Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Siddharthan Selvasekar

Andres Almeida Senatore

Michael Steven Medoro

Patrick Maloney

Dylan Mandelbaum

Sydney Puckett

Kevin VanNieulande

Sangram Laxman Tamhankar

Daniel Boccuccia

Otis Allen

Christopher Westfall

John Galin

Victoria Leigh Schein

Chris Fredriksson

Ching-Hung Chuang

Jeremy John Malick

Anthony Prozzi

Tyler Carpenter

Ellen Lee

Hongyi Xu

Vishal Vinayak Nageshkar

Chaitanya Nimmagadda

Johnathan Andrew Line

Michael Musa Azzouz

Benjamin Yilma

Sean Bayle West

Jimmy Moua

Michael James Whitens

John Edward Huber

Russell Joseph Mihm

James Carthew

Robert D Bedard

John Jeffrey Pfeiffer

Brian Boland

Steven Nicholas Fidh

Alexander Groh

Robert Ralph Armitage, Jr

Janice Lisa Tardiff

David Douglas Friske

Alex Perkins

Amit Chakravarty

Nelson Brock

Ireneusz Trybula

Christopher Robert Tilli

Jevon Xiao

Daniel Russman

Katherine Ann Arnold

Robert Walter Bartus

Hector Hernandez

Alexander Perkins

Roy Zhou

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 part formed by an additive manufacturing process consist of regions of voids, regions of solid material, and regions of non-uniform lattice cells, where each lattice cell includes bars. The regions are spatially distributed throughout the part as a function of load conditions such that the solid material is distributed in regions of first load paths and the non-uniform lattice cells are distributed in regions of second load paths lower in magnitude than the first load paths. Diameters of each bar of a non-uniform lattice cell are sized as a function of at least one of a resolution unit of the additive manufacturing process and part performance requirements. The diameters of the bars of the non-uniform lattice cells are classified into clusters with an average diameter size being assigned to all non-uniform lattice cells in the same cluster.

Integrated digital thread for additive manufacturing design optimization of lightweight structures

A latch feature for a door is disclosed herein. The latch feature includes an input body that is operable to move linearly between first and second positions relative to the door. The latch feature also includes an output body. The output body is coupled to the input body by a pivot member that is configured to pivot relative to the output body and the input body to allow the output body to move linearly toward the input body from an outboard position to an inboard position as the input body moves from the first position to the second position.

Door latch assembly

Resilient unmanned aerial vehicle landing platforms are disclosed herein. An example device includes a base plate having protuberances that are arranged into rows of concentric rings, each of the protuberances being a conical member that extends orthogonally from the base plate, wherein each of the protuberances is resilient and are adapted to arrest and protect the drone during landing.

Resilient unmanned aerial vehicle landing platforms

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

An assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle roof and a headliner supported by the vehicle roof. The assembly includes an energy absorber between the headliner and the vehicle roof. The energy absorber includes a wall extending transversely to the headliner and the vehicle roof. The wall includes a lattice structure including a repeating pattern of strips and open cells.

Energy absorber between vehicle roof and headliner

A temperature regulating system for interior surfaces of a vehicle includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. An air register assembly is operably coupled to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to direct air to an interior compartment. The air register assembly includes an actuation assembly for adjusting a position of the air register assembly. A target feature having a contact surface is disposed within the interior compartment. A temperature sensor is coupled to the target feature and senses a surface temperature of the contact surface. A controller communicates a notification with temperature information. A remote start device is communicatively coupled with the controller. The controller adjusts the position of the air register assembly to direct air across the contact surface of the target feature in response to a remote start signal from the remote start device.

Temperature regulating system for vehicle interior surfaces

A ventilated seat system for a vehicle includes a seating assembly including a seatback operably coupled to a seat base. A blower is coupled to the seating assembly. The blower generates a sound transmission when activated. The blower includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. A first metamaterial silencer is coupled to an interior surface of the housing proximate to the inlet, and a second metamaterial silencer is coupled to the interior surface of the housing proximate to the outlet. Each of the first metamaterial silencer and the second metamaterial silencer reduces the sound transmission generated by the blower.

Ventilated seat system

A trim article includes an outer casing having an inner surface defining an interior portion of the outer casing. The outer casing includes a front surface having a plurality of through apertures disposed thereon. A core portion is disposed within the interior portion of the outer casing and includes first and second portions having variated densities relative to one another. The first and second portions include lattice matrices having variated patterns of interconnected links and associated cells that provide variated force deflection parameters between the first and second portions of the core portion. The outer casing and the core portion are integrated to define a monolithic structure comprised of a common material.

A method of forming an additive manufactured part with obfuscated anti-counterfeiting features includes additive manufacturing the part using an approved additive manufacturing method and additive manufacturing a plurality of obfuscated anti-counterfeiting structures on a surface of the part using the approved additive manufacturing method. Each of the plurality of obfuscated anti-counterfeiting structures has at least one of a prohibitive physical dimension and a prohibitive physical shape that is prohibitive from being formed using at least one unapproved additive manufacturing method such that counterfeit manufacture of the part by the at least one unapproved additive manufacturing method is detected by inspecting the surface or observing a build failure by the at least one unapproved additive manufacturing method. The plurality of obfuscated anti-counterfeiting structures includes a plurality of hollow structures, a plurality of solid structures, and/or a plurality of truss structures.

Additive manufacturing counterfeiting obfuscation

A vehicle module system is disclosed. The system includes a track assembly operably coupled with a body of a vehicle. One or more modules may be removably and slidably coupled with the track assembly. The modules include base structure defining an attachment point. A rail feature is disposed along a bottom portion of the base structure. An attachment feature having a retainer for removably coupling to the attachment point to the base structure.

Movable vehicle module system

An articulation assembly for a vehicle seat includes a planar engagement surface. An inflatable member is operably coupled to the planar engagement surface. The inflatable member includes a plurality of polyhedral bodies that are configured to be formed via additive manufacturing. Each of the polyhedral bodies has a foldable portion that defines crease lines. A plurality of elastomeric members are disposed on each crease line. A planar base includes a port fluidly coupled to the polyhedral bodies. A manifold is fluidly coupled to the port of the planar base and is configured to translate fluid through the port to the polyhedral bodies.

Polyhedral body of an articulation assembly for a vehicle seat

A seating assembly comprises a calf rest coupled to a seat base and having a body that comprises a first trough that extends from a first exterior peak to an interior peak and a second trough that extends from a second exterior peak to the interior peak. The seating assembly also comprises a wire that extends across the first trough from the first exterior peak to the interior peak, the wire being operable between an at rest condition and a contracted condition, wherein movement of the wire from the at rest condition to the contracted condition moves a portion of the wire between the first exterior peak and the interior peak away from a bottom of the first trough. The seating assembly further comprises a controller that prompts electrical current to be supplied to the wire to move the wire from the at rest condition to the contracted condition.

Seating assembly for a vehicle

An assembly includes an airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The assembly includes an airbag housing supporting the airbag, the airbag housing having a side wall that is movable outward to a deployed position upon inflation of the airbag. The assembly includes a display screen moveable from an initial position to a stowed position, the display screen operatively coupled to the side wall such that movement of the side wall to the deployed position moves the display screen to the stowed position.

Airbag housing

Growing community of inventors

Livermore, CA, United States of America

Siddharthan Selvasekar