Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Andres Almeida Senatore

Siddharthan Selvasekar

Michael Steven Medoro

Daniel Boccuccia

Dylan Mandelbaum

Sydney Puckett

Otis Allen

Christopher Westfall

John Galin

Jeremy John Malick

Anthony Prozzi

Tyler Carpenter

John Wayne Jaranson

Victoria Leigh Schein

Patrick Maloney

Kevin VanNieulande

Alexander Alborzi Calderon

Johnathan Andrew Line

Michael Musa Azzouz

Benjamin Yilma

Sean Bayle West

Jimmy Moua

Russell Joseph Mihm

Brian Boland

Steven Nicholas Fidh

Robert Ralph Armitage, Jr

Christopher Robert Tilli

Jevon Xiao

Daniel Russman

Katherine Ann Arnold

Hector Hernandez

Roy Zhou

A latch feature for a door is disclosed herein. The latch feature includes an input body that is operable to move linearly between first and second positions relative to the door. The latch feature also includes an output body. The output body is coupled to the input body by a pivot member that is configured to pivot relative to the output body and the input body to allow the output body to move linearly toward the input body from an outboard position to an inboard position as the input body moves from the first position to the second position.

Door latch assembly

A method of making a trim article includes the steps of 1) obtaining specified criteria of a target component part comprised of a plurality of materials; 2) processing the specified criteria into a design envelope that includes parameters of the target component part within which the trim article to be created is to be confined, 3) inputting the design envelope into an additive manufacturing device supplied with a single forming material; and 4) forming the trim article using the additive manufacturing device from the single material. The formed trim article includes an outer casing with an interior portion having one or more lattice matrices disposed therein and having varying density profiles to simulate the specified criteria of the target component part. The formed trim article is created as a fully integrated monolithic whole via the additive manufacturing device.

Trim article having an integrated structural composition with variated densities and methods for making the same

An assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle roof and a headliner supported by the vehicle roof. The assembly includes an energy absorber between the headliner and the vehicle roof. The energy absorber includes a wall extending transversely to the headliner and the vehicle roof. The wall includes a lattice structure including a repeating pattern of strips and open cells.

Energy absorber between vehicle roof and headliner

A temperature regulating system for interior surfaces of a vehicle includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. An air register assembly is operably coupled to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to direct air to an interior compartment. The air register assembly includes an actuation assembly for adjusting a position of the air register assembly. A target feature having a contact surface is disposed within the interior compartment. A temperature sensor is coupled to the target feature and senses a surface temperature of the contact surface. A controller communicates a notification with temperature information. A remote start device is communicatively coupled with the controller. The controller adjusts the position of the air register assembly to direct air across the contact surface of the target feature in response to a remote start signal from the remote start device.

Temperature regulating system for vehicle interior surfaces

A ventilated seat system for a vehicle includes a seating assembly including a seatback operably coupled to a seat base. A blower is coupled to the seating assembly. The blower generates a sound transmission when activated. The blower includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. A first metamaterial silencer is coupled to an interior surface of the housing proximate to the inlet, and a second metamaterial silencer is coupled to the interior surface of the housing proximate to the outlet. Each of the first metamaterial silencer and the second metamaterial silencer reduces the sound transmission generated by the blower.

Ventilated seat system

A trim article includes an outer casing having an inner surface defining an interior portion of the outer casing. The outer casing includes a front surface having a plurality of through apertures disposed thereon. A core portion is disposed within the interior portion of the outer casing and includes first and second portions having variated densities relative to one another. The first and second portions include lattice matrices having variated patterns of interconnected links and associated cells that provide variated force deflection parameters between the first and second portions of the core portion. The outer casing and the core portion are integrated to define a monolithic structure comprised of a common material.

A method of forming an additive manufactured part with obfuscated anti-counterfeiting features includes additive manufacturing the part using an approved additive manufacturing method and additive manufacturing a plurality of obfuscated anti-counterfeiting structures on a surface of the part using the approved additive manufacturing method. Each of the plurality of obfuscated anti-counterfeiting structures has at least one of a prohibitive physical dimension and a prohibitive physical shape that is prohibitive from being formed using at least one unapproved additive manufacturing method such that counterfeit manufacture of the part by the at least one unapproved additive manufacturing method is detected by inspecting the surface or observing a build failure by the at least one unapproved additive manufacturing method. The plurality of obfuscated anti-counterfeiting structures includes a plurality of hollow structures, a plurality of solid structures, and/or a plurality of truss structures.

Additive manufacturing counterfeiting obfuscation

A vehicle module system is disclosed. The system includes a track assembly operably coupled with a body of a vehicle. One or more modules may be removably and slidably coupled with the track assembly. The modules include base structure defining an attachment point. A rail feature is disposed along a bottom portion of the base structure. An attachment feature having a retainer for removably coupling to the attachment point to the base structure.

Movable vehicle module system

A seating assembly comprises a calf rest coupled to a seat base and having a body that comprises a first trough that extends from a first exterior peak to an interior peak and a second trough that extends from a second exterior peak to the interior peak. The seating assembly also comprises a wire that extends across the first trough from the first exterior peak to the interior peak, the wire being operable between an at rest condition and a contracted condition, wherein movement of the wire from the at rest condition to the contracted condition moves a portion of the wire between the first exterior peak and the interior peak away from a bottom of the first trough. The seating assembly further comprises a controller that prompts electrical current to be supplied to the wire to move the wire from the at rest condition to the contracted condition.

Seating assembly for a vehicle

An assembly includes an airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The assembly includes an airbag housing supporting the airbag, the airbag housing having a side wall that is movable outward to a deployed position upon inflation of the airbag. The assembly includes a display screen moveable from an initial position to a stowed position, the display screen operatively coupled to the side wall such that movement of the side wall to the deployed position moves the display screen to the stowed position.

Airbag housing

A storage compartment includes, front and rear panels with first and second side panels operably coupled between the front and rear panels. Each side panel includes first and second portions interconnected along an articulating joint for movement between folded and extended positions. A bottom panel includes first and second portions interconnected along an articulating joint, for movement between folded and extended positions. The front, rear and bottom panels, and the first and second side panels are made using an additive manufacturing process to create a storage compartment that is fully integrated. The panels further cooperate to define an interior vessel that is operable between deployed and retracted conditions. In the retracted condition, the interior vessel provides for a storage compartment with a minimized profile, such that multiple storage compartments can be additively manufactured in a single build box if an additive manufacturing device.

Folding storage compartment

A method of 3D printing a part with an overhanging portion requiring support during printing is provided. The method includes moving a dynamically adjustable support member to support the overhanging portion during printing of the part. The dynamically adjustable support member may be moved from a retracted position to a support position after a first portion of the part is printed and the overhanging portion may be supported by the dynamically adjustable support member in the support position. The part may be printed in a 3D printing chamber with a base and at least one wall. The base may have a first dynamically adjustable support member and the at least one wall may have a second dynamically adjustable support member. A first overhanging portion and a second overhanging portion of the part may be printed over the first dynamically adjustable support member the second dynamically adjustable support member, respectively.

Methods for making 3D printed parts using a dynamic build platform and 3D printed parts formed therefrom

A method of manufacturing a component with at least one embedded feature includes the steps of defining a boundary template for the component, reserving a functional region within the boundary template for the at least one embedded feature, consolidating and structurally optimizing the component to allow more efficient distribution of material and manufacturing the component using additive manufacturing techniques. A motor vehicle component including a motor vehicle center console are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Andres Almeida Senatore