Patents by Inventor James J. Kowalik

James J. Kowalik 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: 5465209
    Abstract: A method of determining the trim set value of a vehicle body leveling system comprising the steps of: receiving a trim set command; responsive to the trim set command, retrieving a sensor output from a vehicle height sensor; determining a difference value between the sensor output and a predetermined offset, wherein the offset is indicative of an effect an average sized operator would have on the vehicle height as measured by said height sensor; and programming the difference value into a memory of a level control system, wherein the programmed value is the trim set value for the level control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Steven P. Sammut, Marc J. Georgin, Bruce A. Heaston, Kamal N. Majeed, James J. Kowalik
  • Patent number: 5112116
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is provided including a master cylinder and a wheel brake. A controller cognizant of the rotational condition of the wheel provides a signal when the wheel condition is within preset parameters. An actuator frame is also provided having a bore fluidly communicating with the wheel brake. A piston is mounted within the bore for providing a variable control volume in communication with the wheel brake and for modulating the pressure therein. A reversible motor reciprocally powers the piston. The motor has a rotor with a connected disc. A friction surface is provided for engagement with the disc to lock the position of the piston. A plunger is also provided to urge the friction surface into engagement with the disc. An electromagnetic core, responsive to a signal by the controller, moves the plunger to a position allowing cessation of engagement between the friction surface and the disc thereby allowing rotation of the motor and movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Naila Mikhaeil-Boules, Robert J. Hammersmith, Kevin G. Leppek, Paul D. Wilkey, Thomas H. Gardner, Dennis J. Ricker, James J. Kowalik
  • Patent number: 5000523
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is provided including a master cylinder and a wheel brake. An ABS controller cognizant of the rotational condition of the wheel provide a signal when the wheel condition is within preset parameters. An isolation valve responsive to close upon an activation signal given by said controller prevents fluid communication between the master cylinder and the wheel brake. An actuator frame is also provided having a bore fluidly communicating with the wheel brake. A piston is mounted within the bore for providing a variable control volume in communication with said wheel brake for and modulating the pressure therein. A reversible motor reciprocally powers piston. The motor has a rotor with a connected disc. A friction surface is provided for engagement with the disc to lock the position of the piston. A plunger is also provided to urge said friction surface into engagement with said disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Naila Mikhaeil-Boules, Robert J. Hammersmith, Kevin G. Leppek, Paul D. Wilkey, Thomas H. Gardner, Dennis J. Ricker, James J. Kowalik
  • Patent number: 4939655
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension system has at least one leveling device with a leveling sensor. Leveling action is ordinarily initiated when a sensor indicates height out of a dead band around the calibrated level for the sensor; however, such leveling action is prevented when the vehicle is not moving but has moved since the last opening of one or more selected vehicle doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kamal N. Majeed, James J. Kowalik
  • Patent number: 4829436
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension system has at least one leveling device with a leveling sensor on each side of the vehicle. Leveling action is initiated when a sensor indicates height out of a dead band around the calibrated level for the sensor. Once initiated, leveling action occurs independently for all devices in closed loop to target levels, different for intake and exhaust, which allow overshoot to a common intermediate level, the intermediate level allowing settling to the calibrated level. Order of leveling is rear first with intake before exhaust and then front with exhaust before intake to prevent the rear from falling below the front. Leveling is prevented when the vehicle is not moving but has moved since the last opening of one or more selected vehicle doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Kowalik, Kamal N. Majeed
  • Patent number: 4665488
    Abstract: A control for separately driven, potentially interfering wiper blades includes position sensors for each wiper blade and a memory which stores, for each pattern, numbers representing inner and outer wipe positions with acceleration, constant velocity and deceleration regions therebetween and a command velocity for the constant velocity regions. The memory further stores numbers defining a zone of potential blade interference and, for each position of each blade within this zone, a non-interference zone for the other blade. The control further includes closed loop velocity control apparatus responsive to the signals from the position sensors and the command velocity to maintain the command velocity in the constant velocity region, accelerate to the command velocity in the acceleration region and decelerate from the command velocity in the deceleration region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Graham, James J. Kowalik, Alexander Kade
  • Patent number: 4431954
    Abstract: Windshield wiper apparatus for a motor vehicle includes a first wiper pivoted below the driver side of the windshield and capable of wiping an arc between the bottom center and the driver side end thereof, a second wiper pivoted to the passenger side of the pivot of the first and capable of wiping an arc between the bottoms of the driver and passenger sides thereof, said arcs having a substantial portion of overlap on the driver side, first and second motors effective to drive the first and second wipers at substantially similar speeds and control apparatus having a mode of operation in which it is effective to drive the wipers in tandem from the bottom of the windshield to the end of the arc of the first wiper at the driver end of the windshield, hold the first wiper in that position while driving the second wiper to the bottom of the driver side and back and then drive both wipers in tandem back to the starting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Keith H. Carpenter, Donald E. Graham, James J. Kowalik