Patents Examined by Jonathan R Matthias
  • Patent number: 10961883
    Abstract: Internal combustion engine having: a cylinder defining a combustion chamber; an exhaust duct that is flown through by the exhaust gases; and a system to supply a water-based operator liquid to the combustion chamber having: a tank designed to contain a certain amount of water-based operator liquid and a heating device designed to heat the water-based operator liquid contained in the tank. The heating device has: a first gas-liquid heat exchanger, which is designed to be flown through by at least part of the exhaust gases flowing along the exhaust duct; a second liquid-liquid heat exchanger, which is designed to heat the water-based operator liquid contained in the tank; and a hydraulic circuit, which is designed to send round an exchange fluid through the first heat exchanger to transfer the heat from the exhaust gases to the exchange fluid and through the second heat exchanger to transfer the heat from the exchange fluid to the water-based operator liquid contained in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: MARELLI EUROPE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Federico Monti, Giovanni Bonandrini, Antonio Barbuto
  • Patent number: 10947886
    Abstract: A catalyst state estimation apparatus includes a first sensor, a memory and a processor. The first sensor is configured to acquire information about a catalyst that removes a toxic substance in an exhaust gas, the first sensor being provided in a main passage into which the exhaust gas flows from an internal combustion engine. The memory is configured to previously store a catalyst state estimation model that includes at least one mathematical model. The processor is configured to estimate a removal performance of the catalyst by applying the information about the catalyst acquired by the first sensor to the catalyst state estimation model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takato Ikedo, Matsuei Ueda, Makoto Nagaoka, Harufumi Muto, Kohei Mori, Hitoshi Hosaki, Atsushi Nagai, Satoshi Takamoto
  • Patent number: 10947896
    Abstract: This invention provides a method to clean the inside surfaces of an exhaust after-treatment system each time the engine is shut down. This cleaning is accomplished without disassembly of the engine and without involvement of the engine's operator. This cleaning includes the exhaust ports, particulate filters, catalytic after-treatment processes, and exhaust conduits. This is accomplished by leaving the exhaust after-treatment systems in an oxygen rich atmosphere, with the engine shut down, where oxidation of the hydrocarbons on the inside surfaces continues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventor: Philip Owen Jung
  • Patent number: 10947895
    Abstract: This invention provides a method to clean the inside surfaces of an engine and its exhaust after-treatment system each time the engine is shut down. This cleaning is accomplished without disassembly of the engine and without involvement of the engine's operator. This cleaning includes the combustion chamber, valves, intake and exhaust ports, particulate filters, catalytic after-treatment processes, and exhaust piping. This is accomplished by leaving the shut down engine and its exhaust after-treatment systems in an oxygen rich atmosphere where oxidation of the hydrocarbons on the inside surfaces continues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventor: Philip Owen Jung
  • Patent number: 10941721
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for exhaust heat recovery and EGR cooling via a single heat exchanger. In one example, a method may include selecting a specific mode of operation of an engine exhaust system with the heat exchanger based on engine operating conditions and an estimated fuel efficacy factor. The fuel efficiency factor may take into account fuel efficacy benefits from EGR and exhaust heat recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Samuel Schwartz, Gregory Patrick McConville, Chad Allan Baker, Timothy Noah Blatchley, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 10941686
    Abstract: An assembly for treating gaseous emissions has a substrate along which extend cells for the passage of emissions gas. Lengths of conducting wire are located in a set of the cells and an induction heating coil is used to generate a varying electromagnetic field, so as to inductively heat the lengths of conducting wire. The substrate body has a front for entry of flowing emissions gas to be treated into the substrate body and a back for exit of treated gaseous emissions gas. The lengths of conducting wire have projections extending from the front and/or back of the substrate body so that when inductively heated, the wire parts in the substrate body heat the surrounding substrate and the wire projections heat the flowing emissions gas directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY EMISSION SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Robin Crawford, John Douglas
  • Patent number: 10934922
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing feedgas generation capacity of an oxidation catalyst in an exhaust aftertreatment system includes: determining a first temperature value at a first location in the exhaust aftertreatment system upstream of an oxidation catalyst, the oxidation catalyst being upstream of a selective catalytic reduction catalyst; determining a space velocity of the exhaust in the oxidation catalyst; determining an estimated exotherm value of the oxidation catalyst based on the first temperature value and the space velocity; instructing a doser of the aftertreatment system to dose hydrocarbon into the oxidation catalyst; determining an in-use exotherm value of the oxidation catalyst upon insertion of the hydrocarbon into the oxidation catalyst; and determining a fault condition based upon a comparison between the estimated exotherm value and the in-use exotherm value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Nassim Khaled, Michael Haas, Yinghuan Lei, Richard J. Ancimer
  • Patent number: 10934909
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling exhaust gas purification may include a front unit communicating with an engine exhaust pipe and having a first catalytic filter; a rear unit communicating with the front unit through a connection pipe and having a second catalytic filter and a bypass channel formed to surround the second catalytic filter; and an actuator to open or close the bypass channel. In particular, one end of the bypass channel is opened or closed and other end thereof is sealed so that the second catalytic filter is heated by a primary filtered exhaust gas filtered by and discharged from the front unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun-Yong Lee
  • Patent number: 10934915
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine including a urea-water solution injection in the exhaust system, includes at least one urea-water solution tank, at least one pump, at least one intake line leading to the pump, at least one urea-water solution metering valve which is connected to the pump with the aid of a pressure line, and at least one return line which leads from the pump to the urea-water solution tank and at whose end opposite to the pump a filter element is situated, as well as at least one urea-water solution sensor situated in the urea-water solution tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Deutz Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralph Stengel, Dominic Weber, Peter Broll, Daniel Dammer
  • Patent number: 10920642
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a mixer and an exhaust aftertreatment system comprising the mixer. The mixer comprises a shell, an injection port, a first baffle, a second baffle, a deflector, and an impactor, wherein the first baffle is provided with a gas inlet, the second baffle is provided with a gas outlet, the first baffle and the second baffle are disposed opposite each other, and the first baffle, the second baffle and the shell provide a flow space for an exhaust gas to flow in the mixer; and in the flow space, the first baffle, the shell, the deflector and the impactor provide a mixing space, the deflector comprises a first deflecting surface opposite the first baffle, the deflector is disposed adjacent to the impactor, and the impactor is disposed opposite the injection port for impacting a liquid injected from the injection port into the mixing space. The mixer and the exhaust aftertreatment system have the advantages of a simple structure and a high processing efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Faurecia Emission Control Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jie Wang, Gerard Bertran
  • Patent number: 10920647
    Abstract: The present invention shows a combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas aftertreatment system having at least one injector for injecting a reductant into an exhaust gas passage, and an emergency stop that cuts down the energy supply of the components of the engine upon activation, wherein the combustion engine comprises an injector extraction system that extracts the injector from the exhaust gas passage when the emergency stop is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Liebherr-Components Colmar SAS
    Inventor: Morgan Ansel
  • Patent number: 10920648
    Abstract: A determination method is for an exhaust gas treatment device mounted in a work machine and having at least one of a diesel oxidation catalyst and a catalyzed soot filter. The determination method includes acquiring heat damage information, acquiring cumulative heat damage information, and determining a usability of the exhaust gas treatment device based on the cumulative heat damage information. The heat damage information indicates an extent of heat damage of the exhaust gas treatment device based on a unique identification symbol of the exhaust gas treatment device. The cumulative heat damage information is acquired by accumulating the heat damage information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuta Sakurai, Tatsushi Itou, Yuuki Kasaoka, Tetsuo Ohnishi, Yu Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 10914216
    Abstract: The invention relates to a delivery module (1) for a metering system for metering a reducing agent, in particular an aqueous urea solution, into an exhaust gas section of a motor vehicle, comprising a pump (2) which is connected or can be connected to a reducing agent storage tank (4) on the suction side via a suction line (3) and to a metering module (6) on the pressure side via a delivery line (5), wherein a return line (7) which leads back into the storage tank (4) branches off from the delivery line (5). According to the invention, a filter (8) is integrated into the delivery module (1) on the suction side. The invention additionally relates to a metering system comprising such a delivery module (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Keusen, Volker Reusing
  • Patent number: 10914220
    Abstract: A method for operating a nitrogen oxide sensor of a vehicle having a first nitrogen oxide sensor, a second nitrogen oxide sensor and a catalytic converter, one of the first and second nitrogen oxide sensors being arranged upstream of the catalytic converter with respect to the exhaust gas flow direction, and the other of the first and second nitrogen oxide sensors being arranged downstream of the catalytic converter, includes: determining a first characteristic value of the first nitrogen oxide sensor; determining a second characteristic value of the second nitrogen oxide sensor determining a ratio of the first characteristic value to the second characteristic value; and adapting a sensor or measured value of the second nitrogen oxide sensor in accordance with the ratio of the first characteristic value to the second characteristic value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventor: Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 10914223
    Abstract: A method for mitigating against failure of a particulate matter sensor of an automobile vehicle includes: determining if a key-off event is present, identifying an engine is off in a vehicle after-run mode; defining when local environmental conditions are outside of mechanical limits of a particulate matter (PM) sensor; identifying input values to reverse the local environmental conditions of the PM sensor; and controlling operation of a heating element of the PM sensor to achieve the input values to reverse the local environmental conditions during the vehicle after-run mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Bryan D. Axe, Gaetano Di Venti, Francesco Cannarile
  • Patent number: 10907520
    Abstract: An exhaust system includes an exhaust duct having an internal surface defining an exhaust gas passage extending along an axis. At least one sensor opening is in the exhaust duct and is configured to receive an exhaust gas sensor. A wall is positioned within the exhaust gas passage to extend at least partially around the at least one sensor opening. The wall has an inner wall surface defining an internal volume. A plurality of inlet pipes are in fluid communication with the internal volume, and each inlet pipe extends from a first end open to the internal volume to a second end that is distal from the first end. Each inlet pipe includes a plurality of inlet apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Ker, Philip Dimpelfeld
  • Patent number: 10907518
    Abstract: A method for regenerating a particulate filter in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, wherein it is thereby provided that the quantity of overrun air in the overrun operation of the combustion engine be adapted to the air required for oxidizing the soot trapped in the particulate filter to achieve a rapid and efficient regeneration of the particulate filter, and it is provided that a throttle valve be opened in overrun operation to an extent that allows a maximum permissible soot conversion without risking thermal damage to the particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Sebastian Heinken, Tim Thaler, Pierre Misiek, Christian Steinbrecher
  • Patent number: 10895224
    Abstract: An exhaust system for an internal combustion engine includes an EGR cooler having a heat exchange surface exposed to a flow of exhaust, and a second heat exchange surface. A coolant heat exchanger is fluidly connected to a coolant outlet of the EGR cooler and a coolant pump is fluidly connected to a coolant inlet of the EGR cooler. A condensate collector collects condensate from exhaust, and a condensate pump pumps condensate from the condensate collector to a sprayer to spray condensate onto the second heat exchange surface to vaporize the condensate for discharging out through an outgoing exhaust conduit of the exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jaswinder Singh, Michael Bardell, David Ginter, Paul Wang, Patrick Seiler
  • Patent number: 10883404
    Abstract: A reductant delivery system for an internal combustion engine is arranged to inject a reductant into the exhaust aftertreatment system upstream of a catalytic device. A method for controlling the reductant delivery system includes operating the fluidic pump at a preset state, operating the injector at a zero-flow state, and monitoring, via a pressure sensor, a pressure in the reductant delivery system upstream of the injector to determine a zero-flow pressure. The injector is activated under a preset condition and an actual pressure drop upstream of the injector is monitored. A pressure drop deviation is determined based upon the actual pressure drop upstream of the injector and an expected pressure drop upstream of the injector. An adjustment to the activation of the injector is determined based upon the pressure drop deviation, and the injector is controlled based upon the adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Francesco Laviola
  • Patent number: 10883409
    Abstract: A method for regenerating an exhaust gas filter for a vehicle includes the steps of confirming and monitoring the current remaining amount of soot based on information on the initial amount of soot and information on the removal amount of soot during the execution of the service regeneration control mode, comparing the current remaining amount of soot with a predetermined target remaining amount in the condition in which the time accumulated and counted after the execution of the service regeneration control mode does not reach a predetermined first allowable time, and maintaining the execution of the service regeneration control mode until the remaining amount of soot reaches the target remaining amount in the condition that the accumulated and counted time does not reach the first allowable time when the current remaining amount of soot exceeds the target remaining amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yong Sik Kim, Soung Jae Hyun