Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Steven Frank

Michael J Gardynik

Rohit Telukunta

Kevin Joseph Favero

Adam Weyrauch

Michael Joseph Lee

Kevin A Gustafson

Ronald Machin

Peter Joyce

Austin Murphy

Dragan B Stojkovic

Leonard Anthony Shaner

Jack Lashbrook

Daniel Trentin

Steven William Gallagher

Jamie Joseph March

Chienhom Lee

Bhadresh V Vyas

Maciej Bednarek

Phu Diep

James Yoos

Tyler Muckenhirn

Sankarsh Kanth Aekbote Vishnukanth

A vehicle roof structure of a vehicle includes an outer roof panel and a unitized inner roof panel. The inner roof panel is separate from the outer roof panel and is secured to the outer roof panel. The inner roof panel includes roof headers, a roof bow, and support braces. The roof headers are spaced apart from each other and extend in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The roof bow is spaced apart from and positioned between two roof headers of the roof headers and extends in the transverse direction. Each support brace is positioned between the roof bow and one of the two roof headers. The support braces extend from the roof bow to the one of the two roof headers and extend in multiple directions.

Vehicle roof structure

A roof rack assembly for a vehicle includes a pedestal including an indentation. A roof rail is movable between a first configuration and a second configuration relative to the pedestal. In the first configuration, a toggle loop of the roof rail is positioned in a first orientation relative to the indentation. In the second configuration, the toggle loop is positioned in a second orientation relative to the indentation.

Vehicle roof rack assembly

A battery box for an electric vehicle includes an Al casting that extends between and joins to a BIW or chassis rails of the electric vehicle. The Al casting includes a bottom wall, a side wall with a pair of rails that are securely attached to the BIW or chassis rails of the vehicle, and a plurality of cross members. The bottom wall, the side wall, and the plurality of cross members define a structural enclosure with a plurality of battery compartments and at least one crush zone, and the structural enclosure is load bearing member of the electric vehicle.

Lightweight battery box for electric vehicles

A hybrid structural assembly includes a vehicle structural member extending from a first end to a second end, and a composite reinforcement member attached to the vehicle structural member between the first and second ends of the vehicle structural member. The composite reinforcement member being formed by a continuous method and cut to a predetermined length extending from the first end to the second end.

Structural assembly for vehicle components having continuously formed composite reinforcement

A sun visor assembly for a vehicle that includes a mount configured to be connected to the vehicle. A guide rod having a first portion that includes a head and a second portion with a terminal end is operably coupled to the mount via the head. An impact point is at the terminal end of the second portion. The guide rod and the impact point are configured for use as a window breaker tool in a disassembled position. A visor is operably coupled to the guide rod in an assembled position and is rotatable about the guide rod from a first position to a second position. The visor includes a channel defined within the visor that is configured to receive the guide rod.

Sun visor with an incorporated impact point

An automotive panel assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a first panel, a second panel, and a flange of the first panel folded over an edge region of the second panel to hem together the first and second panels. The flange of the first panel includes a textured geometry that interlocks with a textured geometry of the edge region.

Automotive panel hem stabilizing assembly and method

An automotive panel assembly includes, among other things, a first panel, a second panel, a flange of the first panel folded over an edge region of the second panel to hem together the first and second panel, and a dimple of the flange extending into an aperture within the edge region of the second panel. At least a portion of the aperture is exposed.

A device for securing a movable panel relative to a vehicle body includes a housing, a plunger, a handle, and a spring. The housing defines a bore and a slot. The plunger includes a shaft and a clamp extending radially outward from the shaft. The shaft extends through the bore and is coupled to the housing for relative axial and rotational movement relative to the housing. The handle is fixedly coupled to the shaft and extends through the slot. The spring biases the clamp toward the housing.

Hold down device and method for securing movable vehicle panels during processing

A vehicle puddle lamp assembly is provided herein. The vehicle puddle lamp assembly includes a housing having a housing retainer. A light source is supported by the housing. A cover is removably coupled to a base portion of the housing. An optical member is disposed between the housing and the cover. The optical member may include an image filter thereon. The image filter is configured to form a desired image pattern on a surface proximate the housing.

Vehicle puddle lamp assembly

Adjustable mount apparatus for use with vehicles and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a mount for a vehicle. The mount has a first portion to receive an object to be carried by the mount and a second portion that is pivotably coupled to the first portion. The second portion is to slidably couple to a right or left side of the vehicle.

Adjustable mount apparatus for use with vehicles and related methods

A mount for a roof-mounted autonomous vehicle sensor assembly includes a cap, a seal, and a plurality of support members. The mount is compatible in shape with a moonroof opening in a vehicle roof panel. The cap is sized to overlap the moonroof opening. The cap has a plurality of attachment features to connect to the sensor assembly. The seal is to be disposed between the cap and the roof panel. The plurality of support members connects the cap to roof rails.

Roof mounting for autonomous vehicle sensor assembly

A plug for a body aperture in a vehicle body includes a base, a locating surface and a lip portion of the base. The base is shaped and sized to completely overlap the aperture. The locating surface is disposed on a first side of the base, extending substantially normal to the base. The locating surface is complementary in shape to the aperture for receipt thereby. The lip portion connects the locating surface with an outer perimeter of the base. A receiving groove is disposed in the lip portion.

Body aperture plug and body conversion

A vehicle C-pillar assembly including a C-pillar, a rear quarter extension, and a rocker panel is provided. The rear quarter extension mounts to the C-pillar and includes an arc portion. The rocker panel mounts to the rear quarter extension to define a horizontal joint therebetween and includes a notch providing space for the arc portion to extend upward along the C-pillar. The rocker panel may include an end and the rocker panel may be secured to the C-pillar so that the end extends rearward of the C-pillar to contact and reduce rotation of a tire mounted adjacent to the C-pillar when a force directs the tire forward. A profile of the rocker panel may be a C shape. The rocker panel may extend from a vehicle A-pillar rearwardly past the C-pillar. The rocker panel may be roll-formed and of an ultra-high strength steel.

C-pillar assembly for vehicle body

A moonroof ring assembly may include a first portion being formed from a first material, and a second portion being laser welded to the first portion and being formed from a second material, wherein the first material is of a higher strength than the second material.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Steven Frank