Patents by Inventor Robert Halsall

Robert Halsall 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: 8573513
    Abstract: An inlet check valve assembly with flame arresting feature. An internal flame arresting feature utilizes a flame arrester body attached to a valve member which protrudes into the valve throat. An external flame arresting feature utilizes a hood concentrically disposed relative to the valve member. The flame arresting feature is configured relative to movement of the valve member with respect to the throat such that fluidic communication between the fuel fill pipe and the fuel tank is limited to less than the minimum flame propagation distance of the fuel and air mixture in which a combustible mixture may exist in the fuel fill pipe, whereby any flame front in the fuel fill pipe will quench thereat before reaching the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Vincent J. Marsala, Scott W. Jorgensen, Robert Halsall
  • Publication number: 20120298385
    Abstract: An inlet check valve assembly with flame arresting feature. An internal flame arresting feature utilizes a flame arrester body attached to a valve member which protrudes into the valve throat. An external flame arresting feature utilizes a hood concentrically disposed relative to the valve member. The flame arresting feature is configured relative to movement of the valve member with respect to the throat such that fluidic communication between the fuel fill pipe and the fuel tank is limited to less than the minimum flame propagation distance of the fuel and air mixture in which a combustible mixture may exist in the fuel fill pipe, whereby any flame front in the fuel fill pipe will quench thereat before reaching the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPEARATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Vincent J. Marsala, Scott W. Jorgensen, Robert Halsall
  • Publication number: 20110041931
    Abstract: A by-pass fuel system configured so that in the event diesel fuel has waxed and/or ice crystals have formed such that the fuel cannot pass easily through the fuel pump fuel strainer, the diesel fuel is selectively able to pass through an auxiliary fuel port via a by-pass valve, thereby ensuring adequate fuel flow to the diesel engine. Return fuel heated by the engine is preferably directed directly onto the fuel pump fuel strainer to help dissolve the waxing and crystallization. An auxiliary coarse fuel strainer optionally provides coarse fuel straining of the by-passed fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: GMGLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: William L. Villaire, Robert Halsall, Mitchell E. Hart
  • Patent number: 7784342
    Abstract: A fuel sender unit is provided for deployment on a vehicle having a fuel tank. The fuel sender unit includes a float arm configured to move in relation to the volume of fuel held within the fuel tank. A fuel level sensor is coupled to the float arm. The fuel level sensor produces a resistance that varies with the position of the float arm to thereby produce a multi-slope sender profile including at least first, second, and third successive profile segments. The first profile segment has an average slope that is greater than that of the second profile segment, and the second profile segment has an average slope that is greater than that of the third profile segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Wade G. Johnson, Robert Halsall, Shane A. Isenhoff
  • Patent number: 7757672
    Abstract: A by-pass fuel system in which the plumbing of the fuel pump module is configured to ensure by-pass strained (and filtered) fuel remains separate from the reservoir fuel after by-pass such that it is not re-strained before re-entry to the fuel pump. The anti-clogging fuel pump module is plumbed such that the by-pass strained fuel is directed to the fuel pump separately with respect to the reservoir fuel, wherein it never mixes with reservoir fuel except after the reservoir fuel has passed through the strainer. Thus, the by-pass strained fuel only mixes with strained fuel from the strainer before its entry to the fuel pump. Accordingly, only reservoir fuel in the fuel pump module is passed through the strainer, whereby the clogging rate of the strainer is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Villaire, Robert Halsall, Mitchell E. Hart
  • Publication number: 20100132675
    Abstract: A vehicular fuel system includes a suction pump having an inlet and an outlet, a priming pump having an inlet and an outlet, a valve and a fluid conduit assembly having a first port coupled to the outlet of the priming pump, a second port coupled to the inlet of the suction pump, and a third port coupled to the valve. The fluid conduit assembly and the valve are configured such that when the priming pump is operated, fluid flows from the outlet of the priming pump, through the first port and second ports, and into the inlet of the suction pump and when the suction pump is operated, fluid flows through the valve and the third and second ports, and into the inlet of the suction pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: William L. VILLAIRE, David E. WINN, Robert HALSALL
  • Publication number: 20100065023
    Abstract: A by-pass fuel system in which the plumbing of the fuel pump module is configured to ensure by-pass strained (and filtered) fuel remains separate from the reservoir fuel after by-pass such that it is not re-strained before re-entry to the fuel pump. The anti-clogging fuel pump module is plumbed such that the by-pass strained fuel is directed to the fuel pump separately with respect to the reservoir fuel, wherein it never mixes with reservoir fuel except after the reservoir fuel has passed through the strainer. Thus, the by-pass strained fuel only mixes with strained fuel from the strainer before its entry to the fuel pump. Accordingly, only reservoir fuel in the fuel pump module is passed through the strainer, whereby the clogging rate of the strainer is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: William L. Villaire, Robert Halsall, Mitchell E. Hart
  • Publication number: 20090230674
    Abstract: A fuel port elbow composed of a plastic port body overmolding an electrically conductive, truncated insert tube such that there is no external dissimilar materials boundary. The tube has a tube first segment, a tube elbow segment and a tube second segment truncated such that the dissimilar materials boundary at the tube truncation is internal to the port body. A port body is integral with the plastic of a flange cover, and overmolds part of the tube first segment and all of the tube elbow and second segments. The port body has a port body second segment having a port body passage communicating with the tube passage and extending remotely from the tube truncation, being adapted for connecting with a fuel line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: William L. Villaire, Robert Halsall, Peter N.C. Nguyen, Mitchell E. Hart
  • Publication number: 20090000375
    Abstract: A fuel sender unit is provided for deployment on a vehicle having a fuel tank. The fuel sender unit includes a float arm configured to move in relation to the volume of fuel held within the fuel tank. A fuel level sensor is coupled to the float arm. The fuel level sensor produces a resistance that varies with the position of the float arm to thereby produce a multi-slope sender profile including at least first, second, and third successive profile segments. The first profile segment has an average slope that is greater than that of the second profile segment, and the second profile segment has an average slope that is greater than that of the third profile segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: WADE G. JOHNSON, ROBERT HALSALL, SHANE A. ISENHOFF
  • Patent number: 7234451
    Abstract: A dual fuel pump fuel extraction system for saddle fuel tanks. A primary modular reservoir assembly (MRA) includes an electric primary fuel pump located in the primary sump of a saddle fuel tank and a secondary MRA including an electric secondary fuel pump located in the secondary sump of the saddle fuel tank, wherein both the primary and secondary fuel pumps extract fuel from the primary sump and simultaneously transfer fuel between the primary and secondary sumps so as to thereby ensure both the primary and secondary fuel pumps have fuel, without starving one before the other, until fuel becomes depleted from the saddle fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard G. Betz, II, Robert Halsall, Richard H. Krentz, Vincent J. Marsala, Philip A. Yaccarino
  • Publication number: 20070023014
    Abstract: A dual fuel pump fuel extraction system for saddle fuel tanks. A primary modular reservoir assembly (MRA) includes an electric primary fuel pump located in the primary sump of a saddle fuel tank and a secondary MRA including an electric secondary fuel pump located in the secondary sump of the saddle fuel tank, wherein both the primary and secondary fuel pumps extract fuel from the primary sump and simultaneously transfer fuel between the primary and secondary sumps so as to thereby ensure both the primary and secondary fuel pumps have fuel, without starving one before the other, until fuel becomes depleted from the saddle fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: Gerard Betz, Robert Halsall, Richard Krentz, Vincent Marsala, Philip Yaccarino
  • Patent number: 6792918
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel system that utilizes a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly within a fuel tank. Preferably, the first valve assembly is in parallel with the second valve assembly and provides a greater bias against fuel flow from the fuel tank assembly to the fuel rail. The second valve assembly allows fuel flow from the fuel tank assembly to the fuel rail and is biased with a lower bias than that for the first valve assembly. Additionally, the second valve assembly allows a lower fuel flow rate from the fuel tank assembly to the fuel rail than does the first valve assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Halsall
  • Patent number: 6508416
    Abstract: An electromagnetic fuel injector having improved wear characteristics comprises a body having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet. A valve seat is sealably connected to the body, and a moveable valve member positioned at the fuel outlet for controlling the flow of fuel from the outlet comprises a valve outlet element that provides a sealing interface with the valve seat. The valve member and included valve outlet element further comprise wear surfaces that are subject to repeated impact and/or sliding contact; at least a portion of these wear surfaces comprise an applied layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC) stabilized by inclusion of greater than 30 weight percent of a carbide-forming material selected from the group consisting of silicon, titanium, and tungsten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Noreen Louise Mastro, Jeffrey Mark Noll, David Wesley Rogers, Robert Halsall, Stephen Joel Harris, Anita Miriam Weiner
  • Patent number: 5097647
    Abstract: The support tower comprises three (3) generally parallel legs positioned relative to one another to form a triangular configuration and each leg having a bottom end and a top end. A plurality of cross bracing is provided securing the legs to one another intermediate their ends. A first mount is located adjacent the top ends of the legs and is capable of supporting pivotally and slidably a microwave dish. A second mount is located on each leg for mounting cellular antennas generally back to back. The tower further includes an albow adjacent each top end of the legs wherein the elbow displaced the legs outwardly to increase the lateral spacing between the top ends of the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Canadian Communications Structures Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Sopik, Leslie Rebanks, John E. Pepper, Frank D. Y. Cheng, Robert Halsall