Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Jorge Rivas

Andrew D Niedert

Kevin Stanton Giaier

Joshua Norwood

Bryce Reinert

Rebecca Giaier

Keith Weston

Joseph M Raad

Russ Lee Norton

Peter Kowalow

Ahmed Mohamed

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges. An example apparatus includes a receiver tube, a side member, a crossbar coupled to the receiver tube and the side member, the cross including a support including a first end, a second end and a mid-portion located between the first end and the second end, the mid-portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first end or the cross-sectional area of the second end and a strain gauge disposed within the mid-portion.

Methods and apparatus for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges. An example apparatus includes a hitch including a first support including a first end, a second end, and a mid-portion located between the first end and the second end, the mid-portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first end or the cross-sectional area of the second end, a strain gauge located at the mid-portion of the first support, a frame attachment to couple the hitch to a frame of a vehicle, the support coupled to the frame attachment, and a load manager to determine a load condition based on sensor data from the strain gauge.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for estimating a suspension displacement. An example apparatus includes a suspension motion determiner module programmed to output a signal to a first suspension assembly of a vehicle based on a first deflection of the first suspension assembly, the first deflection calculated based on a calculation and a second deflection of a second suspension assembly of the vehicle, the calculation selected based on whether the vehicle is utilized in a first mode or a second mode.

Methods and apparatus to estimate a suspension displacement

An isolation portion for a suspension member may include a substantially monolithic material configured to couple to a connected end of each of a first link and second link of the suspension member. The substantially monolithic material may be configured to dampen a vibration between the first link and the second link.

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Novi, MI, United States of America

Jorge Rivas