Patents by Inventor Douglas Scott Sparks

Douglas Scott Sparks 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).

  • Publication number: 20200141368
    Abstract: Vapors in the fuel tank of a vehicle are collected in a carbon canister. An ejector or aspirator is used to purge the carbon canister in a pressure-charged engine in which a positive pressure exists in the intake. A compact ejector includes a substantially planar flange and a venturi tube coupled to the flange with a central axis of the venturi tube substantially parallel to the flange. By manufacturing the ejector in two pieces, dimensions within the ejector: throat, converging section, and diverging section, is more accurate than prior art manufacturing techniques thereby providing better flow characteristics throughout the boost range. By forming one of the two pieces of the ejector integrally with the air intake component in which it is coupled, decreases part count and the number of manufacturing processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven James Hoffman, John Emley, Douglas Scott Sparks, David S. Moyer, Christopher Alan Myers, Brandon William Bailey, Roger Joseph Khami
  • Publication number: 20180112634
    Abstract: Vapors in the fuel tank of a vehicle are collected in a carbon canister. An ejector or aspirator is used to purge the carbon canister in a pressure-charged engine in which a positive pressure exists in the intake. A compact ejector includes a substantially planar flange and a venturi tube coupled to the flange with a central axis of the venturi tube substantially parallel to the flange. By manufacturing the ejector in two pieces, dimensions within the ejector: throat, converging section, and diverging section, is more accurate than prior art manufacturing techniques thereby providing better flow characteristics throughout the boost range. By forming one of the two pieces of the ejector integrally with the air intake component in which it is coupled, decreases part count and the number of manufacturing processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven James Hoffman, John Emley, Douglas Scott Sparks, David S. Moyer, Christopher Alan Myers, Brandon William Bailey, Roger Joseph Khami
  • Patent number: 9581115
    Abstract: An induction system in an engine is provided. The air induction system includes an induction conduit including an air flow passage in fluidic communication at least one combustion chamber in the engine and a passive-adsorption hydrocarbon trap positioned within the induction conduit, a portion of the passive-adsorption hydrocarbon trap defining a boundary of the air flow passage, the passive-adsorption hydrocarbon trap including a breathable layer coupled to a substrate layer coupled to the induction conduit, a hydrocarbon adsorption layer interposing the breathable layer and the substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David S. Moyer, Roger Joseph Khami, Douglas Scott Sparks, Brian F. VanderHaagen
  • Publication number: 20150369183
    Abstract: An induction system in an engine is provided. The air induction system includes an induction conduit including an air flow passage in fluidic communication at least one combustion chamber in the engine and a passive-adsorption hydrocarbon trap positioned within the induction conduit, a portion of the passive-adsorption hydrocarbon trap defining a boundary of the air flow passage, the passive-adsorption hydrocarbon trap including a breathable layer coupled to a substrate layer coupled to the induction conduit, a hydrocarbon adsorption layer interposing the breathable layer and the substrate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: David S. Moyer, Roger Joseph Khami, Douglas Scott Sparks, Brian F. VanderHaagen