Shape Corporation

Adac Plastics, Inc.

Other

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ghsp, Inc.

Cort C Corwin

Drew Fouchea

Jeff Stokes

Joseph R Matecki

Jeffrey Craig Stokes

Craig Oomen

Kosta Papanikolaou

Venky Krishnan

Ed C Pendergrass

Kannan Ramamoorthy

Eric Allyn VandenBrink

Devesh Kumar Soni

Toby K Jacobson

Ben Devries

Warren Gutherie

John Videtich

Andrew Foley

An inductive cooktop includes a transparent panel that supports a cookware object. An electrically actuated panel, such as a display panel, is disposed below the transparent panel. The electrically actuated panel includes two sets of lines, such as data and scan lines, disposed orthogonal to each other to form a two-dimensional matrix that is configured to operate associated elements with an addressing scheme. An array of induction coils are disposed below the electrically actuated panel that are each operable to generate an electromagnetic field that inductively couples with the cookware object supported at the transparent panel. The induction coils are operable to generate an electromagnetic field with a flux direction in general parallel alignment with one set of lines, such as the data lines, to prevent the electromagnetic field from inducing a voltage on the lines.

Inductive cooktop coil and display system

An inertial blocking member subassembly of a handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a blocking member pivotally rotatable about an axis of rotation, and the blocking member has a center of gravity offset from the axis of rotation. The blocking member is responsive to an acceleration force acting thereon to rotate about the axis of rotation from an at rest position in which the blocking member does not prevent unlatching of the vehicle door, to an engagement position in which the blocking member prevents unlatching of the vehicle door. In the engagement position, the center of mass is positioned between the axis of rotation and a vector of the acceleration force acting in a direction toward the center of mass and the axis of rotation, and the center of mass, the axis of rotation and the vector of the acceleration force are approximately in line with one another.

Releasable handle assembly with inertial blocking member

A loading bracket assembly includes a base bracket having an engagement portion that is disposed at an interior area of a composite vehicle structural component and that is accessible through the first wall. A fastener may be attached to the engagement portion of the base bracket and may extend through an intermediate wall of the composite vehicle structural component and a supportive structure of the vehicle. The engagement portion of the base bracket is configured to engage a component or an accessory, such as a tow hook, that applies a loading force to the base bracket that is substantially transferred to the supportive structure and bypasses the composite vehicle structural component.

Loading bracket for composite structural components

An inertial blocking member subassembly being part of a release handle assembly associated with a vehicle door, the inertial blocking member subassembly being activated by an acceleration force associated with an impact event, the release handle assembly having a release handle framework supporting a bell crank assembly and a manually actuatable door handle grip, the door handle grip operatively coupled to the bell crank assembly to unlatch the vehicle door upon manual actuation of the door handle grip. The inertial blocking member subassembly includes a blocking member associated with the release handle assembly framework, movable in at least one of rotation about an axis of rotation and translation along the axis of rotation. The blocking member has a center of gravity which is offset from the axis of rotation. The blocking member is movable between an at-rest position, in which the blocking member does not interfere with the bell crank assembly to prevent unlatching of the vehicle door by actuation of the door handle grip, and an engagement position, in which the blocking member interferes with the bell crank assembly to prevent unlatching of the vehicle door by manual actuation of the door handle grip. In the engagement position of the blocking member, the center of gravity is approximately aligned with a vector of the acceleration force and the axis of rotation; whereby, as a result of the acceleration force acting on the blocking member center of gravity, the blocking member is moved to the engagement position.

Release handle assembly having inertial blocking member with blocking member retainer

An inertial blocking member subassembly comprising: an inertial blocking member associated with a release handle assembly framework, the blocking member having a center of gravity offset from an axis of rotation, and the blocking member being rotationally and translationally movable between an at-rest position, in which the blocking member does not prevent actuation of the release handle, and an engaged position, in which the blocking member prevents actuation of a release handle. A biasing element biases the blocking member into the engaged position. As a result of an acceleration force acting on the blocking member center of gravity, the blocking member is rotationally and translationally moved from the at-rest position to the engaged position, and in which engaged position the blocking member is retained by a blocking member retainer until disengagement of the blocking member retainer from one of the release handle assembly framework and the blocking member.

Release handle assembly having inertial blocking member

The present bumper impact beam includes pultruding polymer (e.g. thermoset polymer, preferably polyurethane) into continuous reinforcement (preferably carbon fibers or glass fibers), the reinforcement including fabrics selectively positioned and extending around corners for improved impact strength. The beam preferably has a 50%-70% fiber volume fraction that is relatively uniform throughout the part. A curved cooling support and/or beam design may be used to cause the cooled beam to have a sweep.

Pultruded beam, and apparatus and methods for manufacturing

An apron for a vehicle front end comprises a unitary plastic component having a front structure and a rear structure joined by an offset portion. The front and rear structures extend at rearward downward angles and in generally parallel directions, and the offset portion extends at a rearward upward angle. The apron has a relatively constant vertical dimension, such that the angled structures define a wave-shaped envelope. Preferably, a horizontal plane extending from the tip of the front structure stays within the wave-shaped envelope, so that impact forces stay within the boundary in a manner providing improved impact strength and greater energy absorption during an impact. At the same time, the front structure provides a homogeneous structure that distributes local impact stresses uniformly and more widely into the rear structure, thus providing a more uniform impact resistance less sensitive to impact location.

Bumper system with pedestrian-friendly lower apron

A vehicle bumper system comprises a bumper reinforcement beam and an energy absorber with top and bottom rows of similarly-shaped spaced-apart crush lobes in alternating relation for uniform impact resistance across the bumper system. The illustrated top row of crush lobes provides a high first force-deflection curve for high impact forces, and the bottom row of crush lobes provides a lower second force-deflection curve, for pedestrian reduced injury. An elongated sensor is positioned under shear walls of the top and bottom crush lobes, and is retained by tabs on the energy absorber. This positively retains the sensor in position on the bumper system, with few (or zero) separate fasteners, while facilitating quick assembly and reliable operation of the sensor tube.

Bumper energy absorber with sensor and configured lobes

An inertial blocking member subassembly is activated by an inertial force vector. A release handle assembly has a framework, a door handle grip, and a bell crank actuator. The subassembly has a blocking member and a biasing element. The blocking member is associated with the framework, and movable in at least one of rotation about an axis of rotation and translation. The biasing element is associated with the blocking member for biasing the blocking member to a first position. The blocking member center of gravity is offset from the axis of rotation. When the force vector acts on the center of gravity, the blocking member can rotate into a second position. When the center of gravity, axis of rotation, and force vector are aligned, the blocking member remains in the second position until the force vector has attenuated. The biasing element can rotate the blocking member to the first position.

A door handle assembly includes a door handle that engages a bell crank to actuate a door release latch. A locking member moves relative to the bell crank, and shifts to a locked position wherein the locking member engages an engagement member to prevent rotation of the bell crank when the door handle assembly experiences an inertial force due to an impact or the like.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Haven, MI, United States of America

Cort C Corwin