Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Technologies, Inc.

Chris O'Connor

Yi Qu

Michael James Andrus

Jim Carene

Amanda Villerot

Sue Muscat

Jacob Wookeun Lee

Reddy Malapati

Rodney Simon

Pardeep Kumar

John Michael McGuckin

Ahteram Khan

Ryan John Craig

Erika Kristin Low

Randall Frank

Michael Luchtman

Wanjun Lei

Akshay Kulkarni

Naeem Ahmed Ghias

Ramanjaneya Reddy Butukuri

A vehicle comprising a stowage bin, an actuation assembly configured to actuate in response to an actuation signal, and a stowage bin closure operable between stored and fully deployed positions, wherein the actuation assembly is configured to deploy the stowage bin closure over an opening defined by the stowage bin.

Vehicle stowage bin

An apparatus includes a stowage bin defining a compartment and an airbag mounted to the stowage bin. The airbag is deployable to an inflated position. When the airbag is in the inflated position, the airbag at least partially encloses the compartment. When in the inflated position, the airbag retains items, if any, that are stored in the compartment by an occupant of the vehicle.

A vehicle including a storage bin and a restraint control system. An actuation assembly is configured to activate in response to a signal from the restraint control system. A tether is operable between undeployed and deployed positions and the actuation assembly is configured to deploy the tether over an opening defined by the storage bin.

Storage system

An instrument-panel assembly in a vehicle includes an instrument panel extending along a longitudinal axis and an airbag supported by the instrument panel. The airbag is inflatable from an undeployed position to a deployed position. In two embodiments, the airbag includes a side extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and a tether attached to the side, and the side has a fold when the airbag is in the deployed position. Alternatively, in a third embodiment, the airbag in the deployed position has a tapered shape from a vertical perspective relative to the instrument panel at the instrument panel.

Airbag assembly

An instrument-panel assembly includes an instrument panel, an airbag housing supported by the instrument panel, an airbag supported by the airbag housing, and a rotatable connection rotatably supporting the airbag housing on the instrument panel. The instrument panel extends along a longitudinal axis. The rotatable connection is rotatable about a rotational axis transverse to the longitudinal axis.

A vehicle includes a vehicle body that includes a rocker fixed to an underbody. The rocker and the under body at least in part define a front wheel well of the vehicle. A rim engagement member is cantilevered from the underbody and extends into the wheel well. The rim engagement member snags a rim of a front wheel of the vehicle and directs movement of a front wheel of the vehicle away from intrusion into a floor and/or dash of the vehicle.

Underbody mounted rim engagement member

A vehicle body structure includes a side sill formed of high strength steel and a seat cross-member formed of high strength steel. A floor pan is welded to at least one of the side sill and the seat cross-member. A flange includes a base extending from the seat cross-member and a tab extending from the base. The tab is spaced from the seat cross-member and is welded to the floor pan and the side sill.

Vehicle body structure

A deflector member comprises opposing first and second walls and a plurality of sidewalls arranged adjacent to each other and between the first and second walls, the sidewalls having a cross-sectional shape between the first and second walls that is at least three-sided. The deflector member is adapted to mount to a vehicle frame. The deflector member is further adapted to extend distally from the first wall to the second wall relative to the vehicle frame, and away from a centerline of the vehicle frame.

Deflector structure

A V shape bumper extension for a vehicle is provided where the V shape member has an extension member and a support member. The extension member extends linearly away from a bumper and the support member is positioned at an acute angle with respect to a crush can. The support member includes an outer edge spaced apart from the crush can and is connected to the crush can through at least one breakable attachment.

V shape bumper extension

An attachment assembly for securing a child safety seat to a mounting portion of a vehicle is provided. The attachment assembly may include a guide having a channel, and a metal strap positioned in the channel of the guide in a retracted configuration such that a free end of the metal strap is adjacent to a front face of the guide, a fixed end of the metal strap is secured to a side of the channel, and a body of the strap is bent along a radius so as to double back between the free end and the fixed end. When pulled in tension, the metal strap is configured to transition from the retracted configuration to an extended configuration, and the guide is configured to constrain the strap during this transition so that the strap rolls along the radius within the guide, thereby absorbing energy.

Energy absorbing seat anchor restraint system for child safety seats

An energy-absorbing deformable structure to attach a child seat to a mounting portion of a vehicle is provided. The energy-absorbing deformable structure comprises a loop of metal rod including a base end configured to be coupled to the mounting portion of the vehicle, a distal end configured to be coupled to a child safety seat, and a plurality of sinuous deformable portions positioned intermediate to the base end and the distal end, wherein each of the sinuous deformable portions includes an inwardly extending portion that extends inward from a perimeter of the deformable structure to a substantially central interior region of the deformable structure; wherein the sinuous deformable portions of the deformable structure are configured to be deformed when the base end and distal end are pulled in tension, thereby absorbing energy.

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Livonia, MI, United States of America

Chris O'Connor