Joseph Robert Theis

US Patent:

6497092, Dec 24, 2002

Filed:

Mar 18, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/272004

Inventors:

Joseph Robert Theis - Grand Blanc MI

Assignee:

Delphi Technologies, Inc. - Troy MI

International Classification:

F01N 300

US Classification:

60274, 60276, 60285, 60301

Abstract:

An exhaust control system for an automotive internal combustion engine having an exhaust system that includes a NO adsorber to trap and reduce NO emissions from the engine. The engine is operated using an air/fuel ratio that alternates between lean and rich, with the adsorber storing NO during the lean periods of combustion and catalytically reducing the NO during the rich periods of combustion. The system determines the amount of NO stored in the adsorber using upstream and downstream O sensors. The release of stored NO and O at the beginning of the rich regeneration causes a delay between switching of the sensors. The system determines how much of this delay is due to the release of stored O and subtracts that amount from the total delay. There is also a switching delay at the beginning of each lean period due to the storage of O in the adsorber. This storage delay is used to approximate the delay due to the release of O at the beginning of regeneration and this delay is therefore subtracted from the total delay to determine the amount of delay due to the release of NO alone.

US Patent:

7104045, Sep 12, 2006

Filed:

Jan 28, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/767395

Inventors:

Shane Elwart - Ypsilanti MI, US
Gopichandra Sumilla - West Bloomfield MI, US
Joseph R. Theis - Rockwood MI, US

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F01N 3/00

US Classification:

60285, 60274, 60276, 60277, 60295, 60301

Abstract:

In an apparatus having a combustion engine and an emissions system including a catalytic converter and a metal oxide catalyst disposed downstream of the catalytic converter, a method of controlling a chemical transformation of hydrogen sulfide in an emissions stream to a less-noxious sulfur-containing compound is disclosed. The method includes reacting the hydrogen sulfide with the metal oxide catalyst to form a metal sulfide, monitoring a saturation of the metal oxide catalyst with the metal sulfide, and when a predetermined saturation of metal sulfide on the metal oxide is reached, changing an air/fuel ratio supplied to the combustion engine.

US Patent:

7797929, Sep 21, 2010

Filed:

May 21, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/751414

Inventors:

Shane Elwart - Ypsilanti MI, US
Jason Aaron Lupescu - Ypsilanti MI, US
Joseph Robert Theis - Rockwood MI, US
Gopichandra Surnilla - West Bloomfield MI, US

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F02B 27/04
F01N 3/00
F01N 3/10

US Classification:

60295, 60273, 60285, 60286, 60301

Abstract:

A method of controlling an engine having a lean NOx trap in the exhaust is described. The method comprises during a first mode, at a first temperature, storing NOx at a lean condition and then purging stored NOx from the NOx trap at a rich condition without concurrently supplying oxygen to the trap during the purging and during a second mode, at a second, lower temperature, storing NOx at a lean condition and then purging stored NOx from the NOx, where an exothermic reaction is generated to temporarily raise the temperature of the trap by supplying oxygen and reductants with an overall rich mixture to the trap during the purging.

US Patent:

7998447, Aug 16, 2011

Filed:

Jan 28, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/767339

Inventors:

Shane Elwart - Ypsilanti MI, US
Gopichandra Surnilla - West Bloomfield MI, US
Joseph R. Theis - Rockwood MI, US

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B01D 53/48

US Classification:

42324402, 42324401

Abstract:

A method of removing hydrogen sulfide from an emissions stream is disclosed, wherein the method includes directing the emissions stream into a hydrogen sulfide converter having a metal oxide catalyst, adsorbing the hydrogen sulfide in the emissions stream to the metal oxide catalyst in the hydrogen sulfide converter, reacting the hydrogen sulfide with at least one of an oxidant and a reductant in the hydrogen sulfide converter to chemically transform the hydrogen sulfide, and adjusting an air-fuel ratio of the emissions stream based on exhaust temperature of an emission control device, where the adjustment varies a duration of at least one of lean and rich operation to perform the adsorbing and reacting even as exhaust temperature varies.

US Patent:

20040168431, Sep 2, 2004

Filed:

Jan 13, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/756876

Inventors:

Christian Goralski - Ypsilanti MI, US
Gopichandra Surnilla - West Bloomfield MI, US
Joseph Theis - Rockwood MI, US
Hungwen Jen - Troy MI, US
Justin Ura - Livonia MI, US

International Classification:

F01N003/00

US Classification:

060/286000

Abstract:

A method is described for controlling lean and rich operation of an internal combustion engine coupled to a lean NOx trap. In one example, the termination of the lean air-fuel mixture is based on an oxygen storage capacity of the NOx trap. In another example, the level and duration of rich air-fuel ratio purging operation is also controlled based on the oxygen storage capacity of the NOx trap.

US Patent:

56303157, May 20, 1997

Filed:

Oct 6, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/556292

Inventors:

Joseph R. Theis - Grand Blanc MI

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

F01N 300

US Classification:

60274

Abstract:

A catalytic converter catalyst diagnostic system comprising: a catalytic converter having a catalyst; a first sensor placed in a flow path of an engine exhaust gas flowing into the catalytic converter and providing a first measurement signal indicative of a temperature of the engine exhaust gas before it enters the catalytic converter catalyst; a second sensor mounted in or behind the catalytic converter catalyst and providing a second measurement signal indicative of a temperature of the catalytic converter catalyst; and a controller coupled to the first and second sensors and receiving the first and second measurement signals therefrom, wherein the controller determines a value indicative of exothermic activity of the catalytic converter responsive to the first and second measurement signals and compares the value indicative of exothermic activity to a threshold value, wherein values below the threshold value are indicative of an improperly operating catalytic converter catalyst.

US Patent:

55092675, Apr 23, 1996

Filed:

Nov 14, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/337703

Inventors:

Joseph R. Theis - Grand Blanc MI

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

F01N 320

US Classification:

60274

Abstract:

A catalytic treatment device diagnostic for an automotive exhaust system having at least two catalytic treatment devices wherein reduced oxygen storage capacity of each of the devices may be diagnosed without significant loss in engine air/fuel ratio control precision by varying the source of an actual air/fuel ratio feedback signal from a sensor positioned upstream of the devices during normal operation to a sensor mounted downstream of at least one of the devices during a diagnostic period. Measurable change in the oxygen content of exhaust gas passing through each of such devices then becomes available for analysis during the diagnostic period.

US Patent:

20200291839, Sep 17, 2020

Filed:

Mar 12, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/299740

Inventors:

- Dearborn MI, US
Douglas Allen Dobson - Ypsilanti MI, US
Joseph Robert Theis - Rockwood MI, US

International Classification:

F01N 3/08
F01N 3/36
F01N 3/20
F01N 9/00
F01N 11/00
F01N 13/00

Abstract:

Methods and systems are provided for a low temperature NOx adsorber (LTNA). In one example, a method includes initiating a desulfation of an LTNA responsive to an estimated sulfur exposure exceeding a threshold, the desulfation including heating the LTNA to a first threshold temperature while maintaining an exhaust oxygen level above a threshold level throughout the entire desulfation.