Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Daniel A Roulinson

Gerald L Umin

Algis Zaparackas

David P Branik

An exhaust treatment device for a motor vehicle includes upper and lower shells which are welded together to form inlet and outlet sections and a treatment section which may be occupied by a monolithic catalytic converter element. Inlet and outlet stubs which conduct exhaust gas into and out of the exhaust treatment device are joined to the device by means of generally hemispherical sockets formed integrally in the upper and lower shells and mating with hollow spherical sections incorporated in the inlet and outlet stubs.

Exhaust treatment device for motor vehicle

A fluid conduit connector assembly includes a prepositioning carrier for mounting a connector assembly upon a first fluid conduit segment, a hose clamp portion attached to the prepositioning carrier for maintaining the hose clamp in position for engagement with a second fluid conduit segment, and an axially directed activation member for maintaining the hose clamp portion in a retracted configuration prior to engagement of the hose clamp portion with the second fluid conduit segment. The hose clamp portion is movable to a non-retracted configuration when the activation member is slidingly withdrawn in an axial direction from the hose clamp portion.

Automotive conduit connector with axial activation and prepositioning

A vehicle wheel which includes a spider, a rim, and a retention means, wherein said retention forms an outwardly opening channel which clampingly and releasably secures a wheel cover to the vehicle wheel. The retention means may consist of an annular C-shaped ring which contains on its radially outer surface spring fingers which bitingly engage in a press-fit manner the radially inner surface of the rim or is otherwise permanently affixed to the vehicle wheel. The wheel cover has an axially laterally inwardly extending flange with a beaded end that is releasably secured with the channel.

Vehicle wheel and wheel cover retention means

A wheel cover and assembly comprising same, in which the wheel cover has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings, each of which is aligned with one of the lug stud receiving openings of the vehicle wheel and is adapted to receive the axially outer end of a lug stud. As a retention device for the wheel cover, each of the spaced openings has at its periphery an expandable ring, a radially outer portion of the ring being trapped in an annular channel formed by the wheel cover at the periphery of the spaced opening. A radially inner portion of the expandable ring is seated against and thereby held axially inward of an annular step of a corresponding lug stud nut. The expandable ring is capable of resiliently expanding radially at least sufficiently to pass over the outer end of the lug stud nut.

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Wyandotte, MI, United States of America

Daniel A Roulinson