Magna Exteriors Gmbh

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Gizmochine, Inc.

Aurora Ontario

Larry R Erickson

Robert M Horner

J C Mays

Brian Staley

Marc Cogswell

Peter G DeMarois

Robert A Selle

Michael S Spagnuolo

Andrew E Sicherman

William F Gibbons

Martin Robert Matthews

Anthony John Povinelli

Braendon Robert Lindberg

Michael James Cowan

Luyao Zhu

Michael McAfee

Chris Williamson

Daniel Vander Sluis

Keijo Johannes Huotari

Robert J Scaringe

Mark T Pilette

Brian W Staley

Thomas C Gale

Roman P Mistiuk

Mohan Girijeshwar

John S Muglia

An access door for a vehicle including an open bed assembly including a front wall, two side walls and a rear wall. A door portion on one of the side walls of the liftgate opening on a substantially vertical hinged axis for providing side access to the truck bed.

Bed sidegate

A tailgate assembly including at least two tailate panels that both move between a closed position, a plurality of intermediate open positions, and a fully open position, where the tailgate panels selectively separate and articulate from the back of the cargo bed to the sides of the cargo bed. The tailate panels move out of the way to provide direct access to the cargo area floor. The tailate panels articulate in a small envelope of space, improving access to the rear in a confined space at the rear of the vehicle and reducing the risk of contacting objects that may be behind the vehicle.

Articulating tailgate

A hard top removal assist system for a vehicle. The system includes a vehicle body having a plurality of rails mounted to the vehicle body. A hard top has a connection that is used to connect the hard top to the plurality of rails. There is at least one connection on the hard top that is slidable in the one or more rails between an installed position and a removed position. The hard top can be fully removed from the vehicle body and the one or more rails.

Hard top roof removal assist

A modular gate combined with multiple functions which can be easily employed with existing tailgates without any hardware or mounting modifications to existing truck beds. There is provided a modular tailgate system having a tailgate portion in combination with a plurality of functions. The modular tailgate system integrates any combinations of at least two of the plurality of features without affecting existing body sides and/or existing truck beds. Integrated features include a multi-functional gate (e.g., swing, drop, etc), storage (e.g., normal, sealed, refrigerated, heated, etc), step(s), lighting (e.g., ingress/egress, bed interior, removable, trailer hitch, parking, etc), bed extension(s), power (e.g., 12 v and/or 110 v), tie downs (e.g., ratchets, anchors, etc), sawhorse, magnet(s), table(s), bench(es), seat(s), net(s), any other predetermined desired function, etc., and combinations thereof.

Modular tailgate

The present invention is directed to a hardtop for a vehicle that has an exterior thermoplastic roof panel and sides. The hardtop includes a top frame formed of at least two longitudinal sides and at least one cross vehicle piece formed from fiber reinforced polymer. Connected to the top frame is at least one roof panel forming an outer surface of the hardtop. There are also one or more side frames each having a side panel connected thereto. The roof panel and side panel are all formed of thermoplastic, so it is possible to have a Class A finish paint surface or mold in color finish.

Thermoplastic hardtop roof

A molded panel that encompasses all forward surfaces of a vehicle. The molded panel extends from the forward edge from a driver side front wheel opening, laterally across the front of the vehicle and terminating at a forward edge of a passenger side wheel opening. The molded panel extends in the vertical direction (i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle) from a forward lower edge of a front valance up to a leading edge of one of a hood, a flunk, and a windshield of the vehicle. The molded panel further includes connection flanges formed on a back side surface for connection to a vehicle frame that does not have a front end module and front frame bulk head.

Integrated front vision panel

An articulating tailgate assembly with improved accessibility into a cargo bed of a vehicle, incorporating at least one door. The tailgate system provides a tailgate with a combination of predetermined plurality of functions for accessibility into the cargo bed of the vehicle and to improve functionality of the tailgate assembly.

Tailgate accessibility

A tailgate assembly including at least two tailgate panels that both move between a closed position, a plurality of intermediate open positions, and a fully open position, where the tailgate panels selectively separate and articulate from the back of the cargo bed to the sides of the cargo bed. The tailgate panels move out of the way to provide direct access to the cargo area floor. The tailgate panels articulate in a small envelope of space, improving access to the rear in a confined space at the rear of the vehicle and reducing the risk of contacting objects that may be behind the vehicle.

Bed side gate

An active liftgate spoiler used on a liftgate of a vehicle. The liftgate has an upper surface and is typically a rear liftgate or hatch on the rear side of the vehicle. A housing is connected to the upper surface of the liftgate. There is a moveable panel connected to the housing using a connection. The connection is formed by a four bar linkage that forms a portion of the connection between the moveable panel and the housing. An actuator, which in one embodiment is a single rotary actuator is connected to the four bar linkage and causes the movement of the moveable panel.

Active aerodynamics liftgate spoiler design with multi 4 bar kinematic linkages

An illumination system and method of ground and other illuminating that comprises a plurality of sensors that scan/detect the exterior area around the vehicle and at least one controller, the system selectively turning on/off a series of lighting elements placed strategically around the vehicle to allow light to be directed to at least one ground or other surface at the persons at all times or any predetermined time. A controller is provided to activate ground lighting in coordination with sensor signals identifying where an individual or object are located in predetermined proximity to the vehicle.

Continuous safety light

An articulating tailgate assembly with improved accessibility into a cargo bed of a pickup truck, incorporating at least one door. The tailgate system provides a tailgate with a combination of predetermined plurality of functions for accessibility into the cargo bed of the vehicle and to improve functionality of the tailgate assembly.

An active liftgate spoiler () used on a liftgate () of a vehicle (). The liftgate has an upper surface () and is typically a rear liftgate or hatch on the rear side of the vehicle. A housing () is connected to the upper surface of the liftgate. There is a moveable panel () connected to the housing using a connection. The connection is formed by a four bar linkage (') that forms a portion of the connection between the moveable panel and the housing. An actuator (), which in one embodiment is a single rotary actuator is connected to the four bar linkage and causes the movement of the moveable panel.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, MI, United States of America

Larry R Erickson