Patents by Inventor Sean M. McGowan

Sean M. McGowan 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: 11525444
    Abstract: A pump includes a first gear plate and a first pair of counter rotating gears positioned on a first side of the gear plate. The pair of counter rotating gears draws fluid from an inlet and transfers the fluid into an outlet of a common manifold. The gear plate has a cutout to increase the flow of fluid into the common manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Claywell, Sean M. McGowan, Chung Y. Wei
  • Publication number: 20220099090
    Abstract: A pump includes a first gear plate and a first pair of counter rotating gears positioned on a first side of the gear plate. The pair of counter rotating gears draws fluid from an inlet and transfers the fluid into an outlet of a common manifold. The gear plate has a cutout to increase the flow of fluid into the common manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Mark R. Claywell, Sean M. McGowan, Chung Y. Wei
  • Patent number: 11242850
    Abstract: A gear assembly of a scavenge oil pump for a vehicle is provided. The assembly comprises a first pair of meshing gears comprising a first drive gear disposed about a drive shaft and a first slave gear disposed about a slave drive in parallel relationship with the drive shaft. The first drive gear and first slave gear are in rotational meshing cooperation. The assembly comprises a second pair of meshing gears comprising a second drive gear disposed about the drive shaft and a second slave gear disposed about the slave drive. The second drive gear and second slave gear are in rotational meshing cooperation. The second pair of meshing gears is disposed linearly adjacent to the first pair of meshing gears. The first pair and the second pair of meshing gears have about ? of a tooth spacing relative to each other for torque transmission of scavenge oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Mark R. Claywell, Chung Y. Wei
  • Patent number: 10982670
    Abstract: A gear pump that is used to pump fluid, such as oil, in a vehicle. The gear pump comprises a gear assembly having a drive shaft including a drive shaft key; a set of drive gears mounted on the drive shaft, with a drive gear of the set of drive gears being keyed with the drive shaft key; a driven shaft including a driven shaft key; a set of driven gears mounted on the driven shaft, with a driven gear of the driven gear set being keyed with the driven shaft key; and a torque drive feature associated with the drive shaft or the driven shaft, wherein the torque drive feature is configured to check keying with the driven shaft key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Claywell, Sean M. McGowan
  • Publication number: 20210040947
    Abstract: A gear assembly of a scavenge oil pump for a vehicle is provided. The assembly comprises a first pair of meshing gears comprising a first drive gear disposed about a drive shaft and a first slave gear disposed about a slave drive in parallel relationship with the drive shaft. The first drive gear and first slave gear are in rotational meshing cooperation. The assembly comprises a second pair of meshing gears comprising a second drive gear disposed about the drive shaft and a second slave gear disposed about the slave drive. The second drive gear and second slave gear are in rotational meshing cooperation. The second pair of meshing gears is disposed linearly adjacent to the first pair of meshing gears. The first pair and the second pair of meshing gears have about ? of a tooth spacing relative to each other for torque transmission of scavenge oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Mark R. Claywell, Chung Y. Wei
  • Publication number: 20200232458
    Abstract: A gear pump that is used to pump fluid, such as oil, in a vehicle. The gear pump comprises a gear assembly having a drive shaft including a drive shaft key; a set of drive gears mounted on the drive shaft, with a drive gear of the set of drive gears being keyed with the drive shaft key; a driven shaft including a driven shaft key; a set of driven gears mounted on the driven shaft, with a driven gear of the driven gear set being keyed with the driven shaft key; and a torque drive feature associated with the drive shaft or the driven shaft, wherein the torque drive feature is configured to check keying with the driven shaft key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Mark R. Claywell, Sean M. McGowan
  • Publication number: 20200218293
    Abstract: A temperature responsive valve includes a housing and a cylindrical structure disposed within the housing. The housing defines an inlet passageway and an outlet passageway wherein the cylinder body of the cylindrical structure is disposed between the inlet passageway and the outlet passageway. The cylindrical structure includes a first layer so that the cylindrical structure is configured to expand from a decreased diameter to an increased diameter when the first layer of the cylindrical structure is exposed to an increased pre-determined temperature range causing the cylindrical structure restricts the inlet passageway and the outlet passageway at such increased pre-determined temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel I. Culler, Sean M. McGowan, Mark R. Claywell
  • Publication number: 20200182346
    Abstract: A gear assembly includes a primary shaft, a driving gear, a driven gear, a secondary shaft, and a key wherein the primary shaft and the driving gear define a keyway for housing the key. The primary shaft defines a lower region of the keyway while the driving gear defines an upper region of the keyway. The driving gear may be mounted on the primary shaft such that the upper region and the lower regions of the keyway are aligned with each other in order for the keyway to house the key. The driven gear may be mounted on the secondary shaft such that the driven gear may be in meshing engagement with the driven gear. The aforementioned keyway defines a peninsula in a center portion of the driving gear. The peninsula is configured to abut a key disposed within the keyway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Mark R. Claywell, Maqsood Rizwan Ali Khan
  • Patent number: 10590928
    Abstract: A gear pump can be equipped in an engine oil system. The gear pump has a housing, a first gear, and a second gear. The housing has an outlet passage for exiting oil, and has one or more outlet openings for exiting air. The first gear has a set of first teeth with multiple first roots and first tips. The second gear has a set of second teeth with multiple second roots and second tips. The outlet opening(s) is situated in the housing so that it can communicate with a first clearance, with a second clearance, or with both the first and second clearances. The first clearance is established at the confrontation of one of the first roots and one of the second tips. And the second clearance is established at the confrontation of one of the second roots and one of the first tips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Mark R. Claywell
  • Publication number: 20200080555
    Abstract: A variable displacement pump is provided which better distributes stress across the rotor structure thereby reducing the risk of the rotor cracking and/or failing. The variable displacement pump includes a housing, a vane control ring, a rotor, a plurality of vanes, a slider ring, a biasing means, and a regulator valve. The housing defines an inlet port and a discharge port. The rotor may be rotationally driven by a drive shaft and coaxially aligned with the drive shaft. The rotor may define a plurality of primary ribs and a plurality of corresponding secondary ribs with an aperture defined between each primary rib and secondary rib. Each primary rib defines a primary rib thickness and each secondary rib defines a secondary rib thickness which is less than the primary rib thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Andy Bennett, SR., Sean M. McGowan, Mark R. Claywell
  • Patent number: 10570788
    Abstract: The oil pan assembly includes an oil pan and a slideable cover. The oil pan includes a base and a sidewall which surrounds the base wherein the base and the sidewall are configured to retain a pool of oil. The oil pan further includes a peripheral flange operatively configured to be coupled to an engine block. The slideable cover is affixed to the oil pan and is configured to maintain the pool of oil proximate to the base of the oil pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Andy Bennett, Sean M McGowan
  • Publication number: 20200025198
    Abstract: A sprocket gerotor pump includes an outer gerotor gear configured to rotate about a first axis. The outer gerotor gear includes an outer gear body including a plurality of internal gear teeth extending from the outer gear body toward the first axis. The sprocket gerotor pump includes an inner gerotor gear configured to rotate about a second axis. The inner gerotor gear includes an inner gear body and a plurality of external gear teeth extending from the inner gerotor gear away from the second axis. The external gear teeth mesh with the internal gear teeth. Rotating the outer gerotor gear causes rotation of the inner gerotor gear. The sprocket gerotor pump further includes a sprocket integrally coupled with the outer gerotor gear such that the sprocket and the outer gerotor gear collectively form a one-piece structure. The sprocket is driven by a chain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Andy Bennett, SR., Sean M. McGowan
  • Patent number: 10480507
    Abstract: A gerotor assembly is provided which includes a crankshaft, an inner drive gear, an outer driven gear and a housing defining an oil groove. The inner drive gear defines a plurality of inner gear teeth. The outer driven gear defines a plurality of outer gear teeth operatively configured to engage with the inner gear teeth. The outer drive gear may define a plurality of passageways to form a hydrodynamic film between the outer driven gear and the housing. Alternatively, a high pressure oil pump may feed oil into the oil groove in order to distribute a hydrodynamic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Sean M McGowan, Joel H Pike, John B Davis, Bryan K Pryor, Mark R Claywell, Jeremy T Demarest
  • Publication number: 20190338771
    Abstract: A variable displacement vane pump includes a housing, an expandable vane control ring, a rotor, a plurality of vanes, slider ring, and biasing means. The expandable vane control ring defines a gap. The plurality of vanes may be slidably disposed in the rotor. The slider ring is pivotally affixed to the housing via a pivot. The slider ring may form a plurality of pumping chambers with the expandable vane control ring, the rotor and the vanes. The distal end of each vane in the plurality of vanes is configured to abut and slide along an inner surface of the slider ring while the rotor rotates and the expandable vane control ring is configured to temporarily contract when intermittent friction is experienced between the inner surface and any vane in the plurality of vanes—so that the plurality of vanes continuously slide along an inner surface of the slider ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Andy Bennett, SR., Sean M. McGowan, Bryan K. Pryor, David R. Staley
  • Publication number: 20190162182
    Abstract: A gear pump can be equipped in an engine oil system. The gear pump has a housing, a first gear, and a second gear. The housing has an outlet passage for exiting oil, and has one or more outlet openings for exiting air. The first gear has a set of first teeth with multiple first roots and first tips. The second gear has a set of second teeth with multiple second roots and second tips. The outlet opening(s) is situated in the housing so that it can communicate with a first clearance, with a second clearance, or with both the first and second clearances. The first clearance is established at the confrontation of one of the first roots and one of the second tips. And the second clearance is established at the confrontation of one of the second roots and one of the first tips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Mark R. Claywell
  • Publication number: 20190128155
    Abstract: The oil pan assembly includes an oil pan and a slideable cover. The oil pan includes a base and a sidewall which surrounds the base wherein the base and the sidewall are configured to retain a pool of oil. The oil pan further includes a peripheral flange operatively configured to be coupled to an engine block. The slideable cover is affixed to the oil pan and is configured to maintain the pool of oil proximate to the base of the oil pan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Andy Bennett, Sean M. McGowan
  • Patent number: 10018083
    Abstract: A fluid pump includes a housing defining a cavity. An end plate is disposed within the cavity and divides the cavity into a gear section and an end section. A gear set is disposed within the gear section and comprises at least one gear rotatable about an axis. The end plate is movable longitudinally along the axis for compressing the gear set. A channel is in fluidic communication with the end section for supplying a fluid to the end section to force the plate toward the gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Bryan K. Pryor, John Byron Davis
  • Publication number: 20180058450
    Abstract: A gerotor assembly is provided which includes a crankshaft, an inner drive gear, an outer driven gear and a housing defining an oil groove. The inner drive gear defines a plurality of inner gear teeth. The outer driven gear defines a plurality of outer gear teeth operatively configured to engage with the inner gear teeth. The outer drive gear may define a plurality of passageways to form a hydrodynamic film between the outer driven gear and the housing. Alternatively, a high pressure oil pump may feed oil into the oil groove in order to distribute a hydrodynamic film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Joel H. Pike, John B. Davis, Bryan K. Pryor, Mark R. Claywell, Jeremy T. Demarest
  • Publication number: 20170107872
    Abstract: A fluid pump includes a housing defining a cavity. An end plate is disposed within the cavity and divides the cavity into a gear section and an end section. A gear set is disposed within the gear section and comprises at least one gear rotatable about an axis. The end plate is movable longitudinally along the axis for compressing the gear set. A channel is in fluidic communication with the end section for supplying a fluid to the end section to force the plate toward the gear set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Bryan K. Pryor, John Byron Davis
  • Publication number: 20160341277
    Abstract: A dynamic harmonic balancer for mounting on a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine includes an element defining a cavity. The dynamic harmonic balancer also includes a body of fluid disposed within the cavity. The dynamic harmonic balancer additionally includes a plurality of pellets disposed within the body of fluid and configured to shift within the cavity. The shifting of the pellets within the cavity counteracts an imbalance in the harmonic balancer and damps crankshaft torsional vibrations during operation of the engine. An engine having such a dynamic harmonic balancer is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Sean M. McGowan, Eric D. Staley