Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Barton Heldke

J Michael McKeon

Gregory B Zinn

Daniel Carl Bejune

Huanan Tong

Jason Sobick

An exemplary closure system includes, among other things, a striker assembly, a latch assembly, and a hooked structure. In response to the striker assembly and the latch assembly being laterally displaced from each other, the hooked structure engages one of the striker assembly or the latch assembly to block separation of the striker assembly from the latch assembly. An exemplary latching method includes, among other things, engaging a hooked structure in response to a striker assembly being laterally displaced relative to a latch assembly. The engaging blocks the striker assembly from separating relative to the latch assembly.

Closure system that resists separation when laterally loaded

A powered lift gate for an automotive vehicle includes a lift gate door hinged to a vehicle body. A motor system which opens and closes the door is operated by a controller coupled to a primary obstacle detection system which senses operation of the motor itself, and by a secondary detection system which directly senses an object interposed between a margin of the door and the door opening panel. A pinch protection member interposed between a marginal zone of the door and the door opening panel includes a resilient element having sufficient strength to support an object positioned between the door and the door opening panel such that the primary obstacle detection system will be triggered when the door and motor develop a predetermined compressive force upon the object. The predetermined compressive force is selected to allow normal operation of the lift gate, without subjecting an obstructing object to excessive crushing force.

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Novi, MI, United States of America

Barton Heldke