Patents by Inventor Marc A. Lucas

Marc A. Lucas 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).

  • Patent number: 8786418
    Abstract: An interior lighting system that responds to changes in vehicle operating parameters, such as fuel economy, electric power consumption and battery recharging, by changing color of interior lighting. The system includes an engine vacuum sensor associated with the internal combustion engine and, when used on a hybrid vehicle, a motor power draw sensor associated with the vehicle's electric motor and a battery recharging sensor associated with the vehicle's storage battery. An array of color-changing ambient interior lights is provided and is operatively associated with the vehicle system controller. The sensors measure specific changes in driving parameters and send signals to the vehicle system controller for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Lucas
  • Publication number: 20130228387
    Abstract: A vehicle drive battery arrangement, having: two sets of battery cells with a fan device configured therebetween, positioned behind a vehicle seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventor: Marc Lucas
  • Patent number: 8276696
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cabin, a trunk area, a seating area located forward in the vehicle with respect to the trunk area, and a high voltage traction battery packaged in the trunk area. An electric motor is powered by the traction battery. A forced air system includes an inlet duct/inlet plenum arrangement for receiving air and providing air to the high voltage traction battery, an outlet duct for directing exhaust air from the high voltage traction battery, and a fan. At least one of the inlet duct / inlet plenum arrangement and the outlet duct forms a cross brace for the vehicle. The cross brace is located in the trunk area and extends between opposite sides of the vehicle to function as a structural member to provide structure and protect the high voltage traction battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Lucas
  • Publication number: 20110227716
    Abstract: An interior lighting system which responds to changes in vehicle operating parameters, such as fuel economy, electric power consumption and battery recharging, by changing color of interior lighting. The system includes an engine vacuum sensor associated with the internal combustion engine and, when used on a hybrid vehicle, a motor power draw sensor associated with the vehicle's electric motor and a battery recharging sensor associated with the vehicle's storage battery. An array of color-changing ambient interior lights is provided and is operatively associated with the vehicle system controller. The sensors measure specific changes in driving parameters and send signals to the vehicle system controller for further processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Lucas
  • Patent number: 7977814
    Abstract: A centralized high voltage interlock system includes an electrical source, an interlock control unit electrically connected to the electrical source, at least one high voltage component disposed in direct electrical contact with the interlock control unit and a high voltage electrical interlock disposed in electrical contact with the at least one high voltage component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marc Lucas, Bo Wu, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran
  • Publication number: 20110139526
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cabin, a trunk area, a seating area located forward in the vehicle with respect to the trunk area, and a high voltage traction battery packaged in the trunk area. An electric motor is powered by the traction battery. A forced air system includes an inlet duct/inlet plenum arrangement for receiving air and providing air to the high voltage traction battery, an outlet duct for directing exhaust air from the high voltage traction battery, and a fan. At least one of the inlet duct/inlet plenum arrangement and the outlet duct forms a cross brace for the vehicle. The cross brace is located in the trunk area and extends between opposite sides of the vehicle to function as a structural member to provide structure and protect the high voltage traction battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Marc Lucas
  • Publication number: 20100187904
    Abstract: A centralized high voltage interlock system includes an electrical source, an interlock control unit electrically connected to the electrical source, at least one high voltage component disposed in direct electrical contact with the interlock control unit and a high voltage electrical interlock disposed in electrical contact with the at least one high voltage component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Marc Lucas, Bo Wu, Venkateswa Anand Sankaran
  • Publication number: 20080156041
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved cooling of a veil of glass fibers by using a combination of nozzle assemblies. The nozzle assemblies include air caps of differing configurations to control the penetration of the spray into the veil. One suitable spray configuration is a nozzle assembly having punch air cap that creates a narrow exit angle, high velocity flow of droplets to penetrate the veil to cool the fibers at the interior. Another suitable configuration is a nozzle assembly having a flat air cap that creates a wide exit angle, low velocity, dispersed spray pattern to cool the exterior of the veil. Preferably, the flat air cap creates a very fine particle size to increase the cooling efficiency of the spray. By using the cooling ring of the present invention, lower levels of binder to be applied to the fibers and environmental emissions from the plant may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: William R. Cooper, Scott J. Blackwood, Marc A. Lucas, Michael Ward, William M. Babbitt, David R. Rodenbaugh, Steven D. Crothers, David Shallenberger, Michael P. Lewis, John J. Faust
  • Patent number: 5173609
    Abstract: Disclosed is a portable device for the measurement of the dose rate and of the doses of photon radiation such as gamma rays, UV rays or X-rays, or charged particles, to which a bearer is exposed. This device has a detector of radiation or particles, a system for computing the cumulative dose and a memory to store data relating to the bearer and to the cumulative doses. The device has a credit card type of format, and is preferably like a badge with a photograph. It has a clock-calender for the storage, in the memory, of a piece of information on dates at the same time as the pieces of information on doses and/or dose rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Francis Lacoste, Marc Lucas