Patents by Inventor Thomas Mathai

Thomas Mathai 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: 11685256
    Abstract: A powertrain torque roll restrictor includes a first bracket having an elongated body defining a first bracket opening at a distal end and a central axis, a second bracket coaxial with and adjacent to the first bracket, and a third bracket coaxial with and adjacent to the second bracket opposite from the first bracket, with the third bracket defining a third bracket opening cooperable with the first bracket opening. The second bracket defines a second bracket opening receiving the elongated body such that the second bracket is positioned about the elongated body. The powertrain torque roll restrictor further includes a first rubber element positioned between the first bracket and the second bracket, and a second rubber element positioned between the second bracket and the third bracket, with the brackets being configured to hold the respective rubber element in compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Kevin Stark, Lin Zhu, Yuvraj Khairate
  • Publication number: 20220242228
    Abstract: A powertrain torque roll restrictor includes a first bracket having an elongated body defining a first bracket opening at a distal end and a central axis, a second bracket coaxial with and adjacent to the first bracket, and a third bracket coaxial with and adjacent to the second bracket opposite from the first bracket, with the third bracket defining a third bracket opening cooperable with the first bracket opening. The second bracket defines a second bracket opening receiving the elongated body such that the second bracket is positioned about the elongated body. The powertrain torque roll restrictor further includes a first rubber element positioned between the first bracket and the second bracket, and a second rubber element positioned between the second bracket and the third bracket, with the brackets being configured to hold the respective rubber element in compression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas MATHAI, Kevin STARK, Lin ZHU, Yuvraj KHAIRATE
  • Patent number: 10589615
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing NVH resultant from collisions between internal components of a hydraulic engine mount. In one example, a hydraulic engine mount may include a de-coupler with a number cavities encased therein and extending along a common circumference of the de-coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jim Chern, Mary Theresa Breida, Thomas Mathai, Margaret Brouwer
  • Patent number: 10458510
    Abstract: A system for securing a powertrain component to a body structure of a vehicle may include first and second mounts each having a base and a first elastomeric barrier secured to and extending from the base defining an air filled chamber, and a connector coupling the air filled chambers, the connector sized to provide an associated air volume that reduces stiffness of the first elastomeric barrier at an excitation frequency corresponding to a target engine speed. The air filled chambers may be hermetically sealed and pressurized above atmospheric pressure. The system may include a fluid-filled switchable mount having a decoupler air pocket selectively coupled to a vacuum source or atmosphere with an expander integrated with the mount or as a separate component coupled between the decoupler air pocket and the vacuum source. The expander may be implemented as a Helmholtz resonator or may include an in-line expansion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Hassan Dakhlallah, Nigel King, James F. Beck, Nagari Achar
  • Patent number: 10316926
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a hydraulic engine mount. During assembly, one or more gel caps may be inserted into a chamber of the engine mount, the chamber is then filled with a fluid and sealed to allow the gel caps to dissolve. Upon dissolving, the gel caps may release air bubbles to reduce pressure differentials across the engine mount to reduce occurrence of cavitation and NVH issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Nick Hufnagel, Kevin Stark, Ralph Robert Jones, Bhavin Patel
  • Publication number: 20180291977
    Abstract: A system for securing a powertrain component to a body structure of a vehicle may include first and second mounts each having a base and a first elastomeric barrier secured to and extending from the base defining an air filled chamber, and a connector coupling the air filled chambers, the connector sized to provide an associated air volume that reduces stiffness of the first elastomeric barrier at an excitation frequency corresponding to a target engine speed. The air filled chambers may be hermetically sealed and pressurized above atmospheric pressure. The system may include a fluid-filled switchable mount having a decoupler air pocket selectively coupled to a vacuum source or atmosphere with an expander integrated with the mount or as a separate component coupled between the decoupler air pocket and the vacuum source. The expander may be implemented as a Helmholtz resonator or may include an in-line expansion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas MATHAI, Hassan DAKHLALLAH, Nigel KING, James F. BECK, Nagari ACHAR
  • Patent number: 10001191
    Abstract: A system for securing a powertrain component to a body structure of a vehicle may include first and second mounts each having a base and a first elastomeric barrier secured to and extending from the base defining an air filled chamber, and a connector coupling the air filled chambers, the connector sized to provide an associated air volume that reduces stiffness of the first elastomeric barrier at an excitation frequency corresponding to a target engine speed. The air filled chambers may be hermetically sealed and pressurized above atmospheric pressure. The system may include a fluid-filled switchable mount having a decoupler air pocket selectively coupled to a vacuum source or atmosphere with an expander integrated with the mount or as a separate component coupled between the decoupler air pocket and the vacuum source. The expander may be implemented as a Helmholtz resonator or may include an in-line expansion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Hassan Dakhlallah, Nigel King, James F. Beck, Nagari Achar
  • Publication number: 20180066727
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a hydraulic engine mount. During assembly, one or more gel caps may be inserted into a chamber of the engine mount, the chamber is then filled with a fluid and sealed to allow the gel caps to dissolve. Upon dissolving, the gel caps may release air bubbles to reduce pressure differentials across the engine mount to reduce occurrence of cavitation and NVH issues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Nick Hufnagel, Kevin Stark, Ralph Robert Jones, Bhavin Patel
  • Patent number: 9895965
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a dual state hydromount in order to passively introduce air underneath a decoupler such that the stiffness of the air pocket adds to the stiffness of the decoupler, thereby increasing a level of damping available in a vehicle ride mode, the ride mode defined by vehicle speeds greater than a threshold speed. In one example, a dual state hydromount is described wherein a partitioning structure may be alternately coupled to either vacuum or atmosphere, and when coupled to atmosphere an air spring is created under the decoupler via the passive directing of air to the decoupler via a one way check valve. In this way, introduction of an air spring is achieved without additional active control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Hassan Dakhlallah, Nagari Achar
  • Publication number: 20170113534
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a dual state hydromount in order to passively introduce air underneath a decoupler such that the stiffness of the air pocket adds to the stiffness of the decoupler, thereby increasing a level of damping available in a vehicle ride mode, the ride mode defined by vehicle speeds greater than a threshold speed. In one example, a dual state hydromount is described wherein a partitioning structure may be alternately coupled to either vacuum or atmosphere, and when coupled to atmosphere an air spring is created under the decoupler via the passive directing of air to the decoupler via a one way check valve. In this way, introduction of an air spring is achieved without additional active control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Hassan Dakhlallah, Nagari Achar
  • Publication number: 20170036525
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing NVH resultant from collisions between internal components of a hydraulic engine mount. In one example, a hydraulic engine mount may include a de-coupler with a number cavities encased therein and extending along a common circumference of the de-coupler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Jim Chern, Mary Theresa Breida, Thomas Mathai, Margaret Brouwer
  • Publication number: 20160208884
    Abstract: A system for securing a powertrain component to a body structure of a vehicle may include first and second mounts each having a base and a first elastomeric barrier secured to and extending from the base defining an air filled chamber, and a connector coupling the air filled chambers, the connector sized to provide an associated air volume that reduces stiffness of the first elastomeric barrier at an excitation frequency corresponding to a target engine speed. The air filled chambers may be hermetically sealed and pressurized above atmospheric pressure. The system may include a fluid-filled switchable mount having a decoupler air pocket selectively coupled to a vacuum source or atmosphere with an expander integrated with the mount or as a separate component coupled between the decoupler air pocket and the vacuum source. The expander may be implemented as a Helmholtz resonator or may include an in-line expansion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas MATHAI, Hassan DAKHLALLAH, Nigel KING, James F. BECK, Nagari ACHAR
  • Patent number: 9267567
    Abstract: A switchable engine mount is provided. The switchable engine mount includes an end plate including one or more openings in fluidic communication with a hydraulic source and a channel plate coupled to the end plate and including one or more hydraulic flow openings. The switchable engine mount further includes a decoupler including at least one decoupler plate at least partially enclosed by the channel plate and the end plate and a switching plate positioned adjacent to the decoupler and configured to axially actuate the decoupler in response to reception of an input force from an actuator, the input force non-parallel to the axially actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Brian Douglas Ross, Michael Fsadni, Bhavin Patel, Nigel King
  • Publication number: 20140339035
    Abstract: Embodiments may provide a hydromount, an inertial track and a method. The hydromount may a curvilinear inertial track fluidically coupled at a first end to a first fluid chamber, and fluidically coupled at a second end to a second fluid chamber. The hydromount may also include a choke disposed within the inertial track at a predetermined location to reduce a width of a flow path within the inertial track at the predetermined location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mary Theresa Breida, Thomas Mathai, Nagari Achar, Hassan Dakhlallah, Margaret Brouwer, Jim Chern
  • Publication number: 20140339748
    Abstract: A switchable engine mount is provided. The switchable engine mount includes an end plate including one or more openings in fluidic communication with a hydraulic source and a channel plate coupled to the end plate and including one or more hydraulic flow openings. The switchable engine mount further includes a decoupler including at least one decoupler plate at least partially enclosed by the channel plate and the end plate and a switching plate positioned adjacent to the decoupler and configured to axially actuate the decoupler in response to reception of an input force from an actuator, the input force non-parallel to the axially actuation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mathai, Brian Douglas Ross, Michael Fsadni, Bhavin Patel, Nigel King
  • Publication number: 20030224387
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for selectively modifying electrodes of an array of electrodes. The array of electrodes may be used as a sensor or biosensor to determine the presence of and/or identity of each of a plurality of analyte molecules. In accordance with the present invention, electrodes of each of a number N subsets of electrodes of an array of electrodes are contacted with a respective liquid, each of which comprises a respective, different molecule. For each subset of the N subsets of electrodes, at least one of the member electrodes is deprotected to allow molecules of the respective liquid to associate with the deprotected electrode. The steps of contacting subsets of electrodes and deprotecting selected electrodes is repeated until each electrode in the array has been associated with a predetermined molecule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Sandeep Kunwar, Sobha Pisharody, George Thomas Mathai, Kristian Scaboo
  • Patent number: D356375
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Warner-Lambert Company
    Inventors: Kevin S. McGuffy, Thomas Mathai