Patents by Inventor Bradley L. Uffelman
Bradley L. Uffelman 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: 7179066Abstract: A fuel pump has an electric motor with a stator, a rotor, a generally cylindrical tube having opposed ends, a fuel pumping element driven by the electric motor to take in fuel and discharge fuel under pressure, and a plate having a face disposed adjacent to the fuel pumping element and a discontinuous support surface against which one end of the tube is received. The discontinuous support surface preferably minimizes distortion of the plate face under loading from the tube in assembly of the fuel pump.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2003Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems, L.L.C.Inventors: Julie K. Good, Shane L. Kady, George E. Maroney, Bradley L. Uffelman
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Patent number: 6799941Abstract: A turbine fuel pump assembly draws fuel from a reservoir and supplies that fuel to a combustion engine. The assembly includes an electric motor which drives a fuel pump, all of which is supported in a sleeve. The fuel pump has a guide ring which has a stripper segment for stripping or shearing fuel off of the vanes of an impeller and redirecting the fuel through an outlet port of the fuel pump. The turbine fuel pump assembly can be easily calibrated for improved pumping efficiency via a calibration ring tool which plastically deforms the sleeve externally by producing a dimple upon the sleeve and a corresponding interior protuberance which bears radially inward against a trailing segment of the guide ring to calibrate or move the cantilevered stripper segment against the impeller to a point where fuel stripping is improved and flow through the pump is optimized.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2002Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: TI Group Automotive Systems, L.L.C.Inventor: Bradley L. Uffelman
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Publication number: 20030185668Abstract: A turbine fuel pump assembly draws fuel from a reservoir and supplies that fuel to a combustion engine. The assembly includes an electric motor which drives a fuel pump, all of which is supported in a sleeve. The fuel pump has a guide ring which has a stripper segment for stripping or shearing fuel off of the vanes of an impeller and redirecting the fuel through an outlet port of the fuel pump. The turbine fuel pump assembly can be easily calibrated for improved pumping efficiency via a calibration ring tool which plastically deforms the sleeve externally by producing a dimple upon the sleeve and a corresponding interior protuberance which bears radially inward against a trailing segment of the guide ring to calibrate or move the cantilevered stripper segment against the impeller to a point where fuel stripping is improved and flow through the pump is optimized.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2002Publication date: October 2, 2003Inventor: Bradley L. Uffelman
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Patent number: 6541883Abstract: A shield structure for reducing radio frequency interference (RFI) from an electric motor situated within a fuel pump housing having an end with a fuel inlet and another end with a fuel outlet. The shield structure includes, first of all, an electrically insulative and hollow cup-like outer cover mountable on an end of the fuel pump housing adjacent the brushes and commutator of the electric motor. The outer cover has an inner surface, an outer surface, and preferably a fuel outlet opening defined therethrough. In addition, the shield structure includes an electrically conductive outer coat layer formed on substantially all of the outer surface of the outer cover. Lastly, the shield structure includes means for electrically grounding the outer coat layer to the electric motor of the fuel pump housing.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2001Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Walbro CorporationInventor: Bradley L. Uffelman
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Publication number: 20020163263Abstract: A shield structure for reducing radio frequency interference (RFI) from an electric motor situated within a fuel pump housing having an end with a fuel inlet and another end with a fuel outlet. The shield structure includes, first of all, an electrically insulative and hollow cup-like outer cover mountable on an end of the fuel pump housing adjacent the brushes and commutator of the electric motor. The outer cover has an inner surface, an outer surface, and preferably a fuel outlet opening defined therethrough. In addition, the shield structure includes an electrically conductive outer coat layer formed on substantially all of the outer surface of the outer cover. Lastly, the shield structure includes means for electrically grounding the outer coat layer to the electric motor of the fuel pump housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2001Publication date: November 7, 2002Inventor: Bradley L. Uffelman
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Patent number: 5980221Abstract: An electric motor and a fuel pump are received within a circumferentially continuous cylindrical shell formed of a somewhat flexible and substantially resilient plastic material to at least partially absorb and reduce the dynamic fuel pressure pulses produced by the fuel pump. The plastic material of the shell tends to flex slightly when acted upon by the dynamic fuel pressure pulses produced by the operating fuel pump to absorb the pressure pulses and reduce their magnitude. Reducing the magnitude of the pressure pulses reduces the noise of the operating fuel pump and helps to achieve a smoother and more pulse free flow of fuel out of the fuel pump assembly outlet. The plastic shell material also reduces vibrations of the fuel pump module to reduce wear on the module and further decrease the noise of the fuel pump in use.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1997Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Walbro CorporationInventor: Bradley L. Uffelman
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Patent number: 5734212Abstract: A preformed plastic housing encloses a pair of coils and a capacitor of a radio frequency interference (RFI) circuit for an electric motor of a fuel pump. The housing has a base and a cover which, when mated, provide a secure fit between the electrical circuit components and the housing. The preformed housing can accommodate different RFI circuits and is significantly less costly to manufacture than an overmolded RFI module. A grounding strap is connected to the input side of one coil and the capacitor adjacent an input terminal to the circuit to significantly lower the RFI levels in the circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1996Date of Patent: March 31, 1998Assignee: Walbro CorporationInventor: Bradley L. Uffelman
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Patent number: 5008572Abstract: The rotor of an electrical motor, such as a hybrid permanent magnet stepping motor or a variable reluctance motor is assembled on a rotor shaft, and includes at least one lamination stack and a pair of supporting bearings, with the outer diameter of the bearings being slightly larger than that of the lamination stack. A stator is assembled from a stator lamination stack including a pole configuration and a pair of unmachined end caps registered and secured to the lamination stack such as by thru bolts. The registered stator assembly is potted to unitize the assembly, fixing the relationship between the end caps and the lamination stack, and providing a smooth continuous bore through the center of the stator assembly. The thus potted assembly is machined as by diamond lapping to form a continuous bore accurately machined through the center of the stator, concurrently forming bearing surfaces in the end caps and an intermediate machined section in the lamination stack.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1990Date of Patent: April 16, 1991Assignee: Pacific Scientific CompanyInventors: James W. Marshall, David Gotchy, Bradley L. Uffelman, Wendell B. Leimbach, Albert A. Wilhelmi
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Patent number: 4922604Abstract: A method of fabricating an electrical motor, such as a hybrid permanent magnet stepping motor or a variable reluctance motor. A rotor is assembled on a rotor shaft and includes at least one lamination stack and a pair of supporting bearings, with the outer diameter of the bearings being slightly larger than that of the lamination stack. A stator is assembled from a stator lamination stack including a pole configuration and a pair of unmachined end caps registered and secured to the lamination stack such as by thru bolts. The registered stator assembly is potted to unitize the assembly, fixing the relationship between the end caps and the lamination stack, and providing a smooth continuous bore through the center of the stator assembly. The thus potted assembly is then machined as by diamond lapping to form a continuous bore accurately machined through the center of the stator, concurrently forming bearing surfaces in the end caps and an intermediate machined section in the lamination stack.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1989Date of Patent: May 8, 1990Assignee: Pacific Scientific CompanyInventors: James W. Marshall, David Gotchy, Bradley L. Uffelman, Wendell B. Leimbach, Albert A. Wilhelmi