Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Joseph Lee Buchwitz

James Adam Drozdowski

Eric Emil Jackson

Richard E Green

Henry W Hausler

Manfred Carl Rumpel

Noah Barlow Mass

Andrew Arthur Brown

Corey John Jarocki

Andrew Charles Samyn

Andrew Kammerzell

Jeffrey Lipa

Jacob Peter Stencel

Stefan Svensson

Mason Otto Suksumake

Venkat Lakshminarayan

Gennadiy Goldenshteyn

A vertically articulating trailer hitch assembly for use with a vehicle, and particularly for use with an autonomous vehicle. The trailer hitch assembly is pivotally attached to the vehicle frame. The hitch assembly is allowed to swing away from the vehicle frame from a lowered position in which the trailer ball is uncoupled from the hitch coupler of the trailer to a raised position in which the trailer ball is coupled to the hitch coupler. The hitch assembly typically includes a receiver that has a long axis. The vehicle frame has a long axis. When the hitch assembly is in its lowered position, the long axis of the receiver is out of alignment with the long axis of the frame. When the hitch assembly is in its raised position, the long axis of the receiver is aligned with the long axis of the frame.

Vertically articulating trailer hitch receiver for vehicle

The disclosed inventive concept provides a vertically articulating trailer hitch assembly for use with a vehicle, and particularly for use with an autonomous vehicle. The trailer hitch assembly is pivotally attached to the vehicle frame. The hitch assembly is allowed to swing away from the vehicle frame from a lowered position in which the trailer ball is uncoupled from the hitch coupler of the trailer to a raised position in which the trailer ball is coupled to the hitch coupler. The hitch assembly typically includes a receiver that has a long axis. The vehicle frame has a long axis. When the hitch assembly is in its lowered position, the long axis of the receiver is out of alignment with the long axis of the frame. When the hitch assembly is in its raised position, the long axis of the receiver is aligned with the long axis of the frame.

A cable mounting assembly that may include a ball fitting having a hole that receives a cable assembly. The ball fitting may be disposed in an abutment and may be received in a bracket that may be disposed on the abutment.

Cable mounting assembly

An integral fifth wheel cross member assembly for a pick-up truck bed. The fifth wheel cross member assembly is secured to the left and right frame rails between two intermediate cross members. The box is attached to the frame with the fifth wheel cross member already in place.

Truck box with fifth wheel cross member

A system for clearing crush space in an automotive vehicle, the system including a vehicle having a passenger compartment, an impact displaced component assembled to the vehicle in a spaced relationship to the passenger compartment, an intervening component mounted on the vehicle between the passenger compartment and the impact displaced component, an active component secured to the vehicle in close proximity to the intervening component, a controller mounted on the vehicle, the controller activating the active component when the vehicle is involved in a collision, and the active component causing the intervening component to move when the active component is activated wherein crush space for movement of the impact displaced component is at least partially cleared in the event of a collision.

System and method for clearing crush space in a vehicle through the use of active components

An independent suspension for a powered rear road wheel of an automotive vehicle includes a subframe attached to a vehicle body with a hub carrier and wheel hub rotatably attached thereto. Laterally extending upper and lower control arms are attached to the subframe, and an internal support link extends between the lower control arm and a forward portion of the hub carrier. A laterally extending toe link is pivoted between the hub carrier and the subframe. The upper control arm is centrally mounted and accommodates a suspension spring extending between the vehicle's body and the upper arm. Central mounting of the upper control arm and spring helps to avoid caster change as the roadwheel moves in jounce and rebound.

Independent suspension for rear wheels of automotive vehicle

A vehicle suspension attachment assembly including a spring , a pair of spring seats which are coupled to the spring , a bushing which is coupled to seat , and an attachment member which is received by the seat and the bushing and which is substantially concentric to the seat and to the bushing , thereby reducing the overall packaging requirements of a vehicle suspension incorporating the assembly

Growing community of inventors

Huntington Woods, MI, United States of America

Joseph Lee Buchwitz