Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Other

Ford Motor Company Limited

Robert D Bedard

Douglas Raymond Martin

James George Gebbie

John P Casci

James Alan Acre

Matthew Cassoli

Ali Hassani

Ellen Cheng-chi Lee

Michael Kruntovski

Clifford Anthony Bailey

Xiaojiang Wang

Shannon Christine Bollin

Lauren Peng

Willie Ham

Michael James Whitens

Siddharthan Selvasekar

Francis Raymond Gillis

Derren Woods

Amit Chakravarty

Jeffery N Conley

Paul Schmidt

Jolanta Coffey

Alexander Perkins

Robert Walter Bartus

Giuseppe Domenic Lacaria

William Charles Mott

Zachary Alan Pecchia

A system for a water generation apparatus of a vehicle includes a sensing device that detects an environmental condition of a geographical area associated with the vehicle. A display device is configured to present a depiction of the geographical area. A controller is in communication with the sensing device and the display device. The controller is configured to determine at least one water generation estimate for the water generation apparatus based on the environmental condition and the geographical area. The controller is further configured to generate a modified representation of the geographical area based on the at least one water generation estimate and the depiction of the geographical area. The controller is further configured to communicate an instruction to present the modified representation at the display device.

Systems and methods for water generation estimation

A vehicle including: (a) a water generator configured to generate water; (b) a water storage container configured to store the water that the water generator generates; (c) an ultraviolet light emitter configured to emit ultraviolet light into the water storage container; (d) a sensor configured to detect the ultraviolet light that the ultraviolet light emitter has emitted; and (e) a human-machine interface configured to issue a notification to a user of the vehicle regarding the ultraviolet light emitter. The sensor can detect a wavelength range of the ultraviolet light that the ultraviolet light emitter has emitted. The sensor can detect an intensity of the ultraviolet light at a predetermined wavelength or wavelength range that the ultraviolet light emitter has emitted. The vehicle further comprises a controller in communication with the ultraviolet light emitter, the sensor, and the human-machine interface.

Diagnostics of an on-board water generation system

A method of forming an etched part includes forming a substrate including a thermoset resin and etching a surface of the substrate. The thermoset resin includes a vat photopolymerization (VPP) thermoset resin and at least one of an etchable phase and etchable particles disposed within the VPP thermoset resin. The etching removes the etchable phase from the VPP thermoset resin at the surface of the substrate such that a plurality of micro-mechanical bonding sites are formed on an etched surface of the substrate.

Method of forming an etched part and a method of forming a metal plated part

A vehicle comprises: a dispenser for a liquid, the dispenser comprising an outlet for the liquid; and a source of ultraviolet light disposed to emit the ultraviolet light onto the outlet of the dispenser. The dispenser further comprises a first position and a second position that is different than the first position. The outlet of the dispenser is disposed closer to the source of ultraviolet light when the dispenser is in the second position than when the dispenser is in the first position. The vehicle comprises a controller in communication with the source of the ultraviolet light. The controller causes the source of ultraviolet light to emit the ultraviolet light when the dispenser is in the second position but not when the dispenser is in the first position.

Liquid dispensing apparatus for a vehicle with a dispenser and a source of ultraviolet light to sanitize the dispenser

Methods of in-situ additively manufacturing (AM) a part include placing a blank of a decorative material onto a platform and applying an AM material onto the blank such that the blank and the AM material simultaneously contour to a shape of the platform to form the part. The AM material may be applied onto the part by an extrusion process. The blank and the AM material may be under vacuum. The blank and/or the AM material may be directly or indirectly heated while the AM material is applied onto the blank.

In-situ decorative wrapping methods for polymeric additively manufactured commodities

A motor vehicle includes a passenger space and a HVAC system. The HVAC system includes a heater, an air conditioner, and ducts configured to heat and/or cool air to the passenger space. The HVAC system is configured to increase humidity of air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system, and to introduce a sanitizing agent into air while the air is flowing through the HVAC system. A controller is configured to actuate the HVAC system to circulate humidified air containing the sanitizing agent through the passenger space to neutralize pathogens that may be present in the passenger space.

Apparatus and method for sanitizing a vehicle inferior

A system for powering a sliding gate including a solar power assembly with a solar panel in electronic communication with a device for regulating voltage and a high-capacity battery electronically connected to the device for regulating voltage, and a safety edge with a sensor wherein the safety edge is configured to receive power independently from both the device for regulating voltage and the high-capacity battery.

Solar power safety edge system for sliding gates

A thermoset resin for forming parts to be metal plated includes a vat photopolymerization (VPP) thermoset resin and an etchable phase disposed in the VPP thermoset resin. The etchable phase is etched from a surface of a part formed from the VPP thermoset resin such that a plurality of micro-mechanical locking sites is formed on the surface of the part. The etchable phase is at least one of organic particles, organic resins, inorganic particles, and copolymers of the VPP thermoset resin. For example, the etchable phase can be a polybutadiene phase and/or a mineral such as calcium carbonate.

Additively manufactured thermoset polymers for metal plating and metal plated parts formed therefrom

A catalytic converter includes a catalyst substrate including a body having a length and defining a plurality of zones along the length, with each zone having at least one cross-sectional structure defining a plurality of cells forming an exhaust gas flow path through the length via cells of adjacent zones, and the cells being more densely arranged within the at least one cross-sectional structure of an upstream zone than an adjacent downstream zone. The catalytic converter also includes a wash-coat layer deposited on surfaces of the cells forming active surface area configured to react with exhaust gas traveling along the length. The exhaust gas flows along the exhaust gas flow path through the cells such that more active surface area is available for reaction in each upstream zone than an adjacent downstream zone.

Additively manufactured catalytic converter substrates

A water generation system for a vehicle comprises: a first container to collect liquid water generated from the condensation of water vapor; a filter to filter the liquid water, the filter in fluid flow communication with the first container; a second container to store the liquid water that the filter filtered, the second container (i) in fluid flow communication with the filter and (ii) configured to hold a larger volume of the liquid water than the first container; and a source of ultraviolet light that, when activated, emits the ultraviolet light into at least one of the first container and the second container. The water generation system can further comprise an agitator that is configured to agitate the liquid water disposed within either the first container or the second container, and a cooling element configured to withdraw heat from the liquid water within the water generation system.

Water generation system for a vehicle that implements sanitization by ultraviolet light

A system includes a first plurality of blockchain nodes including first network nodes external to a vehicle and second network nodes internal to the vehicle, the first plurality of blockchain nodes maintaining a first distributed blockchain ledger; and a first computing device. The first computing device is programmed to transmit a first request to the first plurality of blockchain nodes requesting access to a vehicle network via a communications access port in the vehicle; demonstrate a first proof of work by responding to a second request from the first plurality of blockchain nodes; and receive, based on a first majority of the first network nodes and the second network nodes in the first plurality of blockchain nodes accepting the first request, first authorization specifying access to the vehicle access via the communications access port.

Distributed vehicle network access authorization

A method of forming a molding tool includes performing a computer aided engineering (CAE) analysis on a molding tool design. The CAE analysis predicts flow of injection molded material and a location of gas entrapment within a molding recess of the molding tool design. At least one venting design constraint is applied to the molding tool design as a function of the gas entrapment location. Also, a biomimetic shaped passageway for venting gas away from the gas entrapment location is selected from a plurality of biomimetic shaped passageways. A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) CAE analysis of the molding tool design with the selected biomimetic shaped passageway is performed and modifications of the selected biomimetic shaped passageway are CFD CAE analyzed until a final biomimetic shaped passageway is determined and a molding tool with the final biomimetic shaped passageway is formed.

Molding tools with biomimetic conformal venting passageways and methods for forming biomimetic conformal venting passageways in molding tools

A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to store an electronic ledger that specifies an authorized operation for an entity to perform for a vehicle, receive a request, including an entity identifier for an entity making the request, to perform a requested operation, query the electronic ledger to determine that the requested operation is the authorized operation, and actuate the vehicle based on the authorized operation. The electronic ledger is a distributed electronic ledger shared between at least the vehicle and the entity.

Distributed vehicle authorized operations

A vehicle door includes a trim panel coupled to a frame. A single-piece armrest substrate is coupled with the frame. The armrest substrate is a three-dimensionally printed member having interior walls that are printed within the armrest substrate according to a virtual force model generated during a virtual impact scenario. The interior walls define a plurality of voids defined within the armrest substrate.

Biomimetic armrest substrate for a vehicle armrest assembly

A trim panel such as an end panel for an instrument panel of a motor vehicle, has a body including an exposed face and a flange that interfaces with an elastomeric seal on the motor vehicle. At least one tubercle is provided on that flange. A method of installing a trim panel on a motor vehicle adjacent to an elastomeric seal is also disclosed. Tubercles on the flange gently push the elastomeric seal away from the flange during installation protecting the surface of the elastomeric seal from marring or other damage during the installation process.

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Allen Park, MI, United States of America

Robert D Bedard