Patents by Inventor Matthew B. Makowski
Matthew B. Makowski 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).
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Publication number: 20160251033Abstract: A hood assembly for a vehicle includes an outer panel and an inner panel. The inner panel includes a plurality of slots or apertures defined in a portion of an edge thereof, disposed to cause a controlled deformation of a left side edge and a right side edge of the hood assembly on receiving a frontal impact. Optionally, at least one lateral crest line may be defined across a width of the inner panel. A hood hinge assembly fixedly attaches the hood assembly to a frame member of the vehicle. In combination, the slots or apertures, optional crest line, and fixed hood hinge assembly reduce rearward displacement of the hood assembly on receiving a frontal impact, thereby reducing damage to vehicle components such as the a-pillar, body side panels, and fenders.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2015Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Theodore Victor Kolar, JR., Sushil Shastry, Matthew B. Makowski, Aileen M. DeVoe, Se Kyoon Shin, Shawn Michael Morgans
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Publication number: 20160236644Abstract: A belly pan is provided for a motor vehicle. The belly pan includes a body having at least one stiffener with a forwardmost zone of peak section force F1, an intermediate zone of peak section force F2 and a rearwardmost zone of peak section force F3 where F1<F2<F3. Advantageously, the belly pan functions to provide pedestrian protection while simultaneously limiting vehicle damage resulting from a low-speed collision.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2015Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: Matthew B. Makowski, Aileen M. DeVoe, Se Kyoon Shin, Laike Misikir, Luis Rafael Reyes Flores, Djamal Eddine Midoun
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Patent number: 9327666Abstract: A vehicle includes a floor structure and one or more tubular rocker structures. Each rocker structure includes an outer cladding and/or an inner structure extending across an interior space of the rocker structure. At least one acceleration sensor is connected to a central portion of the floor structure to detect acceleration resulting from a crash event. The vehicle may also include pressure sensors that detect changes in pressure in the door cavities that result from side impacts. The cladding and/or inner structure of the rockers reduce the time required to detect acceleration due to a side impact on the rocker structures.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2014Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Abdelmonaam Sassi, Matthew B. Makowski, Aruna Nandadeva Tilakasiri, Diego Santos, Joseph Edward Abramczyk, Echung Su, Jonathan Beaudoin
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Publication number: 20160059809Abstract: An energy absorbing device for a bumper assembly of a vehicle includes a plunger. A deformable wall extends along an axis and defines a cavity for receiving the plunger during relative movement between the plunger and the deformable wall resulting from impact between the bumper assembly and another object. A ledge is fixed to the deformable wall and extends between the cavity and the plunger for collapsing the deformable wall into the cavity. The deformable wall collapses inwardly to eliminate material stack up to accommodate packaging restraints in the design of the bumper assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2014Publication date: March 3, 2016Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Djamal Eddine Midoun, Laike Misikir, Shekar Prabhakar Erasala, Oliver O. Nwankwo, Bin Zhang, Matthew B. Makowski, Kirk David Arthurs
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Patent number: 9168883Abstract: A rail assembly for a frame of a vehicle includes a rail defining a cavity. The cavity extends along an axis for receiving an energy absorbing member of a bumper assembly. A brace is fixed to the rail and includes a side wall extending along the axis in the cavity. The brace includes an end wall extending from the side wall in the cavity transversely to the axis adjacent to the energy absorbing member in the cavity. The rail defines a hole and the brace defines a hole aligned with the hole of the rail for receiving a fastener to engage the energy absorbing member.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2014Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Djamal Eddine Midoun, Laike Misikir, Shekar Prabhakar Erasala, Matthew B. Makowski, Oliver O. Nwankwo, Bin Zhang
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Patent number: 9150084Abstract: A vehicle includes a rocker panel and a pillar reinforcement extending in a direction transverse to the rocker panel. The vehicle further includes a door having a bracket disposed over an intersection of the rocker panel and the pillar reinforcement when the door is in a closed position. The bracket is configured to reduce intrusion propagation of the door toward a passenger compartment and redirect an impact load laterally along the rocker panel.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2013Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Matthew B. Makowski, Zhibing Deng, Tahmidur Rahman, Moises Blancas Galicia
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Publication number: 20150258956Abstract: A vehicle includes a floor structure and one or more tubular rocker structures. Each rocker structure includes an outer cladding and/or an inner structure extending across an interior space of the rocker structure. At least one acceleration sensor is connected to a central portion of the floor structure to detect acceleration resulting from a crash event. The vehicle may also include pressure sensors that detect changes in pressure in the door cavities that result from side impacts. The cladding and/or inner structure of the rockers reduce the time required to detect acceleration due to a side impact on the rocker structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2014Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Abdelmonaam Sassi, Matthew B. Makowski, Aruna Nandadeva Tilakasiri, Diego Santos, Joseph Edward Abramczyk, Echung Su, Jonathan Beaudoin
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Patent number: 9132797Abstract: An exemplary knee airbag assembly may include an airbag cushion that has a first end and a second end. The airbag cushion may be inflatable from a stowed position to a deployed position in which it has a length and a thickness. The exemplary knee airbag assembly may also include an enlarged portion at at least one of the ends of the airbag cushion when the knee airbag assembly is in at least the deployed state. The enlarged portion increases the thickness of the airbag cushion along at least a portion of the length of the airbag cushion at the at least one of the ends of the airbag cushion such that the knee airbag assembly may be non-symmetrical.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Edward J. Abramoski, Matthew B. Makowski, Jovica J. Jakovski, Djamal E. Midoun
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Publication number: 20150151616Abstract: A vehicle includes a rocker panel and a pillar reinforcement extending in a direction transverse to the rocker panel. The vehicle further includes a door having a bracket disposed over an intersection of the rocker panel and the pillar reinforcement when the door is in a closed position. The bracket is configured to reduce intrusion propagation of the door toward a passenger compartment and redirect an impact load laterally along the rocker panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2013Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Matthew B. Makowski, Zhibing Deng, Tahmidur Rahman, Moises Blancas Galicia
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Patent number: 9045172Abstract: A catcher bracket disposed between a powertrain and a sub-frame of a vehicle. The catcher bracket defines a load path in a collision that is sufficient to displace the powertrain that directs the force of the impact through the catcher bracket to a sub-frame of the vehicle. The sub-frame is connected to the body structure of the vehicle by fasteners that fracture to decouple the powertrain and sub-frame from the body structure of the vehicle to reduce the collision pulse.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2013Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Sriram Gopal, Bhimaraddi Venkaraddi Alavandi, John Vincent Fazio, Matthew B. Makowski, Djamal Eddine Midoun
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Publication number: 20150115579Abstract: An exemplary knee airbag assembly may include an airbag cushion that has a first end and a second end. The airbag cushion may be inflatable from a stowed position to a deployed position in which it has a length and a thickness. The exemplary knee airbag assembly may also include an enlarged portion at at least one of the ends of the airbag cushion when the knee airbag assembly is in at least the deployed state. The enlarged portion increases the thickness of the airbag cushion along at least a portion of the length of the airbag cushion at the at least one of the ends of the airbag cushion such that the knee airbag assembly may be non-symmetrical.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Edward J. Abramoski, Matthew B. Makowski, Jovica J. Jakovski, Djamal E. Midoun
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Publication number: 20150028626Abstract: A catcher bracket disposed between a powertrain and a sub-frame of a vehicle. The catcher bracket defines a load path in a collision that is sufficient to displace the powertrain that directs the force of the impact through the catcher bracket to a sub-frame of the vehicle. The sub-frame is connected to the body structure of the vehicle by fasteners that fracture to decouple the powertrain and sub-frame from the body structure of the vehicle to reduce the collision pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2013Publication date: January 29, 2015Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Sriram Gopal, Bhimaraddi Venkaraddi Alavandi, John Vincent Fazio, Matthew B. Makowski, Djamal Eddine Midoun
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Publication number: 20120175177Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery assembly for a vehicle, including a battery module having a plurality of battery cells, and a frame configured to reinforce the battery module, the frame having an upper section and a lower section of different size or shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2011Publication date: July 12, 2012Inventors: Chunhui Kevin Lee, Peyman Aghssa, Matthew B. Makowski, Steve Siu, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Eric Schwartz
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Publication number: 20110012328Abstract: An inflatable safety curtain for use in a vehicle interior is provided. A first inflatable portion may be mounted to the vehicle interior. A second inflatable portion may be mounted to the first portion. The first and second portions may be in fluid communication. A pressure control device is disposed between the first and second inflatable portions to selectively prevent fluid communication between the first and second portion. The pressure control device is a flexible valve from fabric or a memory shape material, a chamber valve having an enlarged opening, or a flapper valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2009Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Kurt Lewis Ewing, Matthew B. Makowski, Joseph Edward Abramczyk, Brian Robert Spahn, Mary A. Mason, Anthony Edmond Rencher, Abdelmonaam Sassi, Selvakumar Inbaraj Daniel
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Patent number: 7354101Abstract: A vehicle hood for achieving generally predetermined deformation in an event of a front impact. The hood may include an outer panel including at least one raised section along rear and side edges of the hood for thereby defining a reverse power dome. An inner panel may be attached to the outer panel and include at least two laterally extending beams each of which extend substantially across a width of the hood respectively adjacent front and the rear edges. At least one crush initiator may be disposed adjacent each of the laterally extending beams for enabling generally predetermined deformation of the hood in the event of a front impact.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2005Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Edgar Edward Donabedian, Matthew B. Makowski, Charles Ko, Nordine Fellague, Shiv Grover
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Publication number: 20040046426Abstract: A grab handle assembly for an interior of a motor vehicle includes a headliner disposed in the interior of the vehicle for mounting to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle. The headliner has a recess. The grab handle assembly also includes a grab handle disposed in the recess and spaced from the vehicle body.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2003Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: Anindya Deb, Matthew B. Makowski, Nripen Kumar Saha
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Patent number: 6647594Abstract: A grab handle assembly for an interior of a motor vehicle includes a headliner disposed in the interior of the vehicle for mounting to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle. The headliner has a recess. The grab handle assembly also includes a grab handle disposed in the recess and spaced from the vehicle body to absorb energy when impacted.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1999Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Anindya Deb, Matthew B. Makowski, Nripen Kumar Saha