Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Patrick Maloney

Marcos Silva Kondrad

Johnathan Andrew Line

Sangram Laxman Tamhankar

Christian J Hosbach

Kevin VanNieulande

Vishal Vinayak Nageshkar

Victoria Leigh Schein

Alex Perkins

John Wayne Jaranson

Kevin Mozurkewich

Siddharthan Selvasekar

Kevin Wayne Preuss

Chris Fredriksson

Michael Steven Medoro

Fling Finn Tseng

Joseph Michael Kish

Sean Bayle West

Johannes Geir Kristinsson

Mandeep Singh Sidhu

Robert Damerow

Andres Almeida Senatore

Himanshu Verma

Brian Boland

Sean David Fannin

Jonathan Weiler

Megan Romelfanger

Balakrishna Reddy

Kalyani Purushottam Sonawane

Chaitanya Nimmagadda

Thomas Lee Miller

Keith Allen Godin

John Edward Huber

Shiqi Qiu

Robert Parenti

Ayush Shah

Jeffrey Yeung

Jerry R Brown

Janice Lisa Tardiff

Bhagyashri Satyabodha Katti

Swati Johar Rawat

Ireneusz Trybula

Justin Bauer

Walter L Stephens, Jr

Alexander Perkins

Nikhil Kailas Jamdade

Patrick Brown

Sonya Golden

Samuel Laidlaw

Trevor White

A headrest assembly includes a lattice matrix having a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) cells. Each 3D cell of includes a node and a plurality of links outwardly extending from the node. The lattice matrix includes a plurality of sections including a first section having a first overall elastic modulus, a second section positioned adjacent to the first section and having a second overall elastic modulus that is higher than the first overall elastic modulus of the first section, and a third section positioned adjacent to the second section and having a third overall elastic modulus that is higher than the second overall elastic modulus of the second section. The lattice matrix is integrally constructed using an additive manufacturing technique, wherein the 3D cells of each section are provided in various patterns and cured to varying degrees to provide the varying overall elastic moduli of each section of the lattice matrix.

Additively manufactured trim article

A communication system and associated methods are provided. The communication system and associated methods includes a vehicle having an interior for seating a number of individuals, a camera coupled to the interior, and a display screen coupled to the interior. The communication system further includes an apparatus having a camera and a display screen. The camera of the vehicle is wirelessly connected to the display screen of the apparatus. The camera of the apparatus is wirelessly connected to the display screen of the vehicle.

Communication system, vehicle for use with same, and associated method

A transportation system is disclosed. The transportation system includes a vehicle, a plurality of seating assemblies positioned within a passenger compartment of the vehicle and defining an arrangement, a plurality of actuators that effect movement of various components of the plurality of seating assemblies, a plurality of sensors, and a controller. Specific examples of pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements are disclosed, as well as the ability to customize the arrangement. Additionally, exemplary methods are disclosed that illustrate transitions between a variety of the pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements.

Exterior imager utilized in adjusting a passenger compartment arrangement

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat, a front leg, a seatback, and a lower leg support. The seat includes a forward end and a rearward end. The seat is configured to be coupled to a support surface. The front leg engages with the support surface. The seatback is rotatably coupled to the seat proximate the rearward end. The lower leg support is directly and rotatably coupled to the seat proximate the forward end. The lower leg support is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. The vehicle seating assembly is movable between a seated position and a reclined-and-raised position. Moving from the seated position toward the reclined-and-raised position includes increasing a first distance between the front leg and the support surface.

Vehicle seating assembly with lower leg support

Authorization-based adjustment of passenger compartment arrangement

A profile for an occupant is stored. The profile includes a plurality of clusters of sitting positions for the occupant in a seat and classifications of respective clusters as preferred or nonpreferred. Respective clusters are classified as preferred or nonpreferred based on sitting scores for the respective sitting positions in that cluster. A higher sitting score increases a likelihood of the classification being preferred. A series of pressure maps indicating a respective series of sitting positions of the occupant in the seat are received. The pressure maps include a current pressure map. One of the sitting positions is assigned to one of the clusters that is classified as preferred in response to the sitting score of that sitting position being greater than a threshold score. A physical configuration of the seat is adjusted in response to the current sitting position being in one of the clusters that is classified as nonpreferred.

Seat adjustment

A seat assembly includes a cushioned component having a lattice matrix. An air bladder assembly is covered by the lattice matrix. The air bladder assembly includes a plurality of air bladders supported on a platform assembly. Each air bladder includes a body portion operable between deflated and inflated conditions. Each air bladder includes a connection stem. A support plate includes a plurality of access apertures disposed therethrough. The air bladder assembly is operably coupled to the support plate. Each air bladder is aligned with at least one access aperture of the plurality of access apertures. A carrier assembly includes a plurality of mounting apertures disposed through an outer surface thereof. The carrier assembly receives the connection stem of each air bladder through at least one mounting aperture of the plurality of mounting apertures of the carrier assembly.

Additive manufactured cushioned component

A translation assembly for a vehicle includes a rail assembly that defines a first channel, a second channel, and a central member that extends between the first and second channels. A carriage assembly couples to the rail assembly. The carriage assembly is movable relative to the rail assembly. The carriage assembly includes a first rail engagement structure that extends into the rail assembly and is received within the first channel; a second rail engagement structure that extends into the rail assembly and is received within the second channel; and a carriage housing that is coupled to the first and second rail engagement structures. The carriage housing extends between the first and second rail engagement structures. The carriages assembly also includes one or more drive assemblies that engage with a top surface of the central member of the rail assembly.

Translation assembly for a vehicle

A method of making a trim article includes the steps of 1) obtaining specified criteria of a target component part comprised of a plurality of materials; 2) processing the specified criteria into a design envelope that includes parameters of the target component part within which the trim article to be created is to be confined, 3) inputting the design envelope into an additive manufacturing device supplied with a single forming material; and 4) forming the trim article using the additive manufacturing device from the single material. The formed trim article includes an outer casing with an interior portion having one or more lattice matrices disposed therein and having varying density profiles to simulate the specified criteria of the target component part. The formed trim article is created as a fully integrated monolithic whole via the additive manufacturing device.

Trim article having an integrated structural composition with variated densities and methods for making the same

Vehicular system capable of adjusting a passenger compartment from a first arrangement to a child care arrangement

A seat assembly includes a cushioned component having a lattice matrix. An air bladder assembly is covered by the lattice matrix. The air bladder assembly includes a plurality of air bladders supported on a platform assembly. Each air bladder includes a body portion operable between deflated and inflated conditions. Each air bladder includes a connection stem. A support plate includes a plurality of access apertures disposed therethrough. The air bladder assembly is operably coupled to the support plate. Each air bladder is aligned with at least one access aperture of the plurality of access apertures. A carrier assembly includes a plurality of mounting apertures disposed through an outer surface thereof. The carrier assembly receives the connection stem of each air bladder through at least one mounting aperture of the plurality of mounting apertures. Each air bladder may include a release valve for releasing air therethrough.

A transportation system includes a vehicle, a plurality of seating assemblies positioned within a passenger compartment of the vehicle and defining an arrangement, a plurality of actuators that effect movement of various components of the plurality of seating assemblies, a plurality of sensors, and a controller. Specific examples of pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements are provided, as well as the ability to customize the arrangement. Additionally, exemplary methods illustrate transitions between a variety of the pre-set or pre-programmed arrangements.

Remote notification and adjustment of a passenger compartment arrangement

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seat, a support surface, a seatback and a lower leg support. The seat includes a forward end and a rearward end. The support surface is coupled to the seat. The seatback is rotatably coupled to the seat proximate the rearward end. The lower leg support is directly and rotatably coupled to the seat proximate the forward end. The lower leg support is directly coupled to the support surface in a manner that results in automatic mechanical deployment of the lower leg support when the seat and the seatback are moved toward a reclined-and-raised position.

Vehicular system capable of adjusting a passenger compartment from a child seat arrangement to a second arrangement

Vehicular system capable of adjusting a passenger compartment from a first arrangement to a child seat arrangement

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Livonia, MI, United States of America

Patrick Maloney