Patents by Inventor Peter Hirth

Peter Hirth 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: 12286918
    Abstract: A catalytic converter for aftertreatment of combustion gases from an internal combustion engine, having at least one catalyst and at least one electrically heatable heating disk. The catalyst and the heating disk are each formed by a honeycomb having a multitude of flow channels through which flow is possible in a main flow direction. The mechanical connection between the catalyst and the heating disk is formed by at least one support pin (having an inner core. The support pin has a thickening in each of the two end regions and, the core is formed by a ceramic material and the thickening is formed by a ceramic-metal mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Hirth, Sven Schepers, Thomas Härig
  • Publication number: 20250129734
    Abstract: A device for aftertreatment of exhaust gases from an engine, with a honeycomb body through which a flow passes along a main flow direction, a ceramic mat, and a first casing that receives the honeycomb body. The ceramic mat is arranged between the honeycomb body and the casing and surrounds the honeycomb body as a ring in peripheral direction. The ceramic mat is configured such that the cavity formed between the honeycomb body and the first casing is filled by the ceramic mat. A method for manufacturing the device, wherein the honeycomb body is received in a second casing and the honeycomb body received in the second casing is surrounded by the ceramic mat as a ring in the peripheral direction. The second casing has, at the end region facing the gas inlet side, a portion having a structure different than the remaining structure of the second casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Applicant: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Peter HIRTH
  • Patent number: 12246286
    Abstract: An electrically heatable catalytic converter with a metal honeycomb body, the honeycomb body being formed by a plurality of wound metal foils and the honeycomb body being received in a casing tube, a device for electrically contacting at least individual foils being led into the casing tube through an opening in the casing tube, the device being formed by an electrode which is electrically insulated from the inside of the casing tube by a connecting layer and mechanically connected to the casing tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Schepers, Peter Hirth, Thomas Härig
  • Patent number: 12234760
    Abstract: In a device for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases from an emission source, in particular an internal combustion engine, with an exhaust tract through which an exhaust gas can flow in a direction of flow, with at least one catalytic converter, the catalytic converter having a ceramic honeycomb body has: a catalytically active surface coating, and with an electrically heatable heater, the heater having a metallic electrical conductor, the honeycomb body further having a plurality of flow channels which can be flowed through from a gas inlet side to a gas outlet side, wherein the conductor is integrated in the ceramic honeycomb body, and is arranged downstream of the gas inlet side and upstream of the gas outlet side, as viewed in the direction of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Hirth, Rolf Brück, Holger Stock
  • Publication number: 20250029753
    Abstract: An electrical feedthrough for electrically contacting a heat conductor in an exhaust gas guiding device for heating an exhaust gas flow. The heat conductor is located in a housing and at least one electrical conductor designed as a bolt is guided through an opening in the housing and is electrically conductively connected to the heat conductor. The electrical conductor is electrically insulated with respect to the housing and is permanently connected to the housing by a socket. The portion of the electrical conductor outside the housing is enclosed by a touch protection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Rolf BRÜCK, Jan HODGSON, Peter HIRTH
  • Patent number: 12201941
    Abstract: An annular catalytic converter, having a first, tubular flow path, having a diverting region and having a second, annular flow path, wherein the tubular flow path is formed by an inner pipe, wherein the annular flow path is formed between the inner pipe and an outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe, and the diverting region is of pot-shaped form for the purposes of diverting the exhaust-gas flow from the tubular flow path into the annular flow path, wherein the inner pipe and/or the outer pipe has a conical cross section that widens or narrows along the flow direction of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Rolf Brück, Peter Hirth, Sven Schepers, David Odenthal, Marat Karibayev, Ferdi Kurth
  • Publication number: 20240418115
    Abstract: A honeycomb body for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine formed from a plurality of metal foils which are stacked on one another to form a layer stack and are wound around at least one center of rotation. The layer stack is formed alternatingly from smooth and at least partially structured metal foils, the metal foils have a foil width and a foil length. The width of the foils runs along the main throughflow direction of the honeycomb body from a gas inlet side to a gas outlet side, and the foil length runs transversely to this direction, wherein at least some metal foils have at least some slots which divide the respective metal foil into a plurality of segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Christian SCHMIDT, Peter HIRTH, Ferdi KURTH, Michael VOIT
  • Patent number: 12168203
    Abstract: A device for exhaust-gas aftertreatment, such as an annular catalytic converter, having a first, tubular flow path, having a diverting chamber and having a second, annular flow path, wherein the tubular flow path is delimited outwardly in the radial direction by an inner pipe and the second, annular flow path is delimited inwardly in the radial direction by the inner pipe and outwardly in the radial direction by an outer pipe, and the diverting chamber is designed to divert the exhaust-gas flow from the tubular flow path (8) into the annular flow path, wherein the annular catalytic converter has at least one annular substrate body which has a catalytically active coating applied to it and which is arranged in the annular flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brück, Peter Hirth, Sven Schepers, David Odenthal
  • Publication number: 20240410307
    Abstract: A honeycomb body for an electrically heatable exhaust gas tract catalytic converter, having a plurality of flow channels through which flow occurs along a main through flow direction formed from a plurality of metal foils stacked on one another to form a layer stack, which is wound around at least one pivot point. The layer stack has at least one first metal foil having a first corrugation and a second metal foil having a second corrugation. The first and the second metal foils form first and second corrugated layers. The honeycomb body has a plurality of winding layers, which are spaced apart from one another in the radial direction in the wound state by an air gap. The first corrugation is different from the second corrugation and the layer stack has at least three corrugated layers. The corrugated layers are separated from one another by a third metal foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Rolf BRÜCK, Peter HIRTH
  • Publication number: 20240404735
    Abstract: An electrical feedthrough and a method for producing an electrical feedthrough for contacting a heating conductor of an electrically heatable honeycomb body, comprising an electrically conductive pin, an electrically insulating insulation layer and a bushing in which the insulation layer and the pin are at least partially accommodated. The pin is arranged centrally and at least some portions of it are completely surrounded in the circumferential direction by the insulation layer. The three elements are connected to one another by a form fit and/or a force fit such that they cannot be separated non-destructively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Jan HODGSON, Rolf BRÜCK, Peter HIRTH
  • Patent number: 12158094
    Abstract: A device includes an exhaust gas turbocharger and an annular catalytic converter, which is mounted downstream of the turbocharger in the flow direction, wherein the annular catalytic converter has a first tubular flow section, a deflecting region, and a second annular flow section, wherein the tubular flow section is formed by an inner tube, and the annular flow section is formed between an outer tube, running substantially parallel to the inner tube, and the inner tube, and the deflecting region is designed to deflect the exhaust gas flow out of the tubular flow section into the annular flow section, wherein the tubular flow section of the annular catalytic converter comprises the same components as the gas outlet of the turbocharger mounted upstream in the flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Hirth, Rolf Brück
  • Publication number: 20240371547
    Abstract: A feedthrough for an electrical conductor for electrical connection of an electrically heatable heating disk, especially in an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, through a housing, where the feedthrough has an internal conductor, an outer sleeve, and at least one insulator, where the insulator is disposed between the internal conductor and the outer sleeve such that the internal conductor is electrically insulated from the outer sleeve. The insulator is formed by a porous ceramic layer, where pores in the ceramic layer are at least partly filled by a pore filler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Peter HIRTH, Stefan AHLERS
  • Patent number: 12092004
    Abstract: A device for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, with an exhaust gas line, which is configured to feed the exhaust gas expelled from the internal combustion engine to at least one component for exhaust gas aftertreatment. The at least one adsorber for the temporary storage of hydrocarbons contained in the exhaust gas, a catalytic converter for the catalytic aftertreatment of the exhaust gas, an electrically heatable catalytic converter and a cracking catalytic converter for cracking long-chain hydrocarbons into shorter-chain hydrocarbons are arranged in the exhaust gas line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Rolf Brück, Peter Hirth, Ines Lienou Lzeutchi
  • Patent number: 12085003
    Abstract: A device for aftertreatment of exhaust gases, having a flow section which is able to be flowed through by exhaust gas and has at least one honeycomb body, acting as a catalytic converter, and has at least one heating element. The heating element is formed from a ceramic material which is able to be flowed through along a plurality of flow channels from an inflow side to an outflow side. The heating element is electrically conductive along the walls delimiting the flow channels and, by an electrical contact, is connectable to a voltage source, wherein the heating element runs in a meandering manner over a through-flowable cross section of the flow section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Hirth, Rolf Brück
  • Patent number: 12000320
    Abstract: A current feedthrough for an electrically heatable catalytic converter, which has inside it at least one electrical conductor that can be electrically contacted by the current feedthrough, a central electrically conductive inner conductor, which is guided from the interior of the catalytic converter through the outer housing wall thereof, an electrical insulation layer, which surrounds the electrically conductive inner conductor on the radially outer surface thereof, and a metallic outer tube, in which the electrically conductive inner conductor and the electrical insulation layer are accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Hirth, Stefan Ahlers
  • Publication number: 20240175384
    Abstract: A device for heating up an exhaust gas flowing in an exhaust gas line, including a heating disk having at least one electrical conductor arranged along a conductor path. Air gaps are formed between individual sections of the electrical conductor. The heating disk is connected to a disk-like support element in an electrically insulated manner by supports. The disk-like support element has at least one web, which forms a rigid holder for the supports. The disk-like support element has at least one cutout which is in alignment with at least one of the air gaps along a main throughflow direction of the device and through which the exhaust gas can flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Peter HIRTH, Thomas HÄRIG
  • Patent number: 11986811
    Abstract: A device for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases from an exhaust-gas source, having a spatially delimited flow path through which flow may pass proceeding from the exhaust-gas source, having a heating catalytic converter which is arranged in the flow path and which, as viewed in a flow direction, firstly has a catalytically active catalytic converter through which flow may pass and, following this in the flow direction, has an electrically heatable heating disk, wherein at least one outlet of a secondary air supply is arranged in the region of the heating catalytic converter such that a gas flow referred to as secondary air is fed into the flow path in the region of the heating catalytic converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Stock, Philipp Langenfeld, Peter Hirth, Erwin Achleitner, Gerhard Haft, Florian Kleiner, Paul Rodatz
  • Publication number: 20240102411
    Abstract: A device for aftertreatment of exhaust gases, having a flow section which is able to be flowed through by exhaust gas and has at least one honeycomb body, acting as a catalytic converter, and has at least one heating element. The heating element is formed from a ceramic material which is able to be flowed through along a plurality of flow channels from an inflow side to an outflow side. The heating element is electrically conductive along the walls delimiting the flow channels and, by an electrical contact, is connectable to a voltage source, wherein the heating element runs in a meandering manner over a through-flowable cross section of the flow section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Peter HIRTH, Rolf BRÜCK
  • Patent number: 11911752
    Abstract: A honeycomb body for exhaust gas aftertreatment includes a plurality of interconnected metal foils stacked on one another. The honeycomb body has a central first flow channel running in the axial direction of the honeycomb body, as an inflow section, and has a plurality of second flow channels between in each case two mutually adjacent metal foils. The first flow channel is in fluid communication with the second flow channels. The second flow channels formed between two mutually adjacent metal foils run in a straight line and parallel to one another along a radial direction of the honeycomb body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Pabst, Peter Hirth, Ferdi Kurth, Michael Voit, Sven Schepers
  • Publication number: 20230407777
    Abstract: A device for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, with an exhaust gas line, which is configured to feed the exhaust gas expelled from the internal combustion engine to at least one component for exhaust gas aftertreatment. The at least one adsorber for the temporary storage of hydrocarbons contained in the exhaust gas, a catalytic converter for the catalytic aftertreatment of the exhaust gas, an electrically heatable catalytic converter and a cracking catalytic converter for cracking long-chain hydrocarbons into shorter-chain hydrocarbons are arranged in the exhaust gas line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Rolf BRÜCK, Peter HIRTH, Ines LIENOU LZEUTCHI