Patents by Inventor Freeman C. Gates

Freeman C. Gates 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: 9004048
    Abstract: A gas sensor assembly for sensing a pressure of a gas including a housing, a carrier, an electronic chip, a cap and a biasing apparatus. The housing has a wall defining cavity with a port open to the gas. The carrier is mounted to the wall in the cavity. The electronic chip is secured to the carrier on an opposed side from the port and includes a diaphragm portion exposed to the port. The cap is mounted to the chip on an opposed side from the carrier. The biasing apparatus is located between the cap and the wall of the housing, with the biasing apparatus being configured to bias the cap toward the chip whereby gas pressure acting against the diaphragm is opposed by the biasing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Freeman C. Gates, Fadi M. Naddaf, William R. Goodwin
  • Publication number: 20140007850
    Abstract: A gas sensor assembly for sensing a pressure of a gas including a housing, a carrier, an electronic chip, a cap and a biasing apparatus. The housing has a wall defining cavity with a port open to the gas. The carrier is mounted to the wall in the cavity. The electronic chip is secured to the carrier on an opposed side from the port and includes a diaphragm portion exposed to the port. The cap is mounted to the chip on an opposed side from the carrier. The biasing apparatus is located between the cap and the wall of the housing, with the biasing apparatus being configured to bias the cap toward the chip whereby gas pressure acting against the diaphragm is opposed by the biasing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Freeman C. Gates, Fadi M. Naddaf, William R. Goodwin
  • Patent number: 6968833
    Abstract: A method is described for detecting exhaust pressure buildup in an engine's exhaust system using information from an exhaust gas recirculation system having a valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Songping Yu, Michael J. Cullen, Freeman C. Gates
  • Patent number: 5613479
    Abstract: A pressure feedback EGR system including an EGR tube having a metering orifice therein and extending between an exhaust passageway and an intake passageway of the internal combustion engine, a first pressure tap connected to the EGR tube on one side of the metering orifice, a second pressure tap connected to the EGR tube on the other side of the metering orifice, and the first pressure tap and the second pressure tap each having an end disposed within the EGR tube and with each end being partially closed to form an orifice extending therethrough to reduce noise from pulsations across the metering orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Freeman C. Gates, Gregory McCliment, Joseph W. Pratt
  • Patent number: 5369989
    Abstract: A simple, reliable, compact and inexpensive automobile engine misfiring detection system includes a basic capacitive pressure transducer, attached to a bleeder pipeline equidistantly from each point where the exhaust manifold is attached to the engine, and made of two closely spaced insulating plates whose opposed faces contain conductive layers, and one of which plates is a flexible diaphragm of low mechanical hysteresis. The transducer is thus coupled to a variable exhaust gas pressure source which under normal operating conditions remains at a substantially constant pressure level. The output signal from the transducer has its high-frequency AC component attenuated by a low-pass filter, whose output in turn has its DC component substantially removed by capacitive blocking, after which the remaining AC output is then amplified by a circuit including an operational amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignees: Ford Motor Company, Kavlico Corporation
    Inventors: Freeman C. Gates, Jr., Kyong M. Park, Niraj Gupta
  • Patent number: 5261271
    Abstract: An exhaust backpressure tester is provided for determining exhaust backpressure in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The tester includes a pressure sensor associated with the exhaust system for sensing pressure therein and generating a first signal representative thereof. A comparator is also provided and is connected to the pressure sensor for receiving the first signal, generating a second signal having a value which is representative of substantially zero backpressure in the exhaust system, processing the first signal to compensate it relative to the second signal, and comparing the processed first signal to the second signal to generate a pressure signal which is indicative of the exhaust backpressure in the exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Robert F. Bihn, Freeman C. Gates, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5241940
    Abstract: An automotive exhaust gas recirculating (EGR) system contains a pressure sensor responsive to the changes in exhaust manifold gas pressure to control the movement of an EGR valve. A water vapor/ice condenser is installed in the exhaust gas signal line to the pressure sensor so that any water vapor/ice present in the exhaust gas will be condensed/precipitated out and not cause a malfunction of the pressure sensor and an erroneous output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Freeman C. Gates, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4401093
    Abstract: A one-piece combination oil fill/air breather cap for an automotive type engine positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system that includes a filter and oil separator chambers below the filter defined by partitions or baffles upon which the oil droplets impinge during reverse flow operation of the PCV system; a double lip flared annular seal operating in tension being sandwiched between the cap lower surface and the engine rocker arm cover to minimize oil leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Freeman C. Gates, Jr., Egils A. Purins