Patent US4012905A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4012905A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Exhaust cleaning system for internal combustion engine
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1974-08-12
•
Granted: 1977-03-22
•
Expires: 1994-08-12
Abstract
Abstract An exhaust cleaning system for use with an automotive multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine including first and second groups of engine cylinders which are to be alternately fired, comprising a thermal reactor composed of an outer tubular structure formed with a first group of exhaust inlet ports leading from the first group of engine cylinders and a second group of exhaust inlet ports leading from the second group of engine cylinders, an inner tubular structure positioned within the outer tubular structure and formed with openings, and at least one air-injection nozzle opening in a longitudinal end portion of the interior or a re-combustion chamber of the inner tubular structure, wherein exhaust gases from each of the first group of engine cylinder are fired in the vicinity of the nozzle openings with the agency of secondary air injected from the nozzle and exhaust gases from each of the second group of engine cylinders are fired by the resultant hot gases advancing through a hot zone of the re-combustion chamber. Additional secondary air and/or secondary fuel may be admixed to the exhaust gases preferably during low-load condition of the engine when the temperature of the exhaust gases lowers.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenji Masaki
- 👤 Hatuo Nagaishi
- 👤 Mitinobu Konno
- 👤 Yoshio Ookubo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:14
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/08; F01N3/10; F01N3/24; F01N3/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
294 words
An exhaust cleaning system for use with an automotive multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine including first and second groups of engine cylinders which are to be fired alternately to each other, which system comprises a thermal reactor comprising an outer elongate hollow structure formed with a first group of exhaust inlet ports communicating with the exhaust ports of said first group of engine cylinders and a second group of exhaust inlet ports communicating with the exhaust ports of said second group of engine cylinders; an inner elongate hollow structure which is positioned within said outer elongate hollow structure for forming an elongate space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structures and which is formed with a plurality of openings providing communication between said space and the interior of said inner elongate hollow structure, said interior of the inner elongate hollow structure constituting a re-combustion chamber of the thermal reactor; at least one air-injection nozzle opening in the vicinity of one longitudinal end of said re-combustion chamber and in close proximity to an axis of the inner elongate hollow structure, said first group of exhaust inlet ports being open in the neighbourhood of the longitudinal end portion of the inner elongate hollow structure adjacent said one longitudinal end of the re-combustion chamber; an outlet duct leading from said re-combustion chamber for discharging recombusted gases from the re-combustion chamber; air-supply means for feeding air to said air-injection nozzle; and guide means for guiding a stream of exhaust gases from each of said first group of exhaust inlet ports toward said longitudinal end portion of said inner elongate hollow structure and a stream of exhaust gases from each of said second group of exhaust inlet ports toward an intermediate longitudinal portion of said inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
294 words
An exhaust cleaning system for use with an automotive multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine including first and second groups of engine cylinders which are to be fired alternately to each other, which system comprises a thermal reactor comprising an outer elongate hollow structure formed with a first group of exhaust inlet ports communicating with the exhaust ports of said first group of engine cylinders and a second group of exhaust inlet ports communicating with the exhaust ports of said second group of engine cylinders; an inner elongate hollow structure which is positioned within said outer elongate hollow structure for forming an elongate space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structures and which is formed with a plurality of openings providing communication between said space and the interior of said inner elongate hollow structure, said interior of the inner elongate hollow structure constituting a re-combustion chamber of the thermal reactor; at least one air-injection nozzle opening in the vicinity of one longitudinal end of said re-combustion chamber and in close proximity to an axis of the inner elongate hollow structure, said first group of exhaust inlet ports being open in the neighbourhood of the longitudinal end portion of the inner elongate hollow structure adjacent said one longitudinal end of the re-combustion chamber; an outlet duct leading from said re-combustion chamber for discharging recombusted gases from the re-combustion chamber; air-supply means for feeding air to said air-injection nozzle; and guide means for guiding a stream of exhaust gases from each of said first group of exhaust inlet ports toward said longitudinal end portion of said inner elongate hollow structure and a stream of exhaust gases from each of said second group of exhaust inlet ports toward an intermediate longitudinal portion of said inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
86 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said guide means comprise a partition member dividing said space into a first section communicating with said first group of exhaust inlet ports and with said re-combustion chamber through the openings located in said longitudinal end portion of said inner elongate hollow structure and a second section communicating with said second group of exhaust ports and with said re-combustion chamber through the openings located in the remaining longitudinal portion of said inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 2, in which said partition member is formed with at least one opening providing communication between said first and second sections of the space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said guide means comprise a passageway communicating at one end with said first group of exhaust inlet ports and at the other end in said re-combustion chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 4, in which said passageway opens in said re-combustion chamber in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end of the re-combustion chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 4, in which said passageway is directed tangentially of the re-combustion chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 4, in which said guide means further comprise a guide member positioned in said space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structures and extending around the other longitudinal end portion of the inner elongate hollow structure so that the stream of the exhaust gases from each of said second group of exhaust inlet ports is guided over an outer peripheral surface of the guide member toward said intermediate longitudinal portion of said inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 7, in which said guide member is formed with openings.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 4, in which said guide means further comprising a partition member positioned in said space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structures for dividing the space into a first section communicating with said passageway and with said re-combustion chamber through the openings located in said longitudinal end portion of the inner elongate hollow structure and a second section communicating with said second group of exhaust inlet ports and with the re-combustion chamber through the openings in the remaining longitudinal portion of the inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 9, in which said passageway opens in said first section of the space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structures.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said air-supply means comprise an air-feed pump and an air-feed passageway leading from the air-feed pump and terminating in said air-injection nozzle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
78 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 11, in which said air-supply means further comprise a second air-feed passageway leading from said air-feed pump and opening in each of the exhaust ports of said first group of engine cylinders, and valve means disposed in said second air-feed passageway and responsive to load on the engine, said valve means being operative to close the second air-feed passageway in response to an engine load higher than a predetermined level.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 12, in which said second air-feed passageway further opens in each of the exhaust ports of said second group of engine cylinders.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 12, in which said air-supply means further comprise a restriction disposed in said second air-feed passageway.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising fuel-supply means for admixing fuel to the exhaust gases to be re-combusted in said re-combustion chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 15, in which said fuel-supply means comprise a fuel-feed pump and a fuel-feed-passageway leading from the fuel-feed pump and opening in each of the exhaust ports of said first group of engine cylinders.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 16, in which said fuel-supply means further comprise valve means disposed in said fuel-feed passageway and responsive to load on the engine, said valve means being operative to close the fuel-feed passageway in response to an engine load higher than a predetermined level.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 16, in which said fuel-feed passageway further opens in such of the exhaust ports of said second group of engine cylinders.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 15, in which said fuel-supply means comprise a fuel-feed pump, a mixture-forming chamber located between said air-supply means and said air-injection nozzle, a fuel-injection nozzle opening in said mixture-forming chamber and a fuel-feed passageway leading from said fuel-feed pump and terminating in said fuel-injection nozzle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 19, in which said fuel supply means further comprise valve means disposed in said fuel-feed passageway and responsive to load on the engine, said valve means being operative to close said fuel-feed passageway in response to an engine load higher than a predetermined level.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a fuel-feed pump, a fuel-injection nozzle opening in said passageway and a fuel-feed passageway leading from the fuel-feed pump and terminating in said fuel-injection nozzle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed im claim 21, further comprising valve means disposed in said fuel-feed passageway and responsive to load on the engine, the valve means being operative to close said fuel-feed passageway in response to an engine load higher than a predetermined level.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said inner elongate hollow structure is composed of longitudinal halves which are separate from each other.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 23, in which said thermal reactor further comprises a support member which is in slidable contact with longitudinally inner end portions of said longitudinal halves of said inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
39 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 23, in which said thermal reactor comprises a pair of said air-injection nozzles respectively opening in the vicinity of longitudinally outer ends of said halves of the inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
51 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 23, in which said thermal reactor further comprises a partition member dividing said space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structure into a pair of longitudinal halves extending respectively over outer peripheral surfaces of said halves of said inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
82 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 26, in which said thermal reactor further comprises a pair of partition members each dividing each of said longitudinal halves of said elongate space between the outer and inner elongate hollow structures into a first section in communication with at least one of the exhaust ports of said first group of engine cylinders and a second section in communication with at least one of the exhaust ports of said second group of engine cylinders.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
An exhuast cleaning system as claimed in claim 23, in which said outlet duct leads from between longitudinally inner ends of said halves of said inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
45 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said air-injection nozzle extends substantially throughout the length of said re-combustion chamber and is formed with openings in its longitudinal end portion in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end of the re-combustion chamber.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
An exhaust system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising heat-exchange means in contact with said outlet duct for transferring heat from the re-combusted gases flowing through the outlet duct to the heat-exchange means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
45 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 30, in which said heat-exchange means comprises a chamber surrounding at least a portion of said outlet duct and in communication at one end with said air-supply means and at the other end with said air-injection nozzle.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said thermal reactor further comprises and electric firing means positioned in the neighbourhood of said one longitudinal end of said re-combustion chamber.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
50 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 32, in which said electric firing means is connected to a power source across a switch means which is responsive to load on the engine and which is operative to close in response to an engine load lower than a predetermined level.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
55 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said thermal reactor further comprises a flame holder which is positioned in the vicinity of said one longitudinal end of said re-combustion chamber for defining a compartment surrounding said air-injection nozzle between the end of the inner elongate hollow structure and the flame holder.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 34, in which said flame holder is formed of a wire mesh.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
41 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said openings in said inner elongate hollow structure are at least partly in a louver form with a plurality of parallel elongate slots formed in the inner elongate hollow structure.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
An exhaust cleaning system as claimed in claim 1, in which said outer elongate hollow structure is coated with a film of heat-insulating material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2944399A
Cited
US3066755A
Cited
US3302394A
Cited
US3756027A
Cited
US3826089A
Cited
US3839862A
Cited
US3788070A
Cited
US3872666A
Cited
US3872667A
Cited
US3927525A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-03-21 | 1980-09-20 | 1981-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-03-21 | 1984-09-20 | 1985-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-03-21 | 1988-09-20 | 1989-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |