Patents by Inventor Donald R. Bacon

Donald R. Bacon 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: 5715798
    Abstract: A fuel pump manifold for a fuel delivery system of an automotive internal combustion engine includes a unitary housing with a fluid conduit formed therein. Inlet and outlet ports communicate with the fluid conduit, which are adapted to be connected to the outlet of a fuel pump and a fuel supply line, respectively. The fuel pump manifold further includes a jet pump supply port communicating with the fluid conduit to feed a jet pump of the fuel delivery system. To prevent fuel from draining from the fuel supply line through the manifold, a check valve is disposed within the outlet port. A pressure relief is also disposed within the fuel pump manifold to relieve excessive pressure in the fuel supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Bacon, Robert G. Adams, Steven M. Shortis
  • Patent number: 5666851
    Abstract: A liquid level sender device for measuring a level of a liquid in a tank having a first wall and a bottom wall includes a bracket mounted to the first wall of the tank, a first potentiometer mounted on the bracket, a float arm movably connected to the bracket and cooperating with the first potentiometer to generate a first variable resistance which varies according to the position relationship between the bracket and the float arm, a float mounted on the float arm which moves according to the level of the liquid in the tank and moves the float arm accordingly, a second potentiometer mounted on the bracket, and a compensation arm biased against the bottom wall of the tank and movably connected to the bracket, where the compensation arm cooperates with the second potentiometer to generate a second variable resistance which varies according to the position relationship between the bracket and the compensation arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Donald R. Bacon