Patents by Inventor Erik C. Maassen

Erik C. Maassen 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: 20080168823
    Abstract: A machine suitable for evaluating finished cylindrical manufactured part that accurately simulates the performance of the intended use of the part in a cam-roller contact geometry using an actual manufactured part as the test specimen is provided. The machine is capable of evaluating the effects on the can finish and profile of the manufactured part. Three idler rollers ground to simulate the axial cam geometry are compressed into the outer diameter of the bearing as it rotates, duplicating the rolling action of a cam lobe. Because the cylindrical manufactured part to be tested is loaded evenly between the three idles, the test part experiences three stress cycles per revolution, accelerating the generation of fatigue spalling damage on the outside diameter. Load and speed are regulated using a closed loop control. Ease of replacing the part to be tested and servicing the idler rollers is an advantageous feature of the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: GenTek Technologies Marketing Inc.
    Inventors: Erik C. Maassen, Bryce W. Babcock
  • Patent number: 7377246
    Abstract: An improved cam shaft configuration for internal combustion engines is provided wherein the oil is efficiently diverted from the camshaft cap to adjacent camshaft lobes. A reorientation of the camshaft oil diverter improves the distribution and increases the quantity of oil flow without building in additional oil passages to supply oil to cams, that would introduce additional expense without substantially alleviating existing prior art lubrication deficiency problems. The invention obviates the known prior art configurations that suffer from the drawback of insufficient distribution of lubricating oil to adjacent camshaft lobes that is effected by oil diverter configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: GenTek Technologies Marketing Inc.
    Inventor: Erik C. Maassen