Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

John Craig Elson

Clay Wesley Maranville

Victoria Leigh Schein

Kerrie Kathleen Gath

Scott Andrew Amman

Nikhitha Bekkanti

Avrokin Surnilla

David Michael Herman

Manfred Koberstein

James George Gebbie

Bernd Dienhart

Daniel Boccuccia

Lawrence C Karas

Volker Scheer

Daniel C Huang

Klaus Schuermanns

Mitali Chakrabarti

Donald Peter Schneider, Iii

Sandra Krolewski

Kevin Michael Swenskowski

Thomas Hirn

Michael Monforton

Christian Becker

Damian Backes

Mark Wesseling

Christoph Massonet

Kai Rewitz

Paul Seiwert

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat base that has a first heating element. A seat back has a second heating element. A sensor is coupled to the seat base and is configured to obtain a weight data. A user-interface assembly is operably coupled to the first and second heating elements. A controller is in communication with the sensor to receive the weight data. The controller is configured to control the first and second heating elements in response to the weight data.

Vehicle seating assembly

A system, comprising a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to determine, from an image including a portion of a surface of a human body, a reflected light intensity from the body surface portion, determine, a skin reflectance of the body surface portion based on a location of the body surface, a light source, and an image sensor location, and to determine, for the body surface portion, an incoming radiance, based on the skin reflectance and the reflected light intensity.

Occupant light exposure detection

An apparatus and method are provided for purifying air for breathing. The apparatus includes an armrest having a receiver and an air purification module releasably received in the receiver. The air purification module is portable and displaceable between a first operating position held in the receiver and a second operating position remote from the armrest and the vehicle.

Portable apparatus and method of purifying air for breathing

The present disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling climate in vehicle cabins. A person may provide climate related data to a vehicle climate control system prior to pick up and/or during a ride in the vehicle. The climate control system may adjust the climate in at least part of a vehicle cabin based at least in part on the climate related data and configuration of components in the climate control system. Climate control adjustments can be used to precondition part of a vehicle cabin for a person and/or in response to indicated thermal discomfort of the person. The climate control system can refer to an occupant comfort model and compute climate adjustments in accordance with the occupant comfort model.

Controlling climate in vehicle cabins

A radiant heating system includes a radiant heating zone, a first radiant heating feature on a first side of the radiant heating zone and a second radiant heating feature on a second side of the radiant heating zone opposite the first side. A method of radiant heating is also disclosed.

Radiant heating system with infrared sensors for temperature feedback control

An operator configurable radiant heating system is provided for a motor vehicle. That operator configurable radiant heating system includes a plurality of docking points provided at different locations within the motor vehicle and a radiant heating panel configured for docking with any of the docking points of the plurality of docking points. A related method is also disclosed.

Operator configurable radiant heating system and related method

A vehicle seat belt system is provided. The vehicle seat belt system includes a seat belt comprising a tubular seat belt webbing defining a passageway and a plurality of exhaust openings located along a length of the webbing, and an air delivery device supplying air to the seat belt. The seat belt is configured such that air flowing out of the exhaust openings is substantially evenly distributed along the length of the webbing.

Vehicle seat belt system having uniform air delivery

A radiant heating system includes a radiant heating element, a steering wheel position monitoring device and a controller configured to control the radiant heating element in response to steering wheel position data received from the steering wheel position monitoring device. A method of controlling operation of a radiant system.

Radiant heating system incorporating steering wheel position monitoring device

A vehicle seat belt system is provided. The vehicle seat belt system includes a seat belt comprising first and second seat belt webbings each defining a passageway, and one or more tubular extension members extending between the first and second seat belt webbings. The vehicle seat belt system also includes a plurality of exhaust openings formed in at least one of the first and second webbings, and an air delivery device supplying air to the seat belt.

Vehicle seat belt having tubes for air delivery

A vehicle seat belt system is provided. The vehicle seat belt system includes a seat belt comprising a webbing, an electric powered device such as a heater coupled to the webbing, electrical circuitry connected to the heater and extending through a seat belt buckle and connector tongue, and an electric power source for providing electric power to the electric heater via the electrical circuitry. The electrical circuitry supplies power through the connector tongue and seat belt buckle.

Vehicle seat belt system having electrical connector

A vehicle seat belt system is provided. The vehicle seat belt system includes a seat belt comprising a tubular seat belt webbing defining a passageway and a plurality of exhaust openings. The seat belt system also has an air porous compressible material disposed within the passageway. The seat belt buckle has an air delivery device that supplies air to the seat belt, wherein the air porous compressible material allows air to flow through the passageway when compressed.

Growing community of inventors

Bloomfield Township, MI, United States of America

John Craig Elson