公开(公告)号：US10065228B2

公开(公告)日：2018-09-04

申请号：US15202662

申请日：2016-07-06

Applicant: Ford Motor Company

Inventor： Liang Huang ,  Evangelos Liasi

IPC: B21D22/02

Abstract: An exemplary die assembly includes a die member, a blankholder, and a collapsible spacer moveable back-and-forth between an extended position and a collapsed position. The collapsible spacer establishing a first gap between the die member and the blankholder in the extended position. The collapsible spacer establishing a second, smaller gap between the die member and blankholder in the collapsed position. An exemplary forming method includes maintaining a distance between a die member and a blankholder with a collapsible spacer when forming a workpiece into a desired shape, and collapsing the collapsible spacer to permit the die member and the blankholder to move closer together.

公开(公告)号：US20180222338A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-09

申请号：US15890968

申请日：2018-02-07

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Arnulf SPONHEIMER ,  Markus KEES

IPC: B60L11/18 ,  B62D55/08

Abstract: A mobility system includes an electrically drivable motor vehicle and an electrically drivable battery transport cart. A rechargeable drive battery of the motor vehicle is received in the battery transport cart. The battery transport cart can be releasably inserted into a downwardly open region of a supporting structure of the motor vehicle. The disclosure also relates to a battery transport cart, an electrically drivable motor vehicle and a method to charge a rechargeable drive battery of an electrically drivable motor vehicle.

公开(公告)号：US20180197440A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-12

申请号：US15837758

申请日：2017-12-11

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Meghashree Kowshika RAMACHANDRA ,  Andreas ORTSEIFEN ,  Yuliya AKSYUTINA ,  Julian David POTT

IPC: G09B19/16 ,  G09B5/02 ,  G09B5/04 ,  G09B19/14 ,  G05D1/00 ,  B60K35/00

CPC classification number: G09B19/167 ,  B60K35/00 ,  B60K2370/175 ,  B60K2370/193 ,  B60K2370/334 ,  B60K2370/736 ,  B60W30/00 ,  G02B27/0101 ,  G02B2027/0138 ,  G02B2027/014 ,  G02B2027/0141 ,  G05D1/0061 ,  G05D2201/0213 ,  G09B5/02 ,  G09B5/04 ,  G09B19/14

Abstract: A method and apparatus for teaching and/or evaluating driving behavior of a driver of an autonomous-capable vehicle. The vehicle is operated in a manual-control mode wherein a driver has manual control, and a communication device (audio speaker, visual display, etc.) issues an instruction to the driver to perform a task. As the driver is attempting to perform the task, a sensor monitors the driver's behavior. A driver instruction module (that interfaces with the vehicle's autonomous driving module) determines a deviation between the driver's behavior and a desired behavior to perform the task. If the deviation exceeds a permissible amount, the vehicle is placed under autonomous control (control is taken away from the driver) and the task is completed in a manner that is in accordance with the desired behavior.

公开(公告)号：US20180196421A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-12

申请号：US15865473

申请日：2018-01-09

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Philipp CARLHOFF ,  Georg NEUGEBAUER ,  Stephan STRAHL

IPC: G05D1/00 ,  B60R25/25 ,  G06K9/00 ,  B60R11/04

CPC classification number: G05D1/0022 ,  B60R11/04 ,  B60R25/252 ,  B60R2300/8006 ,  B60W30/00 ,  G05D1/0038 ,  G05D1/0088 ,  G05D2201/0212 ,  G05D2201/0213 ,  G06K9/00362 ,  G06K9/00832

Abstract: A method of operating a self-driving (autonomous) motor vehicle to transport a passenger who requires supervision. An authorization of a sender to operate the vehicle is checked and, if authorized, the sender provides instructions to a vehicle control unit to designate a destination and one or more authorization criterion that must be met by a recipient in order to unlock the vehicle and take custody of the passenger at the destination. The vehicle travels to the destination autonomously, during which travel the status of the passenger is monitored and transmitted wirelessly to a device in the possession of the sender. At the destination, unlocking of the vehicle is permitted upon confirmation of the authorization criterion by the recipient.

公开(公告)号：US20180178867A1

公开(公告)日：2018-06-28

申请号：US15389651

申请日：2016-12-23

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Hossein Jacob SADRI ,  Stephen JUSZCZYK

IPC: B62D65/06 ,  B23P19/10 ,  B23P19/04

CPC classification number: B62D65/06 ,  B23P19/04 ,  B23P19/10 ,  B62D65/028

Abstract: A method is disclosed for verifying the alignment of a door with a door opening defined by a vehicle body sub-assembly. Sets of two-way sensors and a four-way sensors are used to locate feature, or hole, locations including a master hole location on the body/side. Other two-way sensors and four-way sensors are used to locate door hanging fixture pin locations on the doors before the doors are assembled to the body/side. After the doors are assembled to the body/side, two-way sensors and four-way sensors locate feature, or hole, locations on the installed doors and compare them to the previously measured master location.

公开(公告)号：US20180155577A1

公开(公告)日：2018-06-07

申请号：US15370550

申请日：2016-12-06

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Hossein Jacob SADRI ,  Stephen JUSZCZYK

IPC: C09J5/10 ,  B60J10/50 ,  B60J10/84

CPC classification number: C09J5/10 ,  B29C66/98 ,  B60J10/00 ,  B60J10/50 ,  B60J10/84 ,  Y10T29/49776 ,  Y10T29/49778 ,  Y10T29/4978

Abstract: A method of assembling a door on a vehicle begins by identifying critical fit areas between the door seal and the door frame. Pressure indicator tape is adhered to the seal in critical fit areas and the door is closed against the seal to produce a marking on the pressure indicator tape. Intensity of the marking is visually compared to a reference pressure intensity scale to establish an observed pressure intensity level. The observed pressure intensity level may be recorded, correlated to a specific critical fit area and analyzed to make operational and design improvements to the door, door frame or seal.

公开(公告)号：US20180126892A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-10

申请号：US15809808

申请日：2017-11-10

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Rainer SOUSCHEK ,  Guenter Hans GROSCH ,  Thomas GERHARDS ,  Tobias RICKE ,  Alexandra GATZWEILER ,  Philipp WOLF

IPC: B60P3/073 ,  B60R5/00 ,  B60L11/18 ,  B62K15/00

CPC classification number: B60P3/073 ,  B60L8/003 ,  B60L53/14 ,  B60L53/30 ,  B60L58/12 ,  B60L2200/20 ,  B60P3/06 ,  B60R5/006 ,  B60R9/00 ,  B60R19/48 ,  B62K3/002 ,  B62K15/006 ,  B62K2202/00 ,  B62K2204/00

Abstract: A motor vehicle having an auxiliary stowage compartment for transporting a compact scooter. The motor vehicle having an engine compartment, a passenger compartment, a luggage compartment in addition to the auxiliary stowage compartment. The auxiliary stowage compartment is accessible from the outside of the motor vehicle, and is opened and closed by a cover that is part of the outer skin of the vehicle wherein the additional stowage compartment is configured to receive a compact scooter.

公开(公告)号：US20180111179A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-26

申请号：US15299900

申请日：2016-10-21

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Raj Sohmshetty ,  Constantin Chiriac ,  Torsten Hallfeldt ,  Elizabeth Bullard ,  James Engle

IPC: B21C51/00 ,  B21D22/02 ,  B21D37/16

CPC classification number: B21C51/00 ,  B21D22/022 ,  B21D37/16 ,  C21D1/673 ,  C21D11/005

Abstract: A hot stamping system includes a controller programmed to alter a coolant flow rate, without altering cycle time, in an active cooling system of a die arrangement, configured to hot stamp metal into components, based on an amount of heat transferred from the components to the active cooling system such that a grain structure of the components transitions from an austenitic state to a martensitic state while the die arrangement is closed.

公开(公告)号：US20170356484A1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-14

申请号：US15615282

申请日：2017-06-06

Applicant: Ford Motor Company Limited

Inventor： William John Mallard

IPC: F16B31/04 ,  B62D27/06 ,  F16B35/02 ,  F16B1/02 ,  F16B29/00

CPC classification number: F16B31/04 ,  B62D27/06 ,  F16B1/02 ,  F16B29/00 ,  F16B35/02

Abstract: A fastener assembly for a motor vehicle is provided. The fastener assembly comprises a fastener configured to couple a first component to a second component of the motor vehicle, the fastener comprising a shank configured to be received within a bore of the first component; and a retaining member, the retaining member being couplable to the fastener and the first component, the retaining member comprising an opening configured to receive the fastener shank and to provide a resistance against the removal of the fastener shank from the bore of the first component, wherein the retaining member comprises a deformable portion configured to deform from a first state to a second state by virtue of the operating environment of the first component such that the fastener may be removed from the bore when the deformable portion is in the second state following operation of the motor vehicle.

公开(公告)号：US20170349722A1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-07

申请号：US15612717

申请日：2017-06-02

Applicant: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Inventor： Jennifer Haijin Zhu ,  Ji Zhang ,  Mark Allen Dearth ,  Timothy James Hallifax ,  Mica Marie Debolt ,  Deborah Frances Mielewski

IPC: C08J9/36

CPC classification number: C08J9/365 ,  C08J2201/036 ,  C08J2375/04 ,  C08J2405/16

Abstract: A method of reducing aldehyde concentration in a vehicle cabin air, the method includes applying a solution comprising aldehyde scavenger(s) onto an outer surface of a foam article located or to be located within a vehicle cabin to form a top layer of the article such that aldehyde species are trapped within the article and prevented from being released into the cabin air.