Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Cindy Sofia Barrera-Martinez

Janice Lisa Tardiff

Adam Wirth

Vishal Vinayak Nageshkar

Arturo Alberto Garcia Ramirez

Ricardo Daniel Sanchez Lugo

David Scott Rohweder

Ryan Buttimer

Wesley Grant Morris

Robert Henry Camilleri

Deborah Frances Mielewski

John Edward Huber

Sangram Laxman Tamhankar

Alper Kiziltas

Cristiano Grings Herbert

Rodrigo Denizarte De Oliveira Polkowski

Chaitanya Nimmagadda

Cristiane Carla Gonçalves

Victor Negrete Cortes

Alberto Hernandez Cruz

A method for producing a rubber composite includes mixing graphene with a liquid plasticizer to create a graphene/plasticizer solution, mixing the graphene/plasticizer solution with solid rubber and curing to form a preform, and shaping and vulcanizing the preform. The graphene/plasticizer solution may be a nonaqueous solution. The present disclosure also relates to a rubber composite part produced by the above-referenced method.

Method for graphene incorporation into a rubber compounding by using liquid plasticizer route—LPR method

A wheel assembly for a non-pneumatic tire includes a wheel including an inboard side, an outboard side, and an outer surface, the outer surface including at least one taper extending from the inboard side to the outboard side, and a locking ring configured to abut against at least one of the inboard side and the outboard side of the wheel and to secure the non-pneumatic tire to the wheel.

Serviceable non-pneumatic tire and wheel assemblies

Methods and systems are provided for a flexible support for a vehicle. In one example, the flexible support is formed of a composite material and configured to surround a vehicle component and absorb oscillations generated by the vehicle. The composite material may be a mixture of aluminum particles dispersed in an elastomer matrix.

High thermal tolerance flexible supports

A molding tool for forming a non-pneumatic tire includes a wheel portion cavity, a tread ring portion cavity, and a plurality of spoke cavities extending between the wheel portion cavity and the tread ring portion cavity. At least a subset spoke cavities within the plurality of spoke cavities include at least one of a non-uniform thickness, a non-uniform width, and a non-uniform surface. Also, the molding tool can include a conformal thermal control channel, e.g., a conformal cooling channel and/or a conformal heating channel, proximate to at least one mold cavity.

Tools for manufacturing non-pneumatic tires

A non-pneumatic tire includes a wheel portion, a tread ring portion, a plurality of flexible spokes extending between and attached to the wheel portion and the tread ring portion, and plurality of bump stops positioned between the wheel portion and the tread ring portion. The bumps stops are configured to limit deformation and/or compressive strain of the plurality of flexible spokes. The plurality of bump stops includes a plurality of tower bump stops, a plurality of triangular-shaped bump stops, and/or a plurality of roof-top shaped bump stops.

Non-pneumatic tires with strain limiting features

Methods and systems are provided for a heat shield. In one example, the heat shield is formed of a composite material, the heat shield configured to shield a component from radiated heat. The composite material is a mixture of aluminum particles dispersed in an elastomer matrix.

High thermal tolerance shield

A tire and wheel assembly includes a non-pneumatic tire and a wheel. The non-pneumatic tire has a tread, a plurality of spokes, and an inner liner with a first side, a second side, and at least one taper extending between the first side and the second side. The wheel has an inboard side, an outboard side, and an outer surface with at least one complementary taper extending between the inboard side and the outboard side such that the non-pneumatic tire is serviceably mounted on the wheel. A locking ring can be included and the locking ring can be configured to abut against the inboard side or the outboard side of the wheel. Also, a wheel flange extending inwardly from the inner liner can be included and the wheel flange is configured to abut against the outboard side or the inboard side of the wheel.

Methods and systems are provided for a coupling device. In one example, the coupling device may be formed of a composite material and positioned between an exhaust system and a vehicle chassis. The composite material may include aluminum particles dispersed in an elastomer matrix to reduce an overall thermal absorptivity of the composite material.

Composite exhaust isolators with reduced absorptivity

An article, such as a vehicle seat, includes a one-piece vehicle head restraint structure that defines a frame and a plurality of receptacles. There are metallic resonators disposed in the receptacles. Polymeric dampers line the receptacles and circumscribe the metallic resonators.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Cindy Sofia Barrera-Martinez