Ford Motor Patent Applications

DUAL TORQUE AND INJECTION MOLDING DEVICE

Granted: March 21, 2024
Application Number: 20240091999
A tool for driving a threaded fastener includes a driver head, a motor, and an injector. The driver head includes a spindle rotatable about an axis. A distal end of the spindle defines a plurality of drive surfaces configured to engage mating drive surfaces on the fastener to rotate the fastener about the axis. The driver head defines a fluid passage having an outlet proximate to the distal end of the spindle. The motor is drivingly coupled to the spindle to rotate the spindle about the…

MODIFICATION OF INDIRECT-FIRED PAINT CURING OVEN ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF GAS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240042483
A system for thermally treating components includes an indirect-fired oven, the indirect-fired oven having an internal chamber configured to house the components and an air intake in fluid communication with the internal chamber. A source of heat is disposed external to the internal chamber of the indirect-fired oven, and a combustion source is disposed external to the internal chamber of the indirect-fired oven and is configured to generate gas combustion products. An exhaust line is in…

MODIFICATION OF INDIRECT-FIRED PAINT CURING OVEN ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF GAS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240042483
A system for thermally treating components includes an indirect-fired oven, the indirect-fired oven having an internal chamber configured to house the components and an air intake in fluid communication with the internal chamber. A source of heat is disposed external to the internal chamber of the indirect-fired oven, and a combustion source is disposed external to the internal chamber of the indirect-fired oven and is configured to generate gas combustion products. An exhaust line is in…

METHOD FOR USING CO2-BASED POLYOL ON POLYURETHANE FOAM TO IMPROVE REPROCESSING-ABILITY IN HOT PROCESS WITH SUPERIOR RECYCLING RATE

Granted: December 21, 2023
Application Number: 20230406992
A recyclable polyurethane foam is produced by reacting a carbon dioxide-based polyol-containing composition and an isocyanate composition. The polyurethane foam may include a molar ratio of active hydrogen to isocyanate groups of 1:0.9. The polyurethane foam may include a catalyst at about greater than or equal to about 0.5 to less than or equal to about 1.5 parts by weight percent.

METHOD FOR USING DISULFIDE REACTIVE CHEMICAL ON POLYURETHANE FOAM TO IMPROVE REPROCESSABILITY IN HOT PRESS PROCESS WITH SUPERIOR RECYCLING RATE

Granted: December 21, 2023
Application Number: 20230406988
A recyclable polyurethane foam is produced by reacting a disulfide reactive chemical-based polyol-containing composition and an isocyanate composition. The polyurethane foam may include a molar ratio of the disulfide reactive chemical of greater than or equal to about 2:1 mol %, 4:1 mol %, or 6:1 mol %, wherein the ratio equates to the molar ratio of hydroxyl groups of the disulfide reactive chemical versus the molar ratio of hydroxyl groups of the polyol.

WINDSHIELD WITH OPTICAL WINDOWS FOR SEAL APPLICATION

Granted: November 30, 2023
Application Number: 20230382212
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.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PLANT EQUIPMENT CONDITION MONITORING

Granted: August 24, 2023
Application Number: 20230266738
A method includes obtaining unprocessed data from a plurality of sensors mounted on one or more plant equipment, normalizing the unprocessed data to generate normalized data, converting the unprocessed data from a time domain to a frequency domain to generate a frequency domain signal, detecting a performance anomaly associated with the one or more plant equipment based on the normalized data and a change index routine, and determining a primary cause from among one or more causes of the…

VARNISH APPLICATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR

Granted: July 6, 2023
Application Number: 20230216383
A varnish injection system includes a rotatable mount, an electric motor supported by the rotatable mount, the electric motor including a stator and a wire, and a varnish injector including a base and a nozzle extending from the base, the nozzle defining an axis extending vertically therethrough. The electric motor is rotatable by the rotatable mount to a nonzero angle relative to the axis extending vertically through the nozzle. The nozzle is arranged to deposit varnish into a gap…

VARNISH APPLICATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR

Granted: July 6, 2023
Application Number: 20230216385
A varnish application system includes an electric motor, a clamp, and a varnish injector. The clamp includes a beam, a first end plate fixed to the beam and engageable to a first end of the electric motor, and a second end plate releasably connected the beam and engageable to a second end of the electric motor. The varnish injector is arranged to apply varnish to the electric motor when the clamp engages the electric motor.

VARNISH APPLICATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR

Granted: July 6, 2023
Application Number: 20230216384
An electric motor includes a stator, an insulating layer, and a wire. The stator includes a first circular laminate and a second circular laminate. The first laminate includes a first finger having a distal end extending toward a center point of the first circular laminate. The second laminate includes a second finger having a distal end extending toward a center point of the second circular laminate. The first and second fingers define a wall. The distal ends of the first and second…

VARNISH APPLICATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR

Granted: July 6, 2023
Application Number: 20230216382
A varnish injection system includes a varnish injector including a base, a nozzle extending from the base, and a spacer disposed on the nozzle, and an electric motor including a stator, a wire, and an insulating layer between the stator and the wire. The nozzle is arranged to deposit varnish between the stator and the insulating layer. The nozzle and the stator define a gap therebetween when the spacer engages the stator.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING POST-PROCESSING SYSTEM

Granted: June 22, 2023
Application Number: 20230191703
A post-processing system includes a rinse tank, a robot arm, a locking fixture, and a controller. The robot arm is configured to engage and move a workpiece. The locking fixture includes a platform support structure and a clamping assembly. The controller is in communication with the robot arm and the platform locking fixture. The controller is configured to instruct the robot arm to move the workpiece from a workstation to the rinse tank, instruct the robot arm to move the workpiece…

TUBE NUT SOCKET TOOL WITH ANTI-DILATION FEATURE

Granted: June 15, 2023
Application Number: 20230182268
A tool includes an input portion, socket, arm, and sleeve. The input portion receives input torque about an axis. The socket is axially spaced apart from the input portion and configured to rotate a nut about the axis. The socket defines first and second apertures that extend through opposite ends of the socket into the socket cavity. A slot is open to the socket cavity and extends axially between the first and second apertures through a perimeter of the socket. The arm connects the…

HYBRID CAST VEHICLE ASSEMBLY WITH STRUCTURAL REINFORCEMENTS

Granted: June 8, 2023
Application Number: 20230174158
A hybrid structural assembly for a motor vehicle includes a casting and a structural inlay. The casting includes a plurality of structural components joined together in a casting process to form structural load paths and extending in a plurality of directions in a 3D space. The casting includes a cast-allowable alloy material. The structural inlay is secured to at least one of the structural components. The structural inlay includes a material having at least one of a higher ductility…

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING SYNTHETIC IMAGES OF A TRAINING DATABASE

Granted: May 18, 2023
Application Number: 20230153385
A method includes generating one or more nominal images of at least a portion of a digital twin of an environment, defining one or more anomalous characteristics of the one or more components, generating one or more anomalous images of the portion of the digital twin of the environment based on the field of view and the one or more anomalous characteristics, performing a tessellation routine and a texture mapping routine on the one or more nominal images and the one or more anomalous…

ULTRASONIC ATOMIZER FOR APPLYING A COATING TO A SUBSTRATE WITH ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE TO PREVENT DROPLET COALESCENCE DURING ATOMIZATION

Granted: April 6, 2023
Application Number: 20230105482
An atomizer for applying a coating to a substrate includes a nozzle and at least one electrode. The nozzle defines a plurality of apertures. The nozzle includes a nozzle plate, a nozzle body, and an actuator. The nozzle plate defines the apertures. The nozzle body and an inner side of the nozzle plate define a reservoir in fluid communication with the first apertures. The actuator is configured to vibrate the nozzle plate to eject droplets of a liquid from the reservoir through the first…

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SURVEYING A MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT

Granted: March 30, 2023
Application Number: 20230100699
A method for surveying an environment includes segmenting a plurality of nodes into a plurality of communities. The method includes identifying a plurality of community centroids based on the plurality of communities, where each community centroid from among the plurality of community centroids is associated with one community from among the plurality of communities. The method includes determining, for each community centroid from among the plurality of community centroids, a community…

REUSABLE AND ADJUSTABLE UNIVERSAL FIXTURING SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLY AND CHECK FIXTURES

Granted: March 9, 2023
Application Number: 20230073392
A locating fixture that includes a base, an adjustable locating member, a plurality of indicia, a restraining member and a lower substructure. The base includes a raised platform having a mounting aperture. The adjustable locating member is disposed within the mounting aperture and includes a part locating feature and a position indicator fixedly attached to the adjustable locating member. The plurality of indicia is located on the raised platform adjacent to the adjustable locating…

CONTROLLABLE AND ADJUSTABLE STAMPING DRAW BEAD WITH REVERSE BEAD GEOMETRY

Granted: January 26, 2023
Application Number: 20230026889
A forming die includes a first die component with a male bead and a second die component with a female bead. The male bead and the female bead form a bead with a reverse bead geometry with the male bead having a groove and the female bead having a protrusion complimentary with the groove such that the protrusion is aligned with the groove when the male bead extends into the female bead. Also, the protrusion is adjustable in real-time within the female bead. A stamping machine with the…

METHOD AND PROCEDURE FOR EVALUATION AND COMPENSATION OF SPRINGBACK

Granted: January 26, 2023
Application Number: 20230028435
A method for compensating springback of a part includes running a finite element analysis (FEA) simulation of forming a panel using a model of forming die such that a panel with springback is simulated, determining at least two zero springback locations on the panel where hanging apertures are simulated, running an FEA simulation of the panel hanging from the hanging apertures, and comparing a geometry of the hanging panel to a geometry of a reference panel such that a difference between…