Patents by Inventor Donald R. Michie

Donald R. Michie 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: 5263440
    Abstract: An intake manifold 10 for a V-type internal combustion engine includes a first set of runners 12 feeding a first group of cylinders of the engine, a second set of runners 14 feeding a second group of cylinders of the engine, a first airbox 16 connected with and supplying air to the first set of runners, and a second airbox 18 connected with and supplying air to the second set of runners, with a communicating orifice 22 formed through a common wall which interconnects the airboxes, and further with a vacuum driven poppet valve 24 for controlling flow of air through orifice 22. The valve is preferably packaged as a cartridge and is inserted through an outer wall of one airbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Louis G. Bodnar, Michael A. Choma, Donald R. Michie, William F. Stockhausen
  • Patent number: 4182940
    Abstract: A distributor for use in internal combustion engines requiring sequential application of high voltage to pairs of spark plugs in each cylinder by a separate high voltage supply circuit. The distributor comprising a base portion and a cap portion formed of like insulative material. The base and cap portions of the distributor contain separate sets of switching contacts connected to associated external terminals and separate rotor conductors on a common rotor element. Half the externally mounted terminals in each portion extend in a direction diametrically opposite to the other half so as to eliminate external spark plug wire crossover at the distributor and are electrically connected to the contacts by means of wires internally molded into the insulation of the portions. An installation alignment feature includes a series of apertures in the rotor and the base, whereby a pin inserted therein aligns the rotor conductors to be in accurate registration with a predetermined pair of switching contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: August J. Scussel, Walter W. Fedison, Jr., Donald R. Michie