Patents by Inventor Michael Hornby

Michael Hornby 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).

  • Publication number: 20070290070
    Abstract: Dosing structure (30) is provided for supplying diesel fuel to an exhaust passage (12) of a diesel system. The dosing structure includes an electrically operated dosing valve (32) constructed and arranged to receive a supply of diesel fuel and to deliver the fuel to the exhaust passage. A water jacket (34) surrounds at least a portion of the dosing valve so as to provide direct water-cooling of the dosing valve. The dosing valve is preferably an electrically controlled fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20070235569
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a common coil that both actuates a pole-piece and provides inductive heating to a fuel flow path. In one example, a first magnetic field is generated to move the pole-piece in response to a DC signal. A structure within the fuel injector near the fuel flow path is excited and heated in response to a AC signal to the coil that generates a second magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Hornby, John Nally, Hamid Sayar, Perry Czimmek
  • Publication number: 20070235557
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine includes a valve body 14. A valve seat 18 is associated with the valve body. The valve seat defines an outlet opening 24 through which fuel may flow. An armature 38 is associated with the valve body and is movable with respect to the valve body between a first position and a second position. The armature is associated with a closure member 24 proximate the outlet opening and contiguous to the valve seat when in the first position, and spaced from the valve seat when in the second position. An electromagnetic coil 44 is energizable to provide magnetic flux that moves the armature between the first and second positions to control liquid fuel flow through the outlet opening. A heating coil 50 is energizable to provide heat and thereby vaporize liquid fuel as it exits the outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.
    Inventors: Michael Hornby, John Nally
  • Publication number: 20070227127
    Abstract: Dosing structure 30 is provided for supplying diesel fuel to an exhaust passage 12 of a diesel system. The dosing structure includes an electrically operated control valve 31 constructed and arranged to receive a supply of diesel fuel. A dosing valve 32 is constructed and arranged to receive fuel from the control valve and deliver the fuel to the exhaust passage. An extension tube 48 is fluidly coupled between the control valve and the dosing valve to space the control valve from the dosing valve and to permit fuel to be delivered from the control valve, through the extension tube, and to the dosing valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: Siemens VDO Automotive Corp.
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20070187532
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The polymeric housing has a passageway extending between an inlet and an outlet along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway. The metering assembly is secured to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet. The metering assembly has an 0-ring disposed between a seat molded to a polymeric support member. The polymeric support member includes a peripheral portion bonded to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet. A method of sealing a fuel injector outlet end is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133633
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The polymeric housing has a passageway extending between an inlet and an outlet along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway. The metering assembly is secured to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet. The metering assembly has a guide member to guide a closure member through an aperture and along the longitudinal axis. The guide member may be cup-shaped and include offset apertures to allow fuel to travel along the passageway toward the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133632
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The housing has a passageway extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway and has a through opening. The filter assembly has a portion disposed in the through opening of the pole piece. The coil assembly is disposed in the housing to surround the pole piece. The spring member is disposed partly in the pole piece and includes a spring portion contiguous with the portion of the filter assembly. The armature assembly is disposed in the passageway in a first position confronting the end face of the pole piece and in a second position contiguous to an end face of the pole piece. The metering assembly has a seat secured to a polymeric support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050132572
    Abstract: Various methodologies relating to a polymeric fuel injector are disclosed. One method provides for manufacturing the fuel injector by forming a polymeric housing over a coil assembly and electrical connectors to provide a polymeric passage extending from an inlet to an outlet along a longitudinal axis; inserting components into the polymeric passage from at least one of the inlet and outlet; and securing a polymeric support member of a metering assembly to the housing. Another method provides for manufacturing a fuel injector housing by hermetically enclosing a polymeric housing over a coil assembly and electrical connectors to provide a continuous polymeric passage, the polymeric passage directly facing the longitudinal axis. Yet another method provides for manufacturing a metering assembly by providing a seat; and molding at least a portion of the seat to provide a polymeric support member that surrounds the outer circumference of the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133635
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The polymeric housing has a passageway extending between an inlet and an outlet along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway. The metering assembly is secured to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet. The metering assembly has a seat molded to a polymeric support member. The polymeric support member may be cylindrical and bonded to the polymeric bore proximate the outlet. A method of operating the fuel injector is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133631
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The polymeric housing has a passageway extending between an inlet and an outlet along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway, the pole piece having a through opening. The filter assembly has a portion disposed in the through opening of the pole piece. The coil assembly is disposed in the polymeric housing to surround the pole piece. The spring member is disposed partly in the pole piece and including a spring portion contiguous with the portion of the filter assembly. The armature assembly is disposed in the passageway in a first position having a first portion confronting the pole piece and in a second position having a closure member contiguous to an end face of the pole piece. The metering assembly is secured to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133634
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The housing has a passageway extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway and has a through opening. The filter assembly has a portion disposed in the through opening of the pole piece. The coil assembly is disposed in the housing to surround the pole piece. The spring member is disposed partly in the pole piece and includes a spring portion contiguous with the portion of the filter assembly. The armature assembly is disposed in the passageway in a first position confronting the end face of the pole piece and in a second position contiguous to an end face of the pole piece. The metering assembly is disposed proximate the outlet opening and includes a seat and a polymeric support member secured to the polymeric housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133639
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, a metering assembly, and a closure assembly. The polymeric housing includes a continuous polymeric bore that extends from a first external seal proximate an inlet to a second external seal proximate an outlet of the bore along a longitudinal axis. The metering assembly is disposed proximate the second external seal. The closure assembly is disposed proximate the metering assembly, and a portion of the closure assembly is contiguous to the polymeric bore and disposed between the first and second external seals. A method of maintaining leak integrity is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133640
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The polymeric housing has a passageway extending between an inlet and an outlet along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway. The metering assembly is secured to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet. The metering assembly has a seat molded to a polymeric support member via at least one annular ridge. A method of making a metering assembly is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133630
    Abstract: A fuel injector is described that includes a polymeric housing, pole piece, filter assembly, coil assembly, spring member, armature assembly and metering assembly. The polymeric housing has a passageway extending between an inlet and an outlet along a longitudinal axis. The pole piece is disposed in the passageway. The metering assembly is secured to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet. The metering assembly has an O-ring disposed between a seat molded to a polymeric support member. The polymeric support member includes a peripheral portion bonded to the polymeric housing proximate the outlet. A method of sealing a fuel injector outlet end is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Publication number: 20050133638
    Abstract: Methods of forming a hermetic seal between fuel system components are provided. One of the methods can be achieved by passing a light beam through a wall of a polymeric member to an inner surface of the wall that surrounds an outer surface of a polymeric body and defines an internal passage for a flow of fuel; and welding the inner surface of the polymeric member to the outer surface of the polymeric body to provide a hermetic seal at the respective inner and outer surfaces against the flow of fuel. Another method can be achieved by disposing an adhesive on an inner surface of polymeric member that surrounds an outer surface of a polymeric body and defines an internal passage for a flow of fuel; and activating the adhesive to bond the polymeric member to the polymeric body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Michael Hornby
  • Patent number: 6283384
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly with fluid communication cut-outs is disclosed which includes a method of forming a fuel injector that allows weld integrity evaluation between a shell and a body of the fuel injector, the fuel injector having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet, a fuel passageway extending from the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet along a longitudinal axis, the body having an exterior surface, and the shell having an interior surface, the method including the steps of securing the shell to the exterior surface of the body, and cincturing the exterior surface of the body with the interior surface of the shell such that fluid communicates between the exterior surface of the body and the fuel passageway for particular weld integrities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Gordon Wyant, Michael Hornby, Michael P. Dallmeyer