Patents by Inventor Robert Ukropec
Robert Ukropec 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).
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Patent number: 10961892Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust aftertreatment system. In one example, a system comprises an air injector positioned to inject air between a first catalyst and a second catalyst in response to an oxygen concentration of an exhaust gas falling below a threshold concentration while exhaust gas temperatures are less than a threshold temperature.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2019Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert Ukropec, Mario Balenovic, Maria Armiento, Jan Harmsen
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Patent number: 10865678Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust gas arrangement. In one example, a system comprises an air supply device arranged between a first LNT and a second LNT. The air supply device positioned to adjust an air/fuel ratio and a temperature of exhaust gas flowing to the second LNT and devices downstream thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2019Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Evgeny Smirnov, Robert Ukropec, Dirk Roemer, Maria Armiento, Jan Harmsen
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Patent number: 10837341Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust tract for vehicles having an internal combustion engine, the exhaust tract including a first exhaust gas aftertreatment device and a metering device arranged downstream therefrom. In one example, a region of the first exhaust gas aftertreatment device which is situated downstream is designed as an SCR region. Further, the metering device is designed to spray a reducing agent onto a side of the first exhaust gas aftertreatment device which faces the metering device, counter to a main direction of flow of an exhaust gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2016Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Mario Balenovic, Felix Goebel, Martina Reichert, Monika Angst, Robert Ukropec, Brendan Patrick Carberry
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Patent number: 10746115Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust aftertreatment arrangement. In one example, a system includes a LNT upstream of an SCR with an oxygen storage component arranged therebetween, and where a rich operation of an engine is limited based on an oxygen load of the oxygen storage component when an exhaust gas temperature is higher than a limit temperature.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2019Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jan Harmsen, Maria Armiento, Mario Balenovic, Robert Ukropec, Christian Nederlof
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Patent number: 10563556Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust gas arrangement. In one example, a system includes a lean-NOx trap arranged upstream of a selective-catalytic reduction device with an air supply device positioned to inject air therebetween, wherein the air supply device is activated in response to an exhaust gas being rich and an exhaust gas temperature exceeding a limit temperature.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2019Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Maria Armiento, Jan Harmsen, Mario Balenovic, Robert Ukropec, Christian Nederlof
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Publication number: 20190277174Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust gas arrangement. In one example, a system comprises an air supply device arranged between a first LNT and a second LNT. The air supply device positioned to adjust an air/fuel ratio and a temperature of exhaust gas flowing to the second LNT and devices downstream thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Evgeny Smirnov, Robert Ukropec, Dirk Roemer, Maria Armiento, Jan Harmsen
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Publication number: 20190271251Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust aftertreatment system. In one example, a system comprises an air injector positioned to inject air between a first catalyst and a second catalyst in response to an oxygen concentration of an exhaust gas falling below a threshold concentration while exhaust gas temperatures are less than a threshold temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2019Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventors: Robert Ukropec, Mario Balenovic, Maria Armiento, Jan Harmsen
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Publication number: 20190242285Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust gas arrangement. In one example, a system includes a lean-NOx trap arranged upstream of a selective-catalytic reduction device with an air supply device positioned to inject air therebetween, wherein the air supply device is activated in response to an exhaust gas being rich and an exhaust gas temperature exceeding a limit temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2019Publication date: August 8, 2019Inventors: Maria Armiento, Jan Harmsen, Mario Balenovic, Robert Ukropec, Christian Nederlof
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Publication number: 20190242314Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust aftertreatment arrangement. In one example, a system includes a LNT upstream of an SCR with an oxygen storage component arranged therebetween, and where a rich operation of an engine is limited based on an oxygen load of the oxygen storage component when an exhaust gas temperature is higher than a limit temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2019Publication date: August 8, 2019Inventors: Jan Harmsen, Maria Armiento, Mario Balenovic, Robert Ukropec, Christian Nederlof
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Patent number: 10029671Abstract: An operating method for a motor vehicle having a hybrid drivetrain includes, during a demand check, comparing at least one value which characterizes a current state of an exhaust-gas after-treatment device, with a setpoint value of the exhaust-gas after-treatment device. In response to the comparison indicating a deviation of the value characterizing the current state of the exhaust-gas after-treatment device from the setpoint value, a demand for a measure is indicated. The measure includes supplying charge gas, which includes recirculated exhaust gas, to the internal combustion engine during overrun operation. In addition, a capability check is carried out to detect conditions suitable for implementing the operating method.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Matthew Allen Schneider, Frank Linzen, Dirk Roemer, Frederik De Smet, Jan Harmsen, Kim Ford, Javier Castellano, Andres Arevalo, Monika Angst, Mario Balenovic, Evgeny Smirnov, Robert Ukropec, Christian Winge Vigild, Felix Goebel
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Patent number: 9677522Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injector (1) for an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector (1) is comprised of an injector body (5) with an injector tip (6). The injector tip (6) is used for the injection of fuel into the combustion chamber (4) of the internal combustion engine. For this reason, the injector tip (6) is designed so as to be at least partially extended into the combustion chamber (4). If the injector tip (6) is designed to be flush with the surface of the combustion chamber (4), the injector tip (6) is arranged so that it directly faces toward the combustion chamber (4). Furthermore, the injector tip (6) is at least partially coated with a first oxide layer (9). According to the invention, a catalytic second oxide coating (10) composed of cerium oxide (CeO2), praseodymium oxide (PrO2), zirconium oxide (ZrO2), or any bi-component combination thereof is applied on top of the first oxide coating (9).Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2014Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert Ukropec, Oliver Berkemeier, Clemens Maria Verpoort
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Patent number: 9597664Abstract: The current invention refers to the LNT and the SCR catalysts designed for combined LNT-SCR applications. LNT catalysts are based on proton-conducting oxides of fluorite structure, namely Ca (Sr)—La—Ce (Zr, Pr) mixed oxides in which up to 40 mol-% of lanthanum is replaced by calcium and/or strontium, and up to 66 mol-% of cerium is replaced by zirconium and/or praseodymium, further combined with Pt—Pd or Pt—Pd—Rh precious metal components. SCR catalysts are Cu/zeolite modified by citrate treatment or Cu—Ce, Mn—Ce or Co—Ce/modified zeolite.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2012Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Albert N. Chigapov, Robert Ukropec, Brendan Patrick Carberry, Nina Shishkina
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Publication number: 20170002713Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust tract for vehicles having an internal combustion engine, the exhaust tract including a first exhaust gas aftertreatment device and a metering device arranged downstream therefrom. In one example, a region of the first exhaust gas aftertreatment device which is situated downstream is designed as an SCR region. Further, the metering device is designed to spray a reducing agent onto a side of the first exhaust gas aftertreatment device which faces the metering device, counter to a main direction of flow of an exhaust gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: Mario Balenovic, Felix Goebel, Martina Reichert, Monika Angst, Robert Ukropec, Brendan Patrick Carberry
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Publication number: 20160251012Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an operating method for a motor vehicle having a hybrid drivetrain where in a demand check, at least one exhaust-gas after-treatment actual value, which characterizes a current exhaust-gas after-treatment actual state, is compared with an exhaust-gas after-treatment setpoint value, and if, in the event of a deviation of the exhaust-gas after-treatment actual value from the exhaust-gas after-treatment setpoint value, a demand for a measure is detected. The measure comprises supplying charge gas, which has recirculated exhaust gas, to the internal combustion engine during overrun operation. Also a capability check is carried out to detect conditions suitable for implementing the operating method.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Matthew Allen Schneider, Frank Linzen, Dirk Roemer, Frederik De Smet, Jan Harmsen, Kim Ford, Javier Castellano, Andres Arevalo, Monika Angst, Mario Balenovic, Evgeny Smirnov, Robert Ukropec, Christian Winge Vigild, Felix Goebel
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Patent number: 9217345Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for regenerating a particulate filter in an engine exhaust, where burning of soot is initiated by introducing additional oxygen into the exhaust gas upstream of the particulate filter where an exhaust temperature exceeds a threshold, a soot burn rate controlled by adjusting pulsing of the additional oxygen. Further, the pulsing of the additional oxygen is introduced via a high-pressure EGR passage during boosted engine conditions.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2013Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert Ukropec, Alexey A. Dubkov, Christoph Boerensen, Elmar Riesmeier, Mario Balenovic, Brendan Patrick Carberry
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Publication number: 20150021417Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injector (1) for an internal combustion engine. The fuel injector (1) is comprised of an injector body (5) with an injector tip (6). The injector tip (6) is used for the injection of fuel into the combustion chamber (4) of the internal combustion engine. For this reason, the injector tip (6) is designed so as to be at least partially extended into the combustion chamber (4). If the injector tip (6) is designed to be flush with the surface of the combustion chamber (4), the injector tip (6) is arranged so that it directly faces toward the combustion chamber (4). Furthermore, the injector tip (6) is at least partially coated with a first oxide layer (9). According to the invention, a catalytic second oxide coating (10) composed of cerium oxide (CeO2), praseodymium oxide (PrO2), zirconium oxide (ZrO2), or any bi-component combination thereof is applied on top of the first oxide coating (9).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2014Publication date: January 22, 2015Inventors: Robert Ukropec, Oliver Berkemeier, Clemens Maria Verpoort
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Patent number: 8820050Abstract: Embodiments for reducing ammonia slip are provided. In one example, a method for reduction of ammonia emissions from an engine exhaust gas aftertreatment device with an SCR catalyst comprises determining a concentration of NOx and/or ammonia in the exhaust gas aftertreatment device, comparing a determined value of NOx and/or ammonia concentration with a nominal value for NOx and ammonia, respectively, and if an actual or shortly forecasted ammonia concentration is above the respective nominal value, triggering engine conditions with higher exhaust NOx concentration. In this way, ammonia slip may be reduced without degrading fuel economy.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2012Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alexey A. Dubkov, Mario Balenovic, Jan Harmsen, Robert Ukropec, Brendan Patrick Carberry
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Patent number: 8783012Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating an efficiency of a catalyst placed in an exhaust path of a combustion engine are disclosed. In one example approach, a method comprises: ageing the catalyst consecutively at different temperatures for definite time periods; measuring the catalyst conversion efficiency after each ageing step; calculating the ageing factor for each step of the ageing procedure and the accumulative value of the ageing factors for all steps of the ageing procedure; estimating catalyst efficiency correlation factors related to the measured catalyst conversion efficiency for each temperature point and for all ageing conditions; determining a correlation between the catalyst efficiency correlation factors and the accumulative value of the ageing factors; and calculating the conversion efficiency of the aged catalyst based on a predetermined correlation between the accumulative ageing factor and the catalyst efficiency correlation factor.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2012Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert Ukropec, Alexey A. Dubkov, Yasser Mohamed Sayed Yacoub, Brendan Patrick Carberry, Nina Shishkina
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Publication number: 20140013741Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for regenerating a particulate filter in an engine exhaust, where burning of soot is initiated by introducing additional oxygen into the exhaust gas upstream of the particulate filter where an exhaust temperature exceeds a threshold, a soot burn rate controlled by adjusting pulsing of the additional oxygen. Further, the pulsing of the additional oxygen is introduced via a high-pressure EGR passage during boosted engine conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Inventors: Robert Ukropec, Alexey A. Dubkov, Christoph Boerensen, Elmar Riesmeier, Mario Balenovic, Brendan Patrick Carberry
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Publication number: 20130008149Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating an efficiency of a catalyst placed in an exhaust path of a combustion engine are disclosed. In one example approach, a method comprises: ageing the catalyst consecutively at different temperatures for definite time periods; measuring the catalyst conversion efficiency after each ageing step; calculating the ageing factor for each step of the ageing procedure and the accumulative value of the ageing factors for all steps of the ageing procedure; estimating catalyst efficiency correlation factors related to the measured catalyst conversion efficiency for each temperature point and for all ageing conditions; determining a correlation between the catalyst efficiency correlation factors and the accumulative value of the ageing factors; and calculating the conversion efficiency of the aged catalyst based on a predetermined correlation between the accumulative ageing factor and the catalyst efficiency correlation factor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Robert Ukropec, Alexey A. Dubkov, Yasser Mohamed Sayed Yacoub, Albert N. Chigapov, Nina Shishkina, Brendan Patrick Carberry