Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Alan Perelli

Nicholas Andrew Mazzocchi

Manoj Patnala

Gary D Mullen

Anthony Ligi, Jr

Stacey H Raines

Russell Joseph Mihm

Frank Qiukui Liu

Francis Raymond Gillis

Bari W Brown

Dan G Busuioc

Jeff Steven Vinton

Yoon Kim

Fernando Ovando

Michael Barthlow

Jolanta Coffey

An airbag assembly for a vehicle is provided that includes a housing coupled to the support structure of a vehicle. An airbag module is coupled to and supported by the housing. The airbag module includes an airbag deployable from an undeployed condition to a deployed condition, and an inflator configured to inflate the airbag from the undeployed condition to the deployed condition. An air duct that is configured to transmit an airflow is at least partially integrally coupled to the housing.

Airbag with integrated air duct

An apparatus and method, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a table that is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The table extends behind an external surface of an instrument panel such that the table is stored within an instrument panel structure when in the stowed position. When in the deployed position, the table is moveable between a plurality of use positions between a driver and a passenger.

Multi-positional tray deployable from instrument panel

An instrument panel includes a housing and an airbag. The housing includes a chute elongated to an end and a door at least partially covering the end of the chute. The airbag is disposed in the chute. The housing includes a first ridge elongated along a perimeter of the end of the chute and a second ridge elongated along a perimeter of the door.

Instrument panel with passenger airbag

An instrument panel includes a substrate having an outer surface and an inner surface, a covering, a foam layer between the outer surface and the covering, and a chute elongated to an end. The end is attached to the inner surface. The end includes a protrusion elongated along a perimeter of the end and extending through the substrate into the foam layer.

A cross-car beam is provided herein. The cross-car beam includes a composite elongated panel extending across a vehicle. A bracket is operably coupled with an elongated panel. An attachment feature and a cowl attachment structure are each integrally formed with the bracket and are disposed at opposing end portions of the bracket.

Vehicle cross-car beam

A vehicle interior trim system such as an instrument panel or a door panel includes a panel substrate defining a deployment aperture. An inflatable device such as an air bag is adapted to deploy through the aperture during a crash. A natural, tanned leather skin covers the substrate, wherein the skin has a tear seam corresponding to the aperture on a hidden surface of the skin. An aperture door may be fitted within the deployment aperture which is adapted to open against the skin in response to deployment of the inflatable device. The tear seam is comprised of a region on the hidden surface of the skin having a disrupted fiber matrix from exposure to an alkaline solution such as ammonia, bleach, sodium tetraborate, sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, trisodium phosphate, potassium hydroxide, and potassium carbonate.

Leather trim panel skin hidden tear seam with disrupted fiber matrix

An instrument panel trim apparatus mounts in a vehicle to frame an instrument cluster above a collapsible steering column. An integrally molded plastic panel has an upper collar section, a lower bridge section, and a shroud section, wherein the upper collar section and lower bridge section are configured to form a frame around the instrument cluster. The upper collar section and lower bridge section converge along a pair of tear seams. The shroud section extends downward from the lower bridge section and has an arched shape to receive the steering column. A plurality of risers are disposed between the shroud section and the lower bridge section for concentrating stress at the tear seams when the shroud section is impinged by the steering column when collapsing, so that the tear seams separate and the lower bridge section and the shroud section can deflect upward.

Instrument cluster finish panel with tear seams

A console assembly includes a console housing with first and second compartments. Each compartment includes one or more track members disposed on an interior portion of each compartment. A tray assembly includes engagement tabs which are adapted to couple to the track members of the first compartment in a first configuration, and further adapted to couple to the track members of the second compartment in a second configuration. Thus, the tray assembly is removable and can be positioned in either the first compartment or the second compartment. The tray assembly is adapted to move between fore and aft positions along the track members, and the tray assembly is also operable between forward and rearward tilt positions in either compartment in assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Alan Perelli