Patents Assigned to Fleetguard, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7082897
    Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator has a collector electrode collecting particulate ionized in an electric field created by a high voltage corona discharge electrode pulse energized by a pulsed high voltage power supply. The corona discharge electrode is pulsed between a baseline voltage and a peak pulse voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott P. Heckel, Gregory W. Hoverson, Mark J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7070641
    Abstract: A carbon media filter element with urethane frame and seal has a border member composed of urethane providing a combined structural frame and seal extending along the perimeter and providing both the support frame for the media and a seal along the ends of the media sheet retaining carbon granules between backing layers and preventing escape of carbon granules out of the end. Manufacturing apparatus and methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry T. Gunderson, Eric Schroeder, Mark C. Schroeder, Thomas A. Fosdal, Eric A. Janikowski
  • Patent number: 7063730
    Abstract: A filter includes a filter element mounted to a base and having first and second end caps spaced axially along an axis. Fluid to be filtered flows laterally through the filter element and axially through a hollow interior and through an axial flow opening of the second end cap. The filter element is mounted to the base solely by the second end cap independently of the first end cap, eliminating the need for a third component traditionally needed for mounting a housing cover to the base and enclosing and/or sealing and/or retaining the filter element in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Connor, Rebecca Beier, Mark V. Holzmann, Robert A. Bannister, Michael R. Furseth
  • Patent number: 7020389
    Abstract: A fuel filter housing and fuel heater combination for a fuel-water separator includes, as part of the fuel filter housing, a heater-receiving bore and a protrusion adjacent the heater-receiving bore. The fuel heater is constructed and arranged for inserting into the bore and includes a flange that is attached to the housing for securing the fuel heater in position. The fuel heater includes a notch that is constructed and arranged with a ramp portion. With the fuel heater properly seated, the protrusion inserts into the notch and is seated against the ramp portion. O-ring seal swelling may cause the fuel heater to be difficult to remove and the protrusion cooperates with the ramp portion by way of a camming action to facilitate removal of the fuel heater from the bore under such conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark T. Wieczorek
  • Patent number: 7001531
    Abstract: A coolant additive composition comprising a sustained release component and an additive component, the additive component is effective to provide at least one benefit to a coolant when released into the coolant, the sustained release component includes a polymeric material and is effective to reduce the rate of release of the additive component into the coolant relative to an identical composition without the sustained release component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignees: Dober Chemical Corp., FleetGuard, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Sen Chen, Doug Hudgens, Thomas J. Blakemore, Joseph C. Drozd
  • Patent number: 6994076
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine electrostatic crankcase ventilation system, an EDC, electrostatic droplet collector, assembly includes a replaceable electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott P. Heckel, Gregory W. Hoverson, Mark J. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6988625
    Abstract: A fuel-water separation filtration system for filtering fuel and for separating water out of the fuel includes a housing assembly, a filter element assembly, and a closing lid. The housing assembly includes a unitary molded housing, a plurality of flow connection fittings that are spin welded into the housing, and a standpipe that is spin welded to the housing. The filter element assembly includes a cover and an endplate and filter media with one end bonded to the cover and an opposite end bonded to the endplate. The standpipe includes an attachment portion that extends beyond the upper end of the filter element assembly and the closing lid is threadedly attached to the attachment portion for closing the housing assembly. The filtration system requires pressurization for proper operation and the filtration system cannot be pressurized without the filter element assembly being installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad M. Thomas, Charles W. Hawkins, Kevin C. South, Mark Johnson, Ravi Yekula, Ricky England, Clint T. DeWeese
  • Patent number: 6958083
    Abstract: An air cleaner is provided with a reduced restriction precleaner cooperating with a tangential inlet and centering and locating an annular filter element, and reducing inlet restriction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly R. Schmitz, Jeffrey A. Rech
  • Patent number: 6953534
    Abstract: In general this invention relates to an antifreeze composition that can be used in the cooling systems of internal combustion engines, for example, in heavy-duty diesel engines, light duty trucks and cars. The antifreeze composition can be added to water or other suitable liquid coolant in the cooling system, to lower the freezing point temperature of the coolant and inhibit corrosion of metallic components associated with the cooling system. The antifreeze composition is particularly well suited, although not exclusively, for use with hard water. The antifreeze composition includes an organic acid component comprising adipic acid and at least one of benzoic acid and one or more C9-C12 dicarboxylic acid—or salts of these acids. The antifreeze composition also includes other anti-corrosive additive, for example, molybdate, nitrite, nitrate silicate azoles and a variety of buffer agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventor: R. Douglas Hudgens
  • Patent number: 6948486
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a system is disclosed for monitoring the backpressure produced by a particulate filter of an internal combustion engine. When the backpressure of the engine exceeds a predetermined threshold, indicating that the particulate filter should be serviced soon, an input to the electronic control module (ECM) indicating the intake manifold boost pressure is shunted to ground, thereby giving the ECM a false indication that no boost is being applied to the intake manifold. This will cause the ECM, according to its normal engine management software, to derate the engine performance to a “no air torque setting”, thereby limiting the amount of torque that the vehicle operator can extract from the engine. This decreased performance of the engine provides a very high incentive to the vehicle operator to bring the vehicle in for servicing, at which point the particulate filter can be serviced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Oakes, Martin Chiaramonte, Michael Prostakov
  • Patent number: 6946012
    Abstract: A filter includes first and second sheets of filter media, the second sheet being pleated and forming with the first sheet a plurality of axially extending flow channels having lateral cross-sectional shapes with two adjacent included angles each greater than 45° and less than 75°. Forming apparatus and methods are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: FleetGuard, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert K. Miller, Z. Gerald Liu, William C. Haberkamp, Barry M. Verdegan, Murray R. Schukar, A. Caner Demirdogen
  • Patent number: 6939464
    Abstract: A filter assembly includes a housing and an inner post with a fluid inlet passage extending in the housing. An outer post surrounds the inner post to define a fluid outlet passage. A filter cartridge is received around the inner post and the outer post. The filter cartridge includes a filter element. A first endplate, which defines a first opening, is attached to a first end of the filter element. A first seal is received in the first opening to seal between the inner post and the first endplate. A second endplate, which defines a second opening, is attached to a second end of the filter element. A seal is received in the second opening to seal the outer post with the second endplate. The housing and the filter cartridge define an outer cavity. The fluid inlet passage opens into the outer cavity to minimize back flushing of contaminants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Zemin Jiang, John Clevenger
  • Patent number: 6929596
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for use as part of a centrifuge for the separation of particulate matter from a fluid includes a collection chamber housing a particulate separation mechanism and a drive chamber including a Hero turbine which assembles to the collection chamber and which is separable from the collection chamber. The interfit between the drive chamber and the collection chamber imparts any drive chamber rotation due to the Hero turbine directly to the collection chamber for rotation and for particulate separation. By making the drive chamber separable from the collection chamber, the collection chamber can be discarded with its accumulated sludge, allowing the drive chamber to be reused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Hendrik N. Amirkhanian, Kevin C. South, Peter K. Herman
  • Patent number: 6922987
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a system and process for enhancing internal combustion engine aftertreatment applications by superheated fuel injection. The system includes a fuel supply upstream of a fuel injector of an aftertreatment application. The system also includes a heater for heating the fuel in the fuel supply. A temperature controller can be used to maintain the heated fuel in a liquid form. When liquid fuel in the pressurized fuel supply is heated, then upon exiting the injector the pressure of the fuel drops rapidly, resulting in atomization of the liquid. The vaporized fuel thereby produced is comprised of extremely small droplets and is elevated in temperature, which reduces the possibility of condensation on internal surfaces of the aftertreatment system. This fine droplet size and resistance to condensation enhances the NOx conversion efficiency of adsorbers. Problems related to premature aging of catalysts and fuel penalties can also be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Mital, Scott Cole, Robert C. Yu, Mike Nagel
  • Patent number: 6902604
    Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator, including for a diesel engine electrostatic crankcase ventilation system for blowby gas, includes a corona discharge electrode assembly in a housing, an insulator extending along an internal surface of a wall of the housing, a power supply in the housing on the opposite side of the insulator from the housing wall such that the insulator is between the housing wall and the power supply, and a low voltage lead extending through the housing wall and through the insulator to the power supply, eliminating pass-through of a high voltage lead through the housing wall and through the insulator. The power supply is preferably provided in the hollow interior of the corona discharge electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignees: Fleetguard, Inc., MSP Corporation
    Inventors: Scott P. Heckel, Gregory Hoverson, Benjamin Y. H. Liu
  • Patent number: 6902669
    Abstract: A filter cartridge includes a filter element that is adapted to filter fluid. The filter element defines a center post cavity constructed and arranged to receive a center post. The filter element has a first end and a second end. A first end plate is attached to the first end of the filter element. The first end plate defines a first end plate opening. A second end plate is attached to the second end of the filter element. The second end plate defines a second end plate opening. A seal is positioned in the second end plate opening to seal around the center post. A floating seal assembly is received in the first end plate opening to seal around the center post. The floating seal assembly includes a gasket and a gasket retainer. The gasket retainer retains the gasket against the first end plate to seal around the center post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventor: Zemin Jiang
  • Patent number: 6902598
    Abstract: A filter element has a resiliently compressible end cap at a first axial end sealing the filter and providing sealed engagement with a flow tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry T. Gunderson, Thomas A. Fosdal, Gregory J. Schoenmann, Kelly R. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 6893389
    Abstract: A centrifuge for separating particulate matter from a fluid includes a rotor assembly positioned within a centrifuge housing including a rotor housing. A driven gear is secured to a base portion of the rotor housing. A driving gear is integrally arranged with an impulse turbine. Rotary motion is imparted to the impulse turbine by a fluid stream from a jet nozzle. An alignment carrier provides a first post and spaced therefrom a second post, the first post including the jet nozzle. The driven gear is supported by the first post and the driving gear is assembled onto the second post. As fluid exits the nozzle under high pressure, it is directed at an annular ring of impulse turbine buckets, striking each bucket tangentially as the impulse turbine rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin C. South, Peter K. Herman, Hendrik N. Amirkhanian, Byron A. Pardue
  • Patent number: 6887343
    Abstract: A coating system (66, 68), winding system (158), finishing system (274, 276) and manufacturing system (FIGS. 6, 7, 22-29) is provided for spiral-wound fluted filter media (74, 130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: Murray R. Schukar, Brian K. Fillbach, Gary J. Frank, Craig A. Clayton, Douglas P. Marquis, Matthew P. Henrichsen, Robert K. Miller, William C. Haberkamp, Darryl J. Gust, Kurt M. A. Badeau, Steven D. Stokstad, Travis E. Goodlund, Thomas A. Fosdal, O. Michael Bowling, Randolph G. Zoran
  • Patent number: 6884349
    Abstract: A fluid filter centerpost assembly in combination with a fluid filter cartridge for creating a “no filter-no run” design according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an oval-shaped design for the centerpost assembly and an oval-shaped design for a seal that is positioned between the centerpost assembly and the fluid filter cartridge. The centerpost assembly includes a main body having an oval shape in lateral cross section in unitary construction with a radial flange and interior shelf. The interior shelf defines a flow opening and a movable valve ball is positioned on the interior shelf and is able to move in the direction of the flow opening due to incoming fluid pressure. The fluid filter cartridge includes a closed endcap with a blocking pin such that when the fluid filter cartridge is installed, the blocking pin is positioned to prevent the valve ball from closing off the flow opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventor: Zemin Jiang