Patents by Inventor Thomas Leroy

Thomas Leroy 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: 12507705
    Abstract: Systems and methods for preparing plant-based cheese comprise preparing a plant-based cheese mixture, transferring the plant-based to a heat exchanger, heat treating* and cooling the plant-based mixture, dynamically mixing additional ingredients, possible homogenizing the plant-based cheese mixture, and packaging the homogenized plant-based cheese product. In embodiments, heat treatment can occur between 85-95° C. and cooling occurs at 65-70° C. Homogenization can occur before or after heat treatment. A related cheese making apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2025
    Assignee: SPX Flow Technology Danmark A/S
    Inventors: Pranav Shah, Thomas Leroy, Sebastian Ferre
  • Publication number: 20220232845
    Abstract: Systems and methods for preparing plant-based cheese comprise preparing a plant-based cheese mixture, transferring the plant-based to a heat exchanger, heat treating* and cooling the plant-based mixture, dynamically mixing additional ingredients, possible homogenizing the plant-based cheese mixture, and packaging the homogenized plant-based cheese product. In embodiments, heat treatment can occur between 85-95° C. and cooling occurs at 65-70° C. Homogenization can occur before or after heat treatment. A related cheese making apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Pranav Shah, Thomas Leroy, Sebastian Ferre
  • Patent number: 10830659
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a positive-ignition internal combustion engine, in which the ignition advance is controlled (CON) by means of an estimation (EST) of the distribution of the knock measurements (MEAS). This estimation (EST) makes it possible to determine, for these measurements (MEAS), a confidence interval (qmin, qmax) of a predetermined quantile of the distribution of the knock measurements (MEAS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Maxime Jean, Thomas Leroy, Fabien Vidal-Naquet
  • Publication number: 20190219471
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a positive-ignition internal combustion engine, in which the ignition advance is controlled (CON) by means of an estimation (EST) of the distribution of the knock measurements (MEAS). This estimation (EST) makes it possible to determine, for these measurements (MEAS), a confidence interval (qmin, qmax) of a predetermined quantile of the distribution of the knock measurements (MEAS).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Maxime JEAN, Thomas LEROY, Fabien VIDAL-NAQUET
  • Patent number: 10054038
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combustion engine equipped with a dual supercharging system in which a mechanical compressor is driven by an electric motor. The method controls a combustion engine with the electric motor being controlled by determining a rotational speed setpoint for positive-displacement compressor using a supercharge volume filling model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Alexandre Chasse, Jonathan Chauvin
  • Patent number: 9879592
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a combustion engine (1) equipped with a supercharging system, comprising a turbocharger (2) and a mechanical compressor (3) and a bypass circuit disposed in parallel with the mechanical compressor comprising a controlled bypass valve (4). The method includes: a) acquiring a boost pressure setpoint Psuralsp; b) converting the boost pressure setpoint Psuralsp into an opening setpoint Bypasssp of the bypass valve (4) using a filling model modelling the filling of the supercharging boost volume between the intake valves of the engine (1) and the mechanical compressor (3) and bypass valve (4); and c) controlling the bypass valve (4) is according to the opening setpoint Bypasssp of the bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin, Alexandre Chasse
  • Patent number: 9739281
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the pressure Pavcm upstream of a mechanical compressor (3) equipped with a double supercharging circuit of a combustion engine. The pressure Pavcm is determined by a dynamic model based on a law of conservation of flow rate in the volume upstream of the mechanical compressor. The model links the pressure Pavcm upstream of the mechanical compressor (3) to a temperature Tavcm upstream of the mechanical compressor (3), to a boost pressure Psural and boost temperature Tsural on the intake side of the engine, and to an openness Bypass of the bypass valve (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin, Alexandre Chasse
  • Patent number: 9488118
    Abstract: In a method of controlling the combustion of a combustion engine from an estimation of the burnt gas mass fraction in the intake manifold, a measurement relative to a fresh air flow rate or to a burnt gas flow rate is performed upstream from the mixing space where fresh air and burnt gas mix. The burnt gas mass fraction present in the mixing space is then estimated from the measurement and from a model of the mixing dynamics in this space. A transport delay between the space and the intake manifold is estimated. The mass fraction of burnt gas in the intake manifold is then deduced in real time. Finally, combustion is controlled from the burnt gas mass fraction in the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Delphine Bresch-Pietri, Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin
  • Patent number: 9422875
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling an internal-combustion engine (1) equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation circuit and with variable timing means, having a first actuator (8) and of a second actuator (9). The method comprises acquiring a torque setpoint for the engine Tqsp determining a position setpoint for the first actuator (8) VVTint and a position setpoint for the second actuator (9) VVTexh by using a burnt gas flow model (MEGB) that relates the position setpoints of the actuators to the engine torque setpoint Tqsp . The burnt gas flow model (MEGB) comprises a cylinder filling model (MR), the burnt gas fraction in the cylinder is controlled by applying position setpoints VVTint and VVTexh to the variable timing means (8 and 9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin
  • Publication number: 20150247447
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a combustion engine (1) equipped with a supercharging system, comprising a turbocharger (2) and a mechanical compressor (3) and a bypass circuit disposed in parallel with the mechanical compressor comprising a controlled bypass valve (4). The method includes: a) acquiring a boost pressure setpoint Pspsural; b) converting the boost pressure setpoint Pspsural into an opening setpoint Bypasssp of the bypass valve (4) using a filling model modelling the filling of the supercharging boost volume between the intake valves of the engine (1) and the mechanical compressor (3) and bypass valve (4); and c) controlling the bypass valve (4) is according to the opening setpoint Bypasssp of the bypass valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin, Alexandre Chasse
  • Publication number: 20150240826
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the pressure Pavcm upstream of a mechanical compressor (3) equipped with a double supercharging circuit of a combustion engine. The pressure is determined by a dynamic model based on a law of conservation of flow rate in the volume upstream of the mechanical compressor. The model links the pressure Pavcm upstream of the mechanical compressor (3) to a temperature Tavcm upstream of the mechanical compressor (3), to a boost pressure Psural and boost temperature Tsural on the intake side of the engine, and to an openness Bypass of the bypass valve (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin, Alexandre Chasse
  • Patent number: 9109522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a combustion engine (1) comprising at least one cylinder (2) and a manifold (3) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit including an EGR valve. The EGR valve (6) is controlled by carrying out the following stages: a) measuring a pressure difference ?P in a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation circuit including the EGR valve; b) selecting a burnt gas fraction set point BGRsp in the intake manifold (3); c) calculating an opening set point for the EGR valve (6) from a pressure drop relation applied in a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation circuit including the EGR valve, depending on difference ?P at the EGR valve and on the burnt gas fraction set point BGRsp in the intake manifold; and d) controlling the EGR valve (6) as a function of the opening set point of EGR valve (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES nouvelles
    Inventors: Delphine Bresch-Pietri, Thomas LeRoy, Jonathan Chauvin
  • Patent number: 8307814
    Abstract: The invention is a method of controlling trapped gas masses in cylinders of a variable timing gasoline engine. A set point is determined for a trapped air mass in a cylinder and a set point is determined for trapped burnt gas mass in a cylinder. Then, in order to meet these set points: an intake pressure set point is generated from measurements of variable timing of positions of actuators and from the air mass set point; a position set point is generated for each of two variable timing actuators, from an intake pressure measurement and from the burnt gas mass set point; finally, a throttle and the variable timing actuators are controlled so as to meet the intake pressure set point and the set point position of the variable timing actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: IFP
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin
  • Publication number: 20100180876
    Abstract: The invention is a method of controlling trapped gas masses in cylinders of a variable timing gasoline engine. A set point is determined for a trapped air mass in a cylinder and a set point is determined for trapped burnt gas mass in a cylinder. Then, in order to meet these set points: an intake pressure set point is generated from measurements of variable timing of positions of actuators and from the air mass set point; a position set point is generated for each of two variable timing actuators, from an intake pressure measurement and from the burnt gas mass set point; finally, a throttle and the variable timing actuators are controlled so as to meet the intake pressure set point and the set point position of the variable timing actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin