Patents Examined by Loren Edwards
  • Patent number: 7377103
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a power take off device connected to an internal combustion engine is presented. According to the method, power take off speed control may be improved and the possibility of engine stalling may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Songping Yu, Thomas M. Luther, Michael J. Cullen
  • Patent number: 7377104
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle traveling on the road is shown. The system includes a first cylinder; a second cylinder; a linear exhaust gas sensor coupled exclusively to said first cylinder; a switching exhaust gas sensor coupled exclusively to said second cylinder; and a controller configured to perform a decontamination cycle where one of said first cylinder and second cylinder produces a reductant rich exhaust and the other of said first and said second cylinder produces an oxygen rich exhaust, where an air-fuel ratio of one of said first and second cylinder is adjusted in response to said linear sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Imad Makki, James Kerns, Stephen Smith
  • Patent number: 7373775
    Abstract: A method for metering ammonia into the exhaust-gas region of an internal combustion engine and a device for implementing the method. The ammonia storage capacity of an SCR catalytic converter situated in the exhaust-gas region of the internal combustion engine is utilized. After the internal combustion engine has been switched off, ammonia is introduced into the exhaust-gas region in front of the SCR catalytic converter. Thus, following a renewed start-up of the internal combustion engine, the ammonia required in the SCR catalytic converter for reducing the nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine are already available before an ammonia source is ready for operation. The procedure eliminates the need for a pressure storage of ammonia in the switched-off state of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Breuer, Katharina Körting
  • Patent number: 7367181
    Abstract: The system for assisting the regeneration of depollution means (1) integrated in an exhaust line (2) of a heat engine (3) of a motor vehicle, by switching the engine between operation in lean mode and operation in rich mode in accordance with various parameters (7, 8) for controlling the operation of the engine, is characterized in that it comprises means (9) for measuring the temperature of the gases for supplying the engine and means (8) for correcting at least one parameter for controlling the operation of the engine in rich mode as a function of the measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Piet Ameloot, Pascal Folliot
  • Patent number: 7356989
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for providing assistance in regenerating depollution means included in an exhaust system of a motor vehicle engine, the system comprising means for controlling the operation of the engine in order to switch the engine between operation in a standard lean mode and operation in a nominal rich mode for regeneration by using post-injection of fuel into the cylinders of the engine and by modifying at least one engine operation control parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Pascal Folliot, Piet Ameloot
  • Patent number: 7350350
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas purifying apparatus for a diesel engine having a diesel particulate filter (DPF) provided in an exhaust pipe, a temperature of the DPF is indirectly detected (presumed) to prevent an over-heat of the DPF during a re-generation operation thereof. For that purpose, the DPF is hypothetically divided into multiple cells, the temperature at the respective cells is presumed based on a heat budget of the cell, and the maximum temperature among those multiple presumed temperatures is controlled to be lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichiro Okugawa, Kazuo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7347042
    Abstract: An exhaust gas filter for cleaning an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, includes at least one strip-shaped filter layer. The filter layer has at least one filter region formed of a material through which a fluid can at least partly flow, for filtering out particulates from the exhaust gas. The filter layer also has at least one contact region with a catalytically active coating, for conversion of gaseous components of the exhaust gas. A method for cleaning an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Emitec Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brück, Jan Hodgson
  • Patent number: 7347044
    Abstract: A vertical exhaust water trap assembly has an outer housing and an internal housing or exhaust tube defining an annular water collection spaced therebetween bypassing a central exhaust flow area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Lubenow, Patrick M. Klein, Robert J. Schellin
  • Patent number: 7343738
    Abstract: An engine controller (20) controls regeneration of a diesel particulate filter (11) deployed along an exhaust passage (3) of a vehicle diesel engine (9). Regeneration terminates in response to a terminating request based on running conditions of the diesel engine (1). When the regeneration elapsed time at the time of termination is shorter than a reference duration, the engine controller (20) adds a time corresponding to a deviation of the regeneration elapsed time from the reference duration to the reference duration for the next regeneration of the DPF (11), thereby completely removing particulate matter accumulated in and around an inlet (18) of the filter (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoya Tsutsumoto, Junichi Kawashima, Masahiko Nakano, Makoto Ootake, Shouichirou Ueno, Terunori Kondou, Toshimasa Koga
  • Patent number: 7343735
    Abstract: A system is provided for regenerating an exhaust gas aftertreatment component of an internal combustion engine. The system is operable to determine an output torque of the engine, and to supply a single quantity of fuel to the engine after combustion of a main quantity of fuel if the output torque is greater than a torque threshold, and to otherwise supply a first quantity of fuel to the engine near an end of combustion of the main quantity of fuel followed by supplying a second quantity of fuel after combustion of the main quantity of fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Yun Wang, Jerilyn Tsai
  • Patent number: 7340886
    Abstract: A diesel engine (1) comprises an exhaust passage (3), and a DPM filter (4) provided on the exhaust passage (3), which traps diesel particulate matter (DPM) contained in the exhaust gas such that the diesel particulate matter accumulates therein. An engine controller (11) starts regeneration processing of the DPM filter (4) by raising the exhaust gas temperature when a regeneration timing of the DPM filter (4) is reached, sets a target exhaust gas temperature during regeneration processing to ensure that the temperature of the DPM filter (4) does not exceed an upper temperature limit of the DPM filter (4), even when the temperature of the DPM filter (4) is raised due to the engine (1) entering an idling condition during the regeneration processing, and controls the exhaust gas temperature to the target exhaust gas temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Kawashima, Naoya Tsutsumoto, Makoto Otake, Terunori Kondou, Takao Inoue, Shouichirou Ueno, Toshimasa Koga
  • Patent number: 7334399
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for intermittently delivering fluid. An injector intermittently delivers a first quantity of fluid over a first time interval. In one embodiment, the injector is passively cooled. In a certain embodiment, the injector delivers the first quantity of fluid responsive to a fluid flow measurement of a flow meter. An orifice diverts the first quantity of fluid from a primary fluid supply system over a second time interval without decreasing the supply of fluid to a primary load within a flow rate range while the fluid pressure remains within a pressure range. An accumulator accumulates at the least the first quantity of fluid as a fluid charge with positive energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc
    Inventors: John T. Carroll, III, Laszlo D. Tikk
  • Patent number: 7325393
    Abstract: To determine whether an exhaust gas purification catalyst (42) of an engine (1) has deteriorated, a characteristic of exhaust gas on an upstream side of the catalyst (42) is detected, a characteristic of the exhaust gas on a downstream side of the catalyst (42) is detected, and when the engine (1) operates at a lean air-fuel ratio, a value expressing a difference in the oxygen concentration on the upstream side and downstream side of the catalyst (42) (an average excess air ratio difference) is calculated from the two detected values. When the value expressing the difference in the oxygen concentration is smaller than a deterioration determination threshold calculated in accordance with a quantity of state of the catalyst (42), the catalyst (42) is determined to have deteriorated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Manabu Miura
  • Patent number: 7322184
    Abstract: A particulate matter deposit amount in a diesel particulate filter (4) provided in an exhaust passage (3) of a diesel engine (1) for a vehicle is estimated on the basis of a pressure loss in the filter (4), which is detected by a differential pressure sensor (12). When the temperature of the differential pressure sensor (12) is not within a predetermined temperature range, estimation of the particulate matter deposit amount based on the pressure loss is restricted, and instead, the particulate matter deposit amount is estimated by accumulating a particulate matter deposit amount per unit time. In so doing, increases in the estimation error outside of the predetermined temperature range are prevented. Moreover, by applying these estimation methods selectively in accordance with the vehicle speed, the precision with which the particulate matter deposit amount is estimated outside of the predetermined temperature range is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Terunori Kondou, Junichi Kawashima, Naoya Tsutsumoto, Makoto Ootake, Shouichirou Ueno, Masahiko Nakano, Toshimasa Koga
  • Patent number: 7322186
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas purifying apparatus for a diesel engine having a diesel particulate filter provided in an exhaust pipe, a pressure loss at the filter is detected. An accumulated amount of diesel particulates in the filter is calculated based on the pressure loss and a map for a relationship between the pressure loss and the accumulated amount. A compulsory re-generating operation is carried out when the calculated accumulated amount reaches at a predetermined threshold value, which is decreased to a smaller value depending on a combustion amount of the diesel particulates which are combusted and removed from the filter as a natural re-generating operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuharu Tochikawa, Makoto Saito, Shigeto Yahata, Tsukasa Kuboshima, Kanehito Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7316108
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine with a cylinder head, at least one outlet for exhaust gas which is formed in the cylinder head, a device for directly injecting fuel into a combustion chamber, a spark-ignition device for igniting the directly injected fuel in the combustion chamber, at least one electric drive and an exhaust gas control system which is connected downstream of the combustion chamber and has at least one catalytic converter in at least one exhaust tract. The catalytic converter which is closest to the engine in each exhaust tract is positioned in the exhaust gas control system in such a way that a length of an exhaust pipe between the outlet for exhaust gas in the cylinder head and an end face of this catalytic converter that faces the cylinder head is at least 500 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Ekkehard Pott, Michael Zillmer, Matthias Holz, Marc Hladun
  • Patent number: 7316107
    Abstract: In a diesel engine provided with a diesel particulate filter 81 and an exhaust throttle valve 9, noise is decreased that is produced when the exhaust throttle valve is returned back to the fully opened state after a diesel particulate filter 81 has been regenerated by oxidizing and removing the particulate matter deposited thereon. The exhaust system of the diesel engine is equipped with the diesel particulate filter 81 and a catalyst 82 on the upstream thereof, and is further equipped with the exhaust throttle valve 9 on the downstream. The diesel particulate filter 81 is regenerated by operating the diesel engine in a state where the exhaust throttle valve 9 is opened to a small degree. When the regeneration has finished, the diesel engine is run at a decreased rotational speed and, thereafter, the exhaust throttle valve 9 is returned back to the fully opened state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Aratsuka, Hirofumi Hashimoto, Takuo Nishi
  • Patent number: 7313912
    Abstract: A secondary air pipe is connected to an exhaust pipe upstream of a catalyst, and a secondary air pump is connected to an upstream portion of the secondary air pipe. An ECU determines an operating period of the secondary air pump before the secondary air pump is operated in order to drive the secondary air pump within the operating period. Especially, the ECU detects a pump driving load during a secondary air supply to correct the operating period of the secondary air pump based on the detected pump driving load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Singo Nakata, Tomoaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 7299625
    Abstract: During sulfur release control in an internal combustion engine, a rich period and a lean period are alternately repeated. The air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas is controlled toward a target air-fuel ratio (14.3) by adding fuel from a fuel adding valve in the rich period. An ECU determines whether the actual air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas detected by an air-fuel ratio sensor has reached a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio each time the rich period ends at which addition of fuel from the fuel adding valve is stopped. A counter counts the number of times the ECU has determined that the actual air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas has not reached the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. When the value of the counter becomes greater than or equal to a permissible value, the ECU determines that there is an abnormality in the sulfur release control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Uchida, Tatsumasa Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7296400
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine capable of reforming and recycling a portion of fuel included in exhaust gas from a combustion chamber includes an exhaust passage where exhaust gas from the combustion chamber flows; a reformer that has a reforming reaction chamber including a fuel reforming catalyst; a branch passage that branches from the exhaust passage at a branch portion provided upstream from the reformer, and directs exhaust gas to the reforming reaction chamber; and a secondary air supplier and an exhaust purification catalyst serving as fuel removal means, which are provided downstream from the branch portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isamu Nakada