| 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 |