Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Matthew Anthony Majkowski

Stuart C Salter

James J Surman

Pietro Buttolo

James Stewart Rankin, Ii

Satyanarayana Raju Vemulapati

Jeffrey Singer

Steven J Antilla

Cornel Lewis Gardner

Mahendra Somasara Dassanayake

Wei Xu

Johnathan Andrew Line

Daniel Ferretti

Benjamin Yilma

Scott Holmes Dunham

Michael Kolich

David R Huelke

Gary D Mullen

Edward Joseph DeSmet

Brent Clifford Dalton

Khaled Omar

Adam W Hellar

Akshay Kaasam Sudershan

A storage compartment for the vehicle is disclosed herein. The storage compartment includes a receptacle. A door is coupled to the receptacle and is operable between an open position and a closed position. A sensors coupled to the door and is configured to sense a user input. An actuator is configured to allow the door to move from the closed position to the open position in response to the sensor, sensing the user input, wherein the actuator is electrically coupled to the sensor when the door is in the closed position and is electrically disconnected from the sensor, when the door is in the open position.

Vehicle storage compartment

A seating assembly for a vehicle comprising: a seat; a seatback including an occupant side configured to contact and support an occupant of the seating assembly, a rear side that faces in the generally opposite direction as the occupant side, and a top portion; seatbelt webbing, the seatbelt webbing extending along the rear side of the seatback; a plurality of emitters of UVC radiation; and an emitter support structure attached to the seatback that supports the plurality of emitters of UVC radiation such that the plurality of emitters of UVC radiation emit UVC radiation onto the seatbelt webbing extending along the rear side of the seatback.

Seating assembly for a vehicle with emitters of ultraviolet C radiation to disinfect seatbelt webbing

A vehicle trim assembly is provided that includes a proximity sensor, a first conductive trim component located near the proximity sensor, a second conductive trim component located near the proximity sensor, and a conductive tower formed on the first conductive trim component and electrically coupled to the second trim component to form a conductive path between the trim components and electrical ground.

Vehicle trim assembly having sensor and grounded trim component

A proximity switch assembly is provided having a sensing pad and a proximity sensor extending around the sensing pad for generating an activation field. The proximity sensor comprises at least one electrode that forms a decorative trim component that is visibly exposed. The proximity switch assembly also includes a controller for determining activation of the switch based on a signal generated from the activation field.

Proximity switch having sensor with decorative metal

An illuminated vehicle floor mat retention assembly is provided. The illuminated vehicle floor mat retention assembly includes a fastener configured to fasten a floor mat onto a vehicle floor, a light transmissive window provided in the fastener, and a light source located proximate to the fastener for generating light to be output through the light transmissive window.

Illuminated floor mat retention assembly

An integrated speaker and lamp assembly includes a speaker diaphragm and a light source directing light through the speaker diaphragm. A related method of integrating a speaker and a lamp is also disclosed.

Integrated speaker and light

A light-producing assembly for a vehicle is provided herein. The light-producing assembly includes a first, second, and third light source and a photoluminescent structure having a first, second, and third photoluminescent material. The first, second, and third photoluminescent materials are configured to luminesce in response to excitation by light emitted by the first, second, and third light sources, respectively.

Light-producing assembly for a vehicle

A light-producing assembly for a vehicle is provided herein. The light-producing assembly includes a plurality of light and a photoluminescent structure. The photoluminescent structure includes a plurality of photoluminescent material arranged to alternate with each other. The plurality of photoluminescent materials are each configured to luminesce in a distinct color in response to excitation by a corresponding portion of the plurality of light sources.

A proximity switch assembly and method for detecting activation of a proximity switch assembly is provided. The assembly includes a plurality of proximity switches each having a proximity sensor providing a sense activation field and control circuitry processing the activation field of each proximity switch to sense activation. The control circuitry monitors the signal responsive to the activation field and determines a differential change in generated signal, and further generates an activation output when the differential signal exceeds a threshold. The control circuitry further distinguishes an activation from an exploration of the plurality of switches and may determine activation upon detection of a stable signal.

Proximity switch assembly and activation method

A vehicle backlit assembly is provided and includes a support member and at least one backlit interactive member at least partially extending through an opening in the support member. An excitation source is operable to emit a primary emission for backlighting the at least one backlit interactive member. A photoluminescent structure is coupled to the at least one backlit interactive member and is formulated to convert the primary emission into a secondary emission. An opaque layer is coupled to the photoluminescent structure and defines an opening through which the secondary emission is transmitted.

Vehicle backlit assembly with photoluminescent structure

A vehicle dome lighting system is provided and includes a headliner and a photoluminescent structure coupled to the headliner. At least one excitation source is operable to emit at least one inputted electromagnetic radiation for exciting an associated area of the photoluminescent structure to produce at least one outputted electromagnetic radiation.

Vehicle dome lighting system with photoluminescent structure

A development system and method are provided for testing proximity sensor interfaces, such as a capacitive switch assembly which may be employed in an automotive vehicle. The system includes software routines stored in memory for operating a proximity sensor interface having a plurality of sensors, and a data log including user outputs of the proximity sensors. The development system includes a replicator for replicating the proximity sensor interface based on the software routines and the data log and generating outputs of the proximity sensor interface to determine performance. The system further includes an analyzer for processing the test data for proper activation of the proximity sensor interface and generating an output indicative of the test results.

Proximity interface development system having replicator and method

A proximity switch assembly and method for detecting activation of a proximity switch assembly and calibrating the switch assembly. The assembly includes proximity switches each having a proximity sensor providing a sense activation field and control circuitry processing the activation field to sense activation. The control circuitry generates an activation output when a differential change in the signal exceeds a threshold and distinguishes an activation from an exploration of the plurality of switches. The control circuit further determines a rate of change and generates an output when the rate of change exceeds a threshold rate to enable activation of a switch and performs a calibration of the signals to reduce effects caused by changes in condensation.

Proximity switch assembly and calibration method therefor

A proximity switch assembly and method for detecting activation of a proximity switch assembly is provided. The assembly includes a plurality of proximity switches each having a proximity sensor providing a sense activation field and control circuitry processing the activation field of each proximity switch to sense activation. The control circuitry monitors the signal responsive to the activation field and determines a differential change in generated signal, and further generates an activation output when the differential signal exceeds a threshold. The control circuitry further distinguishes an activation from an exploration of the plurality of switches and determines activation upon detection of a stable signal. The control circuit further determines a rate of change and generates an output when the rate of change exceeds a threshold rate to enable activation of a switch.

Proximity switch assembly and activation method using rate monitoring

A vehicle reading lamp is provided and includes an outer lens and a light source for illuminating an outer lens. A controller is included for prompting the light source to generate a low intensity light to assist a vehicle occupant in visually locating the reading lamp in dark conditions, wherein when the occupant desires task lighting and subsequently activates the light source, the controller prompts the light source to switch from the low intensity light to a high intensity light.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Matthew Anthony Majkowski