Jac Products, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Gerald J Gomes

Brendan J Hathaway

Michael J Presley

Gordon Michie

Jeffrey M Aftanas

Gerard J Kmita

Noel V Ranka

Conde M Gonzalez

Brandon T McMahan

Murray D Brockway

Paul Edward Krajewski

Michael R Makin

Benjamin Kay

Jordan Rhody

Sarah A Squier Ykema

Darrick A Swords

Michael R Pakulak

The present disclosure relates to a swing-in-place vehicle article carrier system for supporting articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system has a front pair and rear pairs of support structures fixedly secured to the outer body surface. A first modular cross bar assembly is included which has a central portion, a latching module assembly secured at a first end of the central portion, and a pivot module secured at a second end of the central portion. The pivot module is coupled to one of the front pair of support structures for enabling pivoting motion of the first cross bar assembly between operative and stowed positions. In the operative position, the first modular cross bar assembly spans widthwise across the outer body surface. In the stowed position the cross bar assembly is secured to a second one of the rear pair of support structures to form a continuous span between the second ones of the pairs of front and rear support structures. The latching module includes a housing which is substantially fully inserted into the first end of the central portion to form a continuous looking surface with the central portion.

Vehicle article carrier system having swing-in-place cross bars

The present disclosure relates to a stretch/bent roof rail apparatus for use on an exterior body surface of a vehicle. The apparatus may have a roof rail having a body portion, with the body portion having an opening. A housing assembly is adapted to fit at least partially within the opening in the body portion and has a support cradle and a cap. The support cradle and the cap may be configured to be secured to one another. The housing assembly may further being configured to enable an electrically powered component to be arranged within the cap and provided with an unobstructed line of sight outwardly from the roof rail body portion. The support cradle may have a footprint generally in accordance with the roof rail and configured to fit substantially completely within the roof rail. This helps to support the electrically powered component such that the roof rail, the housing assembly, and the electrically powered component form a unitary assembly when assembled together.

Vehicle article carrier system incorporating electronic components

An accessory component having a co-formed light pipe is disclosed. In one embodiment the accessory component is formed by a co-extrusion operation that co-extrudes the accessory component with a connecting portion and a light pipe supporting portion, wherein the light supporting portion has a light pipe integrated into the light pipe supporting portion. The co-forming of the light pipe enables exposed mounting of the light pipe over its full length. The co-formed supporting portion encapsulates the light pipe providing additional protection to the surface of the light pipe while causing little to no impedance of the light emissions from the light pipe itself. The co-formed accessory component itself may be optically clear, diffuse, or tinted to provide color or appearance variations to the light emitted by the light pipe. The surface finish of the co-formed accessory component may also be varied to provide light diffusion or to alter the appearance of the accessory component. The co-formed accessory component may be formed with features that enable it to be readily attached to other vehicle components with or without external fasteners or adhesives.

Vehicle accessory component having co-formed light pipe

The present disclosure relates to a step rail system supportable from a structure of a motor vehicle. The system may have an inner step rail element and an outermost step rail element. The inner step rail element may be arranged nestably within the outmost step rail element. The inner and outermost step rail elements may further be arranged at least partially within the same plane. The outermost step rail element may have at least one of a curved leading portion or a curved trailing portion.

Step rail system for vehicle

A vehicle article carrier apparatus is disclosed for supporting articles above an exterior body surface of a vehicle. The apparatus may have at least one cross bar adapted to be fixedly supported at opposite end portions thereof relative to the outer body surface, for supporting articles thereon above the outer body surface. The one cross bar has at least one light integrally mounted within at least a portion of an interior area thereof, and adjacent a first surface thereof, to enable the light to project light outwardly therefrom. The cross bar may also have a heat sink disposed on a second surface thereof for dissipating heat generated by the light.

Vehicle article carrier apparatus for supporting articles of vehicle having a cross-bar including a heat sink arranged on a second surface for dissipating heat

A cargo management system for use with a motor vehicle cargo area having a floor. The system uses front, center are rear divider panels each configured to lay flat adjacent the floor when in a stowed position, and each is pivotally moveably into an upright, operative position. A first latching mechanism is used to releasably latch the front divider in the upright, operative position. The center divider panel is pivotally moveable from a stowed position to an operative position. The rear divider panel is pivotally moveable from a stowed position resting generally flat on the floor of the cargo area to an upright, operative position. A second latching mechanism is used to releasably hold the rear divider panel in the upright, operative position.

Cargo management system for motor vehicle

A tie-down apparatus is disclosed which is adapted to be removably secured over an opening in a structure. The apparatus may have a base plate, a knob, a biasing member, a cam plate and a fastening member. The knob may be used to rotate and depress the cam plate away from the base plate against the biasing force of the biasing member, to permit securing and detachment of the apparatus from the structure. The biasing member maintains the cam plate biased toward the base plate when no pressure is being applied on the knob.

Spring loaded tie down assembly and method for use with a vehicle cargo area

The present disclosure relates to an article carrier system particularly adapted for use with a pickup truck. The system employs a first pair of support tracks secured to a roof surface of a pickup truck, and a rear spoiler portion coupled to each of the first support tracks and extending therebetween adjacent a rear area of the roof surface. A second pair of support tracks is secured to a pair of truck bed sidewalls. A combination spoiler/support subsystem is supported from the second pair of support tracks and is adjustably positionable to provide a variable spacing between the rear spoiler portion and the spoiler/support subsystem, to thus tailor the system to support articles of various lengths thereon. The rear spoiler portion and the spoiler/support subsystem provide an appearance of a single, integrated spoiler when positioned closely adjacent one another.

Pickup truck roof rack system

A vehicle article carrier system is disclosed for carrying articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system may incorporate at least one support rail secured to the outer body surface. The support rail may have a support foot portion at each of its opposite ends, with each support foot portion secured to the outer body surface of the vehicle. A sensor may be mounted on the at least one support rail or one of the support feet portions for sensing a characteristic within a field of view around the vehicle and providing related information to a subsystem of the vehicle.

Vehicle article carrier with integrated camera and solar powered lighting

A tonneau cover system includes at least one tonneau panel configured to be coupled to a pickup bed. The tonneau panel includes a panel body. The panel body includes a first panel wall and a second panel wall opposite the first panel wall. The tonneau panel defines at least one open slot extending through the first panel wall. The open slot includes a channel and an opening in communication with the channel. The channel has a width that is greater than the width of the opening. The open slot is configured to securely receive a cargo attachment.

Tonneau cover system

A coupling assembly can couple a beam to a loop of a tie-down assembly coupled to an inner sidewall of a pickup bed. The beam defines a channel, and the loop defines an aperture. The coupling assembly includes a coupling plate including a first plate body, a second plate body coupled to the first plate body, a first protrusion extending from the first plate body, a second protrusion extending from the first protrusion, a fastener, and a knob. The first protrusion is configured to be disposed through the aperture of the loop, and the second protrusion is configured to be disposed in the channel of the beam. The fastener includes a head and a threaded shaft coupled to the head. The head is configured to be disposed in the channel, and the threaded shaft extends through the second plate body. The knob is coupled to the threaded shaft.

Coupling assembly

A fiber reinforced panel is manufactured to include an integral vent screen. Holes are made in each of first and second sheets of fiber and the holes register with each other when the sheets are stacked within a mold. A screen material is placed between the first and second sheets so that a part of the screen material that registers with the holes in the first sheet and second sheet is exposed. Filler inserts are inserted into the holes of the first and second sheets to mask the screen. A resin is provided and cured to bond together the first and second sheets and the screen. Thus, the screen remains exposed after the first and second sheets and screen have been bonded together by the resin, thereby forming a fiber reinforced panel having an integrally molded vent screen therein.

Growing community of inventors

Macomb, MI, United States of America

Gerald J Gomes