Patents by Inventor Kathleen H. Stroia

Kathleen H. Stroia 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: 7066152
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system is provided with a fuel solenoid valve to minimize fuel leakage and evaporative emissions during diurnal cycles by preventing pressure buildup as the temperature of the fuel system rises. The fuel solenoid valve is located between a pressurized side of the delivery system and a fuel tank. In one embodiment, the fuel solenoid valve is closed when the engine is running or when the engine is off and the rail is hot. When the fuel rail cools down, the solenoid valve opens to bleed a desired amount of fuel thereby creating a fuel vapor space. Thereafter, during hot soak conditions of the diurnal cycles when the fuel rail is hot again while the engine is off, the pressure will rise due to the thermal expansion of the fuel and the created fuel vapor space minimizes further rising of the fuel pressure. Further, by adjusting the solenoid valve opening time, the pressure rising limit may be set at a desired pressure to minimize injector leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Kathleen H. Stroia, Stephen T. Kempfer, Dequan Yu, Matti K. Vint, Ross D. Pursifull