Christopher G Pritchard

US Patent:

20040135384, Jul 15, 2004

Filed:

Dec 9, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/731293

Inventors:

Christopher Pritchard - Farmington Hills MI, US
Benjamin Zabik - Ann Arbor MI, US

Assignee:

Meridian Automotive Systems, Inc.

International Classification:

B60R019/56

US Classification:

293/120000

Abstract:

A bumper assembly and a process of fabricating the assembly that is designed to increase kinetic energy absorption and reduce deflection during a vehicular impact event. The bumper assembly comprising a vehicular bumper beam, a pair of mounting brackets that attach the bumper beam to a vehicular frame, and a fascia that partially encloses the bumper beam. The vehicular bumper is a structural cross member with two or more beads on an impact face of the bumper beam.

US Patent:

6357421, Mar 19, 2002

Filed:

Jul 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/618995

Inventors:

Christopher S. Pritchard - Farmington Hills MI

Assignee:

Detroit Diesel Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

F02M 3704

US Classification:

123456, 123508, 123446

Abstract:

A common rail diesel fuel injection system that uses as many as one high-pressure engine-cam-driven fuel pump per engine cylinder, each of the high-pressure engine-cam-driven fuel pumps being driven directly by the engine cam. The system includes a common rail to receive the outputs of the high-pressure engine-cam-driven fuel pumps to maintain a high and uniform fuel pressure. The system also includes a fuel transfer pump to supply relatively low-pressure fuel to the high-pressure engine-cam-driven fuel pumps. Fuel from the common rail is distributed to solenoid-controlled fuel injectors. The latter have outputs connected to respective pressure regulator valves to regulate fuel pressure and to provide a path, in additional to the injection path, through which fuel flows to reduce injector temperature. An embodiment is included wherein a programmable logic device controls fuel injectors in response to selected engine operation sensor inputs. A further embodiment places the fuel transfer pump under control of the programmable logic device to minimize excess fuel transfer pump operation.