Patents by Inventor Charles Prain
Charles Prain 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: 11767929Abstract: An assembly includes an inlet tube. The assembly includes a first outlet tube. The assembly includes a solenoid assembly having a plunger movable between an open position in which fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet tube to the outlet tube and a closed position in which fluid is inhibited from flowing from the inlet tube to the outlet tube. The solenoid assembly has a spring urging the plunger to the closed position. The solenoid assembly has a strain gage fixed to the spring. A strain detected by the strain gage indicates whether the plunger is at the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2021Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.Inventors: Segundo Baldovino, Ashwin Arunmozhi, Venkatesh Krishnan, Charles Prain, Michael Whitney, William S. Smith, Theophile Jullien, Denis Thebault, Jean Baptiste Lahilaire
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Patent number: 11745703Abstract: An assembly includes an inlet tube and an outlet tube. The assembly includes a solenoid assembly having a plunger movable between an open position in which fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet tube to the outlet tube and a closed position in which fluid is inhibited from flowing from the inlet tube to the outlet tube. The solenoid assembly has a spring urging the plunger to the closed position. The assembly includes a first pressure sensor positioned to be compressed when the plunger is moved toward the open position. Pressure detected by the first pressure sensor indicates whether the plunger is at the open position. The assembly includes a second pressure sensor positioned to be compressed when the plunger is moved toward the closed position. Pressure detected by the second pressure sensor indicates whether the plunger is at the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.Inventors: Venkatesh Krishnan, Segundo Baldovino, Ashwin Arunmozhi, Charles Prain, Michael Whitney, William S. Smith, Theophile Jullien, Denis Thebault, Jean Baptiste Lahilaire
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Publication number: 20220307619Abstract: An assembly includes an inlet tube and an outlet tube. The assembly includes a solenoid assembly having a plunger movable between an open position in which fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet tube to the outlet tube and a closed position in which fluid is inhibited from flowing from the inlet tube to the outlet tube, the solenoid assembly having an induction coil surrounding the plunger. The assembly includes a Hall effect sensor that detects a magnetic field of the solenoid assembly. The assembly includes a computer in communication with the Hall effect sensor, the computer having a processor and memory that stores instructions executable by the processor to identify a resistance of the induction coil based on data from the Hall effect sensor, and to determine whether the plunger is at the closed position based on the identified resistance of the induction coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2021Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.Inventors: Segundo Baldovino, Venkatesh Krishnan, Ashwin Arunmozhi, Charles Prain, Michael Whitney, William S. Smith, Theophile Jullien, Denis Thebault, Jean Baptiste Lahilaire
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Publication number: 20220306047Abstract: An assembly includes an inlet tube and an outlet tube. The assembly includes a solenoid assembly having a plunger movable between an open position in which fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet tube to the outlet tube and a closed position in which fluid is inhibited from flowing from the inlet tube to the outlet tube. The solenoid assembly has a spring urging the plunger to the closed position. The assembly includes a first pressure sensor positioned to be compressed when the plunger is moved toward the open position. Pressure detected by the first pressure sensor indicates whether the plunger is at the open position. The assembly includes a second pressure sensor positioned to be compressed when the plunger is moved toward the closed position. Pressure detected by the second pressure sensor indicates whether the plunger is at the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2021Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.Inventors: Venkatesh Krishnan, Segundo Baldovino, Ashwin Arunmozhi, Charles Prain, Michael Whitney, William S. Smith, Theophile Jullien, Denis Thebault, Jean Baptiste Lahilaire
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Publication number: 20220307622Abstract: An assembly includes an inlet tube. The assembly includes a first outlet tube. The assembly includes a solenoid assembly having a plunger movable between an open position in which fluid is permitted to flow from the inlet tube to the outlet tube and a closed position in which fluid is inhibited from flowing from the inlet tube to the outlet tube. The solenoid assembly has a spring urging the plunger to the closed position. The solenoid assembly has a strain gage fixed to the spring. A strain detected by the strain gage indicates whether the plunger is at the closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2021Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Valeo North America, Inc.Inventors: Segundo Baldovino, Ashwin Arunmozhi, Venkatesh Krishnan, Charles Prain, Michael Whitney, William S. Smith, Theophile Jullien, Denis Thebault, Jean Baptiste Lahilaire
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Patent number: 10328905Abstract: A windshield window wiping system, including a wiper blade in contact with a windshield window; a wiper motor operatively connected to the wiper blade, configured to perform a wiper blade stroke; a reservoir for a wash fluid; a first hood mounted nozzle, configured to project the wash fluid toward the windshield window; a wash pump, wherein the wash pump is hydraulically connected to the first hood mounted nozzle; and a first electronic circuit, configured to estimate a position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke based on an input to the first electronic circuit and to synchronize the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade. In other aspects, a method of wiping a windshield window and a non-transitory computer readable medium are provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.Inventors: Alan Tousignant, Mark Pattison, Charles Prain
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Patent number: 10259430Abstract: A windshield window wiping system, including a wiper blade in contact with a windshield window; a wiper motor operatively connected to the wiper blade, configured to perform a wiper blade stroke; a reservoir for a wash fluid; a first plurality of holes on a first leading edge of the wiper blade, configured to project the wash fluid toward the windshield window; a wash pump, wherein the wash pump is hydraulically connected to the first plurality of holes; and a first electronic circuit, configured to estimate a position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke based on an input to the first electronic circuit and to synchronize the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade. In other aspects, a method of wiping a windshield window and a non-transitory computer readable medium are provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.Inventors: Alan Tousignant, Mark Pattison, Charles Prain
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Publication number: 20160347287Abstract: A windshield window wiping system, including a wiper blade in contact with a windshield window; a wiper motor operatively connected to the wiper blade, configured to perform a wiper blade stroke; a reservoir for a wash fluid; a first hood mounted nozzle, configured to project the wash fluid toward the windshield window; a wash pump, wherein the wash pump is hydraulically connected to the first hood mounted nozzle; and a first electronic circuit, configured to estimate a position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke based on an input to the first electronic circuit and to synchronize the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade. In other aspects, a method of wiping a windshield window and a non-transitory computer readable medium are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicant: VALEO NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Alan Tousignant, Mark Pattison, Charles Prain
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Publication number: 20160347286Abstract: A windshield window wiping system, including a wiper blade in contact with a windshield window; a wiper motor operatively connected to the wiper blade, configured to perform a wiper blade stroke; a reservoir for a wash fluid; a first plurality of holes on a first leading edge of the wiper blade, configured to project the wash fluid toward the windshield window; a wash pump, wherein the wash pump is hydraulically connected to the first plurality of holes; and a first electronic circuit, configured to estimate a position of the wiper blade during the wiper blade stroke based on an input to the first electronic circuit and to synchronize the projection of the wash fluid toward the windshield window with the estimated position of the wiper blade. In other aspects, a method of wiping a windshield window and a non-transitory computer readable medium are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicant: VALEO NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Alan Tousignant, Mark Pattison, Charles Prain