Patents by Inventor Jeff D Fluharty
Jeff D Fluharty 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).
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Patent number: 11066965Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for oil flow for hydraulic lash adjusters of a vehicle engine. In one example, an engine cylinder bank includes a plurality of deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters and a plurality of non-deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters. A first linear oil supply passage and a second linear oil supply passage are formed within the cylinder bank and extend linearly through the cylinder bank without bends or curvature to the deactivatable and non-deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters, with the deactivatable and non-deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters having a same length.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2020Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Patent number: 10774698Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Publication number: 20200003089Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Patent number: 10465571Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Publication number: 20190211716Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices tor the head bolts directly through the bearings.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2019Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Patent number: 10273901Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a cam carrier insert coupled to a cylinder head of an engine. In one example, a system may comprise: a cylinder head with a cam bearing tower; a cam carrier insert positioned in the cylinder head; and a camshaft, the camshaft directly supported by the cam bearing tower and directly supported by the cam carrier insert. By mounting a first portion of the cam shaft to the cam bearing tower and a second portion of the cam shaft on the cam carrier insert, the system may operate deactivatable and non-deactivatable intake or exhaust valves of one or more engine cylinders in the engine. In this way, packaging of engine components within the cylinder head may be improved while promoting better engine performance.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Daniel Nelson, John Christopher Riegger, Jeffrey Thomas Lacroix
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Patent number: 10267259Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices for the head bolts directly through the bearings.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Publication number: 20180355770Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Publication number: 20180258879Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a cam carrier insert coupled to a cylinder head of an engine. In one example, a system may comprise: a cylinder head with a cam bearing tower; a cam carrier insert positioned in the cylinder head; and a camshaft, the camshaft directly supported by the cam bearing tower and directly supported by the cam carrier insert. By mounting a first portion of the cam shaft to the cam bearing tower and a second portion of the cam shaft on the cam carrier insert, the system may operate deactivatable and non-deactivatable intake or exhaust valves of one or more engine cylinders in the engine. In this way, packaging of engine components within the cylinder head may be improved while promoting better engine performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2017Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Daniel Nelson, John Christopher Riegger, Jeffrey Thomas Lacroix
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Publication number: 20180087469Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices tor the head bolts directly through the bearings.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2016Publication date: March 29, 2018Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Patent number: 8875670Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
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Publication number: 20140069357Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
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Patent number: 8584628Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2010Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
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Publication number: 20120012073Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2010Publication date: January 19, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
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Patent number: 7895992Abstract: A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having an engine block with first and second cylinder banks arranged at an angle and longitudinally offset relative to one another and a camshaft disposed within the engine block for actuating valves associated with each cylinder includes first and second cylinder heads associated with the first and second cylinder banks and having an intake runner for each cylinder with an entrance disposed on an outward side, and an exhaust runner for each cylinder exiting the cylinder head on an inward side of the cylinder head generally rearward of an associated cylinder to facilitate positioning of one or more turbochargers and a fuel pump in the valley generally between the cylinder heads with the fuel pump disposed forward of the exhaust runner exits and associated exhaust manifolds while accommodating four valves per cylinder actuated by four pushrods extending through the cylinder heads forward of corresponding exhaust runner exits.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2007Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Matthew Byrne Diggs, Michael Joseph Schrader, Jeff Allen Mullins, Jeff D Fluharty
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Publication number: 20090078240Abstract: A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having an engine block with first and second cylinder banks arranged at an angle and longitudinally offset relative to one another and a camshaft disposed within the engine block for actuating valves associated with each cylinder includes first and second cylinder heads associated with the first and second cylinder banks and having an intake runner for each cylinder with an entrance disposed on an outward side, and an exhaust runner for each cylinder exiting the cylinder head on an inward side of the cylinder head generally rearward of an associated cylinder to facilitate positioning of one or more turbochargers and a fuel pump in the valley generally between the cylinder heads with the fuel pump disposed forward of the exhaust runner exits and associated exhaust manifolds while accommodating four valves per cylinder actuated by four pushrods extending through the cylinder heads forward of corresponding exhaust runner exits.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2007Publication date: March 26, 2009Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Matthew Byrne Diggs, Michael Joseph Schrader, Jeff Allen Mullins, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Patent number: 7418936Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a plurality of intake and/or exhaust valves associated with each cylinder includes a valvetrain having a fulcrum with a plurality of pivot ball sockets each associated with a rocker arm and pivot ball disposed between the fulcrum and the rocker arm with the fulcrum extending through apertures of the rocker arms and having a plurality of slots, each slot having generally parallel opposing lateral surfaces for receiving and guiding both sides of an associated rocker arm so the rocker arm pivots about the pivot ball in a plane of the rocker arm. The fulcrum can accommodate at least two rocker arms that may operate in non-parallel planes relative to one another and can include bearing and locating surfaces integrally formed to finish dimensions to eliminate machining.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Matthew Byrne Diggs, Jeff D Fluharty