Patents by Inventor James K. Middlebrook
James K. Middlebrook 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).
-
Patent number: 8245700Abstract: A centrifugal supercharger is provided. One embodiment of the supercharger comprises a two-piece housing wherein a parting area is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of a drive or impeller shaft. Another embodiment comprises a sleeve, or intermediate member disposed substantially between the housing and a bearing assembly(s) located within the supercharger housing. Another embodiment comprises a disengagement device located between the supercharger impeller and the engine. The disengagement device allows selective disengagement of the impeller from the engine. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained therein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventors: James K. Middlebrook, Robert B. Anderson
-
Patent number: 8028524Abstract: A supercharger for an internal combustion engine having an internal reservoir adapted to receive a supply of lubricating oil. An oil slinger is mounted on the impeller shaft for rotation therewith that extends into the reservoir for collecting and slinging lubricating oil onto the supercharger bearings, shafts and the drive and impeller gears. A baffle assembly is carried by the interior of the supercharger housing for controlling the volume and flow of lubricating oil onto said gears and bearings and directing oil flow therefrom back into said reservoir to prevent excessive lubrication buildup on the gears and the deleterious effects that result therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventors: James K. Middlebrook, Michael W. Reagan, Matthew L. Shemenski
-
Publication number: 20100329854Abstract: A centrifugal supercharger is provided. One embodiment of the supercharger comprises a two-piece housing wherein a parting area is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of a drive or impeller shaft. Another embodiment comprises a sleeve, or intermediate member disposed substantially between the housing and a bearing assembly(s) located within the supercharger housing. Another embodiment comprises a disengagement device located between the supercharger impeller and the engine. The disengagement device allows selective disengagement of the impeller from the engine. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained therein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2010Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: Vortech Engineering, LLCInventors: James K. Middlebrook, Robert B. Anderson
-
Patent number: 7757675Abstract: A centrifugal supercharger is provided. One embodiment of the supercharger comprises a two-piece housing wherein a parting area is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of a drive- or impeller shaft. Another embodiment comprises a sleeve, or intermediate member disposed substantially between the housing and a bearing assembly(s) located within the supercharger housing. Another embodiment comprises a disengagement device located between the supercharger impeller and the engine. The disengagement device allows selective disengagement of the impeller from the engine. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained therein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2006Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventors: James K. Middlebrook, Robert B. Anderson
-
Publication number: 20100000498Abstract: A supercharger for an internal combustion engine having an internal reservoir adapted to receive a supply of lubricating oil. An oil slinger is mounted on the impeller shaft for rotation therewith that extends into the reservoir for collecting and slinging lubricating oil onto the supercharger bearings, shafts and the drive and impeller gears. A baffle assembly is carried by the interior of the supercharger housing for controlling the volume and flow of lubricating oil onto said gears and bearings and directing oil flow therefrom back into said reservoir to prevent excessive lubrication buildup on the gears and the deleterious effects that result therefrom.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2008Publication date: January 7, 2010Applicant: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventors: James K. Middlebrook, Michael W. Reagan, Matthew L. Shemenski
-
Patent number: 7128061Abstract: A centrifugal supercharger is provided. One embodiment of the supercharger comprises a two-piece housing wherein a parting area is substantially aligned with a rotational axis of a drive- or impeller shaft. Another embodiment comprises a sleeve, or intermediate member disposed substantially between the housing and a bearing assembly(s) located within the supercharger housing. Another embodiment comprises a disengagement device located between the supercharger impeller and the engine. The disengagement device allows selective disengagement of the impeller from the engine. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2003Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventors: James K. Middlebrook, Robert B. Anderson
-
Patent number: 6293263Abstract: A compact supercharger having a drive portion, and an atomizer for providing a lubricating oil/air mist to the supercharger. The drive portion has a drive gear with teeth and an outer circumference and a driven gear with teeth and an outer circumference, drive gear bearing races and driven gear bearing races, and a gear case with an inner chamber with a back wall, a front wall, perimeter walls having a swale formed thereon. The drive gear is larger than the driven gear and is position below the driven gear. Drive gear bearing mounting recesses receive the drive gear bearing races, and driven gear bearing mounting recesses receive the driven gear bearing races. An oil/air mist inlet is formed in the gear case, and oil/air mist channels are in communication with the oil/air mist inlet and the driven gear bearing races. A splitter with passageways is located near a bottom of the gear case in the vicinity of an oil outlet.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1999Date of Patent: September 25, 2001Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
-
Patent number: 6293264Abstract: An aftercooler for a supercharged internal combustion engine for cooling supercharged air delivered to the internal combustion engine from the supercharger. The aftercooler has an air intake plenum with an air inlet for receiving supercharged air from the supercharger and an air outlet, a liquid-to-air heat exchanger unit, and a lower plenum for connection to the engine. The heat exchanger unit has an air intake side and an air outlet side, cooling liquid passageways and air passageways passing adjacent to the cooling liquid passageways to cool the supercharged air passing. The lower air inlet plenum has an air inlet for receiving cooled air from the liquid-to-air heat exchanger unit and directs the supercharged cooled air to an air outlet for connection to a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1998Date of Patent: September 25, 2001Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
-
Patent number: 6192871Abstract: A compact supercharger having a drive portion, and an atomizer for providing a lubricating oil/air mist to the supercharger. The drive portion has a drive gear with teeth and an outer circumference and a driven gear with teeth and an outer circumference, drive gear bearing races and driven gear bearing races, and a gear case with an inner chamber with a back wall, a front wall, perimeter walls having a swale formed thereon. Drive gear bearing mounting recesses receive the drive gear bearing races, and driven gear bearing mounting recesses receive the driven gear bearing races. An oil/air mist inlet is formed in the gear case, and oil/air mist channels are in communication with the oil/air mist inlet and the driven gear bearing races. A splitter with passageways is located near a bottom of the gear case in the vicinity of an oil outlet. The outer circumference of the drive gear is in close proximity to the perimeter walls of the inner chamber and an upper face of the separator portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1998Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
-
Patent number: 6092511Abstract: A drive extender for a supercharger. The drive extender has a tubular drive shaft with a proximal end and a distal end and a separate coupler portion affixed to the proximal end. The coupler is for detachable engagement with a drive gear shaft of the supercharger. A pulley interface portion is press fitted or otherwise attached to the distal end of the drive shaft. A supercharger engaging flange is provided for engagement with a flat face of the supercharger. A tubular sleeve with a proximal end and a distal end is provided, with the proximal end affixed to a supercharger engaging flange and extending perpendicular thereto. A bearing enclosure portion containing bearings and having a bearing enclosure flange portion is provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1998Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
-
Patent number: D362384Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 1994Date of Patent: September 19, 1995Assignee: Vortech Engineering, Inc.Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
-
Patent number: D363887Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1993Date of Patent: November 7, 1995Inventor: James K. Middlebrook
-
Patent number: D383140Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1995Date of Patent: September 2, 1997Inventor: James K. Middlebrook