Patents by Inventor John Christopher Riegger
John Christopher Riegger 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).
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Patent number: 10774698Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Publication number: 20200003089Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2019Publication date: January 2, 2020Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Patent number: 10465571Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 13, 2017Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Publication number: 20190211716Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2019Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Patent number: 10344705Abstract: An engine has a cylinder head defining an intake port with a roof defining first and second valve guide bores upstream of first and second siamesed intake valve seats for a cylinder. The head has first and second asymmetric fairings extending outwardly from the roof and positioned directly upstream of respective bores. Each fairing has an inner wall intersecting an outer wall along an upstream edge and an inclined planar roof wall extending between the inner and outer walls. A method of forming the cylinder head and engine is also provided by milling the fairings from a roof preform formed with the intake port of the head.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Christopher Riegger, Jeffrey D. Fluharty, Philip Damian Cierpial, Abhijyoth Vempati
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Patent number: 10330053Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a turbocharged engine are described. In one example, a system comprises a cylinder head having a first and second exhaust duct separately coupled to first and second groups of cylinders, each of the first and second exhaust ducts leading to an exhaust driven turbine mounted inside the cylinder head on a bearing, the bearing located within a bearing housing supported by the cylinder head. In this way, exhaust pulses remain separate up to the turbine mounted inside the cylinder head.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2013Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Robert Andrew Wade, John Christopher Riegger
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Patent number: 10273901Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Daniel Nelson, John Christopher Riegger, Jeffrey Thomas Lacroix
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Patent number: 10267259Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Publication number: 20180355770Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Jonathan Denis Crowe, John Christopher Riegger, James E. Froling
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Patent number: 10087894Abstract: An engine is provided with a cylinder head having a bridge region surrounded by an exhaust face, an exhaust passage intersecting the exhaust face, and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage fluidly coupled to the exhaust passage and intersecting the exhaust face. The head defines an upper cooling jacket having a cavity or fluid passage extending from the jacket towards a head deck face and to a closed end wall within the bridge region. The cylinder head is cooled by directing coolant from a lower jacket to an upper jacket via a drill passage adjacent to an exhaust face of the head, diverting the coolant exiting the drill passage into the fluid passage or cavity along a rib. Coolant is then directed from the fluid passage into an EGR cooling passage formed by the upper jacket adjacent to the exhaust face and about the EGR passage.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2016Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Theodore Beyer, Brian W. Lizotte, Charles Joseph Patanis, Philip Damian Cierpial, Shane Keough, John Christopher Riegger
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Publication number: 20180258879Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2017Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Jeff D. Fluharty, Forest Heggie, Robert Stephen Furby, Daniel Nelson, John Christopher Riegger, Jeffrey Thomas Lacroix
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Publication number: 20180106214Abstract: An engine has a cylinder head defining an intake port with a roof defining first and second valve guide bores upstream of first and second siamesed intake valve seats for a cylinder. The head has first and second asymmetric fairings extending outwardly from the roof and positioned directly upstream of respective bores. Each fairing has an inner wall intersecting an outer wall along an upstream edge and an inclined planar roof wall extending between the inner and outer walls. A method of forming the cylinder head and engine is also provided by milling the fairings from a roof preform formed with the intake port of the head.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2016Publication date: April 19, 2018Inventors: John Christopher RIEGGER, Jeffrey D. FLUHARTY, Philip Damian CIERPIAL, Abhijyoth VEMPATI
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Patent number: 9945282Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block with first and second saw cuts intersecting a block face on opposed sides of a block bore bridge. A cylinder head has third and fourth saw cuts intersecting a head face on opposed sides of a head bore bridge. A gasket is placed between the block and the head. The gasket defines a cooling passage adapted to fluidly connect the first, second, third and fourth saw cuts and cool the interbore region of the engine. The cooling passage has an inlet and a pair of outlets.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2016Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Theodore Beyer, John Christopher Riegger, Jody Michael Slike, Mohammed Yusuf Ali, Ian Cattermole, Mathew Leonard Hintzen
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Publication number: 20180087469Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2016Publication date: March 29, 2018Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: John Christopher Riegger, Theodore Beyer, Jeff D. Fluharty
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Patent number: 9840961Abstract: An engine is provided with a cylinder head defining a coolant jacket therein that is formed from a series of passages interconnected by a series of curved junctions to direct coolant about spark plugs, exhaust valves, and an integrated exhaust manifold in the head. The cooling jacket has a first longitudinal passage with an annular section about a spark plug, a second longitudinal passage with an annular section about an exhaust valve, and a third passage surrounding an integrated exhaust manifold and fluidly connecting the first and second passages. The first passage has a continuously decreasing area and the second passage has a continuously increasing area in a direction of coolant flow.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Justin Craft, John Christopher Riegger, Philip Damian Cierpial
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Publication number: 20170306831Abstract: An engine is provided with a cylinder head defining a coolant jacket therein that is formed from a series of passages interconnected by a series of curved junctions to direct coolant about spark plugs, exhaust valves, and an integrated exhaust manifold in the head. The cooling jacket has a first longitudinal passage with an annular section about a spark plug, a second longitudinal passage with an annular section about an exhaust valve, and a third passage surrounding an integrated exhaust manifold and fluidly connecting the first and second passages. The first passage has a continuously decreasing area and the second passage has a continuously increasing area in a direction of coolant flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Justin CRAFT, John Christopher RIEGGER, Philip Damian CIERPIAL
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Publication number: 20170254298Abstract: An engine is provided with a cylinder head having a bridge region surrounded by an exhaust face, an exhaust passage intersecting the exhaust face, and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage fluidly coupled to the exhaust passage and intersecting the exhaust face. The head defines an upper cooling jacket having a cavity or fluid passage extending from the jacket towards a head deck face and to a closed end wall within the bridge region. The cylinder head is cooled by directing coolant from a lower jacket to an upper jacket via a drill passage adjacent to an exhaust face of the head, diverting the coolant exiting the drill passage into the fluid passage or cavity along a rib. Coolant is then directed from the fluid passage into an EGR cooling passage formed by the upper jacket adjacent to the exhaust face and about the EGR passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2016Publication date: September 7, 2017Inventors: Theodore BEYER, Brian W. LIZOTTE, Charles Joseph PATANIS, Philip Damian CIERPIAL, Shane KEOUGH, John Christopher RIEGGER
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Patent number: 9670822Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block with first and second saw cuts intersecting a block face on opposed sides of a block bore bridge. A cylinder head has third and fourth saw cuts intersecting a head face on opposed sides of a head bore bridge. A gasket is placed between the block and the head. The gasket defines a cooling passage adapted to fluidly connect the first, second, third and fourth saw cuts and cool the interbore region of the engine. The cooling passage has an inlet and a pair of outlets.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2014Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Theodore Beyer, John Christopher Riegger, Jody Michael Slike, Mohammed Yusuf Ali, Ian Cattermole, Mathew Leonard Hintzen
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Patent number: 9664153Abstract: A cylinder head for an engine defines first and second exhaust runners fluidly coupled to an exhaust passage extending transversely in the head to an exhaust port on an exhaust side. The head defines an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage connected to the exhaust passage and extending longitudinally to an EGR port on the exhaust side. The head also defines a cooling jacket passage adjacent to and substantially surrounding the EGR passage to cool EGR gases prior to cooling by an EGR cooler.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2015Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Theodore Beyer, Charles Joseph Patanis, William Spence, Jody Michael Slike, John Christopher Riegger
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Publication number: 20170037810Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block with first and second saw cuts intersecting a block face on opposed sides of a block bore bridge. A cylinder head has third and fourth saw cuts intersecting a head face on opposed sides of a head bore bridge. A gasket is placed between the block and the head. The gasket defines a cooling passage adapted to fluidly connect the first, second, third and fourth saw cuts and cool the interbore region of the engine. The cooling passage has an inlet and a pair of outlets.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Theodore BEYER, John Christopher RIEGGER, Jody Michael SLIKE, Mohammed Yusuf ALI, Ian CATTERMOLE, Mathew Leonard HINTZEN