Patents by Inventor James Michael Kerns

James Michael Kerns 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: 6256982
    Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 6237328
    Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 6234141
    Abstract: A method of controlling intake manifold pressure during startup of a direct injection engine permits a decrease in instantaneous cylinder pressure by reducing intake manifold pressure thereby increasing the time available for fuel injection during the compression stroke, which allows sufficient fuel to be injected at the lower fuel pressures present during starting of this engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, John Ottavio Michelini, Mathew Alan Boesch
  • Patent number: 6233924
    Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 6230484
    Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 6192674
    Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 6192672
    Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 6178944
    Abstract: A control method and system is described for a spark ignited, four-stroke engine having multiple combustion chambers, each coupled to at least one intake and one exhaust valve, a fuel injection system for injecting fuel directly into each combustion chamber, and an electronically controlled throttle for throttling air inducted through an intake manifold into the combustion chambers. Additional fuel is injected during the exhaust valve overlap. This additional fuel is drawn from the combustion chamber into the intake manifold and subsequently inducted back into the combustion chamber past the intake valve, thereby cleaning carbon deposits from the intake valve and the surrounding surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Michael John Cullen
  • Patent number: 6176228
    Abstract: A fuel vapor purging method controls fuel vapor purging during stratified operation. Several factors influence vapor purge control, including fuel vapor concentration in the cylinder and temperature of the emission control device. The fuel vapor passes through the cylinder unburned by maintaining the concentration within allowable limits. The unburned fuel vapor reacts exothermically in the emission control device thereby generating heat. To guarantee that the fuel vapor reacts in the first emission control device, the fuel vapor purge is restricted to a certain temperature range. To guarantee that the fuel vapor does not burn in the cylinder, the concentration is kept to a restricted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns
  • Patent number: 6138655
    Abstract: An air/ratio control system and method for an internal combustion engine coupled to a fuel vapor recovery system simultaneously maps a difference between a desired air/fuel ratio and a measured air/fuel ratio to fueling errors and a purge vapor flow. This system and method maximizes the ability to purge the vapor recovery system while maintaining the ability to diagnose fuel errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, William Edward Ortell, Xiao Wu
  • Patent number: 6102018
    Abstract: An air/ratio control system and method for an internal combustion engine coupled to a fuel vapor recovery system simultaneously maps a difference between a desired air/fuel ratio and a measured air/fuel ratio to fueling errors and a purge vapor flow. This system and method maximizes the ability to purge the vapor recovery system while maintaining the ability to diagnose fuel errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, William Edward Ortell, Xiao Wu
  • Patent number: 6078860
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling the speed of a vehicle senses a position of an accelerator pedal. In a first embodiment, the accelerator pedal has a mechanical predetermined natural position, wherein when the position of the accelerator pedal is held constant at the predetermined natural position the control logic interprets the position of the pedal as a request for constant vehicle speed. However, at low vehicle speeds, the control logic interprets the position of the pedal as a request for constant vehicle speed when the position of the pedal is held constant at a position below the predetermined natural position and controls the speed of the vehicle according to a predetermined zero acceleration curve. In a second embodiment, constant speed control is assumed when the position of the pedal has not changed for a predetermined amount of time, regardless of the relative position of the pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Kerns