Patents by Inventor Philippe Grass

Philippe Grass 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).

  • Publication number: 20160274054
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting a gas content includes: a sensor body; an electrode chamber arranged in the sensor body; a first heating element embedded in the sensor body and configured to heat a specified region to a specified operating temperature; and an inlet duct, in the sensor body, coupled to the electrode chamber and having an inlet on the surface of the sensor body. The inlet duct is arranged such that, during operation of the sensor at the specified operating temperature, the inlet is axially spaced from the electrode chamber such that the sensor body is at a maximum temperature at the surface of the sensor body in a region around the inlet, which temperature is less than or equal to a temperature threshold that ensures that an air-fuel mixture flowing past the inlet will not be ignited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Johannes ANTE, Philippe GRASS
  • Publication number: 20160265489
    Abstract: An air intake system for an internal combustion engine may include an air intake channel, an exhaust gas return channel opening into the air intake channel, an exhaust gas cooler arranged in the exhaust gas return channel, a capture device, and a sensor. The capture device may capture cooling liquid from the exhaust gas cooler in the region of the opening point of the exhaust gas return channel into the air intake channel. The sensor may detect cooling liquid in the capture device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Weigl, Philippe Grass
  • Publication number: 20160238013
    Abstract: A compressor for a turbocharger may include a compressor wheel with compressor blades mounted in a housing defining a compressor inlet. The compressor inlet may include an inner pipe and an outer pipe surrounding said inner pipe. The inner pipe may be directed toward the radially inner region of the compressor blades and the outer pipe directed toward the radially outer region of the compressor blades. The passage cross section of the outer pipe and/or of the inner pipe may be at least partially shut off by means of shutoff devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Weigl, Philippe Grass
  • Publication number: 20160231146
    Abstract: A sensor element may include a measuring element and a functional housing at least partially surrounding the measuring element including a plastic molded housing. The measuring element may include a hot plate mounted on a carrier substrate by means of narrow arms in a broadly thermally decoupled manner. The carrier substrate may be provided with contacts leading to the measuring element and terminating in contact/bonding points on the carrier substrate. The carrier substrate together with the contact/bonding points may be at least partially integrated into the plastic molded housing, leaving the hot plate exposed. The housing may include connection wiring for the contact/bonding points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Willibald Reitmeier, Philippe Grass, Johannes Ante
  • Publication number: 20160167510
    Abstract: A fuel tank system has a fuel tank and a storage element. In monitoring the fuel tank system, to check the sealing action of the fuel tank system at regular intervals during driving of the motor vehicle, a first valve is arranged in the first line upstream of the storage element as viewed in the direction of the fresh-air flow, an air pump is arranged between the first valve and the storage element, and a second valve is arranged in the second line between the storage element and the intake line. A mass flow sensor is arranged in the first line between the first valve and the storage element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Manfred WEIGL, Philippe GRASS
  • Patent number: 9335288
    Abstract: A storage vessel for a liquid has an arrangement for measuring the electric conductivity of the liquid situated in the vessel. The arrangement has a first contact and a second contact, which are wetted by the liquid and between which the conductivity is measured. The storage vessel has a first conductor loop with a first open end coupled electrically to the first contact and a second open end coupled electrically to the second contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Philippe Grass, Manfred Weigl
  • Publication number: 20160084207
    Abstract: A method for monitoring for a rupture in a storage element of a fuel tank system having a fuel tank includes: detecting, by a mass flow sensor, thermal conductivity of an unmoved air mass in a first line of the fuel tank system; and identifying a rupture in the storage element if the detecting by the mass flow sensor detects a change in the thermal conductivity of the unmoved air mass in the first line when a second valve is in a closed state and/or when an air pump is at a standstill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Manfred WEIGL, Philippe GRASS
  • Patent number: 9217351
    Abstract: A method for operating a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system having a urea solution supply and an ultrasound based urea concentration sensor, the measurement signal of the urea concentration sensor being representative of a propagation time of an ultrasonic pulse along a predefined path length in a fluid of the urea solution supply includes: heating at least the fluid in a detection region of the urea concentration sensor from a predefined first temperature to a predefined second temperature; during the heating, detecting the measurement signal at at least a third and fourth temperature, and in each case determining a raw concentration characteristic value as a function of the respective measurement signal, which raw concentration characteristic value is representative of the propagation time of the ultrasonic pulse; and determining a concentration characteristic value, representative of a concentration of urea in the fluid, as a function of the raw concentration characteristic values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Philippe Grass, Denny Schädlich
  • Patent number: 9194835
    Abstract: A method and device for determining a fuel portion in a motor oil of a motor vehicle. The motor oil is brought between at least two electrodes forming a capacitor. The capacitance of the capacitor is determined while the motor oil is located between the electrodes, and the fuel portion in the motor oil is determined from the capacitance of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignees: Continental Automotive GmbH, Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Rudolf Bierl, Philippe Grass, Jan Haag, Armin Hollstein, Denny Schädlich
  • Patent number: 9027386
    Abstract: A hydrogen sensor includes a support having a first temperature sensor, a heating element and an evaluation unit. The hydrogen sensor furthermore includes a mass flow reduction apparatus by which a gas mass flow over the first temperature sensor and the heating element is reduced. The evaluation unit determines a hydrogen concentration in a gas or gas mixture based on a first temperature detected by the first temperature sensor. A detection method for hydrogen concentration having the hydrogen sensor and a motor vehicle having a fuel cell drive having the hydrogen sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Bierl, Philippe Grass, Stephan Heinrich, Thorsten Knittel, Andreas Wildgen
  • Publication number: 20150107354
    Abstract: In a method for measuring the fill level of a fluid in a housing using an ultrasound sensor, detected multiple echoes in relation to a signal are reflected from a reference point and level echoes in relation to the signal reflected from the fluid level are evaluated in relation to their fluctuation width. The level echoes can be identified in this manner and the fill level determined from the transit times of the signals to the reference point and to the fluid level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Philippe Grass, Stephan Heinrich, Markus Herrmann, Torsten Reitmeier, Denny Schädlich
  • Patent number: 9011659
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode at a predefined distance from one another. The sensor apparatus includes a substrate arranged in a predefined first region of the sensor carrier such that the first electrode and the second electrode are substantially electrically decoupled from one another if the outer side of the sensor carrier is substantially free of particles. A third electrode is coupled to a solid electrolyte that is additionally coupled to the second electrode. A diffusion barrier is coupled to the third electrode in a predefined third region and the exhaust gas is applied to the third electrode only in the third region via the diffusion barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Philippe Grass
  • Patent number: 8956043
    Abstract: A tank device for storing a liquid medium for reducing pollutant levels in exhaust gases includes a container for storing the liquid medium, having a container wall, which is a first plastic at least in a first contact area. The tank device furthermore includes a support element, which is arranged in an aperture in the container wall and has an overmolding which is a second plastic at least in a second contact area. The second contact area is coupled to the first contact area of the container wall in a substantially liquid-tight manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Philippe Grass, Stephan Heinrich
  • Patent number: 8935950
    Abstract: A sensor for the measurement of the hydrocarbon content in a flow of gas in a purge line. The sensor can measure the hydrocarbon content in the flow of gas in the purge line from a hydrocarbon storage device to an internal combustion engine. The sensor has at least one heating element and at least one thermal detector, with the heating element heating the flow of gas while the thermal detector determines the temperature of the flow of gas, which temperature is evaluated as a measurement of the hydrocarbon content in the flow of gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Bierl, Philippe Grass, Stephan Heinrich, Manfred Weigl, Andreas Wildgen
  • Publication number: 20140144416
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine includes at least one cylinder, an exhaust gas tract having a measuring device, and a tank ventilation system having a purge air line, which provides pneumatic communication between the tank ventilation system and the cylinder. The purge air line has a sensor for ascertaining a hydrocarbon content of a gas flow from the tank ventilation system to the at least one cylinder. Fuel metering into the cylinder is controlled dependent on the ascertained hydrocarbon content. An exhaust gas characteristic of an exhaust gas flow that flows in the exhaust gas tract is detected by the measuring device and compared with a specified target value. If the ascertained difference between the detected exhaust gas characteristic and the specified target value exceeds a specified threshold, a test is carried out to determine whether the sensor has a malfunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Stephan Heinrich, Brian Woods, David W. Balsdon, Philippe Grass
  • Publication number: 20140096511
    Abstract: A method for operating a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system having a urea solution supply and an ultrasound based urea concentration sensor, the measurement signal of the urea concentration sensor being representative of a propagation time of an ultrasonic pulse along a predefined path length in a fluid of the urea solution supply includes: heating at least the fluid in a detection region of the urea concentration sensor from a predefined first temperature to a predefined second temperature; during the heating, detecting the measurement signal at at least a third and fourth temperature, and in each case determining a raw concentration characteristic value as a function of the respective measurement signal, which raw concentration characteristic value is representative of the propagation time of the ultrasonic pulse; and determining a concentration characteristic value, representative of a concentration of urea in the fluid, as a function of the raw concentration characteristic values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: Philippe Grass, Denny Schädlich
  • Publication number: 20140070826
    Abstract: A storage vessel for a liquid has an arrangement for measuring the electric conductivity of the liquid situated in the vessel. The arrangement has a first contact and a second contact, which are wetted by the liquid and between which the conductivity is measured. The storage vessel has a first conductor loop with a first open end coupled electrically to the first contact and a second open end coupled electrically to the second contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Philippe Grass, Manfred Weigl
  • Publication number: 20140034495
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode at a predefined distance from one another. The sensor apparatus includes a substrate arranged in a predefined first region of the sensor carrier such that the first electrode and the second electrode are substantially electrically decoupled from one another if the outer side of the sensor carrier is substantially free of particles. A third electrode is coupled to a solid electrolyte that is additionally coupled to the second electrode. A diffusion barrier is coupled to the third electrode in a predefined third region and the exhaust gas is applied to the third electrode only in the third region via the diffusion barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventor: Philippe Grass
  • Publication number: 20130298640
    Abstract: A method for operating a soot sensor that has an interdigital electrode structure, to which a measurement voltage is applied. Soot particles from an exhaust gas flow are deposited onto the interdigital electrode structure and the measurement current is evaluated as a measure of the soot load of the soot sensor. The interdigital electrode structure is burned clean at or above a predetermined soot load, which is detected by means of an upper current threshold. The method includes burning the interdigital electrode structure clean by heating up the soot sensor after the upper current threshold has been reached; monitoring the measurement current while the interdigital electrode structure is being burned clean; and stopping the burning clean when the value of the measurement current has reached a lower current threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Ante, Philippe Grass, Markus Herrmann, Willibald Reitmeier, Denny Schädlich, Manfred Weigl, Andreas Wildgen
  • Publication number: 20130255645
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a fuel tank, a fuel vapor store for storing fuel vapors that escape from the fuel tank, having a connecting line between the fuel vapor store and an air intake tract to conduct fuel vapors from the fuel vapor store into the air intake tract during a regeneration phase, a valve arranged in the connecting line, an aeration line for the fuel vapor store, and having a valve arranged in the aeration line for controlling the aeration of the fuel vapor store. A purge air pump arranged in the aeration line is integrated into the valve unit for controlling the aeration of the fuel vapor store. Effective purging or regeneration of the fuel vapor store is attained even when no negative pressure or only a low negative pressure is provided by the air intake tract.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Philippe Grass, Manfred Weigl