Patents by Inventor Jeff Allen Howard

Jeff Allen Howard 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: 11536220
    Abstract: A cylinder head in a cylinder head assembly includes an upper deck, a fire deck, gas exchange conduits, and a coolant cavity extending peripherally around the gas exchange conduits. The cylinder head also includes an igniter socket having an igniter post, and a radially outward sleeve step continuously circumferential of an igniter bore center axis. A cooling moat is formed between the igniter post and the sleeve step. The coolant cavity includes a valve bridge through-channel and a valve bridge part-way channel each fluidly connected to the igniter socket to provide coolant flow into and out of the cooling moat passively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Richard Chittenden, Jeff Allen Howard, Viorel Petrariu, John W Milem
  • Patent number: 11286876
    Abstract: A cylinder head casting in a cylinder head assembly includes a coolant cavity upper surface and a coolant cavity lower surface forming a coolant cavity. The coolant cavity lower surface is contoured to form an igniter-support prominence and cast-in coolant channels through the igniter-support prominence to feed a flow of coolant through a cooling moat extending circumferentially around an igniter post supporting an igniter sleeve. The igniter sleeve abuts the cylinder head, radially outward of the igniter post, at a first contact location and a second contact location in an alternating arrangement with a first coolant feed opening and a second coolant feed opening. Related methodology relating to making a cylinder head is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Viorel Petrariu, Jonathan Richard Chittenden, Jeff Allen Howard, John W. Milem
  • Publication number: 20160363094
    Abstract: A spark plug assembly is disclosed for use with an engine having a cylinder head at feast partially defining a combustion chamber. The spark plug assembly may have a spark plug at least partially disposed in the cylinder head and configured to generate a spark Inside the combustion chamber to ignite an air and fuel mixture. The spark plug assembly may also have an insert configured to receive the spark plug and at least partially form a cooling passage surrounding the spark plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Aaron C. LUFT, James CRESS, Jeff Allen Howard, Joshua Andrew HYDE, Parthipan SUBRAMANIAN