Patents by Inventor William E. Galka
William E. Galka 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).
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Patent number: 11927164Abstract: A throttle body assembly for a combustion engine includes a throttle body having a pressure chamber including a supply of liquid fuel, and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received. A throttle valve is carried by the throttle body with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore. A metering valve is coupled to the throttle body, and has a valve element that is movable between open and closed positions. A boost venturi is located in the throttle bore and has an inner passage that is open at both ends to the throttle bore. The boost venturi has an opening through which fuel flows into the inner passage when the valve element is in the open position, wherein fuel flows from the pressure chamber to the metering valve under the force of gravity or under a pressure of less than 6 psi.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2022Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Gary J. Burns, Andreas D. M. Dixon, Eric G. Zbytowski, Albert L Sayers, Justin T. Dolane, David L Speirs, William E. Galka, Duried F. Rabban, Bradley J. Roche
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Patent number: 11920544Abstract: A fuel supply device includes a main body, fuel chamber, fuel supply pipe and a fuel valve. The main body has a main bore with an inlet for air and an outlet through which a fuel and air mixture flows. The fuel chamber retains a supply of fuel. The fuel supply pipe has a passage communicating with the main bore and through which fuel from the fuel chamber flows to the main bore. And the fuel valve has a valve seat, a valve element movable relative to the valve seat between an open position and a closed position, an inlet upstream of the valve seat and is in communication with the fuel chamber, and an outlet downstream of the valve seat. The outlet is coaxially aligned with the passage of the fuel supply pipe and the fuel valve is electrically operated to move the valve element.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2022Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: William E. Galka, Bryan K. Gangler, Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Adam M. McGilton, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs
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Patent number: 11885430Abstract: In at least some implementations, a method of assembling an electromechanical valve includes positioning the armature stop in a first position at a first distance from a valve seat, actuating the valve to move an armature away from the valve seat, providing a fluid flow to the valve, determining a fluid flow characteristic, and as a function of the fluid flow characteristic, moving the armature stop relative to the valve seat to a second position that is at a distance other than the first distance.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Bradley J. Roche, William E. Galka, David L. Speirs, Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Ernesto O. Basanez
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Patent number: 11781493Abstract: A throttle body may have a main bore for supplying a fuel and air mixture to an engine. A throttle valve head may be received in the main bore and movable between idle and wide open positions to control fluid flow through the main bore. A main fuel outlet and a boost venturi may open to the main bore and a flow directing feature may alter the velocity and/or direction of fluid flow in the main bore relative to the fuel outlet or boost venturi. The flow directing feature may be carried by the body, the throttle valve head, or the boost venturi.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2022Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Gary J. Burns, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs
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Publication number: 20230123915Abstract: A fuel supply device includes a main body, fuel chamber, fuel supply pipe and a fuel valve. The main body has a main bore with an inlet for air and an outlet through which a fuel and air mixture flows. The fuel chamber retains a supply of fuel. The fuel supply pipe has a passage communicating with the main bore and through which fuel from the fuel chamber flows to the main bore. And the fuel valve has a valve seat, a valve element movable relative to the valve seat between an open position and a closed position, an inlet upstream of the valve seat and is in communication with the fuel chamber, and an outlet downstream of the valve seat. The outlet is coaxially aligned with the passage of the fuel supply pipe and the fuel valve is electrically operated to move the valve element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2022Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: William E. Galka, Bryan K. Gangler, Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Adam M. McGilton, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs
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Publication number: 20230087858Abstract: A throttle body assembly for a combustion engine includes a throttle body having a pressure chamber including a supply of liquid fuel, and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received. A throttle valve is carried by the throttle body with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore. A metering valve is coupled to the throttle body, and has a valve element that is movable between open and closed positions. A boost venturi is located in the throttle bore and has an inner passage that is open at both ends to the throttle bore. The boost venturi has an opening through which fuel flows into the inner passage when the valve element is in the open position, wherein fuel flows from the pressure chamber to the metering valve under the force of gravity or under a pressure of less than 6 psi.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Gary J. Burns, Andreas D. M. Dixon, Eric G. Zbytowski, Albert L. Sayers, Justin T. Dolane, David L. Speirs, William E. Galka, Duried F. Rabban, Bradley J. Roche
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Patent number: 11536235Abstract: A throttle body assembly for a combustion engine includes a throttle body having a pressure chamber including a supply of liquid fuel, and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received. A throttle valve is carried by the throttle body with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore. A metering valve is coupled to the throttle body, and has a valve element that is movable between open and closed positions. A boost venturi is located in the throttle bore and has an inner passage that is open at both ends to the throttle bore. The boost venturi has an opening through which fuel flows into the inner passage when the valve element is in the open position, wherein fuel flows from the pressure chamber to the metering valve under the force of gravity or under a pressure of less than 6 psi.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Gary J. Burns, Andreas D. M. Dixon, Eric G. Zbytowski, Albert L. Sayers, Justin T. Dolane, David L. Speirs, William E. Galka, Duried F. Rabban, Bradley J. Roche
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Patent number: 11480142Abstract: In at least some implementations, a device includes a fuel system component having a body through which fuel flows, and a retention member body connected to the body of the fuel system component, the retention member body having one or more retainers that are flexible and resilient, and that extend outwardly from the retention member body and that are arranged to engaged spaced apart portions of an interior of a fuel tank to retain the position in the fuel tank of the fuel system component.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2021Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: William E. Galka, Bryan K. Gangler, Bradley J. Roche
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Publication number: 20220145812Abstract: A throttle body may have a main bore for supplying a fuel and air mixture to an engine. A throttle valve head may be received in the main bore and movable between idle and wide open positions to control fluid flow through the main bore. A main fuel outlet and a boost venturi may open to the main bore and a flow directing feature may alter the velocity and/or direction of fluid flow in the main bore relative to the fuel outlet or boost venturi. The flow directing feature may be carried by the body, the throttle valve head, or the boost venturi.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Gary J. Burns, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs
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Patent number: 11268455Abstract: A throttle body may have a main bore for supplying a fuel and air mixture to an engine. A throttle valve head may be received in the main bore and movable between idle and wide open positions to control fluid flow through the main bore. A main fuel outlet and a boost venturi may open to the main bore and a flow directing feature may alter the velocity and/or direction of fluid flow in the main bore relative to the fuel outlet or boost venturi. The flow directing feature may be carried by the body, the throttle valve head, or the boost venturi.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2017Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Gary J. Burns, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs
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Publication number: 20220034285Abstract: In at least some implementations, a device includes a fuel system component having a body through which fuel flows, and a retention member body connected to the body of the fuel system component, the retention member body having one or more retainers that are flexible and resilient, and that extend outwardly from the retention member body and that are arranged to engaged spaced apart portions of an interior of a fuel tank to retain the position in the fuel tank of the fuel system component.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: William E. Galka, Bryan K. Gangler, Bradley J. Roche
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Publication number: 20220003332Abstract: In at least some implementations, a method of assembling an electromechanical valve includes positioning the armature stop in a first position at a first distance from a valve seat, actuating the valve to move an armature away from the valve seat, providing a fluid flow to the valve, determining a fluid flow characteristic, and as a function of the fluid flow characteristic, moving the armature stop relative to the valve seat to a second position that is at a distance other than the first distance.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2019Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Bradley J. Roche, William E. Galka, David L. Speirs, Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Ernesto O. Basanez
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Publication number: 20210317809Abstract: A throttle body assembly for a combustion engine includes a throttle body having a pressure chamber including a supply of liquid fuel, and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received. A throttle valve is carried by the throttle body with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore. A metering valve is coupled to the throttle body, and has a valve element that is movable between open and closed positions. A boost venturi is located in the throttle bore and has an inner passage that is open at both ends to the throttle bore. The boost venturi has an opening through which fuel flows into the inner passage when the valve element is in the open position, wherein fuel flows from the pressure chamber to the metering valve under the force of gravity or under a pressure of less than 6 psi.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2021Publication date: October 14, 2021Inventors: Gary J. Burns, Andreas D. M. Dixon, Eric G. Zbytowski, Albert L. Sayers, Justin T. Dolane, David L. Speirs, William E. Galka, Duried F. Rabban, Bradley J. Roche
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Patent number: 11073122Abstract: In at least some implementations, a throttle body assembly for a combustion engine includes a throttle body having a pressure chamber in which a supply of fuel is received and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received, a throttle valve carried by the throttle body with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore to control fluid flow through the throttle bore, and a metering valve carried by the throttle body. The metering valve may have a valve element that is movable between an open position wherein fuel may flow from the pressure chamber into the throttle bore and a closed position where fuel is prevented or substantially prevented from flowing into the throttle bore through the metering valve.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Gary J. Burns, Andreas D. M. Dixon, Eric G. Zbytowski, Albert L. Sayers, Justin T. Dolane, David L. Speirs, William E. Galka, Duried F. Rabban, Bradley J. Roche
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Patent number: 11008951Abstract: In at least some implementations, a throttle body assembly includes a body that has multiple throttle bores, multiple throttle valve heads received one in each of the throttle bores, at least one throttle valve shaft to which the throttle valve heads are coupled, and at least one of a fuel metering valve and a vapor separator carried by the body.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Gary J. Burns, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs, Eric G. Zbytowski
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Publication number: 20200248635Abstract: In at least some implementations, a throttle body assembly includes a body that has multiple throttle bores, multiple throttle valve heads received one in each of the throttle bores, at least one throttle valve shaft to which the throttle valve heads are coupled, and at least one of a fuel metering valve and a vapor separator carried by the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2018Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: Gary J. Burns, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs, Eric G. Zbytowski
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Publication number: 20190195144Abstract: A throttle body may have a main bore for supplying a fuel and air mixture to an engine. A throttle valve head may be received in the main bore and movable between idle and wide open positions to control fluid flow through the main bore. A main fuel outlet and a boost venturi may open to the main bore and a flow directing feature may alter the velocity and/or direction of fluid flow in the main bore relative to the fuel outlet or boost venturi. The flow directing feature may be carried by the body, the throttle valve head, or the boost venturi.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2017Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Gary J. Burns, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, Albert L. Sayers, David L. Speirs
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Publication number: 20190120193Abstract: In at least some implementations, a throttle body assembly for a combustion engine includes a throttle body having a pressure chamber in which a supply of fuel is received and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received, a throttle valve carried by the throttle body with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore to control fluid flow through the throttle bore, and a metering valve carried by the throttle body. The metering valve may have a valve element that is movable between an open position wherein fuel may flow from the pressure chamber into the throttle bore and a closed position where fuel is prevented or substantially prevented from flowing into the throttle bore through the metering valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: April 25, 2019Applicant: Walbro LLCInventors: Gary J. Burns, Andreas D. M. Dixon, Eric G. Zbytowski, Albert L. Sayers, Justin T. Dolane, David L. Speirs, William E. Galka, Duried F. Rabban, Bradley J. Roche
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Patent number: 9765724Abstract: An engine system may include a fuel and air supply circuit and an exhaust circuit, a temperature sensor mounted on an exterior of the engine and an oxygen sensor located in the exhaust circuit. The fuel and air supply circuit may include a throttle body mounted on the engine and having a throttle valve to control the flow rate of air delivered to the engine, a fuel injector carried by the throttle body to deliver fuel to the engine and a fuel rail carried by at least one of the throttle body and the fuel injector and having an input to receive a supply of fuel and an outlet through which fuel is routed to the fuel injector. An engine control unit may be communicated with these components to control the fuel and air mixture provided to the engine as a function of the temperature and oxygen sensor outputs.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: Massimo Casoni, William E. Galka, Bradley J. Roche, David L. Speirs, Mark S. Swanson, Eric G. Zbytowski
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Patent number: 9464577Abstract: A rotary position sensor for determining the rotary position of a rotary component may include a sensor and a magnet. The sensor may be responsive to a characteristic of a magnetic field that changes as the magnetic field moves. The magnet may be carried by the rotary component for rotation with the rotary component. A buffer may be provided around the magnet to limit distortion of the magnet field. The buffer is effective against objects normally located in the area of a device with which the sensor is used (e.g. adjacent components) as well as against foreign objects not normally in the area of the device.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2012Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: Walbro LLCInventors: William E. Galka, David L. Speirs