Patents by Inventor Patrick J. Westphal

Patrick J. Westphal 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: 5186487
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises dampers changeable between low and high damping modes and normally operated in the low damping mode. A damper control stores a plurality of sets of reference numbers as a function of vehicle velocity, the reference numbers of each set representing limit values of throttle velocity for the low damping mode for a given transmission gear mode. The reference numbers of each set increase in value with increasing vehicle velocity in a continuously non-linear manner so as to compensate for the decreasing acceleration and body lift produced by a given throttle velocity as vehicle velocity increases. The control changes the damper from low to high damping during vehicle acceleration for a predetermined time when the throttle velocity exceeds a throttle velocity limit reference derived from the reference number corresponding to the vehicle velocity in the set corresponding to the selected transmission gear mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Fred G. Wood, David C. Poirier, Douglas C. Campbell, Howard H. Ludwig, Patrick J. Westphal
  • Patent number: 5163702
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises dampers changeable between low and high damping modes and normally operated in the low damping mode. A damper control stores a plurality of sets of reference numbers as a function of vehicle velocity, the reference numbers of each set representing limit values of throttle velocity for the low damping mode for a given transmission gear mode. The reference numbers of each set increase in value with increasing vehicle velocity in a continuously non-linear manner so as to compensate for the decreasing acceleration and body lift produced by a given throttle velocity as vehicle velocity increases. The control changes the damper from low to high damping during vehicle acceleration for a predetermined time when the throttle velocity exceeds a throttle velocity limit reference derived from the reference number corresponding to the vehicle velocity in the set corresponding to the selected transmission gear mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Fred G. Wood, Douglas C. Campbell, Howard H. Ludwig, Patrick J. Westphal, David C. Poirier
  • Patent number: 5163705
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises dampers changeable between low and high damping modes and normally operated in the low damping mode. A damper control stores a plurality of sets of reference numbers as a function of vehicle velocity, the reference numbers of each set representing limit values of throttle velocity for the low damping mode for a given transmission gear mode. The reference numbers of each set increase in value with increasing vehicle velocity in a continuously non-linear manner so as to compensate for the decreasing acceleration and body lift produced by a given throttle velocity as vehicle velocity increases. The control changes the damper from low to high damping during vehicle acceleration for a predetermined time when the throtle velocity exceeds a throttle velocity limit reference derived from the reference number corresponding to the vehicle velocity in the set corresponding to the selected transmission gear mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas C. Campbell, Howard H. Ludwig, Fred G. Wood, David C. Poirier, Patrick J. Westphal
  • Patent number: 5142479
    Abstract: The fuel control routine of an engine control module sets a cold enrichment schedule used for engine starting when the engine is cold. The enrichment value is dependent on coolant temperature. To prevent plug fouling in a new vehicle subject to short engine run times, the enrichment value is reduced if the mileage is below 50 miles, the coolant temperature is within set limits and the previous engine run time was shorter than a set period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Poirier, Peter M. Medich, Robert C. Cameron, Patrick J. Westphal, Robert C. Simon, Jr.