Patents Assigned to Global Technologies LLC
  • Methods and systems for adjusting fuel injector operation
    Patent number: 9404435
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving fuel injection of an engine that includes a cylinder receiving fuel from two different fuel injectors is disclosed. In one example, a transfer function or gain of a direct fuel injector is adjusted in response to an exhaust lambda value and a fraction of fuel supplied to a cylinder during a cylinder cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Adithya Pravarun Re Ranga, Gopichandra Surnilla, Ethan D. Sanborn, Joseph Lyle Thomas, Mark Meinhart
  • Flame resistant flexible polyurethane foam
    Patent number: 9403961
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reactive formulation used to make a flame resistant flexible polyurethane foam which is particularly suited for use in under the hood vehicle applications. In particular, the flame resistant flexible polyurethane foam is made from a reactive formulation comprising an A side comprising (i) an organic isocyanate and a B side comprising (ii) an isocyanate-reactive component, (iii) a flame retardant component comprising a combination of red phosphorus, expandable graphite, and optionally sodium citrate wherein the resulting foam achieves a V-0 rating at 0.5 inch according to Underwriters' Laboratories Standard 94 Flammability Test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: F. Michael Plaver, Jack E. Hetzner
  • Infinitely adjustable cargo lamp for pickup trucks
    Patent number: 9403476
    Abstract: A cargo lamp is provided for a pickup truck. The cargo lamp includes a lamp housing, a stop light held in the lamp housing and an adjustable lamp held in the lamp housing. The adjustable lamp may be manipulated by the operator to selectively direct the light passing through the lamp to a target area of the pickup truck including a cargo bed of the truck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Henry W. Hausler, Paul Elia, David A. Brown
  • Methods and systems for adjusting hybrid vehicle efficiency
    Patent number: 9403523
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically updating engine mechanical losses, driveline electrical losses, and a desired driveline speed are disclosed. In one example, the desired driveline speed may be adjusted based on efficiency of operating a driveline at a most efficient speed of three different driveline speeds. The system and method may allow a driveline to operate more efficiently as the driveline ages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Kenneth James Miller
  • Cosmetic sponge and method for providing a cosmetic sponge
    Patent number: 9403953
    Abstract: This invention relates to a cosmetic sponge and a method of providing a cosmetic sponge incorporating a non-denatured collagen and other additives for skin care, cleaning, and cosmetic application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Diversified Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Wayne Celia
  • Bidirectional DC converter-based battery simulator
    Patent number: 9404977
    Abstract: A battery simulator is configured to provide large energy pulses for hot plug testing while maintaining the ability to quickly respond during random order testing. A simulator can comprise a plurality of cell simulators “cellsims” coupled to a DC power supply. Each cellsim can include a bidirectional DC converter, a bulk capacitor on the primary side of the converter, and a switchable discharge capacitor on the secondary side of the converter. The bidirectional DC converter enables the simulator to cooperate with a battery control module (BCM) to perform active cell balancing. Energy received from the BCM can be stored at the bulk capacitor. The discharge capacitor can be coupled to an output link to provide a high energy pulse to the BCM to simulate hot plug conditions, and can be decoupled from the link during random order testing. Output link voltage and current can be monitored for fault detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tuyen Q. Tran, Ben A. Tabatowski-Bush
  • Recyclable thermoplastic insulation with improved breakdown strength
    Patent number: 9404005
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a process for producing a material with improved breakdown strength. The process includes heating a polymeric composition composed of a low density polyethylene (LDPE) and a minority amount of a high density polyethylene (HDPE). The polymeric composition is heated to at least the melting temperature of the HDPE. The process includes control-cooling the heated polymeric composition at a cooling rate from 0.1° C./min to 20° C./min, and forming a polymeric composition. The control-cooled polymeric composition has a unique morphology which improves breakdown strength. Also provided is a coated conductor with an insulating layer composed of the polymeric composition with the unique morphology. The insulating layer exhibits improved breakdown strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC, Dow Chemical Company Limited, University of Southampton, GnoSys Global Ltd.
    Inventors: Simon Sutton, Theo E. Geussens, Alun Vaughan, Gary Stevens
  • Method and system for engine starting
    Patent number: 9404461
    Abstract: A method and a system for improving operation of an automatically started engine are described. In one example, engine speed is adjusted to a sole run-up speed and, held at the desired engine run-up speed for a desired period, before being ramped to an idle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Michael M. S. Simon, Felix Nedorezov
  • Method and system for torque control
    Patent number: 9404468
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enabling a smooth transmission shift in a hybrid vehicle configured with a motor hybrid transmission. During an initial part of a transmission upshift, spark timing may be advanced from MBT to expedite torque reduction. Once engine speed has sufficiently reduced, and is within a threshold range of the desired engine speed, spark timing may be retarded until the transmission shift is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Ken Jahr
  • Vehicle and vehicle seat belt system
    Patent number: 9403479
    Abstract: A vehicle having seat belt system is provided. The vehicle includes a D-ring having a light source, a belt strap passing through the D-ring, a tongue connected to the belt strap, a buckle, and a controller programmed to illuminate the light source in response to a detected trigger condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Bill Pappas, Abraham G. Philip, Helinda Ho
  • Exhaust throttling for cabin heating
    Patent number: 9404409
    Abstract: Embodiments for heating a vehicle cabin are disclosed. In one example, a method for heating a vehicle cabin comprises closing an exhaust throttle while diverting at least a portion of throttled exhaust gas through an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler coupled upstream of the throttle, and transferring heat from the EGR cooler to a heater core configured to provide heat to the vehicle cabin. In this way, exhaust heat may be directly routed to the cabin heating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Method and system for operating an engine turbocharger
    Patent number: 9404415
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an engine turbocharger is described. In one example, the turbocharger is rotated in different directions in response to operating conditions. The system and method may reduce engine emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William Charles Ruona, Kevin Durand Byrd, Keith Michael Plagens
  • Methods and systems for fuel ethanol content determination via an oxygen sensor
    Patent number: 9404432
    Abstract: Methods are provided for accurately learning part-to-part variability of an intake or exhaust oxygen sensor. A correction factor is learned based on a sensor reading in dry air conditions, the dry air reading learned by applying a higher reference voltage to the sensor. An ethanol transfer function is then adjusted based on the learned correction factor so as to improve the accuracy of combusted fuel ethanol content estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Richard E. Soltis, Daniel A. Makled, Jacobus Hendrik Visser, David James Scholl
  • Organometallic compound preparation
    Patent number: 9403145
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously manufacturing organometallic compounds is provided where the apparatus has a source of a first reactant stream wherein the first reactant comprises a metal; a source of a second reactant stream; a laminar flow contacting zone for cocurrently contacting the first reactant stream and the second reactant stream; a mixing zone comprising a turbulence-promoting device; and a heat transfer zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignees: Dow Global Technologies LLC, Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC
    Inventors: Ravindra S. Dixit, Hua Bai, Curtis D. Modtland, Robert A. Ware, John G. Pendergast, Jr., Christopher P. Christenson, Deodatta Vinayak Shenai-Khatkhate, Artashes Amamchyan, Kenneth M. Crouch, Robert F. Polcari
  • Logic-based sliding door interlock
    Patent number: 9404430
    Abstract: A fuel door and a sliding door are on the same side of a vehicle. The sliding door has power locking and power child locking. To prevent the sliding door from interfering with the fuel door during refueling, a lock controller responds to the fuel door moving to the open position by 1) preserving a current outside locked or unlocked state and a current inside locked or unlocked state of the sliding door, 2) initiating or maintaining the outside locked state and inside locked state, and 3) after the fuel door moving to the closed position, restoring or maintaining the preserved current outside locked or unlocked state and the preserved current inside locked or unlocked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Venkatesh Krishnan
  • Composition, thermoplastic vulcanizates made therefrom and articles formed from the same
    Patent number: 9403973
    Abstract: A composition comprising at least the following (A) an ethylene/?-olefin copolymer; (B) an olefin-based polymer; (C) a crosslinking agent; and (D) a multifunctional acrylate coagent; wherein the ethylene/?-olefin copolymer of component A) has the following properties: (i) has a density from 0.855 to 0.875 g/cc; and (ii) a Mooney Viscosity (ML 1+4, 121° C.) from 10 to 100 is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Xiaosong Wu, Manu Rego
  • Fault handling in an autonomous vehicle
    Patent number: 9406177
    Abstract: Data is collected during operation of a vehicle. A determination is made that a confidence assessment of at least one of the data indicates at least one fault condition. A first autonomous operation affected by the fault condition is discontinued, where a second autonomous operation that is unaffected by the fault condition is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Attard, Shane Elwart, Jeff Allen Greenberg, Rajit Johri, John P. Joyce, Devinder Singh Kochhar, Douglas Scott Rhode, John Shutko, Hongtei Eric Tseng
  • Vehicle deployable front step
    Patent number: 9403487
    Abstract: A vehicle and a hood release system are provided. The vehicle may include a hood release lever disposed within a vehicle cabin connected to a hood latch assembly and a step assembly disposed within a front portion of the vehicle. The hood release lever may be configured to release the step assembly from a stowed to a deployed position in coordination with releasing the hood latch from primary latching position to a secondary latching position. The step assembly may be configured to release the hood latch from the secondary latching position to allow the hood to fully open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cary Ochen Diehl, Nadia Preston, Julee Harlow, Scott Milke
  • Method and system for responding to a lane deviation event of a vehicle
    Patent number: 9403480
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing feedback in the event of a lane deviation of a vehicle having a power steering system. Vehicle data, such as speed, a steering angle, and the like, may be acquired (e.g., from a sensor system of the vehicle). An activation signal may be generated based on the acquired data. A haptic warning may then be generated using the power steering system of the vehicle based on the activation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Faeuster, Erik Jürgen Stumpf, Attila Benak, Andrew Brown, Sergio Codonesu, Karl-Peter Hesseler, Jan Bremkens
  • Vehicle with selectable battery pack isolation detection circuitry using precision resistors
    Patent number: 9404956
    Abstract: A power system for a vehicle includes at least two battery packs spaced away from each other. A first battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells and a switching element electrically connected with the battery cells. A second battery pack includes a resistor electrically connected in series with the switching element, and sense circuitry configured to detect voltage across the resistor indicative of leakage current associated with the first battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush