Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Juergen Koehler

Linh Ngoc Doan

Bhavani Thota

Gary D Mullen

Satyanarayana Raju Vemulapati

Daniel Morin

Emrah Tokyuerek

Steven Nicholas Fidh

Chris Fredriksson

Michael Shawn Watterworth

Brent Clifford Dalton

Werner Jakobs

Chris Curtis

Volker Krolzig

Stephan A Grymel

Xuqiang Shen

Mustafa Yuecel

Timothy Dunn

Kai Erik Mueller-Wiedensee

Javier Polo

A storage box includes a door that is coupled to the base. A pivot pin is coupled to the door and is operable between an engaged position, wherein the pivot pin is rotatably engaged with the base, and a disengaged position. The pivot pin is configured to move door-inboard due to contact with the base as the pivot pin moves from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

Storage box for a vehicle

A cable-holding device may be provided for electric and hybrid vehicles that are provided with a rechargeable storage device for storing electrical energy. The storage device may include a charging cable that can be connected to an external power supply device for the purpose of charging the storage device and is at least temporarily connected to the vehicle. The charging cable is stowed in the cable-holding device of the vehicle when not in use. The cable-holding device includes a closed holding space for receiving the charging cable. The holding space is delimited by a lower plate and an upper plate and is closed on all sides. A clear height of the holding space is only slightly greater than the diameter of the charging cable. A holding surface for the charging cable on the lower plate is dimensioned to be large enough that the whole charging cable can be held in the form of loops, and the holding space has a side through opening for the charging cable.

Device for holding a charging cable for electric and hybrid vehicles

A vehicle door assembly is disclosed herein. The vehicle door assembly includes a door. A trim panel has a mount that defines an aperture. A clip that includes a base is coupled to the door. A retainer is coupled to the base and is configured to extend through the aperture defined by the mount to an assembled position, the retainer has an upper portion that is coupled to a lower portion at a vertex to form a projection. A retention feature is coupled to the upper portion and has a ramp. A stop is coupled to the ramp and extends generally downward therefrom to the upper portion. The stop is configured to engage with a back side of the mount to generally prevent the movement of the retainer out of the aperture when the retainer is in the assembled position.

Clip for attaching a trim panel to a door

A vehicle includes a lift gate that is operable between a closed position and an open position, and a lamp assembly. The lamp assembly includes a housing coupled to the lift gate and having a backing with a reflective surface, a light source that is coupled to the housing and configured to emit light, and a lid that is operably coupled to the housing. The lid includes a reflective interior surface and reflective exterior surface that is opposite the reflective interior surface. The lid is operable between an open position, wherein the reflective surface of the backing is exposed, and a closed position.

Reflective lamp assembly for a vehicle

A vehicle door assembly including a door panel. A support member is coupled to the door panel. The support member has an edge defining an opening in a top portion thereof. The support member defines at least one flange extending into the opening from the edge. A switch bezel is disposed at least partially within the opening. The switch bezel includes at least one retaining feature configured to slidably engage the at least one flange. A cover member coupled to a side portion of the support member.

Vehicle door assembly

A door assembly for a motor vehicle is provided having a door body and a door trim panel attached to the door body on the vehicle inside, with a first impact region and a second impact region formed integrally therewith, wherein at each of the impact regions, an intermediate space is formed between the door trim panel and the door body. In order to allow an optimized protection of an occupant's pelvic region from impact by a vehicle door in a side impact, it is provided that a nominal break line is formed between the first impact region and the second impact region, along which the first impact region or seat impact region can be separated from the second impact region by a force acting in the vehicle transverse direction.

Door assembly for a motor vehicle

A vehicle door includes a first interlock coupled to an inner frame panel. A second interlock coupled to an inner trim panel. The first and second interlocks are separated to define a ready state. During an impact condition, the first and second interlocks selectively engage one another to define an impact state that resists deflection of the inner trim panel away from the inner frame panel.

Vehicle trim panel interlock for limiting trim panel separation during an impact condition

A headrest assembly includes a pivot pin rotatably coupled to a support structure. A pivot member extends outward from a headrest body and is coupled to the pivot pin. A lock assembly is disposed about the pivot pin and is operable between a disengaged condition and an engaged condition. In the engaged condition, rotation of the pivot pin relative to the support structure is generally prevented. A pulley wheel is operable to rotate about the pivot pin from a first position to a second position to prompt the lock assembly to enter the disengaged condition.

Headrest assembly for a pivoting headrest

A apparatus includes a trim panel and a displaceable face pane. The trim panel includes a storage compartment and a guideway having a latching slot and a positioning rack. The displaceable face panel has a trunnion received for sliding movement along the guideway.

Trim panel and displaceable face panel providing enhanced storage function

A steering column for autonomous vehicles includes a powered actuator controlling rotation of a lower column, an inner column, and an upper column that is movable relative to the lower and inner columns. Rotation of the lower column relative to the upper column moves the upper column lengthwise. A powered lock rotatably interconnects the inner and lower columns when in a first position, and locks the inner column to a base when in a second position. In an autonomous mode, the upper column is stowed, the powered lock is in the first position, and the motor inhibits rotation of the lower column. In a manual mode, the upper column is extended, the powered lock is in the second position, and a sensor detects an angular position of the upper column.

Stowable steering wheel for autonomous vehicles

A doghouse retainer includes a body having an end wall incorporating a clip receiver and a sidewall having an ultrasonic heating concentration feature. A door assembly is provided including a door inner and a door trim panel incorporating such a doghouse retainer. A method of adjusting a gap between two components is also provided.

Doghouse retainer, door assembly incorporating that doghouse retainer and method of adjusting a gap between a first component and a second component

An apparatus is provided for holding an article in a motor vehicle. That apparatus includes a motor vehicle storage compartment having a receiver and a reversible insert held in the receiver. A storage system is also disclosed including a left-hand storage compartment including a first receiver, a right-hand storage compartment including a second receiver and a reversible insert configured for receipt in the first receiver and the second receiver.

Apparatus and storage system for storing an article in a motor vehicle

A fastening system includes a locking pin, a doghouse, including a receiver, and a retainer body held in the receiver. The retainer body includes a retention feature adapted to receive and hold the locking pin. The fastening system is useful in a method of securing a trim component to a door inner.

Fastening system for securing a trim panel to a support substrate

A vehicle including first and seating assemblies positioned within a single seating row defining a space positioned therebetween. A storage member is operable between an undeployed position within a member space defined below a seat base of the first seating assembly and a deployed position within the space between the first and second seating assemblies via a linkage.

Growing community of inventors

Cologne, Germany

Juergen Koehler