Patents by Inventor Jeff D Fluharty

Jeff D Fluharty 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: 11066965
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for oil flow for hydraulic lash adjusters of a vehicle engine. In one example, an engine cylinder bank includes a plurality of deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters and a plurality of non-deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters. A first linear oil supply passage and a second linear oil supply passage are formed within the cylinder bank and extend linearly through the cylinder bank without bends or curvature to the deactivatable and non-deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters, with the deactivatable and non-deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters having a same length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Jeff D. Fluharty
  • Patent number: 10774698
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
  • Publication number: 20200003089
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
  • Patent number: 10465571
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
  • Publication number: 20190211716
    Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices tor the head bolts directly through the bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
  • Patent number: 10273901
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a cam carrier insert coupled to a cylinder head of an engine. In one example, a system may comprise: a cylinder head with a cam bearing tower; a cam carrier insert positioned in the cylinder head; and a camshaft, the camshaft directly supported by the cam bearing tower and directly supported by the cam carrier insert. By mounting a first portion of the cam shaft to the cam bearing tower and a second portion of the cam shaft on the cam carrier insert, the system may operate deactivatable and non-deactivatable intake or exhaust valves of one or more engine cylinders in the engine. In this way, packaging of engine components within the cylinder head may be improved while promoting better engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Daniel Nelson, John Christopher Riegger, Jeffrey Thomas Lacroix
  • Patent number: 10267259
    Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices for the head bolts directly through the bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
  • Publication number: 20180355770
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine oil system of a cylinder head. In one example, an engine oil system may include a first oil gallery and a second oil gallery fluidly coupled to each other via a plurality of oil chambers. Each oil chamber includes a plug, and one or more of the plugs may include a slot shaped to direct a flow of engine oil from a solenoid valve to the second oil gallery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
  • Publication number: 20180258879
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a cam carrier insert coupled to a cylinder head of an engine. In one example, a system may comprise: a cylinder head with a cam bearing tower; a cam carrier insert positioned in the cylinder head; and a camshaft, the camshaft directly supported by the cam bearing tower and directly supported by the cam carrier insert. By mounting a first portion of the cam shaft to the cam bearing tower and a second portion of the cam shaft on the cam carrier insert, the system may operate deactivatable and non-deactivatable intake or exhaust valves of one or more engine cylinders in the engine. In this way, packaging of engine components within the cylinder head may be improved while promoting better engine performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Daniel Nelson, John Christopher Riegger, Jeffrey Thomas Lacroix
  • Publication number: 20180087469
    Abstract: To improve fuel efficiency, some gasoline engines are equipped with valve deactivators in some of the cylinders so that at low torque conditions only a subset of the total number of cylinders are active. In prior art engines, particularly when they have four valves per cylinder, space is tight. It is known to provide a cam carrier in the head between the cylinder head and the camshaft. The cylinder head bolts pass through the head under the cam carrier. According to the present disclosure, the cam carrier, and its associated disadvantages, is obviated by widening the bearings for the camshafts, using smaller diameter head bolts, and putting the orifices tor the head bolts directly through the bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
  • Patent number: 8875670
    Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
  • Publication number: 20140069357
    Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
  • Patent number: 8584628
    Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
  • Publication number: 20120012073
    Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine is provided. The cylinder head may include an upper cooling jacket including at least a first inlet and a first outlet and a lower cooling jacket including at least a second inlet and a second outlet. The cylinder head may further include a first set of crossover coolant passages including one or more crossover coolant passages fluidly coupled to the upper cooling jacket and the lower cooling jacket and adjacent to one or more combustion chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Jay Brewer, John Christopher Riegger, Dennis G. Barbier, Jeff D. Fluharty, Jody Michael Slike
  • Patent number: 7895992
    Abstract: A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having an engine block with first and second cylinder banks arranged at an angle and longitudinally offset relative to one another and a camshaft disposed within the engine block for actuating valves associated with each cylinder includes first and second cylinder heads associated with the first and second cylinder banks and having an intake runner for each cylinder with an entrance disposed on an outward side, and an exhaust runner for each cylinder exiting the cylinder head on an inward side of the cylinder head generally rearward of an associated cylinder to facilitate positioning of one or more turbochargers and a fuel pump in the valley generally between the cylinder heads with the fuel pump disposed forward of the exhaust runner exits and associated exhaust manifolds while accommodating four valves per cylinder actuated by four pushrods extending through the cylinder heads forward of corresponding exhaust runner exits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Byrne Diggs, Michael Joseph Schrader, Jeff Allen Mullins, Jeff D Fluharty
  • Publication number: 20090078240
    Abstract: A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having an engine block with first and second cylinder banks arranged at an angle and longitudinally offset relative to one another and a camshaft disposed within the engine block for actuating valves associated with each cylinder includes first and second cylinder heads associated with the first and second cylinder banks and having an intake runner for each cylinder with an entrance disposed on an outward side, and an exhaust runner for each cylinder exiting the cylinder head on an inward side of the cylinder head generally rearward of an associated cylinder to facilitate positioning of one or more turbochargers and a fuel pump in the valley generally between the cylinder heads with the fuel pump disposed forward of the exhaust runner exits and associated exhaust manifolds while accommodating four valves per cylinder actuated by four pushrods extending through the cylinder heads forward of corresponding exhaust runner exits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Byrne Diggs, Michael Joseph Schrader, Jeff Allen Mullins, Jeff D. Fluharty
  • Patent number: 7418936
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a plurality of intake and/or exhaust valves associated with each cylinder includes a valvetrain having a fulcrum with a plurality of pivot ball sockets each associated with a rocker arm and pivot ball disposed between the fulcrum and the rocker arm with the fulcrum extending through apertures of the rocker arms and having a plurality of slots, each slot having generally parallel opposing lateral surfaces for receiving and guiding both sides of an associated rocker arm so the rocker arm pivots about the pivot ball in a plane of the rocker arm. The fulcrum can accommodate at least two rocker arms that may operate in non-parallel planes relative to one another and can include bearing and locating surfaces integrally formed to finish dimensions to eliminate machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Byrne Diggs, Jeff D Fluharty