Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Tom F Boettger

Stuart C Salter

Paul Kenneth Dellock

James J Surman

David C Allen

David Brian Glickman

Pietro Buttolo

Hussein H Berry

Talat Karmo

Larry Agius

Jeffrey R Rowland

Jennifer Ann Gauthier

Carolyn Tatge

Steven Angus

Terry Vandenbrink

Nigel Philip Harold Fawcett

Mukta Mehandru

Kris Cockerel

Maria Hertaler

Stephanie Ross

Harry Kon

Roger Jones

Jim Pizzimenti

Oliver Sterzenbach

A vehicle windshield includes a glass sheet and an overlay extending around a periphery of the glass sheet. The overlay includes a plurality of optical windows defined therein. A seal extends along a path delineated by the plurality of optical windows. The optical windows are sized to allow light to pass through the overlay.

Windshield with optical windows for seal application

An apparatus and method, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a switchable glass structure supported within a vehicle and comprised of a plurality of layers. A power source is selectively applied to the switchable glass structure to change the switchable glass structure from opaque to clear. Markings are formed within at least one of the plurality of layers to identify user input areas. A control system includes a circuit configured cooperate with the power source to allow the switchable glass structure to act as a capacitive sensor such that user input to the user input areas can be sensed to change the switchable glass structure between opaque and clear modes.

Switchable glass structure for a vehicle

A lighting assembly of a vehicle is provided herein including a windshield and an electroluminescent member sealed within the windshield and configured to illuminate in response to applied electrical power. A reflector is optically coupled to the electroluminescent member and is configured to enhance the brightness thereof. A fit is coupled to the windshield and is positioned to at least partially conceal the electroluminescent member from a driver of the vehicle.

Vehicle windshield lighting assembly

A vehicle is provided that includes a glazing that has a first glass substrate and a second glass substrate. A polymeric interlayer is positioned between the first and second glass substrates and a phosphorescent layer is positioned on the polymeric interlayer. A light source is optically coupled with polymeric interlayer.

Illuminated automotive glazings

A vehicle includes a window defining an exterior surface and an interior surface. An electrical bus is positioned on the interior surface. An electrical component is positioned on the window and electrically coupled with the bus. An electrical terminal is positioned on the bus. A connector is electrically coupled with the bus. An adhesive is positioned between the connector and the electrical bus. A conformal coating is positioned over the connector and the adhesive.

Window electrical terminals

A vehicle window glazing is provided that includes a transparent substrate defining a first surface with a decorative layer positioned on the first surface defining an indicium. A light source is positioned on the decorative layer. A conductive lead is electrically coupled to the light source and extends along the first surface of the substrate away from the light source. The at least one conductive lead is substantially transparent and a transparent layer is positioned over the decorative layer and substrate.

Automotive window glazings

An indicator disposed proximate a fuel port of the vehicle is disclosed. The indicator comprises a persistent luminescent layer, a first light source, and one or more circuits. The persistent luminescent layer is configured to emit a first color of light. The first light source is configured to emit a charging emission to charge the persistent luminescent layer. The one or more circuits are configured to selectively activate one or more portions of the first light source such that the persistent luminescent layer is charged and illuminates the indicator in the first color.

Fuel level indicator

A laminated window is disclosed having a window heater unit which is connected to an external source of electrical power by means of an electrically conductive strip. At least a part of each of the electrically conductive strips is bonded on all sides to one or more laminating interlayer interposed between and bonding together two panes of glass. The bonding of the laminating interlayer to the electrically conductive strips during manufacture of the laminated window produces a water impervious seal between the laminating interlayer and the respective electrically conductive strip.

Electrical connector for a laminated window

A windshield trim molding is affixed to the peripheral edge of an automotive windshield during the manufacturing process of mounting the windshield on an automobile chassis. The windshield molding incorporates an extruded strip of elastomeric material, such as ALCRYN or RAUPREN melt-processible rubber, at the contact surface of the molding where a windshield primer is applied to the glass prior to the installation of the molding. As a result, the elastomeric material becomes bonded to the windshield glass, rather than the plastic molding. The strip of extruded elastomeric material is softer than either the windshield glass or the plastic molding and absorbs any failure due to differences in thermal expression rates between the plastic molding and the windshield glass, thus preventing spalling at the peripheral edge of the windshield.

Growing community of inventors

Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Tom F Boettger