Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090184533 | Vehicle Endgate Hinge Assembly - A vehicle endgate hinge assembly is disclosed. The hinge assembly has a bodyside hinge strap including a hinge support boss extending through the endgate opening shut-face and having a central hole that is coaxial with the endgate pivot axis, a mounting plate located outboard of the shut-face, and a threaded portion extending from the mounting plate through the shut-face. The hinge assembly may have a crank including a hinge key pivotally coupled to a member mounted on the endgate, a pivot shaft extending from the hinge key through the central hole, a lever arm extending from the pivot shaft normal to the endgate pivot axis, and a ball extending from the lever arm spaced from the endgate pivot axis. A nut is located inboard of the endgate opening shut-face and threadably received on the threaded portion, and an energy storage mechanism is coupled to the ball. | 07-23-2009 |
20090250577 | Endgate Hinge for Motor Vehicle Having Dual Pivot Axes - An assembly for opening and closing a cargo opening of a motor vehicle includes first and second posts located at opposite lateral sides of the cargo opening, the second post being spaced laterally from the first post, an endgate able to open and close the cargo opening, and first, second and third brackets, each bracket secured to one of the posts and the endgate, and defining a lateral axis and an upright axis. The first bracket is secured to the first post. The second bracket is secured to the second post such that the lateral axis of the second bracket is aligned with the lateral axis of the first bracket. The third bracket is secured to the first post at an elevation higher than an elevation of the first bracket such that the upright axis of the third bracket is aligned with the upright axis of the first bracket. | 10-08-2009 |
20090250959 | Motor Vehicle Endgate Hinge Having Dual Pivot Axes - An assembly for opening and closing a passageway into the body of a motor vehicle includes a post secured to the body at a lateral side of the passageway, an endgate for opening and closing the passageway, and a hinge secured to the endgate and the post. The hinge defines a lateral axis and supports the endgate for pivoting about the lateral axis relative to the post, and the hinge defines an upright axis and supports the endgate for pivoting about the upright axis relative to the post. | 10-08-2009 |
20090250960 | HINGE AND CATCH ASSEMBLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLE ENDGATE SYSTEM - An assembly for opening and closing a passageway into the body of a vehicle includes a post secured to the body at a lateral side of the passageway, an endgate for opening and closing the passageway and able to swing alternately about a lateral axis and an upright axis, a pivot support secured to the first post and aligned with the lateral axis, and a pivot secured to the endgate and aligned with the lateral axis, for alternately engaging and disengaging the pivot support, with the engagement supporting the endgate for pivoting about the lateral axis, and with the disengagement permitting the endgate to pivot about the upright axis. | 10-08-2009 |
20090250961 | Endgate Hinge for Motor Vehicle Having Dual Pivot Axes - An assembly for opening and closing a passageway into a motor vehicle includes an endgate for opening and closing the passageway. First, second and third brackets are secured to the endgate, each bracket including a socket, a ball retained in the socket and a rod secured to the ball, the rod being able to pivot about an upright axis into alignment with a lateral axis, the first bracket being secured to the body at a first lateral side of the passageway, the second bracket being secured to the body at a second lateral side of the passageway opposite the first side, and the third bracket being secured to the body at the first lateral side and at an elevation such that the upright axis of the third bracket is aligned with the upright axis of the first bracket. | 10-08-2009 |
20090274531 | Universal Cargo Rail Clamp - An adjustable clamp assembly for attaching an accessory to a vehicle having a cargo rail. The assembly includes a rail clamp member attachable to the cargo rail and an adjustable clasp catcher operatively attached to the rail clamp member. A clasp is configured to selectively interface with one of at least two attachment features on the adjustable clasp catcher. An accessory fitting configured to accept attachment of the vehicle accessory is connected with respect to the clasp such that the accessory fitting is selectively attachable to the adjustable clasp catcher, thereby capable of attaching the accessory to the vehicle through the cargo rail. A locking member may be operatively attached to the clasp and configured to selectively exert a locking force between the clasp and adjustable clasp catcher. | 11-05-2009 |
20100084885 | Viscous Rotary Damper for Vehicle End Gate Assembly - A viscous rotary damping device for a vehicle end gate assembly is provided. The damping device includes a housing member configured to operatively attach to the vehicle body or the end gate assembly. The housing member defines a fluid chamber having viscous fluid therein. The damping device also includes an impeller member having a mast with a first end configured to operatively attach to the other of the vehicle body and the end gate assembly, and a second end having one or more blades projecting outward therefrom. The second end of the mast is rotatably received in the fluid chamber such that the impeller member dissipates kinetic energy generated by the end gate assembly when transitioning between a first, closed position and a second, open position. A cover plate member is preferably coupled to the housing member, and configured to fluidly seal the fluid chamber. | 04-08-2010 |
20100119324 | Clinch Nut to Prevent Corrosion - A clinch nut is used to attach a first panel and a second panel with a space therebetween for accepting a liquid primer. The body has a nut face for abutting a first panel and a threaded aperture through the nut body for receiving a threaded bolt. The nut face has grooves into which the first panel is deformed to clinch the nut body to the first panel. An abutment rises from the nut face a distance greater than the thickness of the first panel so that upon the bolting of the second panel to the first panel by the insertion of the threaded bolt into the threaded aperture of the nut body, the second panel will be spaced from the first panel by the abutment thereby assuring that the liquid primer can flow between the first and second panels. | 05-13-2010 |
20130212863 | ADJUSTABLE TUNING PIN ASSEMBLY - A tuning pin assembly for mounting a first structural component to a second structural component. A locating pin is fixed to the first component and has a shaft with an outer surface that is concentric about a pin axis. An eccentric cap has a radially inner pin engagement surface that is mounted on the outer surface and is concentric about the pin axis, a radially outer alignment surface that is eccentric about the pin axis and slides into an alignment hole in the second component to align the second component relative to the first component. A first rotation resistance feature is located on at least one of the outer surface of the locating pin and the pin engagement surface of the eccentric cap engaging between the outer surface and the pin engagement surface to resist torque applied to the eccentric cap to rotate the cap. | 08-22-2013 |
20140059859 | METHOD OF ASSEMBLING A FRONT END ASSEMBLY OF A VEHICLE - A method of assembling a front end assembly of a vehicle is provided. The method includes integrally forming a positioning and reinforcement structure having a relatively rectilinear configuration comprising a top support member, a bottom support member, a first side member and a second side member. The method also includes detachably coupling a first wing structure to the first side member. The method further includes operably mounting a first fender assembly to a first side flange of the first wing structure. The method yet further includes operably coupling a centering bracket proximate the top support member. The method also includes locating and centering the positioning and reinforcement structure to a hood with the centering bracket. The method further includes fixedly securing the positioning and reinforcement structure to a radiator support disposed rearwardly of the positioning and reinforcement structure. | 03-06-2014 |
20140061407 | INTEGRATED HOOD LATCH KEEPER FOR A GRILL OPENING REINFORCEMENT STRUCTURE - A position-controlled front hood latch bracket for a vehicle includes a bracket base having a hood latch opening configured to receive a hood latch assembly having a latch base, the latch base having a perimeter and a plurality of locating apertures. The front hood latch bracket also includes a plurality of spaced-apart hood latch keeper features, the hood latch keeper features configured to receive and keep the perimeter of the latch base in slidable engagement with the bracket base while enabling a predetermined amount of movement of the latch base relative to the bracket base in a pre-assembly position. The bracket further includes a plurality of fastener apertures each configured to receive a fastener for detachably attaching the latch base to the bracket base, the locating apertures having a size and a location that exposes the fastener apertures in the preinstallation position regardless of the predetermined amount of movement. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062136 | LASER WELDED STRUCTURAL FENDER INNER BLANK FOR MASS OPTIMIZATION - An inner fender panel for a structural fender of an automotive vehicle is disclosed. The panel includes an outer surface configured for attachment to the inner surface of an outer panel of the fender and an inner surface; the inner panel comprising a plurality of abutting inner fender panel sections that are joined to one another, each inner fender panel section having a thickness, at least two abutting inner fender panel sections having thicknesses that are different. A structural fender for an automotive vehicle is also disclosed. The fender includes a formed outer panel having a viewable outer surface and an inner surface. The fender also includes a formed inner fender panel as described comprising a plurality of abutting inner fender panel sections that are joined to one another, each inner fender panel section having a thickness, at least two abutting inner fender panel sections having thicknesses that are different. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062140 | POSITIONING AND REINFORCEMENT STRUCTURE FOR A VEHICLE - A positioning and reinforcement structure for a vehicle includes a top support member and a bottom support member each extending relatively horizontally in a cross-car orientation and relatively parallel to each other. Also included is a first side member and a second side member each extending relatively vertically and relatively parallel to each other, the first side member and the second side member each coupled to the top support member and the bottom support member. Further included is a first wing structure detachably coupled to the first side member, the first wing structure comprising a first side flange configured to operably mount to a first fender assembly. Yet further included is a centering bracket disposed proximate a top side of the top support member, the centering bracket configured to locate a front region of a hood to the positioning and reinforcement structure. | 03-06-2014 |
20140062141 | HOOD ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE AND METHOD OF ALIGNING FRONT END ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS FOR A VEHICLE - A hood assembly for a vehicle includes a hood having a top side and an underside. Also included is a hood latch-striker reinforcement plate operably coupled to the underside of the hood and having a retaining recess. Further included is at least a portion of a centering tool removably disposed within the retaining recess and extending downwardly away from the underside of the hood. Yet further included is a centering bracket operably coupled to a top support member of a positioning and reinforcement structure and having an aperture configured to receive the centering tool therein for locating the positioning and reinforcement structure to the hood. | 03-06-2014 |
20140070570 | REVERSE-DRIVE ELASTOMERIC HELICAL-THREAD HOOD BUMPER - A hood bumper is provided and includes a first end including a body defining a longitudinal axis and a surface having an angular edge oriented along the longitudinal axis, a second end opposite the first end and including a skirt portion and a bumper portion protruding from a longitudinal end of the skirt portion in a protrusion direction defined along the longitudinal axis and an intermediate section interposed between the first and second ends. The intermediate section includes reverse-helical threading. | 03-13-2014 |
20140132033 | FRONT FASCIA OR GRILL SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND AERODYNAMIC SHUTTER ASSEMBLY - A fascia support structure and aerodynamic shutter assembly for a vehicle includes a fascia support structure, comprising: a top portion comprising a substantially U-shaped body comprising a top fascia support member, a first side fascia support member and a second side fascia support member, the first side fascia support member having a first side baffle, the second side fascia support member having a second side baffle; and a bottom portion comprising a bottom baffle, the bottom portion attached to the first and second side fascia support members, the top portion and the bottom portion comprising a fascia support structure opening, at least one of the first side baffle, second side baffle or bottom baffle having a seal member disposed on a leading edge. The assembly also includes an aerodynamic shutter system comprising a shutter frame having a shutter frame opening and a plurality of rotatable shutters disposed therein. | 05-15-2014 |
20140132034 | GRILL OPENING REINFORCEMENT ASSEMBLY - A grill opening reinforcement (GOR) assembly of a vehicle is provided. The GOR assembly includes a shutter body formed to define a first opening, a front fascia and a seal. The shutter body includes a top portion, first and second side support members and a bottom portion. The front fascia is formed to define a second opening and is supportively attachable to the shutter body. The seal is disposable on a leading edge of at least one of the first and second side support members and the bottom portion and is configured to define an airflow path from the second opening to the first opening. | 05-15-2014 |
20140132035 | FRONT FASCIA SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND A VEHICLE COMPRISING THE SAME - A fascia support structure for a vehicle includes a top portion, the top portion comprising a substantially U-shaped body comprising a top fascia support member, a first side fascia support member and a second side fascia support member, the first side fascia support member having a first side baffle, the second side fascia support member having a second side baffle. The structure also includes a bottom portion attached to the first side fascia support member and the second side fascia support member, the bottom portion comprising a bottom baffle and an integrated locking structure disposed on a surface. A front fascia for a vehicle includes a viewable surface and an opposed structural surface, the structural surface comprising an integrated locking member, the integrated locking member configured for interlocking mating engagement with a fascia support structure. | 05-15-2014 |
20140191538 | DETACHABLE POSITIONING AND REINFORCEMENT STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF DISASSEMBLING A FRONT END ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE - A detachable positioning and reinforcement structure includes a first wing structure operably coupled to a first automotive component. Also included is a second wing structure operably coupled to a second automotive component. Further included is a central portion removably coupled to the first wing structure, the second wing structure and a third automotive component disposed rearwardly of the central portion. | 07-10-2014 |
20140192549 | VEHICLE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF INSTALLING A VEHICLE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY - A vehicle headlamp assembly includes a first guiding component. Also included is a headlamp housing having a second guiding component for engaging the first guiding component in a sliding relationship for directing of the headlamp housing toward a loaded position. Further included is at least one locating pin integrally formed with and extending from the headlamp housing, the at least one locating pin configured to extend through an aperture of an adjacent vehicle component for providing stable positioning of the headlamp housing during installation of the vehicle headlamp assembly. | 07-10-2014 |
20140208602 | DIMENSIONAL CENTERING STRUCTURE FOR A VEHICLE AND METHOD OF ESTABLISHING A DIMENSIONAL REFERENCE DATUM - A method of establishing a dimensional reference datum for a vehicle front end assembly is provided. The method includes locating a positioning and reinforcement structure proximate a front end of a vehicle chassis. Also included is operably coupling the positioning and reinforcement structure to a first vehicle component, wherein the positioning and reinforcement structure is moveable relative to the first vehicle component. Further included is fixedly centering the positioning and reinforcement structure relative to a second vehicle component. Yet further included is positioning and operably coupling a plurality of front end components based on the dimensional reference datum provided by the fixed centered position of the positioning and reinforcement structure. | 07-31-2014 |