Patents Assigned to Tenneco Automotive Operating Company, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10036291
    Abstract: An after-treatment system including an exhaust treatment component provided in an exhaust passage, a tank carrying an aqueous reagent, and an electrochemical cell in communication with the tank and configured to receive the aqueous reagent therefrom. The electrochemical cell is configured to convert the aqueous reagent into a first exhaust treatment fluid and a second exhaust treatment fluid. A controller is in communication with the electrochemical cell. The controller is configured to vary amounts and/or composition of each of the first exhaust treatment fluid and the second exhaust treatment fluid produced by the electrochemical cell. An injector is in communication with the electrochemical cell and the exhaust passage, and is configured to receive one of the first exhaust treatment fluid or the second exhaust treatment fluid from the electrochemical cell, and dose the one exhaust treatment fluid into the exhaust passage at a location upstream from the exhaust treatment component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Adam J. Kotrba, Padmanabha Reddy Ettireddy, Michael Golin, Michael C. Bradford, Bradley Fingland
  • Patent number: 10006516
    Abstract: A shock absorber including an inner assembly and a composite base assembly is disclosed. The inner assembly includes a pressure tube extending between first and second ends, a rod guide disposed adjacent to the first end, a compression valve disposed adjacent to the second end, a piston assembly disposed in the pressure tube between the rod guide and the compression valve, and a rod operatively attached to the piston assembly and supported by the rod guide. The composite base assembly defines a chamber for at least partially accommodating the inner assembly that terminates at a floor. The composite base assembly has a lower element disposed adjacent to the floor for at least partially engaging the second end of the pressure tube. The lower element defines at least one gap for facilitating fluid communication between the pressure tube and the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Julien Wilkin
  • Patent number: 10000104
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a damper system for a vehicle. The damper system may have an electrically adjustable hydraulic shock absorber including a rod guide assembly, a pressure tube, a reserve tube and an electromechanical valve. The electromechanical valve may be disposed in a valve cavity within the shock absorber. An integrated electronic system may be included which has a power drive electronics. The power drive electronics is electrically coupled to the electromechanical valve. The integrated electronic system is disposed along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pressure tube, and at a location radially outwardly of the pressure tube adjacent the rod guide assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Blankenship, Karl C. Kazmirski, Scott S. Dunaway, Jeroen K. Paenhuysen, Matthew L. Roessle, Matthew R. Schelosky
  • Patent number: 9982794
    Abstract: A snap-action valve assembly for an exhaust system includes a valve flap positioned within a conduit. A shaft supports the valve flap in the conduit for rotation about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position. A roller is supported for rotation on a post. The post is fixed to the shaft by a lever arm. A torsion spring includes a first end coupled to the conduit and a second end coupled to the roller. The torsion spring is preloaded to urge the valve flap into contact with an inner surface of the conduit when the valve flap is in the closed position. A method of assembling the snap-action valve assembly with a predetermined spring preload torque is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9982793
    Abstract: A snap-action valve assembly includes a valve flap positioned within a conduit for controlling exhaust flow through the conduit. A shaft supports the valve flap in the conduit for rotation about a pivot axis between a closed position and an open position. A guide is fixed to the valve flap. A torsion spring is positioned at least partially outside the conduit and includes a first end restricted from rotation in at least one direction. The torsion spring includes a second end coupled to the guide. The torsion spring is preloaded to urge the valve flap into contact with an inner surface of the conduit when the valve flap is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen M. Thomas, David L. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9956509
    Abstract: A filter assembly may include an outer insert and an inner insert. The outer insert having an aperture and a plurality of outer grooves. The outer grooves are formed in a radially outer periphery of the outer insert and are separated from each other and the aperture. The inner insert may be disposed within the aperture. A plurality of inner grooves may be formed in a radially outer periphery of the inner insert. Each of the outer and inner grooves may have a closed axial end and an open axial end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Mark DeVito, Dan McAninch
  • Patent number: 9925842
    Abstract: A damper system and method for a vehicle includes a shock absorber and a damper module. The shock absorber includes a plurality of digital valves. The shock absorber is operable at one of multiple damping states based on a valve state of the digital valves. The damper module is coupled to each of the digital valves and controls each of the digital valves to a desired state based on a damper setting. The damper module determines a target damping state, where the target state is one of the multiple damping states. The damper module performs a switch operation to control the valve state of the plurality of digital valves to a given desired state when the target damping state is different from a present damping state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Scott S. Dunaway, David R. Blankenship, Karl C. Kazmirski, Jeroen K. Paenhuysen, Jeffrey T. Gardner
  • Patent number: 9903250
    Abstract: An exhaust treatment fluid system includes a tank housing for storing an exhaust treatment fluid. A suction tube includes a first end positioned within the housing. A first sensor is positioned within the tank housing for determining at least one of a fluid level and a concentration of the exhaust treatment fluid. A skirt is positioned in the tank to peripherally surround the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Jianyuan Yang, Guru Kaustubh Vilas Teggi, Ryan A. Floyd, Bruce Kring, Brian Kunkel
  • Patent number: 9884533
    Abstract: A damper system for a vehicle comprises an electrically adjustable hydraulic shock absorber and a damper control module. The damper control module is disposed with and coupled to with the shock absorber. The damper control module determines a target damping state of the shock absorber based on data received from a plurality of sensors. Furthermore, the damper control module controls the shock absorber, such that the shock absorber operates at the target damping state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Blankenship, Scott S. Dunaway, Karl C. Kazmirski, Mayur Rathan
  • Patent number: 9879746
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a shock absorber having a pressure tube forming a pressure chamber. A piston rod is disposed within the pressure chamber. A reserve tube defines a reserve chamber adjacent the pressure tube. A rod guide assembly is concentrically disposed about the piston rod and the pressure chamber and houses a plurality of digital valves. Each one of the digital valves includes a component which is moveable between an open state and a closed state, and thus helps to control a fluid flow between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber. An electronic control system is disposed on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and controls actuation of the digital valves. At least one additional valve is associated with one of the digital valves for further controlling a flow of fluid between the pressure chamber and the reserve chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel T. Keil, Matthew L. Roessle
  • Patent number: 9879748
    Abstract: A shock absorber has a housing with a piston rod assembly disposed therein. A first rod guide member is secured within a first portion of the housing so as to be concentrically disposed about at least a portion of the piston rod assembly. A second rod guide member is secured within the housing adjacent the first rod guide member so as to be concentrically disposed about at least another portion of the piston rod assembly. A digital valve assembly is disposed within the second rod guide member and fluidly couples chambers within the shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Roessle, Thomas P. Mallin, John McGahey, Jeffrey T. Gardner
  • Patent number: 9873303
    Abstract: A strut-type damper is disclosed. The damper has a shock absorber having a housing with a telescoping piston rod, a coil spring, an upper spring seat operably coupled to a distal end of the piston rod, and a lower spring seat operatively coupled to the housing. The upper and lower spring seats capture the coil spring therebetween. The lower spring seat has a base portion having an opening for receiving the housing and is fixedly securable to the housing. A generally circumferential wall portion extends from the base portion and forms a catcher for catching a broken portion of the coil spring if the coil spring fractures. An impact absorbing structure is formed on the lower spring seat adjacent both of the catcher and the base portion, and is configured to be crushed in the event of a fracture of the coil spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Sven Broeckx, Tomasz Górski, Julien Wilkin, Jan Wójtowicz
  • Patent number: 9849746
    Abstract: A strut assembly including a spring to help absorb impacts and a shock absorber to help control motion of the spring is disclosed. The shock absorber includes a base assembly and is mounted between a top mount assembly and a knuckle. The top mount assembly mounts to the body of the vehicle and helps support the spring. An upper spring seat is adjacent the top mount assembly and receives one end of the spring. A lower spring seat formed of a composite material is supported by the base assembly and is adapted to support another end of the spring. The lower spring seat includes at least one reinforcing element having a plurality of reinforcing cords disposed between an upper surface and a lower surface for improving impact resistance thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.
    Inventor: Julien Wilkin
  • Patent number: 9845839
    Abstract: A shock absorber for a vehicle includes a pressure tube that defines a fluid chamber and a piston disposed within the fluid chamber. The piston divides the fluid chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower working chamber, and defines a compression passage and a rebound passage. A valve disc assembly of the shock absorber engages the piston and controls the flow of fluid between the upper and lower working chambers. The valve disc assembly includes a check disc and an orifice disc. The check disc is disposed between the piston and the orifice disc. The orifice disc defines an orifice, and the check disc prohibits the flow of fluid through the orifice as the fluid flows in a first direction and permits the flow of fluid through the orifice as the fluid flows in a second direction opposite of the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Chad Rummel
  • Patent number: 9822685
    Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system may include a reductant supply and diluent supply conduits, an injector and a control module. The reductant supply conduit includes a first valve controlling a flow of reductant through the reductant supply conduit. The diluent supply conduit includes a second valve controlling a flow of diluent through the diluent supply conduit. The injector is in fluid communication with the reductant supply conduit and the diluent supply conduit and is configured to provide fluid to an exhaust stream. The control module may control the first valve to provide a targeted amount of reductant through the injector. The control module may control the second valve to maintain a fluid flow rate through the injector that is at or above a minimum flow rate threshold of the injector based on a difference between a flow rate through the reductant supply conduit and the minimum flow rate threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy P. Gardner, Padmanabha Reddy Ettireddy, Adam J. Kotrba, Michael Golin
  • Patent number: 9822837
    Abstract: A shock absorber assembly includes a pressure tube having an upper end and a lower end and defining an interior, a rod guide disposed adjacent the upper end, a first compression valve assembly adjacent the lower end, a rod operatively coupled to the pressure tube having a first end and a second end, an extender coupled to the second end of the rod, a piston assembly coupled to the extender between the rod guide and the first compression valve assembly with the piston assembly disposed within the interior and slideably coupled to the pressure tube, with the piston assembly dividing the interior into an upper and a lower working chamber, a second compression valve assembly coupled to the extender between the piston assembly and the first compression valve assembly, and a cup disposed within the lower working chamber and defining a bore shaped to receive the second compression valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.
    Inventors: Gary W. Groves, William Thomas Benson
  • Patent number: 9810282
    Abstract: A shock absorber is disclosed having a pressure tube forming a working chamber, and a piston assembly slidably disposed within the pressure tube. The piston assembly may divide the working chamber into upper and lower working chambers. The piston assembly may have a piston body defining a first fluid passage extending therethrough and a first valve assembly controlling fluid flow through the first fluid passage. A second fluid passage, separate from the first fluid passage, extends from one of the upper and lower working chambers to a fluid chamber defined at least in part by the pressure tube. A plurality of digital valve assemblies are included and configured to exclusively control all fluid flow through the second fluid passage, and thus all fluid flow between the one of the upper and lower working chambers to the fluid chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Roessle, Karl C. Kazmirski, Jeroen K. Paenhuysen, Darrell G. Breese, Daniel T. Keil, Thomas P. Mallin, Jeffrey T. Gardner
  • Patent number: 9802454
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a strut assembly for use with a vehicle. The strut assembly has a shock absorber having a shock absorber tube, a lower spring seat, a tubular member and a coil spring. The lower spring seat supports one end of the spring and includes a tubular member having an inner wall surface, and is configured to receive the shock absorber tube therein. The lower spring seat has an annular member extending radially outwardly from the tubular member with a surface for supporting the one end of the coil spring thereon. The tubular member has a portion constructed to deform and collapse in response to a predetermined excessive force experienced by the shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Julien Wilkin
  • Patent number: 9802456
    Abstract: A bumper cap assembly for an electrically adjustable hydraulic shock absorber. The bumper cap assembly includes a printed circuit board assembly and a bumper cap. The printed circuit board assembly includes power drive electronics and is electrically coupled to the shock absorber. The bumper cap defined a gap, wherein the printed circuit board assembly is housed within the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Hall, Matthew L. Roessle, Rick J. Simpson, Scott S. Dunaway, Zachary Lopez
  • Patent number: 9790830
    Abstract: An exhaust after-treatment system including an exhaust passage, a lean-NOx trap (LNT) provided in the exhaust passage, a tank carrying an aqueous reagent, an electrochemical cell in communication with the tank and configured to receive the aqueous reagent therefrom, the electrochemical cell configured to convert the aqueous reagent into a hydrogen exhaust treatment fluid for purging the LNT, and a controller in communication with the electrochemical cell, wherein the controller is configured to vary an amount of the hydrogen exhaust treatment fluid produced by the electrochemical cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventor: Yong Sun