Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

David N Lee

Joseph J Magyar

David B Ballantyne

Chimanbhai M Patel

Norman F Cooper

William M Tanner

James C Degras

A spare tire carrier for a sport utility vehicle with a drop tailgate is provided with a lock device that allows the spare tire carrier to be secured in position when the drop tailgate is in an open position. The lock device comprises a collar rotatably mounted on the spare tire carrier and a pin biased by a spring through a hole which holds the collar in position. A striker on the collar fits into a keeper in the form of a slot or a latching mechanism on a side of the drop tailgate to secure the spare tire carrier in position when the drop tailgate is in the open position.

Lock device for a spare tire carrier

A lock cylinder cover includes an escutcheon having a lock cylinder opening and a pivotal cover biased to cover the lock cylinder. A spring detent secured to the underside of the escutcheon has a stop surface which bears on the underside of the cover until opening movement permits the detent to spring out and engage a shoulder of the cover to hold the cover open. A blocking lever pivotally mounted on the underside of the escutcheon is spring biased to engage the detent. The detent has a cam surface poised in the path of unlocking rotation of the key so that the key cams the detent inwardly to release the stop surface from the cover so that the cover is spring biased to engage the key and then key removal permits the cover to close. The inward movement of the detent permits the lever to pivot into blocking engagement with the detent to retain the axially inward position in which the stop surface is withdrawn from engaging the cover. As the cover rotates closed, an operating abutment carried by the cover rotates the lever out of blocking engagement with the detent so that the detent is freed for subsequent outward movement upon subsequent opening of the cover.

Lock cylinder cover with key engagement release of hold-open detent

A vehicle body sealing arrangement includes a primary weatherstrip having a carrier mounted to a door frame pinchweld and a weatherstrip mounted to the carrier and sealing against the inner wall of the door. A closeout strip includes a base portion releasably mounted to the carrier and a deflectable lip portion which engages the trim panel in the inner wall of the door to conceal the weatherstrip and the portion of the inner panel between the termination of the trim panel and such weatherstrip.

Vehicle body sealing arrangement

A belt reel journaled on the retractor frame carries a ratchet plate having teeth including a front face and a back face. A pawl mounted on the frame is movable from a normal disengaged position to a position engaging either the unwinding facing front side of a tooth or engaging with the winding facing side of a tooth. A normally stationary clutch member is connected to the pawl by a cam and is selectively rotated in response to a sensed condition so that the cam moves the pawl to engage the unwinding facing side of a tooth to lock the reel against belt unwinding rotation. A manual operating handle is provided to rotate the clutch member independent of occurrence of the sensed condition so that the pawl is moved into engagement with the winding face side of a ratchet tooth to block belt winding reel rotation by a reel windup spring and hold the belt at a tension free slackened length about the seat occupant. The cam connection between the clutch member and the pawl blocks the pawl against movement to the disengaging position and also blocks the clutch member against return movement in the unwinding direction until a subsequent slight belt unwinding rotation cancels the tension relieving mechanism.

Tension reliever for seat belt retractor

An anchorage system for mounting an inertia locking restraint belt retractor for fore and aft adjusting movement with a vehicle seat mounted on the vehicle body by a seat adjusting mechanism which tilts the seat as well as adjusting the seat fore and aft. According to the invention a track extends longitudinally on the vehicle body generally beneath the seat and mounts a carriage having the retractor mounted thereon. A flexible strap or the like connects the carriage with the seat to tow the carriage fore and aft with the seat and permit tilting movement of the seat relative the carriage while the track and carriage maintain the retractor at a predetermined attitude which insures operation of the retractor sensing mechanism. An anchor belt has its rearward end connected to the vehicle floor and its forward end connected to the carriage by an inertia locking anchor belt retractor to lock the carriage against forward movement by occupant restraint loads imposed on the restraint belt.

Anchorage system for restraint belt

A vehicle tailgate of the type which is hinged along a bottom edge for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. Specifically, the invention concerns a torque rod type counterbalancing spring for the tailgate which exerts both an outward opening bias on the tailgate and a lifting or closing force on the tailgate opposing opening movement so as to counterbalance gravitational forces thereon. The torque rod is mounted and connected so that the rod is continuously stressed in a torsional manner in only one direction from opening to closing, there being no null point where there is a reversal of stress on the torque rod.

Station wagon tailgate

A seat belt retractor has an adjusting clip attached on the lock bar. The adjusting clip is generally U-shaped with spaced apart legs defining a slot by which the clip is engaged over the lock bar. One leg of the adjusting clip is disposed on the side of the lock bar adjacent the reel and has an integral depressed portion which is engaged within a mating aperture of the lock bar to retain the adjusting clip on the lock bar. The other leg of the adjusting clip is disposed on the side of the lock bar adjacent the pendulum and has an integral protuberance extending therefrom into engagement with the control head of the pendulum. The dimensional projection of the protuberance controls the gap between the ratchet teeth of a belt reel and the unlocked position of the lock bar. A plurality of adjusting clips are provided having the protuberances thereof projecting at various dimensions. After assembly of a selected adjusting clip on the lock bar, the at-rest position of the lock bar is gauged to determine if the gap is within a specified tolerance. The gap may be adjusted if necessary by replacing the adjusting clip with another having a protuberance of greater or lesser projection.

Growing community of inventors

Almont, MI, United States of America

David N Lee