Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Christopher Anthony Danowski

Stuart C Salter

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Pietro Buttolo

Jason C Rogers

James J Surman

David Brian Glickman

Christopher Charles Hunt

Doug H Randlett

Chad Hoover

Johnathan Andrew Line

Kevin Wayne Preuss

James Stewart Rankin, Ii

Keith Allen Godin

Gregory Hagedorn

Xiankai Song

Mike Terrence Zitkovic

Marla Johnston

A pickup truck and tonneau cover including hard panels configured to selectively secure horizontally and vertically over a pickup truck bed, with a window in each panel, each window located to align with the other windows when the panels are oriented vertically in a fully retracted position.

Truck foldup bed cover

Methods and systems are provided for an adapter for a fluid refilling system. In one example, an adapter configured for use with a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) system may include a first end configured to couple with a DEF refill passage, a second end including an aperture shaped to receive a DEF nozzle, a pivotable door closing the aperture and biased against the aperture by a biasing member, and a magnetic ring positioned within the adapter and downstream of the pivotable door. The pivotable door may be formed of a material permeable to DEF vapors and may include a plurality of vent holes configured to flow vapors from the DEF system to atmosphere.

Capless refill adapter for a fluid refilling system

A vehicle light strip is provided herein. The vehicle light strip includes a light-producing assembly including a plurality of light sources arranged as a strip attached to a panel. The light-producing assembly is angled in a downward direction to illuminate a ground surface. A photoluminescent structure is disposed on the light-producing assembly and is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the plurality of light sources. One or more retroreflective beads is configured to reflect an incident light directed towards the light-producing assembly. An optic is operably coupled with the light-producing assembly and is disposed externally of the one or more retroreflective beads for distributing an excitation light in a predefined direction.

Lighting assembly including light strip, photoluminescent structure, and reflector and positioned on vehicle panel

An electrical connector is provided herein. The electrical connector includes a base member disposed within an exterior panel on a vehicle. A port is disposed within a surface of the base member. A wireless transceiver disposed within the vehicle. A controller is configured to selectively activate the port based on a location of an electronic device in relation to the port.

Vehicle electrical connector

A cargo securement system is disclosed and includes a track securable to a fixed mounting location within a cargo area. A slidable mount is movable along the track and securable at different positions along a longitudinal length to provide different securement positions adaptable to the cargo.

Box link vertical track

A tonneau cover assembly includes at a luminescent layer that emits visible light responsive to exposure to light, a top clear layer above the luminescent layer, and a bottom clear layer below the luminescent layer. The luminescent layer illuminates a portion of a cargo area covered by the tonneau cover.

Pickup tonneau cover

A vehicle is provided herein. The vehicle includes a panel having a light-producing assembly including a plurality of light sources arranged therein and attached to the panel. A photoluminescent structure is disposed on the light-producing assembly and is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the plurality of light sources. A vehicle sensor is configured to initiate an illumination sequence of the plurality of light sources based on a change in vehicular movement. A controller for illuminates the plurality of light sources based on predefined events when an electronic device is disposed proximately to the vehicle and is in communication with the controller.

Vehicle lighting assembly

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for mobile device tracking for control of vehicle subsystems. An example disclosed vehicle includes light panels embedded in the vehicle, wireless nodes, and an auxiliary body control module. The example auxiliary body control module, when a speed of the vehicle is less than a threshold speed, monitors a distance between a wireless device and the vehicle. In response to the distance satisfying a range threshold, the auxiliary body control module activates the light panels.

Mobile device tracking for control of vehicle subsystems

A light strip for a vehicle panel is provided herein. The light strip includes a light-producing assembly. A photoluminescent structure is disposed on the light-producing assembly and is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by a light source of the light-producing assembly. An adhesive layer having one or more retroreflective beads embedded therein is disposed on the photoluminescent structure. An overmold material is disposed over a portion of the retroreflective beads.

Illuminated exterior strip with photoluminescent structure and retroreflective layer

An inductive charger alignment system for a vehicle that includes: a plurality of on-board inductive receiving coils adapted to charge an on-board power source; an alignment controller coupled to the coils; an on-board signal element, e.g., a pair of headlamps, coupled to the controller; and an off-board inductive transmitter coil. Further, the controller is configured to direct the element to communicate an alignment between the receiving coils and the transmitter coil to an on-board driver. The alignment may include vehicle forward and side-to-side alignment between the receiving coils and the off-board transmitter coil.

Inductive charger alignment systems for vehicles

A lighting system is provided herein. The lighting system includes a spotlight is mounted to a vehicle, a controller for operating the spotlight, and a pointer device for specifying an intended target. The controller aims the spotlight in the direction of the intended target based on input provided by the pointer device.

Lighting system having pointer device

An illuminated vehicle foot pedal assembly is provided that includes a foot pedal and at least one light source located on the foot pedal. The assembly further includes at least one proximate sensor disposed on the pedal for sensing an operator's foot proximate to the pedal. The at least one light source may illuminate the pedal and the foot well and may indicate a vehicle condition such as a driving mode or a warning. The sensed proximity of the foot may be used to control the lighting or a pedal adjustment.

Illuminated vehicle foot pedal assembly

A vehicle cup holder includes a console substrate defining a cup well. A light source is positioned proximate the cup well. An insert is positioned within the cup well and defines a base wall and a side wall, wherein at least one of the base wall and the side wall defines a diffraction grating.

Illuminated cup holder

A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one light generating layer configured to conform to an outer surface of a panel of the vehicle. The light generating layer comprises a plurality of electrodes having a plurality of LEDs in a semiconductor ink disposed therebetween. The plurality of LEDs is operable to emit a first emission. The apparatus further comprises a controller configured to selectively activate the plurality of LEDs in response to a navigational direction of the vehicle.

Photoluminescent lighting apparatus for vehicles

A lighting assembly for a vehicle is provided herein. The lighting assembly includes first and second sets of light sources disposed on a bumper of the vehicle. A photoluminescent structure is disposed on the lighting assembly and configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the first or second sets of light sources. A detection system is configured to detect an object disposed proximately to the vehicle. The first or second set of light sources illuminate upon the detection of the object.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Christopher Anthony Danowski