Abstract: A headrest assembly is provided herein. A mounting assembly is pivotally coupled to a seatback. A frame is movably coupled to the mounting assembly. A locking device is coupled to the mounting assembly and is movable between an unlock position to enable at least one of translational displacement and rotational displacement of the frame, and a lock position to retain the frame in a selected position.
Abstract: A vehicle comprises: a floor portion; a seating assembly disposed above and positionable relative to the floor portion, the seating assembly comprising: a seat including an underside opposing the floor portion; a wiring harness extending between the underside of the seat and the floor portion, the wiring harness extending from the underside of the seat at a first point and extending from the floor portion at a second point; a forward member with a first portion attached to the underside of the seat and a second portion engaged with the wiring harness; and a harness engagement element extending from the underside of the seat and engaging the wiring harness between the underside of the seat and the floor portion. The harness engagement element engages the wiring harness between the first point and the second point of the wiring harness.
Abstract: A seating assembly includes a seat having a seat frame. The seat generally defines a seating surface. A seatback is pivotally coupled with the seat. A carrier is disposed on the seat frame and supports a multi-contour seating component that is adjustable to change a contour of the seating surface. A cushion assembly is disposed over the multi-contour seating component of the seat and is in communication with a climate control system. A spreader plate is disposed below the cushion assembly. The spreader plate is configured to balance load distribution across the seating surface when the multi-contour seating component is activated. The spreader plate includes flex recesses defined in forward and rearward walls of the spreader plate. Lateral flex breaks allow limited flexure of the spreader plate. An inner opening is in communication with the climate control system.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 24, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Brian Boland, Jeroen Lem, Michael Medoro, Johnathan Andrew Line, S. M. Akbar Berry, Michael Kolich
Abstract: A powertrain having a traction battery is operated according to performance variables of the battery based on state variables of a reduced-order electrochemical model of the battery. The state variables are estimated by an estimator based on the battery model. A parameter of the battery model characterizing dynamics of the state variables with respect to battery operating conditions is updated by the estimator based on the battery model.
Abstract: A vehicle includes a metallic floor pan. A plurality of trim components defining a foot well is proximate the floor pan. A flooring component is coupled with the floor pan which includes a polymeric structural layer. An insulation layer is positioned on the structural layer. A sealing layer is coupled with the floor pan and extends to seal the insulation layer against the structural layer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 25, 2017
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Bryn Arthur Davies, Keith Brown, James Niemiec, Babak Shahmehri
Abstract: A method for a vehicle comprises responsive to installation of a new exhaust particulate filter, doping fuel with an ash-producing additive, and combusting the doped fuel to produce ash, wherein the ash deposits as an ash coating on the new exhaust particulate filter. In this way, a filtration efficiency of an exhaust particulate filter can be increased quickly as compared to a filter with no deposited ash coating, inexpensively as compared to conventional methods using membranes, and with a lower back pressure drop as compared to conventional methods.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 15, 2015
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
James Robert Warner, Timothy Brian Chanko, William Charles Ruona, Giovanni Cavataio, Douglas Allen Dobson
Abstract: A vehicle lighting assembly is provided that includes a window panel provided on a vehicle body and a light reflecting medium provided on a surface of the window panel. The vehicle lighting assembly also includes a plurality of lighting assemblies each comprising a plurality of light sources arranged to direct light onto the reflecting medium for reflection towards different areas in the vehicle interior.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 21, 2017
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Stuart C. Salter, Wei Xu, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Alex Lince, Satyanarayana Raju Vemulapati
Abstract: A motor vehicle includes at least one air-conducting structure. That at least one air conducting structure is arranged downstream of a vehicle wheel in the direction of travel, for conducting at least some of the air in a wake of the vehicle wheel to a dust collector. A control unit is provided for automatic adjustment, in a manner depending on the speed of travel of the vehicle and/or of the spacing between a lower edge of the air-conducting structure and a roadway surface being driven over by the vehicle.
Abstract: A cargo management system is provided for a storage area of a motor vehicle. That cargo management system includes a dynamic load floor, a storage tub and a swing arm assembly connecting the dynamic load floor to the storage tub and allowing the dynamic load floor to be selectively positioned into multiple configurations.
Abstract: A vehicle includes a battery control module and a controller. The battery control module is configured to issue at regular intervals a message indicative of a state of charge (SOC) of a battery. The controller is configured to, in an absence of receiving the messages at the regular intervals while in a key-on state and a torque demand is present, restrict power flow between the battery and an electric powertrain to a limit that is based on a predicted SOC to provide limited propulsive force.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 16, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Inventors:
Trent Barkdull, William David Treharne, Jonathan Andrew Butcher
Abstract: A window washer fluid reservoir is provided for a motor vehicle. The reservoir includes a flattened washer fluid tank having an outer wall contoured to hug a firewall of the vehicle.
Abstract: An exhaust system for an engine has a volume element such as a muffler or a silencer. First and second exhaust pipes are connected as dual exhaust pipes upstream of or downstream of the volume element. The first exhaust pipe has a first length (L1). A valve is positioned in the second exhaust pipe at a distance (D) from the volume element. The distance D is a fraction of L1 such that the second pipe is a resonator for the first pipe with the valve in a closed position. A method of controlling exhaust noise includes positioning a valve in the first exhaust pipe at a distance (D) from a volume element with D being a specified fraction of a length of the second exhaust pipe, and closing the valve such that the first pipe provides a resonator for the second pipe to counteract standing wave in the second pipe.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 17, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Vincent Paul Solferino, Brian Schabel, Joseph Van Gilder
Abstract: A system includes an autonomous sub-system that includes first and second braking modules. Each of the modules includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor for detecting a fault. The system further includes a brake sub-system programmed to actuate a brake mechanism in response to a signal from the second braking module. The autonomous sub-system is further programmed to select one of the braking modules to provide a signal to the brake mechanism depending on whether a fault is detected.
Abstract: An attachment feature is provided for securing two workpieces together. That attachment feature includes a first wall, a second wall, and a cantilever snap extending between the two walls. Further, the attachment feature includes a first lateral rib projecting from the first wall and a second lateral rib projecting from the second wall. A workpiece assembly is also provided.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 4, 2015
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Luis Humberto Soni Gutierrez, Francisco Ronquillo Melendez, Jose Manuel Guzman Colin, Enrique Granell Peniche
Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes, responsive to absence of a motor controller receiving communication packets for a predetermined time during a drive cycle, operating by the controller (i) an inverter to output voltage at a setpoint defined by an inverter terminal voltage at expiration of the predetermined time, and (ii) a motor coupled with the inverter to apply torque according to a change in the voltage.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 14, 2018
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Inventors:
Rajit Johri, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Paul Stephen Bryan, Brian Francis Morton
Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating and non-deactivating valves are presented. In one example, engine volumetric efficiency actuators are adjusted in response to a request to activate engine cylinders so that engine intake manifold pressure is drawn down quickly toward its normal state at the engine's present speed and torque.
Abstract: Signals are received from a plurality of sources, representing aspects of the vehicle, a vehicle operator, and an environment surrounding the vehicle. An alertness factor and a readiness factor are developed based at least in part on the signals. Control of the vehicle is transitioned between levels of autonomous control based at least in part on the alertness factor and the readiness factor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 17, 2016
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Inventors:
William Paul Perkins, David B. Kelley, Kenneth James Miller
Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for preventing fuel tank overfilling during refueling events, wherein overfilling of the fuel tank is prevented by delivering a pressure pulse to the fuel tank responsive to a fuel fill level reaching a predetermined threshold, or responsive to an attempt to add additional fuel subsequent to the fuel fill threshold being reached. In one example, an onboard pressure vessel is actively pressurized via an onboard pump, where the pressure may be actively released and routed to the fuel tank to induce an automatic shutoff of a refueling dispenser pump under predetermined conditions. In this way, automatic shutoffs of refueling dispenser pumps may be rapidly and reliably induced, thus preventing fuel tank overfilling, prolonging the lifetime of fuel vapor storage canisters, and reducing undesired evaporative emissions.
Abstract: A method is disclosed for issuing audio alerts within the cabin of a vehicle. The method may include detecting a condition programmatically assigned an audio alert and a virtual source for the audio alert. The method may further include determining, by the computer system based on the virtual source, a gain value for each speaker of a plurality of speakers carried in fix positions onboard the vehicle. Once the gain value for each speaker of the plurality of speak is known, the audio alert may be projected by each speaker of the plurality of speakers according to the gain value determined therefor.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 8, 2017
Date of Patent:
May 14, 2019
Assignee:
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Inventors:
Alexander Groh, Benjamin Vondersaar, Edgar Nunez, Prabhanjan Kadepurkar, Matthew Dage
Abstract: Systems and methods for evaluating whether or not degradation of an engine air intake air filter is present based on a pressure drop across the air filter are presented. In one example, a mean and standard deviation of a pressure drop across an air filter are a basis for indicating whether or not the air filter is degraded. Further, the mean and standard deviation are a basis for estimating a useful life cycle of the air filter.
