US5904902A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Exhaust purifier for internal combustion engine
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1996-11-05
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Granted: 1999-05-18
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Expires: 2016-11-05
Abstract
Abstract An exhaust purifier for an internal combustion engine is capable of properly heating a catalyst in consideration of a deterioration with time and manufacturing variation in an electric heater that heats the catalyst. The exhaust purifier has the catalyst 4 disposed in an exhaust pipe, the electric heater for forcibly heating the catalyst 4, a power source for supplying power to the heater, an estimate unit for estimating the temperature that the catalyst 4 will reach, a comparator for providing the difference between the estimated temperature and a target temperature, and an operation controller for controlling the operating conditions of the engine according to the temperature difference. The estimate unit measures the voltage and current of the heater, calculates the resistance or power of the heater according to the voltage and current, and estimates the temperature. The operation controller adjusts the quantity of intake air and ignition timing, or adjusts ignition timing and then the quantity of intake air to maintain an engine speed, or, if a battery 6 is abnormal, adjusts the quantity of intake air and ignition timing to increase the temperature of exhaust gas.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroki Matuoka
- 👤 Masaaki Tanaka
- 👤 Shigemitu Iisaka
- 👤 Michio Furuhashi
- 👤 Toshinari Nagai
- 👤 Tadayuki Nagai
- 👤 Takashi Kawai
- 👤 Kenji Harima
- 👤 Yuuichi Gotou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:47
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/08; F01N3/10; F01N3/18; F01N3/20; F01N13/00; F01N13/009; F01N13/0097; F01N3/2006; F01N3/2013; F01N3/2026; F01N9/00; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for purifying an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, having a catalyst disposed in an exhaust pipe, heating means for forcibly heating the catalyst, and a power source for supplying power to the heating means, comprising: means for estimating a temperature that the catalyst will reach after the catalyst has been heated by the heating means for a predetermined time; means for determining a difference between the estimated temperature and a target temperature required to adequately activate the catalyst; and means for controlling operating conditions of the engine to reduce the temperature difference.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for purifying an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, having a catalyst disposed in an exhaust pipe, heating means for forcibly heating the catalyst, and a power source for supplying power to the heating means, comprising: means for estimating a temperature that the catalyst will reach after the catalyst has been heated by the heating means for a predetermined time; means for determining a difference between the estimated temperature and a target temperature required to adequately activate the catalyst; and means for controlling operating conditions of the engine to reduce the temperature difference.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the estimating means measures a voltage applied to and a current passing through the heating means, calculates the resistance of the heating means according to the voltage and current, and estimates the temperature the catalyst will reach according to the resistance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the estimating means measures a voltage applied to and a current passing through the heating means, calculates the power of the heating means according to the voltage and current, and estimates the temperature the catalyst will reach according to the power.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control means adjusts the quantity of intake air and ignition timing of the engine according to the temperature difference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control means adjusts the quantity of intake air and ignition timing of the engine according to the temperature difference.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control means adjusts the ignition timing of the engine and then the quantity of intake air to maintain an engine speed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control means adjusts the ignition timing of the engine and then the quantity of intake air to maintain an engine speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, upon occurrence of an abnormal state of in which no power is supplied to the heating means, the control means adjusts the operating conditions of the engine to increase a temperature of exhaust gas above a temperature of the exhaust gas in a normal state during which power is supplied to the heating means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, upon occurrence of an abnormal state in which no power is supplied to the heating means, the control means adjusts the operating conditions of the engine to increase a temperature of exhaust gas above a temperature of the exhaust gas in a normal state during which power is supplied to the heating means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, upon occurrence of an abnormal state in which no power is supplied to the heating means, the control means adjusts the operating conditions of the engine to increase temperature of exhaust gas above a temperature of the exhaust gas in a normal state during which power is supplied to the heating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, upon occurrence of an abnormal state in which no power is supplied to the heating means, the control means adjusts the operating conditions of the engine to increase a temperature of exhaust gas above a temperature of the exhaust gas in a normal state during which power is supplied to the heating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, upon occurrence of an abnormal state in which no power is supplied to the heating means, the control means adjusts the operating conditions of the engine to increase a temperature of exhaust gas above a temperature of the exhaust gas in a normal state during which power is supplied to the heating means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-17 | 2002-11-16 | 2003-05-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-17 | 2006-11-16 | 2007-05-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-17 | 2010-11-16 | 2011-05-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |