Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Joseph Paul Tekelly

Peter Miskech

David Gary Dahlstrom

Keith Alan Kuzmich

James Posa

Karen Diane Wallag

Earl Ray Dover

Leonard Anthony Shaner

David Alan Hall

Bhadresh V Vyas

David George Heinemann

Craig Hammann Stephan

Gregory Thomas Hedderly

Edward Joseph Abramoski

Leonard Murray Brown

Jeffrey Lawrence Laya

Ming T Loo

James M Hanford

Garry J Schleicher

Laike Misikir

Alexander Lesko

A tailgate assembly having an inner panel and an outer panel which is selectively coupled to the inner panel. The tailgate assembly further includes at least one stiffening member which is selectively and operatively contained between the panels and which increases the strength and durability of the tailgate assembly.

Tailgate assembly

A material applicator assemblywhich includes a rotor memberhaving a plurality of dispenser aperturesand a deformable material application ringaround the outer periphery of the rotor member. The assemblybeing rotatably coupled to a centrally mounted tubular member. Memberhaving at least one aperture through which an adhesive materialis forced into each of the plurality of aperturesas the rotor memberis rotated about member, thereby injecting the adhesive materialinto the application ringto deposit the adhesive materialupon componentshaving varying cross-sectional shapes.

Material applicator assembly and a method for using the same

A vehicle bed assembly has a floor pan , a front wall , and substantially identical side walls . The front wall and the side walls are coupled to the floor pan . The vehicle bed assembly further includes a rear wall which is deployed upon a tailgate which is selectively coupled to the floor pan , and a pair of substantially identical top rail members which overlay and receive a unique one of the side walls and a bracket which overlays and receives the front wall and which is coupled to the top rail member by a pair of end cap members . Particularly, the end cap members and the top rail members cooperatively provide a direct load path from any location on each of the side walls to the bracket which may be coupled to a portion of the vehicle , thereby reducing the likelihood of damage to the sidewalls and the front wall . The assembly may further include reception members which allow a raised platform to be constructed or placed within the vehicle bed assembly , and stake pockets and

Vehicle bed assembly and a method for making a vehicle bed assembly

A vehicle bed assembly including a frontwall, a pair of sidewalls, a backwall, and a bed portion. The walls and the bed portion include stiffening ribs that cooperatively allow the bed assembly to be easily cleaned and allow the bed assembly to be formed from relatively lightweight material. The vehicle bed assembly further includes side mounting assemblies which allow the assembly to be secured to the vehicle frame.

Vehicular bed assembly

A vehicular bed assembly and a method for making the vehicular bed assembly by a process which requires the use of a roll of material . Particularly, material from the roll is continually fed through a stamping or mold assembly which forms raised stiffening beads on the material . The material is then continually fed through a cutter in which the received material is selectively cut, thereby forming panels or segments, such as and without limitation segment or panel , which are used to form the walls and which are further used to form the floor pan . In this manner, the methodology allows for a variety of dissimilarly sized bed assemblies to be easily and efficiently produced.

Vehicle bed assembly

A method is provided for optimizing energy dissipation in a vehicle steering column in a high energy impact. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a variable energy dissipation system on the vehicle steering column; (b) sensing at least one occupant condition; and (c) adjusting the variable energy dissipation system based upon the sensed occupant condition to optimize energy dissipation.

Steering column with variable collapse force

A bumper and front rail assembly includes first and second front rails with a steel cross-member extending therebetween. The steel cross-member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section. A steel forward member is secured to the cross-member and spans the length thereof. The forward member is configured to act as a spring for elastic deformation against the cross-member in a low energy impact. First and second steel crush cans are disposed in the cross-member adjacent the first and second front rails, respectively. The crush cans are configured for improved energy management.

Bumper and front rail assembly for vehicle

A bumper and front rail assembly includes first and second front rails with a steel cross-member extending therebetween. The steel cross-member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section. A steel forward member is secured to the cross-member and spans the length thereof. The forward member is configured to act as a spring for elastic deformation against the cross-member in a low energy impact. First and second steel crush cans are disposed in the cross-member adjacent the first and second front rails, respectively. The crush cans are configured for improved energy management and can be used with or without the energy absorbing bumper system described.

An energy absorbing bolster (32) is provided for attachment to downward facing surfaces of an energy absorbing steering column support bracket (24). The bolster (32) includes longitudinally spaced mounting flanges (40, 42) for securement to the support bracket (24) and a energy absorbing linkage (44) arranged between the mounting flanges, the linkage taking the form of front and rear carrier portions (64, 46), depending from the support bracket and a bridge portion (66), and a load transfer portion (68) arranged between them.

Energy absorbing bolster assembly

An impact absorbing vehicular device for cushioning an occupant's knees or other extremities, the device including a contacting interior panel member supported by one or more impact absorbing brackets in the form of a U-shaped channel member having non-parallel sides in three normal views (e.g., side view, plan view, front view) and with the contacting interior panel being supported by the base wall of the channel member. The side walls of the channel member including ribs or darts extending normal to the base wall to encourage the formation of a plurality of folds, rather than a single fold, in response to a high energy impact. The side walls, in one embodiment, each being bowed outwardly from one another.

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Troy, MI, United States of America

Joseph Paul Tekelly