System and methods for identifying unoccupied parking positions
Granted: October 27, 2020
Patent Number:
10817736
A vehicle includes one or more laterally mounted microphones and a controller programmed to detect a signature of an unoccupied position adjacent the vehicle in outputs of the microphones. The signature may be identified using a machine learning algorithm. In response to detecting an unoccupied position, the controller may invoke autonomous parking, store the location of the unoccupied position for later use, and/or report the unoccupied position to a server, which then informs other…
Mobility system that charges a drive battery of an electrically drivable motor vehicle
Granted: October 13, 2020
Patent Number:
10800266
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…
Ultrasonic material applicators and methods of use thereof
Granted: October 13, 2020
Patent Number:
10799905
A method of controlling application of material onto a substrate includes ejecting atomized droplets from an array of micro-applicators while the array of micro-applicators cyclically moves about at least one axis. The atomized droplets from each of the plurality of micro-applicators overlap with atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators and a diffuse overlap of deposited atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators is provided on a surface of the substrate. The array of…
Methods and apparatus to adjust an advertising rate of a device to reduce battery usage
Granted: October 6, 2020
Patent Number:
10796513
Methods and apparatus to adjust an advertising rate of a device to reduce battery usage are described herein. An example method includes determining a distance of a device from a vehicle based on a signal, determining a state of motion of the device, and adjusting an advertising rate of the signal based on the distance and state of motion.
Fleet management efficiency visualization
Granted: October 6, 2020
Patent Number:
10794747
A powertrain controller of a vehicle provides a fuel pump actuator signal indicative of fuel flow to a vehicle bus. A processor is configured to receive data from the vehicle bus. The processor performs an integration of the actuator signal to accumulate fuel usage of the vehicle, and periodically sends the accumulated fuel usage, vehicle speed, engine speed, engine status, and vehicle location to a remote server. A subset of accumulated fuel usage is retrieved for a set of the vehicles…
Ultrasonic applicators with UV light sources and methods of use thereof
Granted: October 6, 2020
Patent Number:
10792693
A method of controlling application of material onto a substrate is provided. The method includes ejecting an ultraviolet (UV) curable material through a plurality of micro-applicators in the form of atomized droplets. At least one UV light source is positioned adjacent to the plurality of micro-applicators and the atomized droplets are irradiated with UV light by the at least one UV light source and curing of the atomized droplets is initiated. The atomized droplets are deposited onto a…
Method and system for detecting misalignment of a front end accessory drive belt
Granted: September 15, 2020
Patent Number:
10774739
The present discloser is directed toward a method for detecting misalignment of a belt for a front end accessory drive system. The method includes acquiring, by a plurality of optical sensors, multiple images of the belt arranged on a series of pulleys of the drive system. The belt includes a contrast element that is detectable by the optical sensors system and is visually distinct from a color of the belt. The method further includes analyzing, by way of a controller, data indicative of…
Minimum quantity lubrication thread tap
Granted: September 15, 2020
Patent Number:
10773323
A thread tap includes a shaft and teeth. The shaft includes helical passages from the threading end to the base end of the shaft. Each passage opens through an aperture in the threading end. A second tap includes a cap and the shaft includes an axially extending passage. The cap is coupled to the threading end and at least partially defines apertures in fluid communication with the passage and the exterior of the tap. A third tap includes teeth spaced apart by a plurality of linear…
Multidiameter cutting tool having balanced minimum quantity lubrication flow and method of manufacturing a multidiameter cutting tool
Granted: September 8, 2020
Patent Number:
10766080
A cutting tool and method of manufacturing a tool including determining desired flowrates to cutting edges. The method includes calculating pressure drop and passage dimensions for each of an nth-number of passages to the cutting edges based on In=(Pn*Ann)/(?n*Ln), wherein In is nth-passage flow rate, Pn is nth-passage pressure drop, Ann is nth-passage cross-sectional area raised to a power n, the power n being equal to 1 or 0.5, ?n is nth-passage resistivity, and Ln is nth-passage…
Via designs for removing water in fuel cell stacks
Granted: September 8, 2020
Patent Number:
10770736
Structures and methods are disclosed for removing water, and particularly for preventing ice blockages, in solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprising reactant vias that fluidly connect a reactant transition region to a reactant port. Water can be removed from the reactant via by making its surface superhydrophobic while incorporating at least one additional via with a hydrophilic surface in parallel therewith.
Steering wheel alignment apparatus for aligning a vehicular steering wheel
Granted: September 1, 2020
Patent Number:
10760905
The present disclosure is directed toward a steering wheel alignment apparatus that includes a sensor, a sensor housing, an anchor portion, and a weighted portion. The sensor is configured to measure an angular position of the steering wheel. The sensor housing defines a cavity to hold the sensor. The anchor portion extends from the sensor housing and is configured to engage with a low portion of a steering wheel. The weighted portion extends from the anchor portion to bias the sensor…
Methods and apparatus to enable vehicle-to-vehicle guidance and tracking
Granted: August 25, 2020
Patent Number:
10755580
Methods and apparatus to enable vehicle-to-vehicle guidance and tracking are disclosed. An example method includes transmitting, from a first vehicle, a first message to a second vehicle. The first message requests the second vehicle to become a leader vehicle. The example method further includes receiving a second message from the second vehicle. The second message includes leader information indicative of a travel path of the second vehicle. The example method also includes receiving…
Dynamic characterization system for measuring a dynamic response
Granted: August 25, 2020
Patent Number:
10753823
The present disclosure relates to a system for measuring a dynamic response of a machine. The system includes a vibration mechanism, an accelerometer, a controller and a casing. The vibration mechanism is operable to generate an excitation signal, and the accelerometer is operable to measure dynamic energy in response to the excitation signal and output a dynamic response signal indicative of the dynamic energy. The controller includes a communication interface and operates the vibration…
Cylinder bore having variable coating
Granted: August 18, 2020
Patent Number:
10746128
Engine blocks and methods of forming the same are disclosed. The engine block may comprise a body including at least one cylindrical engine bore wall having a longitudinal axis and including a coating extending along the longitudinal axis and having a coating thickness. The coating may have a middle region and first and second end regions, and a plurality of pores may be dispersed within the coating thickness. The middle region may have a different average porosity than one or both of…
Method and system for monitoring machine health to improve machine cycle time impact
Granted: August 11, 2020
Patent Number:
10739754
The present disclosure is directed toward a method for monitoring health of a machining tool operable in a machining state to form a workpiece and a non-machining state. The method includes determining whether a machine health routine is to be performed based on a machine health record stored by the control system, and retrieving a non-machining cyclic schedule, in response to the machine health routine having to be performed, where the non-machining cyclic schedule defines a timetable…
Method and system for measuring seal contact
Granted: August 4, 2020
Patent Number:
10731978
The present disclosure is directed toward a method for measuring a seal gap between a closing member and a fixed member. The method includes applying a liquid agent having transferable properties along one or more regions of a stamping member to form one or more base marks. The stamping member is one of the closing member or the fixed member. The method further includes engaging the closing member with the fixed member, disengaging the closing member from the fixed member, and assessing…
Localized tempering of carburized steel
Granted: August 4, 2020
Patent Number:
10730144
A method for joining a carburized steel workpiece to a cast iron workpiece is provided that includes tempering a localized area of the carburized steel workpiece, machining the localized area to reduce carbon content, and welding the carburized steel workpiece to the cast iron workpiece at the localized area. The tempering may be performed by induction heating and results in a hardness profile of the localized area of less than 50 HRC.
Below freezing start-up method for fuel cell system
Granted: July 14, 2020
Patent Number:
10714771
Methods are disclosed for starting up a fuel cell system from starting temperatures below 0° C. The methods apply to systems comprising a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack whose cathodes comprise an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst and whose anodes comprise both a hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) catalyst and an oxidation evolution reaction (OER) catalyst. In the methods, from the beginning of starting up until the fuel cell temperature reaches 0° C., the fuel cell…
Method to transport goods, goods-carrying rail vehicle, and goods terminal
Granted: July 7, 2020
Patent Number:
10703393
The present disclosure relates to an autonomous rail transport system with the aid of a rail network. The rail transport system according to the disclosure comprises at least one autonomous goods-carrying rail vehicle and at least two autonomous goods terminals. The goods-carrying rail vehicle is designed to transport at least one item of goods while the goods terminals are each designed to receive and/or release at least one item of goods. The item of goods is transported autonomously…
Device and thread gauging method for ensuring spark plug orientation
Granted: June 30, 2020
Patent Number:
10697750
A method of operating a measurement device to check an internal thread of a spark plug bore for proper orientation of a spark plug includes positioning a cylinder head relative to the measurement device and measuring a seat surface z-position. The seat surface is configured to seat the spark plug within the spark plug bore. The method includes measuring at least one set of coordinates. Each set of coordinates is at a major diameter of a corresponding threadform of the internal thread.…
