Patents by Inventor Erik Otten

Erik Otten 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: 12491857
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a plurality of ride height sensors, a brake system and a controller. The ride height sensors may determine ride height information associated with individual wheels of a vehicle. The brake system may apply braking force to the individual wheels of the vehicle responsive to provision of a brake application signal. The controller may generate the brake application signal during vehicle pitch based on vehicle speed and the ride height information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Patent number: 12415503
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a plurality of sensors that determine ride height information of a vehicle, a sensor that determines pitch information for the vehicle, and a controller that selectively applies traction torque and braking torque to wheels of the vehicle based on vehicle speed, the pitch information and the ride height information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Patent number: 12319110
    Abstract: A suspension assembly for a vehicle suspension system may include a lower control arm, an upper control arm, a damper, and a drop link. The lower control arm may be operably coupled to a chassis of a vehicle via a first bushing assembly and a second bushing assembly. The first and second bushing assemblies may each pivot about an axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The upper control arm may be operably coupled to the chassis. The damper may be operably coupled to the lower control arm to dampen pivoting motion of the upper and lower control arms relative to the chassis. The drop link may operably couple the lower control arm and an anti-roll bar that includes a disconnect assembly to translate a roll motion into a force exerted on the lower control arm in a direction substantially parallel to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Patent number: 12227050
    Abstract: A method of optimizing a suspension system to avoid pitch resonance may include determining pitch characteristics of a vehicle for a terrain profile and speed range via a model associated with the vehicle, decoupling front and rear axles by removing pitch inertia from the model, and determining optimized damping for a main damper of a position sensitive damper over a linear range of wheel travel in a bounce control zone based on the pitch characteristics. The method may further include recoupling the front and rear axles by adding the pitch inertia back into the model, and selecting a secondary damper associated with a compression zone or a secondary damper associated with a rebound zone as a selected damper for adjustment based on which of the front and rear axles is limiting. The method may also include performing a damping adjustment to the selected damper and cyclically repeating selecting the secondary damper and performing the damping adjustment until pitch resonance is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Publication number: 20240351393
    Abstract: A suspension assembly for a vehicle suspension system may include a lower control arm, an upper control arm, a damper, and a drop link. The lower control arm may be operably coupled to a chassis of a vehicle via a first bushing assembly and a second bushing assembly. The first and second bushing assemblies may each pivot about an axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The upper control arm may be operably coupled to the chassis. The damper may be operably coupled to the lower control arm to dampen pivoting motion of the upper and lower control arms relative to the chassis. The drop link may operably couple the lower control arm and an anti-roll bar that includes a disconnect assembly to translate a roll motion into a force exerted on the lower control arm in a direction substantially parallel to the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Patent number: 12054029
    Abstract: A suspension assembly for a vehicle suspension system may include a lower control arm, an upper control arm, a damper, and a drop link. The lower control arm may be operably coupled to a chassis of a vehicle via a first bushing assembly and a second bushing assembly. The first and second bushing assemblies may each pivot about an axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The upper control arm may be operably coupled to the chassis. The damper may be operably coupled to the lower control arm to dampen pivoting motion of the upper and lower control arms relative to the chassis. The drop link may operably couple the lower control arm and an anti-roll bar that includes a disconnect assembly to translate a roll motion into a force exerted on the lower control arm in a direction substantially parallel to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Publication number: 20240157749
    Abstract: A method of optimizing a suspension system to avoid pitch resonance may include determining pitch characteristics of a vehicle for a terrain profile and speed range via a model associated with the vehicle, decoupling front and rear axles by removing pitch inertia from the model, and determining optimized damping for a main damper of a position sensitive damper over a linear range of wheel travel in a bounce control zone based on the pitch characteristics. The method may further include recoupling the front and rear axles by adding the pitch inertia back into the model, and selecting a secondary damper associated with a compression zone or a secondary damper associated with a rebound zone as a selected damper for adjustment based on which of the front and rear axles is limiting. The method may also include performing a damping adjustment to the selected damper and cyclically repeating selecting the secondary damper and performing the damping adjustment until pitch resonance is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2024
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Patent number: 11919352
    Abstract: A method of optimizing a suspension system to avoid pitch resonance may include determining pitch characteristics of a vehicle for a terrain profile and speed range via a model associated with the vehicle, decoupling front and rear axles by removing pitch inertia from the model, and determining optimized damping for a main damper of a position sensitive damper over a linear range of wheel travel in a bounce control zone based on the pitch characteristics. The method may further include recoupling the front and rear axles by adding the pitch inertia back into the model, and selecting a secondary damper associated with a compression zone or a secondary damper associated with a rebound zone as a selected damper for adjustment based on which of the front and rear axles is limiting. The method may also include performing a damping adjustment to the selected damper and cyclically repeating selecting the secondary damper and performing the damping adjustment until pitch resonance is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erik Otten
  • Publication number: 20240017717
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a plurality of sensors that determine ride height information of a vehicle, a sensor that determines pitch information for the vehicle, and a controller that selectively applies traction torque and braking torque to wheels of the vehicle based on vehicle speed, the pitch information and the ride height information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventor: Erik OTTEN
  • Publication number: 20230382178
    Abstract: A suspension assembly for a vehicle suspension system may include a lower control arm, an upper control arm, a damper, and a drop link. The lower control arm may be operably coupled to a chassis of a vehicle via a first bushing assembly and a second bushing assembly. The first and second bushing assemblies may each pivot about an axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The upper control arm may be operably coupled to the chassis. The damper may be operably coupled to the lower control arm to dampen pivoting motion of the upper and lower control arms relative to the chassis. The drop link may operably couple the lower control arm and an anti-roll bar that includes a disconnect assembly to translate a roll motion into a force exerted on the lower control arm in a direction substantially parallel to the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Erik OTTEN
  • Publication number: 20230278539
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a plurality of ride height sensors, a brake system and a controller. The ride height sensors may determine ride height information associated with individual wheels of a vehicle. The brake system may apply braking force to the individual wheels of the vehicle responsive to provision of a brake application signal. The controller may generate the brake application signal during vehicle pitch based on vehicle speed and the ride height information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventor: Erik OTTEN
  • Publication number: 20220088987
    Abstract: A method of optimizing a suspension system to avoid pitch resonance may include determining pitch characteristics of a vehicle for a terrain profile and speed range via a model associated with the vehicle, decoupling front and rear axles by removing pitch inertia from the model, and determining optimized damping for a main damper of a position sensitive damper over a linear range of wheel travel in a bounce control zone based on the pitch characteristics. The method may further include recoupling the front and rear axles by adding the pitch inertia back into the model, and selecting a secondary damper associated with a compression zone or a secondary damper associated with a rebound zone as a selected damper for adjustment based on which of the front and rear axles is limiting. The method may also include performing a damping adjustment to the selected damper and cyclically repeating selecting the secondary damper and performing the damping adjustment until pitch resonance is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventor: Erik Otten