Ford Global Technologies, LLC

David A Brown

Stephen Kenneth Helwig

Alan George Dry

Stuart C Salter

Sleiman N Abdelnour

Ketan K Desai

Li Yan

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Arun Kumar

Robert W Miller

David Brian Glickman

Patrick J Schiavone

Brian Robert Spahn

Aaron Bradley Johnson

Harry Lobo

Zeljko Deljevic

Henry W Hausler

Jeffrey M Nowak

Chelsia Lau

Paul Elia

Darshan Arun Nayak

Curt Aumiller

Diane Marie LaHaie

James Alan Acre

Sean Terence Coghlan

Matt W Roosen

Terrence Joseph Wilson

Frank Aust

Simon Howard Curwood

Thorsten Warwel

E A Carmean, Jr

Barbara A Murek

Brian Carroll

Ken Alan Ward

Max Anton Schumacher

A system and method for assembling a plurality of components into an assembly is provided. The system includes an assembling robot and an adhesive dispensing robot. The assembling robot is configured to attach a first sub-assembly to a second sub-assembly. The first sub-assembly includes at least one of the plurality of components, and the second sub-assembly includes remaining ones of the plurality of components. The adhesive dispensing robot is configured to apply an adhesive between the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly, after the first sub-assembly is attached to the second sub-assembly, to bond the first sub-assembly to the second sub-assembly.

Agile robotic headlamp assembly with sonic fastening and injected lens adhesive

A front end structure of a vehicle is disclosed and includes a housing having a fluid reservoir portion, a fan shroud portion, a back face, a bolster portion, a first air passage communicating airflow to an air intake system, and a second air passage in communication with a higher pressure airflow. A fan assembly is mounted within the fan shroud portion and a radiator mounted to the back face of the housing. A battery compartment is in communication with airflow from the second air passage for maintain battery temperature within a predefined range. A headlight also receives an airflow to actively remove moisture from an inner cavity. A method of assembling a front end structure is also disclosed.

Structural battery and headlamp cooling

A system for assembling a plurality of components into an assembly is provided. The system includes an installation table, a first transfer robot, a second transfer robot, and an adhesive dispensing robot. The first transfer robot is configured to assemble some of the plurality of components into a first sub-assembly and transfer the first sub-assembly to the installation table. The second transfer robot is configured to assemble remaining ones of the plurality of components into a second sub-assembly, transfer the second sub-assembly to the installation table, and attach the second sub-assembly to the first sub-assembly. The adhesive dispensing robot is configured to apply an adhesive between the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly, after the second sub-assembly is attached to the first sub-assembly, to bond the second sub-assembly to the first sub-assembly.

A condensation management system includes a vehicle lighting assembly with an interior vented to an ambient environment through a conduit, a moisture control assembly with a desiccant assembly positioned such that air passing through the conduit passes through the desiccant assembly, and a heater for heating the desiccant assembly in response to a difference between the interior and the ambient environment.

Vehicle lighting assembly condensation management system and method

A lighting assembly for a vehicle includes a polymeric layer and a first conductive layer coupled to the polymeric layer. A first metallic foil defined a plurality of first foil apertures. A semiconductor layer includes a plurality of perovskites. A second conductive layer is coupled to the semiconductor layer. A second metallic foil defines a plurality of second foil apertures. The lighting assembly includes transparent overmold, extending through the plurality of first foil apertures, the first and second conductive layers, the semiconductor layer, and the plurality of second foil apertures to contact the polymeric layer.

Lighting assembly

Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle headlamp de-condensation. An example exterior lamp of a vehicle includes a housing, a cover coupled to the housing to define a cavity, and a lamp assembly within the cavity. The lamp assembly includes an LED, a heat sink coupled to the LED that is configured to dissipate heat and define a chamber, desiccant located within the chamber to collect moisture from the cavity, and a vent fluidly coupled to the chamber to remove the moisture from the cavity.

Vehicle headlamp de-condensation

A vehicle headlamp includes a housing, at least one lamp located in the housing, at least one beam alignment light source positioned in the housing and configured to project an image to aid in alignment of the at least one lamp, and at least one beam alignment mechanism operably coupled to the housing and configured to adjust the direction of light from the at least one lamp based on an image projected by the beam alignment light source.

Vehicle headlamp with laser for alignment of projected beam pattern, and method

A vehicle lighting assembly that comprises: a single lens having a first and a second plurality of near-field lens elements, and an exit surface; and a first and a second LED source that directs light through the respective first and second plurality of lens elements. The first and the second plurality of lens elements are configured to transmit light in a respective spread pattern and a high-intensity pattern through the exit surface. The assemblies can be configured such that the spread pattern and the high-intensity pattern collectively meet the low beam headlight requirements set forth in any current global vehicular lighting regulation, e.g., the current U.S. NHTSA Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108.

Dual beam pattern vehicular lighting assembly

A lighting system for a vehicle comprises a headlamp light source. A trim piece is mounted adjacent the light source having an inner surface illuminated by light from the light source and an outer surface visible from outside the vehicle. The trim piece comprises a light transmitting plastic body, wherein a signature image is formed on the body having a foreground region and a background region. The foreground region has a corresponding surface characteristic on the inner and outer surfaces within the foreground region different from a corresponding surface characteristic on the inner and outer surfaces within the background region so that more light from the light source is transmitted through the foreground region than through the background region. The outer surface may be fully metalized to provide a pleasing appearance under ambient light conditions.

Headlamp with backlit side bezel signature image

A lighting system of a vehicle is provided herein and includes a headlamp, a taillight, and a controller configured to operate the headlamp and the taillight. The controller implements an activation sequence based on a state of a door. The activation sequence includes sequentially activating at least one of the headlamp and the taillight from inboard to outboard.

Light activation sequence of a vehicle

A headlight assembly including a plurality of low-beam modules and a plurality of high-beam modules are enclosed in a housing. The low-beam modules include a top reflector disposed above a low-beam LED light source that projects a height limited first beam of light through the low-beam lens. The high-beam modules include a bottom reflector disposed below a high-beam LED light source that projects a second beam of light through a high-beam lens above the first beam of light. Each module has an aspect ratio of 2:1 with the height of the lens being twice the width of the lens.

Headlamp assembly with multiple high aspect ratio lenses

A headlight assembly including an upper static bending light and a lower static bending light. The upper and lower static bending lights are provided on an inner wall of a headlight assembly that defines an opening. The inner wall of the assembly is inboard of the high-beam headlights. The upper and lower static bending lights are controlled by a controller that responds to inputs corresponding to the speed of the vehicle, angle of the steering wheel, and actuation of a turn signal actuator.

Headlight assembly with static bending lights

A cargo lamp is provided for a pickup truck. The cargo lamp includes a lamp housing, a stop light held in the lamp housing and an adjustable lamp held in the lamp housing. The adjustable lamp may be manipulated by the operator to selectively direct the light passing through the lamp to a target area of the pickup truck including a cargo bed of the truck.

Infinitely adjustable cargo lamp for pickup trucks

A vehicle light assembly includes an array of light sources mounted in a generally planar base. An optical element includes a first surface having a first optical design and a second surface having second optical design. The second optical design includes a wedge having a first wedge wall and a second wedge wall that converges with the first wedge wall. The second wedge wall extends at an angle to the first wedge wall. A bezel surrounds the base and the optical element, and an outer lens is positioned adjacent the outside surface of the optical element. The optical element is between the base and the outer lens, and the outer lens has an inner surface including an optical design.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

David A Brown