Patents by Inventor Patrick A. Furchill

Patrick A. Furchill 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).

  • Publication number: 20090223489
    Abstract: A fuel rail assembly of an internal combustion engine includes an axially extending non-round fuel conduit and at least one axially extending stiffening feature integral with said conduit. Integration of the stiffening features in the conduit enables reduction or elimination of the objectionable frequency noise radiated by the fuel rail assembly. By aligning the stiffening features axially relative to the conduit, panels having a relatively small surface area are formed and, thus, the noise radiating surface area is significantly reduced. The axial orientation of the added stiffening features allows the length of the stiffening features to be relatively large, which increases the stiffening effects to provide increased resistance to flexing, thus, reducing the noise radiated by the fuel system of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Patrick A. Furchill, Avoki M. Omekanda, Duane E. Potter
  • Patent number: 7584746
    Abstract: A fuel rail assembly of an internal combustion engine includes an axially extending non-round fuel conduit and at least one axially extending stiffening feature integral with said conduit. Integration of the stiffening features in the conduit enables reduction or elimination of the objectionable frequency noise radiated by the fuel rail assembly. By aligning the stiffening features axially relative to the conduit, panels having a relatively small surface area are formed and, thus, the noise radiating surface area is significantly reduced. The axial orientation of the added stiffening features allows the length of the stiffening features to be relatively large, which increases the stiffening effects to provide increased resistance to flexing, thus, reducing the noise radiated by the fuel system of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Furchill, Avoki M. Omekanda, Duane E. Potter
  • Patent number: 7165535
    Abstract: An internal pulse damper for use in a fuel rail for an internal combustion engine. The damper is formed from a length of tubular metal stock having a flat oval cross-section and ends flattened by crimping to form a captive-air pillow. The end crimps are improved through use of tooling to eliminate a creased sidewall area vulnerable to stress failure in prior art pulse dampers. Such tooling includes constraints to prevent the tubing sides from flaring out and forming a longitudinal crease adjacent the end crimp during squeezing-shut of the tube end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles W. Braun, Ahmet T. Becene, Christopher M. Cass, Patrick A. Furchill
  • Patent number: 7159569
    Abstract: A precision fuel rail assembly for direct fuel injection comprising a plurality of formed parts first assembled and positioned loosely on a precision fixture, then joined (e.g. tack welded), by applying a BFM on all joints forming a “green” assembly and firing in a brazing oven, to produce a precision assembly formed from stainless steel parts. A bracket defining a sole plate for the assembly may be formed as a continuous element or a plurality of individual fuel rail brackets. Flanged sockets are attached to the bracket at locations corresponding to the fuel injector locations on an engine bank. Bolt holes are provided along the centerline of the sockets and fuel injectors. The bracket supports a fuel distribution tube via saddle elements disposed between the bracket and the tube. A jump tube supplies fuel from the distribution tube to each socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Keegan, Michael J. Colletti, Charles J. Badura, John R. Socha, Duane Potter, Allan R. Wells, Patrick A. Furchill
  • Publication number: 20060254563
    Abstract: A precision fuel rail assembly for direct fuel injection comprising a plurality of formed parts first assembled and positioned loosely on a precision fixture, then joined (e.g. tack welded), by applying a BFM on all joints forming a “green” assembly and firing in a brazing oven, to produce a precision assembly formed from stainless steel parts. A bracket defining a sole plate for the assembly may be formed as a continuous element or a plurality of individual fuel rail brackets. Flanged sockets are attached to the bracket at locations corresponding to the fuel injector locations on an engine bank. Bolt holes are provided along the centerline of the sockets and fuel injectors. The bracket supports a fuel distribution tube via saddle elements disposed between the bracket and the tube. A jump tube supplies fuel from the distribution tube to each socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Kevin Keegan, Michael Colletti, Charles Badura, John Socha, Duane Potter, Allan Wells, Patrick Furchill
  • Publication number: 20050263134
    Abstract: An internal pulse damper for use in a fuel rail for an internal combustion engine. The damper is formed from a length of tubular metal stock having a flat oval cross-section and ends flattened by crimping to form a captive-air pillow. The end crimps are improved through use of tooling to eliminate a creased sidewall area vulnerable to stress failure in prior art pulse dampers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Charles Braun, Ahmet Becene, Christopher Cass, Patrick Furchill