Patents Examined by Jonathan Matthias
  • Patent number: 9598996
    Abstract: A method for feeding reducing agent to an exhaust gas mass flow in an exhaust gas treatment device provides a reducing agent feed port, a storage catalytic converter storing reducing agent and an SCR catalytic converter for selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxygen compounds in exhaust gas. A first dosing strategy is followed, loading of the storage catalytic converter with reducing agent is monitored and a first target conversion rate is determined based on current loading. Reducing agent is fed according to the first target conversion rate. A current conversion rate obtained with the SCR catalytic converter is determined. The current conversion rate is compared to the first target conversion rate and any deviation is registered. A further dosing strategy, not considering the loading of the storage catalytic converter, is used if the deviation exceeds a first threshold value. A motor vehicle and a stationary installation are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventor: Peter Bauer
  • Patent number: 9598994
    Abstract: The invention relates to a metering module (10) for metering a reduction means in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. The metering module (10) comprises at least one cooling element (22, 24) through which cooling fluid flows. The metering module (10) has a cooled connection piece (44) that is actively cooled by the cooling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Winkler, Achim Knittel, Stephan Pohl, Martin Kiontke
  • Patent number: 9599055
    Abstract: The sulfur poisoning of a three-way catalyst is intended to be detected with a high degree of accuracy. It is determined whether the sulfur poisoning of the three-way catalyst is made to be recovered, or a determination is made that the degree of sulfur poisoning of the three-way catalyst is higher when the concentration of NOx detected by an NOx sensor is high than when it is low, based on the concentration of NOx downstream of the three-way catalyst after the air fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the three-way catalyst has been made to change from a rich air fuel ratio to a lean air fuel ratio and before the air fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing out of the three-way catalyst changes to a lean air fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kitaura, Yasushi Iwazaki, Masahiro Kubo
  • Patent number: 9587573
    Abstract: A system includes a catalyst light-off module that selectively generates a first signal based on an engine coolant temperature and an estimated exhaust enthalpy, a setpoint module that selectively initiates a catalyst light-off period in response to receiving the first signal and that generates a desired exhaust enthalpy, and a first model predictive control (MPC) module that generates predicted parameters based on a model of an engine and a set of possible target values, generates a cost for the set of possible target values based on the predicted parameters and the desired exhaust enthalpy, and selects the set of possible target values from multiple sets of possible target values based on the cost. The system also includes an engine actuator module that adjusts an actuator of the engine based on at least one of the target values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Genslak, Gary Robert Cygan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9574524
    Abstract: A method and internal combustion engine system are provided for keeping an exhaust gas aftertreatment system within its working temperature range during an idle or motoring engine operation mode of an internal combustion engine. The method includes sensing the temperature of the gas at the gas intake side of the internal combustion engine and/or of the exhaust gas; determining whether or not the sensed temperature value is in a predetermined temperature interval or below a predetermined temperature threshold; determining whether the internal combustion engine is in idle or motoring engine operation mode; in case the internal combustion engine is determined to be in an idle or motoring engine operation mode, controlling the temperature of the gas at the gas intake side of the internal combustion engine to be within the predetermined temperature range or below the predetermined temperature threshold by recirculating exhaust gas through a connecting duct by controlling at least one valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Christer Alm
  • Patent number: 9574508
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for operating an internal combustion engine. In the method a first distribution of values for at least one variable is used, the variable describing a physical property of the internal combustion engine, and over a second time period values for this variable are recorded and classified, such that a second distribution is determined. The first distribution is then compared with the second distribution such that the behavior of the internal combustion engine can be adapted on the basis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Tim Späder
  • Patent number: 9567888
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for reducing reductant consumption in an exhaust aftertreatment system that includes a first SCR device and a downstream second SCR device, a first reductant injector upstream of the first SCR device, and a second reductant injector between the first and second SCR devices. NOx conversion occurs with reductant injection by the first reductant injector to the first SCR device in a first temperature range and with reductant injection by the second reductant injector to the second SCR device when the temperature of the first SCR device is above a reductant oxidation conversion threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Aniket Gupta, Michael J. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9566573
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purify catalyst includes a substrate (1), an oxidation catalyst layer (2) formed on the substrate (1) and containing zeolite and at least one catalytic metal, an LNT layer (3) formed on the oxidation catalyst layer (2) and containing an NOx storage material and at least one catalytic metal, and an NOx reduction layer (4) formed on the LNT layer (3) and containing Rh acting as a catalytic metal and at least one of alumina or zirconia, wherein the NOx reduction layer (4) has a larger content of Rh than that in each of the oxidation catalyst layer (2) and the LNT layer (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Baba, Hiroshi Yamada, Koichiro Harada, Yoshiyuki Sato, Masahiko Shigetsu, Akihide Takami
  • Patent number: 9562459
    Abstract: Reciprocating-piston internal combustion engines having different power outputs are to be equipped simply, reliably and inexpensively with a device for the selective catalytic reduction of the exhaust gases having an SCR module for a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine, comprising a housing and/or a frame, an exhaust-gas section which delimits a flow duct for guiding through exhaust gas, having an inlet opening for introducing the exhaust gas and an outlet opening for discharging the exhaust gas, an SCR catalytic converter which is arranged inside the flow duct, at least one injection element for adding a reducing agent, for example ammonia or a urea solution, to the exhaust gas which is guided through the flow duct. This problem is solved by virtue of the fact that the SCR module comprises at least one delivery device (13) for feeding the reducing agent to the injection element at a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Sauter, Holger Sinzenich, Katharina Görner, Mathias Bauknecht, Klaus Wehler
  • Patent number: 9556774
    Abstract: A conveying unit which can be mounted in a tank for conveying a liquid additive from the tank includes a filling level sensor which can emit and receive waves that are reflected back to the filling level sensor at a surface of liquid in the tank, so that a filling level measurement can be carried out by measuring the transit time of the waves. The conveying unit has at least one additional sensor device or sensor with which it is possible to determine if there is frozen additive in the tank. A tank for storing a liquid additive, a motor vehicle having the conveying unit and a method for determining a liquid additive quantity in a tank are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Jan Hodgson, Joerg-Roman Konieczny
  • Patent number: 9551250
    Abstract: An operation control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: an exhaust emission purifier; a fuel supplying valve for supplying fuel to an exhaust passage; ignition means for igniting the fuel supplied; a warm up determining section for determining whether or not the purifier need be warmed; an exhaust heating determining section for determining whether or not the engine is in an operational state in which the fuel should be ignited and burned; an exhaust heating predicting section for predicting the transition from the operational state in which the fuel should not be ignited and burned to an operational state in which the fuel should be ignited and burned; and a heat generation temperature setting section for setting the temperature of a heating portion of the ignition means based on the result by the heating determining section and the predicting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akinori Morishima, Kenichi Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 9546584
    Abstract: A multi-stage SCR system including a front reductant injecting device, a front mixer, a front SCR catalyst, a back reductant injecting device, a back mixer, a back SCR catalyst, and a DCU. The front and back reductant injecting devices receives reductant from an air-driven pump, which includes a liquid supply tank, a pressure tank, and solenoids control valves. Under pressure provided by a compress air source, reductant is pressed into the front and back reductant injecting devices from the air-driven pump. The front and back reductant devices also have flow-back paths fluidly connected to a reductant tank. And in purging or maintenance heating, the flow-back paths can be energized open. In the multi-stage SCR system, a DOC can be further positioned in between the two SCR devices for increasing the deNOx efficiency in the back SCR catalyst, so that the system is less sensitive to catalyst aging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Inventor: Baohua Qi
  • Patent number: 9540981
    Abstract: An exhaust gas processing device includes: an exhaust gas processing unit positioned above an engine; a reduction agent tank accommodating a reduction agent; a reduction agent supply unit attached to the exhaust gas processing unit; a cooling unit having a first end portion and a second end portion; a cooling water accommodation unit having a lower portion positioned below the cooling unit; a first pipe connecting the first end portion and the cooling water accommodation unit; a second pipe connecting the second end portion and the cooling water accommodation unit; a circulating device driven by the engine. The first pipe and the second pipe are connected to the lower portion. The first pipe includes: a connection portion connected to the first end portion; an apex portion positioned above the cooling unit; a supplying portion positioned between the connection portion and the apex portion. Thus, it is possible to suppress an increase in the temperature of the reduction agent supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masashi Kamada
  • Patent number: 9541206
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bypass valve, particularly a two-way valve for exhaust gas flows from motor vehicles, having a valve housing and an actuating mechanism with a valve flap and two ports for fluid outlet, which are embodied as alternately sealable by the valve flap, and one port for fluid intake, characterized in that at each of the ports for fluid outlet an adapter and sealing ring is provided, arranged at least partially and fluid-tight in the valve housing, wherein the valve flap can be positioned fluid-tight on the adapter and sealing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Peter Diehl, Michael Gauss, Andreas Capelle, Oliver Fischer, Jürgen Nothbaum
  • Patent number: 9528409
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine, wherein an amount of fuel supply during a forced regeneration is optimized, and a fuel efficiency is effectively improved. The device includes a filter in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine for collecting particulate matter in an exhaust gas, an electrostatic capacity detecting unit that detects an electrostatic capacity of the filter, and a filter regenerating unit that supplies fuel to the filter and executes a forced regeneration to burn and remove the particulate matter in the filter. The filter regenerating unit stops supplying fuel when a rate of decrease in the detected electrostatic capacity per predetermined period of time reaches or falls below a predetermined lower threshold, which indicates a drop in burning efficiency of the particulate matter, while the forced regeneration is being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Aso, Tadashi Uchiyama, Masafumi Noda
  • Patent number: 9523303
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for determining soot stored in a particulate filter and regenerating the particulate filter. In one example, a method provides for operating oxygen sensors in a way that allows water in exhaust gases to be determined. The water in exhaust gases may be a basis for determining an amount of soot stored in a particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Manish Sharma, James Robert Warner
  • Patent number: 9518486
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine involves using an injection valve to post-inject fuel into at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine in order to help regenerate a particulate filter that is arranged in an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine, downstream of an oxidation catalyst. A closing moment of a discharge valve of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is advanced when the temperature of the oxidation catalyst is in a first temperature range, and the post-injections are performed when the temperature of the oxidation catalyst is in a second temperature range, an upper limit of the first temperature range having a lower value that an upper limit of the second temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Thomas Koch, Alexander Massner, Frank Zimmermann, Herbert Zoeller
  • Patent number: 9518514
    Abstract: A flap device for an internal combustion engine includes a flow housing comprising a flow channel, a bore arranged in the flow housing, an actuating shaft which protrudes outwards through the bore, a flap body arranged on the actuating shaft, a first bearing bush, and a sealing element radially surrounding the actuating shaft. The first bearing bush is arranged in the bore and has the actuating shaft mounted therein. An axial end of the first bearing bush protrudes beyond an end of the bore. The sealing element comprises at least one plate spring arranged between a first disc and a second disc. The first disc is secured on the actuating shaft and supports the at least one plate spring. The at least one plate spring rests against the second disc so that the second disc rests against the axial end of the first bearing bush which protrudes beyond the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: PIERBURG GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Evers
  • Patent number: 9512778
    Abstract: An engine apparatus includes an engine and an exhaust gas purifier. The engine includes an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold. The exhaust gas purifier is configured to purify exhaust gas of the engine and disposed on an upper side of the engine through a mounting base. The mounting base includes an intake-side bracket and an exhaust-side bracket, which support one end of the exhaust gas purifier. One end of the intake-side bracket and one end of the exhaust-side bracket are fastened to each other. The other end of the intake-side bracket and the other end of the exhaust-side bracket are coupled to the engine side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Fukuyoshi, Kazuyuki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9512796
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to increase opportunities that a filter is regenerated. Provided is an exhaust purification apparatus for a spark ignition type internal combustion engine, the apparatus including a catalyst and a filter in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, and a control device that prohibits fuel cut when thermal degradation of the catalyst is predicted to advance in the case of implementing a fuel cut. The control device executes the fuel cut even where thermal degradation of the catalyst is predicted to advance, when regeneration of the filter, which is processing of removing particulate matter trapped in the filter, is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Tsunooka, Taisuke Yoshida