Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Rahul Arora

Mohamed Ridha Baccouche

Saeed David Barbat

Saied Nusier

Jamel E Belwafa

Srinivasan Sundararajan

Ridha Baccouche

James Chih Cheng

Johnathan Andrew Line

Mohammad Omar Faruque

Dean M Jaradi

S M Iskander Farooq

Leonard Anthony Shaner

Marcos Silva Kondrad

Matthew John Zaluzec

Sino Johan Van Dyk

Horst Heribert Lanzerath

Michael Musa Azzouz

Robert William McCoy

Eid Farha

Ching-Hung Chuang

Anil Kalra

Greg Gombert

William L Stanko

Marcela Arana

Arnold Kadiu

Stephen Philip Panoff

Michael Barnhart

Guosong Li

Ren-Jye Yang

Carsten Tragsdorf

Hamza Mohamed Baccouche

Vehicle frames for battery powered electric vehicles are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a vehicle frame including a first rail and a first rocker on a first side of the vehicle frame, and a second rail and a second rocker on a second side of the vehicle frame, the second side opposite the first side, a first backup rail coupled between the first rail and the first rocker, a second backup rail coupled between the second rail and the second rocker, a first brace extending between the first side and the second side, the first brace coupled to the first backup rail and at least one of the second backup rail or the second rocker, and a second brace extending between the first side and the second side, the second brace coupled to the second backup rail and at least one of the first backup rail or the first rocker.

Vehicle frames for battery powered electric vehicles

A vehicle includes a vehicle frame and a steering post rotatably supported by the vehicle frame. The vehicle includes a crossbar supported by the steering post. The crossbar is bisected by the steering post and the crossbar elongated in a cross-vehicle direction from a first end to a second end. The vehicle includes a brace supported by the crossbar. The brace includes a first portion, a second portion spaced from the first portion, and a curved portion connecting the first portion to the second portion. The first portion is supported by the first end of the crossbar and the second portion is supported by the second end of the crossbar.

Brace for three-wheeled vehicle

Vehicle frames for battery powered electric vehicles are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a vehicle subframe including a first rail and a first rocker on a first side of the vehicle subframe, and a second rail and a second rocker on a second side of the vehicle subframe, the first side opposite the second side, a first diagonal member coupled between the first rail and the second side of the vehicle subframe, the first diagonal member to transfer a first longitudinal load from the first rail to the second side, and a second diagonal member coupled between the second rail and the first side of the vehicle subframe, the second diagonal member to transfer a second longitudinal load from the second rail to the first side.

A vehicle includes a vehicle frame including a first frame rail, a second frame rail spaced cross-vehicle from the first frame rail, and a middle frame rail between the first frame rail and the second frame rail. The first frame rail and the second frame rail each have a vehicle-inboard side facing toward the middle frame rail. The vehicle-inboard sides each define a plurality of notches. The middle frame rail has a downward side facing downwardly and perpendicular to the vehicle-inboard sides. The downward side defining a plurality of notches. The vehicle frame has a rear cross-member and a front cross-member spaced vehicle-forward of the rear cross-member. The rear cross-member and the front cross-member are between the first frame rail and the second frame rail. The notches of the vehicle-inboard sides and the notches of the downward side are between the rear cross-member and the front cross-member.

Notches of frame rails of three-wheeled vehicle

A vehicle includes a front pillar and a rear pillar spaced along a vehicle-longitudinal axis. The front pillar and the rear pillar define a door opening therebetween. The vehicle includes a first track on the front pillar and a second track on the rear pillar. A cable is moveably engaged with the first track and the second track from an undeployed position to a raised position. The cable extends across the door opening from the first track to the second track in the raised position. An airbag is moveable with the cable from the undeployed position to the raised position. The airbag is supported by the cable in the raised position.

Cable supported airbag inflatable across door opening

A vehicle includes a frame including a first post, a second post spaced cross-vehicle from the first post, and a steering post rotatably supported by the frame. The steering post extends between the first and second posts. The vehicle includes a steering post reinforcement having a first and a second end each fixed to the frame, a curved portion curving about the axis between the ends, and a first and a second portion extending from the ends to the curved portion. The first and second portions are elongated vehicle-rearward from the frame to the curved portion. The curved portion defines an opening between the ends. The steering post extends through the opening between the curved portion and the frame and between the first and second portions. The curved portion is spaced vehicle-rearward from the steering post. The first and second portions are spaced cross-vehicle from the steering post.

Steering post reinforcement for three-wheeled vehicle

An assembly includes a seatback defining an occupant-seating area. The seatback has a frame and a rear trim cover. The frame is between the occupant-seating area and the rear trim cover. The assembly includes a seat bottom extending from the seatback below the occupant-seating area. The assembly includes a deformable cell between the frame and the rear trim cover. The deformable cell extends from a first end proximate the frame to a second end proximate the rear trim cover. The deformable cell has a contraction between the first end and the second end.

Seat energy absorber

An assembly for a vehicle includes a front pillar and a rear pillar spaced along a vehicle-longitudinal axis. The pillars define a door opening. The assembly includes a first track supported by the front pillar and a second track supported by the rear pillar. The assembly includes a bar movably engaged with the first track and the second track. The bar is movable between a lowered position and a raised position. The bar is elongated completely across the door opening in the raised position.

Bars movable across vehicle door opening

A vehicle includes a pair of frame rails and a bumper assembly. The bumper assembly includes a bumper beam supported by the frame rails and an airbag. The airbag includes a first airbag chamber supported by the bumper beam and inflatable to an inflated position, and a second airbag chamber supported by the bumper and inflatable to an inflated position. The first airbag chamber is disposed in a cross-vehicle direction relative to the second airbag chamber. The first airbag chamber has a first volume in the inflated position. The second airbag chamber has a second volume in the inflated position. The first volume is different than the second volume.

Vehicle bumper assembly

A network of rails for a vehicle includes a lateral rail that extends primarily along a lateral axis of the vehicle, a longitudinal rail that extends primarily along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and a circular rail that interacts with at least one of the lateral rail and the longitudinal rail.

Network of rails for a vehicle

A vehicle frame assembly includes, among other things, a main rail and a node assembly attached to the main rail. The node assembly includes a forward mounting member, a rear mounting member, and a deflector extending between the forward mounting member and rear mounting member. When a load exceeds a threshold load that is applied to a front of a vehicle, the deflector is configured to engage a tire and deflect the tire from entering a forward vehicle area.

Node integrated deflector for a vehicle

A vehicle frame assembly includes, among other things, a main rail of a vehicle and a truss assembly. The truss assembly includes a forward mounting member directly coupled to the main rail, a rear mounting member, a frame assembly connected to the forward mounting member and the rear mounting member, and an attachment that directly couples the rear mounting member to the main rail. The attachment is configured to shear when a load that exceeds a threshold load is applied to a front of the vehicle. The shearing of the attachment permits the rear mounting member to slide relative to the main rail.

Slidable truss assembly for a vehicle

A vehicle includes a body having two pillars spaced from each other. The body includes a rocker extending from one pillar to the other pillar. An airbag is fixed to the rocker and inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag extends outboard of the rocker in the inflated position. The airbag includes a first chamber and a second chamber substantially fluidly separated from each other. The first chamber extends farther outboard of the rocker in the inflated position than the second chamber.

External side airbag

A seat base assembly includes a coupling member, a plurality of adjustment tracks coupled to the coupling member, and a plurality of seat legs, the plurality of seat legs includes at least one inner seat leg, and at least one outer seat leg, wherein the at least one inner seat leg and the at least one outer seat leg each comprise upturned bottom edges, and a lock assembly coupled to at least one of the plurality of seat legs.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, MI, United States of America

Rahul Arora