Patents by Inventor Dean G. Sorrell

Dean G. Sorrell 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: 11946432
    Abstract: A throttle body for an engine or fuel cell of a vehicle is provided. The throttle body comprises a cylindrical housing comprising a first open end extending to a second open end defining an inner wall having an inner surface. The throttle body further comprises a moveable blade valve movably disposed on the inner wall and arranged to regulate air to the engine during operation of the vehicle. The moveable blade valve has an outer surface. The throttle body further comprises a dual-phase thermal composite coating (TCC) disposed on one of the inner surface of the inner wall and outer surface of the moveable blade valve for enhanced thermal conductivity and reduced deposit accumulation on the inner surface and the outer surface. The dual-phase TCC comprises a first material comprising between 10 wt % and 90 wt %, and a second material comprising between 10 wt % and 90 wt % of the dual-phase TCC. The dual phase TCC has a contact angle of between 100° and 160° and a thermal conductivity of at least 0.3 W/mK.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Seongchan Pack, Dean G. Sorrell
  • Publication number: 20240035421
    Abstract: A throttle body for an engine or fuel cell of a vehicle is provided. The throttle body comprises a cylindrical housing comprising a first open end extending to a second open end defining an inner wall having an inner surface. The throttle body further comprises a moveable blade valve movably disposed on the inner wall and arranged to regulate air to the engine during operation of the vehicle. The moveable blade valve has an outer surface. The throttle body further comprises a dual-phase thermal composite coating (TCC) disposed on one of the inner surface of the inner wall and outer surface of the moveable blade valve for enhanced thermal conductivity and reduced deposit accumulation on the inner surface and the outer surface. The dual-phase TCC comprises a first material comprising between 10 wt % and 90 wt %, and a second material comprising between 10 wt % and 90 wt % of the dual-phase TCC. The dual phase TCC has a contact angle of between 100° and 160° and a thermal conductivity of at least 0.3 W/mK.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Seongchan Pack, Dean G. Sorrell
  • Patent number: 11170585
    Abstract: A system and method of performing fault diagnosis and analysis for one or more vehicles. The method includes: obtaining design failure mode and effect analysis (DFMEA) data that specifies a plurality of failure modes; receiving diagnostic association data; receiving vehicle operation signals association data; generating augmented DFMEA data that indicates a causal relationship between the diagnostic data and the first set of failure modes, and that indicates a causal relationship between the vehicle operation signals data and the second set of failure modes, wherein the augmented DFMEA data is generated based on the DFMEA data, the diagnostic association data, and the vehicle operation signals association data; and performing fault diagnosis and analysis for the one or more vehicles using the augmented DFMEA data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chaitanya Sankavaram, Dnyanesh G. Rajpathak, Azeem Sarwar, Xiangxing Lu, Dean G. Sorrell, Layne K. Wiggins
  • Patent number: 11131401
    Abstract: An automotive air control valve comprises a housing, the housing defining an air flow path, a blade pivotally mounted within the housing, the blade pivotable between a closed position, wherein the blade substantially blocks air flow through the housing, and an open position, wherein air can flow through the housing, an actuator adapted to selectively pivot the blade between the open and closed positions, a first stop that provides a positive stop for the blade when rotated to the open position, a second stop that provides a positive stop for the blade when rotated to the closed position; and an over-center cam mechanism, wherein the over-center cam mechanism is adapted to bias the blade in the open position when the blade has been pivoted to the open position, and to bias the blade in the closed position when the blade has been pivoted to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dean G. Sorrell, John Norman Stockbridge
  • Publication number: 20210071778
    Abstract: An automotive air control valve comprises a housing, the housing defining an air flow path, a blade pivotally mounted within the housing, the blade pivotable between a closed position, wherein the blade substantially blocks air flow through the housing, and an open position, wherein air can flow through the housing, an actuator adapted to selectively pivot the blade between the open and closed positions, a first stop that provides a positive stop for the blade when rotated to the open position, a second stop that provides a positive stop for the blade when rotated to the closed position; and an over-center cam mechanism, wherein the over-center cam mechanism is adapted to bias the blade in the open position when the blade has been pivoted to the open position, and to bias the blade in the closed position when the blade has been pivoted to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Dean G. Sorrell, John Norman Stockbridge
  • Publication number: 20200394850
    Abstract: A system and method of performing fault diagnosis and analysis for one or more vehicles. The method includes: obtaining design failure mode and effect analysis (DFMEA) data that specifies a plurality of failure modes; receiving diagnostic association data; receiving vehicle operation signals association data; generating augmented DFMEA data that indicates a causal relationship between the diagnostic data and the first set of failure modes, and that indicates a causal relationship between the vehicle operation signals data and the second set of failure modes, wherein the augmented DFMEA data is generated based on the DFMEA data, the diagnostic association data, and the vehicle operation signals association data; and performing fault diagnosis and analysis for the one or more vehicles using the augmented DFMEA data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Chaitanya Sankavaram, Dnyanesh G. Rajpathak, Azeem Sarwar, Xiangxing Lu, Dean G. Sorrell, Layne K. Wiggins
  • Patent number: 10439546
    Abstract: A motor vehicle servomotor arrangement includes an electric motor with a stator, a rotor and brushes, as well as a controller with a signal input and a signal output that is connected to the electric motor. The controller is configured to transmit a control signal to the electric motor in response to an input signal supplied via the signal input by a unique function. The controller is configured to modulate the control signal in such a way that different control signals are output upon successive identical input signals within predefined input signal ranges and/or time-variant control signals are output upon identical input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Merz, Alexander Klein, Dean G. Sorrell
  • Publication number: 20180248506
    Abstract: A motor vehicle servomotor arrangement includes an electric motor with a stator, a rotor and brushes, as well as a controller with a signal input and a signal output that is connected to the electric motor. The controller is configured to transmit a control signal to the electric motor in response to an input signal supplied via the signal input by a unique function. The controller is configured to modulate the control signal in such a way that different control signals are output upon successive identical input signals within predefined input signal ranges and/or time-variant control signals are output upon identical input signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Merz, Alexander Klein, Dean G. Sorrell
  • Publication number: 20160169122
    Abstract: A throttle control assembly which includes a valve plate made of aluminum, where the valve plate has a brass coating to substantially reduce or eliminate the effects of thermal cycling, and the probability of the occurrence of micro-welding. In one embodiment, the brass coating is applied using an electroplating process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: John Norman Stockbridge, Nathan Cowan, Dean G. Sorrell
  • Patent number: 9004036
    Abstract: An intake manifold assembly includes an intake manifold body defining an interior manifold cavity. The intake manifold further includes a throttle mount coupled to the intake manifold body and defining a mount passage in fluid communication with the interior manifold cavity. The throttle mount is configured to be coupled to a throttle assembly. The intake manifold assembly further includes a supplemental gas conduit including a first supplemental gas conduit portion coupled to the intake manifold body. The supplemental gas conduit further includes a second supplemental gas conduit portion in fluid communication with the first supplemental gas conduit portion. The second supplemental gas conduit portion is coupled to the throttle mount and is configured to deliver supplemental gases into the mount passage to mix the supplemental gases with intake air flowing through the mount passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher K. Clarke, John Norman Stockbridge, Dean G. Sorrell, Eric F. Grimminger, Mark J. Wrobel
  • Publication number: 20140352643
    Abstract: An intake manifold assembly includes an intake manifold body defining an interior manifold cavity. The intake manifold further includes a throttle mount coupled to the intake manifold body and defining a mount passage in fluid communication with the interior manifold cavity. The throttle mount is configured to be coupled to a throttle assembly. The intake manifold assembly further includes a supplemental gas conduit including a first supplemental gas conduit portion coupled to the intake manifold body. The supplemental gas conduit further includes a second supplemental gas conduit portion in fluid communication with the first supplemental gas conduit portion. The second supplemental gas conduit portion is coupled to the throttle mount and is configured to deliver supplemental gases into the mount passage to mix the supplemental gases with intake air flowing through the mount passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher K. Clarke, John Norman Stockbridge, Dean G. Sorrell, Eric F. Grimminger, Mark J. Wrobel
  • Patent number: 8225646
    Abstract: A throttle diagnostic system comprises a diagnostic device comprising a throttle sweep diagnostic module that generates N throttle position commands at a first predetermined interval, wherein the N throttle position commands differ by a predetermined interval. A vehicle control system comprises a throttle body assembly that receive the N throttle position commands and a throttle diagnostic module that performs diagnostics on the throttle body assembly at a second predetermined interval that is less than the first predetermined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventors: Paul A. Bauerle, Marco J. Gatti, Dean G. Sorrell, Todar Kuzmanov
  • Publication number: 20110100105
    Abstract: A throttle diagnostic system comprises a diagnostic device comprising a throttle sweep diagnostic module that generates N throttle position commands at a first predetermined interval, wherein the N throttle position commands differ by a predetermined interval. A vehicle control system comprises a throttle body assembly that receive the N throttle position commands and a throttle diagnostic module that performs diagnostics on the throttle body assembly at a second predetermined interval that is less than the first predetermined interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul A. Bauerle, Marco J. Gatti, Dean G. Sorrell, Todar Kuzmanov