Patents by Inventor Kevin James Karkkainen

Kevin James Karkkainen 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: 7849682
    Abstract: An aftertreatment burner for an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The aftertreatment burner may have a mounting member, and a canister connected to the mounting member to form a combustion chamber. The aftertreatment burner may also have a fuel injector disposed within the mounting member to selectively inject fuel into combustion chamber, and an air supply line configured to supply air to the combustion chamber. The aftertreatment burner may further have an igniter disposed within the mounting member to ignite the fuel/air mixture, and a thermal couple configured to detect the ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Robert L. Miller, Thomas Randall McClure, Kevin James Karkkainen
  • Patent number: 7721702
    Abstract: A spark plug arrangement for an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The spark plug arrangement may have a body, and a center electrode extending from an end of the body. The spark plug arrangement may further have a mounting member with a bore configured to receive the body, and a grounded electrode extending proximal the center electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Miller, Thomas Randall McClure, Kevin James Karkkainen, Robert Matthew Lucas
  • Publication number: 20080295492
    Abstract: An injector cleaning system for use with an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The injector cleaning system may have a supply of injection fluid and an injector configured to receive and inject the injection fluid. The injector cleaning system may also have a pressure sensor associated with the injector to generate a signal indicative of the pressure of the injection fluid supplied to the injector. The injector cleaning system may further have a controller in communication with the injector and the pressure sensor. The controller may be configured to determine a pressure decay rate of injection fluid supplied to the injector during a normal injection event based on the signal. The controller may be further configured to compare the determined pressure decay rate to an expected pressure decay rate, and supply cleaning fluid to the injector based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Kevin James Karkkainen, Curtis John Graham, Xiaohui Gong, Kyle B. Walton, Tamara S. Hofstetter
  • Publication number: 20080078172
    Abstract: An aftertreatment burner for an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The aftertreatment burner may have a mounting member, and a canister connected to the mounting member to form a combustion chamber. The aftertreatment burner may also have a fuel injector disposed within the mounting member to selectively inject fuel into combustion chamber, and an air supply line configured to supply air to the combustion chamber. The aftertreatment burner may further have an igniter disposed within the mounting member to ignite the fuel/air mixture, and a thermal couple configured to detect the ignition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Robert L. Miller, Thomas Randall McClure, Kevin James Karkkainen
  • Publication number: 20080053072
    Abstract: A spark plug arrangement for an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The spark plug arrangement may have a body, and a center electrode extending from an end of the body. The spark plug arrangement may further have a mounting member with a bore configured to receive the body, and a grounded electrode extending proximal the center electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Robert L. Miller, Thomas Randall McClure, Kevin James Karkkainen, Robert Matthew Lucas
  • Publication number: 20080035187
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a regeneration assembly to regenerate a filter assembly during a regeneration cycle, and for supplying fuel through a fuel flow path to at least one fuel injector unit associated with the regeneration assembly during the regeneration cycle. The method includes dispensing a cleaning substance into the fuel flow path during a cleaning cycle. The method further includes directing the cleaning substance through the at least one fuel injector unit during the cleaning cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Cory Andrew Brown, Kevin James Karkkainen, John Gierszewski, Curtis Graham
  • Publication number: 20080034734
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a regeneration assembly to regenerate a filter assembly during a regeneration cycle, and for supplying fuel to at least one fuel injector unit associated with the regeneration assembly during the regeneration cycle. The method includes dispensing a cleaning substance into a fluid flow path associated with the regeneration assembly during a cleaning cycle. The method further includes directing the cleaning substance through the at least one fuel injector unit during the cleaning cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Kevin James Karkkainen, Brian A. Cull, Robert L. Miller, Maarten Verkiel