Patents by Inventor Andreas Bruhn

Andreas Bruhn 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: 8459300
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for feeding a liquid additive from a receptacle into a fuel line or into an exhaust line of an internal-combustion engine of a motor vehicle by way of a blockable feed line leading into at least one of the above-mentioned line and by way of a pump which at least temporarily generates a feed pressure in the feed line. The receptacle can be filled with additive from a larger storage tank also accommodated in the motor vehicle by way of a connection line that can be blocked. The feed line branches off the connection line between the receptacle and the storage tank. The pump is installed in the receptacle or between the receptacle and the branching-off of the feed line into the connection line. The connection line can be shut-off in the storage tank or between the storage tank and the branching-off of the feed line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Bruhn, Jonas Wachter, Udo Strathoff, Guenther Schneider
  • Publication number: 20120279576
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a tank for storing a liquid reducing agent suppliable to the exhaust system of an internal-combustion engine, and an air delivery device, by which an excess pressure can be built-up in a cushion of air situated in the tank above the reducing agent level. Via the air delivery device, alternatively, a vacuum is generatable in the air cushion, which vacuum supports feeding of the agent into the tank. Via the vacuum in the air cushion, reducing agent can also be returned from a pipe, which leads the reducing agent to the exhaust system, back into the tank, and/or additional liquid reducing agent can be transferred from a storage tank by way of a supply duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joerg HENNECKE, Andreas Bruhn
  • Patent number: 8201577
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for feeding a liquid additive from a receptacle into a fuel pipe or into an exhaust line of an internal-combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The receptacle is fillable with additive from a larger storage tank that is also accommodated in the motor vehicle by way of a connection line that can be blocked by a shut-off element. A pump is installed in the receptacle or in the connection line. A heating device for heating at least a partial volume of the additive is present in the receptacle. A blockable return line branches off into the receptacle from the connection line between the pump and the shut-off element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Bruhn, Jonas Wachter, Udo Strathoff, Guenther Schneider
  • Publication number: 20120049852
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining the amount of ammonia which is stored in a storage container by a chemical bond to a solid storage medium, in particular a salt of an earth alkaline metal or the like, and which can be released by supplying heat in order to be supplied to a catalytic exhaust gas purification device of an internal-combustion engine. The storage medium functions as a dielectric of an electric capacitor and the stored amount of ammonia is inferred from the capacity of this capacitor. In the case of a corresponding storage container, at least one wall of the housing of the storage container functions as a first electrode of the capacitor, and, within the storage container, at least one additional electrode of this capacitor is provided and arranged such that at least a partial amount of the storage medium forms the dielectric of this capacitor. The storage container may have an essentially cylindrical shape and, as required, several cylindrical electrodes can be arranged in a coaxial manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktienesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralf WIDMANN, Thomas Baumeister, Andreas Bruhn, Udo Strathoff
  • Publication number: 20100024402
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for feeding a liquid additive from a receptacle into a fuel pipe or into an exhaust line of an internal-combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The receptacle is fillable with additive from a larger storage tank that is also accommodated in the motor vehicle by way of a connection line that can be blocked by a shut-off element. A pump is installed in the receptacle or in the connection line. A heating device for heating at least a partial volume of the additive is present in the receptacle. A blockable return line branches off into the receptacle from the connection line between the pump and the shut-off element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Bruhn, Jonas Wachter, Udo Strathoff, Guenther Schneider
  • Publication number: 20100018594
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for feeding a liquid additive from a receptacle into a fuel line or into an exhaust line of an internal-combustion engine of a motor vehicle by way of a blockable feed line leading into at least one of the above-mentioned line and by way of a pump which at least temporarily generates a feed pressure in the feed line. The receptacle can be filled with additive from a larger storage tank also accommodated in the motor vehicle by way of a connection line that can be blocked. The feed line branches off the connection line between the receptacle and the storage tank. The pump is installed in the receptacle or between the receptacle and the branching-off of the feed line into the connection line. The connection line can be shut-off in the storage tank or between the storage tank and the branching-off of the feed line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas BRUHN, Jonas WACHTER, Udo STRATHOFF, Guenther SCHNEIDER
  • Patent number: 7256583
    Abstract: A device and method for testing seal tightness of a fuel tank system of a motor vehicle, wherein excess pressure is built up in the fuel tank system by an electrically operated pump and electric current consumption of the pump is compared to reference values in order to determine whether the seal tightness of the fuel tank system is sufficient, and wherein the fuel tank system includes a filler neck with a locking fuel tank cap. A control line is connected in parallel to the power supply line of the pump, the control line being guided across an electric tank cap switch, which assumes a different switch state when the filler neck is closed properly than when it is not closed properly. In at least one of these lines, an electric resistor is installed, which allows a determination of the switch state of the tank cap switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Bruhn, Josef Lutz, Ralf Widmann
  • Publication number: 20060176058
    Abstract: A device and method for testing seal tightness of a fuel tank system of a motor vehicle, wherein excess pressure is built up in the fuel tank system by an electrically operated pump and electric current consumption of the pump is compared to reference values in order to determine whether the seal tightness of the fuel tank system is sufficient, and wherein the fuel tank system includes a filler neck with a locking fuel tank cap. A control line is connected in parallel to the power supply line of the pump, the control line being guided across an electric tank cap switch, which assumes a different switch state when the filler neck is closed properly than when it is not closed properly. In at least one of these lines, an electric resistor is installed, which allows a determination of the switch state of the tank cap switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke
    Inventors: Andreas Bruhn, Josef Lutz, Ralf Widmann