Patents Examined by Tu M. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7370470
    Abstract: A method for increasing the exhaust gas temperature of internal combustion engines, particularly for driving a motor vehicle under load in order to reach the necessary regeneration temperature of at least one component of an exhaust gas post-treatment system, has the step of placing the engine under load by at least one of the brakes of the motor vehicle and/or by the starting element of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Olaf Graupner, Gerhard Wissler
  • Patent number: 7370474
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying equipment for a diesel engine having a first continuous regeneration type DPF (12) in an exhaust passage (7) of an engine (2), a second continuous regeneration type DPF (13) in a bypass passage (101), a switching valve (102) for switching the flow path of an exhaust gas, an exhaust temperature raising means, an exhaust temperature area detector, and a controller controlling the exhaust temperature raising means and the switching valve (102), wherein the controller operates the exhaust temperature raising means and at the same time executes the post-injection, and, furthermore, controls the switching valve (102) so that the exhaust gas passes through the second continuous regeneration type DPF (13), in the case where the exhaust temperature area of an engine (2) detected by the exhaust temperature area detector is in an extremely low temperature area (Z2) of which the exhaust temperature is lower than that of a predetermined temperature area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventor: Toshitaka Minami
  • Patent number: 7367182
    Abstract: A forced regeneration device which performs regeneration of a particulate filter includes oxidation catalysts (23, 24a) disposed upstream from the particulate filter or in said particulate filter and a burner (30) located upstream from the oxidation catalysts and operable switching between a combustion mode for combusting a fuel spray by inflammation to raise temperature of exhaust gases in an exhaust passage and a fuel supply mode for supplying only a fuel spray to the exhaust passage without inflammation. After the burner operates in the combustion mode, the burner operation is switched to the fuel supply mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Takahashi, Katsunori Umezawa, Yasuhiro Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 7367183
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine which is used in particular in motor vehicle having a reformer for generating hydrogen, whereby the reformer has a single operating mode in which it generates as much reformate as needed or even more for purification of the maximum quantity of exhaust gas generated, whereby a distributor apparatus is situated at the output end of the reformer and the distributor apparatus is connected at the output end to an intake train of the internal combustion engine and to an ammonia generator, whereby the ammonia generator is connected at the output end upstream from an SCR catalyst to an exhaust train of the internal combustion engine, whereby the distributor apparatus allocates the reformate between the intake train and the ammonia generator as a function of the operating state of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: J. Eberspaecher GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Günter Eberspach
  • Patent number: 7367180
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Christian T. Goralski, Jr., Stephen B. Smith
  • Patent number: 7356988
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for controlling the temperature of at least one catalyst arranged in an exhaust gas cleaning system (12) of a lean-runnable multi-cylinder engine (10), wherein energy is introduced into the exhaust gas cleaning system (12) by a lambda split, and to a corresponding multicylinder engine (10). It is provided that the introduction of energy is limited depending on at least one of the parameters catalyst temperature, exhaust gas temperature and exhaust gas mass flow rate, and/or at least one of the parameters change of the catalyst temperature, change of the exhaust gas temperature and change of the exhaust gas mass flow rate, or at least one of the parameters rate of change of the catalyst temperature, rate of change of the exhaust gas temperature and rate of change of the exhaust gas mass flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ekkehard Pott, Kai Philipp, Eric Bree
  • Patent number: 7356987
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system for a power source, has at least one inlet port configured to receive at least a portion of a flow of exhaust produced by the power source. The exhaust gas recirculation system also has an electrode disposed upstream of the at least one inlet port and configured to charge particulate matter in the flow of exhaust. The exhaust gas recirculation system further has at least one collection surface configured to allow the at least one electrode to repel the charged particulate matter away from the at least one inlet port towards the at least one collection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Thomas Kiser, David Michael Thaler, Anthony Clark Rodman, Matthew Earnest Williams
  • Patent number: 7350349
    Abstract: Method and device for a particle filter for an exhaust system for a combustion engine, wherein the filter is regenerated by spontaneous combustion of particles accumulated in the filter. Exhaust gases from the combustion engine are led, during operation, past the filter when the counterpressure in the exhaust gases which is caused by the filter exceeds a certain level. The invention also relates to a silencer in a vehicle which is driven by the combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Scania CV AB (publ)
    Inventor: Klas Olofsson
  • Patent number: 7340887
    Abstract: A particle filter is monitored with a sequence of steps. A pressure loss at the particle filter is measured. The volumetric flow of exhaust gas is acquired and a filter load value is calculated from the pressure loss and the volumetric flow of exhaust gas. The filter load value is recorded as a function of a drive parameter and the filter load value is differentiated with respect to the drive parameter. The differentiation of the filter load allows a particle filter breakdown to be deduced when the differentiation is less than or equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Ante, Christian Birkner, Wolfgang Östreicher
  • Patent number: 7325392
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for controlling a catalytic process. The control system includes: an electroconductive support having a layer of a catalyst thereon; a first electrode in contact with said electroconductive support; a second electrode in contact with said catalyst layer; a current control unit for applying a current to said first and second electrodes and for controlling and varying the amount of current applied; an impedance measurement unit for continuously, monitoring and measuring the polarization impedance across an interface between the catalyst layer and the electroconductive support; a processing-unit for comparing the measured polarization impedance with a reference value. The amount of current applied to the catalyst layer and the electroconductive support via the first and second electrodes is varied to change the polarization impedance when the measured polarization impedance differs from the reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Catelectric Corp.
    Inventors: Victor Stancovski, Sridhar Seetharaman
  • Patent number: 7325394
    Abstract: In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine and a catalytic device for treating NOx emissions from the internal combustion engine, a method of operating the engine comprising operating the engine for a first interval in such a manner as to store and reduce NOx emissions in the catalytic device thereby accumulating stored sulfur in the catalytic device, and operating the engine for a second interval in such a manner as to remove a portion of the stored sulfur from the catalytic device and to leave a substantial portion of stored sulfur in the catalytic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Paul Laing, Yisun Chang, Robert Hammerle
  • Patent number: 7313913
    Abstract: An oxidation catalyst is disposed upstream of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in an exhaust passage of a diesel engine. An electronic control unit (ECU) operates temperature increasing circuit to combust and eliminate particulate matters deposited on the DPF. The ECU determines execution and stoppage of regeneration of the DPF based on a quantity of the particulate matters deposited on the DPF. The ECU increases an exhaust gas recirculation quantity (EGR quantity) during the regeneration to reduce an intake air quantity from the intake air quantity in a non-regeneration period and to achieve a flow rate of the exhaust gas passing through the DPF suitable for the temperature increase. The ECU corrects a valve opening degree of an EGR control valve based on the sensed intake air quantity to reduce a variation in the exhaust gas flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichiro Okugawa, Kazuo Kobayashi, Hiroshi Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 7299623
    Abstract: A method for controlling the temperature and/or space velocity of exhaust gas provides control of the maximum temperature of the exhaust gas to prevent thermal damage to the Diesel engine components and associated aftertreatment devices during regeneration of the aftertreatment devices. The method includes controlling intake and/or exhaust valve opening timing and duration, either singly or in combination with selective individual cylinder cutout, in response to sensed engine operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Rudolf H. Stanglmaier, Ryan C. Roecker, Charles E. Roberts, Jr., Lee G. Dodge, Christopher J. Chadwell, Darius Mehta, Daniel W. Stewart
  • Patent number: 7296401
    Abstract: A device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The device includes a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust system, which carries a catalyst for absorbing and reducing NOx. The catalyst absorbs NOx when the air-fuel ratio in the surrounding atmosphere thereof is lean and releases the absorbed NOx to purify NOx by reduction when the air-fuel ratio is stoichiometric or rich. The device further includes a catalytic apparatus for purifying NOx arranged in the exhaust system upstream of the particulate filter, which has an oxidation function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takamitsu Asanuma, Toshiaki Tanaka, Shinya Hirota, Kazuhiro Itoh, Koichiro Nakatani, Koichi Kimura, Kotaro Hayashi, Souichi Matushita, Yukihiro Tsukasaki
  • Patent number: 7293407
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a diesel engine in which an air ratio (?) of the fuel which is to be burnt and of the combustion air supplied is set by a control unit (14) according to predetermined values. When a value (15) which is predetermined as a switching criterion is recorded, the control unit (14) switches to a special operating mode for regeneration of a catalytic converter (22) and sets the fuel/air ratio according to predetermined values for this operating mode. To achieve more effective regeneration of the catalytic converter, according to the invention it is provided that at least one afterinjection, which is separated in time from a main injection, of fuel which is also to be burnt takes place in the special operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Holger Adler, Klaus Allmendinger, Dirk Becker, Oliver Erlenmayer, Andreas Hasert, Hans-Hubert Hemberger, Anton Kerckhoff, Stefan Kurze, Michael Lenz, Thomas Liebscher, Ulrich Merten, Andreas Roll, Norbert Ruzicka
  • Patent number: 7287373
    Abstract: An exhaust pipe collecting structure for a multi-cylinder engine unit having multiple cylinders including a first exhaust pipe group and a second exhaust pipe group, each of which has two exhaust pipes selected from four exhaust pipes respectively connected to the four cylinders; a first exhaust sub-collecting pipe cast integrally with the first exhaust pipe group, a second exhaust sub-collecting pipe cast integrally with the second exhaust pipe group, a first joint portion located at a downstream end portion of the first exhaust sub-collecting pipe, and a second joint portion located at a downstream end portion of the second exhaust sub-collecting pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshimoto Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7284367
    Abstract: The ignition timing is sustained at an initial value during a predetermined time beginning at a start of an engine, and is retarded after the predetermined time is elapsed to heat a catalyst at an early time. The predetermined time ends when the negative pressure of an intake pipe or the negative pressure of a brake booster reaches to a predetermined value. That is, the predetermined time is a period, which begins at a start of the engine and ends when a proper negative pressure can be sustained in the brake booster. As a result, it is possible to assure a negative pressure in the brake booster at an early time and to reduce exhaust emission at a start of the engine simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Hasegawa, Toyoji Yagi, Hisashi Iida
  • Patent number: 7284370
    Abstract: A positioning control apparatus includes a position detector 102 which detects the position of a positioning object 101, a target position generator 103 which generates a target position signal based on an output from the position detector, and a driving unit 104 which drives the positioning object based on an output from the target position generator. The target position generator 103 includes a control unit which sets a temporary target position of the positioning object and performs the learning of a reference position of the positioning object. A control gain given to the driving unit includes a first control gain, which is valid until the positioning object reaches the set temporary target position, and a second control gain, which is smaller than the first control gain and which is valid after the time when the positioning object has reached the temporary target position until the reference position learning is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirofumi Tatsukawa
  • Patent number: 7284368
    Abstract: A system is described for improving engine and vehicle performance by considering the effects of exhaust conditions on catalyst particle growth. Specifically, engine operation is adjusted to reduce operating in such conditions, and a diagnostic routine is described for determining the effects of any operation that can cause such particle growth. Further, routines are described for controlling various vehicle conditions, such as deceleration fuel shut-off, to reduce effects of the particle growth on emission performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Harendra S. Gandhi, Christian T. Goralski, Jr., Robert W. McCabe, George Graham, Hungwen Jen
  • Patent number: 7284369
    Abstract: A secondary air pipe is connected on the upstream side from catalyst in an exhaust pipe, and a secondary air pump is provided at an upstream portion of the secondary air pipe. An opening/closing valve for opening/closing the secondary air pipe is provided on the downstream side from the secondary air pump. A pressure sensor for detecting pressure within pipe is provided between the secondary air pump and the opening/closing valve. An ECU calculates a secondary airflow rate based upon difference pressure between both secondary air supply pressure which is detected by the pressure sensor when the opening/closing valve is opened under such a condition that the secondary air pump is operated, and also, shutoff pressure which is detected by the pressure sensor when the opening/closing valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Nakano, Yuuki Sakamoto