Patents Assigned to For Global Technologies, LLC
  • Vehicle electrical connector
    Patent number: 10483678
    Abstract: An electrical connector is provided herein. The electrical connector includes a base member disposed within an exterior panel on a vehicle. A port is disposed within a surface of the base member. A wireless transceiver disposed within the vehicle. A controller is configured to selectively activate the port based on a location of an electronic device in relation to the port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pietro Buttolo, Stuart C. Salter, Christopher Anthony Danowski, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Method and apparatus for navigation accommodating train crossings
    Patent number: 10479333
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to access a train schedule to determine active train crossings along an original route, based on a predicted vehicle-arrival time at a given crossing. The processor is also configured to determine that a driver identity has an avoidance parameter associated therewith and determine a new route avoiding active train crossings, if possible, responsive to the avoidance parameter and determination of at least one active train crossing along the original route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Charles Weber, Perry Robinson MacNeille, Yimin Liu
  • Counterbalance gear for an engine
    Patent number: 10480634
    Abstract: A gear train for an engine is provided with a driving gear and a driven gear. The driving gear is formed by a laminate structure of a plurality of plastic sheets and a plurality of metal sheets, with the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another. The driven gear is formed by another laminate structure of another plurality of plastic sheets and another plurality of metal sheets, with the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another. The gear train may be provided for use with an engine crankshaft and an associated balance shaft. A method of forming the gear is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Mohammad Ali Moetakef
  • Hybrid vehicle and method of reducing engine lugging
    Patent number: 10479348
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electric machine, an engine, an engine mount, and a controller. The engine has a base speed that corresponds to a speed of the electric machine and an engine power demand. The engine mount is disposed between the engine and a vehicle structure such as a frame or unibody. The controller is configured to, in response to compression of the engine mount, increase an engine speed to a value that is greater than the base speed to reduce engine lugging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Floyd Cadwell, Shunsuke Okubo, Carol Louise Okubo, Kimberly Trice
  • Illuminated vehicle cup holder with grating film
    Patent number: 10479270
    Abstract: A vehicle cup holder includes a console substrate defining a well for receiving cup; a light source provided within a lamp cavity positioned below the well; a film provided between the well and the lamp cavity, such film defining a grating for projecting a desired image when illuminated by the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Linsheng Chen, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Vehicle parking assist system
    Patent number: 10479332
    Abstract: A method for assisting in parking a vehicle, comprises the steps of: initiating a parking sequence having a reference velocity; altering a velocity of the vehicle to about the reference velocity by generating a brake torque during a first mode of operation of a controller; outputting the brake torque to a disturbance estimator; storing the brake torque within the disturbance estimator; and utilizing the brake torque from the disturbance estimator in a second mode of operation of the controller to stop the vehicle at a target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Bales, Michael Hafner
  • Apparatus for detecting friction in a power steering system
    Patent number: 10479401
    Abstract: A power steering system including a sensor arranged or located in the steering system. The sensor detects an acoustic vibration or an acceleration signal in the steering system during a change in the steering angle and generates a sensor signal representing the vibration or the acceleration signal. A control unit receives the sensor signal and compares the sensor signal with a threshold value to detect a fault state; for example when the sensor signal is larger than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Frank Peter Engels
  • Valve shield for an internal combustion engine
    Patent number: 10480364
    Abstract: An engine is provided with a cylinder head defining a lubrication gallery intersecting a valve guide bore wall, and a valve guide. The valve guide has inner and outer walls intersecting valve-side and port-side ends. The inner wall defines a channel extending from an intermediate region of the guide to the valve-side end. The guide defines a passage extending outwardly from the channel at the intermediate region to the outer wall, with the passage fluidly connected to the gallery. Pressurized lubricant is provided to a lubrication gallery intersecting a valve guide bore wall of the cylinder head. Lubricant is directed from the gallery into a passage extending through an intermediate region of a valve guide. A moving valve stem positioned within the guide is lubricated by flowing lubricant from the passage into a channel intersecting the inner wall of the guide and to a valve end of the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Donald Wicks
  • System and methods for assessing the interior of an autonomous vehicle
    Patent number: 10479328
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes interior sensors including a camera, IR camera, electro-chemical sensor, humidity sensor, and temperature sensor. Initial and final outputs of these sensors are captured for a trip conveying one or more passengers. If changes in the outputs of the sensors are detected, whether the final outputs of the sensors are acceptable may be evaluated. In some embodiments, an aggregation of the outputs is evaluated and found unacceptable even where individual outputs are acceptable. Outputs may be presented to a dispatcher to confirm that the outputs are unacceptable. If the outputs are found to be unacceptable, the vehicle may be autonomously driven to a cleaning station. Personal items may be identified in camera outputs and alerts generated in response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael E Reibling, Ramzi Ahmad Chraim, Steven Michael Cyr, Ray C. Siciak
  • Method for making fire-resistant foam insulation panels
    Patent number: 10480183
    Abstract: A continuous process for preparing insulation panels having thick (0.2 mm to 1 mm) metal facing panels and a fiber-reinforced polymer foam core is disclosed. In the process, a bottom metal facing panel is continuously supplied. A mat of reinforcing fibers and a foamable resin composition are applied to the bottom facing panel. A flexible barrier layer is applied atop the foamable resin composition, and the assembly is passed through nip rolls to compress the assembly and force the resin composition into the fiber mat. An adhesive layer and top metallic facing layer are then applied on top of the flexible barrier layer, and the resulting assembly is gauged and cured by passing it through a double band laminator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Luca Lotti, Maurizio Guandalini, Luigi L. Bertucelli, Paolo Golini
  • Systems and methods for detecting exhaust air leak
    Patent number: 10480368
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for differentiating an exhaust air leak from a catalyst monitor sensor degraded with a slow-response. In one example, a pressure proximate an exhaust system particulate filter less than a threshold pressure may indicate an exhaust air leak and responsive to the indication of the exhaust air leak, the thresholds for monitoring the catalyst monitor sensor response may be adjusted. In this way, the impact of an exhaust air leak on catalyst monitor output may be accounted for so that subsequent monitoring for threshold catalyst may continue to be performed accurately in the presence of an exhaust air leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Anthony Santillo, Michael James Uhrich, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Andrew Bagnasco, Michael Casedy
  • Method of configuring a vehicle seating assembly
    Patent number: 10479225
    Abstract: A method of configuring a vehicle seating assembly includes the step of providing a vehicle seating assembly that has a seat rotational member that rotatably couples a lower leg support to a seat and a seatback rotational member that rotatably couples the seat to a seatback. The method further includes the step of receiving input of a user's desired configuration of the vehicle seating assembly. The method still further includes the step of actuating at least one of the seat rotational member and the seatback rotational member responsive to the input received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Alan George Dry
  • Electric current based engine auto stop inhibit algorithm and system implementing same
    Patent number: 10480477
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine and at least one controller. The at least one controller periodically determines an estimated current to be demanded by vehicle electrical loads during an auto stop of the engine, compares the estimated current with a threshold current, and inhibits an auto stop of the engine if the estimated current is greater than the threshold current for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sangeetha Sangameswaran, Kevin Roy Harpenau, Kirk Pebley, David Celinske, Eric Michael Rademacher
  • Active airpath bypass system
    Patent number: 10480464
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for regulating airflow through a charge air cooler integrated in an intake assembly. In one example, an engine intake assembly comprises a plenum having an integrated charge air cooler (CAC), a first header seal positioned around a circumference of a first CAC header, and a first rotatably movable seal positioned in a bypass passage of the plenum. The first movable seal interfaces via sliding contact with the first header seal and adjusting a position of the first movable seal may vary the amount of airflow through the bypass passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Donald Wicks
  • Systems and methods for onboard canister purge valve flow mapping
    Patent number: 10480431
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for indicating a presence or absence of degradation in a vehicle evaporative emissions system, where degradation includes a restriction in the evaporative emissions system and/or a source of undesired evaporative emissions. In one example, a method includes, under conditions where an engine is not combusting air and fuel, applying a pressure from the evaporative emissions system to an intake of the engine, and indicating an absence of degradation in the evaporative emissions system based on a test flow in the intake of the engine being within a predetermined threshold of a baseline flow obtained at an earlier time via applying the pressure. In this way, a presence or absence of degradation may be indicated without relying on engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed Dudar
  • Parking-lot-navigation system and method
    Patent number: 10481609
    Abstract: A system and method for assisted or autonomous parking of a vehicle is disclosed. The method may begin when the vehicle approaches a feeder lane within a parking lot. At that point, a computer system may decide whether the vehicle should enter the feeder lane. The computer system may use at least one of machine learning, computer vision, and range measurements to determining whether a condition precedent for entering the feeder lane exists. The condition precedent may include an in-bound arrow on the feeder lane or parking lines and/or a parked vehicle adjacent the feeder lane defining a departure angle less than or equal to ninety degrees. If the condition precedent exists, the vehicle may enter the feeder lane. If the condition precedent does not exist, the vehicle may move on to another feeder lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Maryam Moosaei, Jinesh J Jain, Harpreetsingh Banvait
  • Vinyl acetate binders in an above-critical PVC coatings composition
    Patent number: 10479907
    Abstract: The present invention is an above-critical coating composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of polymer particles, pigment particles, and extender particles wherein the polymer particles comprise from 80 to 99.8 weight percent structural units of vinyl acetate and from 0.1 to 6 weight percent structural units of a phosphorus acid monomer. The composition shows surprisingly improved hiding with increased particle size of the polymer particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC, Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: James C. Bohling, Junyu Chen, Edwin Nungesser, Zhen Qian, Tao Wang
  • Quality control process to assess the aluminized coating characteristics of hot stamped parts
    Patent number: 10481052
    Abstract: A method of inspecting and determining characteristics of an aluminized coating of a hot stamped part is provided. The method includes removing a sample from the hot stamped part for Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry (GDOES), analyzing the sample using GDOES, and plotting constituent element weight percentages versus depth on a graph. The method further includes determining points on the graph where constituent elements intersect and where the points of intersection indicate the characteristics of the aluminized coating. The characteristics of the method include, by way of example, a total thickness of the aluminized coating, a thickness of an inter-diffusion layer (IDL), constituents of the aluminized coating, constituents of the hot stamped part, phase composition of the aluminized coating, surface oxidation, and weldability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Constantin Chiriac, Raj Sohmshetty, Elizabeth Bullard, James Engle
  • Transmission park control system
    Patent number: 10480651
    Abstract: A transmission includes a hydraulically actuated park valve with two spools in a common housing. One of the spools engages and disengages the park mechanism in response to manipulation of line pressure and engagement of specified shift elements. A pin selectively engages this spool to hold it in position. The valve is designed such that friction holds the spool in position in the absence of hydraulic pressure or electric power. The second spool controls an out-of-park circuit such that the park mechanism remains disengaged when desired. The two spools are separated by a compression spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Derek Kinch, Timothy Andrew Sikowski
  • Methods to determine battery cell voltage relaxation time based on cell usage history and temperature
    Patent number: 10481210
    Abstract: Lithium ion battery state of charge (SOC) is a function of open circuit voltage (OCV). Battery internal diffusion process needs to be nearly completed to be able to measure battery open circuit voltage. The length of the minimum settling time depends on the battery type, usage and temperature. Described are methods to determine electric vehicle battery voltage relaxation time based on battery temperature and usage history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Xu Wang, Xiaoguang Chang, Chuan He