Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Aaron Halonen

David Brian Glickman

Stuart C Salter

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Annette Lynn Huebner

Kristopher Karl Brown

Hussein H Berry

Daniel J Martin

Darshan Arun Nayak

Sarah A Ripley

Johnathan Andrew Line

Pietro Buttolo

Kristin Ann Hellman

Zeljko Deljevic

Scott Culver Anderson

Peter Joseph Bejin

James Hadley Muiter

Scott Shaw

Ronald J Collins

Daniel Jammoul

Christopher Jacob Lockwood

Stuti Sinha

Anthony Richard Walser

Chris Thomas Bustamante

Sashank Vuttaluru

A vehicle door control system includes a door assembly, which includes a side door and a liftgate. The door assembly includes an actuation assembly that adjusts each of the side door and the liftgate between opened and closed positions. A sensor assembly defines a rear sensor field, a first side sensor field, and a second side sensor field. A controller determines whether a person in at least one of the rear sensor field, the first side sensor field, and the second side sensor field is a recognized passenger, determines a speed of the recognized passenger, determines whether the recognized passenger is carrying an object, and activates the actuation assembly to open at least one of the liftgate and the side door based on whether the recognized passenger is carrying an object, where timing of activation of the actuation assembly is based on the speed of the recognized passenger.

Vehicle door control system

Vehicle windshield wiper systems and methods are disclosed for controlling windshield wipers in a manner that reduces the buildup of frozen precipitation on the vehicle windshield. In exemplary embodiments, a windshield wiper can be automatically commanded to wipe a windshield at a pre-calculated wiping interval rate when precipitation is detected on a vehicle surface, a vehicle ambient temperature is below a predefined ambient temperature threshold, and a vehicle interior temperature exceeds a predefined interior temperature threshold.

Automated vehicle windshield wiper systems for minimizing the buildup of frozen precipitation

A vehicle cargo compartment system includes an electric outlet mounted within an accessible location within a vehicle cargo compartment and a sensor assembly mounted proximate the electric outlet within the cargo compartment for detecting a presence of an electrical power cord. The cargo compartment system integrates powered features such as an electric outlet, powered tailgate and the powered top that utilizes environmental information gathered by various sensors on the vehicle in combination with predefined actions to simplify use and automate operation.

Integrated pick up truck bed

A vehicle cargo management system includes, among other things, an outer member of a cargo retention frame and an inner member of the cargo retention frame. The inner member is at least partially received within the outer member. A locking device is transitionable back and forth between a locked position and an unlocked position. The outer and inner members are slideable relative to each other when the locking device is in the locked position. The outer and inner members are fixed relative to each other when the locking device is in the unlocked position.

Cargo management system for a vehicle

A vehicle assembly includes a wall of a cargo bed, and a storage system. The wall has an inner panel spaced from an outer panel to provide a cavity. The storage system has a first bin and a second bin that are each at least partially disposed within the cavity when in an installed position. The first bin provides a first cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position. The first bin is configured to be moved to the installed position through an aperture in the inner panel. The second bin provides a second cargo area within the cavity when in the installed position. The second bin is configured to be moved to the installed position without moving through the aperture in the inner panel.

Storage system for a vehicle wall

This disclosure details vehicle windshield wiper systems and methods for controlling windshield wipers in a manner that reduces the buildup of frozen precipitation on the vehicle windshield. In exemplary embodiments, a windshield wiper can be automatically commanded to wipe a windshield at a pre-calculated wiping interval rate when precipitation is detected on a vehicle surface, a vehicle ambient temperature is below a predefined ambient temperature threshold, and a vehicle interior temperature exceeds a predefined interior temperature threshold.

This disclosure relates to a fuel or charging port door assembly of a motor vehicle. In particular, this disclosure relates to a fuel or charging port door assembly configured to permit a door to open when an override force is applied using an assist tool, for example. An example vehicle includes a door configured to move relative to a body of the vehicle between open and closed positions. The door is a fuel door or a charging port door. The vehicle also includes a lock assembly including a base and a tip. The base is configured to hold the tip during normal operating conditions, and the base and tip are configured to separate upon application of an override force to the door.

Fuel or charging port door assembly with override configuration and assist tool

A drainage system for a vehicle is disclosed herein. A drain is disposed within a vehicle substrate and has a floor. A receiver is disposed proximate to the floor. A cap feature is operably coupled to the drain and is operable between first and second positions relative to the drain. The cap feature includes an upper platform and a sidewall that extends generally downward from the upper platform. A cutout is defined by the cap feature and is configured to allow liquid to flow through the cap feature. An engagement feature is coupled to the cap feature and is operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position in which the engagement feature is engaged with the receiver. Movement of the cap feature from the first position to the second position moves the engagement feature from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

Drainage system for a vehicle

A vehicle includes a liftgate system with a vertically-opening liftgate and a power actuator responsive to a user opening command for opening the liftgate to a variable opening height. The vehicle has an active sensor adapted to detect objects and their respective distances within a detection zone and a camera adapted to capture a search image with a field-of-view showing objects in the detection zone. In response to the user opening command, a controller 1) performs facial recognition on the search image to detect image locations containing a face of each respective person visible in the search image, 2) identifies distances for each respective person according to coincidence with the detected objects, 3) determines a user height according to the respective image location and distance of at least one respective person visible in the search image, and 4) sets the variable opening height in response to the user height.

Liftgate opening height control

This disclosure relates to a running board assembly for a motor vehicle and a corresponding method. An example method includes supplying current to a motor to move a running board between a retracted position and a deployed position, monitoring a level of the current, and permitting the level of current to exceed a threshold (i.e., overcurrent is permitted) in response to a user input.

Running board assembly and method permitting overcurrent

A mounting structure for a vehicle accessory comprises a panel including a surface defining a channel with a wall disposed between two sides extending from the surface in a direction toward an interior of the vehicle, the wall defining a ledge, and a tab, attached with the vehicle accessory, that mates with the channel, the tab being confined by the sides and the ledge between the surface and the wall such that the vehicle accessory is slideably and removably attached to the panel.

Mounting structure to attach vehicle accessories

A deflector mounts to a pickup truck. The deflector may include a mounting flange, mounted to and pivot with a bottom of a tailgate, and spaced from a rear bumper, and a louver extending downward from the mounting flange into a gap between the tailgate and the bumper, with the louver including a portion curving rearward as the louver extends downward such that air flow around the bumper from under the pickup truck is redirected upward along an outer panel of the tailgate.

Pickup truck box deflector

The invention controls a power cinching function of a motor vehicle door latch in order to improve door seal performance under conditions wherein vibrations could otherwise reduce seal effectiveness. With the door latched closed in a flush condition, the vehicle speed is compared to a slow-speed threshold. When the vehicle speed is greater than the slow-speed threshold, then a vehicle vibration parameter is compared to a vibration threshold. When the vibration parameter is greater than the vibration threshold, then the power cinching function is activated to move the door to to a subflush condition which increases a compression of the seal between the door and a vehicle door frame. When the door is in the subflush condition, the vehicle speed continues to be compared to the slow-speed threshold, and when the vehicle speed is less than the slow-speed threshold then the door is released back to the flush condition.

Adaptive door sealing using power cinching latch

This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle, such as a pickup truck, including a powered tailgate assembly and a corresponding method of using the same. An exemplary motor vehicle includes a powered tailgate assembly having a tailgate moveable between a fully closed position and a fully open position. The tailgate is also moveable to a neutral loading position near the fully open position. Further, the motor vehicle includes a controller configured to identify the onset of an active loading condition when the tailgate moves from the neutral loading position toward the fully open position.

Growing community of inventors

Brighton, MI, United States of America

Aaron Halonen