Patents by Inventor Bernd Brinkmann

Bernd Brinkmann 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: 9909515
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating an internal combustion engine in which a coolant temperature of an engine coolant of the internal combustion engine is determined and is compared with a predetermined threshold temperature. If the coolant temperature is higher than the predetermined threshold temperature, a thermal input into the engine coolant is reduced by changing at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine. This can be done, for example, by raising a charging pressure of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Khizer Tufail, Alain Evrard, Matthew Barber, Slavenko Vukovic, Ralph Maiwald, Paul Crossley
  • Patent number: 9908399
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for influencing an air flow within an engine compartment of a motor vehicle. The device comprises an adjusting means for adjusting the device between two end positions. The device is allocated to a part region of the engine compartment so that in one of the end positions, an air flow that is provided in the engine compartment is in part or entirely either guided into the part region or guided away from the part region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Johann Hendrik Wegers, Thomas Nitsche, Julian Tietze
  • Publication number: 20170246950
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for influencing an air flow within an engine compartment of a motor vehicle. The device comprises an adjusting means for adjusting the device between two end positions. The device is allocated to a part region of the engine compartment so that in one of the end positions, an air flow that is provided in the engine compartment is in part or entirely either guided into the part region or guided away from the part region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd BRINKMANN, Johann Hendrik WEGERS, Thomas NITSCHE, Julian TIETZE
  • Publication number: 20170009677
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting engine operating parameters to regulate condensate formation in a charge air cooler. Based on conditions conducive to condensate formation, one or more of throttle valve position, active grille shutter opening and compressor speed may be regulated in order to decrease dew point temperature and condensation at the charge air cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Bernhard Gralka, Thomas Nitsche, Christian Jolk, Helmut Hoyer, Julian Tietze
  • Patent number: 9359936
    Abstract: A engine system, comprising a cylinder head with one or more cylinders, an outlet opening of a cylinder coupled to an exhaust line for discharging the exhaust gases via an exhaust-gas discharge system; an inlet opening of a cylinder coupled to an intake line for supplying charge air via an intake system, the intake system including one or more compressors for compressing the charge air and a charge-air cooler coupled to the intake system, the charge-air cooler including a first refrigerant evaporator through which a refrigerant and charge air can flow. The use of a refrigerant evaporator allows air charge to cool to a temperature below the ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Harald Kaufeld
  • Patent number: 9328675
    Abstract: A method for reducing the thermal load of an internal combustion engine without substantially reducing its power output is described. The method includes adjusting an engine air-fuel ratio responsive to one or more of a charge air over-temperature, a coolant over-temperature and an engine efficiency parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Ben Thomas, Michael Rowland, Gareth Price
  • Patent number: 9222399
    Abstract: A liquid cooled internal combustion engine having a bypass line with a controllable shut off element so that coolant can bypass the cylinder head in certain engine operating conditions. The bypass line branches off from the coolant circuit upstream of the cylinder head and returns to the coolant circuit downstream of the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hans Guenter Quix, Bernd Brinkmann, Jan Mehring
  • Patent number: 9140176
    Abstract: A method to operate a split coolant circuit of a combustion engine wherein a cylinder head coolant jacket and an engine block coolant jacket are provided in series with a pump delivering coolant to an inlet of the cylinder head coolant jacket without being directly connected to an inlet of the engine block coolant jacket. This allows for 100% of the pump flow rate to be delivered to the cylinder head coolant jacket before division of coolant flow occurs for various engine operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring, Martin Wirth, Bernd Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 9127799
    Abstract: A fluid-carrying conduit achieves variable resistance to flow. An elongate, hollow body casing has at least one chamber containing either a dilatant fluid or an electroactive polymer. In the case of the dilatant fluid, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an increase in the shear rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid line. In the case of the electroactive polymer, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an electric current being applied to the body casing. The conduit may be configured for use as a degassing line in a cooling system of an internal combustion engine. The conduit may have a reinforcement encircling the electroactive polymer. The conduit may have an electrically conductive connecting surface adjacent to the electroactive polymer. The electroactive polymer may be an ionic electroactive polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Harald Kaufeld
  • Patent number: 9097171
    Abstract: A thermosiphon system in an engine is provided herein. The thermosiphon system includes a coolant channel traversing a bearing housing, the bearing housing included in a bearing coupled to a shaft mechanically coupled to a turbine and a compressor in a turbocharger, a ventilation vessel in fluidic communication with at least one coolant passage traversing at least one of a cylinder head and a cylinder block in the engine, the at least one coolant passage included in a cooling circuit, and a thermosiphon coolant line having an inlet in fluidic communication with an outlet of the coolant channel and an inlet of the ventilation vessel, the inlet positioned vertically below an interface between liquid and vapor coolant in the ventilation vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Jan Mehring
  • Publication number: 20150020775
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating an internal combustion engine in which a coolant temperature of an engine coolant of the internal combustion engine is determined and is compared with a predetermined threshold temperature. If the coolant temperature is higher than the predetermined threshold temperature, a thermal input into the engine coolant is reduced by changing at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine. This can be done, for example, by raising a charging pressure of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Khizer Tufail, Alain Evrard, Matthew Barber, Slavenko Vukovic, Ralph Maiwald, Paul Crossley
  • Patent number: 8851026
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement for an internal combustion engine is described, with a coolant balancing tank which is capable of being filled with coolant and the inlet side of which is connected via a first venting line to an internal combustion engine and/or via a second venting line to a cooler for cooling the coolant, and the outlet side of which is connected via a coolant return line to the inlet side of a pumping device for pumping the coolant through the internal combustion engine. The cooling arrangement has, furthermore, a flow control unit for variably limiting the coolant volume flow in the venting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Hans Guenter Quix, Jan Mehring, Heinrich Czech, Klaus Gollek, Peter Guenther
  • Patent number: 8813491
    Abstract: A supercharged liquid-cooled internal combustion engine is provided. In one example, a bearing of a turbocharger is cooled in response to a thermal load of the turbocharger while a flow of coolant to a ventilation vessel is controlled. In this way, a coolant flow rate to the bearing and a ventilation vessel may be provided based on cooling demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Bernd Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20140209046
    Abstract: A method to operate a split coolant circuit of a combustion engine wherein a cylinder head coolant jacket and an engine block coolant jacket are provided in series with a pump delivering coolant to an inlet of the cylinder head coolant jacket without being directly connected to an inlet of the engine block coolant jacket. This allows for 100% of the pump flow rate to be delivered to the cylinder head coolant jacket before division of coolant flow occurs for various engine operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring, Martin Wirth, Bernd Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 8739745
    Abstract: A cooling system for an engine. The cooling system includes a flow control element including an inlet in fluidic communication with an outlet of a cylinder head water jacket, a first outlet port in fluidic communication with a heat exchanger, and a second outlet port in fluidic communication with an inlet of an engine block water jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hans Guenter Quix, Jan Mehring, Bernd Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20130333674
    Abstract: A engine system, comprising a cylinder head with one or more cylinders, an outlet opening of a cylinder coupled to an exhaust line for discharging the exhaust gases via an exhaust-gas discharge system; an inlet opening of a cylinder coupled to an intake line for supplying charge air via an intake system, the intake system including one or more compressors for compressing the charge air and a charge-air cooler coupled to the intake system, the charge-air cooler including a first refrigerant evaporator through which a refrigerant and charge air can flow. The use of a refrigerant evaporator allows air charge to cool to a temperature below the ambient temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Harald Kaufeld
  • Patent number: 8586060
    Abstract: The invention proposes a cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparation containing a mixture of medium-chain, preferably saturated triglycerides with a fatty acid chain length of between C8 and C10 of between 60% and 98% and a content of saturated, long-chain, preferably saturated triglycerides with a fatty acid chain length of between C18 and C24 of between 2% and 40% as a vegetable replacement for Vaseline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Walter Rau Neusser Oel und Fett AG
    Inventor: Bernd Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20130298852
    Abstract: A liquid cooled internal combustion engine having a bypass line with a controllable shut off element so that coolant can bypass the cylinder head in certain engine operating conditions. The bypass line branches off from the coolant circuit upstream of the cylinder head and returns to the coolant circuit downstream of the cylinder head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hans Guenter Quix, Bernd Brinkmann, Jan Mehring
  • Publication number: 20130255815
    Abstract: A fluid-carrying conduit achieves variable resistance to flow. An elongate, hollow body casing has at least one chamber containing either a dilatant fluid or an electroactive polymer. In the case of the dilatant fluid, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an increase in the shear rate of a fluid flowing through the fluid line. In the case of the electroactive polymer, a reduction in an effective flow cross section of the fluid line occurs in reaction to an electric current being applied to the body casing. The conduit may be configured for use as a degassing line in a cooling system of an internal combustion engine. The conduit may have a reinforcement encircling the electroactive polymer. The conduit may have an electrically conductive connecting surface adjacent to the electroactive polymer. The electroactive polymer may be an ionic electroactive polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Brinkmann, Harald Kaufeld
  • Publication number: 20130047940
    Abstract: A cooling system for an engine. The cooling system includes a flow control element including an inlet in fluidic communication with an outlet of a cylinder head water jacket, a first outlet port in fluidic communication with a heat exchanger, and a second outlet port in fluidic communication with an inlet of an engine block water jacket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hans Guenter Quix, Jan Mehring, Bernd Brinkmann