Patents Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC
  • Transformer based variable voltage converter
    Patent number: 10756638
    Abstract: A vehicle electric drive includes a battery, an electric machine, and a variable voltage converter. The variable voltage converter includes switches, a transformer having a pair of windings sharing a common terminal with a series connected input capacitor, and an inductor electrically between the switches and transformer. The transformer and input capacitor are in parallel with the battery. The variable voltage converter is configured to boost voltage of the battery via operation of the switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen
  • In-vehicle haptic output
    Patent number: 10752262
    Abstract: A vehicle computer is communicatively coupled to a portable computing device and is programmed to detect, in a vehicle sensor, a sound outside of the vehicle and to actuate, in the portable computing device, a haptic output based at least in part on the detected sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Omar Makke, Haysam M. Kadry
  • Vehicle human machine interface control
    Patent number: 10754029
    Abstract: A computing device in a vehicle can determine a plurality of lane change maneuvers based on the time to collision. The computing device can determine a field of safe travel to execute the lane change maneuvers without braking to a stop and display the field of safe travel to an occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Walter Joseph Talamonti, Shun-an Chung, Louis Tijerina
  • Method and system for determining engine knock background noise levels
    Patent number: 10753290
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for operating an engine that includes a knock control system that may determine contributions of individual noise sources to an engine background noise level. The contributions of the individual noise sources may be the basis for establishing the presence or absence of knock in one or more engine cylinders. The contributions of individual noise sources may be determined when engine cylinders are deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Glugla, Rani Kiwan, Mohannad Hakeem
  • Electrified vehicle with vibration isolator within frame and corresponding method
    Patent number: 10752072
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle with a vibration isolator within a frame of the vehicle and a corresponding method. An electrified vehicle according to this disclosure includes a frame with a rail, a vibration isolator within the rail, and a battery pack connected to the rail by way of the vibration isolator. Among other benefits, mounting the vibration isolator within the rail increases the amount of available packaging space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Charles Samyn, Jeffrey Ronald Bohmer
  • Air ducting system and measuring system for measuring at least one parameter of an air flow emerging from an air vent
    Patent number: 10752084
    Abstract: An air ducting system is provided for ducting an air flow emerging from an air vent, which serves to introduce an air flow directly into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, to a measuring device for measuring of at least one parameter of the air flow. The measuring device includes at least one collector unit for collecting the air flow emerging from the air vent, which can be arranged on the air vent in such a way that a contact face of the collector unit completely encloses at least one outlet aperture of the air vent. In order to improve a measurement of at least one parameter of the air flow, the air ducting system comprises at least two air duct units of different design, either of which can be connected to and non-destructively detached from the collector unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sree Ram Gopal Reddy Thodeme, Bernd Dienhart, Gautam Maiya Manoor
  • Prioritized vehicle messaging
    Patent number: 10755565
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor, and a memory storing instructions such that the processor. The processor is programmed to detect a plurality of objects proximate to an infrastructure node. The processor is further programmed to determine respective priorities for each of the objects based on respective characteristics of the objects; and include the objects in a wireless message to a vehicle based on the priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Linjun Zhang, Helen Elizabeth Kourous-Harrigan
  • Vehicle component diagnostic
    Patent number: 10755494
    Abstract: A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to identify a degraded state of a vehicle component when a component usage exceeds a first threshold and a weather datum exceeds a second threshold, and then actuate the vehicle component in response to the degraded state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Prasad Venkiteswaran, Shehan Haputhanthri, Matthew Joseph
  • Seatbelt assembly
    Patent number: 10752203
    Abstract: An assembly includes a base and a seatbelt anchor. The seatbelt anchor has a first end defining a circular hole pivotally supported by the base and a second end fixed in position relative to the first end. The assembly includes a buckle fixed in position relative to the second end. The assembly includes a pyrotechnic actuator secured to the base. The assembly includes a connector extending from the pyrotechnic actuator to the seatbelt anchor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Zhenyan Gao, James Chih Cheng
  • Contactor supply bus
    Patent number: 10752115
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter. The vehicle includes a contactor power bus configured to supply power to latching mechanisms of main and precharge contactors that are associated with the inverter. The vehicle includes a controller configured to maintain operation of the inverter and generate a sensor fault. The operation of the inverter may be maintained responsive to sensor output indicating that different portions of the contactor power bus are energized and deenergized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
  • Tolerance compensator clip to reduce assembly variation
    Patent number: 10753382
    Abstract: A connection assembly is provided that includes a pin and a clip. The pin includes a head portion having two spaced flanges defining a slot therebetween, a tail portion defining a bulb, and a shaft extending between the head and tail portion. The clip includes a plurality of resilient fingers extending radially inward and a central cavity. The pin extends through the central cavity of the clip and the resilient fingers receives and rotationally engages with the bulb of the pin. In one form, the connection assembly connects a molded doghouse to an adjacent part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ana Valeria Vazquez Baca, Jose Israel Castro, Paulina Vazquez Orpinel, Mario Oscar Martinez Ordaz, Martha Patricia Adame Contreras, Ricardo Enrique Navarro Ascencio
  • Vehicle communication grille
    Patent number: 10753568
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system includes an illuminated grille assembly. The illuminated grille assembly includes a plurality of grille bars each having at least one light source. A control system is configured to control the illuminated grille assembly to emit combinations of lighting effects from the plurality of grille bars for indicating a plurality of visually distinctive operating behaviors of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Pietro Buttolo, James J. Surman, Annette Lynn Huebner
  • Instrument panel with passenger airbag
    Patent number: 10752197
    Abstract: An instrument panel includes a housing and an airbag. The housing includes a chute elongated to an end and a door at least partially covering the end of the chute. The airbag is disposed in the chute. The housing includes a first ridge elongated along a perimeter of the end of the chute and a second ridge elongated along a perimeter of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Manoj Patnala, Nicholas Andrew Mazzocchi, Alan Perelli
  • Systems and methods for acoustic control of a vehicle's interior
    Patent number: 10755691
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for acoustic control of a vehicle's interior. Example methods may include detecting environmental sounds external to a cabin of a vehicle and determining at least one first sound from the environmental sounds, wherein the cabin is configured to reduce a volume of the environmental sounds below a threshold; determining location information comprising a direction and a distance of the first sound with respect to the vehicle; and generating a second sound based on the first sound and the location information that reproduces a spectral feature of the first sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Herman, Nunzio DeCia, Nicholas Scheufler, Stephen Jay Orris
  • Operator configurable radiant heating system and related method
    Patent number: 10752090
    Abstract: An operator configurable radiant heating system is provided for a motor vehicle. That operator configurable radiant heating system includes a plurality of docking points provided at different locations within the motor vehicle and a radiant heating panel configured for docking with any of the docking points of the plurality of docking points. A related method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Craig Elson, Victoria Leigh Schein, Kerrie Kathleen Gath, Clay Wesley Maranville
  • Flared exhaust gas pressure tube having keyed washer
    Patent number: 10753516
    Abstract: An exhaust gas pressure tube assembly and a method for making the tube are disclosed. The assembly includes a keyed washer having a concave conical opening and an exhaust gas pressure tube having an open end for attachment to the boss. The assembly method includes positioning the washer adjacent the boss attachment open end of the pressure tube such that the concave conical opening of the washer faces the open end. A tool is positioned against a washer side and a mandrel having a conical outer surface is then inserted into the open end, causing the open end to be flared against the opening of the washer. The surface of the concave conical opening of the washer may be either smooth or knurled. If the surface is smooth, the mandrel is retained in its flaring position and a brazing or similar procedure to form a strong and gas-tight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Schoenborn
  • Motor vehicle with light assembly for illuminating license plate
    Patent number: 10752168
    Abstract: A motor vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a rear bumper including a section configured to support a license plate, a spare tire carrier, and a light assembly mounted to the spare tire carrier. The light assembly is configured to illuminate the section of the rear bumper. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Brian Glickman, Ryan Nicholas Garvey, Stuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Stephen Thomas Kozak
  • Systems and methods for conducting onboard engine cleaning routines in a vehicle
    Patent number: 10753294
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing carbon buildup in an exhaust gas recirculation system of an engine of a vehicle. In one example, a method comprises injecting a diesel exhaust fluid into an intake manifold of the engine, routing the diesel exhaust fluid into the exhaust gas recirculation system, and vaporizing the diesel exhaust fluid in the exhaust gas recirculation system. In this way, any carbon deposits associated with an exhaust gas recirculation valve and/or exhaust gas recirculation passage may be reduced, which may increase fuel economy and may reduce undesired emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Inverter system with enhanced common source inductance generated at gate driver
    Patent number: 10756648
    Abstract: A multiphase inverter for an electric vehicle drive has a plurality of drivers to provide drive signals to respective gate loops of upper and lower transistors in the phase legs. A transformer has a secondary winding in a first gate loop of a first transistor in one phase leg and a primary winding connecting a Kelvin-emitter of the first transistor to a Kelvin-emitter of a second transistor in the other phase leg. Switching transients of transistors are shortened because when gate signal is toggled to change a conduction state of a transistor in a first phase leg, a rate of current change in the first leg is sensed in a transformer primary winding connected across a stray inductance of the first leg. A voltage proportional to the sensed rate is added to the gate signal via a transformer secondary winding, thereby increasing a common source inductance of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zhuxian Xu, Chingchi Chen
  • Vehicle rear center tail lamp bar
    Patent number: D894453
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Woodhouse, Kemal Curic, Shawn Wehrly, Michal Illukiewicz