Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Peter John Schuster

Jeffrey Leonard Bladow

Gregory S Frederick

Dhafer Mansoor

Shui-Fang (Ray) Chou

S M Iskander Farooq

Manoharprasad K Rao

Kwaku O Prakah-Asante

Saeed David Barbat

Edward N Sickafus

Bradley Staines

Shui-Fang Chou

Conrad Michael Kudelko

Gregory Allen Kaepp

Giovanni Perin

Gary Steven Strumoto

Liz Tait

Christopher William Lucas

A pre-crash sensing system () for an automotive vehicle () is coupled to an external airbag system (). The external airbag system () may include a bumper airbag (), a grill airbag () or a bumper airbag and a grill airbag. An object classifier is used to generate an object classification signal. A controller () is coupled to the object classifier and the external airbag system for varying an activation level of the external airbag system () in response to the object classification signal.

Method for operating a pre-crash sensing system in a vehicle having external airbags

An extruded bumper for a vehicle includes a top face, a bottom face generally opposing the top face, a front face, and a rear face generally opposing the front face. A bumper interior cavity is generally bounded by and defined between the top face, the bottom face, the front face, and the rear face. The bumper interior cavity has at least one partition located therein which is aligned in a longitudinal plane defined by a vehicle rail. The bumper can be extruded along either the x-axis or the z-axis.

Extruded aluminum bumper

A bumper system for a motor vehicle includes an energy absorber and a bumper beam interconnecting the energy absorber and vehicle structure. The bumper system also includes a push bar disposed below and operatively connected to the bumper beam to deflect and rotate during an impact with an object by the bumper system.

Bumper system for motor vehicles

A crushable windshield wiper pivot is provided. The crushable wiper pivot includes a pivot base, a hollow sleeve, and a cap. The pivot base is driven by a windshield wiper motor and adaptable to reciprocate the windshield wiper arm and its components across the windshield. The pivot base is disposed partially in a vehicle cowl. The hollow sleeve includes a first end mounted on the pivot base, a middle section adaptable to crush outwardly and vertically, and a second end. The cap of the present invention is mounted on the second end of the hollow sleeve. The cap has a surface adaptable to mate with a base of a wiper arm whereby the cap is vertically displaced and the hollow sleeve crushes outwardly and vertically at the middle section when subjected to a pedestrian impact.

Wiper pivot

A pedestrian safety device for mounting to an automotive vehicle has a relatively low-resistance mechanical response when struck by an object having the approximate width of a human leg, and relatively high-resistance response when struck by an object wider than a human leg. The impact energy management device comprises a backplate attachable the vehicle and a plurality of seesaw elements attached to the backplate for pivoting movement relative to the backplate. Each element has a first and a second contact end spaced forwardly from the beam. When a narrow object like a pedestrian's leg strikes the device, only one end of each seesaw element is urged toward the backplate and the element pivots with respect to the backplate to absorb energy and offer a relatively low resistance. When a wider object strikes the device, both contact ends of a seesaw element are engaged so that the element bends toward the backplate. The strain caused by the bending offering a higher resistance to intrusion by the object.

Pedestrian impact energy management device with seesaw elements

A bumper system for reducing injury to a pedestrian struck by an automotive vehicle by lessening the likelihood of pedestrian knee joint damage or underbody entrapment while minimizing the point load applied to the lower leg. The bumper assembly includes a bumper beam having a front surface, cushioning material such as energy absorbent high-density foam disposed on the front surface of the bumper beam, and a pedestrian protection leg spoiler secured to the bumper beam and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom to position the leading edge of the leg spoiler below the cushioning material. The cushioning material absorbs energy of the initial impact with the leg in the vicinity of the knee, and the leg spoiler contacts the leg at a lower position. The leg spoiler has stiffness characteristics such that the impact load applied by the leg to the leading edge causes the leg spoiler to bend rearward in the manner of a cantilever beam. As it bends, the leg spoiler absorbs the impact load until reaching a maximum deflection, whereupon the leg spoiler sweeps the lower leg in the direction of vehicle travel to prevent pedestrian underbody entrapment. The bumper assembly further includes an aerodynamic fascia disposed in front of the leg spoiler to improve the airflow around the bumper assembly. The fascia may also cover the front of the cushioning material and may include a grille.

Pedestrian protection leg spoiler

A device for raising the hood of an automotive vehicle to increase the amount of space between the hood and underhood components to increase the energy absorbed by the hood during collision with a pedestrian. A pivot secured to the vehicle body structure engages a slot in a hinge secured to the hood. During normal vehicle operation, the pin is retained in a pin retention pocket at an upper end of the slot, and the slot narrows at a neck portion immediately below the pin retention pocket to prevent the hood from being lifted upwardly. A powered deployment cylinder is activated by a pedestrian impact detection system and urges the hood and the hinge upward relative to the body structure, the pivot sliding downward in the slot. The cylinder applies sufficient upward force to hood and/or hinge to force the pivot through the neck portion of the slot. When in the raised position, a larger diameter section of the pin engages the slot in an interference fit to provide resistance to movement of the hinge and hood downward toward the normal position.

Deployable hinge for pedestrian protection vehicle hood

A pedestrian protection apparatus for a truck is provided. The apparatus includes a bumper member mounted to a vehicle, a linkage, a stiffener, an extendible cross-member and an actuator. The extendible cross-member is mounted on a stiffener which in turn is mounted at each end at a first linkage and a second linkage respectively. The pedestrian protection apparatus may extend out from under the vehicle at speeds greater than a predetermined speed in order to prevent injury to a pedestrian in a collision. The linkages are disposed between the extendible cross-member and the bumper.

Vehicle bumper system

A stiffener assembly for a bumper system of a motor vehicle includes a stiffener operatively connected to the bumper system and movable between an up position and a down position based on a speed of the motor vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Peter John Schuster