Lear Corporation

Chrysler Corporation

Carter S Cannon

Gerald O Morrison

David M Emerling

Steven J Dimig

Kimberly C Leshan

Douglas J Wilson

John P Slaven

Jack M Van Ert

Thomas J Susko

Iris Drew

Michael W Moran

David T Fu

Todd A Mysliwiec

Daniel M Knight

David P Thomas, Jr

Jaswant Singh

Michael S Boyer

A door module has a water barrier for positioning between the interior surface of a vehicle door exterior panel and the door interior trim panel comprising a sheet of semi-rigid water impervious material having an inner face and an outer face. A permanent pressure sensitive adhesive bead is applied around the periphery of the inner face of the water barrier and is further defined as located inwardly of any openings for mounting the vehicle door exterior panel and the door interior trim panel together. The water barrier further comprises an access opening having a permanent welded hinged opening cover the opening cover having a permanently tacky re-sealable adhesive bead located around the periphery of the non-welded edges.

Door module water shield

A method of imaging a vehicle occupant's body position at the interface between the vehicle occupant and a vehicle seating surface includes positioning a pressure-actuated, controlled-rigidity support bag at the interface between the vehicle occupant and the vehicle seating surface. A vacuum pressure is then created within the pressure-actuated, controlled-rigidity support bag to conform the bag to the contour of the interface between the vehicle occupant and the vehicle seating surface. The conformed bag is then imaged to determine the contour of the interface, thereby determining the vehicle occupant's body position on the vehicle seating surface. With this method, comfort studies may be more efficiently performed, and vehicle seat shells for race car drivers more efficiently manufactured.

Surface imaging method for a vehicle seat

A door assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a molded door panel having a first side and a second side. The first side of the door panel is adapted to face towards a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. The second side of the door panel supports a belt line reinforcement, a lock and catch assembly, and a window lift assembly. The door assembly is adapted for joining with a door exterior.

Vehicle door assembly with a trim panel forming a structural door module component carrier

A vehicle sliding door is movable in forward and rearward directions between opened and closed positions with respect to a vehicle body. The rear door has a cavity formed therein. An armrest is pivotally movable about a pivot axis between a horizontal position for use as an armrest and a vertical position for storage within the cavity. The pivot axis is substantially parallel to the forward and rearward directions. The armrest includes an actuator for automatically moving the armrest between the vertical and horizontal positions as the door moves between the opened and closed positions, respectively. The actuator may comprise a pneumatic drive system, a flexible drive cable or an electric motor for automatically pivoting the armrest between stowed and use positions.

Automatic folding armrest for sliding vehicle door

An adapter ring useable in a door or map pocket having an orientation within a vehicle is disclosed. The adapter ring is fittable within the door pocket to support a configured bin of standard design within the door pocket irrespective of the orientation of the door pocket. The adapter ring includes a peripheral flange having an outer edge adapted for cooperation with the door pocket to support the adapter ring in the door pocket. The peripheral flange also has an inner edge adapted for cooperation with at least a portion of the configured bin to support the bin within the door pocket. A vehicle door assembly utilizing the adapter ring for optimizing the storage capacity of a door pocket is also disclosed. Also disclosed are various inserts fittable within a door pocket for optimizing the storage capacity of the door pocket.

Insert for the map pocket of a motor vehicle

An improved structural liftgate trim module for and a method of assembly a vehicle liftgate assembly of a liftgate for a motor vehicle having a modular structure consisting of an inner liftgate trim panel, an inner liftgate trim panel reinforcement member and an outer liftgate trim panel. The inner liftgate trim panel reinforcement member may include electrical components mounted to the reinforcement prior to assembly on the inner liftgate trim panel. The inner liftgate trim panel and inner liftgate trim panel reinforcement member are connected prior to assembly with an outer liftgate trim panel member by a mounting clip and at least one fastener. The inner liftgate trim panel reinforcement member includes flanged portions which are adapted to interface at accessible locations with flanged portions on the outer liftgate trim panel for easy-on, easy-off assembly. The structural liftgate trim module formed by the inner liftgate trim panel and inner liftgate trim panel reinforcement member is connected to the outer liftgate trim panel member by connecting at least one fastener from the structural liftgate trim module with a corresponding aperture on the outer liftgate trim panel and connecting each of the flanged portions on the module to the flanged portions on the outer liftgate trim panel to complete assembly of the vehicle liftgate.

Modular vehicle liftgate module

A door assembly for a motor vehicle. The door assembly comprises a molded door panel having a first side and a second side. The first side of the door panel is adapted to face into a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. The second side of the door panel supports a belt line reinforcement, a lock and catch assembly, and a window lift assembly. The door assembly is adapted for joining with a door exterior.

Motor vehicle door module

An underseat storage bin is used with a pivotable vehicle bench seat in a vehicle having a floor surface. The bench seat is pivotable between a horizontal seating position and an upright stowed position for providing access beneath the seat. The bench seat is supported on seat support members at opposing ends. The storage bin includes a blow-molded bin structure having first and second ends removably attachable to the seat support members. The bin structure includes a plurality of generally vertical compartment walls arranged to form a plurality of storage compartments. At least one of the storage compartments extends substantially the entire length of the bench seat for storing long items. The compartment walls form open bottoms therebetween, such that the vehicle floor surface forms the bottom of each storage compartment for supporting items stored in the storage bin.

Growing community of inventors

Southfield, MI, United States of America

Carter S Cannon