Patents by Inventor Christopher James Hocking

Christopher James Hocking has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10155551
    Abstract: A front air dam assembly for a vehicle includes a translatable front air deflecting panel for altering an airflow beneath the vehicle, a deploying mechanism for translating the front air deflecting panel between a raised position and one or more deployed positions, and a rapid raising mechanism for rapidly raising the front air deflecting panel from the one or more deployed positions. A controller in operative communication with the deploying mechanism and the rapid raising mechanism controls the operation thereof. At least one sensor is included for sending a signal indicative of a road or vehicle condition to the controller. A locking mechanism under the control of the controller is provided for locking the front air deflector panel in the raised or the one or more deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer, Christopher James Hocking
  • Patent number: 10106210
    Abstract: A front air dam assembly for a vehicle includes a translatable front air deflecting panel for altering an airflow beneath the vehicle, a deploying mechanism for translating the front air deflecting panel between a raised position and one or more deployed positions, and a rapid raising mechanism for rapidly raising the front air deflecting panel from the one or more deployed positions. A controller in operative communication with the deploying mechanism and the rapid raising mechanism controls the operation thereof. At least one sensor is included for sending a signal indicative of a road or vehicle condition to the controller. A locking mechanism under the control of the controller is provided for locking the front air deflector panel in the raised or the one or more deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer, Christopher James Hocking
  • Publication number: 20170137074
    Abstract: A front air dam assembly for a vehicle includes a translatable front air deflecting panel for altering an airflow beneath the vehicle, a deploying mechanism for translating the front air deflecting panel between a raised position and one or more deployed positions, and a rapid raising mechanism for rapidly raising the front air deflecting panel from the one or more deployed positions. A controller in operative communication with the deploying mechanism and the rapid raising mechanism controls the operation thereof. At least one sensor is included for sending a signal indicative of a road or vehicle condition to the controller. A locking mechanism under the control of the controller is provided for locking the front air deflector panel in the raised or the one or more deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer, Christopher James Hocking
  • Patent number: 9650039
    Abstract: A controller may maintain a last-known vehicle location, and, when satellite-positioning data is unavailable from a satellite-based positioning-system module, utilize compass data and stability control data to estimate a current vehicle location from the last-known vehicle location. The controller may avoid use of the compass data to estimate the current vehicle location when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating in East or West headings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher James Hocking, Kenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, William Paul Perkins, Thomas G. Leone
  • Publication number: 20160272196
    Abstract: A controller may maintain a last-known vehicle location, and, when satellite-positioning data is unavailable from a satellite-based positioning-system module, utilize compass data and stability control data to estimate a current vehicle location from the last-known vehicle location. The controller may avoid use of the compass data to estimate the current vehicle location when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating in East or West headings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher James HOCKING, Kenneth James MILLER, Douglas Raymond MARTIN, William Paul PERKINS, Thomas G. LEONE
  • Publication number: 20160229467
    Abstract: A front air dam assembly for a vehicle includes a translatable front air deflecting panel for altering an airflow beneath the vehicle, a deploying mechanism for translating the front air deflecting panel between a raised position and one or more deployed positions, and a rapid raising mechanism for rapidly raising the front air deflecting panel from the one or more deployed positions. A controller in operative communication with the deploying mechanism and the rapid raising mechanism controls the operation thereof. At least one sensor is included for sending a signal indicative of a road or vehicle condition to the controller. A locking mechanism under the control of the controller is provided for locking the front air deflector panel in the raised or the one or more deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth James Miller, Daniel Mark Schaffer, Christopher James Hocking