Patents by Inventor James Chih Cheng

James Chih Cheng has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170080981
    Abstract: A roof bow for a vehicle is provided that has a “bow-tie” shape including a central portion flanked by two triangular portions. The triangular portions are joined to right and left roof brackets that are, in turn, joined to right and left roof rails. The bow-tie roof bow may be assembled from extruded tubular parts. The bow-tie roof bow may be assembled in a clamshell structure including an upper shell and a lower shell that are joined together by welding. The roof bow may be formed in one piece as a sheet metal stamping having side portions that are wider than the central portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Mohammed Omar FARUQUE, Fubang WU, Michael M. AZZOUZ, Yijung CHEN, David Anthony WAGNER, James Chih CHENG
  • Patent number: 9561774
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a steering wheel having a steering wheel cover and an airbag module. The airbag module includes an airbag arrangement and an inflator disposed behind the steering wheel cover. The inflator is configured to inflate the airbag arrangement. The airbag arrangement has a primary bag configured to cushion an occupant and a secondary bag disposed on a side of the primary bag adjacent to a driver's side of the vehicle. The secondary bag is configured to catch an occupant during impact of the vehicle. The airbag arrangement further includes a patch having a seam. The patch partitions the primary and secondary bags. The seam is configured to split when a pressure in the primary bag exceeds a threshold allowing gas to inflate the secondary bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Chih Cheng, Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammed Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 9550465
    Abstract: An airbag system includes an inflator and an airbag in communication with the inflator. The airbag system includes a tether actuator and tethers extending from the tether actuator to the airbag. A controller is programmed to receive signals from an impact sensing system and a steering wheel angle sensor. The controller is programmed to instruct the tether actuator to release at least one of the tethers based at least on the signals from the steering wheel angle sensor and the impact sensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Raed Essa EL-Jawahri, Jamel E. Belwafa, James Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 9550532
    Abstract: A roof bow for a vehicle is provided that has a “bow-tie” shape including a central portion flanked by two triangular portions. The triangular portions are joined to right and left roof brackets that are, in turn, joined to right and left roof rails. The bow-tie roof bow may be assembled from extruded tubular parts. The bow-tie roof bow may be assembled in a clamshell structure including an upper shell and a lower shell that are joined together by welding. The roof bow may be formed in one piece as a sheet metal stamping having side portions that are wider than the central portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammed Omar Faruque, Fubang Wu, Michael M. Azzouz, Yijung Chen, David Anthony Wagner, James Chih Cheng
  • Publication number: 20170015266
    Abstract: An airbag system includes an inflator and an airbag in communication with the inflator. The airbag system includes a tether actuator and tethers extending from the tether actuator to the airbag. A controller is programmed to receive signals from an impact sensing system and a steering wheel angle sensor. The controller is programmed to instruct the tether actuator to release at least one of the tethers based at least on the signals from the steering wheel angle sensor and the impact sensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Raed Essa EL-Jawahri, Jamel E. Belwafa, James Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 9533710
    Abstract: A method for optimizing a twelve-cornered strengthening member comprises: modeling a vehicle assembly including a strengthening member having a twelve-cornered cross section; parameterizing a geometry of the strengthening member with a plurality of control parameters; defining a design of experiment using the plurality of control parameters; modeling a vehicle using the vehicle assembly; simulating a frontal impact event with the vehicle; generating a response surface based on the frontal impact event; and determining a set of optimized control parameters for the strengthening member based on the response surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: James Chih Cheng, Raj Jayachandran, Ching-Hung Chuang, Yiping Xie, Yuan Wang, Tau Tyan, Leonard Anthony Shaner, Yu-Kan Hu
  • Patent number: 9511734
    Abstract: A passenger protection system includes a rotatable arm, a rotation mechanism rotatably attached to the rotatable arm, and a flexible sheet connected to the rotatable arm and connectable to a vehicle roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Parakrama V. Weerappuli, James Chih Cheng, Raed Essa EL-Jawahri, Mohammed Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 9499120
    Abstract: An active bolster for an automotive vehicle includes a bladder that inflates an interior trim area of the vehicle to provide a cushion to an occupant during an impact. The bladder has a first wall and a second wall cooperatively defining an interior cavity. The bladder has a two stage vent for venting inflation gas supplied into the cavity during an impact event. The vent has a first aperture defining a first predetermined flow area when a pressure difference across the vent is substantially zero. A bendable member defines at least in part the first aperture. A weakened seam joins the bendable member to an adjacent feature of the bladder. When there is a predetermined pressure difference across the vent, the weakened seam is ruptured and the bendable member deflects to a second position defining a second flow area greater than the first flow area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Cortney Stancato, James Chih Cheng
  • Publication number: 20160288761
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an instrument panel, a front airbag, a first side curtain airbag, and a second side curtain airbag and two front seats. The front seats are disposed between the first side curtain airbag and the second side curtain airbag. The vehicle includes a roof, and the front airbag is supported by the roof. The front airbag extends from the first side curtain airbag to the second side curtain airbag between the instrument panel and the front seats to absorb energy from occupants during an impact event to reduce the likelihood of head injury and to urge the occupants to remain seated in an upright position to reduce chest loading by seat belts. The front airbag may protect an unbelted occupant ejecting out of the vehicle through a windshield in a crash event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mangala A. Jayasuriya, Robert William McCoy, James Chih Cheng
  • Publication number: 20160280273
    Abstract: A vehicle chassis includes a pair of rails spaced from each other. A beam is disposed between the pair of rails and defines a cavity. The beam includes walls and hinges connected in alternating arrangement about the cavity. Each hinge is connected to two of the walls. A wedge is disposed between one of the rails and the beam adjacent the cavity for driving the walls and hinges toward an expanded position during a side impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Saied Nusier, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, James Chih Cheng, Jamel E. Belwafa
  • Publication number: 20160280274
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a chassis having a pair of rails spaced from each other and a deployable reinforcing device extending between the rails. The deployable reinforcing device includes a beam disposed between the pair of rails and including walls and hinges connected in alternating arrangement. The walls are rotatable about the hinges from a collapsed position to an expanded position. The device includes a deployment mechanism disposed between the walls. When a vehicle impact is sensed, the deployment mechanism is deployed to expand the beam to the expanded position to reinforce the rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Saied Nusier, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, James Chih Cheng, Jamel E. Belwafa
  • Patent number: 9446735
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an instrument panel, a front airbag, a first side curtain airbag, and a second side curtain airbag and two front seats. The front seats are disposed between the first side curtain airbag and the second side curtain airbag. The vehicle includes a roof, and the front airbag is supported by the roof. The front airbag extends from the first side curtain airbag to the second side curtain airbag between the instrument panel and the front seats to absorb energy from occupants during an impact event to reduce the likelihood of head injury and to urge the occupants to remain seated in an upright position to reduce chest loading by seat belts. The front airbag may protect an unbelted occupant ejecting out of the vehicle through a windshield in a crash event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mangala A. Jayasuriya, Robert William McCoy, James Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 9415735
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame, a bumper, and a crush can that secures the bumper to the frame. The crush can includes a plurality of cells that are arranged in a fanned configuration relative to the frame such that walls of the cells deform during offset impact events to deflect objects away from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Rahul Arora, Matthew John Zaluzec, James Chih Cheng
  • Patent number: 9415823
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a body having an interior which houses a spare wheel of the motor vehicle, a seat and removable headrest of the motor vehicle, and removable accessories stored in the motor vehicle. The removable accessories include at least a collapsible frame and a geared drive mechanism. The frame, the spare wheel, the removable headrest and the drive mechanism can be assembled together to form a bicycle which is separate from the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mangala A. Jayasuriya, James Chih Cheng, Kristin Marie Schondorf
  • Publication number: 20160221525
    Abstract: A passenger protection system includes a rotatable arm, a rotation mechanism rotatably attached to the rotatable arm, and a flexible sheet connected to the rotatable arm and connectable to a vehicle roof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Parakrama V. Weerappuli, James Chih Cheng, Raed Essa EL-Jawahri, Mohammed Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 9399441
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag system comprising an airbag. The airbag may include at least one tether attached to first and second walls of the airbag, wherein each tether includes a tear seam configured to detach when the airbag is inflated with a pressure higher than a predetermined pressure. The airbag may include at least a first tether and a second tether, each tether attached to first and second walls of the airbag, wherein the first tether includes a tear seam configured to detach when the airbag is inflated with a pressure higher than a predetermined pressure. The system may further comprise a controller that may be used for determining whether to inflate an airbag with one of a high pressure and a low pressure depending on whether a detected impact is oblique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammed Omar Faruque, James Chih Cheng, Raed Essa EL-Jawahri, Jialiang Le
  • Patent number: 9340176
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag comprises a primary chamber and a secondary chamber affixed to the primary chamber by a seam. A passage is defined between the primary chamber and the secondary chamber. The seam defines a closed shape, and an inner side of the seam is located between sides of the primary chamber, and is between sides of the secondary chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jamel E. Belwafa, Mohammed Omar Faruque, James Chih Cheng, Jaeho Cho
  • Patent number: 9333931
    Abstract: A passenger protection system includes a rotatable attachment mountable in a vehicle seat back, a first frame member rotatably connected to the rotatable attachment, and a flexible sheet having an upper edge connected to the first frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: James Chih Cheng, Parakrama V. Weerappuli, Raed Essa El-Jawahri, Mohammed Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 9327663
    Abstract: An energy absorption system comprises a vehicle bumper, an energy absorption member attached to the vehicle bumper, and a plurality of ribs having respective first ends that are hingedly attached to the energy absorption member. The ribs extend between the energy absorption member and the bumper. The ribs may be actuated based on the speed information from the onboard vehicle communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Iskander Farooq, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Sudip Sankar Bhattacharjee, James Chih Cheng, Srinivasan Sundararajan
  • Publication number: 20160082544
    Abstract: An expanded laminate and method of forming an expanded laminate are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes selectively applying a relatively high temperature-resistant material to a surface of a first metal sheet to form a covered portion and an uncovered portion and diffusion bonding the first metal sheet to a second metal sheet at the uncovered portion to form a bonded region and an unbonded region. Pressurized gas may be introduced between the first and second metal sheets to expand the first and second metal sheets in the unbonded region. The metal sheets may be aluminum sheets. The sheets may be positioned in a die having a plurality of cavities such that when the pressurized gas is introduced the sheets expand into the cavities. The diffusion bonding may be performed by applying pressure, for example, using rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Mohammed Omar FARUQUE, Kevin PLINE, Srinivasan SUNDARARAJAN, James Chih CHENG, Matthew John ZALUZEC, Fubang WU