Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Global Tech.inc

Michael William Danyo

Kimberly Ann Lazarz

Joshua Robert Hemphill

Andrey M Ilinich

Aindrea McKelvey Campbell

Jack Marchlewski

Saravanan Paramasivam

Ihab Grace

Feng Ren

Mike Popovski

Lawrence J Dupuis

Laurent Bernard Chappuis

Anil Reddy Pullalarevu

Henry J Cornille

Chris Young

Ryan Hoffman

Steven Rewalt

Dragan B Stojkovic

Robert Reiners

S George Luckey, Jr

Vladimir Vladimirovich Bogachuk

Shawn Michael Morgans

Colleen Hoffman

Jeffrey Gray

Eid Farha

John Comiez

Nia R Harrison

Steve William Gallagher

John Jardine

David Alan Hamilton

Anthony J Grima

Joseph Porcari

Sean Brady

Abigail Evelyn Christensen

Robert G Starbowski

Robert William Woodall

Onur Dalli

Rohan Gupta

Scott Huneau

Bradley Brandt

Elaine C Kelley

Duane Drobnich

Austin Morris

Avinash Venkata Yella

Burak Erdemi

Ilhan Kurklu

Erin Elizabeth Sauter

Merve Emeksiz

Samet Sertkaya

Ria Sinha McClellan

Munis Emin Yildiz

Mark Sauter

An apparatus and method, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery support structure to support a plurality of battery cells, wherein the battery support structure includes opposing longitudinal sides and opposing lateral sides. A first extrusion is positioned to extend along at least one of the opposing longitudinal and lateral sides. A second extrusion is connected to the first extrusion such that the first extrusion is located between the plurality of battery cells and the second extrusion.

Battery structure with energy absorption members

A stamped part includes a first blank, a second blank, and a weld joining the first blank to the second blank. The weld includes opposing ends. At least one of the opposing ends of the weld is recessed from adjacent edges of the first and second blanks.

Methods of forming and stamping tailor friction stir welded blanks with enhanced edge stretch

A structural enclosure includes a pair of aluminum rails with an upper wall and a lower wall spaced apart from the upper wall, a plurality of sleeves extending into and captured within the aluminum rails, and each of the plurality of sleeves having a head with a predefined thickness disposed on an outer surface of the aluminum rails and configured to separate the outer surface of the aluminum rails from a steel vehicle chassis to which the aluminum rails are mounted. The structural enclosure can be an aluminum battery box for an electric vehicle and the aluminum battery box can be mounted to and electrochemically isolated from the steel vehicle chassis.

Method and structures to isolate dissimilar metal structures

A method of forming a stamped part includes forming a tailor welded blank by friction stir welding (FSW) a first blank to a second blank, removing a FSW start spot and a FSW stop spot from the tailor welded blank using a machining process such that a finished tailor welded blank is formed and stamping the finished tailor welded blank into the stamped part such that a weld formed by FSW the first blank to the second blank is plastically deformed. The first blank and the second blank can be aluminum alloy blanks and a predetermined amount of material is machined from the FSW start spot and the FSW stop spot, the predetermined amount of material being equal to or greater than a thickness of the first blank and the second blank.

This disclosure details assemblies for mounting and supporting components within battery packs. Exemplary battery packs may include a first battery array, a second battery array positioned adjacent to the first battery array, a crossmember positioned between the first battery array and the second battery array, and a support bracket connected to the crossmember. Together, the crossmember and the support bracket established an assembly. Both the first battery array and the second battery array may be secured to the crossmember, and the support bracket may support a second tier structure above at least one of the first battery array or the second battery array.

Assemblies for supporting battery arrays and other components within battery packs

An apparatus and method, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery tray configured to support a plurality of battery cells and at least one cross member positioned between adjacent battery cells. The at least one cross member comprises a base portion that is fixed to the battery tray and an elongated body extending outwardly from the base portion. The elongated body extends from a first end at the base portion to a second end that is opposite the first end, and wherein the first end has a first width and the second end has a second width that is less than the first width.

Battery structure comprising tray and cross members

A vehicle assembly includes a first member including a first side and a second side. The vehicle assembly includes a coupler extending from the first side to the second side, the first side and the second side being crimped to the coupler. The vehicle assembly includes a second member and a fastener fastening the first member and the second member to the coupler.

Vehicle joint

A first method is disclosed for forming a tubular reinforcement that comprises the steps of: providing a 7xxx aluminum tube, heating tube to at least 450&#xb0; C. and water quenching the tube in less than or equal to 20 seconds after heating. All of the forming processes on the tube are then completed from within 1 to 8 hours of quenching. A second method for forming a tubular reinforcement is disclosed that comprises the steps of providing a 7xxx-O temper aluminum tube and forming the tube into a predetermined shape. The tube in then heated the tube to at least 450&#xb0; C. and quenched the tube with water or air in a hydroforming die just prior to or while hydroforming the tube.

Heat treatment and tube forming process for high strength aluminum tube body structure reinforcements

A truck box assembly including a sidewall, a pair of doors, and a support assembly is provided. The sidewall may define an opening to provide clearance for a wheel house. Each of the pair of doors extends from one side of the opening. The support assembly may be mounted to a truck box and support the sidewall as the sidewall moves between retracted and expanded positions. Each of the doors may be moveable between an open position and a closed position filling the opening in the expanded position. The support assembly may include a mount post secured to the truck box at a standard interface plate (SIP) bracket and a horizontal member extending from the mount post and secured to the truck box at a stake pocket hole.

Volume expansion assembly for pickup truck box

Semi-tubular self-piercing rivets and solid rivets are provided with surface features such as recesses or lobes. The recesses or lobes engage the panels that are joined by the rivet to prevent rotation of one or both panels after rivet insertion. The recesses or lobes may be provided at the head end or tip end of the rivet or may be provided at both the head end and the tip end of the rivet.

Rivets with anti-rotational features

A tailgate pivotally mountable to a vehicle includes a tailgate body comprising first and second sidewalls, and a strainer disposed between the first and second walls and extending in a longitudinal orientation. The tailgate further includes a stake pocket disposed between the first and second sidewalls and extending substantially orthogonal to the strainer. The stake pocket includes a channel body defining an interior channel.

Integrated tailgate stake pocket

A friction-welded ground assembly that includes an alloy substrate with a clearance hole; an aluminum alloy weld nut having a bolt bore and an outer wall; and a grounding bolt. The bore is located substantially within the clearance hole and a portion of the outer wall is joined to the substrate at a friction-welded attachment. Further, the bolt is threaded within the bore. In addition, a method for making a ground includes the steps: rotating an aluminum alloy weld nut having an outer wall at a predetermined speed; lowering the outer wall of the rotating nut into contact with an aluminum alloy substrate to generate a frictional force for a friction time; arresting the rotation of the nut; and applying an axial forging force to the outer wall and the substrate for a forging time.

Spin-welded electrical ground assemblies

A method of providing an electrical grounding point on an aluminum structural member of a motor vehicle. The member is hydro-formed to produce a closed cross-section, after which a hole surrounded by a flange is formed in a wall of the member. The flange is generally the shape of a truncated cone and extends toward an interior of the member. A self-tapping fastener having a grounding lead attached thereto is driven into the hole to cut threads into the flange and secure the grounding lead to the member. The self-tapping fastener allows the grounding connection to be achieved without any access to the hollow interior of the member as would otherwise be required.

Method of forming a grounding point on an aluminum member

A vehicle tailgate includes an upper panel, lower panel, internal panel, external panel and brace. The upper and lower panels are spaced apart relative to each other. The internal and external panels are each secured to the upper and lower panels. A cavity is defined between the upper, lower, internal, and external panels. The brace is disposed within the cavity. The brace includes first and second flanges extending outward from a central plate. The first and second flanges are secured to the internal panel while the central plate is secured to the external panel.

Vehicle tailgate structure

A method for providing a corrosion-resistant barrier between bolted dissimilar metals comprising the steps of disposing epoxy adhesive tape on at least one of a first and second metal member, curing the epoxy adhesive tape, applying a corrosion-resistant layer to the first and second metal members, and bolting the first and second metal members together such that the cured epoxy adhesive tape is positioned between the first and second metal members.

Method of providing a corrosion barrier between dissimilar metals with an epoxy insulator

Growing community of inventors

Trenton, MI, United States of America

Michael William Danyo