Patents by Inventor Jim Michael Weinfurther

Jim Michael Weinfurther 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: 11555336
    Abstract: A powered latch system for motor vehicles includes at least one powered latch that can be controlled based, at least in part, on vehicle operating conditions. The system may be configured to control unlatching of the vehicle doors utilizing data relating to the vehicle speed and/or the existence of a crash event. The powered latch system can be configured as required for various vehicles, and to accommodate specific operating requirements with respect to child locks in various geographic jurisdictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks, Jim Michael Weinfurther, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Laura Viviana Hazebrouck, Lisa Therese Boran, Howard Paul Tsvi Linden
  • Patent number: 11466484
    Abstract: A latch system for vehicle doors includes a powered latch including a powered actuator that is configured to unlatch the powered latch. An interior unlatch input feature such as an unlatch switch can be actuated by a user to provide an unlatch request. The system may include a controller that is operably connected to the powered actuator of the powered latch. The controller is configured such that it does not unlatch the powered latch if a vehicle speed is greater than a predefined value unless the interior latch feature is actuated at least two times according to predefined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: H. Paul Tsvi Linden, Daniel Carl Bejune, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Kosta Papanikolaou, Noah Barlow Mass, Lisa Therese Boran, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Jim Michael Weinfurther, Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks
  • Publication number: 20190249463
    Abstract: A powered latch system for motor vehicles includes at least one powered latch that can be controlled based, at least in part, on vehicle operating conditions. The system may be configured to control unlatching of the vehicle doors utilizing data relating to the vehicle speed and/or the existence of a crash event. The powered latch system can be configured as required for various vehicles, and to accommodate specific operating requirements with respect to child locks in various geographic jurisdictions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks, Jim Michael Weinfurther, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Laura Viviana Hazebrouck, Lisa Therese Boran, Howard Paul Tsvi Linden
  • Patent number: 10323442
    Abstract: A powered latch system for motor vehicles includes at least one powered latch that can be controlled based, at least in part, on vehicle operating conditions. The system may be configured to control unlatching of the vehicle doors utilizing data relating to the vehicle speed and/or the existence of a crash event. The powered latch system can be configured as required for various vehicles, and to accommodate specific operating requirements with respect to child locks in various geographic jurisdictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks, Jim Michael Weinfurther, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Laura Viviana Hazebrouck, Lisa Therese Boran, Howard Paul Tsvi Linden
  • Publication number: 20190024416
    Abstract: A latch system for vehicle doors includes a powered latch including a powered actuator that is configured to unlatch the powered latch. An interior unlatch input feature such as an unlatch switch can be actuated by a user to provide an unlatch request. The system may include a controller that is operably connected to the powered actuator of the powered latch. The controller is configured such that it does not unlatch the powered latch if a vehicle speed is greater than a predefined value unless the interior latch feature is actuated at least two times according to predefined criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: H. Paul Tsvi Linden, Daniel Carl Bejune, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Kosta Papanikolaou, Noah Barlow Mass, Lisa Therese Boran, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Jim Michael Weinfurther, Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks
  • Patent number: 10119308
    Abstract: A latch system for vehicle doors includes a powered latch including a powered actuator that is configured to unlatch the powered latch. An interior unlatch input feature such as an unlatch switch can be actuated by a user to provide an unlatch request. The system may include a controller that is operably connected to the powered actuator of the powered latch. The controller is configured such that it does not unlatch the powered latch if a vehicle speed is greater than a predefined value unless the interior latch feature is actuated at least two times according to predefined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: H. Paul Tsvi Linden, Daniel Carl Bejune, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks, Kosta Papanikolaou, Noah Barlow Mass, Lisa Therese Boran, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Jim Michael Weinfurther
  • Publication number: 20150330115
    Abstract: A powered latch system for motor vehicles includes at least one powered latch that can be controlled based, at least in part, on vehicle operating conditions. The system may be configured to control unlatching of the vehicle doors utilizing data relating to the vehicle speed and/or the existence of a crash event. The powered latch system can be configured as required for various vehicles, and to accommodate specific operating requirements with respect to child locks in various geographic jurisdictions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks, Jim Michael Weinfurther, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Laura Viviana Hazebrouck, Lisa Therese Boran, Howard Paul Tsvi Linden
  • Publication number: 20150330114
    Abstract: A latch system for vehicle doors includes a powered latch including a powered actuator that is configured to unlatch the powered latch. An interior unlatch input feature such as an unlatch switch can be actuated by a user to provide an unlatch request. The system may include a controller that is operably connected to the powered actuator of the powered latch. The controller is configured such that it does not unlatch the powered latch if a vehicle speed is greater than a predefined value unless the interior latch feature is actuated at least two times according to predefined criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: H. Paul Tsvi Linden, Daniel Carl Bejune, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Robert Bruce Kleve, John Thomas Ricks, Kosta Papanikolaou, Noah Barlow Mass, Lisa Therese Boran, Ronald Patrick Brombach, Jim Michael Weinfurther
  • Patent number: 8514062
    Abstract: A method for setting a warm placard tire pressure threshold for a motor vehicle tire pressure monitoring system that initiates a learn mode in the tire pressure monitoring system, starts a timer upon determining a vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined speed threshold, stops the timer upon determining the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the predetermined speed threshold or a predetermined period of time has expired, detects a plurality of tire pressures for a tire location while the timer is timing, stores the plurality of tire pressures, averages the plurality of tire pressures to determine a warm placard tire pressure threshold upon the predetermined period of time expiring, and sets the warm placard tire pressure threshold in the tire pressure monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventors: Dilip B. Patel, Greg Swadling, Thomas Michael McQuade, Jim Michael Weinfurther
  • Publication number: 20120007729
    Abstract: A method for setting a warm placard tire pressure threshold for a motor vehicle tire pressure monitoring system that initiates a learn mode in the tire pressure monitoring system, starts a timer upon determining a vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined speed threshold, stops the timer upon determining the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the predetermined speed threshold or a predetermined period of time has expired, detects a plurality of tire pressures for a tire location while the timer is timing, stores the plurality of tire pressures, averages the plurality of tire pressures to determine a warm placard tire pressure threshold upon the predetermined period of time expiring, and sets the warm placard tire pressure threshold in the tire pressure monitoring system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Dilip B. Patel, Greg Swadling, Thomas Michael McQuade, Jim Michael Weinfurther