Patents by Inventor Casey E. Groh

Casey E. Groh 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: 10215130
    Abstract: A choke system for an internal combustion engine includes a carburetor having a choke valve disposed in a passage; a cooling fan providing a variable air flow; an air vane moveable in response to the variable air flow; an air vane linkage coupling the air vane to the choke valve, the air vane linkage operating the choke valve by the movement of the air vane; a manually operated choke control; an override linkage coupling the choke control to the choke valve; and a thermally responsive member configured to engage the override linkage to retain the choke in a partially open position above a threshold temperature. The choke control may be moved to a first position in which the choke control overrides the thermally responsive member and the air vane linkage to maintain the choke valve in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Michael R. Visuri, Jeff J. Steenbergen, Timothy J. Kwiatkowski, Adam J. Hellman, Andrew J. Perez, Casey E. Groh
  • Patent number: 10167766
    Abstract: An engine assembly includes a crankcase, shaft, blower housing, and cooling fan. The shaft is rotatably coupled to the crankcase and defines a rotational axis. The blower housing includes an internal space. The cooling fan is disposed within the internal space, includes a plate defining an upper surface, and is positioned to rotate with the shaft about the rotational axis. The cooling fan includes a band having an inner band radius and an outer band radius. The cooling fan includes a plurality of reversed fins extending between the band and the upper surface and between a root adjacent to the rotational axis and a tip adjacent to the outer band radius, each fin offset at an angle measured in a counterclockwise direction from a plane passing through the rotational axis and the tip to a plane passing through the root and the tip when viewed from above the cooling fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Brett Birschbach, Rodney John Balzar, Jeffery P. Feist, Casey E. Groh, Brian Johnson, Randall J. Klotka, Darwin A. Podhola, Ryan Sullivan, Matt Martinek, Brian Paul
  • Publication number: 20160312796
    Abstract: An engine assembly includes a crankcase, shaft, blower housing, and cooling fan. The shaft is rotatably coupled to the crankcase and defines a rotational axis. The blower housing includes an internal space. The cooling fan is disposed within the internal space, includes a plate defining an upper surface, and is positioned to rotate with the shaft about the rotational axis. The cooling fan includes a band having an inner band radius and an outer band radius. The cooling fan includes a plurality of reversed fins extending between the band and the upper surface and between a root adjacent to the rotational axis and a tip adjacent to the outer band radius, each fin offset at an angle measured in a counterclockwise direction from a plane passing through the rotational axis and the tip to a plane passing through the root and the tip when viewed from above the cooling fan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Brett Birschbach, Rodney John Balzar, Jeffery P. Feist, Casey E. Groh, Brian Johnson, Randall J. Klotka, Darwin A. Podhola, Ryan Sullivan, Matt Martinek, Brian Paul
  • Patent number: 9429107
    Abstract: A choke system for an internal combustion engine includes a carburetor having an air intake, a choke valve disposed in the air intake, and a choke lever coupled to the choke valve, wherein the choke valve is movable between a closed position and an open position, a mechanical linkage coupled to the choke lever, and a solenoid attached to the carburetor and coupled to the mechanical linkage so activation of the solenoid moves the choke valve, wherein the solenoid is activated in response to activation of a starter system of an internal combustion engine, thereby moving the choke valve via the mechanical linkage to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Casey E. Groh, Adam J. Hellman, Timothy J. Kwiatkowski, Andrew J. Perez, Jeff J. Steenbergen, Michael R. Visuri
  • Publication number: 20140238343
    Abstract: A choke system for an internal combustion engine includes a carburetor having an air intake, a choke valve disposed in the air intake, and a choke lever coupled to the choke valve, wherein the choke valve is movable between a closed position and an open position, a mechanical linkage coupled to the choke lever, and a solenoid attached to the carburetor and coupled to the mechanical linkage so activation of the solenoid moves the choke valve, wherein the solenoid is activated in response to activation of a starter system of an internal combustion engine, thereby moving the choke valve via the mechanical linkage to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Casey E. Groh, Adam J. Hellman, Timothy J. Kwiatkowski, Andrew J. Perez, Jeff J. Steenbergen, Michael R. Visuri
  • Publication number: 20130206093
    Abstract: A choke system for an internal combustion engine includes a carburetor having a choke valve disposed in a passage; a cooling fan providing a variable air flow; an air vane moveable in response to the variable air flow; an air vane linkage coupling the air vane to the choke valve, the air vane linkage operating the choke valve by the movement of the air vane; a manually operated choke control; an override linkage coupling the choke control to the choke valve; and a thermally responsive member configured to engage the override linkage to retain the choke in a partially open position above a threshold temperature. The choke control may be moved to a first position in which the choke control overrides the thermally responsive member and the air vane linkage to maintain the choke valve in a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Michael R. Visuri, Jeff J. Steenbergen, Timothy J. Kwiatkowski, Adam J. Hellman, Andrew J. Perez, Casey E. Groh