Patents by Inventor Kenneth Pifher

Kenneth Pifher 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).

  • Method and system for improving evaporative emissions of a vehicle
    Patent number: 11970989
    Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for improving operation of an evaporative emissions system. In one example, the methods and systems estimate a fuel vapor concentration based on output of a fuel tank level sensor and output of a fuel pressure sensor. A canister purge valve is adjusted to an initial position at a beginning of a fuel vapor purging cycle to reduce a fuel vapor purging time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed Dudar, Dennis Yang, Jonathan Bauer, Kenneth Pifher
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS OF A VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20240011448
    Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for improving operation of an evaporative emissions system. In one example, the methods and systems estimate a fuel vapor concentration based on output of a fuel tank level sensor and output of a fuel pressure sensor. A canister purge valve is adjusted to an initial position at a beginning of a fuel vapor purging cycle to reduce a fuel vapor purging time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Aed Dudar, Dennis Yang, Jonathan Bauer, Kenneth Pifher
  • Methods and systems for reducing hydrocarbon breakthrough
    Patent number: 11702998
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle engine to reduce engine knock and increase fuel efficiency by reducing hydrocarbon breakthrough. In one example, a method may include adjusting a compression ratio of a variable compression engine in response to hydrocarbon breakthrough above a threshold from a fuel vapor canister of an evaporative emissions system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed Dudar, Kenneth Pifher
  • METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REDUCING HYDROCARBON BREAKTHROUGH
    Publication number: 20230167777
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle engine to reduce engine knock and increase fuel efficiency by reducing hydrocarbon breakthrough. In one example, a method may include adjusting a compression ratio of a variable compression engine in response to hydrocarbon breakthrough above a threshold from a fuel vapor canister of an evaporative emissions system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Aed Dudar, Kenneth Pifher
  • Evaporative emission control system and method
    Patent number: 11085382
    Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle with an internal combustion engine is provided that includes regulating a pressure in a fuel tank by scheduling an engine start-up event based on a rate of change of the fuel tank pressure to reduce fuel tank venting emissions, where the rate of change of the fuel tank pressure is determined based on an ambient temperature and an in-tank pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth Pifher, Dennis Yang, Mark Peters
  • EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20190271275
    Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle with an internal combustion engine is provided that includes regulating a pressure in a fuel tank by scheduling an engine start-up event based on a rate of change of the fuel tank pressure to reduce fuel tank venting emissions, where the rate of change of the fuel tank pressure is determined based on an ambient temperature and an in-tank pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Kenneth Pifher, Dennis Yang, Mark Peters