Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

John W Jensen

Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam

Howard Churchwell

David James Bauch

Howard E Churchwell, Ii

John Vincent Fazio

Swadad A Carremm

Brian Michael Siler

Lirjon Llusho

Satish Chandra Patne

Todd Nelson Clark

Chuck R Reese

Jason Shomsky

Christopher Donald Schop

Christopher Robert Tilli

An inflator bracket includes an elongate body having a first end and a second end. The elongate body defines an aperture proximate to the first end. A hook extends from the first end. An absorption feature has a proximal end coupled to the elongate body proximate to the aperture. The absorption feature defines a curve between the proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is spaced from the elongate body and the aperture.

Inflator bracket absorption feature

A system in a vehicle includes a primary intake manifold, a secondary intake manifold, a valve, and a computer. The primary and secondary intake manifolds are configured for an engine compartment of the vehicle. The secondary intake manifold is arrangeable to extend from outside the engine compartment to the valve. The valve is connected to each of the primary and secondary intake manifolds. The computer is in communication with the valve and programmed to identify a flood risk and then actuate the valve.

Vehicle intake-manifold system

A fuel control regulator system for a vehicle is disclosed in which a restraint control module registers an acceleration/deceleration that falls outside of predetermined limits. In one embodiment, the fuel control regulator system includes a vehicle including steering, an accelerator, brakes, one or more audio devices in proximity to one or more front crash sensors recording sensor data, a processor, and memory. The restraint control module is coupled to the processor and configured to dynamically adjust a threshold to lie outside of an amplitude of the sensor data of the one or more front crash sensors compromised by sound from the one or more audio devices. In another embodiment, the fuel control regulator system adjusts the sensor data of an affected front crash sensor to lie within an existing threshold. In yet another embodiment, the fuel control regulator system ignores the sensor data of an affected front crash sensor.

Fuel control regulator system with acoustic pliability

A bracket adapted to attach a running board to a rocker of a vehicle includes a body having a plurality of running board deflection-inducing portions. The body may include a torsional buckling-inducing portion comprising a rocker mounting portion defining an included angle to a vehicle y-axis and to a vehicle x-axis when mounted to the rocker. The body may further include a rotational moment-inducing portion comprising a stepped segment interposed between the rocker mounting portion and a running board-carrying portion. The rotational moment-inducing portion may further include a rocker mounting tab disposed adjacent to the stepped segment and a flange disposed at an interface of the stepped segment and the running board-carrying portion.

Active torsional buckling and lateral shear mechanism for running board brackets

A vehicle includes a body structure, a push bar, and a damper connecting the push bar to the body structure. The damper includes a base and a rod that are movable relative to each other. The rod is attached to one of the push bar and the body structure, and the base is attached to the other of the push bar and the body structure. The damper is controllable to adjust a damping ratio of the damper and/or adjust a resting position of the rod relative to the base to axially move the push bar.

Method and apparatus for attaching push bars

A deployable dent shield assembly for a vehicle includes a deployable dent shield element adapted for translation between a stowed position comprising a coiled configuration disposed below a vehicle element and a deployed position overlaying at least a portion of a vehicle door and/or fender. The dent shield assemblies may be manually-operated or power-operated.

Four-quadrant protective dent shield system

A door blocker for a vehicle includes a rotation platform positioned between first and second lateral drive members. The rotation platform is operably coupled to the first and second lateral drive members. An actuator has a first end operably coupled to the rotation platform. A reaction block has a slot that receives a second end of the actuator. The door blocker may be transformable to a power running board.

Door blocker for a vehicle

A push-bar assembly including a push-bar and a pair of push-bar supports. The push-bar supports are attached by a pair of upper brackets and a pair of lower brackets. The lower brackets include about which a mounting block attached to the push-bar supports pivot when the push-bar assembly is assembled to a vehicle. A clevis bracket and clevis pin are provided on lower bracket assemblies that secure a lower mounting block on the push-bar supports to a pair of lower bracket assemblies.

Method and apparatus for attaching police push bars

A vehicle includes: an audio system, local sensors including a crash sensor, a fuel pump, and processor(s) configured to: (a) select filter(s) based on a determined audio system state; (b) decontaminate present crash sensor data via the filter(s); (c) determine whether to deactivate the fuel pump based on the decontaminated data. The processor(s) are configured to map prior crash sensor data to prior determined audio system states and select the filter(s) by selecting some of the mapped prior crash sensor data.

Filtration of acoustic contaminate from vehicle safety sensors

A dent shield for a vehicle door includes a running board having a first position for stepping into the vehicle door. The running board conceals or at least partially overlies a lifter including a linkage in the lowered position. The lifter includes an actuator for actuating the linkage to move the running board to a second position (which may be a tilted position) for at least partially shielding the vehicle door from dents or dings.

Active dent shield for vehicle door

A front end structure is provided for a vehicle that includes a bracket for attaching front crash sensors to the vehicle. The front end structure includes an engine compartment and a hood connected to the engine compartment by a hood latch and a pair of hinges. The bracket is connected to the hood latch and the front crash sensors to maintain palpability with the vehicle through the hood in a collision.

Bracket for front crash sensor

Systems and methods for automatically adjusting volume in a vehicle are provided. One method includes generating a noise prediction based on images received from a vehicle camera; determining a cabin noise level based on the noise prediction and an audio signal detected by a cabin microphone; and selectively amplifying a quiet passage within the detected audio signal to above the cabin noise level while maintaining volume level of remaining passages within the detected signal. A vehicle system includes a cabin microphone for detecting an audio signal; a camera for capturing images; and a processor configured to: generate a noise prediction based on the images; determine a cabin noise level based on the noise prediction and the detected audio signal; and selectively amplify a quiet passage within the detected signal to above the cabin noise level while maintaining volume level of remaining passages within the detected signal.

System and method for selective volume adjustment in a vehicle

A vehicle includes a fuel pump configured to deliver fuel to an internal combustion engine. The vehicle also includes an accelerometer configured to detect acceleration of a vehicle component. A plurality of sensors are provided about the vehicle for detecting conditions that would indicate aggressive driving. At least one controller is provided and is in communication with the fuel pump, the accelerometer, and the sensors. The at least one controller is programmed to adjust a fuel pump shutoff threshold to an adjusted shutoff threshold in response to one or more conditions indicating aggressive driving. The at least one controller then shuts off the fuel pump in response to the acceleration exceeding the adjusted shutoff threshold.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

John W Jensen