Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Paul K. Godwin
  • Solder flow well for reflowing solder of multipin components
    Patent number: 4942997
    Abstract: A solder well configured to abut and enclose the though hole pattern on a printed circuit board to allow the reflow of solder and removal of a multipin electronic component without affecting the integrity of adjacent solder joints of components disposed within or adjacent the through hole pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Peter J. Sinkunas, Rodney L. Ritter, James E. Altpeter
  • Electrical connector with retained boot
    Patent number: 4940420
    Abstract: A sealed electrical connector includes one connector member having an oval-shaped cavity containing electrical contacts. A second connector member has a main body of a similar oval shape and having electrical contacts for mating with the contacts in the other connector member. A circular sealing boot is inserted into the cavity so as to deform to the oval shape, thereby providing lateral forces against the cavity wall which ensures that the sealing boot is retained in the cavity and promotes a tight seal when the main body of the second connector member is inserted into the cavity. The sealing boot is formed with elastomeric material into a circular cylindrical shape and is retained in the cavity even when the connector is disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Richard T. Munie
  • Double saggital pull stroke amplifier
    Patent number: 4933591
    Abstract: A piezoelectric motor actuated amplifier mechanism that utilizes a pair of saggital linkages having one relatively fixed saggital midpoint and joined at their end points to obtain a doubled amplification factor pull stroke output from one relatively movable saggital midpoint. Thermal compensators are employed between the piezoelectric actuator and the saggital linkages to stabilize the amplifier throughout a wide range of temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Paul H. Stahlhuth
  • Electrical circuit for protecting a power supply connected to apply signals to a retractable sunroof containing materials that respond to an applied electrical signal
    Patent number: 4931706
    Abstract: An electrical circuit connected to a drive motor circuit, of a movable sunroof panel containing an electrical field responsive material, for preventing the energization of a power supply prior to the panel being electrically connected to the output of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Gajewski
  • Low wear resistor card for use in a liquid fuel sender circuit
    Patent number: 4931764
    Abstract: A resistor card for a fuel tank level sensor configured to reduce wear between an electrical contact wiper and metalized conductor pads formed on a substrate, by the deposition of thick film resistive material on the individual pads. The resistive material forms a protective coating on the pads to protect the metalized pads from excessive wiper wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Gaston
  • Surface quality analyzer apparatus and method
    Patent number: 4929846
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring the quality of a finished surface by projecting a pair of parallel light beams onto the surface and reflecting the beams onto an image screen where they are electronically recorded and analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Tahir M. Mansour
  • Fuel sender assembly requiring no calibration and having reduced wear
    Patent number: 4924704
    Abstract: A fuel sender assembly using a wiper contact to generate a resistance proportional to fuel level in a fuel tank has a bent float rod engaged by a fork and a bore of a carrier element which rigidly carries a spring contact. The spring contact slidably engages a resistor on a resistor card within a housing. The carrier element extends through a slot in the housing such that it abuts the ends of the slot to provide rotational limits for the float rod. The carrier element retains the float rod such that the float rod is allowed to move over a limited distance in the direction coaxial with the portion of the float rod about which the other movable parts rotate. All other movement of the float rod, except the sweeping movement related to fuel level, are substantially prevented. Vibrational wear of the resistor card is thus avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Gaston
  • Automobile electronic control modules communicating by pulse width modulated signals
    Patent number: 4922874
    Abstract: A distributed processing system in an automotive environment achieves enhanced noise immunity and reduces the processing burden and background loop time of the master controller by providing for communication of signals between a master controller and a slave controller by pulse width modulated communication signals. In a preferred embodiment, the communicated signal is a spark advance which is transmitted to an ignition module for implementing spark events in an internal combustion engine. The spark advance pulse width is a linearly decreasing function of spark advance value since increased spark advance is associated with an increase in engine speed. The spark advance is encoded into a pulse width signal according to a method which simplifies decoding of the spark advance information in the ignition module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Charles J. DeBiasi, Wesley D. Boyer
  • Blind mating connector having self-locating feature
    Patent number: 4921435
    Abstract: A blind mating connector for simultaneously providing electrical and mechanical connection of an electrical component to an instrument panel is disclosed such that a robotic installation of the electrical device is possible. A floating receptacle in the panel is located at a theoretical center at which the device-end connector is expected to arrive by means of resilient O-rings contained in grooves on flanges extending from the floating receptacle. The floating receptacle is movable in any direction in the plane of the panel and is rotatable about any axis. Thus, errors in alignment and in the insertion direction of the electrical device are tolerated while ensuring a proper electrical and mechanical connection between the device and the floating receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignees: Ford Motor Company, AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas J. Kane, John M. Myer, Richard W. Grzybowski
  • Audio amplifier with voltage limiting
    Patent number: 4912424
    Abstract: A voltage limiting circuit is disclosed for preventing distortion in amplified audio signals. Clipping of the output of a power amplifier is detected and a clipping signal is integrated in a two-step process for limiting a bass frequency gain and limiting a wideband frequency gain which are applied in series. Separate limiting thresholds cause the bass gain to be limited first. Wideband gain is reduced at higher levels of clipping but is more quickly restored when clipping stops. Voltage limiting feedback is provided using inexpensive RC integrator circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Liviu M. Nicola, Henry F. Blind
  • Liquid level indicating device
    Patent number: 4907451
    Abstract: A liquid level indicating device such as the fuel gauge 10 in a motor vehicle is of the type which does not return to zero when the ignition 24 is switched of. In order to prevent false readings arising when the fuel in the tank sloshes about, a tilt switch 22 is provided in series with the ignition switch to depower the fuel gauge 10, which then continues to register the previous reading, if the motion or attitude of the vehicle changes. The tilt switch will close when the vehicle returns to a low level of acceleration and a level attitude operating state and power will be restored to the gauge. The gauge then reverts to direct reading of the signal from a sender unit 28 in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Nicholas R. Fleetham
  • Accuracy adjustment for time-of-day clock using a microcontroller
    Patent number: 4903251
    Abstract: A microcontroller, software-based time-of-day clock compensates for inaccurate oscillator frequency by periodically correcting the time-of-day value using a calibration offset measured by manufacturing test equipment and permanently stored in nonvolatile memory. A high degree of time keeping accuracy is achieved without the use of trimming capacitors or presorted piezoelectric crystals in the oscillator. Furthermore, frequency error compensation is incorporated into the microcontroller system without requiring a significant amount of processing time overhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Max C. Chapman
  • Airbag electrical igniter readiness detector
    Patent number: 4893109
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for periodically checking the critical resistance value of an airbag igniter ("squib") component and determining if the resistance exceeds a predetermined maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Vrabel, Dennis W. Rhee, Michael R. Seeger
  • Fuel sender assembly requiring no calibration
    Patent number: 4873865
    Abstract: A fuel sender assembly using a wiper contact to generate a resistance proportional to fuel level in a fuel tank has a bent float rod engaged by a fork and a bore of a carrier element which rigidly carries a spring contact. The spring contact slidably engages a resistor on a resistor card within a housing. The carrier element extends through a slot in the housing such that it abuts the ends of the slot to provide rotational limits for the float rod. The resulting fuel sender assembly can be installed in a fuel tank with no electrical calibration being needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Gaston
  • Brush holder assembly
    Patent number: 4868441
    Abstract: A brush holder assembly which utilizes an insulated brush card and a bridge means to define a receiving aperture for a brush element. A pair of legs and a connecting element serve to define the bridge means and a constant force spring is retained by the legs so that as the brush is received within the aperture, the spring will partially uncoil and the uncoiled portion of the spring will conform to the profile of the brush. The bridge means also includes a retention mechanism by which the brush may be held in an assembled position prior to its installation into a motor or generator unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: John G. Bulick
  • Automatic headlamp dimming system
    Patent number: 4862037
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically responding to headlamp radiation from oncoming vehicles to down-switch beam patterns in a tri-beam headlamp system in an automotive vehicle. A mid-beam sensor is provided to detect only that headlamp radiation from oncoming vehicles present within the defined high intensity projection areas of the mid-beam pattern and functions in conjunction with a conventional automatic dimmer sensor and a unique control circuit to achieve appropriate and automatic down-switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Eugene I. Farber, Lyman M. Forbes
  • Double saggital stroke amplifier
    Patent number: 4808874
    Abstract: A piezoelectric motor actuated amplifier mechanism that utilizes a pair of saggital linkages having one relatively fixed saggital midpoint and joined at their end points to obtain a doubled amplification factor output from one relatively movable saggital midpoint. Thermal compensators are employed between the piezoelectric actuator and the saggital linkages to stabilize the amplifier throughout a wide range of temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Paul H. Stahlhuth
  • Anti-theft system
    Patent number: 4803460
    Abstract: An anti-theft system for sensing the removal of an ignition lock assembly from its housing utilizing a grounding switch within the housing that is biased to disconnect an electrical path when the ignition switch is forcibly removed. An associated circuit provides continuous monitoring of the conduction path within the housing when the ignition switch it turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Dennis W. Rhee, Sidney R. Fletcher
  • Front control panel for a vehicular combined tape player and radio or the like
    Patent number: D304443
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Clive A. Grinyer, Eugene P. Papak
  • Front panel for a compact disc player
    Patent number: D307909
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Dobies, Carol M. Repasky, Thomas R. Clark, Masaharu Kobayashi, Keisuke Tejima