Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Paul L Heirtzler, Jr

Donald Paul Iacovoni

Henry W Hausler

Kosta Papanikolaou

Howard Paul Tsvi Linden

Paul Elia

John Patrick Doyle

Ronald Patrick Brombach

John Thomas Ricks

Christopher Matthew Radjewski

George Anthony Bernwanger, Jr

Kyle Otremba

Cornel Lewis Gardner

Rajesh K Patel

Michael E Reibling

Thiag Subbian

Scott George Miller

Onoyom Essien Ekanem

Rafic Jergess

Raymond Anthony Oldani

Hassen Hammoud

Jason Douglas Scott

Brent Zapczynski

Echung Su

David Darius Wooten

Don Kelvin Wallace

Christian Johan Owen Handley

Randall Ray Roth

Howard Paul Linden

Ron M Lovasz

Victor Daniel Rojas

Martin A Trenkle

An exemplary traction battery assembly includes, among other things, a battery pack and a securing assembly. The securing assembly secures the battery pack to a structure of the vehicle. The securing assembly is disposed along a horizontally facing side of the battery pack and is configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to a load to permit movement of the battery pack relative to the vehicle structure.

Traction battery securing assembly and method

A vehicle door includes a door panel slidably operable between a secured position within a door aperture and a staging position partially distal from the door aperture. A latch is engaged with a striker path during operation of the door panel between the secured and staging positions, and is selectively disengaged from the striker path to define open and closed positions of the door panel when the door panel is in the staging position.

Operating mechanism for rear hinged fully sealed independent side operating doors

A vehicle door system includes a closer operable to move a door to a closed position. A presenter is operable to move the door to an initial open position. An actuator is mounted within the door and includes a linear moving member movable between a retracted and extended position along a linear axis. The linear moving member operates the presenter when moved toward the extended position and the closer when moved toward the retracted position. The actuator may also be utilized to drive a door edge protector.

Door presenter, cinch and edge guard actuator

A cover system for a convertible vehicle includes, among other things, a roller. A shade is stored on the roller. An actuator is attached to the shade and actuatable to pull the shade from the roller to an extended position over a portion of a convertible top mechanism of the vehicle. A method is also disclosed.

Automatic convertible top mechanism cover

An automotive vehicle is provided having a body with an opening without a pillar. First and second doors cover the opening, and a translatable hinge, such as a gooseneck hinge, connects the first door to the vehicle. The hinge is adapted for moving the first door away from the second door, and then allowing the first door to pivot to an open position about a single pivot axis. A striker is adapted for allowing a latch for latching the first door to move along the striker in a latched condition during translation of the hinge, and may include an elongated, angled striker bar for permitting the first door to move both along and outboard of the vehicle body during the opening sequence.

Articulating hinge system for independently opening automotive doors

An apparatus includes a door panel having a window receiver and an internal compartment, a window and a division bar. That regulator carried on the door panel displaces the window and division bar between a closed position projecting from the entry opening and an opened position fully concealed within the internal compartment of the door panel.

Apparatus and method of providing full window opening above a door including a window and a division bar

An apparatus includes a door panel having a window receiver and an internal compartment, a window and a division bar pivotally mounted on the pivot. The apparatus also includes a regulator carried on the door panel. The regulator displaces the window and the division bar between a closed position projecting from the window receiver and an opened position concealed fully within the internal compartment of the door panel. A related method is also disclosed.

Apparatus and method providing a full window opening above a door including a pivoting division bar

An air extraction system is provided for a motor vehicle. That air extraction system includes an air extractor having an air flow control valve and an actuator operatively connected to the air flow control valve. Further the system includes a controller configured to activate the actuator and open the air flow control valve when a closure of the motor vehicle is opened thereby mitigating a vacuum-effect otherwise created in the passenger cabin of the motor vehicle. Such a system is particularly effective in mitigating moon roof draw down on moon roof equipped motor vehicles. A related method is also provided.

Air extractor system to mitigate vacuum-effect in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle

A warning system for a vehicle includes a vehicle door-mounted exterior illuminable signal, a door-open indicator associated with the vehicle door, and a controller configured to actuate the exterior illuminable signal to emit light in a selected one of multiple operating modes. The operating modes may include an increased visibility operating mode differing from other operating modes in an intensity and/or pattern and/or color of light emitted by the door-mounted exterior illuminable signal. The vehicle door may be a rear-hinged door and the illuminable signal may be associated with a handle of the door. The controller may actuate the exterior illuminable signal in a different operating mode on receiving both of a signal from the door-open indicator and a signal from a vehicle navigational system.

Illuminated door-open warning for center-opening door

A vehicle window control system is disclosed. The system comprises a window positioning device and a controller in communication with a mobile device. The controller is configured to identify a distance of the mobile device from the vehicle. In response to the distance being less than a distance threshold, the controller is configured to control the positioning device in a first mode. In response to the distance being greater than the distance threshold, the controller is configured to control the positioning device in a second mode.

System and method for window motion control

A vehicle comprising: a removable windowpane assembly comprising an unretractable windowpane and a door-attachment projection attached to the unretractable windowpane; a frameless passenger door comprising: an exterior panel and an interior panel forming a chamber and defining a beltline and a receiver located within the chamber with a top surface adjacent the beltline to receive the door-attachment projection attached to the unretractable windowpane; a retractable windowpane; the retractable windowpane movable between a down position where the retractable windowpane is completely housed in the chamber below the beltline and an up position where the retractable windowpane is partially housed in the chamber and partially extending above the beltline; and the removable windowpane assembly having an attached position and a detached position, wherein in the attached position the receiver has received the door-attachment projection, and wherein in the detached position the receiver is not receiving the door-attachment projection.

Removable vehicle windowpane assembly

A liftgate/decklid assembly for a motor vehicle includes a liftgate panel hingedly connected to the vehicle to define a liftgate swing arc. A decklid panel is hingedly connected to the liftgate panel to define a decklid swing arc. The decklid and liftgate panels are not aligned, causing the decklid swing arc to be different from the liftgate swing arc. The assembly further includes a liftgate/decklid assembly closure mechanism including an articulating striker configured for translation between a first orientation and a second orientation. The first orientation is normal to the liftgate swing arc and the second orientation is normal to the decklid swing arc.

Articulating closure mechanism for non-aligned closure panels

A vehicle includes a body structure having an opening, a liftgate panel movably mounted to the body adjacent the opening, and a decklid that is movably mounted to the liftgate. The vehicle includes a lock member that is movable to first, second, and third positions. The lock member locks the liftgate to the decklid when in the first position. The lock member locks the liftgate to the body structure in the second position. The lock member simultaneously locks both the liftgate and the decklid to the body structure when the lock member is in the third position.

Lock system for dual vehicle closures

A motor vehicle door includes a door body and first and second windows carried on that door body. A window drive system independently displaces the first and second windows between closed and opened positions. A related method is also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

Paul L Heirtzler, Jr