Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Norm Jerry Bird

James Thomas Gooden

Xiaoyong Lu

Nicholas Niemiec

Steven Michael Archer

Methods and systems are provided for starting a vehicle engine. In one example, an engine starter system for starting the vehicle engine may comprise a ring gear coupled to an engine crankshaft, and a pinion gear coupled to a starter motor, the pinion gear having rotatable rocker elements for engaging the ring gear. In this way, the pinion gear may be engaged with the ring gear to transmit torque from the starter motor to the engine crankshaft to quickly start the engine.

Rocker pinion starter

A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit includes a chamber, a fixed surface secured against movement relative to the chamber, a by-pass port including a valve seat located in the chamber, an actuator located in the chamber and that moves relative to the valve seat in response to a temperature of the actuator, a valve member, a spring contacting the surface and the valve seat and producing a force urging the valve member to engage the valve seat and to close the by-pass port, the spring having no structural connection to the actuator, and a return spring secured to the actuator and contacting the valve member for urging the actuator to retract and the valve member to open the by-pass port.

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Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Norm Jerry Bird