Patents Examined by Philip Eklem
  • Patent number: 8943809
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine detects an amount of particulate matter contained in an exhaust gas in an exhaust passage, according to an electrical property across electrodes of a particulate matter sensor disposed in the exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine. The term “electrical property” here refers to a property that changes with the amount of particulate matter deposited, for example, a current value of when a predetermined voltage is applied. After the internal combustion engine is started and detection of the amount of the particulate matter is completed, an element section of the particulate matter sensor is set to a predetermined temperature range. The particulate matter deposited on the element section is thereby burned and removed. The control apparatus maintains the element section in the predetermined temperature range after burning and removing the particulate matter until the internal combustion engine stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Hiroki Nishijima
  • Patent number: 8919104
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine detects an amount of particulate matter contained in an exhaust gas in an exhaust passage, according to an electrical property across electrodes of a particulate matter sensor disposed in the exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine. The term “electrical property” here refers to a property that changes with the amount of particulate matter deposited, for example, a current value of when a predetermined voltage is applied. After the internal combustion engine is started and detection of the amount of the particulate matter is completed, an element section of the particulate matter sensor is set to a predetermined temperature range. The particulate matter deposited on the element section is thereby burned and removed. The control apparatus maintains the element section in the predetermined temperature range after burning and removing the particulate matter until the internal combustion engine stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Hiroki Nishijima
  • Patent number: 8910475
    Abstract: A buoyancy power generating apparatus includes: a tank adapted to receive liquid therein; a buoyancy mechanism disposed in the tank and including a bladder support and a bladder supported on the bladder support; a vertical support disposed outwardly of the tank; a weight unit supported movably on the vertical support; and a transmission coupled to the buoyancy mechanism and the weight unit so that the weight unit can be driven by the bladder to move upwardly during upward movement of the bladder and that the weight unit can be moved downwardly by gravity when the bladder is deflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Jun Fu Clean Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Chin Chiu
  • Patent number: 8881510
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine detects an amount of particulate matter contained in an exhaust gas in an exhaust passage, according to an electrical property across electrodes of a particulate matter sensor disposed in the exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine. The term “electrical property” here refers to a property that changes with the amount of particulate matter deposited, for example, a current value of when a predetermined voltage is applied. After the internal combustion engine is started and detection of the amount of the particulate matter is completed, an element section of the particulate matter sensor is set to a predetermined temperature range. The particulate matter deposited on the element section is thereby burned and removed. The control apparatus maintains the element section in the predetermined temperature range after burning and removing the particulate matter until the internal combustion engine stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Hiroki Nishijima
  • Patent number: 8881505
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes an electronic controller (15) for an internal combustion engine (12) of a motor vehicle. The electronic controller includes a location detection module (32) configured to identify a location of the motor vehicle by a global positioning system (GPS) device (18). Also, the electronic controller includes a driving condition prediction module (34) configured to determine a direction of travel and access geographic information data for a path to be traveled by the motor vehicle. The electronic controller also has a simulation module (36) configured to simulate engine performance including effects from parasitic loads. Still further, the electronic controller includes a parasitic load control module (38) configured to adjust the timing for one or more of a regeneration process for an exhaust filter and at least one other parasitic load in order to maintain engine performance at or above a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins IP, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy R. Frazier
  • Patent number: 8863501
    Abstract: The invention relates to an injection system for injecting a fluid into a filter provided in an exhaust system, comprising at least two modules and at least one pressure compensation volume (44, 46, 48, 54, 56, 58), which is designed for feeding fluid to at least one of the modules and hydraulically connects at least two of the modules. Each module comprises at least one injection unit (40, 50, 60) designed for injecting fluid into the exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Reusing, Chris Weirauch, Stefan Stein
  • Patent number: 8813490
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine is provided that can suppress the adherence of HC to an EGR path and the like accompanying enrichment of the exhaust air/fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuji Wada
  • Patent number: 8806852
    Abstract: A method for controlling regeneration within an after-treatment component of a compression-ignition engine includes receiving a value of a parameter associated with an exhaust stream passing through the after-treatment component and determining a rate of change of the parameter. A filtered parameter value is calculated based on the value of the parameter, the rate of change of the parameter, and a predetermined filtering relationship for the parameter. Accumulated particulate matter in the after-treatment component is estimated based, at least, on a soot accumulation model and the filtered parameter value. The estimate of accumulated particulate matter in the after-treatment component is compared to a predetermined threshold associated with the after-treatment component, and a remedial action is initiated when the estimate of accumulated particulate matter in the after-treatment component exceeds the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher C. Swoish, Christopher Whitt, Douglas Christopher Sarsen
  • Patent number: 8800269
    Abstract: In a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine in which a first fuel, which has a property to inhibit the adsorption of exhaust gas components by an exhaust gas purification catalyst, and the second fuel, which has a property not to inhibit the adsorption of the exhaust gas components by the exhaust gas purification catalyst, are able to be selectively used, the present invention has a task to decrease an amount of consumption of the second fuel in a suitable manner. In order to solve this task, the fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine according the present invention is constructed such that the second fuel is first supplied to the internal combustion engine when the exhaust gas purification catalyst is in a cold state, and a change from the second fuel to the first fuel is then made before the exhaust gas purification catalyst subsequently rises in temperature to an activation temperature thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakayama, Toru Kidokoro, Hiroshi Sawada
  • Patent number: 8756917
    Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine comprises a particulate filter assembly configured to receive exhaust gas from the engine. The particulate filter assembly comprises an electrically heated catalyst, a particulate filter disposed downstream of the electrically heated catalyst, a hydrocarbon injector, in fluid communication with the exhaust gas, upstream of the electrically heated catalyst and configured to inject excess hydrocarbon into the exhaust gas, an air pump in fluid communication with the exhaust gas upstream of the electrically heated catalyst and configured to deliver air to the exhaust gas to increase the volumetric gas flow rate through, and to decrease the heat residence time in, the particulate filter and a controller configured to operate the hydrocarbon injector, the electrically heated catalyst and the air pump based on predetermined exhaust gas flow rates, temperature thresholds and particulate loadings within the particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eugene V. Gonze, Michael J. Paratore, Jr., Garima Bhatia
  • Patent number: 8720190
    Abstract: A method for predicting sulfur oxides (SOx) stored at a denitrification (DeNOx) catalyst may include calculations of the mass flow of SOx poisoned at the DeNOx catalyst, the mass flow of SOx released from the DeNOx catalyst, and the SOx amount poisoned at the DeNOx catalyst by integrating the value obtained by subtracting the released mass flow of SOx from the poisoned mass flow of SOx. An exhaust system using the method may comprise an engine having a first injector, an exhaust pipe, a second injector mounted at the exhaust pipe and injecting a reducing agent, a DeNOx catalyst mounted at the exhaust pipe and reducing SOx or nitrogen oxides (NOx) or both contained in the exhaust gas by using the reducing agent, and a control portion electrically connected to the system and performing the calculations and controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, FEV Motorentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Jin Ha Lee, Jin Woo Park, Christopher Severin, Thomas Wittka
  • Patent number: 8677740
    Abstract: A method for predicting regeneration may include calculating total mass flow of reducing agent, calculating mass flow of the reducing agent used in nitrate reduction reaction, mass flow of the reducing agent used in NO2 reduction reaction, and mass flow of the reducing agent which is simply oxidized by using the total mass flow of the reducing agent, calculating mass flow of released NO2 and mass flow of reduced NO2 by using the mass flow of the reducing agent used in the nitrate reduction reaction and the mass flow of the reducing agent used in the NO2 reduction reaction, calculating mass flow of NO2 slipped from DeNOx catalyst, and calculating mass of NO2 and mass of NOx remaining at the DeNOx catalyst after regeneration based on the mass flow of the released NO2, the mass flow of the reduced NO2, and the mass flow of the slipped NO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, FEV Motorentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Jin Ha Lee, Jin Woo Park, Christopher Severin, Thomas Wittka
  • Patent number: 8677738
    Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system for reducing emissions from an engine includes an exhaust conduit adapted to supply an exhaust stream from the engine to an exhaust treatment device. The conduit includes an aperture. An injector injects a reagent through the aperture and into the exhaust stream. A flow modifier is positioned within the exhaust conduit upstream of the injector. The flow modifier includes a diverter for increasing the velocity of the exhaust gas at a predetermined location within the conduit relative to the injected reagent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan A. Floyd, Stephen M. Thomas, Joseph G. Ralph, James J. Reynolds, III, Jeremy Popovich, Manoj K. Sampath, Michael Wenk, Alison Chambers
  • Patent number: 8671667
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine in an engine exhaust passage of which a hydrocarbon feed valve and an exhaust purification catalyst are arranged. On the exhaust purification catalyst, platinum Pt is carried and a basic layer is formed. A concentration of hydrocarbons flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst is made to vibrate within a predetermined range of amplitude of 200 ppm or more and within a predetermined range of period of 5 seconds or less whereby NOx which is contained in the exhaust gas is reduced in the exhaust purification catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Bisaiji, Kohei Yoshida, Mikio Inoue
  • Patent number: 8650875
    Abstract: A single closed loop direct exchange geothermal power production system that utilizes a refrigerant working fluid in at least one of three primary designs to generate electrical power from deep wells: with a first version of a direct exchange geothermal power generating system operating primarily on refrigerant vapor pressure; with a second version of a direct exchange geothermal power generating system operating primarily on liquid refrigerant gravitational pressure; and with a third version of a direct exchange geothermal power generating system operating primarily on both liquid refrigerant gravitational pressure and refrigerant phase change/expansion from a liquid to a vapor state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: DWPNA, LLC
    Inventors: B. Ryland Wiggs, Richard Thoms
  • Patent number: 8650862
    Abstract: An agricultural machine has an internal combustion engine, a particulate filter disposed in an exhaust-system branch of the internal combustion engine, and an engine control unit designed to control the internal combustion engine in a regeneration phase in such a manner that a temperature is reached in the particulate filter that is required for the regeneration thereof, and to abort an on-going regeneration if at least one operating parameter of the machine that influences the regeneration deviates from a setpoint value. A control device of the machine is provided to predict a time period in which it is likely possible to hold the operating parameter to the setpoint value thereof, and to start regeneration when this time period begins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Elmar Renneke, Kai Brandhofe
  • Patent number: 8635860
    Abstract: A system for reversing heat transfer from an exhaust system assembly on a vehicle comprising an engine block assembly and transaxle assembly operatively connected and located in an engine compartment of an automobile. The system comprises a number one exhaust manifold stay mount, a number two exhaust manifold stay mount, and a front exhaust collector pipe bracket and stay mount. The system comprises an exhaust system with a front exhaust collector pipe located beneath the engine block assembly. The system comprises an engine block assembly heat shield with a cross-section generally comprising the shape of a “U” that is located next to the surface of the engine block assembly. The engine block assembly heat shield is located over and overlays the front exhaust collector pipe bracket and stay mount, the number one exhaust manifold stay mount, and the number two exhaust manifold stay mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Inventor: Ralph P. Robinson
  • Patent number: 8627664
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for operating a solar steam system in response to a detected or predicted reduced or impending reduced insolation event are disclosed herein. Examples of transient reduced insolation events include but are not limited to cloud-induced reduction in insolation, dust-induced reduction in insolation, and insolation events caused by solar eclipses. In some embodiments, in response to the detecting or predicting, steam flow is regulated within the solar steam system to reduce a flow rate into a steam turbine. Alternatively or additionally, one or more heliostats may be responsively redirected onto a steam superheater or steam re-heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: BrightSource Industries (Israel), Ltd.
    Inventors: Sami Katz, Israel Kroizer
  • Patent number: 8627651
    Abstract: A system includes an internal combustion engine producing an exhaust gas, an aftertreatment system receiving the exhaust gas, the aftertreatment system including a particulate filter positioned upstream of an SCR catalyst component, and a urea injector operatively coupled to the aftertreatment system at a position upstream of the SCR catalyst component. The system further includes a controller that interprets an exhaust temperature value, an ambient temperature value, and a urea injection amount. The controller determines a urea deposit amount in response to the exhaust temperature value, the ambient temperature value, and the urea injection amount, and initiates a desoot regeneration event in response to the urea deposit amount. The desoot regeneration event includes operating the engine at a urea decomposition exhaust temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Emission Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Chetan Ponnathpur
  • Patent number: 8621847
    Abstract: An exhaust treatment system for an engine includes a selective catalyst reduction (SCR) treatment module that controls a valve and an air pump to deliver air to an SCR catalyst in response to the engine turning off. An SCR loading module controls the valve and the air pump to deliver air to an exhaust manifold and controls a dosing system to deliver a dosing agent upstream of the SCR catalyst when a temperature of the SCR catalyst is less than a temperature threshold and the SCR catalyst is not saturated with ammonia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Inventors: Eugene V. Gonze, Michael J. Paratore, Jr., Chang H. Kim, Steven J. Schmieg