Patents by Inventor Thorsten Fritz

Thorsten Fritz 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: 6889667
    Abstract: A method checks the operability of a tank-venting system for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine. The tank-venting system includes a fuel tank (10), an adsorption filter (20) and a filter line (12) connecting the adsorption filter to the fuel tank. The adsorption filter (20) has a venting line (22) and a switchover/check valve (70) is provided for closing off the venting line (22). The system includes a tank-venting valve (90) and a valve line (24) connecting the tank-venting valve to the adsorption filter. In the method, an overpressure relative to atmospheric pressure is introduced into the tank-venting system utilizing a drivable pressure source (50). An operating characteristic variable of the pressure source is detected while introducing the overpressure to determine the pressure course. A conclusion is drawn as to the presence of a leak from the pressure course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Fritz, Dieter Lederer, Karl-Bernhard Lederle
  • Patent number: 6845652
    Abstract: In a method and a device for leak testing of a vessel, e.g., a tank venting system of a motor vehicle, a leak-tightness measurement is performed by introducing a positive pressure or partial vacuum and detecting the variation over time of a positive pressure or partial vacuum in the vessel, and a reference measurement is performed using a reference leak. A conclusion is drawn as to the presence of a leak in the vessel by comparing the results of the leak-tightness measurement and the reference measurement. To avoid faulty diagnoses, the positive pressure or partial vacuum during the leak-tightness measurement and the reference measurement is detected by using a single pressure measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Volk r Stegmann, Thorsten Fritz, Martin Streib, Peter Wiltsch, Armin Hassdenteufel
  • Publication number: 20030213478
    Abstract: A method checks the operability of a tank-venting system for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine. The tank-venting system includes a fuel tank (10), an adsorption filter (20) and a filter line (12) connecting the adsorption filter to the fuel tank. The adsorption filter (20) has a venting line (22) and a switchover/check valve (70) is provided for closing off the venting line (22). The system includes a tank-venting valve (90) and a valve line (24) connecting the tank-venting valve to the adsorption filter. In the method, an overpressure relative to atmospheric pressure is introduced into the tank-venting system utilizing a drivable pressure source (50). An operating characteristic variable of the pressure source is detected while introducing the overpressure to determine the pressure course. A conclusion is drawn as to the presence of a leak from the pressure course.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Thorsten Fritz, Dieter Lederer, Karl-Bernhard Lederle
  • Patent number: 6644100
    Abstract: A method for checking the tightness of a tank-venting system of a vehicle wherein one introduces an overpressure or underpressure compared to the atmospheric pressure via a pressure source alternately into the tank-venting system and a reference leak of a defined size connected in parallel to the tank-venting system over a pregiven time interval and wherein one detects at least one operating characteristic variable of the pressure source when introducing the pressure into the tank-venting system (tank measurement) as well as when introducing the pressure into the reference leak (reference measurement) and wherein one compares the two measurements and, when there is a deviation of the tank measurement from the reference measurement by a pregivable value, one draws a conclusion as to a leak when there is a deviation of the tank measurement from the reference measurement by a pregivable value and the method is characterized in that one draws a conclusion as to the operability of the tank-venting valve of the tan
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Fritz, Lutz Reuschenbach
  • Publication number: 20030015022
    Abstract: In a method and a device for leak testing of a vessel, e.g., a tank venting system of a motor vehicle, a leak-tightness measurement is performed by introducing a positive pressure or partial vacuum and detecting the variation over time of a positive pressure or partial vacuum in the vessel, and a reference measurement is performed using a reference leak. A conclusion is drawn as to the presence of a leak in the vessel by comparing the results of the leak-tightness measurement and the reference measurement. To avoid faulty diagnoses, the positive pressure or partial vacuum during the leak-tightness measurement and the reference measurement is detected by using a single pressure measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Volker Stegmann, Thorsten Fritz, Martin Streib, Peter Wiltsch, Armin Hassdenteufel
  • Publication number: 20020157456
    Abstract: A method for checking the tightness of a tank-venting system of a vehicle wherein one introduces an overpressure or underpressure compared to the atmospheric pressure via a pressure source alternately into the tank-venting system and a reference leak of a defined size connected in parallel to the tank-venting system over a pregiven time interval and wherein one detects at least one operating characteristic variable of the pressure source when introducing the pressure into the tank-venting system (tank measurement) as well as when introducing the pressure into the reference leak (reference measurement) and wherein one compares the two measurements and, when there is a deviation of the tank measurement from the reference measurement by a pregivable value, one draws a conclusion as to a leak when there is a deviation of the tank measurement from the reference measurement by a pregivable value and the method is characterized in that one draws a conclusion as to the operability of the tank-venting valve of the tan
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Thorsten Fritz, Lutz Reuschenbach
  • Patent number: 6250288
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for checking the operability of a tank-venting system of a vehicle. A pressure source is operatively connected to the tank-venting system and a first fill level of the tank is determined and stored at the start of a standstill of the vehicle. An overpressure relative to atmospheric pressure is introduced into the tank-venting system during the standstill of the vehicle and an operating characteristic variable of this pressure source is detected as the overpressure is introduced into the tank-venting system. A conclusion as to the presence of a leak in the tank-venting system is drawn from the operating characteristic variable. A second fill level of the tank at the end of the standstill is determined and stored. The difference of the first and second fill levels is formed and a determination is made as to whether the difference exceeds a pregiven threshold value; and, only if the threshold value is exceeded, a fault announcement is outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thorsten Fritz
  • Patent number: 6234152
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for checking the operability of a tank-venting system of a vehicle. A pressure source introduces an overpressure into the tank-venting system with the pressure source having operating characteristic variables. A conclusion is drawn as to the ambient temperature from one of the operating characteristic variables and a determination is made as to whether the ambient temperature lies within a pregiven temperature interval. Only if the ambient temperature lies within the pregiven temperature interval is an overpressure introduced into the tank-venting system relative to atmospheric pressure. One of the operating characteristic variables of the pressure source is detected as the overpressure is introduced into the tank-venting system to obtain a pressure trace of the pressure in the tank-venting system. A conclusion as to the presence of a leak in the tank-venting system is drawn from the pressure trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Fritz, Lutz Reuschenbach
  • Patent number: 6131550
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for checking the operability of a tank-venting system of a motor vehicle. The tank-venting system includes a tank, an adsorption filter and a tank-venting valve. The adsorption filter has a venting line and is connected to the tank via a connecting line. The tank-venting valve is connected to the adsorption filter via a valve line. In the method, a pressure source introduces a pressure into the tank-venting system which is an overpressure compared to atmospheric pressure and the pressure source has at least one operating variable. A first time-dependent trace of the one variable is provided and this trace is characteristic for a diagnostic trace undisturbed by a tanking operation. A second time-dependent trace of the one variable is detected during standstill of the vehicle and is compared to the first time-dependent trace. An output of a fault announcement is inhibited when the second time-dependent trace deviates from the first time-dependent trace by a pregiven value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Fritz, Andreas Blumenstock
  • Patent number: 6105557
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for checking the operability of a tank-venting system. The tank-venting system includes a tank, an adsorption filter having a tank-venting line, a connecting line for connecting the adsorption filter to the tank, a tank-venting valve and a valve line connecting the adsorption filter to the tank-venting valve. A pressure source is provided for introducing a pressure into the tank-venting system, an operating characteristic variable of the pressure source is detected only over a pregiven time interval (.DELTA.t.sub.m) when introducing the pressure to obtain a time-dependent trace of the operating characteristic variable. The time-dependent trace is extrapolated and a conclusion is drawn as to the presence of a leak therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Schnaibel, Thorsten Fritz, Lutz Reuschenbach
  • Patent number: 5890474
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and arrangement for checking the operability of a vessel. Pressure is introduced into the vessel utilizing a pressure source having operating variables which vary during operation of the pressure source. These operating variables are detected while the pressure is introduced into the vessel and a conclusion as to a presence of a leak in the vessel is drawn from the operating variables. By utilizing the operating variables, a statement as precise as possible is provided as to the presence of the leak with as little additional equipment as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Schnaibel, Helmut Schwegler, Ulrich Kuhn, Werner Krauss, Thorsten Fritz, Andreas Blumenstock, Stephan Uhl, Michael Nicolaou, Lutz Reuschenbach, Georg Mallebrein, Michael Hermann