstream exhaust gas sensors.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 5, 2011
Date of Patent:
June 12, 2012
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, William Charles Ruona, Paul Joseph Tennison, Michael Hopka