Patents by Inventor Michael William Soltis

Michael William Soltis 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: 11326558
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting an evaporative emissions test on a fuel system and an emissions control system in a vehicle. In one example, in response to an indication that a vehicle parking condition may result in the isolation of the fuel system from the emissions control system via the unintentional closing of fuel tank valves, a vehicle's active suspension system may be employed in order to level the vehicle a determined amount such that the fuel system isolation issues may be mitigated prior to an evaporative emissions test procedure. In this way, the entire fuel system and emissions control system may be diagnosed for potential undesired emissions, and potential violations of regulatory requirements for evaporative emissions testing may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Scott A. Bohr, Matthew Werner, Michael William Soltis
  • Publication number: 20190203668
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting an evaporative emissions test on a fuel system and an emissions control system in a vehicle. In one example, in response to an indication that a vehicle parking condition may result in the isolation of the fuel system from the emissions control system via the unintentional closing of fuel tank valves, a vehicle's active suspension system may be employed in order to level the vehicle a determined amount such that the fuel system isolation issues may be mitigated prior to an evaporative emissions test procedure. In this way, the entire fuel system and emissions control system may be diagnosed for potential undesired emissions, and potential violations of regulatory requirements for evaporative emissions testing may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Scott A. Bohr, Matthew Werner, Michael William Soltis
  • Patent number: 10253728
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting an evaporative emissions test on a fuel system and an emissions control system in a vehicle. In one example, in response to an indication that a vehicle parking condition may result in the isolation of the fuel system from the emissions control system via the unintentional closing of fuel tank valves, a vehicle's active suspension system may be employed in order to level the vehicle a determined amount such that the fuel system isolation issues may be mitigated prior to an evaporative emissions test procedure. In this way, the entire fuel system and emissions control system may be diagnosed for potential undesired emissions, and potential violations of regulatory requirements for evaporative emissions testing may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Scott A. Bohr, Matthew Werner, Michael William Soltis
  • Publication number: 20170130680
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting an evaporative emissions test on a fuel system and an emissions control system in a vehicle. In one example, in response to an indication that a vehicle parking condition may result in the isolation of the fuel system from the emissions control system via the unintentional closing of fuel tank valves, a vehicle's active suspension system may be employed in order to level the vehicle a determined amount such that the fuel system isolation issues may be mitigated prior to an evaporative emissions test procedure. In this way, the entire fuel system and emissions control system may be diagnosed for potential undesired emissions, and potential violations of regulatory requirements for evaporative emissions testing may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Aed M. Dudar, Scott A. Bohr, Matthew Werner, Michael William Soltis
  • Patent number: 9186982
    Abstract: A fuel tank having an interior space defined by a wall, a fill tube to admit fuel into the interior space, and a vent to discharge air and vapor from the interior space as the fuel is admitted. The vent includes a vent tube extending through the wall and downward into the interior space, and having a non-circular opening. In this manner ejection of fuel from the fill tube can be prevented reliably under a wide range of refueling conditions, and without imparting excessive length to the vent tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Damien Baldwin, Michael William Soltis, Jeffrey Dumler
  • Publication number: 20140053947
    Abstract: A fuel tank having an interior space defined by a wall, a fill tube to admit fuel into the interior space, and a vent to discharge air and vapor from the interior space as the fuel is admitted. The vent includes a vent tube extending through the wall and downward into the interior space, and having a non-circular opening. In this manner ejection of fuel from the fill tube can be prevented reliably under a wide range of refueling conditions, and without imparting excessive length to the vent tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Damien Baldwin, Michael William Soltis, Jeffrey Dumler
  • Patent number: 6412476
    Abstract: A fuel system 10 which selectively receives, stores and delivers volatile fuel 16. Fuel system 10 includes a variable volume fuel tank 12 having a movable piston 22 which is attached to a pair of bellows diaphragm members 26, 28. Members 26, 28 selectively contract and expand to move piston 22 within tank 12, effective to alter the volume of the fuel containing portion 14 of tank 12, thereby maintaining fuel 16 in a pressurized state and substantially preventing the accumulation of vapors within tank 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Tech., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Thompson, Michael Joseph Harrigan, Sr., Michael William Soltis