Patents by Inventor Mark W. THIBAULT

Mark W. THIBAULT 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: 10113502
    Abstract: A cylinder head includes an inner structural member having a plate forming a deck face of the cylinder head and forming at least one dished cylinder roof, and a plurality of cylinder head bolt columns extending from the plate. An outer member is supported by the inner structural member and forms a cooling jacket, intake ports, and exhaust ports. Passages of the cooling jacket are lined with metal walls in contact with the composite structure of the outer member. A method of forming a cylinder head includes positioning a structural insert and a lost core insert in a tool, and injecting material into the tool to form a body surrounding the structural insert and the lost core insert thereby forming a head preform. The lost core insert is shaped to form a cooling jacket and has a lost core material generally encapsulated in a metal shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Clifford E. Maki, Antony George Schepak, Mathew Leonard Hintzen, Mark W. Thibault, Christopher Donald Wicks
  • Patent number: 10066577
    Abstract: Extruded cylinder liners and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The extruded engine cylinder liner may include a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and defining an inner surface and an outer surface. A plurality of spaced apart features may protrude from the outer surface and may extend in a direction oblique to the longitudinal axis. The method may include extruding a metal material through a die to form a cylindrical body defining an inner surface and an outer surface and a plurality of spaced apart features protruding from the outer surface. The die may be rotated about a longitudinal axis during at least a portion of the extruding step such that the features extend in a direction oblique to the longitudinal axis. The oblique features may allow parent casting material to enter channels therebetween and prevent the liner from moving in the vertical and horizontal directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Clifford E. Maki, Antony George Schepak, Mathew Leonard Hintzen, James Maurice Boileau, Mark W. Thibault
  • Patent number: 10036346
    Abstract: An engine has a cylinder block formed by a block material and defining at least one cylinder. The block defines a lubrication circuit with fluid passages including an inlet passage, a main oil gallery, a crankshaft bearing lubrication passage, and a piston ring lubrication passage. The fluid passages are formed by continuous metal walls in contact with and surrounded by the block material. At least one of the fluid passages is curved. A method of forming a component with an internal pressurized lubrication circuit includes positioning a lost core insert in a tool, with the insert shaped to form a lubrication circuit. The lost core insert has a lost core material generally encapsulated in a continuous metal shell, and at least one curved section. Material is provided into the tool to form a body surrounding the lost core insert thereby forming a component preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Clifford E. Maki, Antony George Schepak, Mathew Leonard Hintzen, Mark W. Thibault
  • Publication number: 20170248097
    Abstract: Extruded cylinder liners and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The extruded engine cylinder liner may include a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and defining an inner surface and an outer surface. A plurality of spaced apart features may protrude from the outer surface and may extend in a direction oblique to the longitudinal axis. The method may include extruding a metal material through a die to form a cylindrical body defining an inner surface and an outer surface and a plurality of spaced apart features protruding from the outer surface. The die may be rotated about a longitudinal axis during at least a portion of the extruding step such that the features extend in a direction oblique to the longitudinal axis. The oblique features may allow parent casting material to enter channels therebetween and prevent the liner from moving in the vertical and horizontal directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Clifford E. MAKI, Antony George SCHEPAK, Mathew Leonard HINTZEN, James Maurice BOILEAU, Mark W. THIBAULT
  • Patent number: 9719461
    Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block defining at least one main bearing bulkhead adjacent to a cylinder, and a crankshaft rotatably housed within the block by a main bearing. A bulkhead insert has a cap portion, and an insert portion provided within the bulkhead. The insert portion has having first and second end regions connected by first and second straps. Each strap having a flanged beam cross section. The first and second ends of the insert portion are configured to connect a main bearing cap column to a cylinder head column. Each of the first and second end regions define at least one protrusion having a surface substantially normal to engine combustion and reactive loads. The cap portion is configured to mate with the first end region at the main bearing cap column and support the main bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Clifford E. Maki, Jeffrey Eliot Chottiner, Rick L. Williams, Mark W. Thibault, James Douglas Ervin, James Maurice Boileau, Bryan McKeough
  • Publication number: 20170074205
    Abstract: An engine has a cylinder block formed by a block material and defining at least one cylinder. The block defines a lubrication circuit with fluid passages including an inlet passage, a main oil gallery, a crankshaft bearing lubrication passage, and a piston ring lubrication passage. The fluid passages are formed by continuous metal walls in contact with and surrounded by the block material. At least one of the fluid passages is curved. A method of forming a component with an internal pressurized lubrication circuit includes positioning a lost core insert in a tool, with the insert shaped to form a lubrication circuit. The lost core insert has a lost core material generally encapsulated in a continuous metal shell, and at least one curved section. Material is provided into the tool to form a body surrounding the lost core insert thereby forming a component preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Clifford E. MAKI, Antony George SCHEPAK, Mathew Leonard HINTZEN, Mark W. THIBAULT
  • Publication number: 20170067413
    Abstract: A cylinder head includes an inner structural member having a plate forming a deck face of the cylinder head and forming at least one dished cylinder roof, and a plurality of cylinder head bolt columns extending from the plate. An outer member is supported by the inner structural member and forms a cooling jacket, intake ports, and exhaust ports. Passages of the cooling jacket are lined with metal walls in contact with the composite structure of the outer member. A method of forming a cylinder head includes positioning a structural insert and a lost core insert in a tool, and injecting material into the tool to form a body surrounding the structural insert and the lost core insert thereby forming a head preform. The lost core insert is shaped to form a cooling jacket and has a lost core material generally encapsulated in a metal shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Clifford E. MAKI, Antony George SCHEPAK, Mathew Leonard HINTZEN, Mark W. THIBAULT, Christopher Donald WICKS
  • Publication number: 20160237946
    Abstract: An engine includes a cylinder block defining at least one main bearing bulkhead adjacent to a cylinder, and a crankshaft rotatably housed within the block by a main bearing. A bulkhead insert has a cap portion, and an insert portion provided within the bulkhead. The insert portion has having first and second end regions connected by first and second straps. Each strap having a flanged beam cross section. The first and second ends of the insert portion are configured to connect a main bearing cap column to a cylinder head column. Each of the first and second end regions define at least one protrusion having a surface substantially normal to engine combustion and reactive loads. The cap portion is configured to mate with the first end region at the main bearing cap column and support the main bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Clifford E. MAKI, Jeffrey Eliot CHOTTINER, Rick L. WILLIAMS, Mark W. THIBAULT, James Douglas ERVIN, James Maurice BOILEAU, Bryan McKEOUGH