Patents by Inventor Andrew Brocker

Andrew Brocker 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).

  • Publication number: 20190234265
    Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) of an exhaust system of a vehicle comprise at least one heater associated with at least one oxygen (O2) sensor disposed proximate to the GPF in the exhaust system and a controller configured to determine a status of the GPF based on a duty cycle of the at least one O2 sensor heater and, based on the determined status of the GPF, detect a malfunction of the GPF or whether to regenerate the GPF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Edward E Baker, Robert Jerger, James J Daley, John R Jaye, Roger C Sager, Joseph M Dekar, Mark L Lott, Brian L Terwedo, Jospeh B Unsworth, Jordan E Easter, Luis J Del Rio, Wei-Jun Yang, Lydell S Powell, Xuefei Chen, Andrew Brocker
  • Patent number: 9810128
    Abstract: A secondary air pump assembly for a vehicle includes a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, a pump disposed within the housing, a position assembly and a valve assembly. The position assembly is disposed within the housing and configured to monitor a speed of the pump. The valve assembly is configured to facilitate preventing a backflow of air into the housing. A secondary air system including the secondary air pump assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Brocker, James J. Daley
  • Patent number: 9765666
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing fuel as an on-board reductant for selective catalytic reduction of NOx is provided and includes a controller for controlling an engine to produce a lean first exhaust stream and a rich second exhaust stream that are received in respective first and second passageways of a dual path aftertreatment system. The rich second exhaust stream reacts with NOx stored in a NOx storage and reduction catalyst of the second passageway to regenerate this catalyst and generate ammonia. The first exhaust stream and the second exhaust stream having the generated ammonia are combined in a downstream common passageway to form a combined lean exhaust gas stream where the ammonia carried therein is stored or used by an SCR catalyst of the common passageway for NOx reduction. The engine is subsequently controlled to produce a rich first exhaust stream and a lean second exhaust stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Michael A Smith, Craig L Dimaggio, Jeffrey P Wuttke, Andrew Brocker, Travis T Hamilton, Ken Hardman, Cody Baldwin-Squib
  • Patent number: 9631537
    Abstract: An exhaust gas flow concentration system for a catalyst includes an inlet that receives a flow of exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe of an exhaust system, a stationary tube in communication with the inlet and disposed upstream from the catalyst, and an extension tube in communication with the stationary tube and disposed upstream from the catalyst, where the extension tube includes a cross-sectional area less than a cross-sectional area of the catalyst. A displacement device is coupled to the extension tube and is configured to (i) displace the extension tube relative to the stationary tube downstream towards the catalyst as a temperature in the exhaust system decreases away from a light-off temperature of the catalyst and (ii) retract the extension tube relative to the stationary tube upstream away from the catalyst when the temperature in the exhaust system reaches the light-off temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Robert J Jerger, James J Daley, Joseph M Dekar, Andrew Brocker, Wei-Jun Yang, Xuefei Chen, Brett Schubring, Lydell S Powell
  • Publication number: 20170044959
    Abstract: A secondary air pump assembly for a vehicle includes a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, a pump disposed within the housing, a position assembly and a valve assembly. The position assembly is disposed within the housing and configured to monitor a speed of the pump. The valve assembly is configured to facilitate preventing a backflow of air into the housing. A secondary air system including the secondary air pump assembly is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew Brocker, James J. Daley
  • Publication number: 20160230632
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing fuel as an on-board reductant for selective catalytic reduction of NOx is provided and includes a controller for controlling an engine to produce a lean first exhaust stream and a rich second exhaust stream that are received in respective first and second passageways of a dual path aftertreatment system. The rich second exhaust stream reacts with NOx stored in a NOx storage and reduction catalyst of the second passageway to regenerate this catalyst and generate ammonia. The first exhaust stream and the second exhaust stream having the generated ammonia are combined in a downstream common passageway to form a combined lean exhaust gas stream where the ammonia carried therein is stored or used by an SCR catalyst of the common passageway for NOx reduction. The engine is subsequently controlled to produce a rich first exhaust stream and a lean second exhaust stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Michael A. Smith, Craig L. Dimaggio, Jeffrey P. Wuttke, Andrew Brocker, Travis T. Hamilton, Ken Hardman, Cody Baldwin-Squib
  • Publication number: 20160138453
    Abstract: An exhaust gas flow concentration system for a catalyst includes an inlet that receives a flow of exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe of an exhaust system, a stationary tube in communication with the inlet and disposed upstream from the catalyst, and an extension tube in communication with the stationary tube and disposed upstream from the catalyst, where the extension tube includes a cross-sectional area less than a cross-sectional area of the catalyst. A displacement device is coupled to the extension tube and is configured to (i) displace the extension tube relative to the stationary tube downstream towards the catalyst as a temperature in the exhaust system decreases away from a light-off temperature of the catalyst and (ii) retract the extension tube relative to the stationary tube upstream away from the catalyst when the temperature in the exhaust system reaches the light-off temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Robert J. Jerger, James J. Daley, Joseph M. Dekar, Andrew Brocker, Wei-Jun Yang, Xuefei Chen, Brett Schubring, Lydell S. Powell
  • Patent number: 9194627
    Abstract: A liquid collection device for removing a liquid from a catalyst brick is provided and includes a containment vessel having an inner volume and a receiver supported by the containment vessel and in fluid communication with the inner volume, whereby the receiver supports the catalyst brick relative to the containment vessel. The collection device further includes a vacuum source spaced apart from the receiver and in fluid communication with the inner volume. The vacuum source exerts a fluid force on the catalyst brick to draw the liquid from the catalyst brick and into the inner volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: James J Daley, Robert Jerger, Andrew Brocker, Wei-Jun Yang
  • Publication number: 20150168062
    Abstract: A liquid collection device for removing a liquid from a catalyst brick is provided and includes a containment vessel having an inner volume and a receiver supported by the containment vessel and in fluid communication with the inner volume, whereby the receiver supports the catalyst brick relative to the containment vessel. The collection device further includes a vacuum source spaced apart from the receiver and in fluid communication with the inner volume. The vacuum source exerts a fluid force on the catalyst brick to draw the liquid from the catalyst brick and into the inner volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: James J. Daley, Robert Jerger, Andrew Brocker, Wei-Jun Yang
  • Patent number: 8925300
    Abstract: A catalyst degradation detection method for use with a zero ceria catalyst. The method uses techniques to measure transient responses to engine control events of upstream and downstream sensors to determine catalyst degradation and performance. By measuring transient behavior, the method can determine catalyst degradation and performance based on the limited oxygen storage of precious metal catalysts that do not include added ceria or other materials with high oxygen capture rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: James J Daley, Robert J Jerger, Wei-Jun Yang, Jeffrey P Wuttke, Michael G Zammit, Andrew Brocker
  • Publication number: 20140165537
    Abstract: A catalyst degradation detection method for use with a zero ceria catalyst. The method uses techniques to measure transient responses to engine control events of upstream and downstream sensors to determine catalyst degradation and performance. By measuring transient behavior, the method can determine catalyst degradation and performance based on the limited oxygen storage of precious metal catalysts that do not include added ceria or other materials with high oxygen capture rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: James J. Daley, Robert J. Jerger, Wei-Jun Yang, Jeffrey P. Wuttke, Michael G. Zammit, Andrew Brocker