Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Bill Moore Sherwood

Linh Ngoc Doan

Bhavani Thota

Nitesh Jadhav

Tyler Glenn

Mirza Safder Ali Baig

Zhenyan Gao

Cheng Luo

Shaikh Akhlaque-e-rasul

A composite applique assembly for a vehicle interior trim piece includes a flexible receiver element and a flexible insert connected to the flexible receiver element by a sliding joint. An end of the flexible receiver element is fixedly connected to a vehicle door element. An end of the flexible insert opposite to the flexible receiver element end is fixedly connected to a vehicle door element. The flexible receiver element defines an internal channel configured for slidingly receiving the flexible insert therein. The flexible receiver element further defines at least a partial-length slot providing fluid communication with the internal channel.

Sliding joint applique

A frame assembly for a vehicle includes a rocker elongated along an axis and defining a tubular cavity elongated along the axis. The vehicle frame assembly includes a sealed pressurized insert disposed in the cavity and elongated along the axis. The sealed pressurized insert increases the stiffness of the rocker, i.e., decreases the likelihood of deformation of the rocker during an impact of the vehicle, such as a side impact.

Pressurized air insert for side impacts

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Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Bill Moore Sherwood