Patents by Inventor Charu S. Hayes

Charu S. Hayes 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).

  • Muffler assembly with siphon tube
    Patent number: 9341094
    Abstract: A muffler assembly for a vehicle includes a housing at least partially defining an internal cavity and having an inlet and an outlet. The muffler assembly includes an outlet pipe that has an inlet end open to the internal cavity and an outlet end open at the outlet of the housing. A siphon tube is in the internal cavity and has an inlet opening adjacent an inner surface of the housing and an outlet opening in fluid communication with the outlet pipe between the inlet end and the outlet end of the outlet pipe. The siphon tube is configured to remove condensate from the internal cavity when a predetermined pressure differential is established between the inlet opening and the outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christina Zhang, Bert Mohlmann, Wenshui Wang, Charu S. Hayes, Qiu Er Chen
  • MUFFLER ASSEMBLY WITH SIPHON TUBE
    Publication number: 20140054101
    Abstract: A muffler assembly for a vehicle includes a housing at least partially defining an internal cavity and having an inlet and an outlet. The muffler assembly includes an outlet pipe that has an inlet end open to the internal cavity and an outlet end open at the outlet of the housing. A siphon tube is in the internal cavity and has an inlet opening adjacent an inner surface of the housing and an outlet opening in fluid communication with the outlet pipe between the inlet end and the outlet end of the outlet pipe. The siphon tube is configured to remove condensate from the internal cavity when a predetermined pressure differential is established between the inlet opening and the outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Christina Zhang, Bert Möhlmann, Wenshui Wang, Charu S. Hayes, Qiu Er Chen
  • Steering rack wear compensator
    Patent number: 7487984
    Abstract: A wear compensator for use in a vehicle rack and pinion steering assembly and a method of biasing a rack against a pinion shaft gear in a rack and pinion steering assembly are disclosed. The wear compensator may include a rack follower, an adjuster plug, a wear cam and a torsion spring. The rack follower slides on the rack. The adjuster plug is retained by the steering gear housing and includes a plug cam surface. The wear cam includes a wear cam surface operatively engaging the plug cam surface, is mounted between the rack follower and the adjuster plug, and can rotate relative to the adjuster plug. The torsion spring connects between the adjuster plug and the wear cam in order to rotatably bias the wear cam relative to the adjuster plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles J. Lemont, Jr., Jose M. Lopez, William C. Gregory, Robert S. Brines, Scott R. Kloess, Charu S. Hayes, Darrin S. Mallard, Terry R. Peterson, David C. Pomerville