Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080231062 | Trunk Emergency Release Handle Having a Luminous Insert - A trunk emergency release handle composed of an exterior shell of preferably opaque plastic material having an instructional pictorial representation in the form of iconic holes conveying purpose and use information of the handle. In one form, a luminous insert is received into a slot of the exterior shell so as to be located at the iconic holes and thereby provide illumination thereof. In a second form, the luminous material is co-molded with the opaque plastic in a two-shot injection molding process. | 09-25-2008 |
20090033104 | Vehicle Door Latch Assembly - A vehicle door and a vehicle door latch assembly is disclosed. The vehicle door includes a door outer panel; a door inner panel affixed to the door outer panel and defining a door wet cavity, with the door inner panel including an access hole; and a door trim panel mounted to the door inner panel and defining a door dry cavity. A door latch is located in the door wet cavity; a latch locking lever is exposed to the door dry cavity and shielded from the door wet cavity, with the latch locking lever engaging the door latch; and a lock rod has a first end attached to the latch locking lever, with the lock rod extending through the access hole and between the door inner panel and the door trim panel, whereby the lock rod is not exposed to the door wet cavity. | 02-05-2009 |
20090139365 | Cable Assembly Conduit Condensation Drain - A cable assembly having a condensation drain provided for the conduit thereof, wherein moisture is enabled to escape the conduit through a drainage opening of the condensation drain, yet the operative interaction between the cable and the conduit of the cable assembly is unaffected by the presence of the condensation drain. The condensation drain may be provided with a drip initiator which assists removal of the moisture from the conduit. | 06-04-2009 |
20100052337 | LATCH SYSTEM FOR A DOOR OF AN AUTOMOBILE - A system is provided for latching a door of an automobile. The system includes, but is not limited to, a first power source, second power source, a latch for the door coupled to the first power source and the second power source, and an electronic control unit configured to control an operation of the latch. The electronic control unit is further configured to determine a status of the first power source, evaluate the status of the first power source, and control the operation of the latch with the second power source if the evaluation of the status indicates the first power source is unavailable. | 03-04-2010 |
20100301618 | CABLE-ACTUATED INERTIAL LOCK FOR A VEHICLE DOOR - A vehicle includes a door assembly having an outside door handle, a latching assembly, and a cable-actuated inertial lock having a moveable linkage disposed within a cavity of a stationary housing. A first end of the cable is connected to the handle, and a second end is connected to the linkage. The inertial lock includes a lever for actuating the latch under normal conditions when the handle is actuated, and also contains a deployable toggle piece that is stowed in the linkage. The toggle piece is configured to rotate within the linkage, and thereafter lock against a shaped inner surface of the housing in response to a threshold acceleration of the type set forth in FMVSS 206 or other standards. A torsion spring may be used to bias the toggle piece into a stowed position within the linkage. | 12-02-2010 |
20110006551 | LATCH ASSEMBLY AND DETENT LEVER THEREOF - A latch assembly includes a frame configured for attachment to a vehicle and having a base. The latch assembly also includes a fork bolt rotatably attached to the frame, and a detent lever rotatably attached to the frame. The detent lever includes a first arm and a second arm substantially perpendicular to the first arm. The first arm is configured for retaining the fork bolt in a latched position and has a tab. The first arm presents a first surface extending along a plane substantially parallel to the base. The tab presents a second surface spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the first surface that is configured for optimizing alignment between the fork bolt and the detent lever in the latched position. | 01-13-2011 |
20110233944 | Door Lock Assembly With Inertia Lock - A door lock assembly for a vehicle door comprises a door inner panel, including a stop, and a bell crank assembly. The bell crank assembly includes a bell crank main plate mounted adjacent to the door inner panel and pivotable about a bell crank pivot axis, a door lock rod extending generally vertically from the main plate and including an end accessible by a vehicle occupant, a latch rod extending horizontally from the main plate and including an end engaging a latch for locking and unlocking the latch, and an inertial pendulum having a first end affixed to the main plate and an opposed free end cantilevered from the main plate, with the inertial pendulum configured so that inertia on the inertial pendulum causes the free end to engage the stop to prevent rotation of the main plate during a vehicle impact event. | 09-29-2011 |
20110278864 | CLIP ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE DOOR LATCH ROD - A clip assembly for securing a latch rod includes a main body and a pivoting body rotatably coupled to the main body. The pivoting body is moveable between an open position allowing insertion of the latch rod relative to the clip assembly, and a closed position securing the latch rod relative to the clip assembly. A fastening mechanism is moveable between a fastened position securing the pivoting body relative to the main body and an un-fastened position allowing the rotational movement of the pivoting body relative to the main body. A biasing device is coupled to the main body and biases the pivoting body into the open position when the fastening mechanism is in the un-fastened position to visually and/or functionally indicate that the pivoting body is not fastened to the main body, and the latch rod is not properly secured within the clip assembly. | 11-17-2011 |
20120019023 | RETRACTING SEAL SURFACE ENABLING INDEPENDENT ACTION OF OPPOSING HINGED VEHICLE DOORS - A seal module for sealing between a first door and a second door of opposing-hinged doors includes a base defining a channel and a retractable seal moveably disposed within the channel. The retractable seal moves between an extended position for sealing between the first door and the second door, and a retracted position spaced from one of the first door and the second door to allow independent pivotable movement of either the first door or the second door. | 01-26-2012 |
20120032454 | LATCHING MECHANISM - A latching system for and a method of latching a first member to a second member are provided. The latching system includes a latching mechanism including a displaceable feature which, when operatively displaced, allows a striker to engage with a housing of the latching mechanism, at a recess defined by the housing, to provide supplementary or auxiliary latching force. The displaceable feature may be displaced by an actuating load transmitted between the striker and the latching mechanism, where the actuating load is substantially greater than the nominal load experienced by the latching system during ordinary latching conditions. The engagement of the striker with the housing at the recess may transfer a portion of the actuating load to the housing during the event generating the actuating load, thereby increasing the latching strength of the latching system and reducing the potential for deformation or distortion of the latching element during the event. | 02-09-2012 |
20120060776 | COMPOUND SHUTTER SYSTEM - A compound shutter system includes a first shutter assembly having at least one louver operable to selectively open and close the first shutter assembly. The compound shutter system also includes a second shutter assembly disposed remotely from the first shutter assembly. The second shutter assembly includes at least one louver operable to selectively open and close the second shutter assembly. The compound shutter system additionally includes a drive element. The drive element operatively connects the first shutter assembly and the second shutter assembly and automatically coordinates operation of the first and second shutter assemblies. A vehicle employing the compound shutter system is also disclosed. | 03-15-2012 |
20120088382 | ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGE CORD LOCK - A charge cord lock system for a vehicle having rechargeable batteries. The system includes a charging receptacle; and a charge cord assembly having a charge plug slidably received in the charging receptacle and including a recess defining a retention flange. The system also includes a cord lock including a catch mounted to a plunger, with the plunger mounted to an actuator that moves the plunger toward and away from the charging receptacle, the catch engaged with the retention flange when the plunger is in an extended position and not engaged with the retention flange when the plunger is in a retracted position; and a controller in communication with a door lock mechanism and the actuator to cause the plunger to move to the retracted position when a door unlock signal is received and to cause the plunger to move to the extended position when a door lock signal is received. | 04-12-2012 |
20120091749 | SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN ACCESS OPENING IN A BODY OF A VEHICLE - A system controlling an access opening in a body of a vehicle includes a door arranged to selectively open and close a first portion of the opening. A latch is mounted on the door for latching the door to the body and releasing the door to selectively open and close the first portion of the opening. A device is mounted on the door and is configured to be retracted by an actuator before the door is opened and to be protracted by the actuator when the door is closed. A detent is mounted on the device to latch the device to the door when the device is protracted and to release the device before the device is retracted. A motor is mounted on the first door and is configured to operate at least two of the latch, the detent, and the actuator. | 04-19-2012 |
20120133175 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACTUATING MULTIPLE COMPONENTS IN A VEHICLE HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING - An actuating system for a vehicle having a body that defines an access opening includes a panel arranged to selectively open and close at least a first portion of the opening. The system also includes multiple components operatively connected to the panel and adapted to be actuated. The system additionally includes a motor operatively connected to the panel and adapted to actuate the multiple components. A vehicle employing the system and a method for sealing an access opening in a body of a vehicle are also provided. | 05-31-2012 |
20120136532 | GLASS INDEXING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method is provided to index the door window glass of a vehicle to disengage the glass from the window sealing interface prior to opening the door. A door latch including an unlatching lever selectively connectable to the inside and outside door handles is configured such that moving either handle to actuate the latch causes an initial change in the position of the unlatching lever prior to latch release. A sensor in the latch detects the initial change in position of the unlatching lever and signals an indexing mechanism to move the glass to the indexed position prior to latch release, such that the glass does not substantially interfere with the sealing interface when the door is moved from a closed position. The system may be configured such that the door lock mechanism must be unlocked prior to the indexing mechanism moving the window to an indexed position. | 05-31-2012 |
20120153678 | MULTI LINK RETRACTING SEAL SURFACE MODULE - A seal module for sealing between a first door and a second door of opposing-hinged doors is moveable between an sealing position for sealing between the first door and the second door, and a withdrawn position longitudinally spaced from one of the first door and the second door to allow for independent pivotable movement of either the first door or the second door. A linkage system including a first swing arm and a second swing arm rotatably interconnects the seal module to the second door, and moves the seal module between the sealing position and the withdrawn position along an arcuate path that is disposed along a plane substantially perpendicular to an outer surface of the opposing-hinged doors. | 06-21-2012 |
20120291358 | LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE - A latching system includes a striker defining an outer width and a latch assembly. The latch assembly includes a support structure including a first side plate, a second side plate spaced from the first side plate, and a top plate fixedly attached to and extending between the first side plate and the second side plate. The first side plate and the second side plate are spaced from each other a separation distance that is greater than the outer width of the striker such that the outer width of the striker is completely disposed between the first side plate and the second side plate when the latch assembly is in a lock position. | 11-22-2012 |
20130219978 | KEY FOB TRANSPORT CLIP - A transport clip for attachment to a key fob is provided. The transport clip includes a neck at least partially surrounding a key blade, which is selectively rotatable between a stowed position in which the key blade is substantially within a fob body and a deployed position in which the key blade extends away from the fob body. The neck prevents rotation of the transport clip relative to the key blade. The transport clip also includes an ear portion that depresses a latch button to an unlocked position, which allows substantially free rotation of the key blade, relative to the fob body, between the deployed position and the stowed position. | 08-29-2013 |
20130263517 | VEHICLE DOOR MANUAL LOCK ASSEMBLY - A door of a vehicle having a door inner panel, a door latch assembly mounted to the inner panel adjacent to a fish mouth opening, with the latch assembly having a lock lever; and a door trim panel mounted on the inner panel including a lock hole on a surface of the trim panel. A manual lock assembly has a mounting bracket, a button cap, a main shaft and a cam. The mounting bracket is mounted to the door trim panel. The button cap telescopically slides in the bracket and has an end extending through the lock hole. The main shaft slides in the bracket, engages with the button cap and extends into contact with the cam. The cam engages the lock lever to cause locking of the latch assembly when the button cap is pushed. | 10-10-2013 |
20130311046 | MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A CENTRALIZED DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM - A motor vehicle has a plurality of doors, each secured by a lock, peripheral control units, each connected to one of said locks, for sending a command signal to an actuator of the lock, a central control unit for sending command signals to the actuators of the locks, and an accident detector. If the accident detector has detected an accident, at least one of the actuators is switchable from a central operating mode in which it executes command signals of the central control unit and its associated peripheral control unit into a peripheral operating mode in which it executes only command signals from its peripheral control unit. | 11-21-2013 |
20140042964 | CHARGE CORD LOCKING/UNLOCKING ACTUATOR - A locking mechanism secures a plug of a charging cord in a charging receptacle of a vehicle and includes an actuator, a linear-actuated cam connected thereto and driven along a linear travel path thereby (the cam defining a slot therein positioned at an angle relative to the path), and a locking arm pivotally mounted at a pivot point to a component disposed adjacent the arm. The arm includes a follower pin that engages the slot. The arm pivots about the point to move between locked and unlocked positions in response to movement of the cam along the path. A housing of the vehicle includes the receptacle, a charging interface connected with the plug to allow current to flow from a charging unit to a system of batteries of the vehicle during a charging operation, and the mechanism. | 02-13-2014 |
20140075847 | REMOTE MANUAL RELEASE FOR AN ELECTRIC LATCH MECHANISM OF A VEHICLE - A vehicle includes a release lever mounted within an interior cavity of a vehicle body. The release lever is manually rotatable between a disengaged position and an engaged position. When disposed in the disengaged position, the release lever is fully disposed within the interior cavity of the body. When disposed in the engaged position, the release lever traverses across a gap between the body and a door into engagement with a latch mechanism to move the latch mechanism into an unlocked position. | 03-20-2014 |
20140117682 | VEHICLE LOCKING SYSTEM - Select variations may include a vehicle door locking system, which may have a vehicle door, a latch, a knob, a conduit an attachment, and a cable. The cable may extend through the conduit and connects the latch to the knob. The conduit may be connected only to the vehicle door but not to the latch or the knob. | 05-01-2014 |
20140196272 | METHOD OF ISOLATING METALLIC FASTENERS IN COMPOSITE PANELS - A method of isolating a metallic fastener from a carbon-fiber composite panel includes inserting the metallic fastener within an electrically isolating annular collar; inserting the metallic fastener and electrically isolating annular collar within a hole defined by the carbon-fiber composite panel; and securing the metallic fastener to the carbon-fiber composite panel. The annular collar may be circumferentially disposed about the metallic fastener such that the annular collar separates and electrically isolates the entire metallic fastener from the carbon-fiber composite panel. As such, the annular collar may minimize the galvanic reaction between the fastener and the carbon-fiber composite panel. | 07-17-2014 |
20140200774 | VEHICLE DOOR LATCH SYSTEM AND METHOD - A door latch system of a vehicle includes a fork bolt lever engagable with a striker and is movable between a latched position for securing the striker and an unlatched position. A detent is movable between an engaged position in which the detent engages with the fork bolt lever to hold the fork bolt lever in the latched position and a disengaged position in which the detent is disengaged from the fork bolt lever to permit the fork bolt lever to move to the unlatched position. A motor, controllable by the controller, is coupled to the detent lever to move the detent lever between the engaged and disengaged positions. A switch may send an unlatch command to the controller. The controller actuates the motor to position the detent in the disengaged position such that the detent is held in the disengaged position until a predetermined condition occurs. | 07-17-2014 |
20140262439 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT TRACES - A method of manufacturing an electrical trace includes forming a continuous electrical trace strip having a plurality of electrical trace elements, stamping one or more electrical trace isolators onto the continuous electrical trace strip across select ones of the plurality of electrical trace members forming one or more electrical trace sub-assemblies, and detaching the one or more electrical trace sub-assemblies from the continuous electrical trace strip. | 09-18-2014 |
20140298638 | ELASTIC CLIP RETAINING ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD OF MATING STRUCTURES WITH AN ELASTIC CLIP RETAINING ARRANGEMENT - An elastic clip retaining arrangement includes a first structure having a main portion. Also included is a second structure having a plurality of receiving apertures, wherein the second structure is configured to be mated with the first structure. Further included is a plurality of elastically deformable clips extending from the main portion, each of the plurality of elastically deformable clips comprising a neck portion and a head portion, wherein the plurality of elastically deformable clips is configured to elastically deform proximate the neck portion upon contact with the plurality of receiving apertures. | 10-09-2014 |
20140298962 | ELASTIC AVERAGING ALIGNMENT SYSTEM, METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME AND CUTTING PUNCH THEREFOR - An elastic averaging alignment system includes a first component comprising a surface, a thickness and a plurality of elastically deformable apertures spaced apart on the surface and extending through the thickness, each of the elastically deformable apertures comprising an aperture peripheral shape and having at least one slit extending radially-outwardly therefrom defining at least one elastically deformable wedge member. A method of making a component alignment system includes providing a first component having a surface and a thickness. The method also includes forming a plurality of alignment features through the thickness of the first component, the alignment features comprising a plurality of elastically deformable apertures spaced-apart on the surface and extending through the thickness, each of the elastically deformable apertures comprising an aperture peripheral shape and having at least one slit extending radially-outwardly therefrom defining at least one elastically deformable wedge member. | 10-09-2014 |
20140366326 | ELASTICALLY DEFORMABLE RETAINING HOOK FOR COMPONENTS TO BE MATED TOGETHER AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING - An elastically deformable retaining hook for matable components includes a first component having a body portion extending from a first end to a second end. Also included is a second component extending from a first end to a second end. Further included is a slot disposed in the first end of the second component and defined by a first, second, third, and fourth slot wall. Yet further included is a hook portion disposed proximate the first end of the body portion. The hook portion includes a first segment extending angularly from the body portion. The hook portion also includes a second segment extending angularly from the first segment and configured to fittingly engage the slot of the second component, wherein the second segment is formed of an elastically deformable material and configured to elastically deform upon engagement with the first slot wall and the second slot wall. | 12-18-2014 |
20150021931 | VEHICLE DOOR LATCH SYSTEM AND METHOD - A door latch system for a vehicle having a front door and a back door includes electric latch mechanisms associated with each door. Open switches are associated with each door to request opening of the doors. Lock switches are associated with each door to request locking and unlocking of the doors. An override switch is associated with the front passenger door and configured to send at least one of an override signal and an enabled signal. A controller prevents unlocking of the doors using the lock switches associated with the back doors unless the back door is open. | 01-22-2015 |
20150037999 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY - An electrical connector assembly including a first connector having a first electrical conductor. A second connector is engagable with the first connector and has a second electrical conductor. The first and second electrical conductors establish an electrical connection through the electrical connector assembly when in contact together. A lock mechanism is arranged to both lock the first and second connectors together and to enable contact between the first and second conductors when the first and second connectors are in a fully engaged relation. A method of establishing an electrical connection through an electrical connector assembly is also included. | 02-05-2015 |
20150078805 | ELASTICALLY AVERAGED ALIGNMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS - In one aspect, an elastically averaged alignment system is provided. The system includes a first component including an alignment member, the alignment member including a plurality of segments. The system also includes a second component including an inner wall defining an alignment aperture, the alignment aperture configured to receive the alignment member to couple the first component and the second component. The alignment member is an elastically deformable material such that when the alignment member is inserted into the alignment aperture, the alignment member elastically deforms to an elastically averaged final configuration to facilitate aligning the first component and the second component in a desired orientation. | 03-19-2015 |