Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Douglas Michael Martinelli

Christian Michael Norton

Darrell K Kleinke

William Ernest Buehler

Michael Musleh

Matthew John Zaluzec

Kian-Huat Tan

Richard Howard Wykoff

Jeffrey Comfort

Bradley S Bysouth

A panoramic vehicle roof assembly is provided with a first cross member and a second cross member. Each of the first and second cross members is adapted to be mounted to a vehicle body at spaced apart locations. A first extruded side rail and a second extruded side rail are respectively mounted to one of the first and second cross members at spaced apart locations. Each first and second side rail has a drive integrated roof track and an idler integrated roof track. At least one roof panel is supported by at least one of the integrated roof tracks of the side rails. A method of manufacturing a panoramic vehicle roof module assembly is provided.

Panoramic vehicle roof module assemblies

A vehicle door assembly includes first and second weatherstripping components secured directly to the vertically movable window beneath the opening between the outer door panel and inner door trim panel such that the weatherstrips are not visible. The weatherstrips include upwardly protruding lip portions which cooperate with the base portion of the respective weatherstrip to form a channel for carrying water out of the door assembly. By securing the weatherstripping directly to the window, unsightly beltline weatherstrips are eliminated. Also, the frictional engagement of prior art beltline weatherstrips with the window is eliminated, thereby allowing downsizing of the window lifting mechanism, and allowing the use of plastic or glazed windows because the abrasion of prior art designs is eliminated.

Weatherstrip apparatus for vehicle door window

A lowerable window in an automotive vehicle has a guide and sealing system with a guide member attached substantially along the length of an edge of the window pane so as not to overlap with the outer surface thereof, the guide member having a guide conduit for interaction with a door channel having two prongs extending from vehicle door panels which define a channel portion therebetween. A guide member and the door channel are interposed such that the guide member receives a first prong of the door channel within the guide conduit and the door channel receives a guide edge within the channel portion. A seal member is mounted on the door channel so as to substantially fill a space between the guide edge and the first prong, and has at least three lip members, two of which extend laterally outward from the two prongs of the door channel so as to contact inward facing surfaces of the guide member. A compliant bulbous lip member is compressively sealingly interposed in non-overlapping relationship between the window edge and the outer surface of the vehicle door.

Guide and sealing system vehicle window flush with body surface

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Livonia, MI, United States of America

Douglas Michael Martinelli