Patents by Inventor Oliver Berkemeier

Oliver Berkemeier 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: 10322705
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pressure tapping device for a motor vehicle where a portion of the pressure energy generated at the fuel storage reservoir is transmitted to a working medium, physically separate from the fuel via the pressure tapping device. The pressure tapping device is fluidically coupled to a pressure actuator and enables the pressure operation via transmission of the pressure energy and adjustment of valves diverting flow from the fuel storage reservoir to the engine intake through the pressure tapping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Wirth, Oliver Berkemeier
  • Patent number: 10288012
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for introducing water into an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. In one example, the system may include a water container, a water inlet for inputting water into the intake manifold, and a throttle valve that is arranged between an intake manifold inlet and the internal combustion engine, with the water container arranged at a higher point than the water inlet and the water inlet opening into the intake manifold downstream of the throttle valve. A switchable valve is arranged in fluidic connection with both the water container and the water inlet, with the result that it can enable or interrupt the introduction of water into the intake manifold and also create a Venturi effect at the water inlet, which draws water from the water container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Bernd Steiner, Georg Louven, Klemens Grieser, Helmut Hans Ruhland
  • Publication number: 20190093621
    Abstract: Approaches for controlling dwell time in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine are provided. In one example, a method may include adjusting dwell based on engine operating conditions and further adjusting dwell in a manner proportional to existent spark plug conditions. By constantly assessing spark plug condition during operating of the internal combustion engine, premature wear of the spark plug may be prevented leading to an extension in the service life of spark plug and other ignition system components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Nelson William Morrow, JR., Robert Humphrey, Oliver Berkemeier
  • Patent number: 10090649
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for producing spark plugs and/or spark plug components, and a capsule which may be used to produce a spark plug or spark plug component. The capsule may include a housing of a material which is unstable when heated a threshold temperature, and the capsule may further be filled with one or more powders, whereupon heating of the capsule of the housing may break down and the powders may be sintered or fused into a resistive body. The presently disclosed method may simplify and/or reduce the cost of producing spark plugs using known methods of inserting powdered precursor materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Helmut Hans Ruhland, Bernd Steiner, Krystian Dylong
  • Patent number: 10077750
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operation of fuel injectors within an applied-ignition, direct-injection internal combustion engine. In one example, a needle of a fuel injector is moved from a retracted position to an extended position relative to a plurality of injection holes of a nozzle of the fuel injector, with at least one injection hole being separated from a fuel supply system earlier than each other injection hole. In a partially retracted position, fuel flow along a first side of the needle is decreased relative to fuel flow along a second side of the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Klemens Grieser, Jan Linsel, Kay Hohenboeken
  • Patent number: 10066594
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber for burning a fuel mixture and a spark plug for performing spark ignition of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. The spark plug includes electrodes for generating an ignition spark at a location within the combustion chamber. Furthermore, the internal combustion engine includes an adjustment device for reducing a distance between the location of the ignition spark and an edge of the combustion chamber in the case of an increase in temperature of the internal combustion engine during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Oliver Berkemeier, Krystian Dylong, Jan Mehring
  • Patent number: 9976512
    Abstract: Methods are provided for an engine including modifying fuel injection timing based on engine operating conditions. A delay time period calculation may be based on a comparison of a first engine load with a second engine load. Further, a modified injection start time, based on a delay time period, may include injecting fuel during the compression cycle of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Jan Linsel, Kay Hohenboeken, Marco Marceno, Jens Wojahn, Klemens Grieser
  • Patent number: 9970390
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing coking deposits in a fuel injection system. In one example, a method may comprise humidifying intake air of an intake system of an engine in response to a determination that fuel injector coking is occurring, or after a duration has passed since a most recent humidification event. A humidifying fluid, such as water, may be injected into the intake system to humidify the intake air, and the resulting humidified intake air may reduce and/or remove coking deposits on one or more direct fuel injectors of the fuel injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Kraemer, Klemens Grieser, Kay Hohenboeken, Jens Wojahn, Oliver Berkemeier
  • Publication number: 20180105154
    Abstract: A brake booster system for assisting a braking operation of a motor vehicle having a brake booster is provided. The brake booster system may include a pressure piston of a brake master cylinder, an actuating element which is configured for deflecting the pressure piston, and a brake booster which is divided into two chambers by way of a diaphragm, the first chamber is connected to the pressure piston and has a pressure p1 and the second chamber is connected to the actuating element and has a pressure p2. Furthermore, in the brake booster system, there is a pressure build up apparatus which is configured to raise the pressure p2 above the pressure p1 by way of said pressure build up apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Martin Wirth
  • Publication number: 20180105155
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pressure tapping device for a motor vehicle where a portion of the pressure energy generated at the fuel storage reservoir is transmitted to a working medium, physically separate from the fuel via the pressure tapping device. The pressure tapping device is fluidically coupled to a pressure actuator and enables the pressure operation via transmission of the pressure energy and adjustment of valves diverting flow from the fuel storage reservoir to the engine intake through the pressure tapping device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Martin Wirth, Oliver Berkemeier
  • Patent number: 9915219
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an engine. In one example, a system may include a hollow cone-shaped injector and a control unit to control the injector. The control unit may detect the position of an inlet valve and trigger the injection process, wherein the injector may be configured to spray fuel out of an inlet duct, through an annular gap, and into the combustion chamber of an engine in an injection process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Helmut Hans Ruhland, Robin Ivo Lawther
  • Publication number: 20180058348
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine system, in particular of a motor vehicle, having at least one liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank for storing an LPG fuel and at least one direct injection unit, which has a direct injection fuel distributor and direct injection valves that can be supplied with fuel via said distributor. In order to improve supply of the internal combustion engine system with LPG fuel, the fuel supply system includes a booster pump inserted between the LPG tank and the direct injection fuel distributor. A discharge side of the booster pump is connected directly to the direct injection fuel distributor by at least one line, and the direct injection valves each have a closure part that rises outward from a valve seat to open the respective direct injection valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Albert Breuer, Ulrich Kramer
  • Publication number: 20180038328
    Abstract: Examples are provided for switching an engine fuel supply. One example system includes a direct-injection engine including a cylinder, an LPG tank for storing a LPG fuel, a CNG tank for storing a CNG fuel, a gas switching valve, a high-pressure pump connected between the LPG tank and the gas switching valve, a pressure-limiting valve connected between the CNG tank and the gas switching valve, a fuel distributor configured to be supplied with one or more of the LPG fuel and the CNG fuel via the gas switching valve, an LPG injection valve coupled to the cylinder, a CNG injection valve coupled to the cylinder, the LPG injection valve and the CNG injection valve configured to be supplied with fuel via the fuel distributor; and a controller configured to control the gas switching valve depending on an aggregate state of the fuel disposed in the fuel distributor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Georg Louven, Klemens Grieser, Oliver Berkemeier, Martin Wirth, Ulrich Kramer, Helmut Hans Ruhland
  • Publication number: 20180010543
    Abstract: A direct-injection, supercharged internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, in which each cylinder is equipped with a direct injection apparatus, a fuel supply system comprising a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side, and a high-pressure piston pump comprising a piston displaceable in translational fashion between a bottom dead center and a top dead center of a pressure chamber of variable volume. The displaceable piston jointly delimits the pressure chamber with variable volume in such a way that a displacement of the piston causes a change in the volume of the pressure chamber via actuation of least one movable actuation element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Jan Mehring, Klemens Grieser
  • Patent number: 9822715
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an ignition plug for initiating combustion in a cylinder of a combustion engine, wherein the cylinder can be operated in an active mode and in a deactivated mode. The ignition plug comprises a housing that can be connected to the cylinder, an insulator is fastened to the housing and comprises an axial bore hole and a middle electrode is arranged in the axial bore hole to form an annular gap between the middle electrode and the insulator. The ignition plug comprises a sealing element that can be activated in dependence upon the mode of the cylinder so as to seal the gap preventing any seepage of oil during cylinder deactivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Oliver Berkemeier
  • Publication number: 20170306892
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing coking deposits in a fuel injection system. In one example, a method may comprise humidifying intake air of an intake system of an engine in response to a determination that fuel injector coking is occurring, or after a duration has passed since a most recent humidification event. A humidifying fluid, such as water, may be injected into the intake system to humidify the intake air, and the resulting humidified intake air may reduce and/or remove coking deposits on one or more direct fuel injectors of the fuel injection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Frank Kraemer, Klemens Grieser, Kay Hohenboeken, Jens Wojahn, Oliver Berkemeier
  • Publication number: 20170218912
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber for burning a fuel mixture and a spark plug for performing spark ignition of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. The spark plug includes electrodes for generating an ignition spark at a location within the combustion chamber. Furthermore, the internal combustion engine includes an adjustment device for reducing a distance between the location of the ignition spark and an edge of the combustion chamber in the case of an increase in temperature of the internal combustion engine during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Oliver Berkemeier, Krystian Dylong, Jan Mehring
  • Publication number: 20170218884
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for introducing water into an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. In one example, the system may include a water container, a water inlet for inputting water into the intake manifold, and a throttle valve that is arranged between an intake manifold inlet and the internal combustion engine, with the water container arranged at a higher point than the water inlet and the water inlet opening into the intake manifold downstream of the throttle valve. A switchable valve is arranged in fluidic connection with both the water container and the water inlet, with the result that it can enable or interrupt the introduction of water into the intake manifold and also create a Venturi effect at the water inlet, which draws water from the water container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Bernd Steiner, Georg Louven, Klemens Grieser, Helmut Hans Ruhland
  • Publication number: 20170204827
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operation of fuel injectors within an applied-ignition, direct-injection internal combustion engine. In one example, a needle of a fuel injector is moved from a retracted position to an extended position relative to a plurality of injection holes of a nozzle of the fuel injector, with at least one injection hole being separated from a fuel supply system earlier than each other injection hole. In a partially retracted position, fuel flow along a first side of the needle is decreased relative to fuel flow along a second side of the needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Oliver Berkemeier, Klemens Grieser, Jan Linsel, Kay Hohenboeken
  • Publication number: 20170198661
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a direct-injection engine having at least one cylinder head comprising at least one cylinder, in which each cylinder is assigned an injection nozzle which: is at least connectable to a fuel reservoir which serves for storing fuel, is secured in a nozzle holder, and is fitted with a nozzle needle which is displaceable in the direction of a longitudinal axis in a nozzle needle guide and, opens up at least one nozzle hole in order to introduce fuel. A control piston may be mounted movably on the injection nozzle, is displaceable in a translatory manner along the longitudinal axis of the injection nozzle between an inoperative position and a working position, and closes at least one fluid connection in the inoperative position and opens up same in the working position in order to introduce water into the associated cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Bernd Steiner, Oliver Berkemeier, Krystian Dylong