Patents by Inventor Brian J. Christopher

Brian J. Christopher 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: 7472545
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control system that provides on-board ammonia generation includes a valve disposed upstream of the LNT and SCR catalyst that operates to selectively control the flow of engine exhaust gas to an LNT and/or an SCR catalyst; while reformate fuel is being conveyed from a reformer to the LNT, the valve operates to cause the exhaust gas to bypass the LNT and flow directly to the SCR catalyst. The exhaust emission control system further includes a controller provided with an algorithm that monitors engine operating conditions and exhaust gas conditions, estimates the cumulative amount of exhaust gas created by the engine and the amount of NOx stored in the LNT, and calculates the amount of NOx required to be converted to NH3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Hemingway, Brian J. Christopher, Michael P. Thornton
  • Patent number: 5378111
    Abstract: A fuel pump-suited for a Demand System motor vehicle fuel injection system includes a lower pressure vapor separating pump stage, a roller vane positive displacement high pressure pump stage, and a variable speed electric motor for driving an impeller in the vapor separating stage and a rotor in the roller vane stage. The roller vane stage has a bleed orifice therein located on an inlet side plate of the roller vane stage to intercept succeeding ones of a plurality of vane pockets on the rotor between a downstream end of a discharge port of the roller vane stage and an upstream end of an inlet port of the roller vane stage when the vane pockets are isolated from both ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Brian J. Christopher
  • Patent number: 5348442
    Abstract: An open-vane regenerative turbine pump includes a housing, an impeller rotatably supported on the housing having a plurality of paddle-like open-vane type vanes thereon, an annular pump channel in the housing around the periphery of the impeller and around the vanes, a stripper in the pump channel between an inlet port of the latter and a discharge port thereof, and a pair of bosses on the housing in the pump channel on opposite sides of the impeller about midway between the inlet and discharge ports. The bosses each have an edge obstructing a radially inner fraction of the pump channel to intercept inertially separated vapor in the inner fraction having a velocity component in the direction of rotation of the impeller. A pair of notches are formed in the housing adjacent respective ones of the bosses in flow communication with a vapor collection chamber and with a radially innermost extremity of the pump channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Harris, Brian J. Christopher, Cary W. Rackett