Patents Assigned to Tenneco Automotive Operating Company, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11428139
    Abstract: An exhaust system assembly including a catalyst housing, a catalyst core, and a swirler tube positioned inside the catalyst housing. The swirler tube has a plurality of openings that permit radial exhaust flow into an inner volume of the swirler tube from the catalyst housing. One end of the swirler tube has blades that extend inward and include oblique surfaces arranged at oblique angles relative to a centerline axis of the swirler tube. These blades induce a vortex in the exhaust gases exiting the first swirler tube end. The swirler tube is arranged inside the catalyst housing such that a sequential flow path is created where the exhaust gases flowing through the catalyst housing must first pass through the openings in the swirler tube and then by the blades at the first swirler tube end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Meng-Huang Lu, William Adams
  • Patent number: 11421569
    Abstract: A muffler includes a first tube defining a first inlet for receiving exhaust and a first outlet. The muffler includes a housing defining a tuning chamber. The muffler includes a second tube at least partially received within the first tube. Further, the second tube defines a second inlet disposed within the first tube and a second outlet disposed in fluid communication with the tuning chamber. The muffler further includes a muffler outlet for discharging exhaust from the muffler. Moreover, the first tube and the second tube define an annular passage therebetween. The annular passage is disposed in fluid communication with the first outlet of the first tube and the muffler outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Abdulhadi Madi
  • Patent number: 11421568
    Abstract: A muffler for receiving exhaust gas from a combustion engine is disclosed. The muffler includes a casing and a pipe. The casing includes a shell coupled to first and second end caps that cooperate to define an internal volume. The pipe is disposed within the internal volume and extends substantially a length of the shell. Each of the first and second end caps includes a circumferentially extending flange engaging an outer surface of the pipe to provide support for the pipe. Each circumferentially extending flange extends at an acute angle relative to a shell axis of the shell. Each circumferentially extending flange is coaxial along a pipe axis of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Abdulhadi Madi, Isidro L. Hernandez, Prajwal H. Rao
  • Patent number: 11391195
    Abstract: A muffler for use with an engine is provided. The muffler includes a first tube defining a first inlet and a first outlet spaced apart from the first inlet. The first tube is configured to receive exhaust at the first inlet. The muffler includes a second tube spaced apart from the first tube. The second tube defines a second inlet and a second outlet spaced apart from the second inlet. The second tube is configured to receive exhaust at the second inlet. The muffler includes a third tube disposed at least partly around the second tube. The third tube defines a third outlet spaced apart from each of the second inlet and the second outlet. The third outlet is in fluid communication with the second outlet of the second tube. The muffler also includes at least one outlet tube in fluid communication with the first outlet and the third outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Ankit Barot
  • Patent number: 11391192
    Abstract: An exhaust control system includes: a temperature control module configured to, in response to a shutdown of an engine, turn on an air pump that, when on, pumps air into an exhaust system of the engine upstream of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst; a target module configured to, while the air pump is on and the engine is off in response to the shutdown, selectively determine a target rate of injection of a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) by a DEF injector based on increasing a present amount of ammonia stored by the SCR catalyst to at least a predetermined amount of ammonia; and a DEF control module configured to, while the air pump is on and the engine is off in response to the shutdown, control injection of the DEF by the DEF injector upstream of the SCR catalyst based on the target rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Harris, Alan C. Brockman
  • Patent number: 11384810
    Abstract: A shock absorber pressure tube defining a working chamber is provided. A piston assembly coupled to a piston rod is slidably disposed in the pressure tube and divides the working chamber into upper and lower working chambers. A reserve tube surrounds the pressure tube to define a reserve chamber. A base valve assembly, position at one end of the pressure tube, controls fluid flow between the lower working chamber and the reserve chamber. The reserve tube comprises first and second open shells that are joined together at longitudinal seams to create a substantially cylindrical shape. The first and second open shells may be made from patchwork blanks, tailor welded blanks, tailor rolled blanks, or tailor heat treated blanks to give different portions of the first and second open shells different thicknesses, strengths, properties, or characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Amirahmad Mohammadi
  • Patent number: 11378149
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a damper tube is provided. The method includes providing a tube having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The method includes providing a reinforcing insert, at least partly, within the first end of the tube. The method includes flattening a portion of the first end of the tube. The method also includes bending at least one of the reinforcing insert and the flattened portion of the first end of the tube into a loop. The method further includes connecting an edge of the loop to the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Amirahmad Mohammadi
  • Patent number: 11371402
    Abstract: A valve assembly for an exhaust system of a vehicle. The valve assembly includes a first housing, a second housing, a valve flap and a spring. The first housing defines an inlet, an outlet, and an exhaust gas passageway in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet. The second housing is attached to the first housing and defines a compartment. The valve flap is rotatable between a first position restricting exhaust gas flow through the exhaust gas passageway, and a second position whereat exhaust gas flow through the exhaust gas passageway is allowed. The spring is disposed in the compartment and out of the exhaust gas passageway. The spring engages the valve flap to bias the valve flap toward the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Thomas, Danny D. Alexander
  • Patent number: 11365658
    Abstract: A muffler may include a shell, first and second baffles, an inlet pipe, first and second outlet pipes, and a communication pipe. The first and second baffles cooperate with the shell to define first, second and third chambers. The first inlet pipe may extend through the shell and may provide exhaust gas to at least one of the first and second chambers. Exhaust gas in the first chamber exits the muffler through the first outlet pipe. Exhaust gas in the second chamber exits the muffler through the second outlet pipe. The communication pipe may include first, second and third openings. The first opening is in communication with the first chamber. The second opening is in communication with the second chamber. The third opening is in communication with the third chamber. The first and second chambers may be in communication with the third chamber through the communication pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Ostromecki, Keith Bartu, Jeremy Popovich, Brett Herwat
  • Patent number: 11359648
    Abstract: An accumulator includes a housing, a flexible bladder and a support. The housing includes a chamber having a defined volume and a passage extending through the housing. The flexible bladder is positioned within the chamber and contains a compressible gas. The bladder being operable in an expanded condition and a partially collapsed condition. The support is positioned in the chamber and engages the flexible bladder when the flexible bladder is in the expanded condition. Liquid is positioned in the chamber and in contact with the flexible bladder. A volume of the liquid within the chamber is at a minimum when the flexible bladder is in the expanded condition. The volume of liquid within the chamber increases as a pressure of the liquid increases to compress the gas and operate the flexible bladder in the partially collapsed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Deferme
  • Patent number: 11351830
    Abstract: A method of producing an anti-roll moment distribution module for a vehicle comprises determining understeer characteristics of the vehicle, determining a maximum lateral acceleration of the vehicle, adjusting understeer characteristics of the vehicle based on the maximum lateral acceleration, determining reference understeer characteristics, determining a plurality of reference yaw rates based on (i) the maximum lateral acceleration and (ii) the reference understeer characteristics using a non-linear quasi static vehicle model, storing the plurality of reference yaw rates in a first look up table in the anti-roll moment distribution module, determining a plurality of feedforward contributions using the non-linear quasi static model of the vehicle. Each feedforward contribution of the plurality of feedforward contributions can be used to determine a front to total anti-roll moment distribution for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.
    Inventors: Aldo Sorniotti, Marco Ricco, Miguel Dhaens, Christophe Lauwerys, Bert Vandersmissen
  • Patent number: 11338637
    Abstract: A damper system for a vehicle is provided that includes a pressurized gas damper, electromagnetic actuator, and pressurized gas spring. The pressurized gas damper includes first and second working chambers that are fluidly connected by a flow control orifice. The electromagnetic actuator includes a stator assembly with a stator cavity and a magnetic rotor that is slidingly received in the stator cavity. The magnetic rotor is fixed to a damper tube that houses the second working chamber. The stator cavity and an end of the damper tube cooperate to define the first working chamber. The pressurized gas spring includes a bellows chamber that extends annularly about the damper tube. The damper tube includes an opening between the second working chamber and the bellows chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.
    Inventors: Miguel Dhaens, Monzer Al Sakka, Christophe Lauwerys
  • Patent number: 11338639
    Abstract: A shock absorber includes: a pressure tube defining a working chamber; a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube, the piston assembly dividing the working chamber into a first and second chambers; a piston rod including a first end that is attached to the piston assembly and that includes a second end that is configured to be attached to one of a sprung mass and an unsprung mass of a vehicle; an electronic valve that is positioned within the piston rod, the electronic valve including a spool moveable between first and second positions, where: when the spool of the electronic valve is in the first position, the spool allows fluid flow between the first and second chambers through the electronic valve and the piston rod; and when the spool of the electronic valve is in the second position, the spool restricts fluid flow between the first and second chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.
    Inventor: Matthew L. Roessle
  • Patent number: 11333255
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve body. The valve body includes a valve seat. The valve seat defines a bore therethrough. The valve body also includes a pair of end members connected to the valve body at opposing sides of the valve body. Each of the pair of end members includes a trunnion. The valve assembly further includes a valve shaft received in the trunnion of each of the pair of end members. The valve assembly includes a valve plate connected to the valve shaft. The valve plate is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The valve plate is adjacent to the valve seat when the valve assembly is in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Olaf Enke, Brian A. Kunkel
  • Patent number: 11319847
    Abstract: An exhaust device includes a housing, first and second pipes, and a spacer. The first and second pipes are at least partially disposed within the housing. The first and second pipes include respective first and second surfaces. A portion of the second pipe is disposed inside the first pipe. The first and second surfaces cooperate to define an annular volume into which the spacer is disposed to prevent direct communication between the first and second pipes. One of the first and second pipes is fluidly connected to an exhaust gas inlet. The other of the first and second pipes is fluidly connected to an exhaust gas outlet. One of the first and second surfaces defines a radial indentation. The other of the first and second surfaces defines a radial protrusion. The spacer is disposed at least partially within the radial indentation and is in direct communication with the radial protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.
    Inventors: Garrick R. Zuver, Lawrence J. Noren, IV, Charles L. Bell
  • Patent number: 11274581
    Abstract: A valve assembly for an exhaust system of a vehicle. The valve assembly includes a housing, a valve shaft and a valve plate. The housing defines an inlet, an outlet, and a longitudinally exhaust gas passageway in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet. The valve shaft is rotatable. The valve plate is coupled to the valve shaft and is rotatable between a first position restricting exhaust gas flow through the exhaust gas passageway, and a second position whereat exhaust gas flow through the exhaust gas passageway is less restricted. The first housing includes spaced apart ears integral with and laterally extending from the first housing. The ears opposing each other. The shaft includes an axis of rotation being positioned at the ears and outside of the exhaust gas passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Thomas, Danny D. Alexander
  • Patent number: 11268429
    Abstract: An exhaust component for a motor vehicle with improved corrosion resistance, including a housing with outer walls that define an internal volume and one or more inner walls that divide the internal volume into an exhaust chamber and an interior chamber. The interior chamber is isolated from the exhaust chamber and the external environment. At least part of one outer wall or one inner wall is made of a diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet. The diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet comprises a secondary metal that is formed to a primary metal substrate by diffusion. The diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet includes edges that are oriented toward and exposed to the interior chamber. As a result, the primary metal substrate at the edges of the diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet is protected from exposure to corrosives such as salt spray in the external environment and urea in the exhaust chamber respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Guangchun Quan, Michael Golin
  • Patent number: 11268423
    Abstract: A mixer comprises a first subassembly including a first holder fixed to a first mixing element. The first holder includes a base interconnecting a first sidewall with a spaced apart second sidewall. The first mixing element includes a base interconnecting first and second spaced apart mounting flanges that are fixed to the first and second sidewalls. A second subassembly includes a second holder fixed to a second mixing element. The second holder includes a base interconnecting a third sidewall with a spaced apart fourth sidewall. The second mixing element including a base interconnecting third and fourth spaced apart mounting flanges that are fixed to the third and fourth sidewalls. Distal ends of the first sidewall and the third sidewall are fixed to one another. Distal ends of the second sidewall and the fourth sidewall are fixed to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Roy Porter, Ronald Rohraff
  • Patent number: 11268430
    Abstract: An exhaust component for a motor vehicle with improved corrosion resistance, including an internal volume, an inlet for receiving exhaust gas, and an outlet for expelling exhaust gas. The exhaust component includes at least one wall that is made of a diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet. The diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet comprises a secondary metal that is formed to a primary metal substrate by diffusion. A weld bead is applied to at least one of the edges of the diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet for edge protection or to join the edge of the diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet to another diffusion surface alloyed metal sheet. The weld bead includes a high chromium content filler metal to protect the weld bead and the primary metal substrate at the weld joint from corrosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Guangchun Quan
  • Patent number: 11248677
    Abstract: A damper with inner and outer tubes and a piston disposed within the inner tube to define first and second working chambers. A fluid transport chamber is positioned between the inner and outer tubes. A collector chamber is positioned outside the outer tube. An intake valve assembly, abutting one end of the inner tube, is positioned inside the outer tube. An accumulator insert with an open end abutting the intake valve assembly is positioned inside the outer tube. The accumulator insert includes an accumulator sleeve, a floating piston, and a pressurized chamber. The floating piston is disposed inside the accumulator sleeve and the pressurized chamber is positioned between the floating piston and a closed end of the accumulator sleeve. An accumulation chamber is positioned between the intake valve assembly and the floating piston and the accumulator sleeve includes one or more apertures arranged in fluid communication with the collector chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Deferme