Patents Represented by Attorney Keith L. Zerschling

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  • System for stabilizing dimensional properties of cured composite structures
    Patent number: 4806292
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for inducing dimensional stability in cured composite structures using acoustic emission analysis to identify the appropriate level and extent of coincident thermal conditioning. Temperature of the composite structure is lowered at a bounded rate to a minimum temperature typical of the intended operating environment. Passive stress wave acoustic emissions of the composite are analyzed to generate a signature of stress relaxation events over time. When the rate of stress relaxation events decreases below a predetermined percentage of the maximum rate, and remains below that level for a period of time sufficient to predict operational stability, thermal conditioning is terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas J. DeLacy
  • Self-adjusting fuel injection system
    Patent number: 4790277
    Abstract: A self-adjusting fuel injection system includes a solenoid controlled fuel injection pump. A memory stores fuel injection information relating to the particular fuel delivery characteristics of the pump. A controller coupled to the memory and pump actuates the pump to provide a desired amount of fuel by correcting for the individual characteristics of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Michael M. Schechter
  • Shifting control for automated manual transmission shifter
    Patent number: 4790177
    Abstract: Transmission shifting method with clutch pedal and accelerator pedal control for the automatic operation of manual shifting mechanisms in an automotive vehicle include gear shifting, open loop accelerator pedal control during shifting, acceleration from idle with slow clutch release, deceleration to idle, control of coasting, and determining clutch engagement point and shifter positions at various gear shift points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Francis G. King, Stewart V. Gable
  • Swashplate compressor for air conditioning systems
    Patent number: 4790727
    Abstract: A swashplate air conditioning compressor comprising a two-part compressor housing with a generally cylindrical region and integral end plates, a pair of cylinder blocks disposed in said cylindrical region and defining axially disposed cylinder openings, a centrally disposed swashplate and shaft assembly within the cylinder blocks, and cast refrigerant intake and discharge passages in each end plate that cooperate with valve plate assemblies between the cylinder heads and the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Duane F. Steele
  • Dielectric resonator frequency discriminator for stabilizing oscillator frequency
    Patent number: 4780691
    Abstract: A frequency discriminator (1) stabilizes a voltage controlled oscillator (5), particularly one operating at microwave frequencies. A single dielectric resonator (2), typically positioned within a housing (8), is excited by an r.f. input (30). The dielectric resonator (2) generates in response to the excitation first and second orthogonal modes of r.f. electromagnetic energy at slightly different frequencies. The two orthogonal modes are converted to d.c. output signals (39, 40) of opposite polarity and substantially the same magnitude, e.g., by diodes (35, 36). Frequency offsets are obtained by tuning screws (43, 44) and/or by changing the amount of dielectric (2) in the path of the characterizing vector corresponding to the mode being frequency-offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation
    Inventor: Slawomir J. Fiedziuszko
  • Automatic transmission brake assembly including an overrunning roller brake and a friction brake
    Patent number: 4776238
    Abstract: An overrunning roller brake, in particular for automatic transmissions for motor vehicles having a brake race fixed to the gearbox casing, a rotating brake race connected to one element of a planetary gear unit and overrunning brake rollers arranged between the two bearing raced wherein support rings with a C-shaped cross-section are disposed between the races, the rotating brake race being in the form of a one-piece extrusion which forms both the rotating outer brake race of the overrunning roller brake and a friction brake drum for the gear unit, and retainer rings within the support rings for accommodating radial loads and for stabilizing the outer race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Vladimir Premiski, Rainer Hohnel, Claudia Premiski
  • Thrust washer arrangement
    Patent number: 4776237
    Abstract: A thrust washer assembly for a planetary gear mechanism including a pair of thrust washers on each side of each planet gear of the mechanism, the planet gear being mounted on planet pinion shafts in a carrier by means of uncaged needle bearings, the washers directly adjacent the planet pinions having angularly spaced ports located at a position radially outward from the needle bearings and the washers between the ported washers and the carrier having sector-shaped recesses at diametrically opposite positions whereby the recesses and the ports register to establish a pumping action that circulates lubricating oil through the needle bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Vladimir Premiski, Claudia Premiski, Wilhelm Wehren
  • Method of making silicon capacitive pressure sensor with glass layer between silicon wafers
    Patent number: 4773972
    Abstract: A method of bonding two silicon wafers each having a capacitive plate. Two highly-doped electrically semiconductive feedthrough paths are formed through one wafer, each path contacting one of the capacitive plates. A glass layer is formed on one of the silicon wafers where bonding is desired between the two wafers. The glass layer is anodically bonded to the other of the silicon layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Mati Mikkor
  • Silicon micromachined non-elastic flow valves
    Patent number: 4768751
    Abstract: A valve assembly for controlling fluid flow includes a valve plate and a nozzle plate which are not attached to each other but can be moved into and out of contact with each other. The valve plate has an opening for passing an actuator and fluid. A nozzle plate has an opening for passing fluid and the opening is aligned with a mesa on the valve plate which can seal the nozzle orifice. The actuator separates the nozzle plate from the valve plate to permit fluid flow and a spring means brings the nozzle plate into a closed position against the valve plate to stop fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Joseph M. Giachino, William F. Horn, Robert C. Gardner
  • Autonomous stationkeeping for three-axis stabilized spacecraft
    Patent number: 4767084
    Abstract: Apparatus for autonomously performing stationkeeping maneuvers for three-axis stabilized spacecraft (1) such as geosynchronous satellites. For each of one or more spacecraft axes (y, z) the invention autonomously performs desaturation of a momentum/reaction wheel (31-32, 41, respectively) associated with that axis, while simultaneously accomplishing the preselected compensation of the spacecraft's east-west position. Thrusters (35-38, 45-48) having a polarity corresponding to the desired desaturation polarity are fired in a particular sequence: when a preselected east-west firing bias is present, the thrusters fired are solely from that face of the spacecraft (1) needed to counteract the east-west deviation. After the bias has been worked down, thrusters are fired from alternating spacecraft faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Fred N. Chan, Wallace E. Reimche
  • Fluid pressure amplifier for an infinitely variable drive
    Patent number: 4767384
    Abstract: An infinitely variable belt drive having a pair of belt clamping servos and a ratio control servo, a high pressure source connected to a common high pressure feed circuit for the clamping servos, a ratio control servo, a low pressure source that is independent of the high pressure source, and a high pressure accumulator and pressure amplifier system that is adapted to supply the clamping servos with a high pressure with minimal high pressure fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Richard D. Moan
  • Temperature compensated control valve for automatic transmissions
    Patent number: 4765366
    Abstract: A temperature-compensated fluid flow control valve for a valve system of an automatic transmission having a displaceable valve spool which is acted upon by pressure in a valve chamber against the force of a spring and on which an additional force proportional to temperature counteracts the pressure loading, the additional force being produced by the back pressure at an outflow orifice of variable cross-section which is reduced in size as the temperature rises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Vladimir Premiski, Claudia Premiski, Winfried Schultz
  • Image detection with image plane divider
    Patent number: 4762989
    Abstract: Apparatus for improving the resolution and/or field of view of an optical system without degrading the signal-to-noise ratio. An optical image of the object (1) in an image plane (8) is divided into n subimages, where n is any positive integer. Each of the n subimages is separately refocused (by 10, 20, 30) and detected (by 11, 21, 31). The optical system can be a staring or a scanning system, and can operate at any wavelength. When the number of subimages is two, an image bisector (7) is used. The bisector (7) comprises first and second highly reflective planar surfaces (12, 22). A knife edge (2), formed by the intersection of the reflective surfaces (12, 22), lies in the image plane (8). In the more general case, n-1 reflective surfaces are used, each having a knife edge lying in the image plane (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation
    Inventor: Wesley D. Motooka
  • Continuously variable belt driven transmission for motor vehicles with a compact planetary gearing and clutch and brake assembly
    Patent number: 4760757
    Abstract: An infinitely variable transmission for a motor vehicle comprising a belt and sheave assembly, a two speed planetary gear unit between the vehicle engine and the input sheave of the sheave assembly, a fluid pressure supply pump on the side of said input sheave remote from said planetary gear unit, a pump drive shaft extending from the pump through the input sleeve to the input carrier of said planetary gear unit, a direct drive pressure operated clutch for said planetary gear unit located between said planetary gear unit and said input sheave, and passages in the planetary carrier of said planetary gear unit for distributing fluid pressure from a supply passage in said drive shaft to the direct drive clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Eugen Svab
  • Variable assist power steering system using electronic pressure control
    Patent number: 4760892
    Abstract: A power steering gear for a vehicle capable of providing a variable degree of power assistance to supplement manual steering effort wherein the variable assist is achieved by controlling directly the magnitude of the steering pressure made available to a pressure operated motor by a vehicle engine driven pump, the magnitude of the pressure being controlled by a central processing unit that responds to vehicle steering wheel torque and vehicle speed to produce an appropriate steering pressure and power assist for all driving conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: James J. Duffy
  • Automatic transmission bearing for supporting axial and radial loads
    Patent number: 4759234
    Abstract: A compound radial and axial bearing for automatic transmissions for motor vehicles having a sleeve portion with bearing surfaces on both sides for radial loads and a collar portion with bearing surfaces on both sides for axial loads, the sleeve portion (22 and 32) being provided with an internal collar (26 and 36) for receiving axial loads and a further external collar (27 and 37) for receiving a further axial load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Vladimir Premiski, Claudia Premiski
  • Torque converter bypass for an automatic transmission mechanism
    Patent number: 4756210
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic, multiple ratio torque converter transmission having planetary gear ratio elements that establish a hydrokinetic torque path in low ratio and reverse gear and a bypass torque path in intermediate gear and third gear including a torque converter and an overrunning coupling wherein the intermediate gear and third gear is characterized by a mechanical torque flow or a viscous shear torque flow path, the third gear being a partial hydrokinetic regenerative torque flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James M. Franklin, Robert W. Nichols
  • Silicon valve
    Patent number: 4756508
    Abstract: A silicon valve for controlling the flow of a fluid includes two generally planar silicon members. One has an orifice for passing the fluid and the other has a relatively moveable surface to selectively open and close the orifice thereby controlling the flow of fluid through the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Joseph M. Giachino, James W. Kress
  • Projectile driving band retention system
    Patent number: 4754708
    Abstract: An ammunition round has a plastic molded driving band on a projectile. The driving band is mechanically attached to the projectile by opposing curved hooks bent toward one another and defining a restraining area therebetween. The seating area for the driving band has a plurality of pairs of such hooks circumferentially and longitudinally displaced from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace & Communications Corp.
    Inventor: Harold E. Garrett
  • Self-adjusting rack adapter
    Patent number: 4753354
    Abstract: An adapter which comprises a pre-manufactured assembly capable of infinite vertical adjustment and self-adjusting width capability. To this end, the adapter of the present invention comprises a two-part unit in which the two parts thereof are relatively shiftable widthwise of the rack, yet a first of the parts is telescoped within the second part and secured by screws to the adjacent side of the chassis unit to be mounted. The second part of the adapter can be snap-fitted into the central, hollow portion of a vertical rail of the rack and normally remains stationary with respect to such rail; whereas, the first part of the adapter can be inserted into the second part before the second part is inserted into the hollow center portion of the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace & Communications Corp.
    Inventors: Patrick D. Patterson, Van L. Langston