Patents by Inventor Ronald Gene Smith, Jr.

Ronald Gene Smith, Jr. 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: 6662912
    Abstract: A vibration damper assembly to dampen the vibration generated in a motor vehicle and transmitted through, for example, a steering assembly. The vibration damper assembly includes a rotor disposed within a housing. The rotor is operatively connected to a velocity generating member such as a pinion that is integrated with the steering assembly. A conductive sleeve is disposed between the housing and the rotor. A coil engages the sleeve and is capable of generating a magnetic field that is transmitted through the sleeve. A plate separates the rotor from the sleeve thereby defining a viscous fluid chamber and a Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluid chamber between the rotor and the sleeve. The viscous fluid chamber includes a Newtonian fluid and the MR fluid chamber includes a MR fluid having sheer properties reactive to the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Gene Smith, Jr., Michael Leslie Oliver, William Charles Kruckemeyer
  • Patent number: 6547224
    Abstract: A suspension damper includes a reservoir housing with a piston slidably mounted therein and including a piston rod extending from the reservoir housing and attached to the vehicle by a mount assembly. An air chamber is defined by a sleeve cirucmscribing the piston rod and connected to the reservoir housing by a flexible portion. The mount assembly includes a pumping chamber which expands and contracts in response to normal road undulations to inflate the air chamber. A valve controlled by the flexible portion of the sleeve controls communication from the air chamber to ambient atmosphere to thereby control inflation of the air chamber and thereby controlling ride height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lee Jensen, William Charles Kruckemeyer, Troy Allen Miller, Ronald Gene Smith, Jr., Michael Leslie Oliver
  • Patent number: 6464050
    Abstract: A vibration damper assembly to dampen the vibration generated in a motor vehicle and transmitted through, for example, a steering assembly. The vibration damper assembly includes a rotor disposed within a housing. The rotor is operatively connected to a velocity generating member such as a pinion that is integrated with the steering assembly. A conductive sleeve is disposed between the housing and the rotor. A coil engages the sleeve and is capable of generating a magnetic field that is transmitted through the sleeve. A plate separates the rotor from the sleeve thereby defining a viscous fluid chamber and a Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluid chamber between the rotor and the sleeve. The viscous fluid chamber includes a Newtonian fluid and the MR fluid chamber includes a MR fluid having sheer properties reactive to the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Gene Smith, Jr., Michael Leslie Oliver, William Charles Kruckemeyer