Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140338414 | Method of Calibrating an Extruded Straight Tube - A method and tool for calibrating an extruded tube for use in a manufacturing operation. According to the method, the tube is stretched while in a clamping tool by approximately 3%. The tool encloses the tube while a stretching mechanism is clamped to opposite longitudinal ends of the tube and applies a stretching force to opposite ends of the tube. The tool includes a clamping mechanism that clamps the tube into a cavity and a stretching mechanism with clamps that are attached to opposite longitudinal ends of the tube to calibrate the tube by longitudinally stretching the tube. | 11-20-2014 |
20150115662 | EXTRUDED BODY COMPONENT WITH NOTCHED FLANGE TO REDUCE STRAIN IN BENDING - A vehicular system is provided with a substantially hollow member having a long axis, a short axis, and an outer surface substantially parallel to the long axis. The outer surface includes a plurality of notched elements configured to reduce strain from bending the member in the direction of the short axis, e.g., by a stretch bending process. The hollow member may also include an outer surface that is curved substantially in the direction of the short axis. A method of making the vehicular assembly includes the steps: providing a substantially hollow member having a long axis, a short axis, and an outer surface substantially parallel to the long axis; cutting a plurality of notched elements into the outer surface; and bending the member such that the portion of the outer surface in proximity to the notched elements is in tension and curved in the short axis direction. | 04-30-2015 |
20150115663 | FORMATION IN HOLLOW EXTRUDED VEHICLE FRAME COMPONENT FOR SUBASSEMBLY ATTACHMENT AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME - A frame component of a vehicle, such as a header beam that couples between the A-pillars of a vehicle frame, includes an extruded hollow member having top and bottom exterior walls and side walls that together enclose an elongated internal volume of the hollow member. A pair of interior walls extends along the internal volume separating outer load sections adjacent to the side walls from a central attachment section. The outer load sections are void of apertures for supporting continuous load paths. A formation on the bottom exterior wall protrudes into the internal volume in the central attachment section. The formation includes an inset surface angled, located, and otherwise configured for attaching a subassembly to the frame component. | 04-30-2015 |
20150115665 | HEADER BEAM OF A VEHICLE FRAME AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME - A header beam couples between A-pillars of a vehicle frame. The header beam is formed from a generally straight beam segment that is extruded to have a hollow body portion with supportive legs extending within the hollow interior along the length of the beam segment, defining uninterrupted forward and rearward box sections for supporting continuous load paths on the header beam. The end portions of the beam segment are clamped and the beam segment is stretch bent to form a curvature between the end portions that remain generally straight. A front flange extends forward along the body portion and is struck proximate the end portions to form an edge that is parallel to the curvature formed between the end portions. The end portions are attached to the A-pillars and the edge of the front flange is attached to a windshield. | 04-30-2015 |
20150115666 | HEADER BEAM OF A VEHICLE FRAME AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME - A header beam couples between A-pillars of a vehicle frame. The header beam is formed from a generally straight beam segment that is extruded to have a hollow body portion with supportive legs extending within the hollow interior along the length of the beam segment, defining uninterrupted forward and rearward box sections for supporting continuous load paths on the header beam. The end portions of the beam segment are clamped and the beam segment is stretch bent to form a curvature between the end portions that remain generally straight. A front flange extends forward along the body portion and is struck proximate the end portions to form an edge that is parallel to the curvature formed between the end portions. The end portions are attached to the A-pillars and the edge of the front flange is attached to a windshield. | 04-30-2015 |
20150209855 | METHODS FOR MAKING A VEHICULAR SUBASSEMBLY WITH A NOTCHED FLANGE TO REDUCE STRAIN IN BENDING - A method of making a vehicular subassembly includes a step for providing a roof header comprising a hollow member having a long axis, a short axis, and an outer surface that includes a flange. The method also includes a step of stretch bending the member such that the outer surface is substantially in tension and curved in the short axis direction. The method further includes a step of cutting a plurality of notched elements into the flange to reduce strain from the stretch bending step. In some aspects, the step of cutting can be conducted before the stretch bending to reduce strain in the header associated with the subsequent stretch bending. | 07-30-2015 |
20150375794 | Gap Joint for Closed Section Load Transfer - A hydro-formed body side rail is assembled by a bracket to a front header. The front header is an extruded cross-car structural support that is joined to the body side rail by a framed joint. A gap is defined between the body side outer panel and the hydro-formed side rail relative to a lateral end of a front header. Side impact test loads are applied initially to the body side rail and compress the bracket. Compression of the bracket closes the gap and the impact loads are applied to the cross-car structural support. | 12-31-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110025120 | BRAKE SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE - A brake system for an automotive vehicle includes a controller for operating friction and powertrain braking subsystems so that hydraulic pressure to the friction brakes is minimized during powertrain braking, while at the same time emulating the driver-interface operating characteristics of a pure friction-braking system during all operating conditions. | 02-03-2011 |
20140265543 | CONTROL OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A hybrid or electric vehicle includes a hydraulic brake system having an active vacuum booster with an active boost control valve actuated by at least one controller. An isolation valve is disposed in a fluid circuit that fluidly connects a master cylinder to hydraulic brakes. A brake pedal is capable of moving in an initial deadband displacement range when initially depressed by an operator of the vehicle. While in the initial deadband displacement range, the controller selectively activates the isolation valve to inhibit fluid flow from at least a portion of the fluid circuit to the master cylinder based at least upon an operating state of the active boost control valve. | 09-18-2014 |
20150149017 | AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE MODES - A vehicle operator is identified. Based at least in part on the operator's identity, one or more parameters are determined specifying a mode for autonomously operating the vehicle. The vehicle is autonomously operated at least in part according to the one or more parameters. | 05-28-2015 |
20150149018 | WEARABLE COMPUTER IN AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE - A wearable computing device in a vehicle is identified by a vehicle in a computer. Collected data is received relating to autonomous operation of the vehicle. A message is sent to the wearable computing device based at least in part on the collected data. | 05-28-2015 |
20150149088 | IN-VEHICLE PATH VERIFICATION - A vehicle is operated at least partially autonomously. A predicted path of the vehicle is monitored to identify an object with which the vehicle is likely to collide. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that includes the predicted path, a proposed path for the vehicle to avoid a collision with an object, and the vehicle. A selection is made to follow one of the predicted path and the proposed path. The GUI is updated to include the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path, along with a location of the vehicle on the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path. | 05-28-2015 |
20150178998 | FAULT HANDLING IN AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE - Data is collected during operation of a vehicle. A determination is made that a confidence assessment of at least one of the data indicates at least one fault condition. A first autonomous operation affected by the fault condition is discontinued, where a second autonomous operation that is unaffected by the fault condition is continued. | 06-25-2015 |
20150197227 | REGENERATIVE BRAKING CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A vehicle regenerative braking control system includes a brake pedal; a brake pedal angle sensor interfacing with the brake pedal; a vehicle braking system interfacing with the brake pedal angle sensor, the vehicle braking system adapted to implement friction braking and regenerative braking responsive to receiving a brake pedal angle input signal from the brake pedal angle sensor; and at least one of a brake pedal switch and a brake master cylinder pressure sensor interfacing with the brake pedal and the vehicle braking system. The vehicle braking system is further adapted to implement friction braking and regenerative braking responsive to input from the at least one of a brake pedal switch and a brake master cylinder pressure sensor in the event that the vehicle braking system does not receive the brake pedal angle input signal from the brake pedal angle sensor. A regenerative braking control method is also disclosed. | 07-16-2015 |
20150251666 | MESSAGING VIA VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL - One of a condition affecting a vehicle and a planned action of the vehicle are identified. An instruction is provided to actuate movement of a steering wheel in the vehicle, wherein the movement is determined according to the one of the condition and the planned action. | 09-10-2015 |
20150274169 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENERGY OPTIMIZATION IN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATION - Vehicle operating systems are autonomously operated. A transient in an upcoming path of the vehicle is determined from a comparison of vehicle path data and vehicle status data to a threshold of mechanism first operating system. Operational parameters for one of first and second operating systems are selected according to the comparison. The selected operational parameters are applied to the operation of the one of the first and second operating systems. | 10-01-2015 |
20150329093 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WHEEL SLIP CONTROL IN A VEHICLE - Methods for controlling wheel slip of a motor vehicle include braking the wheel by supplying a first measured quantity of brake fluid from a modulation cylinder to a brake device of the wheel, determining the wheel slip of the wheel, and moving a second measured quantity of brake fluid between the modulation cylinder and the brake device. When the wheel slip is too small or too large, a change in a volume of the brake fluid in the modulation cylinder is measured and a change in a measure of a braking effect is determined. The second measured quantity of brake fluid is determined on the basis of the measured change in the volume of the brake fluid in the modulation cylinder and the change in the measure of the braking effect. Braking systems configured to carry out the methods, as well as vehicles including the braking systems, are further contemplated. | 11-19-2015 |
20160101810 | TRAILER MOTION AND PARAMETER ESTIMATION SYSTEM - A trailer backup assist system for a vehicle reversing a trailer includes a sensor module adapted to attach to the trailer and generate a trailer yaw rate or a trailer speed. The trailer backup assist system also includes a vehicle sensor system that generates a vehicle yaw rate and a vehicle speed. Further, the trailer backup assist system includes a controller that estimates a hitch angle based on the trailer yaw rate or the trailer speed and the vehicle yaw rate and the vehicle speed in view of a kinematic relationship between the trailer and the vehicle. | 04-14-2016 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090108672 | COMBINATION REGENERATIVE AND FRICTION BRAKING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE - A combination regenerative and friction braking system for an automotive vehicle includes an active booster master cylinder and a number of wheel cylinders connected to the master cylinder. A brake control unit is connected with brake pipes extending from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinders. At least one pressure reducing valve is positioned in one of the brake pipes so as to allow the active booster master cylinder to actuate selective ones of the wheel cylinders during regenerative braking without activating wheel cylinders servicing wheels which are being braked regeneratively. | 04-30-2009 |
20090306851 | MINIMIZING WHEEL SPEED AND ACCELERATION ERRORS - A method for compensating for wheel speed and acceleration calculation errors comprising the steps of collecting a wheel speed signal, creating at least one compensation factor for the wheel speed signal, correlating each compensation factor with a rotational position of the wheel, modifying each compensation factor individually based on variations in calculations made from the information collected according to the rotational position of the wheel, and calculating wheel speed and acceleration using the at least one compensation factor applied according to the rotational position of the wheel from which the wheel speed signal is collected. | 12-10-2009 |
20090306872 | METHOD FOR COMPENSATING FOR NORMAL FORCES IN ANTILOCK CONTROL - A method for controlling an antilock brake system on a vehicle, the method comprising calculating a prediction of tire normal forces and modifying a brake torque applied to a brake based on the predicted tire normal forces. The prediction of tire normal forces may be calculated using predicted longitudinal forces or estimates of longitudinal forces that are obtained by predicting a master-cylinder pressure. | 12-10-2009 |
20100017088 | PRESSURE, TIRE FORCE AND FRICTION ESTIMATION DURING ANTILOCK CONTROL - A method for estimating a brake pressure, a longitudinal tire force and a tire-road μ during periods of antilock control that measures deceleration of a wheel during a period of constant brake pressure, reduces a brake pressure to cause slip on the wheel to begin reducing, measures reacceleration of the wheel after a point in time in which the change in brake pressure is completed, calculates a change in acceleration based on the measured reacceleration and the measured deceleration, estimates a change in brake pressure from a proportional relationship between the change in acceleration and a brake pressure value, estimates a brake pressure from the relationship between a time for valve activation during a change in acceleration and the change in brake pressure. The method also estimates a longitudinal tire force from a mathematical relationship between the change in acceleration, a tire radius, and the estimated brake pressure. The method also estimates tire-road μ by dividing a normal tire force by the estimated longitudinal tire force. | 01-21-2010 |
20100207447 | TRACTION CONTROL METHOD - A traction control method is provided for dynamically maintaining safe driving traction between a tire ( | 08-19-2010 |
20100281975 | Rotational Speed Sensor Assembly - A sensed element is disclosed for incorporation into an apparatus that includes a rotatable shaft. The sensed element includes at least one sensor-detectible feature detectible by a sensing device for use in measuring a rotational speed of the shaft, a base portion coupled to the shaft so as to rotate with the shaft, and a projection extending from the base portion. The projection is engageable with a portion of the apparatus to limit movement of the sensed element along the shaft. The projection may also aid in positioning the sensed element within the apparatus during installation and removal of the sensed element. | 11-11-2010 |
20120291545 | Rotational Speed Sensor Assembly - A sensed element is disclosed for incorporation into an apparatus that includes a rotatable shaft. The sensed element includes a base portion mounted directly on the shaft so as to rotate with the shaft, at least one sensor-detectible feature coupled to the base portion, for use in measuring a rotational speed of the shaft, and a projection extending from the base portion and engageable with a portion of the apparatus other than the shaft to limit movement of the element along the shaft. | 11-22-2012 |