Patents by Inventor Mark Thomas Weston

Mark Thomas Weston 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: 11898935
    Abstract: A test apparatus for simulating road conditions for a motor vehicle. The test apparatus includes a platform, a pair of roller assemblies, and a driveshaft. The pair of roller assemblies are coupled to the platform. Each pair of roller assemblies being configured to receive a pair of wheels of the motor vehicle. The driveshaft is secured between the pair of roller assemblies and is configured to transmit rotary power from one of the pair of roller assemblies to the other of the pair of roller assemblies. An orientation of the platform is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Pistole, Mark Thomas Weston
  • Publication number: 20230175928
    Abstract: A test apparatus for simulating road conditions for a motor vehicle. The test apparatus includes a platform, a pair of roller assemblies, and a driveshaft. The pair of roller assemblies are coupled to the platform. Each pair of roller assemblies being configured to receive a pair of wheels of the motor vehicle. The driveshaft is secured between the pair of roller assemblies and is configured to transmit rotary power from one of the pair of roller assemblies to the other of the pair of roller assemblies. An orientation of the platform is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Pistole, Mark Thomas Weston
  • Patent number: 11584224
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a rear axle having wheels, friction brakes associated with the wheels, and a driver-actuatable input. A vehicle controller is programmed to, in response to the vehicle being in drift mode and the driver-actuatable input being actuated: command zero torque to the wheels, regardless of a driver-demanded torque, for a duration of time; command engagement of the friction brakes responsive to the duration of time ending; and command torque to the wheels responsive to a speed of the wheels being less than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan O'Rourke, Mark Thomas Weston, Keith Weston
  • Patent number: 11542852
    Abstract: An additive manufactured heat exchanger includes a monolithic housing defining an outer surface, a plurality of first fluid passageways extending between a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, and a plurality of second fluid passageways extending between a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet. A cross section of the outer surface defines an irregular shape, the plurality of first fluid passageways and the plurality of second fluid passageways define a convoluted flow matrix within the monolithic housing, and the outer surface of the monolithic housing is complimentary to a space between at least two components of a vehicle. The monolithic housing can also include a plurality of third fluid passageways extending between a third fluid inlet and a third fluid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dave D. Friske, Christian Hertrich, Mark Thomas Weston
  • Patent number: 11506156
    Abstract: An air intake assembly has an inlet member, a fluid reservoir, and an outlet. The inlet member defines a generally vertical oriented first fluid channel. The first fluid channel has a vertically extending portion, an upper inlet end, and a lower end. The fluid reservoir has an upper region that defines a second fluid channel. The fluid reservoir is attached to a lower end of the inlet member such that the first fluid channel vertically extending portion is substantially perpendicular to the second fluid channel. The fluid reservoir has an outlet defined by an aperture in a lower region of the fluid reservoir which forms a liquid collector. The trapdoor is pivotably attached to the fluid reservoir adjacent to the outlet. The rigid trapdoor is configured to open when exposed to a predetermined open force value to allow liquid to escape the liquid collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Weston, Luis Rabasa, David Thomas McNarney, George Frederick MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20220203828
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a rear axle having wheels, friction brakes associated with the wheels, and a driver-actuatable input. A vehicle controller is programmed to, in response to the vehicle being in drift mode and the driver-actuatable input being actuated: command zero torque to the wheels, regardless of a driver-demanded torque, for a duration of time; command engagement of the friction brakes responsive to the duration of time ending; and command torque to the wheels responsive to a speed of the wheels being less than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan O'Rourke, Mark Thomas Weston, Keith Weston
  • Publication number: 20220090534
    Abstract: An additive manufactured heat exchanger includes a monolithic housing defining an outer surface, a plurality of first fluid passageways extending between a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, and a plurality of second fluid passageways extending between a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet. A cross section of the outer surface defines an irregular shape, the plurality of first fluid passageways and the plurality of second fluid passageways define a convoluted flow matrix within the monolithic housing, and the outer surface of the monolithic housing is complimentary to a space between at least two components of a vehicle. The monolithic housing can also include a plurality of third fluid passageways extending between a third fluid inlet and a third fluid outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Dave D. Friske, Christian Hertrich, Mark Thomas Weston
  • Patent number: 11279230
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an axle having left and right wheels. The vehicle further includes left and right torque-vector control devices each having an actuator with a released position, a fully actuated position, and a plurality of intermediate positions. A vehicle controller is programmed to, in response to the vehicle turning and one of the actuators being actuated, command different torques to the left and right wheels to produce torque vectoring between the wheels, wherein a difference between the torques commanded to the wheels increases as the actuator moves toward the fully actuated position and decreases as the actuator moves toward the fully released position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan O'Rourke, Mark Thomas Weston, Keith Weston
  • Publication number: 20220024306
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an axle having left and right wheels. The vehicle further includes left and right torque-vector control devices each having an actuator with a released position, a fully actuated position, and a plurality of intermediate positions. A vehicle controller is programmed to, in response to the vehicle turning and one of the actuators being actuated, command different torques to the left and right wheels to produce torque vectoring between the wheels, wherein a difference between the torques commanded to the wheels increases as the actuator moves toward the fully actuated position and decreases as the actuator moves toward the fully released position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan O'Rourke, Mark Thomas Weston, Keith Weston
  • Patent number: 10471819
    Abstract: In a hybrid transmission, a traction motor is mounted between a dry clutch module and a manual gearbox. A slave cylinder is mounted within the rotor of the traction motor to reduce axial length. The rotor is fixedly coupled to an engine crankshaft. The stator may be cooled by circulating engine coolant through the housing. The stator and the rotor may be cooled by spraying transmission fluid into a sealed motor cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Anatole Frait, Mark Thomas Weston, Kyle Mattinson, Stanley L. Bower, Keith A. Devereaux, Kevin Mackenzie
  • Publication number: 20190315221
    Abstract: In a hybrid transmission, a traction motor is mounted between a dry clutch module and a manual gearbox. A slave cylinder is mounted within the rotor of the traction motor to reduce axial length. The rotor is fixedly coupled to an engine crankshaft. The stator may be cooled by circulating engine coolant through the housing. The stator and the rotor may be cooled by spraying transmission fluid into a sealed motor cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Steven Anatole Frait, Mark Thomas Weston, Kyle Mattinson, Stanley L. Bower, Keith A. Devereaux, Kevin Mackenzie