Patents by Inventor Lee B. Moonen

Lee B. Moonen 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).

  • CYLINDER HEAD SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME
    Publication number: 20130061827
    Abstract: A cylinder head system for an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head defining an annular port therein having a central longitudinal axis, and a valve seat insert disposed within the port. The valve seat insert includes an outer annular surface configured for abutting the cylinder head and a detection surface concentric with and spaced apart from the outer annular surface. The detection surface has a protrusion thereon extending radially toward the central longitudinal axis. The cylinder head system also includes a valve insertable into the port and configured for translating along the axis during operation of the engine. A method of forming the cylinder head system includes inserting the valve seat insert into the port. After inserting, the method includes removing the protrusion to thereby form an indicator face. After removing, the method includes disposing the valve within the port to thereby form the cylinder head system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Lee B. Moonen
  • System and method for valve seat gap evaluation
    Patent number: 8274053
    Abstract: A method of detecting a gap between a valve seat insert and a port in a cylinder head may include heating the valve seat insert and the cylinder head and generating a thermal image of the valve seat insert and the cylinder head at an interface between the valve seat insert and corresponding port in the cylinder head housing the valve seat insert. The thermal image may be evaluated to determine the magnitude of a gap between the valve seat insert and the cylinder head based on a temperature at the interface between the valve seat insert and the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Lee B. Moonen, John S. Agapiou, Daniel L. Simon
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VALVE SEAT GAP EVALUATION
    Publication number: 20100230598
    Abstract: A method of detecting a gap between a valve seat insert and a port in a cylinder head may include heating the valve seat insert and the cylinder head and generating a thermal image of the valve seat insert and the cylinder head at an interface between the valve seat insert and corresponding port in the cylinder head housing the valve seat insert. The thermal image may be evaluated to determine the magnitude of a gap between the valve seat insert and the cylinder head based on a temperature at the interface between the valve seat insert and the cylinder head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: LEE B. MOONEN, JOHN S. AGAPIOU, DANIEL L. SIMON