Patents by Inventor James W. Butler

James W. Butler 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: 5636135
    Abstract: A method of time-aligning sequential gas concentrations, generated by a non-plug flow real time emissions analyzer, with corresponding plug flow inputs from an emissions source includes selecting a sequence of known plug flow test gas pulses representative of the emissions source, feeding the known plug flow test gas pulses into the analyzer, saving a sequence of blurred test pulses generated by the analyzer, determining a mathematical relationship between the known plug flow test gas pulses and the blurred test pulses, configuring a filter such that the filter corresponds to the mathematical relationship, inputting a subset of the blurred test pulses into the filter, recording a sequence of deconvoluted test pulses generated by the filter, comparing the deconvoluted test pulses with a subset of the known plug flow test gas pulses to generate difference errors, adjusting the filter to minimize the plurality of difference errors, repeating the first inputting step, the first recording step, the comparing step,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Gerald Jesion, Lee A. Feldkamp, Gintaras V. Puskorius, Christine A. Gierdzak, James W. Butler
  • Patent number: 5621166
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for testing of exhaust gas emissions from an internal combustion engine, and determining the engine's operating condition. An inferred value for the ratio of hydrogen to carbon in the exhaust, based on measured values for the H.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2 and CO components of the exhaust gas, is used to determine whether the engine and associated exhaust componentry have reached normal operating conditions. The emissions testing apparatus and method are suitable for remote testing of exhaust gas emissions from an internal combustion engine of an on-road motor vehicle. A light source emits preferably near to mid-infrared light to impinge upon the exhaust gas emissions. The emitted light includes wavelengths absorbed by exhaust species to be measured, including at least H.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2 and CO. Following impingement on the exhaust gas emissions, the light is received by a sensor which generates an output signal corresponding to the amount of light received at each of such wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: James W. Butler
  • Patent number: 5138163
    Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for on-line gas analysis of a multicomponent gas emission flow, comprising: continuously withdrawing and regulating the pressure of a first sample flow from the emission flow, continuously withdrawing a second sample flow from the first sample flow, the second flow sample being diluted with mass controlled amounts of diluent (N.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James W. Butler, Alex D. Colvin, Thomas J. Korniski
  • Patent number: 4928015
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of making an on-line gas analysis of a multicomponent gas emission flow by (a) continuously sequestering a sample flow from the gas emission flow, which sample flow may be filtered to substantially eliminate solid or liquid particles, diluted to lower its dew point to below room temperature, and changed in either temperature and/or pressure to be substantially the same in temperature and pressure as that of gases used to create reference transmission frequency spectral data employed in step (d); (b) continuously irradiating the sample flow with an electromagnetic radiation beam while modulating the amplitude of infrared frequencies in the audio frequency range of the beam, either prior to or immediately subsequent to irradiation of the sample flow, to produce electromagnetic signals having discernible amplitude variations resulting from spectral interference patterns; (c) detecting and collecting the signals at a sufficiently high rate to substantially completely distinguish between adja
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James W. Butler, Thomas J. Korniski, Alex D. Colvin
  • Patent number: 4801805
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of making an on-line gas analysis of a multicomponent gas emission flow by (a) continuously sequestering a sample flow from the gas emission flow, which sample flow has been filtered to substantially eliminate solid or liquid particles, diluted to lower its dew point to below room temperature, and changed in either temperature and/or pressure to be substantially the same in temperature and pressure as that of gases used to create reference transmission frequency spectral data deployed in step (d); (b) continuously irradiating the sample flow with an electromagnetic radiation beam while modulating the amplitude of infrared frequencies in the audio frequency range of the beam, either prior to or immediately subsequent to irradiation of the sample flow, to produce electromagnetic signals having discernible amplitude variations resulting from spectral interference patterns; (c) detecting and collecting the signals at a sufficiently high rate to substantially completely distinguish between ad
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James W. Butler, Paul D. Maker, Thomas J. Korniski, Alex D. Colvin
  • Patent number: 4751466
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an instrument for measuring the absolute electrical conductivity of liquids, which instrument may be employed on-line in a recirculating paint bath to measure the conductivity of the paint. The instrument comprises a four electrode probe and a meter which comprises a device for generating and controlling an AC current connected to the first electrode such that a constant AC voltage is maintained across the second and fourth electrodes and a device for measuring and detecting an AC current connected to the third electrode, wherein the fourth electrode is maintained at the same potential as a nearby ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Alex D. Colvin, James W. Butler
  • Patent number: 4389881
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for measuring the air to fuel ratio of an air/fuel mixture being supplied to a combustion process. This method has the following steps. An oxygen sensor station is established at which the sensor senses the difference in oxygen partial pressure from a first reference side thereof to a second oxygen measurement side thereof. The oxygen sensor is maintained at a predetermined temperature and at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. The oxygen sensor is calibrated so that the measurement thereby of an EMF between the first reference side thereof and the second oxygen measurement side thereof is indicative of the oxygen partial pressure in a gas stream passing by the oxygen measurement side thereof. A sample gas stream is drawn into the pressure across the second oxygen measurement side of the oxygen sensor. This pressure is one which allows samples to be drawn at a constant flow rate independent of that pressure. A fixed amount of oxygen is added to the sample gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James W. Butler, Alex D. Colvin
  • Patent number: 4372155
    Abstract: This specification teaches a basic method of obtaining on a continuous basis an instantaneous indication of the air to fuel ratio of an air/fuel mixture being fed to a combustion process. The process may take place in an internal combustion engine or, for example, in a power plant. Modifications of the method are taught to obtain such information as the hydrogen to carbon ratio of the fuel being burned in the combustion process, the oxygen equivalence of the air/fuel mixture being burned, the air mass flow through the combustion process, the fuel mass flow through the combustion process, instantaneous fuel economy of a vehicle in which a combustion process is being carried out to propel the vehicle, and the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gases from the combustion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James W. Butler, Alex D. Colvin, Dennis Schuetzle
  • Patent number: 3960723
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for treating aqueous waste solutions containing complexing or oxidizing agents and dissolved metallic elements or compounds of copper, chromium, nickel, lead or tin. The waste solution is treated with finely divided magnetized ferrous particles, continuing such treatment to allow for homogeneous stirring promoting substantial ion exchange between the solute and ferrous particles, and providing a post-treatment step using an agent to promote precipitation of metallic hydroxides. The precipitates are separated from the solution by deposition in a settling tank and/or filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1972
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1976
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: James W. Butler