Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Stephen Thomas Kempfer

Dequan Yu

Paul Edward Fisher

Norman Nelson Krieger

James Thompson

Harold Lawrence Castle

Sheven Sharp

David M Dokas

Randall Adam Betki

Ross Dykstra Pursifull

Shawn Harold Swales

Brian Robert Kelm

Richard Eric Luken

Robert John Mohrmann

Matti K Vint

Robert Pyle

David Joseph Setsuda

Daven Chinubhai Bhavsar

James Knight

Jason Nicholas Schultz

Michael R Tinskey

Thomas C Nation

Matthew Edward Wiethoff

Gerald Spradlin

Joseph Grabowski

Robert Charles Borregard

Kathleen H Stroia

Brian C Prodin

Thomas E Wiseman

Marc Possley

Christian V Hassinger

Christopher C Lobombarbe

David J Rink

Jeff Moll

Matthew L Stein

DeQuan Yu

Erik Hans Gaarder

Taylor Leslie Riegel

A fuel pump system for pumping fuel to an engine in a vehicle includes a pump motor having a carbon-based commutator and brushes in a position exposed to fuel, resulting in a tendency to form a film between the commutator and brushes that can reduce pump performance by increasing the electrical resistance of the brush-commutator interface. The pump motor has a nominal voltage rating. A power circuit is coupled to the pump motor for selectably providing an operating voltage and a boost voltage, wherein the boost voltage is greater than the nominal voltage rating. A controller selecting the operating voltage during an ordinary run cycle and selects the boost voltage during a clean-up cycle. The controller selects the clean-up cycle for a limited time that is sufficiently short to avoid damage to the pump motor from exceeding the nominal voltage rating and sufficiently long to create arcing between the commutator and brushes that reverses formation of the film.

Fuel pump motor using carbon commutator having reduced filming

A rotodynamic fuel pump in a fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine including a pump housing, a pump inlet channel extending through the housing allowing fuel to be drawn into the pump, a purge orifice extending through the housing and spaced away from the pump inlet channel, the purge orifice allowing fuel vapor to exit the pump, the purge orifice including a purge inlet, a purge outlet, and a purge channel, where the purge inlet is axially offset from the purge outlet.

Regenerative fuel pump

A mechanical returnless fuel system comprises a fuel pump having an output for supplying fuel to fuel injectors of an automotive engine. The fuel system includes a pressure regulating valve that returns a portion of the pump output in excess of engine fuel usage to the fuel supply. The pressure regulating valve results in a fuel pressure that varies as a function of engine fuel demand. During operation, a controller determines a projected engine fuel demand, then determines an estimated fuel pressure based upon the projected engine fuel demand. The controller utilizes the estimated fuel pressure to provide a more accurate calculation of the opening time for the fuel injectors and thereby improve engine control.

Mechanical returnless fuel system

A fuel flange assembly for a vehicle fuel system provides Electro Static Dissipation without an undue increase in cost or reduction in the durability of the tank components. The fuel flange assembly generally includes a fuel tube, a tank flange, and a pressure control device. The fuel tube is constructed of a conductive polymer and has an inlet and an outlet. The fuel tube includes a portion defining a housing positioned between the inlet and the outlet. The tank flange is constructed of a non-conductive polymer. The pressure control device is fitted within the housing and includes a conductive outer casing engaging the fuel tube and forming an electrical pathway.

Fuel flange assembly for a vehicle fuel system

A fuel pump includes a housing, and a motor. A single sided impeller has first and second impeller flow channels each including a plurality of vanes. The impeller defines a flow passageway extending therethrough. A cover is attached to the housing and has a cover surface that defines first and second cover flow channels. The cover flow channels receive fuel from inlets formed in the cover. The first and second cover flow channels are aligned with the first and second impeller flow channels and receive fuel through the inlets and deliver fuel to outlets. A body is positioned within the housing and defines an impeller chamber to receive the impeller, and a first outlet passageway fluidically connected to the first cover flow channel and impeller flow channel. A second outlet passageway formed within the cover is fluidically connected to the second cover flow channel and impeller flow channel.

Fuel pump having dual single sided impeller

The present invention provides a system for controlling speed of the fuel pump. The system includes a fuel pump, a controller, and a field modification module. The fuel pump is configured to receive a driving signal causing the fuel pump to pump fuel. The controller is configured to determine a desired fuel pump speed and generate a control signal based on the desired fuel pump speed. The field modification module is located proximate the fuel pump and is in communication with the controller to receive the control signal. The field modification module generates a flux in response the control signal thereby controlling speed and torque of the fuel pump.

Fuel system with a field modification module for controlling fuel flow

A fuel delivery system is provided with a fuel solenoid valve to minimize fuel leakage and evaporative emissions during diurnal cycles by preventing pressure buildup as the temperature of the fuel system rises. The fuel solenoid valve is located between a pressurized side of the delivery system and a fuel tank. In one embodiment, the fuel solenoid valve is closed when the engine is running or when the engine is off and the rail is hot. When the fuel rail cools down, the solenoid valve opens to bleed a desired amount of fuel thereby creating a fuel vapor space. Thereafter, during hot soak conditions of the diurnal cycles when the fuel rail is hot again while the engine is off, the pressure will rise due to the thermal expansion of the fuel and the created fuel vapor space minimizes further rising of the fuel pressure. Further, by adjusting the solenoid valve opening time, the pressure rising limit may be set at a desired pressure to minimize injector leakage.

Low evaporative emission fuel system depressurization via solenoid valve

The present invention provides a system for controlling the speed of a motor by altering the magnetic field of the motor. The system includes field modification module, and a motor having field windings and a rotor. The field windings are configured to receive a driving signal that generates a magnetic field causing a rotation of the rotor. The field modification module is proximate the motor and alters the magnetic field in response to an input signal thereby controlling the speed and torque of the rotor.

System for controlling motor speed by altering magnetic field of the motor

A ring impeller includes a central hub with a first row of vanes extending from the hub and a second row of vanes extending from the hub adjacent to and staggered from the first row of vanes. The vanes in each row are grouped to form adjacent vane pairs and a partition wall is positioned between each of the vanes within the vane pairs. A rib extends radially from the hub in alignment with the partition wall and is positioned between each vane pair. The bottom thickness of the partition wall is the same thickness as the rib. The partition wall includes a reduced material area at its forward and rear edges. The vanes in the first row are unevenly spaced and the vanes in the second row are spaced equidistantly between the vanes in the first row. The spacing of the vanes in the first row may be about 70% to about 140% of a spacing equal to an equal spacing. Some of the vanes may have a height that is less than the height of other vanes.

Fuel pump impeller

A pressure regulated valve is provided for a mechanical returnless fuel system for an automotive vehicle that includes a fuel pump for supplying fuel from a fuel supply to an engine. The pressure regulating valve includes a conduit in fluid communication with the pump outlet. The valve includes a valve seat and a valve body having a frustoconical seal surface. A spring biases the valve body to close the valve body against the valve seat. During operation, increased fuel pressure from the pump opens the valve body to discharge excess fuel to the fuel supply.

Pressure regulating valve for automotive fuel system

A regenerative fuel pump comprising a housing, a pump cover having a first flow channel formed therein, a pump body having a second flow channel formed therein whereby the first flow channel and the second flow channel define a pumping chamber, and an impeller mounted between the pump cover and pump body and including a plurality of vanes spaced circumferentially about the impeller and defining a plurality of vane grooves. The vanes are spaced un-evenly in a non-repeating pattern about the impeller. The first and second flow channels each include an inlet end, an outlet end, and a stripper area defined as the area between the inlet end and the outlet end extending from the inlet end away from the flow channel. Each of the stripper areas including a plurality of grooves formed therein adapted to dampen pressure pulsations within the pumping chamber.

Low noise fuel pump design

A low deviation pressure relief valve for a fuel pump consisting of a housing having an elongated bore having a continuous wall, an axis, shoulders arranged on the wall so as to extend toward the axis. A ball in the housing has a diameter at least less than the diameter of the bore and a ball retainer located in the bore upstream from the shoulders forms a ball seat by pre-coining process. The ball is smaller than the retainer seat in diameter to ensure an edge seal with the ball. A spring coaxial with the axis located down stream from the ball retainer and supported on the shoulders, and the ball is located between the spring and the ball seat wherein low flow restriction is created and reduced pressure variation is created as fluid flows past the ball and less buckling in the spring is created by guide ribs.

Low deviation pressure relief valve for fuel pumps

A fuel sender assembly comprises an in-tank electrical connection to an electric fuel pump that is formed between a socket member and a plug element, in which the plug element includes a terminal that is received in a receptacle in the socket member. The socket element comprises a socket wall that extends about the socket face. The plug element also includes a plug wall that sealingly engages the socket wall to prevent the electrical contact from exposure to fuel vapors within the tank.

Fuel sender assembly

A vehicle includes a fuel cell that generates electricity, a pre-heater electrically coupled to the fuel cell, wherein the pre-heater provides an output, and a component configured to receive a portion of the output, wherein a temperature of the component is changed through receipt of the portion of the output. In addition, a method is described for operating a fuel cell in a vehicle that includes: generating electricity from the fuel cell, and providing a portion of the electricity to a pre-heater, which provides an output to a vehicular component, thereby pre-heating the component.

Vehicles containing and methods for using a pre-heater to reduce emissions, and for warming fuel cells at low ambient temperatures

A system for driving a compressor is disclosed. The system includes an internal combustion engine in communication with the compressor for selectively driving an input shaft of the compressor; an electric motor in communication with the compressor for selectively driving the compressor when the compressor is not being driven by the engine; and a gear assembly operatively connected to a motor output of the electric motor shaft for changing a rotational speed of the motor output shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Stephen Thomas Kempfer