Patents by Inventor Kirk SIEFKER

Kirk SIEFKER 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: 9212570
    Abstract: A finger lever is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The finger lever comprises an inner lever, at least one arm pivotally coupled to the inner lever, and a coupling device operatively displaceable to control movement of the at least one arm relative to the inner lever. The coupling device includes a slide and a piston disposed in a longitudinal bore of the inner lever, the piston having an entraining slot in which at least part of the slide is received, and at least one biasing member arranged to bias the piston relative to the inner lever. The slide is constructed to be displaced in a coupled position or an uncoupled position. In the coupled position the slide is entrained by the at least one arm, and in the uncoupled position the slide is not entrained by the at least one arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Jeff Villemure, Jeffrey Shewell, Kirk Siefker
  • Patent number: 9115609
    Abstract: A finger lever is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The finger lever comprises an inner lever, at least one arm pivotally coupled to the inner lever, and a coupling device operatively displaceable to control movement of the at least one arm relative to the inner lever. The coupling device includes a slide and a piston disposed in a longitudinal bore of the inner lever, the piston having an entraining slot in which at least part of the slide is received, and at least one biasing member arranged to bias the piston relative to the inner lever. The slide is constructed to be displaced in a coupled position or an uncoupled position. In the coupled position the slide is entrained by the at least one arm, and in the uncoupled position the slide is not entrained by the at least one arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Jeff Villemure, Jeffrey Shewell, Kirk Siefker
  • Patent number: 9021996
    Abstract: A finger lever is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The finger lever comprises an inner lever, at least one arm pivotally coupled to the inner lever, and a coupling device operatively displaceable to control movement of the at least one arm relative to the inner lever. The coupling device includes a slide and a piston disposed in a longitudinal bore of the inner lever, the piston having an entraining slot in which at least part of the slide is received, and at least one biasing member arranged to bias the piston relative to the inner lever. The slide is constructed to be displaced in a coupled position or an uncoupled position. In the coupled position the slide is entrained by the at least one arm, and in the uncoupled position the slide is not entrained by the at least one arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Jeff Villemure, Jeffrey Shewell, Kirk Siefker
  • Patent number: 8584630
    Abstract: A switchable roller finger follower for a valvetrain of an internal combustion engine. The switchable roller finger follower includes an elongated body, a cam follower, a locking pin assembly, lost motion springs and a shuttle pad assembly moving horizontally. The locking pin assembly includes a locking pin and hydraulic fluid supply channel, selectively locking and unlocking the shuttle pad assembly, allowing either a high lift or low lift profile to achieve contact with pre-determined profiles of a multi-lobe camshaft which, in turn, provides low lift or high lift operation of an associated gas exchange valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Kirk Siefker
  • Publication number: 20130284135
    Abstract: A finger lever is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The finger lever comprises an inner lever, at least one arm pivotally coupled to the inner lever, and a coupling device operatively displaceable to control movement of the at least one arm relative to the inner lever. The coupling device includes a slide and a piston disposed in a longitudinal bore of the inner lever, the piston having an entraining slot in which at least part of the slide is received, and at least one biasing member arranged to bias the piston relative to the inner lever. The slide is constructed to be displaced in a coupled position or an uncoupled position. In the coupled position the slide is entrained by the at least one arm, and in the uncoupled position the slide is not entrained by the at least one arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Jeff Villemure, Jeffrey Shewell, Kirk Siefker
  • Publication number: 20130284136
    Abstract: A finger lever is provided for a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The finger lever comprises an inner lever, at least one arm pivotally coupled to the inner lever, and a coupling device operatively displaceable to control movement of the at least one arm relative to the inner lever. The coupling device includes a slide and a piston disposed in a longitudinal bore of the inner lever, the piston having an entraining slot in which at least part of the slide is received, and at least one biasing member arranged to bias the piston relative to the inner lever. The slide is constructed to be displaced in a coupled position or an uncoupled position. In the coupled position the slide is entrained by the at least one arm, and in the uncoupled position the slide is not entrained by the at least one arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Debora Manther, Jeff Villemure, Jeffrey Shewell, Kirk Siefker
  • Publication number: 20110239968
    Abstract: A switchable roller finger follower for a valvetrain of an internal combustion engine. The switchable roller finger follower includes an elongated body, a cam follower, a locking pin assembly, lost motion springs and a shuttle pad assembly moving horizontally. The locking pin assembly includes a locking pin and hydraulic fluid supply channel, selectively locking and unlocking the shuttle pad assembly, allowing either a high lift or low lift profile to achieve contact with pre-determined profiles of a multi-lobe camshaft which, in turn, provides low lift or high lift operation of an associated gas exchange valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Kirk SIEFKER