Joseph M Graham

US Patent:

6394426, May 28, 2002

Filed:

Jul 7, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/612076

Inventors:

William E. Galka - Caro MI
Joseph M. Graham - Cass City MI
Anthony M. Kueffner - Caro MI
Peter P. Kuperus - Cass City MI
Ronald H. Roche - Cass City MI

Assignee:

Walbro Corporation - Cass City MI

International Classification:

F02M 712

US Classification:

261 49, 261 51

Abstract:

An engine fuel apparatus has a fuel and air mixing passage through which a rich fuel and air mixture is provided to an engine to support the operation of the engine at idle and low speed, low load engine operation, and a pressurized fuel delivery passage provides liquid fuel to a downstream fuel injector for operation of the engine at high load, high speed and wide open throttle engine operating conditions. A shut-off valve prevents the flow of fuel to the mixing passage when a throttle valve therein, which controls engine operation, is opened a predetermined amount from idle to prevent the flow of the fuel into the mixing passage at high load and/or high speed engine operation. Another shut-off valve prevents the flow of pressurized fuel to the downstream fuel injector device when the throttle valve is between idle and a predetermined position off of idle to prevent the flow of pressurized fuel to the fuel injector device under low speed, low load engine operation. Desirably, a camshaft rotated in response to rotation of the throttle valve is used to actuate both shut-off valves.

US Patent:

6848405, Feb 1, 2005

Filed:

Jul 17, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/621937

Inventors:

Paul J. Dow - Cass City MI, US
Joseph M. Graham - Cass City MI, US

Assignee:

Walbro Engine Management , L.L.C. - Tuson AZ

International Classification:

F02M 102

US Classification:

12317918, 261 52

Abstract:

A self-relieving choke starting system for a carburetor of a combustion engine has an elongated cammed latch which projects radially outward from a rotating shaft of a choke valve located in an upstream region of a fuel-and-air mixing passage carried by a body of the carburetor. During a first attempt at starting a cold engine, the user manually rotates the choke valve from a spring biased open to a full choke position whereupon a cam end of the latch contacts a follower arm, which projects radially outward from a rotating shaft of a throttle valve located downstream of a venturi of the mixing passage. As the choke valve manually rotates closed, the throttle valve automatically rotates in an open direction against the biasing force of a throttle spring from a slow idle state, for normal engine operation, to a fast idle state for engine starting. Once the choke valve is in the full choke position and the throttle valve is in the fast idle position, a rich mixture of fuel-and-air will flow into the combustion chamber of the engine during the first attempt at starting the cold engine. If the first attempt should fail, the user can manually rotate the choke valve in an open direction to a half-choke position while the throttle valve is automatically maintained in the fast idle position to provide a slightly leaner mixture of the fuel-and-air to the engine for following attempts at cold starting.

US Patent:

7318422, Jan 15, 2008

Filed:

Jul 27, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/190427

Inventors:

Yoshiaki Douyama - Shiroishi, JP
Joseph M. Graham - Cass City MI, US
Kevin L. Israelson - Cass City MI, US
Ronald H. Roche - Cass City MI, US

Assignee:

Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C. - Tucson AZ

International Classification:

F02M 37/04

US Classification:

123495, 123509

Abstract:

A fluid pump includes an electric motor with a casing and a drive shaft extending from the casing, a pumping element coupled to the drive shaft for rotation with the shaft to take in fluid and discharge it under pressure. The fuel pump casing may be sealed and a housing coupled to the casing may provide the inlet and outlet passages for fluid flow to and from the pumping element. The housing may be received in or communicated with other housing or module assemblies to provide a wide array of fuel pump assemblies. The pumping element may include one or more gear rotors, a turbine pumping element, or other pumping element, as desired.

US Patent:

63021447, Oct 16, 2001

Filed:

Feb 24, 2000

Appl. No.:

9/512540

Inventors:

Joseph M. Graham - Cass City MI
Peter P. Kuperus - Cass City MI
Ronald H. Roche - Cass City MI
Charles H Tuckey - Sand Point MI
Matthew L. Werner - Caro MI

Assignee:

Walbro Corporation - Cass City MI

International Classification:

B01D 4900

US Classification:

13756517

Abstract:

A vehicle fuel system has an electronic control module received within a fuel tank to send data to and receive data from the electronic control unit (ECU) for the vehicle engine and other vehicle control systems, to provide an electronic control of the vehicle fuel system and to receive signals from one or more sensors mounted within the fuel tank which provide information about the operation of the fuel system. The fuel system integrates a plurality of components into the vehicle fuel tank to reduce the number of openings through the vehicle fuel tank and the number of external connections which must be made in assembly of the fuel system into a vehicle. By disposing a fuel vapor canister within the fuel tank, each vapor vent valve within the fuel tank can communicate completely within the tank with the vapor canister with a single outlet extending from the fuel tank to communicate fuel vapor from the canister with an intake manifold of the engine. Desirably, this outlet may extend through the same opening in the fuel tank through which the fuel pump, vapor canister, electronic control module and other components of the vehicle fuel system are inserted into the fuel tank. Notably, the number of openings in the tank is reduced and in one embodiment, only two openings are used in the tank, one for a fill pipe through which fuel is introduced into the tank and the other for the insertion of the various fuel system components into the tank.