Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Staab

Thomas E. Staab 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: 7475882
    Abstract: An air intake manifold gasket has a perforated core of metal including protrusions or tangs extending from a first planar surface and a second planar surface of the core. Joined to each planar surface of the core is an expanded graphite sheet to form a gasket body having planar surfaces. Screen printed to form a bead on peripheral edges of the planar surfaces of the gasket body is a silicone foam rubber material adapted to replace traditional silicone rubber structures used for the same purpose. The silicone foam rubber material includes a foaming agent that causes the material to expand during an oven-curing period. The amount of expansion of the silicone rubber coating is up to three times the thickness of the coating originally applied. As disclosed, the oven cure is for approximately 10 minutes at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Antonini, Thomas E. Staab
  • Publication number: 20040201180
    Abstract: An improved exhaust pipe flange ring gasket is principally defined by a pair of mating exhaust pipe flanges. One of the flanges has an annular groove extending in the one of the mating flanges. One or more metal Belleville spring washers or wave spring washers are wrapped within a stainless cover to define a hoop-style spring ring disposed within the groove. The metal washer replaces a traditional spiral wound core or graphite filler that tends to oxidize at high operating temperatures; such oxidation adversely affects sealing performance. Conversely, the washer, which can be either a Belleville or wave spring, is comprised of a hard stainless steel that will not oxidize at high operating temperatures. Gasket sealing performance is vastly improved, even though the Belleville or wave spring washer is relatively inexpensive. The Belleville or wave spring washer provides relatively stiff spring resilience to accommodate deflection along its axial compressive direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Kanu G. Shah, Thomas E. Staab
  • Publication number: 20030230857
    Abstract: An air intake manifold gasket has a perforated core of metal including protrusions or tangs extending from a first planar surface and a second planar surface of the core. Joined to each planar surface of the core is an expanded graphite sheet to form a gasket body having planar surfaces. Screen printed to form a bead on peripheral edges of the planar surfaces of the gasket body is a silicone foam rubber material adapted to replace traditional silicone rubber structures used for the same purpose. The silicone foam rubber material includes a foaming agent that causes the material to expand during an oven-curing period. The amount of expansion of the silicone rubber coating is up to three times the thickness of the coating originally applied. As disclosed, the oven cure is for approximately 10 minutes at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Joseph Antonini, Thomas E. Staab
  • Patent number: 6520134
    Abstract: A baffle for use in an interior of a cam cover and a method of making the baffle are disclosed. The baffle includes a structural layer, which is made of metal, and an isolation layer that is made of a resilient foam. The isolation layer is disposed on a surface of the structural layer in a pattern that leaves uncovered a portion of the surface of the structural layer. When the baffle is installed in the cam cover, the isolation layer provides an interface between the structural layer and the cam cover, which isolates the baffle from vibrations in the cam cover. Since the isolation layer is applied only where it is needed, the disclosed baffle and process use less material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas P. Plunkett, Thomas E. Staab, Kanu G. Shah
  • Patent number: 5468003
    Abstract: A gasket has two outer facing layers positioned on opposite sides of a central metal shim with a perforated core disposed between each facing layer and the shim. The thickness of the metal shim may be varied to control the overall thickness of the gasket. In one embodiment, the core is secured to the shim using a thermosetting adhesive and includes tangs which extend into a facing layer to clinch the core and facing layer together. Alternatively, the facing layers may also be secured to the shim using a mechanical fastener such as an eyelet so long as a sealing medium is disposed between at least the cores and the shim. The sealing medium may be thermosetting adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Staab, Kanu G. Shah, Paul E. Gallo, Paul V. Rakauskas
  • Patent number: 4283064
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic shaft seal is provided having a single annular shaft engaging washer clamped within a metal case. The washer, prior to assembly on the shaft, has an inner wall which is perpendicular to the flat walls thereof but spaced from the longitudinal axis of the washer by a distance which increases and decreases in a cyclic radially undulating fashion. Thus, the inner diameter of the unstressed annular member is scalloped and includes from one to approximately sixteen periodic scallops, the number of such scallops preferably increasing as the diameter of the seal increases. Such a seal is particularly easy to make and the varying angle of contact of the seal with the shaft occasioned by the scallops provides excellent hydrodynamic pumping as is desirable in such seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Staab, Joseph Antonini
  • Patent number: 4223897
    Abstract: An anti-stick, non-liquid absorbing laminated gasket and a process for its preparation are disclosed in which a metallic base sheet has a bonded fibrous layer adhered to at least one face of the sheet. The fibrous layer contains a liquid-impermeable resinous impregnant and an anti-stick coat disposed along an outer face of the fibrous layer. The resinous impregnant may extend to the outer face of the fibrous layer while leaving fibers thereof exposed to which the anti-stick coat adheres. Or the resinous impregnant may extend beyond the outer face of the fibrous layer to form a skin and the anti-stick coat adheres to the extension of the impregnant after it is tackified by an organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1980
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Staab, James H. Larsen