Patents Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC
  • Publication number: 20240136899
    Abstract: A motor assembly tool includes a stator defining a plurality of slots and a varnish application fixture. The fixture includes a disc defining a plurality of slots, an outer shield disposed on the disc radially outward of the slots of the disc, and an inner shield disposed on the disc radially inward of the slots on the disc. The disc is disposed on the stator and the outer and inner shields are configured to direct varnish through the slots of the disc and into the slots of the stator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20240132160
    Abstract: A component for a vehicle includes a skid plate configured to attach to an underbody of the vehicle, a plurality of cooling channels extending in a longitudinal direction between the skid plate and the underbody of the vehicle, and a structural reinforcement extending outward from the skid plate. The skid plate, the plurality of cooling channels, and the structural reinforcement are additively manufactured in a unitary construction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Keith Weston, Jim Stevens, David D. Friske, Mark Meinhart, Matthew Arthur Titus
  • Publication number: 20240131935
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a traction battery coupled to an electric machine that provides propulsive force, an auxiliary battery, a voltage converter coupled to the traction battery and configured to convert traction battery voltage to auxiliary battery voltage, and a controller programmed to control the voltage converter to provide either a non-oscillating voltage above a first voltage threshold, or an oscillating voltage having a peak below the first voltage threshold based on a vehicle start signal and a vehicle brake pedal position signal. The controller may control the voltage converter to provide the non-oscillating voltage in response to the vehicle start signal being received while the brake pedal position signal indicates a released brake pedal, and to provide the oscillating voltage in response to the vehicle start signal being received while the brake pedal position signal indicates a depressed brake pedal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hanyang CHEN, Michael J Irby
  • Publication number: 20240131898
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a body, a cabin that is defined by the body, an air delivery system, and a controller. The air delivery system includes a blower, an air register, ductwork, and an intake module. The air register is positioned within the cabin. The ductwork extends between the blower and the air register. The intake module is positioned upstream of the blower. The controller adjusts a speed of the blower as a function of a speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Halim Wijaya, Alan Gutowski, Manfred Koberstein
  • Publication number: 20240131551
    Abstract: A varnish injector assembly for an electric motor includes an injector nozzle, a varnish reservoir fluidly connected to the injector nozzle, and a filament extending from the varnish reservoir. The filament is configured to direct varnish from the injector nozzle to a slot of a stator core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20240132013
    Abstract: A seatbelt retractor includes a frame and a spool having a first end and a second end each rotatably supported by the frame. The spool is elongated on an axis from the first end to the second end. The seatbelt retractor includes a plurality of torsion posts fixed to the frame. The seatbelt retractor includes a locking device operatively coupled between the spool and the plurality of torsion posts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S.M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11968606
    Abstract: Cloud-based communication management is provided. Status information regarding vehicles is maintained to a non-volatile storage. A request intended to be performed by one of the vehicles is received to a cloud server over a communications network from a requesting device. Responsive to the request being performable by a mobile edge computing (MEC) device in a cell of the communications network instead of the one of the vehicles, the request is sent by the cloud server to the MEC device to be processed by the MEC device instead of being performed by the one of the vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hanan J. Ahmed, Hassan Halabian, Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 11968261
    Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and computer program products for monitoring, testing, or debugging transportation services, generating or transmitting an initiating message from a global manager cloud to an external service cloud, to invoke a transportation as a service (TaaS) message from external service clouds that comprise confirmation, also including generating or transmitting a simulated message from the global manager cloud to mirror the TaaS message, or a portion, transmitted on a TaaS link from the external service cloud to the on-vehicle modem, determining, a confidence threshold for a capability or security of the TaaS link, validating AV service data sent from the global manager cloud to a TaaS component in an on-vehicle black box of the autonomous vehicle system, validating AV compute data sent from the autonomous vehicle system to the TaaS component in the on-vehicle black box, validating TaaS message data received from the external service cloud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Puchalski, Scott Plant
  • Patent number: 11964064
    Abstract: A vehicle apparatus charges and sanitizes a mobile device. The mobile device has an inductive power receiver coil for wireless charging. A storage bin in the vehicle (such as a center console or a glove compartment) has a movable lid. A tray of the charging/sanitizing apparatus is adapted to receive a side surface of the mobile device so that a majority of the side surface is suspended from the tray by a gap. A first wireless power link is configured to inductively charge the mobile device from the tray to the power receiver coil. A plurality of ultraviolet emitters are disposed at a plurality of locations inside the storage bin to illuminate an exterior of the mobile device when the movable lid is closed. At least some of the ultraviolet emitters are also inductively powered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Hrecznyj, John Van Wiemeersch, Vivekanandh Elangovan
  • Patent number: 11964547
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle with an arrangement configured to oppose movement of a vehicle door, and a corresponding method. An example motor vehicle includes a body, a door configured to slide relative to the body between an open position and a closed position, and a bracket connected to the door. The bracket includes a slot. Further, a locking arm is mounted to the body, and, when the door is in the closed position, the locking arm is configured to move such that the locking arm is received in the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michelle Carolina Herrera Gutierrez, Luis Enrique Castillo Jaime, Antonio Dario Garay Serrano, Alejandro Sánchez Islas, Zhibing Deng
  • Patent number: 11964568
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a controller programmed to generate a command to an electric machine to reduce a torque output rate after an accelerator pedal is tipped out based upon a vehicle speed value and a wheel acceleration torque value. The torque output rate is initially reduced at a first rate, and is then reduced at a second rate slower than the first rate when the wheel acceleration torque value is greater than 0 Nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Michael Bolger, Sergey Gennadievich Semenov
  • Patent number: 11964554
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an evaporative emission fuel (EVAP) system. In one example, a method for the EVAP system includes loading canisters in parallel sequentially during a refueling event. The method further includes switching loading from one canister to another in response to a fuel level during the refueling event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Aed Dudar, Scott Bohr, Matthew Werner
  • Patent number: 11964576
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a wireless charger that wirelessly receives power from an external source, cameras, LEDs, a speaker, and at least one controller programmed individually or in combination to, when the wireless charger is receiving power from the external source, process images from at least one of the cameras and operate the LEDs and the speaker based on detection of an object within the images. The controller may change the color of the LEDs and/or sound emitted by the speaker in response to whether the object is detected within a first zone farther from the vehicle or a second zone nearer the vehicle. The LEDs and cameras may be positioned on external side mirrors, front, rear, and/or underbody portions of the vehicle. The speaker may be external to the vehicle cabin and provide an audible signal when operating the vehicle in electric mode at low speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Mackenzie, Jonathan Barker
  • Patent number: 11965045
    Abstract: A method of forming an etched part includes forming a substrate including a thermoset resin and etching a surface of the substrate. The thermoset resin includes a vat photopolymerization (VPP) thermoset resin and at least one of an etchable phase and etchable particles disposed within the VPP thermoset resin. The etching removes the etchable phase from the VPP thermoset resin at the surface of the substrate such that a plurality of micro-mechanical bonding sites are formed on an etched surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaojiang Wang, Shannon Christine Bollin, Robert D. Bedard, Matthew Cassoli, Ellen Cheng-Chi Lee
  • Patent number: 11964589
    Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a storage compartment positioned forward of a vehicle passenger cabin and accessible by opening a vehicle hood, a thermally conductive plate or heat exchanger in contact with a bottom surface of the storage compartment and having an associated conduit configured for circulating a working fluid from a vehicle cooling system, and a valve operable to control flow of the working fluid through the conduit. The storage compartment may be filled with a cooling medium, such as ice or dry ice, to provide enhanced cooling during high-demand operation or charging of the vehicle, such as when operating in a performance/track mode, towing a trailer, or in other extreme use scenarios. The valve may be controlled so that the working fluid bypasses the conduit when the storage compartment is used for cargo and/or enhanced cooling is not desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Gordon Collins, David Michael Horan, Thomas Karl Rothermel, Jacob Gregory Powers
  • Patent number: 11964697
    Abstract: A body on frame vehicle includes left and right front tubes and a lower support. The left front tube extends above a left front wheel well of the body on frame vehicle and terminates in a forward direction at a left forward end. The right front tube extends above a right front wheel well of the body on frame vehicle and terminates in the forward direction at a right forward end. The lower support includes a lateral portion, left riser portion, and right riser portion. A left end of the lower support extends upward from the lateral portion to form the left riser portion and a right end of the lower support extends upward from the lateral portion to form the right riser portion. The left and right riser portions are affixed to the left and right front tube proximate the left forward end and the right forward end, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Dragan B. Stojkovic
  • Patent number: 11964692
    Abstract: A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a controller executing an initial alignment process including searching for a trailer within a specified area of image data that is less than a total field of the image data in directions corresponding with both a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and the trailer and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal distance, presenting an indication to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle when the trailer is not identified within the specified area, and removing the indication when the trailer is identified within the specified area. The controller further executes an automated backing process upon identifying the trailer within the specified area, including identifying a coupler of the trailer and outputting a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler of the trailer during reversing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Douglas Rogan, Shannon Brooks-Lehnert, Chen Zhang, Roger Arnold Trombley, Peter Ling, Kenneth Michael Mayer, Seyed Armin Raeis Hosseiny, Bo Bao, Steven Wayne Friedlander
  • Patent number: 11964600
    Abstract: An armrest assembly for a vehicle and method of operating includes a body with a hinge receiver coupled to the top section. An armrest member is rotationally and removably coupled to the body and is movable between first, second, and third positions A latch receiver having a locking mechanism that operably couples to a latch is defined on the top section or the armrest member. A hinge feature operably couplable to the hinge receiver is defined on the armrest member. An input device is communicatively coupled to a controller, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Juan Filipe Brito Figueira, Guilherme Novaes Gomes Lima, Leandro Quinelato
  • Patent number: 11964583
    Abstract: A computer can execute instructions to: receive power-receiving vehicle data identifying a power-receiving vehicle; identify one or more power-supplying vehicles for providing charging to the power-receiving vehicle; determine a rank for each of the identified one or more power-supplying vehicles based on the received power-receiving vehicle data and data received from the one or more power-supplying vehicles; upon selecting one of the one or more power-supplying vehicles, provide a navigation instruction to navigate at least one of the power-receiving vehicle and the selected power-supplying vehicle to a charging location based on a power-receiving vehicle location and a selected power-supplying vehicle location; and send access data to the power-receiving vehicle to access a charge port of the selected power-supplying vehicle; send a first light actuation instruction to the power-supplying vehicle based on a charging status; and send a second light actuation instruction to the power-receiving vehicle based
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Kennedy, Annette Lynn Huebner, Peter Phung
  • Patent number: 11966452
    Abstract: Systems and methods for image-based perception. The methods comprise: capturing images by a plurality of cameras with overlapping fields of view; generating, by a computing device, spatial feature maps indicating locations of features in the images; identifying, by the computing device, overlapping portions of the spatial feature maps; generating, by the computing device, at least one combined spatial feature map by combining the overlapping portions of the spatial feature maps together; and/or using, by the computing device, the at least one combined spatial feature map to define a predicted cuboid for at least one object in the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Guy Hotson, Francesco Ferroni, Harpreet Banvait, Kiwoo Shin, Nicolas Cebron