Patents by Inventor Alfred Elsasser

Alfred Elsasser has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8991366
    Abstract: A dual path fresh air system, having a first air supply path, the first path supplies air to at least one first cylinder set; a second air supply path, the second path supplies air to at least on second cylinder set; a first exhaust gas recirculation inlet fluidly connected to the first path to introduce recirculated exhaust gas into the first path; a second exhaust gas recirculation inlet fluidly connected to the second path to introduce recirculated exhaust gas into the second path; a first valve member, which is arranged upstream of the first exhaust gas recirculation inlet in the first path, wherein the first valve member controls fluid flowing through a cross section of the first path; and a second valve member which is arranged upstream of the second exhaust gas recirculation inlet in the second path, for controlling fluid flowing through a cross section of the second path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Achim Gommel, Marco Warth
  • Patent number: 8899042
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine and operating method. The internal combustion engine includes a fresh air system for the supplying of fresh air to at least one combustion chamber; an exhaust gas system for the carrying away of exhaust gas from the at least one combustion chamber; an exhaust gas recycling system for the recycling the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas system into the fresh air system; and at least one additional valve, configured in the fresh air system upstream of at least one inlet valve associated with the at least one combustion chambers. A control device is configured to actuate at least one additional valve such that at least one of a particle content in the exhaust gas and a fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine are at least one of optimum and optimal comprise for at least one environmental parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Alexander Ullmann, Marco Warth
  • Patent number: 8857177
    Abstract: A piston engine, having at least one cylinder that includes at least a first and a second discharge valve and a double overhead camshaft for controlling the first and a second discharge valves. The double overhead camshaft includes both an inner shaft, which has at least one first cam for controlling the first discharge valve, and an outer shaft that is coaxial to the first inner shaft and has at least one second cam for controlling the second discharge valve. The inner shaft and the outer shaft are rotationally adjustable relative to one another changing the discharge time frame of the discharge valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Hermann Hoffmann, Sascha Senjic, Peter Wieske
  • Patent number: 8844284
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine system (1), particularly in a motor vehicle, comprising an internal combustion engine (2), a fresh gas system (3) for supplying fresh gas to the internal combustion engine (2), an exhaust gas system (4) for discharging exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine (2), and an exhaust gas recirculation system (5) for removing exhaust gas from the exhaust gas system (4) at a removal point (11) and introducing the removed exhaust gas into the fresh gas system (3) at an introduction point (12). In order to improve exhaust gas recirculation, the exhaust gas system (4) is equipped with an exhaust gas valve (14) downstream of the removal point (11) in order to control the penetrable cross-section of the exhaust gas system (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Patric Genieser, Achim Gommel, Mike Lau, Boris Lerch, Adam Loch, Kristijan Mudroh
  • Patent number: 8746216
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine may include a piston engine having at least one combustion chamber and a fresh air system for feeding fresh air to the at least one combustion chamber including at least one fresh air line. A bloom mixer may be arranged in the fresh air line and configured to divide a fresh air flow conducted in the fresh air line into at least two partial flows and reunite these again on the outflow side subject to the formation of a turbulence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Bernhardt Lüddecke
  • Patent number: 8701637
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes a fresh air system, an exhaust gas system and an exhaust gas recirculation system. The exhaust gas recirculation system has an exhaust gas valve assembly for controlling a removal flow at a recirculation line removal point and a fresh air valve assembly for controlling an introduction flow at a fresh air line introduction point. The exhaust gas valve assembly is permanently displaceable between a first position and a second position for generating the removal flow. The fresh air valve assembly is permanently displaceable between a first position and a second position for generating the introduction flow. The valve assemblies are synchronized such that the positive pressure pulses entering at the removal point into the recirculation line meet the negative pressure pulses at the introduction point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Elsässer
  • Patent number: 8683986
    Abstract: A method for adjusting an exhaust gas recycling rate in an internal combustion engine exhaust gas recycling system, comprising: arranging the exhaust gas recycling system in at least one of a fresh gas line, an exhaust gas line, and an exhaust gas recycling line of the internal combustion engine; actuating at least one additional valve; adjusting the at least one additional valve temporarily by changing the operation of the internal combustion engine based on an exhaust gas rate associated with a current operating point of the internal combustion engine; diagnosing the at least one additional valve; and evaluating the change of at least one engine operating parameter dependent on the exhaust gas recycling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Marco Warth
  • Patent number: 8534255
    Abstract: The invention relates to a valve unit for at least one of influencing and controlling a gas flow in an internal combustion engine comprising at least one valve member for modifying a cross-section of a gas flow-carrying channel through which a fluid flows and a drive train for rotatingly driving the at least one valve member. The drive train comprises an input shaft, which is drivingly coupled to a drive device in the mounted state, and at least one valve member shaft which is non-rotationally connected to the valve member. It is especially advantageous if the drive train comprises at least one phase adjuster for drivingly coupling the input shaft and the valve member shaft, a rotational position of the shafts in relation to each other being adjustable by the phase adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsasser, Uwe Grass, Bernd Mahr, Marco Warth
  • Patent number: 8365702
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine (1), in particular in a motor vehicle, comprising at least one cylinder (3) that defines a combustion chamber (4) and in which a piston (5) can be adjusted with regard to stroke. Each cylinder (3) comprises at least one intake opening (6) for a fresh mixture. Each intake opening (6) is associated with an intake valve (7) that works together with an associated valve seat (8) in order to control the intake opening (6). At least one such intake opening (6) is provided with a guide mask (9) that laterally encloses the respective valve seat (8) on a side that is opposite the respective combustion chamber (4) along a delimited circumferential section. Each intake opening (6) is associated with an intake canal (10). In order to improve the operation of the internal combustion engine (1), at least one intake canal (10) leading to a masked intake opening (6) is associated with an additional valve (11) for controlling the intake canal (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: Mahle International GmbH, Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Jörg Rückauf, Dietmar Schwarzenthal, Van-Khanh Tran
  • Publication number: 20120222642
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine may include a piston engine having at least one combustion chamber and a fresh air system for feeding fresh air to the at least one combustion chamber including at least one fresh air line. A bloom mixer may be arranged in the fresh air line and configured to divide a fresh air flow conducted in the fresh air line into at least two partial flows and reunite these again on the outflow side subject to the formation of a turbulence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Bernhardt Lüddecke
  • Patent number: 8191861
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control valve (1) for controlling a gas flow in a gas line (3) of an internal combustion engine, in particular in a motor vehicle, comprising a rotationally adjustable flap (4) for controlling a flow cross section (13), a throttling sealing gap (14) which, in a closed position of the flap (4), is formed radially between a sealing contour (15) of the flap (4) and a sealing face (16) which faces the flap (4), and a drive shaft (5), on which the flap (4) is arranged fixedly in terms of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Achim Gommel, Karl-Heinz Hanslik
  • Publication number: 20120124997
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine and operating method. The internal combustion engine includes a fresh air system for the supplying of fresh air to at least one combustion chamber; an exhaust gas system for the carrying away of exhaust gas from the at least one combustion chamber; an exhaust gas recycling system for the recycling the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas system into the fresh air system; and at least one additional valve, configured in the fresh air system upstream of at least one inlet valve associated with the at least one combustion chambers. A control device is configured to actuate at least one additional valve such that at least one of a particle content in the exhaust gas and a fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine are at least one of optimum and optimal comprise for at least one environmental parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Alexander Ullmann, Marco Warth
  • Patent number: 8176902
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine system, especially in a motor vehicle, comprising an internal combustion engine, a make-up gas installation for supplying make-up gas to the internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas installation for evacuating the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and an exhaust gas recirculation installation for extracting exhaust gas from the exhaust gas installation and introducing the extracted exhaust gas into the make-up gas installation. In order to improve the exhaust gas recirculation, two make-up gas paths through which make-up gas can flow in parallel are formed in a control section of the make-up gas installation, a make-up gas valve being arranged in each make-up gas path, for controlling the cross-section of the respective path through which gas can flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Adam Loch, Boris Lerch
  • Publication number: 20120000447
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine system, especially in a motor vehicle, comprising an internal combustion engine, a make-up gas installation for supplying make-up gas to the internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas installation for evacuating the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and an exhaust gas recirculation installation for extracting exhaust gas from the exhaust gas installation and introducing the extracted exhaust gas into the make-up gas installation. In order to improve the exhaust gas recirculation, two make-up gas paths through which make-up gas can flow in parallel are formed in a control section of the make-up gas installation, a make-up gas valve being arranged in each make-up gas path, for controlling the cross-section of the respective path through which gas can flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Adam Loch, Boris Lerch
  • Publication number: 20110265754
    Abstract: The invention relates to a valve unit for at least one of influencing and controlling a gas flow in an internal combustion engine comprising at least one valve member for modifying a cross-section of a gas flow-carrying channel through which a fluid flows and a drive train for rotatingly driving the at least one valve member. The drive train comprises an input shaft, which is drivingly coupled to a drive device in the mounted state, and at least one valve member shaft which is non-rotationally connected to the valve member. It is especially advantageous if the drive train comprises at least one phase adjuster for drivingly coupling the input shaft and the valve member shaft, a rotational position of the shafts in relation to each other being adjustable by the phase adjuster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Uwe Grass, Bernd Mahr, Marco Warth
  • Publication number: 20110180049
    Abstract: A dual path fresh air system, having a first air supply path, the first path supplies air to at least one first cylinder set; a second air supply path, the second path supplies air to at least on second cylinder set; a first exhaust gas recirculation inlet fluidly connected to the first path to introduce recirculated exhaust gas into the first path; a second exhaust gas recirculation inlet fluidly connected to the second path to introduce recirculated exhaust gas into the second path; a first valve member, which is arranged upstream of the first exhaust gas recirculation inlet in the first path, wherein the first valve member controls fluid flowing through a cross section of the first path; and a second valve member which is arranged upstream of the second exhaust gas recirculation inlet in the second path, for controlling fluid flowing through a cross section of the second path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Achim Gommel, Marco Warth
  • Publication number: 20110139134
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes a fresh air system, an exhaust gas system and an exhaust gas recirculation system. The exhaust gas recirculation system has an exhaust gas valve assembly for controlling a removal flow at a recirculation line removal point and a fresh air valve assembly for controlling an introduction flow at a fresh air line introduction point. The exhaust gas valve assembly is permanently displaceable between a first position and a second position for generating the removal flow. The fresh air valve assembly is permanently displaceable between a first position and a second position for generating the introduction flow. The valve assemblies are synchronized such that the positive pressure pulses entering at the removal point into the recirculation line meet the negative pressure pulses at the introduction point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventor: Alfred Elsässer
  • Publication number: 20110036412
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating at least one rotating closure element in a flow channel; alternately opening and blocking the flow channel relative to a reference variable and with an adjustable phase position; flowing through a cross-section; changing a phase position; and utilizing at least one of a flow force and a flow torque to act on the closure element for at least one of temporarily accelerating and temporarily decelerating the closure element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Martin Helmis
  • Publication number: 20110000187
    Abstract: A method for adjusting an exhaust gas recycling rate in an internal combustion engine exhaust gas recycling system, comprising: arranging the exhaust gas recycling system in at least one of a fresh gas line, an exhaust gas line, and an exhaust gas recycling line of the internal combustion engine; actuating at least one additional valve; adjusting the at least one additional valve temporarily by changing the operation of the internal combustion engine based on an exhaust gas rate associated with a current operating point of the internal combustion engine; diagnosing the at least one additional valve; and evaluating the change of at least one engine operating parameter dependent on the exhaust gas recycling rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Marco Warth
  • Publication number: 20100242472
    Abstract: A piston engine, having at least one cylinder that includes at least a first and a second discharge valve and a double overhead camshaft for controlling the first and a second discharge valves. The double overhead camshaft includes both an inner shaft, which has at least one first cam for controlling the first discharge valve, and an outer shaft that is coaxial to the first inner shaft and has at least one second cam for controlling the second discharge valve. The inner shaft and the outer shaft are rotationally adjustable relative to one another changing the discharge time frame of the discharge valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Hermann Hoffmann, Sascha Senjic, Peter Wieske