Patents by Inventor Jeff Fluharty

Jeff 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: 11692503
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a cylinder head with an exterior wall including a removable camshaft carrier. In one example, a cylinder head includes a camshaft carrier removably couplable to a mount surface of the cylinder head and adapted to form a portion of an exterior wall of the cylinder head while coupled to the mount surface. The camshaft carrier may include a first section removably couplable to the cylinder head and a second section removably couplable to the first section, with the first section and the second section together shaped to receive a camshaft journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Chad Ramsby, Robert Stephen Furby
  • Patent number: 11492934
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for oil flow for a variable displacement engine of a vehicle. In one example, a system may include an engine having a plurality of deactivatable cylinders capped by a cylinder head, an oil supply passage formed in the cylinder head and joined to a first oil inlet, deactivatable hydraulic lash adjusters (HLAs) arranged along a flow path of the oil supply passage, and a primer filter disposed within the cylinder head and fluidly coupling the oil supply passage to a second oil inlet. Oil may flow through the primer filter to the oil supply passage to maintain a flow rate of oil through the oil supply passage above a pre-determined flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Fluharty, Jonathan Crowe
  • Patent number: 11441474
    Abstract: Systems for an integrated exhaust manifold cylinder head are provided. In one example, an exhaust manifold for a vehicle includes a plurality of exhaust runners coupling a plurality of cylinder exhaust gas outlet ports to an exhaust exit port, the plurality of exhaust runners forming at least a first exhaust passage and a second exhaust passage at the exhaust exit port; an upper cooling jacket positioned vertically above the first exhaust passage; a lower cooling jacket positioned vertically below the second exhaust passage; and a central cooling jacket positioned vertically below the first exhaust passage and vertically above the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Phil Cierpial, Chad Ramsby, Jon LaCroix
  • Publication number: 20220178327
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a cylinder head with an exterior wall including a removable camshaft carrier. In one example, a cylinder head includes a camshaft carrier removably couplable to a mount surface of the cylinder head and adapted to form a portion of an exterior wall of the cylinder head while coupled to the mount surface. The camshaft carrier may include a first section removably couplable to the cylinder head and a second section removably couplable to the first section, with the first section and the second section together shaped to receive a camshaft journal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Jeff Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Chad Ramsby, Robert Stephen Furby
  • Publication number: 20220154624
    Abstract: Systems for an integrated exhaust manifold cylinder head are provided. In one example, an exhaust manifold for a vehicle includes a plurality of exhaust runners coupling a plurality of cylinder exhaust gas outlet ports to an exhaust exit port, the plurality of exhaust runners forming at least a first exhaust passage and a second exhaust passage at the exhaust exit port; an upper cooling jacket positioned vertically above the first exhaust passage; a lower cooling jacket positioned vertically below the second exhaust passage; and a central cooling jacket positioned vertically below the first exhaust passage and vertically above the second passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Jeff Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Phil Cierpial, Chad Ramsby, Jon LaCroix
  • Patent number: 7334572
    Abstract: A system and method for securing a fuel injector in an internal combustion engine include a clamp for securing adjacent injectors to a cylinder head. The clamp includes a central portion with a hole for receiving a fastener to secure the clamp to the cylinder head, and a pair of symmetrical crescent-shaped clamping forks forming a U-shaped opening to facilitate lateral sliding engagement with diametrically opposed flatted portions of corresponding fuel injectors. Each arm includes an arcuate pad that engages a corresponding shoulder of the fuel injector to provide an axial clamping force to the fuel injector. The distance between the distal ends of one fork and the semicircular portion of the opposite fork is selected to allow lateral sliding disengagement of the clamp from one of the adjacent injectors without rotation or removal of the other injector to facilitate servicing of individual injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Diggs, Jeff Fluharty, Robert Yambasky, Mark Googasian, Michael Schrader