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Brian D. Rutkowski, Ypsilanti US

Brian D. Rutkowski, Ypsilanti, MI US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080208436Vehicle Control System - A method for controlling an engine having an intake manifold and an outlet control device coupled to the manifold for controlling flow exiting the manifold and entering at least one cylinder of the engine, the engine further having an inlet control device for controlling flow entering the manifold, the method comprising determining a driver torque command; calculating a desired cylinder charge based on said driver torque command; adjusting the outlet control device to provide said desired cylinder charge; and adjusting the inlet control device based on intake manifold pressure.08-28-2008
20080311438FUEL CELL HUMIDITY CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A control system for controlling the amount of water in at least one fluid stream that is passed through a fuel cell stack comprises a humidifier arrangement, a sensor and a controller. The humidifier arrangement is operable to humidify the fluid stream. The sensor is disposed downstream of the humidifier arrangement and configured to measure at least one characteristic of the fluid stream. The at least one characteristic of fluid stream is indicative of the amount of water in the fluid stream. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor and to use the signal to determine a difference between an amount of water in the fluid stream and a target amount of water. The controller is operable to control the humidifier arrangement to control the amount of water in the fluid stream based on the difference.12-18-2008
20090073624High Voltage Interlock System and Control Strategy - A High Voltage Interlock Loop (HVIL) system and Control Strategy is provided for an alternative fuel vehicle such as an electric, a hybrid electric, or a fuel cell vehicle. Generally, the HVIL system having associated logic including an HVIL circuit is provided to allow the vehicle to operate in either a high voltage (HV) or power mode powered by a power source or a HVIL interrupt mode based on an operational state of the HVIL system. When HVIL circuit fails shorted high, low or open, a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) is set and the Service Soon Lamp is illuminated to indicate to a service technician that additional safety precautions need to be taken when servicing the HV system. The HV contactors may or may not be activated providing HV to the vehicle when HV is not expected to be present at connectors and HV devices.03-19-2009
20090205588INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH VARIABLE SPEED COOLANT PUMP - An internal combustion engine has a variable speed coolant pump which is operated at a variable duty-cycle at lower coolant temperatures, while transitioning to a predetermined fixed speed during a final warmup period of operation, and finally to a select-speed operation at one of a selected number of steady state operating speeds selected as a function of at least engine load.08-20-2009
20090297892Flexible Voltage Nested Battery Module Design - Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide flexible, multi-voltage battery modules having multiple cells that are nested together. The cells can be, for example, cylindrical lithium ion cells. To increase cell package density, the cells can be disposed in a nested configuration so that adjacent cell centers form equilateral triangles. The cells can be placed in a housing or case with interlocking tabs that allow multiple modules to be connected together. Within a module, the cells can be connected in different configurations by buss bars at the top and the bottom of the battery cells. The different configurations may provide different voltages for the module.12-03-2009
20100204906Vehicle Control System - A method is provided for controlling an engine via an outlet control device of an intake manifold, such as via variable valve lift operation. The engine may further include an inlet control device, such as an electronic throttle, as well as coordination between the inlet and outlet control devices for controlling airflow in the engine.08-12-2010
20100255351FUSE FOR BATTERY CELLS - A battery system comprises a battery cell having a cell body and a voltage terminal extending out of the cell body and having first and second terminal edges; a busbar to which an upper end of the voltage terminal is electrically connected; and a zipper fuse formed in a portion of the terminal between the cell body and the busbar, wherein the zipper fuse comprises an array of perforations through the voltage terminal and extending across the voltage terminal from the first edge to the second edge.10-07-2010
20100262301METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HEAT EXCHANGER FLUID FLOW - In an exemplary embodiment, a method to control excessive temperature changes in a coolant circuit includes providing a coolant circuit including a bypass flow pathway bypassing a heat exchanger, said coolant circuit at an elevated operating temperature; providing an adjustable coolant flow through said bypass flow pathway and said heat exchanger; providing a coolant pump in said coolant circuit; determining a temperature change in said coolant circuit in response to initiating a coolant flow from said heat exchanger into said coolant circuit, said temperature change greater than predetermined limit; and in response to said determined temperature change, adjusting at least one or more of said coolant pump speed and said coolant flow to maintain said coolant circuit within a predetermined temperature range.10-14-2010
20100314950System and Method for Communicating Notice to Limit Degradation Within a Battery Pack - Systems and methods for communicating notice to limit battery degradation within a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, a signal is generated and passed between modules of a battery pack to provide notice to limit battery pack degradation. The system and method may be particularly useful for a battery pack with distributed battery modules.12-16-2010

Patent applications by Brian D. Rutkowski, Ypsilanti, MI US