Patents by Inventor Tyler P. Ownby

Tyler P. Ownby 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: 10364909
    Abstract: A fluid flow control device includes a resilient substrate translatable between a first flattened position and a second extended position, and an actuator attached to the resilient substrate. The actuator is configured for translating the resilient substrate from the first flattened position to the second extended position. The actuator is formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a change in temperature of the shape memory alloy. A fluid flow control system includes a rotor shield and the fluid flow control device attached to the rotor shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Dynalloy, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Skurkis, Paul W. Alexander, Anthony L. Smith, James H. Brown, Tyler P. Ownby, Xiujie Gao
  • Patent number: 10364593
    Abstract: A closure release device includes a housing fixedly attached to a closure and an actuating lever rotatably disposed on an axis of rotation on the housing. A crank lever is rotatably disposed on the axis of rotation. A coupling member is to selectively couple the actuating lever to the crank lever for rotation together. A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator is to selectively cause the coupling member to selectively couple the actuating lever to the crank lever. The SMA actuator is electrically actuated. The crank lever is to connect to a latch to selectively release or engage the latch in response to a coupling state of the actuating lever with the crank lever and an actuation state of the actuating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, DYNALLOY, INC.
    Inventors: Paul W. Alexander, Richard J. Skurkis, James Holbrook Brown, Aragorn Zolno, Tyler P. Ownby, Paulo M. Mendonca
  • Patent number: 10317918
    Abstract: A thermal bypass valve includes a housing defining a bore along a longitudinal axis and having two inlet ports and two outlet ports; a cap disposed within the bore; a shuttle disposed within the bore and reversibly translatable towards and away from the cap along the longitudinal axis between a first fill position, a cooling position, and a bypass position; and an actuator configured for translating the shuttle along the longitudinal axis between the cooling position and the bypass position. The actuator is formed from a shape memory alloy and is transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a temperature of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC., Dynalloy, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiujie Gao, Kevin B. Rober, Marco A. Lopes, Nancy L. Johnson, Anthony L. Smith, Nicholas W. Pinto, Richard J. Skurkis, Tyler P. Ownby
  • Publication number: 20190056039
    Abstract: A fluid flow control device includes a resilient substrate translatable between a first flattened position and a second extended position, and an actuator attached to the resilient substrate. The actuator is configured for translating the resilient substrate from the first flattened position to the second extended position. The actuator is formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a change in temperature of the shape memory alloy. A fluid flow control system includes a rotor shield and the fluid flow control device attached to the rotor shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Applicants: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Dynalloy, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Skurkis, Paul W. Alexander, Anthony L. Smith, James H. Brown, Tyler P. Ownby, Xiujie Gao
  • Patent number: 10082215
    Abstract: A fluid circuit includes a device, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a sealing member, a biasing device, and an actuator. The sealing member moves inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a smart material that is activated when the temperature of a fluid inside the housing exhibiting at least a first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the second position. The smart material is deactivated when the fluid is a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the device and then to the housing when the sealing member is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler and then to the device when the sealing member is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Dynalloy, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiujie Gao, Nancy L. Johnson, Bret M. Olson, Vijay A. Neelakantan, Tyler P. Ownby, James H. Brown
  • Patent number: 9939077
    Abstract: A fluid circuit includes a device, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a sealing member, a biasing device, and an actuator. The sealing member moves inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a smart material that is activated when the temperature of a fluid inside the housing exhibiting at least a first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the second position. The smart material is deactivated when the fluid is a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the device and then to the housing when the sealing member is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler and then to the device when the sealing member is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Dynalloy, Inc., Bend All Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiujie Gao, Nancy L. Johnson, Ronald R. Semel, Rory P. McIntyre, Mark J. Heikoop, Vijay A. Neelakantan, Bret M. Olson, Tyler P. Ownby, James H. Brown
  • Patent number: 9927035
    Abstract: A valve manifold includes a housing defining an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports. Each of the plurality of outlet ports defines a sealing face. The manifold also includes a plurality of poppets, wherein each of the plurality of poppets is disposed within a respective one of the plurality of outlet ports and is configured for translating towards and away from the sealing face. The manifold also includes a plurality of actuators each configured for translating a respective one of the plurality of poppets towards and away from the sealing face, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a thermal activation signal. A washer system, a device, and a method of simultaneously controlling fluid flow to a first component and a second component of the device are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Dynalloy, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul W. Alexander, Nancy L. Johnson, James Holbrook Brown, Tyler P. Ownby, Brian W. Bowling
  • Publication number: 20180058601
    Abstract: A fluid circuit includes a device, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a sealing member, a biasing device, and an actuator. The sealing member moves inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a smart material that is activated when the temperature of a fluid inside the housing exhibiting at least a first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the second position. The smart material is deactivated when the fluid is a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the device and then to the housing when the sealing member is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler and then to the device when the sealing member is in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicants: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, BEND ALL AUTOMOTIVE INC, DYNALLOY, INC.
    Inventors: Xiujie Gao, Nancy L. Johnson, Ronald R. Semel, Rory P. McIntyre, Mark J. Heikoop, Vijay A. Neelakantan, Bret M. Olson, Tyler P. Ownby, James H. Brown
  • Publication number: 20180058600
    Abstract: A fluid circuit includes a device, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a sealing member, a biasing device, and an actuator. The sealing member moves inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a smart material that is activated when the temperature of a fluid inside the housing exhibiting at least a first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the second position. The smart material is deactivated when the fluid is a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature, causing the sealing member to move to the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the device and then to the housing when the sealing member is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler and then to the device when the sealing member is in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicants: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, DYNALLOY, INC.
    Inventors: Xiujie Gao, Nancy L. Johnson, Bret M. Olson, Vijay A. Neelakantan, Tyler P. Ownby, James H. Brown
  • Publication number: 20170344036
    Abstract: A thermal bypass valve includes a housing defining a bore along a longitudinal axis and having two inlet ports and two outlet ports; a cap disposed within the bore; a shuttle disposed within the bore and reversibly translatable towards and away from the cap along the longitudinal axis between a first fill position, a cooling position, and a bypass position; and an actuator configured for translating the shuttle along the longitudinal axis between the cooling position and the bypass position. The actuator is formed from a shape memory alloy and is transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a temperature of the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Applicants: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, DYNALLOY, INC.
    Inventors: Xiujie Gao, Kevin B. Rober, Marco A. Lopes, Nancy L. Johnson, Anthony L. Smith, Nicholas W. Pinto, Richard J. Skurkis, Tyler P. Ownby
  • Publication number: 20160207075
    Abstract: A valve manifold includes a housing defining an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports. Each of the plurality of outlet ports defines a sealing face. The manifold also includes a plurality of poppets, wherein each of the plurality of poppets is disposed within a respective one of the plurality of outlet ports and is configured for translating towards and away from the sealing face. The manifold also includes a plurality of actuators each configured for translating a respective one of the plurality of poppets towards and away from the sealing face, wherein each of the plurality of actuators is formed from a shape memory alloy transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a thermal activation signal. A washer system, a device, and a method of simultaneously controlling fluid flow to a first component and a second component of the device are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicants: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, DYNALLOY, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul W. Alexander, Nancy L. Johnson, James Holbrook Brown, Tyler P. Ownby, Brian W. Bowling
  • Publication number: 20150330118
    Abstract: A closure release device includes a housing fixedly attached to a closure and an actuating lever rotatably disposed on an axis of rotation on the housing. A crank lever is rotatably disposed on the axis of rotation. A coupling member is to selectively couple the actuating lever to the crank lever for rotation together. A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator is to selectively cause the coupling member to selectively couple the actuating lever to the crank lever. The SMA actuator is electrically actuated. The crank lever is to connect to a latch to selectively release or engage the latch in response to a coupling state of the actuating lever with the crank lever and an actuation state of the actuating lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Paul W. Alexander, Richard J. Skurkis, James Holbrook Brown, Aragorn Zolno, Tyler P. Ownby, Paulo M. Mendonca