Patents Examined by Jason Sheppard
  • Patent number: 8631648
    Abstract: A system for treating exhaust gases from an engine is described. The system includes, the exhaust gases routed from the engine to atmosphere through an exhaust passage, the system comprising: an injector directing a spray of reductant into the exhaust gases routed from the engine to atmosphere; an exhaust separation passage that separates an exhaust gas flow received from the engine into a plurality of separate exhaust gas flows; a plurality of oxidation catalysts, each of which receives one of the plurality of separate exhaust gas flows; a flow combining passage that receives the plurality of separate exhaust gas flows and combines them into a re-combined exhaust gas flow; a turbocharger that receives the re-combined exhaust gas flow from the flow combining passage; and a selective catalytic reduction catalyst positioned downstream of the turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christine Kay Lambert, Yinyan Huang, Harold Huimin Sun, Christopher Oberski
  • Patent number: 8621848
    Abstract: A method is described for managing vapors generated from an ammonia-containing reductant delivery system. The method may include generating ammonia vapors in a first storage device and storing said generated ammonia vapors in a second storage device. Further, the method may include purging the stored vapors from the second storage device to upstream of a combustion chamber of the engine during a first condition and downstream of the combustion chamber during a second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Furqan Shaikh, Don Lawrence, Scott Cooper, Larry Castleberry, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8596049
    Abstract: An aftertreatment module for use with an engine is disclosed. The aftertreatment module may have a plurality of inlets configured to direct exhaust in a first flow direction into the aftertreatment module. The aftertreatment module may also have a mixing duct configured to receive exhaust from the plurality of inlets, and a branching passage in fluid communication with the mixing duct. The branching passage may be configured to redirect exhaust from the mixing duct into separate flows that exit the aftertreatment module in a second flow direction opposite the first flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Upano Isada, Stephan D. Roozenboom, Rajdeep S. Pradhan
  • Patent number: 8567182
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery system (EHRS) for a vehicle is operable to direct exhaust heat to a vehicle transmission under certain operating conditions. In some embodiments, the EHRS may also direct exhaust heat to a heater for vehicle passenger compartment. Preferably, the EHRS is controllable to manage available exhaust heat according to vehicle operating conditions, by prioritizing the heat flow among the engine, the transmission, and the vehicle heater. The EHRS may also operate in a bypass mode during which exhaust heat is not directed to the engine, the transmission or the vehicle heater. A method of managing exhaust heat recovery on a vehicle having an EHRS is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gregory P. Prior, George M. Claypole
  • Patent number: 8549857
    Abstract: Methods and/or systems using magnetically assisted pressurization of a gas for the generation of useful power from heat transfer using heat sources at lower temperatures in a manner that does not require the emission of CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher J. Papile
  • Patent number: 8534056
    Abstract: Temperature control devices have become common to cool the exhaust stream from a diesel particulate filter before release into the environment. To further cool the filtered exhaust stream, a temperature control device has plates that are approximately parallel and in a spaced apart relationship. A vent is located between the plates. The plates have apertures. A shield is also used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan D. Batdorff
  • Patent number: 8505286
    Abstract: A decoupling element (11) for use with exhaust-gas systems, including an at least partially corrugated bellows (13) having at least two ends in the form of an inlet (E) and an outlet (A) for the flow (S) of the exhaust gas through the decoupling element (11). A filter element (12?) for filtering the exhaust-gas flow (S) is arranged at least partially in the interior (I) of the decoupling element (11) and the filter element (12?) has a self-supporting construction, in particular, without carrier and/or support bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Witzenmann GmbH
    Inventor: Matthias Poppe
  • Patent number: 8490383
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine that provides diesel particulate filter (DPF) failure detection and/or monitoring of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC) for an internal combustion engine. The system can include a main exhaust duct and a secondary exhaust line operative for exhaust gas to pass therethrough. The system has an oxidation catalyst and a main particulate filter located in line with the main exhaust duct. A monitoring particulate filter is also included and located within the secondary exhaust line. The secondary exhaust line and the monitoring particulate filter are located downstream from the main particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: FEV GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Laermann, Marek Tatur, Harsha Nanjundaswamy, Dean Tomazic
  • Patent number: 8413434
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery system (EHRS) for a vehicle is provided that is operable to direct coolant heated by exhaust heat to a vehicle transmission under certain operating conditions after the engine is adequately heated by the exhaust heat and without further heating the engine with the exhaust heat. Thus, recovery of exhaust heat is increased as the transmission is heated to a higher operating temperature than the engine using the heated coolant. The EHRS may also operate in a bypass mode during which exhaust heat is not directed to the engine or the transmission. A method of managing exhaust heat is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gregory P. Prior, George M. Claypole, Daniel B. Glassford
  • Patent number: 8407985
    Abstract: In a method of determining hydrocarbon slip through a diesel oxidation catalyst for an engine having an electronic control module and an exhaust system having a diesel oxidation catalyst and a diesel particulate filter, the electronic control module receives data indicative of a temperature of a diesel oxidation catalyst input, a temperature of a diesel oxidation catalyst output, and a temperature of a diesel particulate filter output. An energy conversion ratio is calculated with the electronic control module using the data indicative of the temperature of the diesel oxidation catalyst input, the temperature of the diesel oxidation catalyst output, and the temperature of the diesel particulate filter output. The calculated energy conversion ratio is compared to stored energy conversion ratio in a memory accessed by the electronic control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: Nishant Singh
  • Patent number: 8387369
    Abstract: A secondary air supply device that increases a supply amount of secondary air is provided in a straddle-type vehicle and includes a plurality of secondary air supply pipes respectively communicated with an exhaust passage of an engine and reed valves. The plurality of reed valves are arranged to be spaced apart in the vehicle width direction so as to increase the supply amount of secondary air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Yoneda, Mikio Ishimoto
  • Patent number: 8371111
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent an excessive temperature rise of a precatalyst in the case where the precatalyst is provided in the exhaust passage upstream of an exhaust gas purification apparatus and has a heat capacity smaller than that of the exhaust gas purification apparatus, and reducing agent is added from a reducing agent addition valve toward an upstream end surface of the precatalyst. According to the present invention, the reducing agent addition valve is located in such a way that the reducing agent added through it reaches the precatalyst in a liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Tsujimoto, Mikio Inoue
  • Patent number: 8371106
    Abstract: A catalyst suited for reducing NOx in an exhaust gas by ammonia in the presence of excess oxygen is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. An aqueous urea solution is fed from a flow addition valve onto a catalyst, part of the urea fed to the catalyst is stored in the catalyst, and the ammonia generated from the urea stored in the catalyst is used to reduce the NOx in the exhaust gas. At the time of engine startup, at the time of cold operation, and at the time of increase of the HC amount, it is determined that the amount of formaldehyde in the exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst exceeds the allowable amount, and, at this time, the feed of urea to the catalyst is prohibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 8359830
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reducing catalyst is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. Urea is fed in the NOX selective reducing catalyst, ammonia generated from this urea is adsorbed at the NOX selective reducing catalyst, and the NOX contained in the exhaust gas is selectively reduced mainly by the adsorbed ammonia. An NOX sensor able to detect NOX and ammonia contained in the exhaust gas is arranged in the engine exhaust passage downstream of the NOX selective reducing catalyst. It is judged that the amount of adsorption of ammonia at the NOX selective reducing catalyst is saturated based on the detection value of the NOX sensor when the feed of fuel to the engine is stopped during the deceleration operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Tanai, Tomihisa Oda, Kazuhiro Itoh, Shunsuke Toshioka, Takekazu Itoh
  • Patent number: 8341946
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas aftertreatment system for exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. In one example, a portion of the engine exhaust gases goes to the particulate filter and the other portion of engine exhaust gases goes to the catalyst element. The outlet of the filter element is directed to the inlet of the catalyst element and the outlet of the catalyst element is directed to the inlet of the filter element. Thus, the engine exhaust gases are filtered and processed by a catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jan Harmsen
  • Patent number: 8307634
    Abstract: This exhaust arrangement for an exhaust line having an exhaust gas treatment device and a liquid injection device located upstream of the exhaust gas treatment device includes a single moving element incorporating a throttling member having a solid closing surface and, operatively connected to the throttling member, a turbulence generating member and an actuator for controlling the position of the moving element between a first position wherein the moving element is in a retracted position and creates a minimum back pressure in the exhaust line and a second position wherein the moving element is in an extended position and creates a maximum back pressure, or selectively in at least one intermediate position wherein the moving element is in a turbulence generating position wherein the turbulence generating member intrudes at least partially into the exhaust line and creates turbulences within the flow of exhaust gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Renault Trucks
    Inventor: Vincent Lauga
  • Patent number: 8209968
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle including an engine, a generator capable of generating power by being driven by the engine, an electric motor capable of running on power supplied from the generator, a power split device that transmits output from the engine to a driving wheel and the generator and also transmits output from the electric motor to the driving wheel, and a main ECU that controls an output ratio of the engine and an output ratio of the electric motor using the power split device according to the running state of the vehicle. When the operating mode of the engine is switched between a lean burn operating mode and a stoichiometric burn operating mode, the main ECU selectively increases and decreases the output ratio of the electric motor so that the total output, which is the combined output of the engine and the electric motor, is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Miyashita, Hiroyuki Hokuto