Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Corey B Sargent

James Dennis Cunningham

Norman Charles Kerr, Iii

Tarakorn Soonthornwinate

Justin B Norris

Jesse D Rydell

Mark Timothy Bacchus

Andrea Lauren Sterling

Brandon W Burnett

Scott M Ankeny

Alexandra Noelle Gaunt

Methods, systems, and apparatus for a power hood system. The power hood system includes a powered hood rotatable between a closed position and an open position, at least one hood latch (e.g., a primary hood latch and/or a secondary hood latch) configured to secure the powered hood in the closed position (or a half latch position). The power hood system further includes an electronic control unit electrically coupled to the power hood. The electronic control unit is configured to automatically control the powered hood to move to the closed position in response to (1) receiving a drive mode signal indicating that the vehicle has been shifted into drive and (2) receiving a latch position signal indicating that a hood latch (e.g., the secondary hood latch) is not in the latched state.

Operation logic for a power hood system

A vehicle tailgate assembly includes a tailgate and a switch assembly operably connected to the tailgate. The switch assembly includes a switch structured to be actuatable by application of a load exceeding a predetermined threshold to the tailgate. The switch assembly is operably connected to a tailgate automatic opening/closing mechanism such that actuation of the switch controls operation of the mechanism to prevent execution of a command to automatically open the tailgate when the tailgate is in a fully closed condition.

Controlling automatic operation of a tailgate responsive to an applied load

A vehicle includes an aerodynamic device. The aerodynamic device includes: an air dam movable between a deployed position and a retracted position, an actuator operatively coupled to the air dam, the actuator configured to move the air dam between the deployed position and the retracted position, and a controller communicatively coupled to the actuator. The controller is configured to operate the actuator to move the air dam into the deployed position when the controller receives a service request signal.

Vehicle active aerodynamic device with service support logic and mechanism

A fuel housing assembly for a vehicle includes a fuel housing having a sidewall and an interior wall defining a fuel nozzle receiving cavity for receiving a fuel nozzle having a fuel nozzle boot. A fuel door locking assembly having a locking pin moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. A deflector assembly having a base portion and a deflector. The base portion is connected to the sidewall. The deflector extends outwardly from the base portion to extend beyond the locking pin to deflect the fuel nozzle boot from contacting the locking pin with the locking pin in the extended position.

Fuel housing assemblies having fuel nozzle boot deflector assemblies

A vehicle includes a rear window and a defroster assembly including heating lines extending across the rear window. A protective barrier at least partially covers the heating lines. The protective barrier includes a film that provides a barrier between the heating lines and sulfur gases generated by components of the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Novi, MI, United States of America

Corey B Sargent