The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 04, 2016
Filed:
Feb. 06, 2013
GM Global Technology Operations Llc, Detroit, MI (US);
Richard A. Novaco, Bloomfield, MI (US);
Mitchell E. Hart, Grand Blanc, MI (US);
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for electrostatic discharge mitigation for a fuel module. In one embodiment, the system includes a fuel pump having a power and ground connection for pumping fuel. A fuel filter in fluid communication with the fuel pump, the fuel filter including one or more components made of a non-conductive plastic and having a sulfonated surface covered with a conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface. The conductive surface is electrically coupled to the vehicle ground plane. A method is provided for mitigation of electrostatic discharge in a fuel module. In one embodiment, the method includes sulfonating non-conductive plastic components of the fuel module to provide a sulfonated layer on the non-conductive plastic components and forming a conductive layer over the sulfonated layer to provide an electrical discharge path for electrostatic buildup resulting from fuel moving through the fuel module.