Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Thomas J Joseph

Michael J Gardynik

Brian Robert Spahn

Mangala Ambalangodage Jayasuriya

Richard Edward Ruthinowski

Edward Andrew Pleet

Bruno M Barthelemy

Kevin Michael O'Callaghan

Ed Wilson

A leaf screen for an air intake of an HVAC system of a vehicle having a hood covering an engine compartment. The leaf screen includes a leaf screen body defining an air inlet opening covered by an integrally molded screen. A seal is integrally molded on a top surface of the leaf screen body in front of the air inlet opening. Bump-stops are integrally molded on the top surface that are engaged by an inner panel of the hood when closed. A method of making the leaf screen includes injecting a polymeric material into a mold to form a body portion. At least one elastomeric material is injected into the mold on one side of the body portion to form a seal and a plurality of bump-stops.

Leaf screen and method of making the leaf screen with co-molded seal and bump stop

A hood bumper for a vehicle includes a foundation, a pair of legs extending from the foundation in a first direction, a support extending from the foundation in a second direction, and a head adhered to the support. At least a portion of the support is a first material and the head is a second material such that the first material is harder than the second material. The support includes first and second portions extending between the foundation and the head which are mirror images. The head is designed to deform and the support is designed to collapse under force. In alternate embodiments, the foundation and/or support are designed to fracture under force. The hood bumper is coextruded so the base and head have fixed heights and cross sections.

Hood bumpers to absorb loading

A pedestrian protection apparatus for use with a motor vehicle having a windshield, a cowl and an engine hood is provided. The apparatus includes a deployable hood extender, movable between a stowed position within or beneath the hood and a deployed position, wherein the hood extender substantially overlaps the cowl or an area of increased component stiffness rearward of the vehicle hood and beneath at least a portion of the windshield. The hood extender may include a positional control portion, an energy absorbing portion, a bending control feature, and softened edges. The hood extender may be a single moveable panel or may comprise a plurality of moveable panels, strips or rod-like elements, wherein the plurality of elements may be rigidly or pivotally attached to one another for linear or rotational displacement between stowed and deployed positions. The hood extender may be an expandable lattice structure. An actuation lock is included.

Deployable vehicle hood extender for pedestrian protection

A fender for a vehicle includes a body portion and a seal portion. The body portion presents an outer surface and an inner surface facing opposite the outer surface. The seal portion extends from the inner surface and is flexible relative to the body portion. The body portion is formed of a first material and the seal portion is formed of a second material different than the first material. The seal portion is integral with the body portion.

Growing community of inventors

Chesterfield, MI, United States of America

Thomas J Joseph