Patents by Inventor Ralph Purvis

Ralph Purvis 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: 8126634
    Abstract: A control system for an engine capable of operating on more than one type of fuel includes an engine control unit that determines a default fuel volume to be injected into the engine based on relevant engine parameters and characteristics of a default fuel type. A default mass fuel flow rate is derived from the default fuel volume and relevant engine parameters. The actual mass fuel flow rate into the engine is inferred from the mass air flow rate into the engine and the exhaust gas air-to-fuel ratio, which is determined using a wide range oxygen sensor. A fuel correction factor is calculated from the default mass fuel flow rate and the inferred mass fuel flow rate. The fuel correction factor is used to increment or decrement the default fuel volume in a subsequent fuel injection cycle thereby incrementing or decrementing the inferred mass fuel flow rate toward the default mass fuel flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: AM General LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Vestrini, Anthony Peter Bell, Anthony James Peck, Ralph Purvis
  • Publication number: 20110218728
    Abstract: A control system for an engine capable of operating on more than one type of fuel includes an engine control unit that determines a default fuel volume to be injected into the engine based on relevant engine parameters and characteristics of a default fuel type. A default mass fuel flow rate is derived from the default fuel volume and relevant engine parameters. The actual mass fuel flow rate into the engine is inferred from the mass air flow rate into the engine and the exhaust gas air-to-fuel ratio, which is determined using a wide range oxygen sensor. A fuel correction factor is calculated from the default mass fuel flow rate and the inferred mass fuel flow rate. The fuel correction factor is used to increment or decrement the default fuel volume in a subsequent fuel injection cycle thereby incrementing or decrementing the inferred mass fuel flow rate toward the default mass fuel flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: AM GENERAL LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Vestrini, Anthony Peter Bell, Anthony James Peck, Ralph Purvis
  • Patent number: 7945373
    Abstract: A control system for an engine capable of operating on more than one type of fuel includes an engine control unit that determines a default fuel volume to be injected into the engine based on relevant engine parameters and characteristics of a default fuel type. A default mass fuel flow rate is derived from the default fuel volume and relevant engine parameters. The actual mass fuel flow rate into the engine is inferred from the mass air flow rate into the engine and the exhaust gas air-to-fuel ratio, which is determined using a wide range oxygen sensor. A fuel correction factor is calculated from the default mass fuel flow rate and the inferred mass fuel flow rate. The fuel correction factor is used to increment or decrement the default fuel volume in a subsequent fuel injection cycle thereby incrementing or decrementing the inferred mass fuel flow rate toward the default mass fuel flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: AM General LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Vestrini, Anthony Peter Bell, Anthony James Peck, Ralph Purvis
  • Publication number: 20100036583
    Abstract: A control system for an engine capable of operating on more than one type of fuel includes an engine control unit that determines a default fuel volume to be injected into the engine based on relevant engine parameters and characteristics of a default fuel type. A default mass fuel flow rate is derived from the default fuel volume and relevant engine parameters. The actual mass fuel flow rate into the engine is inferred from the mass air flow rate into the engine and the exhaust gas air-to-fuel ratio, which is determined using a wide range oxygen sensor. A fuel correction factor is calculated from the default mass fuel flow rate and the inferred mass fuel flow rate. The fuel correction factor is used to increment or decrement the default fuel volume in a subsequent fuel injection cycle thereby incrementing or decrementing the inferred mass fuel flow rate toward the default mass fuel flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Andrew Vestrini, Anthony Peter Bell, Anthony James Peck, Ralph Purvis
  • Patent number: 6244045
    Abstract: In a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of monitoring efficiency of a catalytic converter (14) present in an exhaust system (12) of an internal combustion engine (10) which has a closed loop control system (15, 23, 24) which in normal use of the engine controls richness of fuel/air charge supplied to a combustion chamber of the engine (10). The closed loop control system uses a feedback signal an output signal of an exhaust gas oxygen sensor (15) located in the exhaust system (12) downstream of at least a part of the volume of the catalytic converter (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Lotus Cars Limited
    Inventor: Ralph Purvis