Patents Represented by Attorney Russel C. Wells
  • Patent number: 5462231
    Abstract: The fuel inlet tube of a top-feed fuel injector has a larger O.D. proximate its inlet end than it does at its opposite end where a tubular non-ferromagnetic part is laser-welded to it. The through-hole in the coil's bobbin has a smaller diameter portion and a larger diameter portion, the larger diameter portion being disposed closer to the fuel inlet tube's inlet than is the smaller diameter portion. The larger diameter portion of the bobbin's through-hole and the smaller outside diameter portion of the fuel inlet tube are mutually axially overlapping to an extent that, during the fabrication process, the coil assembly can be disposed axially on the fuel inlet tube to a position allowing the laser-welding to be performed, and thereafter the coil assembly disposed to cover the laser-welded joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventor: Bryan C. Hall
  • Patent number: 5448981
    Abstract: The evaporative emission control system for an internal combustion engine purges the vapor collection canister to the intake manifold through a purge regulator controlled by the engine ECU. The purge regulator comprises a diaphragm valve and an electronic vacuum regulator. The purge regulator functions to allow a purge flow rate correlated with a control signal from the engine ECU and manifold vacuum, to maintain the purge flow rate substantially constant in response to certain changes in the magnitude of manifold vacuum, and to re-adjust the purge flow rate in correlation with changes in the control signal from the engine ECU. The diaphragm valve comprises a tapered valve element that progressively reduces the flow restriction as the valve element is increasingly opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Limited
    Inventors: John E. Cook, William C. Gillier
  • Patent number: 5437413
    Abstract: The atomizer is a cap-shaped shroud that contains a stack of flat stamped metal inserts. When assembled onto the nozzle of a fuel injector, the atomizer causes the inserts to be axially sandwiched between the shroud's end wall and the exterior end of the nozzle. In the zone of sandwiching, the inserts have circumferential discontinuities that in cooperation with the nozzle end and the shroud's end wall define air assist openings for the assist air to flow radially inwardly toward the injected fuel that has just been injected from the nozzle. An air assist opening in one insert is thereby both circumferentially and axially offset from an air assist opening in another insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: Jingming J. Shen, Vernon R. Warner
  • Patent number: 5435344
    Abstract: An in-tank fuel pressure regulator having a through-passage member on the moveable wall for controlling the flow of fuel from the inlet to the outlet chambers of the regulator. The through-passage member has a central through-hole in which is positioned a valve seat that mates with a valve closure member that is in the inlet chamber. The valve closure member is a truncated sphere that is swivel mounted to maintain seal tight alignment with the valve seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: Barry S. Robinson, Michael J. Hornby
  • Patent number: 5435345
    Abstract: A flow-through type fuel pressure regulator having, for its valve element, a sphere laser-welded to the housing end wall of the fuel inlet chamber, and for its valve seat, a coined circular surface circumscribing a through-passage in an annular member at the center of a movable wall (diaphragm) that divides the fuel inlet chamber from the fuel outlet chamber and that is resiliently biased toward the fuel inlet chamber by a spring that is disposed in the fuel outlet chamber. The annular member includes a series of circumferentially spaced bars that form a cage for the sphere, allowing the sphere to guide the motion of the central region of the movable wall relative to the sphere substantially along the axis of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: Barry S. Robinson, Jan L. Bennett
  • Patent number: 5435519
    Abstract: The magnetic circuit has an air gap on the interior of the bobbin-mounted coil. A non-ferromagnetic cylindrical sleeve lines the interior of the coil. The armature is disposed within the sleeve and has a cylindrical wall with an axial taper proximate the air gap. The sleeve extends to seal against a bushing that guides a portion of the valve member between the solenoid and the valve head so that any exhaust gases that infiltrate through the bushing to the solenoid are confined within the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Stemens Electric Limited
    Inventor: Gary M. Everingham
  • Patent number: 5434463
    Abstract: A single speed, two pole permanent magnet motor has compact brush card assembly mounted within the volume form by a plurality of ring shaped laminations forming the armature to allow the height of the motor to much less than a standard motor. In addition, there is shown a two speed, four pole permanent magnet motor having a height much less than a standard two speed motor. In each motor there are electrically connected to the supply lines a choke means and across each supply line is a capacitor for suppressing radio frequency interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Electric Limited
    Inventor: Marek Horski
  • Patent number: 5433241
    Abstract: The module contains a tubular filter cartridge within an enclosure and a fuel pressure regulator mounted on an end wall of the enclosure. The fuel pressure regulator is entirely self-contained allowing it to be a mass-produced part that can be used in various module configurations having differently shaped enclosures and differently shaped filter cartridges. In the illustrated embodiment, the pressure regulator separably mounts on the exterior of the end wall of the enclosure. A retention ring that has certain features is used to mount the pressure regulator with a tight fit on the enclosure end wall. The enclosure also has features for a tight fit in the socket of a fuel pump module into which the pressure regulator/filter module is inserted when used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventor: Barry S. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5433386
    Abstract: Dissipation of vapor bubbles in a top-feed, solenoid-operated fuel injector is enhanced by providing the otherwise circular I.D. of the adjusting tube with at least one axially extending radial slot. Different slot patterns are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: David Wieczorek, Gordon Wyant
  • Patent number: 5427319
    Abstract: A solenoid-operated top-feed fuel injector has a housing which contains a solenoid coil that is selectively energized by electric current to open and close the fuel injector. An inlet connector tube extends into the housing to convey pressurized liquid fuel into an internal fuel passage. Fuel is injected from the nozzle at the bottom. An armature assembly that has a needle valve joined to an armature is disposed within the fuel passage between the inlet connector tube and the outlet, and is spring-biased by a helical spring to seat the tip of the needle valve on a valve seat proximate the nozzle. Slot structure is formed in the armature during its fabrication by a metal injection molding or sintering process. The needle is inserted into the smaller diameter portion and the two are crimped together. Crimping tool access is through the slot structure, which also provides a path for fuel to flow past the armature. In one embodiment fuel can pass axially through the I.D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventor: George T. Bata
  • Patent number: 5424494
    Abstract: Noise is attenuated by a resonator having an inlet pipe leading to an expansion chamber and an outlet pipe leading from the expansion chamber. The two pipes are not aligned with each other at the expansion chamber. The portions of the two pipes proximate the expansion chamber contain respective venturis. The expansion chamber also functions as a Helmholtz resonator by providing the resonator with one or more apertures between the outlet pipe and the expansion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Dennis E. Houle, Stephen E. Brackett
  • Patent number: 5423489
    Abstract: A filter is disposed internally of the fuel injector between the inlet and the internal valve so that particulate material having an internal origin may also be prevented from reaching the injector's valve. The filter is an electroformed screen that is supported within the fuel injector's nozzle end and is sandwiched against an internal shoulder of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventor: Ross W. Wood
  • Patent number: 5419297
    Abstract: The fuel injector nozzle injects fuel into the runner in a direction that may be either parallel or non-parallel to the co-axis of the fuel injector and its mounting socket, and the nozzle orifice from which the fuel is injected is disposed beyond an antechamber of the mounting socket so as to lie within the runner, hence injecting the fuel from the orifice at a location that does not lie within the antechamber of the mounting socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: William A. Peterson, Jr., John F. Nally, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5417373
    Abstract: Magnetic force is increased for faster opening by providing two axial gaps, namely a radially inner gap and a radially outer gap, between the stator and the armature. When the fuel injector opens, impact of the armature with the stator occurs at the inner gap. The maximum radial extent of the armature is less than the radial dimension of the stator housing cavity containing the solenoid coil. The outer gap is defined between the margin of a magnetic pole washer that surrounds a central through-hole in the pole washer and a circular flange of the armature. The inner gap is defined between a ring-shaped upper end face of the armature and a ring-shaped lower end face of a tubular central magnetic pole that extends coaxially through the stator housing to the vicinity of the through-hole in the magnetic pole washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventor: Alessandro Facchin
  • Patent number: 5413082
    Abstract: The valve has a one-piece guide and valve seat member and a one-piece valve member that is guided by a bushing lining the guide of the guide and seat member. The valve is operated by a duty-cycle modulated waveform, and when the valve is operated in the closing direction, a gap is introduced into the waveform. The valve head and valve seat are configured to cause sonic flow through the valve when the valve is open and the pressure differential across it exceeds a certain minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Electric Limited
    Inventors: John E. Cook, Gary M. Everingham
  • Patent number: 5412987
    Abstract: A cantilever beam has a proof mass arranged at its distal end so as to cause the beam to resiliently deform into an S-shape when the accelerometer is subjected to acceleration intended to be detected. Strain gauge elements are placed at the two knees of the S-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: John S. Bergstrom, Robert E. Sulouff, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5413077
    Abstract: A fuel pressure regulator valve for a fuel rail requires only a single conduit between the tank-mounted fuel pump and the fuel rail, thereby eliminating the need for a separate, and additional, return conduit for returning excess fuel to the tank. It does this by a spring-biased check valve in the inlet to the fuel chamber of the regulator. The check is biased to prevent flow from the pump into the fuel chamber of the regulator, but when the pressure in the rail drops below a certain level, a post on the diaphragm that separates the fuel chamber of the regulator from a control chamber of the regulator, unseats a spherical valve element in the check valve to allow pumped fuel to enter the fuel chamber of the regulator and pass into the fuel rail to the fuel injectors. When the pressure has built up beyond a certain pressure, the sphere again closes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: Michael J. Hornby, Barry S. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5411004
    Abstract: The tank/canister volume's integrity against unacceptable leakage measured by a diagnostic test performed by an on-board diagnostic system which includes an electrically operated air pump and tank-mounted analog pressure transducer. At the beginning of a test, the engine management computer closes the canister purge solenoid valve and operates the pump to begin pressurization of the tank/canister volume. The pumped air is introduced via the canister's atmospheric vent port at a regulated pressure. Failure to build tank pressure to a predetermined pressure within a predetermined time indicates a gross leak. If no gross leak exists, the pressure will build, and the time required to build to a given pressure from the start pressure provides a measurement of any leakage that may be present. The fuel fill level in the tank affects this time, and it is taken into account in the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Murray F. Busato, John E. Cook
  • Patent number: 5405175
    Abstract: A fuel tube is attached to a fuel rail by a novel one-piece plastic clip comprising an integral fork for trapping a flange of the fuel tube against withdrawal from the fuel rail hole in which it is received and also comprising integral catches at the sides for catching on notches in the wall of the fuel tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive L.P.
    Inventors: Harrie W. Bonnah, II, Ray J. Hernandez
  • Patent number: 5401001
    Abstract: The valve shaft passes through a journal bearing in the wall of the valve body to an actuating lever attached to the shaft on the outside of the valve body. This journal bearing is sealed by an arrangement of several parts to prevent escape of exhaust gases. These parts include a bellows and ceramic thrust washers. By making the valve shaft axis non-perpendicularly intersecting the axis of the valve body wall, the entire circumference of the valve blade can be sealed to the valve body wall when the valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignees: Siemens Automotive Ltd., Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: John E. Cook, Gary M. Everingham, David J. Hazen, Gordon W. Sweetnam, William C. Gillier