Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Michael Hrecznyj

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Scott Nydam

Michael Musa Azzouz

Robert Bruce Kleve

Clay Wesley Maranville

Thomas Joseph Hermann

Chris Robert Sculthorpe

Marcos Silva Kondrad

Stuart C Salter

Erick Michael Lavoie

Ali Hassani

Kevin Wayne Preuss

Vivekanandh Elangovan

Kosta Papanikolaou

Zeljko Deljevic

Patrick Kevin Holub

Daniel M King

Timothy Thivierge, Jr

Jason Myslinski

Paul Kenneth Dellock

Annette Lynn Huebner

Brendan F Diamond

John Wayne Jaranson

Ryan Edwin Hanson

Anthony Ligi, Jr

Alyssa Chatten

Rick H Wykoff

Amy Ellen Langhorst

Jeff Robert Seaman

David Paul Kaminski

Jay Z Chen

Luis David Gonzalez Valdez

Sarah Marie Shaw

A thermal enclosure assembly for a vehicle includes a container disposed in a compartment of the vehicle that selectively couples with a wall of the compartment. The container is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. A tray couples with the wall and pivots between a folded position and an unfolded position to selectively enclose the container with the wall. The container is configured to move between the retracted position and the extended position when the tray is in the unfolded position.

Thermal enclosure assembly for a vehicle

A climate management system for a compartment of a vehicle includes a divider selectively disposed in the compartment to divide the compartment into two zones in response to connection with a wall of the compartment. The system further includes a sensor monitoring the compartment and configured to detect the divider in the compartment. The system further includes at least one fluid connection in the compartment. The system further includes at least one actuator configured to control fluid flow through the at least one fluid connection. The system further includes control circuitry in communication with the sensor and the at least one actuator and is configured to communicate a signal to adjust the at least one actuator based on the detection of the divider.

Climate management system for a compartment of a vehicle

A fluid connection for a vehicle includes a container selectively coupled with a compartment of the vehicle. The container includes at least one passage in fluid communication with an interior of the container. At least one port is disposed on the compartment and in fluid communication with a climate control system in the vehicle. The at least one passage is in fluid communication with the at least one port when the container is coupled with the compartment. The at least one port has an elongated cross-sectional area at a connection interface between the at least one port and the at least one passage.

Fluid coupling of a climate control system for a vehicle

A fluid connection for a vehicle includes a duct extending from a compartment wall of the vehicle. The duct defines a first channel and a second channel each in fluid communication with a climate control system of the vehicle. A container is selectively coupled with the duct and defines a receptacle configured to receive the duct to provide fluid communication between an interior of the container and the climate control system. At least one first aperture and at least one second aperture are each formed on the duct. The at least one first aperture fluidly interposes the interior and the first channel and the at least one second aperture fluidly interposes the interior and the second channel when the container is coupled with the duct.

Fluid connection for a vehicle

A thermal management system for a vehicle includes a connection interface that is coupled with a compartment of the vehicle and is in fluid communication with a climate control system of the vehicle. A container is movably disposed in the compartment and is in fluid communication with the climate control system via the connection interface. At least one alignment feature is coupled with the compartment and engages at least one sidewall of the container to align the container with the connection interface while the container moves in the compartment.

Thermal management system and stabilizer assembly for a vehicle

A coupling assembly for a vehicle includes a container selectively coupled with a compartment of the vehicle. The container includes at least one first port in fluid communication with an interior of the container. At least one second port is disposed on a wall of the compartment and is in fluid communication with a climate control system in the vehicle. A connection assembly is between the container and the wall. The connection assembly includes a positioning feature configured to align the at least one first port with the at least one second port. The connection assembly further includes a securing feature configured to bias the container toward the wall when the container is coupled with the wall to maintain fluid communication between the interior and the climate control system.

Coupling arrangement of a thermal connection for a vehicle

A thermally managed storage system for a vehicle that includes a partition structure that couples with and is expandable in a compartment of the vehicle. The partition structure includes a first wall fixed with the compartment and a plurality of second walls that are each moveable between a retracted position and an extended position. The plurality of second walls forms a space between the first wall and the plurality of second walls in the extended position. A casing is disposed in a space and selectively couples with a climate control system of the vehicle via a fluid connection with the compartment.

Thermally managed storage system for a vehicle

A vehicle apparatus charges and sanitizes a mobile device. The mobile device has an inductive power receiver coil for wireless charging. A storage bin in the vehicle (such as a center console or a glove compartment) has a movable lid. A tray of the charging/sanitizing apparatus is adapted to receive a side surface of the mobile device so that a majority of the side surface is suspended from the tray by a gap. A first wireless power link is configured to inductively charge the mobile device from the tray to the power receiver coil. A plurality of ultraviolet emitters are disposed at a plurality of locations inside the storage bin to illuminate an exterior of the mobile device when the movable lid is closed. At least some of the ultraviolet emitters are also inductively powered.

Vehicle receptacle for recharging and sanitizing mobile electronics

A treatment apparatus for a vehicle comprises: a housing with at least one wall and a floor forming a treatment chamber; a source of ultraviolet light configured to emit ultraviolet light into the treatment chamber; and a door connected to the housing, the door having (i) an open position providing access to the treatment chamber and (ii) a closed position denying access to the treatment chamber and, together with the housing, preventing emitted ultraviolet light from irradiating beyond the treatment chamber.

Treatment apparatus for a vehicle to treat an object with ultraviolet light

Sanitizing devices and control strategies based on wavelength are provided herein. An example device includes an enclosure for receiving an object, a first cleaning element that emits radiation at a first wavelength adapted to sanitize or sterilize contaminants on the object, a contaminant exposing element that emits radiation at a second wavelength that illuminates the contaminants on the object, a notification element that emits visible light within the enclosure, the visible light having a selected hue, and a controller for executing a cleaning cycle that includes illuminating contaminants present on the object using the contaminant exposing element prior to sanitizing or sterilizing the contaminants present on the object using the first cleaning element.

Sanitizing systems and methods and control strategies based on wavelength

A system for passive locking and unlocking a vehicle is described that includes a memory for storing executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the instructions to unlock the vehicle using a time of flight to transmit the trigger request between the vehicle and the first key fob. The processor receives, from a first key fob, a trigger request to unlock the vehicle, and determines, based key fob identifiers that identify the first key fob and a second key fob that is also near the vehicle, that the first and second key fobs are associated with a vehicle. The processor selects the first key fob based on a key fob characteristic. The processor evaluates the time of flight using the first key fob, and unlocks the vehicle based on the time of flight satisfying a threshold for signal transmission flight time.

Time of flight based security for multiple key fobs

A system for a vehicle includes an input device configured to send an activation signal responsive to an input to start the vehicle. The system further includes a vehicle body controller, programmed to, responsive to the input and a lack of presence of a phone operating as a key, send an activation signal to activate a power source within a cabin of the vehicle for up to a predefined time period since a last vehicle start.

Method and system for activating in-vehicle power source

A remote-assist system programmed for vehicle parking assist or other remote vehicle operation features includes a selective ultrasonic beamforming Amplitude Modulated (AM) system configured and/or programmed to transmit audible alerts to a primary user via ultrasonic beamforming AM. The system localizes a mobile device that is being used by the primary user to initiate the system. The system localizes the primary user, and others in the vicinity, and determines others that may be associated with the vehicle and primary user. The system defines and reshapes a target zone to include only those associated with the primary user and the vehicle. The system electronically or mechanically steers a transducer array to steer an ultrasonic beam with an AM audio alert to the target zone, where the message is audible only to those within the target zone.

Targeted beamforming communication for remote vehicle operators and users

A vehicle door includes a powered latch configured to selectively retain the door in a closed position when the powered latch is latched, and permits the door to be opened when the powered latch is unlatched. The vehicle door further includes an exterior door handle having an outer side that faces away from the door structure, and an inner side that is spaced apart from an outer surface of the door to define a gap. A force sensor on the exterior door handle detects impact forces on the handle. The door also includes an unlatch switch that can be actuated by a user to request unlatching of the powered latch. A controller is configured to deny an unlatch request generated by actuation of the unlatch switch if the force sensor detects an impact on the exterior handle.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Michael Hrecznyj