US6182644B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Flow measurement and control
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
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Filing: 2000-06-30
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Granted: 2001-02-06
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Expires: 2020-06-30
Abstract
Abstract An exhaust gas recirculation systems directs exhaust gasses from an exhaust manifold to an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The exhaust gasses travel from the exhaust manifold, first passing through a flow control valve and then through a measuring orifice before entering the intake manifold. Pressure difference across the orifice is used, along with correction factors based on the pressure difference and pressure downstream of the orifice, to measure and control exhaust gas flow.
Inventors
- 👤 Allan Joseph Kotwicki
- 👤 John David Russell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:10
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01F; G01F22/00; G01F22/02; F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/0025; F02D41/0047; F02D41/0065; F02D41/0072; F02D41/02; F02D41/18; F02D41/182; F02D41/30; F02D41/32; F02M; F02M26/00; F02M26/45; F02M26/46; F02M26/47; G01F1/00; G01F1/05; G01F1/34; G01F1/36; G01F1/363; G01F9/00; G01F9/001; G01F9/02; G01F9/023; F02D41/14; F02D41/1401; F02D2041/1413; F02D2041/1432; F02D2200/00; F02D2200/02; F02D2200/04; F02D2200/0402; F02D2200/0406; F02M26/52; F02M26/55; F02M26/56; F02M26/57; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A flow measurement system for measuring exhaust gas flow from an exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine to an intake manifold of the engine, the system comprising: a flow control valve having a variable orifice positioned in an exhaust gas recirculation path between the exhaust manifold and intake manifold of the engine; a fixed orifice area located in said path and downstream of said valve; and a computer for measuring a first pressure downstream of said fixed orifice area, measuring a differential pressure across said fixed orifice area orifice, and calculating a mass flow based on said first pressure and said differential pressure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A flow measurement system for measuring exhaust gas flow from an exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine to an intake manifold of the engine, the system comprising: a flow control valve having a variable orifice positioned in an exhaust gas recirculation path between the exhaust manifold and intake manifold of the engine; a fixed orifice area located in said path and downstream of said valve; and a computer for measuring a first pressure downstream of said fixed orifice area, measuring a differential pressure across said fixed orifice area orifice, and calculating a mass flow based on said first pressure and said differential pressure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system recited in claim 1 wherein said fixed orifice area is located upstream of the intake manifold.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system recited in claim 1 wherein said computer further controls said flow control valve based on said calculated mass flow.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system recited in claim 3 wherein said computer further calculates a desired recirculation flow based on engine operating conditions and controls said flow control valve based on said desired recirculation flow and said calculated mass flow.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system recited in claim 1 wherein said flow control valve is a vacuum actuated flow control valve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system recited in claim 5 further comprising a vacuum regulator coupled to said vacuum actuated flow control valve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system recited in claim 6 wherein said computer further controls said vacuum regulator based on said calculated mass flow.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a housing; a flow control valve contained in said housing, said flow control valve having a variable area orifice disposed within a gas flow passage and connected to an inlet portion of said passage; a fixed area orifice disposed within said passage and connected to an outlet portion of said passage; a first differential pressure sensor coupled across said fixed area orifice to measure a differential pressure across said fixed area orifice; and a second pressure sensor coupled to said outlet portion to measure outlet pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a housing; a flow control valve contained in said housing, said flow control valve having a variable area orifice disposed within a gas flow passage and connected to an inlet portion of said passage; a fixed area orifice disposed within said passage and connected to an outlet portion of said passage; a first differential pressure sensor coupled across said fixed area orifice to measure a differential pressure across said fixed area orifice; and a second pressure sensor coupled to said outlet portion to measure outlet pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The article of manufacture as recited in claim 8 further comprising a circuit for producing a signal representative of a product of said differential pressure and said outlet pressure based on said first sensor and said second sensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The article of manufacture as recited in claim 8 wherein said flow control valve is a vacuum actuated flow control valve.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of manufacture as recited in claim 8 further comprising a vacuum actuator coupled to said vacuum actuated flow control valve.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for measuring flow from an engine exhaust to and engine intake wherein the flow passes through a flow control valve and then a fixed area measuring orifice, the method comprising; calculating a pressure difference across the measuring orifice based at least on a first measured signal; calculating a pressure downstream of the measuring orifice representative of manifold pressure based at least on a second measured signal; calculating a flow based on said downstream pressure and said pressure difference; determining a desired flow based on engine operating conditions; and adjusting the flow control valve based on said desired flow and said calculated flow.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for measuring flow from an engine exhaust to and engine intake wherein the flow passes through a flow control valve and then a fixed area measuring orifice, the method comprising; calculating a pressure difference across the measuring orifice based at least on a first measured signal; calculating a pressure downstream of the measuring orifice representative of manifold pressure based at least on a second measured signal; calculating a flow based on said downstream pressure and said pressure difference; determining a desired flow based on engine operating conditions; and adjusting the flow control valve based on said desired flow and said calculated flow.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method recited in claim 12 wherein said step of adjusting the flow control valve further comprises adjusting a vacuum supplied to the flow control valve based on said desired flow and said calculated flow.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 12 wherein said first measured signal is a differential pressure across the measuring orifice.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method recited in claim 12 wherein said first measured signal is related to a pressure upstream of the measuring orifice.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method recited in claim 12 wherein said second measured signal is a manifold pressure signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a housing; a gas flow passage within said housing; a flow control valve contained in said housing, said flow control valve having a variable area orifice disposed within said gas flow passage and connected to an inlet portion of said passage; a fixed area orifice disposed within said passage and connected to an outlet portion of said passage; a first pressure sensor coupled across said fixed area orifice to measure a differential pressure across said fixed area orifice; and a second pressure sensor coupled to said outlet portion to measure outlet pressure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
97 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a housing; a gas flow passage within said housing; a flow control valve contained in said housing, said flow control valve having a variable area orifice disposed within said gas flow passage and connected to an inlet portion of said passage; a fixed area orifice disposed within said passage and connected to an outlet portion of said passage; a first pressure sensor coupled across said fixed area orifice to measure a differential pressure across said fixed area orifice; and a second pressure sensor coupled to said outlet portion to measure outlet pressure.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The article of manufacture as recited in claim 17 further comprising a controller coupled to said first and second pressure sensors for calculating a gas flow based on a product of said differential pressure and said outlet pressure.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The article of manufacture as recited in claim 7 wherein said flow control valve is a vacuum actuated flow control valve.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of manufacture as recited in claim 19 further comprising a vacuum actuator coupled to said vacuum actuated flow control valve.
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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) | 2004-02-06 | 2004-08-07 | 2005-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-06 | 2008-08-07 | 2009-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-06 | 2012-08-07 | 2013-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |