Methods and apparatus for adaptively assisting developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired drivers
Granted: October 22, 2019
Patent Number:
10449968
Methods and apparatus for adaptively assisting developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired drivers are disclosed. An apparatus comprises a user interface. The user interface is to present first navigation data in a first mode to assist a driver in guiding a vehicle from a current location to a destination location. The user interface is further to present second navigation data in a second mode to assist the driver in guiding the vehicle from the current location to the destination…
Precision air flow routing devices and method for thermal spray coating applications
Granted: October 8, 2019
Patent Number:
10435779
An apparatus for controlling deposition of material from a plasma transferred wire arc (PTWA) torch within a bore is provided. The apparatus includes a duct and a plurality of cannons. The duct includes a plurality of fluid passageways separated by cross-members. The plurality of cannons are disposed adjacent and downstream from the plurality of fluid passageways of the duct. The flow of fluid is simultaneously directed through all of the fluid passageways and the plurality of cannons…
Bonding strength enhancement for ceramic coating on high temperature alloy
Granted: October 1, 2019
Patent Number:
10428727
A system for increasing temperature in an exhaust aftertreatment system upstream of an exhaust aftertreatment device, such as a selective catalyst reduction (SCR) device, is provided. In one form, the system includes a component within an exhaust stream being exposed to exhaust flow and temperatures of at least 200° C. At least one surface of the component includes an adhered ceramic coating that functions as a catalyst to accelerate heating of the exhaust flow. In another form, a…
Artificial aging of strained sheet metal for strength uniformity
Granted: October 1, 2019
Patent Number:
10428412
Methods of heat treating aluminum alloys are disclosed. The method may include forming a sheet of solution heat-treated, quenched, and aged 6xxx series aluminum having a sheet average yield strength of at least 100 MPa into a component. The component may then be attached to an assembly and at least a portion of the assembly may be painted. The method may then include heat treating the assembly to cure the paint and to increase a component average yield to at least 240 MPa. In another…
Method of utilizing thin film pressure sensitive strips to measure pressure applied to a seal
Granted: October 1, 2019
Patent Number:
10428243
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…
System and method for aiming a vehicular headlamp
Granted: September 17, 2019
Patent Number:
10414453
A headlamp aiming method for a vehicle includes measuring, by a height measurement instrument, at least two reference heights of at least two reference areas along a body of the vehicle. The height measurement instrument is positioned external of the vehicle, and one of the at least two reference heights is indicative of a height of a headlamp of the vehicle. The method further includes determining a vehicle pitch and a headlamp height variation of the vehicle based on the measured…
Structures and preparation methods for catalyst coated membranes for fuel cells
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10403905
Simplified methods for preparing a catalyst coated membrane (CCM) for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The CCM has two reinforcing, expanded polymer sheets and the methods involve forming the electrolyte membrane from ionomer solution during assembly of the CCM. Thus, the conventional requirement to obtain, handle, and decal transfer solid polymer sheets in CCM preparation can be omitted. Further, CCM structures with improved mechanical strength can be prepared by orienting the…
Chock assembly
Granted: August 27, 2019
Patent Number:
10393627
A chock assembly for a vehicle test rig includes a guide member, a chock, and a securing member. The chock is coupled to the guide member, and the securing member is configured to secure the guide member to the vehicle test rig. The guide member is movably coupled to the securing member.
Method and system for flanging a metal piece
Granted: August 27, 2019
Patent Number:
10391537
A method and system for flanging a metal part is provided to improve the final dimensions of the part to a desired shape. Residual stresses from flanging operations can distort a final shape of the metal part. This disclosure provides an initial flanging step in which metal gainers are formed into the metal during a first flanging step. The metal gainers provide an increased amount of metal at select regions. Then, during a next flanging step, the metal gainers are smoothened or removed…
Electrode catalyst layer for fuel cell, method for producing the same, and membrane electrode assembly and fuel cell using the catalyst layer
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10367218
Provided is an electrode catalyst layer excellent in gas transportability by using an electrode catalyst layer for fuel cell comprising a catalyst containing a catalyst carrier and a catalytic metal carried on the catalyst carrier and an electrolyte, wherein the catalyst partially is coated with the electrolyte, and a specific surface area of the catalytic metal which gas can reach without passing through an electrolyte is 50% or more, with respect to the total specific surface area of…
Method for generating CNC machine offset based on thermal model
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10365633
The present disclosure generally describes a method for processing a workpiece in a machine, where the method determines an offset of the machine and adjusts for the offset during production operation. In one form, the method includes logging offset data of the machine over a period of operational time having varying thermal conditions, and comparing the logged offset data against a thermal model, where the thermal model is generated based on a probing routine and dry cycling for a…
Method for thermal control of cast-in components during manufacturing
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10363601
A method for forming a product having cast-in components provides an insulating barrier of solidified sand formed next to the insider diameter of the cast-in component. The center of the solidified sand is hollow. Before pouring the molten metal into the primary runner/riser system that feeds the portion of the mold that will create the actual part, the molten material is poured into the hollow portion of the solidified sand through a separate runner/riser system. This molten metal…
Motor vehicle with a mobile vehicle seat
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10363178
The disclosure concerns a motor vehicle with a mobile vehicle seat. The seat includes a frame that forms a seating surface and a backrest. An energy source is arranged in the frame. A drive motor is arranged in the frame and connected to the energy source. At least one wheel is arranged on the frame and in drive connection with the drive motor. A control device controls the drive motor, and a first coupling is arranged on the frame to releasably fix the frame to the motor vehicle. A…
Interpolated milling tools and methods
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10343224
Milling tools and methods are disclosed. The method may include moving a milling tool having at least two axially spaced apart sets of cutting inserts to an axial position within a bore in a material and rotating the milling tool about a longitudinal axis. Contact between the milling tool and a wall of the bore may be initiated in a region of the wall having a least amount of material at the axial position. The milling tool may include a tool shaft having a longitudinal axis, a first set…
Method and device of surface-treating a metallic part
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10337095
In one or more embodiments, a shielding device is provided to shield a bore of a shaft against surface treatment, the shielding device including a sleeve to be at least partially received within the bore, the sleeve defining on its side wall a through-aperture and being of a first cross-sectional dimension when the through-aperture is at a rest position, and a pin to be at least partially received within the sleeve, the sleeve being of a second cross-sectional dimension greater than the…
Microcellular foam extension dash panel
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10336878
A composition for the manufacture of temperature resistant and sound attenuating automotive parts includes polyethylene terephthalate resin, basalt fibers, and mica. The basalt fibers and mica may be between 35 and 40% of the composition by weight of the total composition. The basalt fibers may be between 20 and 30% of the composition by weight and the mica may be between 5 and 15% of the composition by weight. The basalt fibers may be 25% of the composition by weight and the mica may be…
Multi-valued decision diagram feature state determination
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10325063
A system is provided with memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store data representative of a multi-valued decision diagram (MDD). The processor is in communication with the memory and is programmed to receive a current selection of one or more of the features, and to determine a feature state for each of the one or more features, based on the current selection and the possible configurations defined by the MDD. The processor is further programmed to calculate an…
System for inspecting vehicle bodies
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10323932
An inspection station includes a conveyor, a first scanner, a second scanner, a controller, and an interface. The conveyor is configured to continuously transport a vehicle body through the station. The first scanner is configured to detect features of the vehicle body and associated feature coordinates relative to a global coordinate system. The second scanner is configured to detect paint thicknesses on surfaces of the vehicle body and associated paint thickness coordinates relative to…
Method and system for aligning a terahertz sensor system
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10323931
The present disclosure is directed toward a method for aligning a radiation head of a terahertz sensor system with a target surface. The method includes: scanning a selected area of the target surface with a terahertz radiation beam emitted by the radiation head; sensing a peak amplitude for each reflected radiation signal from a plurality of reflected radiation signals received by the radiation head during the scanning of the selected area; and identifying a normal position of the…
Method of machining an opening in a plurality of blanks
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10315243
A method and a system are disclosed for making an article of manufacture from a blank defining an internal opening. A stack of blanks are aligned and the internal openings of the blanks in the stack of blanks are machined by a rotary cutting tool to a finished dimension. The blanks are clamped together before machining in a numerically controlled machine tool. The blanks are subsequently formed individually in a sheet metal forming operation in which the inner perimeter of the internal…
