Patents by Inventor Craig Edward Burch

Craig Edward Burch 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: 6446697
    Abstract: Method of rapidly making casting, comprising: designing a computer graphic model of the casting; sectioning the graphic model into graphic members which are at least one of blocks and slabs; carving a solid member for each of the graphic members, the solid members being (i) constituted of a meltable or evaporative solid material (i.e. wax or polystyrene), (ii) proportional to and enveloping its corresponding graphic member, and the carving being carried out by accessing two or more sides of each solid member to at least essentially duplicate the corresponding graphic member; forming a mold around the pattern, and casting metal within the mold while removing the pattern from such mold either by evaporation during pouring of the molten metal thereinto or by melting prior thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Furqan Zafar Shaikh, Martin Andrew Brogley, Craig Edward Burch, Neal James Corey, Thomas John Heater, Gary Allan Vrsek
  • Patent number: 6314943
    Abstract: A fuel supply rail assembly (30) includes a plurality of fuel injector-receiving housings (34) for mounting on a cylinder head (12) of an internal combustion engine and a plurality of fuel injector load springs (50) with each spring disposed in each fuel rail housing (34) in a manner to bias a fuel injector received therein within a preselected injector load tolerance range relative to the cylinder head (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Edward Burch, Dale Mathew Mayol
  • Patent number: 6220970
    Abstract: A vibration absorption assembly 12 and method for making the same having a base portion 30 which is movably connected to an intermediate portion 32 and to a top portion or cover 32. Assembly 12 contains several apertures or cavities 26 which operatively contain a pair of balls or spherical members 28 which absorb or dampen the vibrations emanating from a rotating member, such as a diesel fuel injection pump 14. Oil 27 is communicated into apertures 26 and is effective to lubricate the moving members 28. Further, portion or member 32 is selectively movable to allow access to several of the cavities or apertures 26 in order to allow fuel injection pump 12 to be removed from the engine 10 by use of fasteners 80, 82, and 84.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Global Tech., Inc
    Inventors: Alvin Henry Berger, Craig Edward Burch
  • Patent number: 5872714
    Abstract: Method of rapidly producing a contoured part, comprising: designing a computer graphic model of the part, sectioning the graphic model into graphic members which are at least one of blocks or slabs, carving a solid member (14-150 mm in thickness) for each of the graphic members, the solid member being proportion to and enveloping such graphic members, the carving being carried out by accessing two or more sides (opposite sides) of such solid member to at least essentially duplicate the corresponding graphic member, and securing the carved solid members together to replicate the graphic model as a usable unitary part.The method can be modified to make castings by carving wax or foam solid members which are assembled to form an investment pattern, the was pattern being used in a shell mold casting steps and the foam pattern being used in evaporative casting steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Furqan Zafar Shaikh, Gregory Hugh Smith, Michael Raymond Rigley, Craig Edward Burch, Martin Andrew Brogley, Robert Francis Novak, Robert Walter Grenkowitz, Gerald A. Grab
  • Patent number: 5847958
    Abstract: Method of rapidly producing a contoured part, comprising: designing a computer graphic model of the part, sectioning the graphic model into graphic members which are at least one of blocks or slabs, carving a solid member (14-150 mm in thickness) for each of the graphic members, the solid member being proportion to and enveloping such graphic members, the carving being carried out by accessing two or more sides (opposite sides) of such solid member to at least essentially duplicate the corresponding graphic member, and securing the carved solid members together to replicate the graphic model as a usable unitary part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, INc.
    Inventors: Furgan Zafar Shaikh, Martin Andrew Brogley, Craig Edward Burch, Gerry A. Grab, Robert Walter Grenkowitz, Robert Francis Novak, Michael Raymond Rigley