Patents by Inventor Guy C. Sandford

Guy C. Sandford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Process of fitting a collapsible clip to a sleeve of a piezoelectric actuator
    Patent number: 8973227
    Abstract: A tubular clip for securing a sleeve to the body of a piezoelectric actuator in an actuator assembly. In use, the wall of the clip has a plurality of corrugations. The pitch of the corrugations is variable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the clip. The clip is configurable into an unfitted configuration and into a fitted configuration and in the fitted configuration the minimum transverse internal separation of the clip walls is less than in the unfitted configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Delphi International Operations Luxembourg, S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Karl W Graham, Guy C. Sandford
  • Clip
    Patent number: 7675223
    Abstract: A clip for securing a sleeve to the body of a piezoelectric actuator in an actuator assembly. The clip takes the form of a band and has at least a first and a second stable state. The minimum separation of the walls of the band when the clip is in one of the stable states is less than the minimum separation of the walls of the band when the clip is in an unstable state. The clip is forced into an unstable state in order to be fitted over the sleeve of the actuator assembly. The force is then removed to allow the clip to revert towards a stable state. The dimensions of the clip are such that the clip is unable to fully revert to a stable state when fitted to the actuator assembly thereby maintaining sufficient additional strain energy to maintain a sufficient clamping force between the sleeve and the body of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy C. Sandford, Karl W. Graham
  • Collapsible clip
    Publication number: 20080307616
    Abstract: A tubular clip for securing a sleeve to the body of a piezoelectric actuator in an actuator assembly. In use, the wall of the clip has a plurality of corrugations. The pitch of the corrugations is variable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the clip. The clip is configurable into an unfitted configuration and into a fitted configuration and in the fitted configuration the minimum transverse internal separation of the clip walls is less than in the unfitted configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Karl W. Graham, Guy C. Sandford
  • Clip
    Publication number: 20080246369
    Abstract: A clip for securing a sleeve to the body of a piezoelectric actuator in an actuator assembly. The clip takes the form of a band and has at least a first and a second stable state. The minimum separation of the walls of the band when the clip is in one of the stable states is less than the minimum separation of the walls of the band when the clip is in an unstable state. The clip is forced into an unstable state in order to be fitted over the sleeve of the actuator assembly. The force is then removed to allow the clip to revert towards a stable state. The dimensions of the clip are such that the clip is unable to fully revert to a stable state when fitted to the actuator assembly thereby maintaining sufficient additional strain energy to maintain a sufficient clamping force between the sleeve and the body of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Guy C. Sandford, Karl W. Graham