Patents by Inventor Jerome C. Ivan

Jerome C. Ivan 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: 5765115
    Abstract: A controllable suspension system includes air springs and variable damping shock absorbers (108) switchable between first and second effective spring rates and soft and firm damping rates. At speeds above a given speed, lateral accelerations exceeding predetermined limit will result in switching the shock absorbers to firm and closing front and rear gate valves (126,128) between left and right air springs to increase the spring rate from a first effective spring rate to a second effective spring rate to increase vehicle tilt stabilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Jerome C. Ivan
  • Patent number: 5593176
    Abstract: In vehicles having drive wheel selections, accessed for example through a transfer case, drive wheel settings are used to determine a desired vehicle ride height at which the vehicle is maintained by a vehicle suspension control system. Preferably, both vehicle speed and transfer case setting are combined to determine the desired vehicle ride height. With two wheel drive selected, the desired vehicle ride height is set to a low ride height which provides the most aerodynamic airflow for the vehicle. However, if four wheel drive is selected, the speed is checked to determine the desired vehicle ride height. If four wheel drive (automatic four wheel drive) is selected, low ride height is still selected for speeds in excess of a first defined speed. For speeds at or below the first defined speed, a high ride height approximately 1 inch above the low ride height is set for the desired ride height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Douglas C. Campbell, Gary J. Gloceri, Daniel M. McCoy, Thomas G. Reichenbach, Lenard J. Duchnowski, Jerome C. Ivan, Joseph M. Raad