Patents by Inventor Ryan T. Howell

Ryan T. Howell 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: 10203046
    Abstract: A valve actuator (100) and method for controlling such is disclosed. The valve actuator (100) may include a body (126), a piston (134), a first spring (136) displaceable between a primary position (154) and a secondary position (156), and a second spring (138) displaceable between a first position (158a) and a second position (160a). The first and second springs (136, 138) are configured to be simultaneously displaced during movement of the piston (134) from a first piston position (142) to a second piston position (144). The first spring (136) is configured to compress to a higher first spring force (F1) during displacement from the primary position (154) to the secondary position (156), and the second spring (138) is configured to have a decreasing second spring force (F2) during displacement from the first position (158a, 158b) to the second position (160a, 160b), the second spring force (F2) decreasing non-linearly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Brian E. Handlon, Ryan T. Howell
  • Publication number: 20170234452
    Abstract: A valve actuator (100) and method for controlling such is disclosed. The valve actuator (100) may include a body (126), a piston (134), a first spring (136) displaceable between a primary position (154) and a secondary position (156), and a second spring (138) displaceable between a first position (158a) and a second position (160a). The first and second springs (136, 138) are configured to be simultaneously displaced during movement of the piston (134) from a first piston position (142) to a second piston position (144). The first spring (136) is configured to compress to a higher first spring force (F1) during displacement from the primary position (154) to the secondary position (156), and the second spring (138) is configured to have a decreasing second spring force (F2) during displacement from the first position (158a, 158b) to the second position (160a, 160b), the second spring force (F2) decreasing non-linearly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Brian E. Handlon, Ryan T. Howell