Patents by Inventor Matthew T. Hamilton

Matthew T. Hamilton 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).

  • Fuel injector for an internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 10626834
    Abstract: A vehicle component includes a surface that is configured to contact a fuel containing ethanol and zinc ions. A sacrificial carbon layer is disposed on the surface. The sacrificial carbon layer has a thickness of greater than or equal to about 250 nm to less than or equal to about 5 ?m. The sacrificial carbon layer includes carbon that is configured to complex and solubilize ZnO deposited on the surface, wherein the ZnO forms from the zinc ions carried by the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Zhongyi Liu, Michael P. Balogh, Nicholas P. Irish, Matthew T. Hamilton
  • Fuel pump coolant cap assembly
    Patent number: 10174725
    Abstract: A fuel pump coolant assembly includes a fuel pump cap having a flanged bottom surface and a fuel pump support structure. A fuel cooling ring disposed between the fuel pump cap and the fuel pump support structure, wherein a sealed coolant cavity is formed by a portion of an external surface of the fuel pump support structure and an internal surface of the fuel cooling ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Kevin W. Herrala, Michael Kaczmar, Matthew T. Hamilton
  • Method and system for fuel control in a vehicle propulsion system
    Patent number: 10161348
    Abstract: A fuel system for a vehicle propulsion system includes a fuel temperature determination module that determines a temperature of a fuel, a fuel pressure determination module that determines a pressure of the fuel, a prime determination module that determines whether the determined fuel temperature is above a vaporization temperature on a predetermined distillation curve and the fuel pressure is below the predetermined distillation curve at the determined fuel temperature, and a controller programmed to command operation of a fuel pump in response to the prime determination module determining that the determined fuel temperature is above a vaporization temperature on the predetermined distillation curve and the fuel pressure is below the predetermined distillation curve at the determined fuel temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventors: Andrew M. Shaw, Rafat F Hattar, Matthew T Hamilton
  • FUEL INJECTOR FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
    Publication number: 20170321645
    Abstract: A vehicle component includes a surface that is configured to contact a fuel containing ethanol and zinc ions. A sacrificial carbon layer is disposed on the surface. The sacrificial carbon layer has a thickness of greater than or equal to about 250 nm to less than or equal to about 5 ?m. The sacrificial carbon layer includes carbon that is configured to complex and solubilize ZnO deposited on the surface, wherein the ZnO forms from the zinc ions carried by the fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Zhongyi Liu, Michael P. Balogh, Nicholas P. Irish, Matthew T. Hamilton
  • Engine position detection using manifold pressure
    Patent number: 5321979
    Abstract: The absolute angular position of an internal combustion engine is determined by monitoring engine intake manifold pressure at a strategic position in the manifold affected most significantly by the intake event of a predetermined cylinder. A significant or maximum depression in manifold pressure over each engine cycle then is indicative of the intake stroke of the predetermined cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignees: General Motors Corporation, Delco Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: David G. Mc Kendry, Kenneth D. Leininger, Mark G. Thomas, Matthew T. Hamilton