Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Keith William Jenkins

Deepak Patel

Satyanarayana Raju Vemulapati

Djamal Eddine Midoun

David R Huelke

A supplemental load transfer system for a vehicle includes a vehicle kick-up cross-member and a door trim panel configured to attach to a vehicle door member. The door trim panel includes a pusher disposed to transfer an impact load to the kick-up cross-member. The pusher may be configured as a matrix formed by a plurality of columns and substantially orthogonal connecting ribs to define a plurality of receivers. One or more of the receivers may be at least partially filled with a load-transferring substrate. The one or more receivers may be disposed at a bottom portion of the pusher. One or more columns of the plurality of columns may be oriented whereby an impact-receiving end and an impact-transmitting end of the pusher define different surface areas.

Supplemental load transfer trim system

According to one aspect of the present invention, a load-transmittal system for a vehicle includes a cross member of a vehicle frame extending substantially perpendicular to a vehicle door. A pusher is disposed within a cavity defined between inner and outer sheet metal panels of the vehicle door, wherein the pusher is disposed distal from the cross member to define an idle state. A container receptacle is disposed between the pusher and the cross member, wherein the container receptacle defines a transmittal zone of the vehicle door. When the vehicle door experiences a side-impact load, the side-impact load moves the pusher through the transmittal zone and into at least partial engagement with the cross member to define a collapsed position of the pusher. In this manner, the side-impact load is transferred through the pusher to the cross member.

Integrated lateral load-transmittal system

An accessory attachment assembly for a vehicle interior includes a mounting bracket having a mounting aperture and first and second retention tabs pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket at the mounting aperture. A hook member includes a hook portion and an open frame portion. The open frame portion is releasably received in the mounting aperture of the mounting bracket in assembly. The first and second retention tabs are operably coupled to the open frame portion of the hook member as the open frame portion is received in the mounting aperture. A release aperture is disposed on one of either the first and second retention tabs and is configured to receive a tool for releasing the first and second retention tabs from the open frame portion of the hook member to release the hook member from the mounting bracket.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Keith William Jenkins