Patents by Inventor Edward Akpan

Edward Akpan 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: 5967660
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing accelerated thermal fatigue testing of an engine component, comprising: (i) impinging one or more torch flames directly on a selected area of the test specimen (i.e. metallic engine cylinder head) to heat such area to a critical test temperature that exceeds the normal maximum loading temperature of the specimen in normal use by about 10-25%, and holding such temperature for a period of 0.01-2.0 minutes; (ii) at the end of the holding period (ie. Water jet water in head jacket, or air in ports) quenching the heated area of the test specimen to a temperature that is about 75% below that of the normal maximum loading temperature and holding such quenching temperature for about 1-3 minutes; and (iii) repeating steps (i) and (ii) until a crack is induced in the test specimen while recording the history of temperature and time involved in such repeated steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Akpan, Jeff Lee Branson, Blake Ross, John Loncke, Long T. Dinh, Richard Piekos
  • Patent number: 5842109
    Abstract: A method for producing powder metal cylinder bore liners for an internal combustion engine includes the steps of loading a powder metal mixture into a die cavity of a die, compacting the powder metal mixture in the die cavity using uniaxial pressure from the die and forming the powder metal cylinder bore liner, and sintering the powder metal cylinder bore liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Akpan, John E. Brevick
  • Patent number: 5815789
    Abstract: A method for producing self lubricating powder metal cylinder bore liners for an internal combustion engine includes the steps of loading a powder metal mixture into a die cavity, compacting the powder metal mixture in the die cavity and forming the powder metal cylinder bore liner having a porous structure, sintering the powder metal cylinder bore liner, and impregnating the porous structure of the cylinder bore liner with lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Akpan
  • Patent number: 4597095
    Abstract: In a composite anode structure having a refractory metal portion with a graphite portion attached thereto, an intersparsed zirconium brazing layer is isolated from the graphite material by a thin layer of platinum to thereby prevent the formation of embrittling carbides when the combination is raised to operating temperatures. The platinum is mechanically bonded to the graphite, and the zirconium is diffusion bonded to both the molybdenum portion and the platinum layer to form a high-strength, lasting bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1986
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Edward Akpan