Ford Motor Company Limited

Edward I Hull

Michael T Vecchio

William M Abramczyk

James R Feustel

A vehicle door interior assembly has an inner door panel attached to a trim panel with a plurality of pins having splines thereon which are sheared from the pins for absorbing energy to lessen the energy transfer to the vehicle interior during a collision or otherwise. The pins have a shaft with a spear shaped nose section on one end which assists in attachment of the pins to holes in the inner door panel assembly. Finger members attached near the nose section help retain the pins in the holes and are deformed or sheared from the pin shaft should the assembly separate. A water seal is attached to the shaft to prevent moisture from seeping through the holes to the passenger compartment. Under compression, the pins are forced through the holes thus shearing the splines from the shaft and convert kinetic energy of the pin to heat energy.

Trim panel attaching pin with water seal

A side door assembly is provided which includes a catch and striker reinforcement mechanism positioned between the free-edge of the door of the adjacent body panel of the vehicle. The striker cooperates with the catch to enhance engagement in response to the imposition of laterally imposed loads through providing a disc-like knob for engagement with catch plate upon deflection of adjacent body panels.

Rear door assembly for automobiles

An airbag for an automotive inflatable occupant restraint system includes a valve for controlling the discharge of inflating gas from the airbag. The valve includes pivotally mounted flaps defining a discharge orifice variable in size in response to gas pressure and flow.

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West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Edward I Hull