Ford Motor Company

About: Ford Motor Company is a company organization based out in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Internal combustion engine & Clutch. The organization has 36123 authors who have published 51450 publications receiving 855200 citations. The organization is also known as: Ford Motor & Ford Motor Corporation.

Method for controlling energy flow in a hybrid electric vehicle

Abstract: An operating strategy for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) manages the flow of energy to both supply the motive demand power of the HEV and maintain the charge of the energy storage system (ESS). A controller operates the main power unit (HPU) and ESS and, using an optimal fuel cost strategy, scans all possible combinations of power from the HPU and ESS that satisfy the motive demand power. The combination with the lowest fuel cost is selected and the ESS is charged, when possible, using marginal charging; but, if the state of charge of the ESS falls below a certain level, fast charging is invoked. A minimum power threshold strategy can be used rather than the fuel cost strategy. The minimum power threshold strategy determines the optimal compromise of HPU operation and ESS operation to maximize fuel economy by using a motive power threshold below which the HPU is not operated except to recharge the ESS.

Vehicle navigation system having inferred user preferences

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system for providing route guidance in response to an input destination. The navigation system comprises a position sensing unit for sensing the location of the vehicle, a user input device for entering preferred route criteria and the desired destination, a display for outputting route guidance information, a controller, and a machine learning unit. The machine learning unit communicates with the controller and the user input, and monitors the user-selected preferred route criteria during a learning phase. Once the preferred route criteria have been learned, the machine learning unit enters an intervention phase whereby inferred user-preferred route criteria is transmitted directly to the controller. In this manner, users need not enter preferred route criteria upon each navigation sequence.

Transmission clutch loop transfer control

Abstract: A method for controlling the transfer of load from one friction element to another friction element while making a gear ratio change in an automatic transmission. The synchronous engine speed is increased by slipping the offgoing clutch. A constant is calculated from known speed ratios of the gear set, engine inertia, the difference in engine speed from synchronous speed and a constant that corresponds to the output torque at the end of the torque phase of the gear ratio shift. The time rate of change of the offgoing clutch torque is calculated and the clutch pressures are changed in accordance with the calculated torque slope.

Disc Brake Squeal: Mechanism, Analysis, Evaluation, and Reduction/Prevention

Abstract: Chapters written by professional and academic experts in the field cover: analytical modeling and analysis, CEA modeling and numerical methods, techniques for dynamometer and road test evaluation, critical parameters that contribute to brake squeal, robust design processes to reduce/prevent brake squeal via up-front design, and more.