Patents by Inventor Stephen C. Bugos
Stephen C. Bugos 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: 20190168243Abstract: A dosing unit includes a fluid injector having a valve seat; a valve needle movable within the fluid injector between a closed position in which an end engages with the valve seat to block a flow of fluid from exiting the fluid injector and an open position in which the end is spaced apart from the valve seat so as to allow fluid to exit the fluid injector. The valve body, the valve seat and the valve needle form an outwardly opening valve assembly. A pole piece fixedly is disposed within the valve body, and an armature is coupled to the valve needle upstream of the pole piece. A coil is disposed around the pole piece and the armature so as to generate a force when energized to move the armature toward the pole piece and to cause the valve needle to move from the closed to the open position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2018Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Willem Nicolaas Van Vuuren, Michael J. Hornby, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Publication number: 20190078487Abstract: A reductant delivery unit includes a fluid injector having a fluid inlet for receiving a reductant, and a fluid outlet disposed for discharging the reductant, the fluid injector defining a fluid path from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The fluid injector further includes a tube having an end disposed at the fluid inlet of the fluid injector, the tube configured to pass reductant along the fluid path. A cup covers the end of the tube, including a sidewall and an axial end portion. A compressible seal member is disposed within the cup between the end of the tube and the axial end portion of the cup, the seal member occupying a volume so as to reduce an amount of space for reductant between the tube and the cup.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Josh Lee Hatfield, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Publication number: 20190078488Abstract: A fluid injector includes a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a fluid path from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet; a tube; a filter disposed in the tube proximal to the fluid inlet; and a calibration filter tube disposed downstream of the filter. The calibration filter tube includes a first end portion adjacent the filter and an axial throughbore, the throughbore defining at least a portion of the fluid path through the fluid injector. An actuator unit is disposed within the fluid injector and engages a second end of the calibration filter tube. A valve assembly operatively couples to the actuator unit. A position of the calibration filter tube within the tube sets an opening force of the valve assembly. A cap member has a sidewall defining an inner space receiving the filter, and the sidewall contacts and attaches to the first end of the calibration filter tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Josh Lee Hatfield, Stephen C. Bugos, Keith Aaron Shaw
-
Publication number: 20190078485Abstract: An RDU fluid injector includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a fluid path; an actuator unit including a pole piece, a movable armature and a coil; a valve assembly including a valve seat and a seal member connected to the armature and engageable with the valve seat; and a volume reduction member upstream of the actuator unit. The volume reduction member includes a throughbore partly defining the fluid path. The actuator unit, the valve assembly and the volume reduction member are disposed in one or more body portions of the injector, wherein each of the actuator unit, the valve assembly, the volume reduction member and the one or more body portions includes one or more components of the fluid injector. A ratio of a volume of the fluid path to a volume of the components of the fluid injector is between 0.08 and 0.30.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2017Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Willem Nicolaas VanVuuren, Stephen C. Bugos, Michael J. Hornby, Douglas Edward Cosby
-
Publication number: 20180058291Abstract: An injector having at least one heat dissipation element used for providing a highly conductive path for transferring heat away from a valve portion of an injector. In one embodiment, the heat dissipation element is a cylindrical element, or conductive plug, in contact with the injector valve body and the injector housing. In one embodiment, the heat dissipation element is a plurality of cooling fins, each being in direct contact with the injector housing. The fins may be used in combination with the cylindrical element to serve as an additional heat evacuation conduction path, allowing the heat to be dissipated by convection through the large surface area provided by the fins. The cylindrical element may be made of copper, but it is also within the scope of the invention that any suitable thermally conductive material may be used.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2016Publication date: March 1, 2018Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stephen C. Bugos, Willem Nicolaas Van Vuuren
-
Patent number: 9617884Abstract: A liquid cooled reduction unit includes a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injection valve. The valve includes an end portion extending to a distal end. The valve is configured to receive a DEF and force the DEF to exit at the distal end such that the DEF is then directed and applied to an exhaust stream of a vehicle engine. A coolant jacket is selectively filled with a coolant and has an outer side and an inner side. The inner side of the jacket faces a length of the end portion and is separated from the length of the end portion by an air gap.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Wayne McFarland, Keith Aaron Shaw, Michael J. Hornby, James A. Wynn, Joshua Lee Hatfield, Christopher Caulkins, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Patent number: 9587603Abstract: A compact fuel pressure regulator (10) includes a housing (12) with an interior (13) communicating and inlet opening (16) and an outlet opening (20). The housing defines a valve seat surface (26) in the interior. A cover (22) is provided at an end of the housing and is disposed in the interior. The cover includes a through-hole (24) therein that communicates the outlet opening with the interior. A valve structure (28) is movable within the interior to control fuel flow between the inlet opening and outlet opening. A spring (30) is engaged between the valve structure and the cover so that when pressure of fuel at the inlet opening is greater than a force of the spring, the fuel pushes the valve structure against the bias of the spring and away from the valve seat surface so that fuel flows around a periphery of the valve structure to the outlet opening.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2011Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Mahesh N. Hanjagi, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Publication number: 20160084129Abstract: A liquid cooled reduction unit includes a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) injection valve. The valve includes a housing that forms an elongated chamber therein. The valve configured to receive a DEF and force the DEF through the chamber to exit the chamber and the DEF is then being directed and applied to an exhaust stream of a vehicle engine. A coolant jacket is selectively filled with a coolant and has an outer side and an inner side. The inner side of the jacket faces a length of the valve body and is separated from the length of the valve body by an air gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2014Publication date: March 24, 2016Inventors: Robert Wayne McFarland, Keith Aaron Shaw, Michael J. Hornby, James A. Wynn, Joshua Lee Hatfield, Christopher Caulkins, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Publication number: 20160053652Abstract: A reductant delivery unit reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from a vehicle. The delivery unit includes a solenoid operated fluid injector having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The inlet receives a source of reducing agent and the outlet communicates with an exhaust gas flow path of the vehicle so that the fluid injector controls injection of the reducing agent into the exhaust gas flow path. The fluid injector has an inlet tube for directing the reducing agent between the inlet and the outlet. A coil heater is integral with the fluid injector and is constructed and arranged, when energized, to inductively heat the inlet tube and thus at least a portion of the reducing agent so that an unheated volume, of the reducing agent in the inlet tube, which is adjacent to the fluid outlet, is less than about 100 mm3.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2015Publication date: February 25, 2016Inventors: Willem Nicolaas van Vuuren, Stephen C. Bugos, Michael J. Hornby
-
Patent number: 9151201Abstract: Dosing structure (30) supplies diesel fuel to an exhaust passage of a diesel system. The dosing structure includes an electrically operated control valve (31). An inlet tube (45) is coupled with an inlet of the control valve. A first welded joint (6) is between the inlet tube and the control valve. The inlet tube is constructed and arranged to be coupled to a supply of diesel fuel for feeding fuel to the control valve. A dosing valve (32) is constructed and arranged to receive fuel from the control valve and deliver the fuel to the exhaust passage. An extension tube (33) is fluidly coupled between the control valve and the dosing valve to space the control valve from the dosing valve. A second welded joint (62) is between the extension tube and the control valve and a third welded joint (64) is between the extension tube and the dosing valve.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2007Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Hornby, Stephen C. Bugos, Hamid Sayar, David Stockmaster
-
Patent number: 9115624Abstract: A valve structure (20?) is provided for insertion into a boss (22?). The boss includes a threaded bore (46) and at least one key slot (48) therein. The valve structure includes a valve (26) constructed and arranged to control fluid flow, a fitting (24) surrounding at least a portion of the valve with the fitting having external threads (28) for mating with the threaded bore, and anti-rotate structure (34) between the valve and the fitting. The anti-rotate structure is constructed arranged such that when the fitting is rotated into threaded engagement with the boss, at least a portion of the anti-rotate structure engages a surface defining the key slot in the boss, thereby preventing rotation of the valve, with the fitting clamping on the anti-rotate structure and thus the valve.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2011Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventor: Stephen C. Bugos
-
Patent number: 9074511Abstract: A reductant delivery unit for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment for vehicles includes a fluid injector having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet receives a source of urea solution. An injector flange is coupled directly with an end of the fluid injector and has a flange outlet in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the fluid injector. The flange outlet is associated with an exhaust gas flow path upstream of a SCR catalytic converter with the fluid injector controlling injection of urea solution into the exhaust gas flow path. Internal surface structure that defines the flange outlet includes a conical surface joined with at least one radius surface. The radius surface is constructed and arranged to resist formation of deposits on the internal surface structure due to break down of the urea solution.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2012Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Willem Nicolaas Van Vuuren, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Patent number: 9010089Abstract: A reductant delivery unit (10) includes a fluid injector (12) and a flange (20) coupled with the fluid injector. An exhaust boss (28) has a surface (39) defining a through-hole (40) that communicates with a vehicle's exhaust flow path. The flange is coupled to a mounting surface such that the outlet of the fluid injector communicates with the exhaust flow path so as to control injection of urea solution into the exhaust gas flow path. A gasket (32) is sandwiched between the flange and the mounting surface. The gasket has a surface (37) defining a through-hole (38) therein that communicates with the through-hole in the exhaust boss to permit the urea solution to pass from the fluid outlet to the exhaust flow path. Gasket shielding structure (44) covers the surface defining the through-hole in the gasket to prevent the urea solution from contacting the gasket.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2011Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stephen C. Bugos, Michael J. Hornby
-
Patent number: 8997463Abstract: A reductant delivery unit for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment for vehicles includes a solenoid operated fluid injector associated with an exhaust gas flow path upstream of a SCR catalytic converter. The fluid injector has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet receiving a source of reducing agent and the fluid outlet communicating with the exhaust gas flow path so that the fluid injector controls injection of urea solution into the exhaust gas flow path. The fluid injector has an inlet tube for directing the reducing agent between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A shield is fixed with respect to the fluid injector and surrounds at least portions of the fluid injector. A coil heater is integral with the fluid injector and is constructed and arranged, when energized, to inductively heat the inlet tube to thereby heat the reducing agent within the inlet tube.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2013Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stephen C. Bugos, Michael J. Hornby, Perry Czimmek, Keith Shaw, Willem Nicolaas van Vuuren
-
Publication number: 20150059322Abstract: A reductant delivery unit having active cooling which is constructed to have sufficient structural robustness, and to improve corrosion resistance of the assembly, where an attack on the base injector is conceivable with the use of incorrect coolant media. The reductant delivery unit has an upper shield, a lower shield connected to the upper shield, and an inner sleeve. The reductant delivery unit also includes a lower sleeve connected to the inner sleeve and the lower shield. A liquid cooling cavity is formed by the connection between the inner sleeve and the lower shield, the lower sleeve and the lower shield, and the lower sleeve and the inner sleeve. Coolant flows into the liquid cooling cavity to provide a cooling function to an injector partially located within the inner sleeve, and a corrugated portion of the lower sleeve transfers heat away from at least a portion of the injector.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stephen C. Bugos, Willem Nicolaas Van Vuuren
-
Publication number: 20140314644Abstract: A reductant delivery unit for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment for vehicles includes a solenoid operated fluid injector associated with an exhaust gas flow path upstream of a SCR catalytic converter. The fluid injector has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet receiving a source of reducing agent and the fluid outlet communicating with the exhaust gas flow path so that the fluid injector controls injection of urea solution into the exhaust gas flow path. The fluid injector has an inlet tube for directing the reducing agent between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A shield is fixed with respect to the fluid injector and surrounds at least portions of the fluid injector. A coil heater is integral with the fluid injector and is constructed and arranged, when energized, to inductively heat the inlet tube to thereby heat the reducing agent within the inlet tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2013Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Stephen C. Bugos, Michael J. Hornby, Perry Czimmek, Keith Shaw, Willem Nicolaas van Vuuren
-
Publication number: 20140137543Abstract: A reductant delivery unit for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment for vehicles includes a fluid injector having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet receives a source of urea solution. An injector flange is coupled directly with an end of the fluid injector and has a flange outlet in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the fluid injector. The flange outlet is associated with an exhaust gas flow path upstream of a SCR catalytic converter with the fluid injector controlling injection of urea solution into the exhaust gas flow path. Internal surface structure that defines the flange outlet includes a conical surface joined with at least one radius surface. The radius surface is constructed and arranged to resist formation of deposits on the internal surface structure due to break down of the urea solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2012Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Willem Nicolaas Van Vuuren, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Publication number: 20140138568Abstract: A sealing device which is used as part of an injector in a reductant delivery unit (RDU), where the RDU is part of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for injecting diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) into an exhaust system, used for controlling exhaust emissions. This invention improves the purging efficiency of the RDU, in addition to improving the sealing performance of the unit by reducing the fluid volume to be evacuated from the injector, and provides an additional sealing barrier to reduce the sealing load of the existing sealing elements. An additional sealing device having a ring seal and a stopper element (also referred to as a “plug”) is pressed into the upper valve body of the injector, which results in a reduced fluid volume that is left behind after a purging event, due to the reduced initial volume at the beginning of the purge.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2012Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Willem Nicolaas van Vuuren, Stephen C. Bugos
-
Publication number: 20140054394Abstract: A reductant delivery unit (RDU) delivers supplied reductant (aqueous urea solution) to the engine exhaust system. The delivered reductant is transformed into ammonia which then reacts with the exhaust oxides of nitrogen in a catalytic environment to produce nitrogen and H20. The reductant must be metered to coincide with the amount of NOx present in the exhaust, and also present sufficient spray quality of the delivered fluid to promote good mixing of the ammonia with the exhaust gas. The RDU is a liquid-cooled, making the RDU suitable for very high temperature environment applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2012Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC.Inventors: Stephen C. Bugos, Michael Hornby, William Nicolaas Van Vuuren
-
Publication number: 20130056098Abstract: A compact fuel pressure regulator (10) includes a housing (12) with an interior (13) communicating and inlet opening (16) and an outlet opening (20). The housing defines a valve seat surface (26) in the interior. A cover (22) is provided at an end of the housing and is disposed in the interior. The cover includes a through-hole (24) therein that communicates the outlet opening with the interior. A valve structure (28) is movable within the interior to control fuel flow between the inlet opening and outlet opening. A spring (30) is engaged between the valve structure and the cover so that when pressure of fuel at the inlet opening is greater than a force of the spring, the fuel pushes the valve structure against the bias of the spring and away from the valve seat surface so that fuel flows around a periphery of the valve structure to the outlet opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2011Publication date: March 7, 2013Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC.Inventors: Mahesh N. Hanjagi, Stephen C. Bugos