Patents by Inventor Thomas Lee Atwell

Thomas Lee Atwell 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).

  • Exhaust manifold having turbine connector with turbine foot
    Patent number: 11473481
    Abstract: A turbine connector in an engine exhaust manifold includes a turbine foot attached to incoming exhaust conduits. The turbine foot has an outer perimetric edge defining a trapezoidal shape, and inner perimetric edges forming exhaust outlets from the incoming exhaust conduits. The inner perimetric edges have varied perimetric curvatures largest in finite curvature size upon a web extending between the exhaust outlets, and together forming an hourglass web profile in a turbine-mounting plane defined by the turbine foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Wolk, Thomas Lee Atwell, Vikas Bhupendra Sheth, Jeremy Ross Conyers
  • EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAVING TURBINE CONNECTOR WITH TURBINE FOOT
    Publication number: 20220162978
    Abstract: A turbine connector in an engine exhaust manifold includes a turbine foot attached to incoming exhaust conduits. The turbine foot has an outer perimetric edge defining a trapezoidal shape, and inner perimetric edges forming exhaust outlets from the incoming exhaust conduits. The inner perimetric edges have varied perimetric curvatures largest in finite curvature size upon a web extending between the exhaust outlets, and together forming an hourglass web profile in a turbine-mounting plane defined by the turbine foot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Wolk, Thomas Lee Atwell, Vikas Bhupendra Sheth, Jeremy Ross Conyers
  • Internal combustion engine having cylinder block with cast-in oil pump inlet and outlet passages
    Patent number: 11339742
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a one-piece cylinder block casting, a flywheel supported for rotation at a front block end, and a back gear train supported for rotation at a back block end. Cast-in pump inlet and outlet passages are formed in the cylinder block casting and open in a pump mounting face at the back block end. An oil pump is clamped to the pump mounting face and includes a pump inlet and a pump outlet fluidly connected, respectively, to the cast-in pump inlet passage and the cast-in pump outlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Allen Yao Chen, Thomas Lee Atwell, Jason Lee Van Farowe, Daniel Halvorson, Neil Edward Johnston, Aaron G. Heintz
  • INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING CYLINDER BLOCK WITH CAST-IN OIL PUMP INLET AND OUTLET PASSAGES
    Publication number: 20220112862
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a one-piece cylinder block casting, a flywheel supported for rotation at a front block end, and a back gear train supported for rotation at a back block end. Cast-in pump inlet and outlet passages are formed in the cylinder block casting and open in a pump mounting face at the back block end. An oil pump is clamped to the pump mounting face and includes a pump inlet and a pump outlet fluidly connected, respectively, to the cast-in pump inlet passage and the cast-in pump outlet passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Allen Yao Chen, Thomas Lee Atwell, Jason Lee Van Farowe, Daniel Halvorson, Neil Edward Johnston, Aaron G. Heintz