Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Strattec Security Corporation

Dynalloy, Inc.

Atlantic Automotive Components, Inc.

Joseph P Fannon

Richard K Mette

Alan L Browne

Paul W Alexander

Jeffrey L Konchan

James Holbrook Brown

Eric W Smith

Derek L Patterson

Terrence Costigan

Ian Martin

Eugene John Ficyk

Hugh S Bauer

Darren M Van Houzen

Brian W Bowling

Craig D Schroeder

Khristopher S Lee

Paulo M Mendonca

Darryl Marbury

John K Quinlan

Edward J Zentera, Jr

Daniel J Pauluk

Anthony J Blommel

Daniel Vandersluis

Paul C Caruso

Bobbi E Alton

A powered latch includes a forkbolt pivotable about a first axis between a latched position for retaining a striker and an unlatched position for releasing the striker. A detent lever is pivotable about a second axis and engageable with the forkbolt to secure the forkbolt in the latched position. The latch further includes a powered actuator and a power release lever rotatable about a third axis by the powered actuator to release the detent lever from the forkbolt. The power release lever is manually movable along the third axis from a first position to a second position. Movement of the power release lever from the first position to the second position is operable to release the detent lever.

Powered latch mechanism with manual release

A number of variations may include a product including a retainer for holding a hood in a partially open position and for releasing the hood to permit full opening movement.

Vehicle hood retainer

A striker assembly includes a striker having an attachment portion, a shaft portion having a cylindrical outer surface, and a shoulder portion between the shaft portion and the attachment portion. The striker assembly also includes a striker sleeve having a wall that has an inner surface defining an interior space having first and second openings. The wall has corrugations such that the inner surface defines a plurality of concave portions and joining portions that interconnect the concave portions. The concave portions and the joining portions extend from the first opening to the second opening. The shaft portion is inside the interior space and the outer surface of the shaft portion contacts the joining portions of the inner surface of the striker sleeve.

Striker with expandable sleeve

A latch assembly includes a forkbolt movable between a released position, allowing opening of a closure, and a restrained position, preventing opening of the closure. A forkbolt spring is configured to bias the forkbolt toward the released position. A primary detent is mounted with respect to the forkbolt and movable between an open position, allowing the forkbolt to move into the released position, and a closed position, not allowing the forkbolt to move into the released position. A secondary detent is movable between an unlocked position, allowing the primary detent to move into the open position, and a locked position, preventing the primary detent from moving into the open position. An actuator selectively moves the secondary detent from the locked position to the unlocked position.

Closure latch and release mechanism

In accordance with exemplary embodiments, a hood latch assembly is provided for a vehicle. The hood latch assembly is configured to be positioned within a forward compartment of a vehicle and to releasably retain a hood of the vehicle in a closed position with a first hood latch and in a partly open position with a second hood latch. A hood latch release mechanism is configured to be positioned within a passenger compartment of the vehicle and be coupled to the hood latch assembly for releasing the first hood latch upon a first operation of the hood latch release mechanism and releasing the second hood latch upon a second operation of the hood latch release mechanism. This provides a dual-action release mechanism that can be operated entirely from within the vehicle.

Dual action hood latch assembly for a vehicle

A clip and cable assembly are configured for attachment to a panel of a vehicle. The cable assembly includes an elongated member. The elongated member includes a radially extending locating feature having a width. The clip includes a housing and a fastener. The housing includes a first section and a second section spaced a distance from the first section and a pocket is defined between the first and second sections. The first and second sections each define a channel that is sized to slidably receive the elongated member of the cable assembly. The pocket receives the locating feature when the elongated member is received in the channel such that movement of clip relative to the elongated member and the locating feature is limited to a length of movement defined as a difference of the distance between the first and second sections and the width of the locating feature.

Position controlled cable guide clip

A handle assembly is mounted on a vehicle body and includes a handle pulled by a user to pull a cable and release a remotely located latch, such as a luggage compartment lid latch, engine compartment lid latch, or fuel filler door lid latch. The handle assembly includes a bezel having a guide channel structure for slidably mounting the handle and defining a path for straight-line pulling of the cable. The guide channel structure is formed in part by a flexible wall, such as a flexible finger on the bezel that yieldably bears upon the handle, so that if the user pulls the handle at an angle to the straight-line pull axis of the cable, the flexible finger flexes to permit the handle to pivotally shift within the bezel to the angle established by the user, and without kinking the cable.

Release handle for vehicle closure lid latch

A latching system includes a handle, a latch, a release rod, an arm portion, and a finger portion. The handle is attached to the door assembly and includes an escutcheon and a grip portion movable relative to the escutcheon between a first position, a second position, and a third position. The latch is attached to the door assembly and the release rod extends from the latch. The arm portion rotates relative to the escutcheon in response to moving the grip portion. The finger portion pivotally extends from the arm portion to an engagement member that is disengaged from the release rod when the pull grip is in the first position, engages the release rod when the pull grip is in the second position, and moves the release rod away from the handle and toward the latch to operate the latch when the pull grip is in the third position.

Latch release system for a door assembly of a vehicle

A sealing device is provided for a vehicle having a door movable between a closed and an opened position. The door defines a fishmouth aperture. A striker pin is configured to enter the fishmouth aperture when the door closes and exit the fishmouth aperture when the door opens. The sealing device is configured to at least partially seal the fishmouth aperture while allowing the striker pin to enter and exit the fishmouth aperture.

Adaptive sealing device for vehicle door

A striker assembly for use with a vehicle door latch is disclosed. The striker assembly may include a U-shaped strap that mounts to vehicle body structure, and a striker pin that is mounted to the strap. The striker pin may include a neck that is peened to form a head and neck that fills a countersunk pocket in a pin support arm of the strap. The strap may also have a base plate that mounts to vehicle structure and includes one or more water drain channels and a coined edge to better control water drainage and intrusion.

Vehicle door latch striker

A cable assembly having a condensation drain provided for the conduit thereof, wherein moisture is enabled to escape the conduit through a drainage opening of the condensation drain, yet the operative interaction between the cable and the conduit of the cable assembly is unaffected by the presence of the condensation drain. The condensation drain may be provided with a drip initiator which assists removal of the moisture from the conduit.

Cable assembly conduit condensation drain

A cable end fitting retainer assembly for a vehicle includes a conduit end fitting for connection to a flexible cable. The cable end fitting retainer assembly also includes an end fitting retainer arm extending from the conduit end fitting for retaining a portion of the flexible cable in a predetermined position. The cable end fitting retainer assembly further includes a cable wire support extending from the conduit end fitting and located beneath the end fitting retainer arm to contact the cable.

Cable end fitting retainer assembly

A collapsible partition for the trunk of a motor vehicle includes a transverse extending wall member to which side wall members are pivotably mounted. The collapsible partition is secured within the trunk of the motor vehicle by a pair of straps which are secured at a first end to the transverse wall member and at the second end to anchors located within the vehicle trunk. A liner is also provided and is secured to a bottom portion of the transverse and side wall members for defining a bottom for the partition device.

Motor vehicle trunk partition

A rod guide member includes a base portion having integral attachment means for securement to a sheet metal panel and a pair of integral legs which receive a rod member therebetween. One leg member is thicker than the other to withstand lateral loads imposed thereon by the rod member. The other leg has flexible extensions which engage the rod member and bias the rod member into engagement with ribs on the one leg member.

Rod guide member

A rod guide member includes a strap portion of flexible material having an integral attachment at one end thereof to attach the strap portion to a support and an integral rod attachment at the other end thereof to attach the strap portion to a rod spaced from the support. The strap portion is return bent upon itself between its end portions to accommodate both linear and shifting movement of the rod relative to the support as well as provide a cushion between the rod and the support obviating rattle.

Growing community of inventors

Washington, MI, United States of America

Joseph P Fannon