Patents by Inventor Dennis J. Ricker

Dennis J. Ricker 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: 5112116
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is provided including a master cylinder and a wheel brake. A controller cognizant of the rotational condition of the wheel provides a signal when the wheel condition is within preset parameters. An actuator frame is also provided having a bore fluidly communicating with the wheel brake. A piston is mounted within the bore for providing a variable control volume in communication with the wheel brake and for modulating the pressure therein. A reversible motor reciprocally powers the piston. The motor has a rotor with a connected disc. A friction surface is provided for engagement with the disc to lock the position of the piston. A plunger is also provided to urge the friction surface into engagement with the disc. An electromagnetic core, responsive to a signal by the controller, moves the plunger to a position allowing cessation of engagement between the friction surface and the disc thereby allowing rotation of the motor and movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Naila Mikhaeil-Boules, Robert J. Hammersmith, Kevin G. Leppek, Paul D. Wilkey, Thomas H. Gardner, Dennis J. Ricker, James J. Kowalik
  • Patent number: 5000523
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is provided including a master cylinder and a wheel brake. An ABS controller cognizant of the rotational condition of the wheel provide a signal when the wheel condition is within preset parameters. An isolation valve responsive to close upon an activation signal given by said controller prevents fluid communication between the master cylinder and the wheel brake. An actuator frame is also provided having a bore fluidly communicating with the wheel brake. A piston is mounted within the bore for providing a variable control volume in communication with said wheel brake for and modulating the pressure therein. A reversible motor reciprocally powers piston. The motor has a rotor with a connected disc. A friction surface is provided for engagement with the disc to lock the position of the piston. A plunger is also provided to urge said friction surface into engagement with said disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Naila Mikhaeil-Boules, Robert J. Hammersmith, Kevin G. Leppek, Paul D. Wilkey, Thomas H. Gardner, Dennis J. Ricker, James J. Kowalik
  • Patent number: 4997237
    Abstract: Differential performance characteristics are achieved in a motor-driven anti-lock braking system with a DC motor having a first brush which is employed for both forward and reverse motor rotation, a second brush which is employed in connection with the first brush when forward motor rotation is desired, and a third brush which is employed in connection with the first brush when reverse motor rotation is desired. The second and third brushes are displaced along the circumference of the motor commutator such that the first and second brushes encompass more turns of the rotor winding than the first and third brushes. As a result, more of the winding turns are active in the forward direction, and the motor torque is maximized for developing the required brake pressure. On the other hand, fewer of the winding turns are active in the reverse direction, and the motor speed is maximized to relatively quickly retract the armature within the valve bore to relieve the brake pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis J. Ricker, Richard L. Foster, Jack W. Savage
  • Patent number: 4986614
    Abstract: An electric motor-driven brake pressure modulator motor is designed and controlled to exhibit different speed/torque performance characteristics depending on the direction of motor rotation. In the forward direction when the brake pressure is being applied, the torque characteristic of the motor is maximized to develop adequate brake pressure. In the reverse direction when the brake pressure is being relieved, the speed characteristic of the motor is maximized to quickly relieve the brake pressure. The result is an antilock braking system in which the braking performance is maximized without the design compromise penalties of presently known systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis J. Ricker, Richard L. Foster
  • Patent number: 4926099
    Abstract: A controller for a multi-phase brushless DC motor which is selectively operable in either full wave or half wave modes for maximizing either the output torque or output speed, respectively, of the motor. One terminal of each phase winding is connected to the terminals of a DC voltage source via upper and lower legs of a full wave bridge circuit, while the other winding terminals are mutually connected to a common terminal which is selectively isolated from or returned to a terminal of the source. When relatively high motor output torque is required to drive a relatively heavy load, the winding common terminal is isolated from the source and the bridge circuit is operated in the full wave mode to energize the motor windings with bidirectional current. When load to be driven is relatively light and higher motor speed is desired, the winding common terminal is connected to a terminal of the source and the bridge circuit is operated in the half wave mode to energize the motor windings with unidirectional current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis J. Ricker, Richard L. Foster
  • Patent number: 4642538
    Abstract: Battery current is drawn by a motor vehicle electric motor speed controller through an electronic switch. The load current carrying circuit of the switch is made conductive to permit battery current to be drawn by the controller when a motor speed command signal indicates a non-zero desired motor speed, and nonconductive to prevent substantial battery current from being drawn by the controller when the motor speed command indicates a desired motor speed of zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: James O. Elliott, Dennis J. Ricker
  • Patent number: 4365180
    Abstract: A strip of toothed arcuate segments connected end-to-end is wound around a mandrel to form a core structure for a dynamoelectric machine. The length of the arcuate segments is such that the junctions between axially adjacent segments are sandwiched between solid portions of core material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph P. Licata, Dennis J. Ricker
  • Patent number: 3984755
    Abstract: A direct current ramp potential signal which is produced in synchronism with each half cycle of the alternator output voltage and increases in magnitude within a predetermined range during each half cycle is compared with a direct current reference potential signal inversely proportional to alternator connected load. Circuitry is provided for effecting the electrical energization of the alternator field winding in response to an electrical signal produced when the potential level of the ramp potential signal has reached a value equal to that of the reference potential signal. Provision is also made for effecting the deenergization of the alternator field winding with sustained overvoltage conditions and for ramping the output voltage down linearly with conditions of output potential frequencies less than the desired frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Richard N. Lehnhoff, Dennis J. Ricker