Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

David Scott Rohweder

Cynthia Mowery Flanigan

Janice Lisa Tardiff

Vishal Vinayak Nageshkar

Cindy Sofia Barrera-Martinez

Adam Wirth

Ryan Buttimer

Robert Henry Camilleri

David William Klekamp

Jianbo Lu

Dimitar Petrov Filev

Fling Finn Tseng

Joseph F Stanek

Timothy Gerard Offerle

Timothy Mark Feldkamp

Yuting Rui

Kevin R Ellwood

Mahmoud A Abou-Nasr

Ryan Lee Baker

Jeffrey Michael Hatt

Kelly Trost

David Bauer

Thomas J Walsh

Chunping John Meng

James Mohan

Christopher Pierce

Laura Dillon Beyer

Laura Dillon Bayer

John Baldwin

Arne Boden

Arne Heyden

Daniel Haakenson

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

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.

A method for designing a pneumatic tire to have improved vibration characteristics. Dynamic testing of the tire detects a) respective frequencies of a plurality of radial vibration modes of the tire, and b) respective frequencies of a plurality of torsional vibration modes of the tire. The testing may determine that a first interval between the frequency of an even-numbered radial vibration mode and the frequency of an even-numbered torsional vibration mode is less than a first threshold, and/or may determine that a second interval between the frequency of an odd-numbered radial vibration mode and the frequency of an odd-numbered torsional vibration mode is less than a second threshold. One or more design parameter of the tire is/are modified to increase at least one of first interval and the second interval to the respective first or second threshold.

Method of improving pneumatic tire vibration characteristics

A method for identifying vehicle vibration includes receiving signals indicative of a vehicle vibration from one or more vehicle sensors while the vehicle is in operation. The method also includes determining a magnitude of the vehicle vibration at one or more target frequency bands. The method additionally includes determining whether the vehicle vibration is associated with one or more wheels of the vehicle based on the magnitude of the vehicle vibration at the one or more target frequency bands. The method further includes generating a diagnostic recommendation when the vehicle vibration is associated with the one or more wheels of the vehicle.

Arrangements for collecting diagnostic information regarding vibrations of wheel-tire assembly and drive-line components of a wheeled vehicle

In one or more embodiments, a resonator device includes a first chamber including a first leg portion extending in a longitudinal direction and a first shoulder extending in a transverse direction, and a second chamber positioned next to the first chamber at least partially along the longitudinal direction. The second chamber may include a second shoulder portion positioned next to the first leg portion and a second leg portion positioned next to the first shoulder portion.

Resonator device and vehicle wheel assembly including the same

A system for generating power for an electric sub-assembly of a motor vehicle may include at least one reverse electrowetting energy harvesting element coupled to a tire of the motor vehicle. The system may further include at least one controller configured to accumulate electric energy generated by the at least one reverse electrowetting energy harvesting element and supply the accumulated electric energy to at least one sub-assembly mounted on the tire.

Systems and methods for generating power for an electric sub-assembly of a motor vehicle

A method includes mixing a filler including silica and a bio-based oil including a soy polyol to form a filler mixture, and mixing the filler mixture with an elastomer to form an elastomeric composition. The weight ratio of silica to the soy polyol is 1.5 to 2.5. The elastomer is present in an amount less than 25 weight percent of the elastomeric composition.

Silica filler pretreated with bio-based polyol and elastomer composition containing the same

In one embodiment, a filler composition includes a filler including silica; and a bio-based oil contacting the filler and including at least one soy polyol, wherein an elastomer, if present, is less than 25 weight percent of the total weight of the filler composition. The filler composition does not contain appreciable amount of petroleum oil, which if present, is less than 25 weight percent of the filler composition. The filler composition does not contain appreciable amount of epoxidized oil which, if present, is less than 25 weight percent of the total weight of the filler composition. The soy polyol may include a hydroxyl number of from 10 to 350 KOH/g. The bio-based oil may further include soy oil.

The invention is directed to increasing the endurance of a tire by providing an oxidation shield strip located in the vicinity of a critical area of the tire. The oxidation shield strip acts as a local oxygen diffusion barrier.

Oxidation shield for tires

A variable damper assembly is provided for use with a vehicle power steering system and includes a variable orifice valve which controls the flow of fluid between one chamber side of the damper assembly to another chamber side of the damper assembly. Variable orifice valve is communicatively coupled to a source of pressurized fluid by use of a conduit and an electronically controlled valve assembly The pressurized fluid received through conduit controls the operation of valve Based upon the pressure of the received fluid, valve selectively increases and reduces the fluid flow rate between chamber sides and thereby causing the damper assembly to have enhanced damping characteristics during certain vehicle operating conditions (e.g., during relatively high vehicle speed operating conditions).

Variable damper assembly

A novel steerable solid axle suspension system capable of eliminating the need for steering dampers includes a solid axle (12) suspended from a vehicle frame (14) by leaf spring assemblies (48) and right and left shock absorbers (30, 38). The suspension also includes a track bar (140) laterally connecting the solid axle (12) to the frame (14). The suspension also includes a steering gear (132) having a pitman arm (130) connected to a drag link (128). The drag link (128) extends downwardly to connect to a tie rod (122) which extends between and interconnects first and second steering knuckles (24, 22).

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

David Scott Rohweder