Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Chrysler Group LLC

Robert Boschgmbh

Chrysler Corporation

Louis A Rhodes

Joseph L Salani

Carl Mather

Douglas J Quigley

John V Keane

David J Ewers

Stephen T Lim

Paresh Rana

Aaron Schnepp

Glenn W Abbott

Ryan A Kuhlman

Yun Lu

Robert Smyczynski

George A Konstantakopoulos

Jingsheng Yu

Hugh W Cumming

John C Mrozowski

David Michael McGuire

Brett Ladetto

Patrick G Larochelle

Mark C Luscomb

Todd E Olson

Pablo Luis Guarnizo Martinez

Theodore R Hamilton

Miles A Christmas

A hill hold decay (HDD) system of a vehicle. The system includes a longitudinal acceleration sensor, a wheel speed sensor, a brake pedal detector, a gas pedal detector, a gear sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine the vehicle has come to a standstill, determine a slope of the ground the vehicle is on, determine a direction of travel of the vehicle is downhill, detect a release of a brake release a brake force applied to a plurality of wheels of the vehicle at a constant first rate, determine a speed of the vehicle has reached a minimum threshold, release the brake force at a second rate as long as the speed of the vehicle is increasing, determine the speed of the vehicle has reached a maximum threshold, and release the brake force.

Hill hold decay

A gas compression spring is mounted with an exterior element configured to allow a user to adjust the extension of the spring by rotating or sliding the exterior element. The user can line up an internal mechanism which is configured to limit the extension of the gas spring, and therefore stop the extension of the gas spring at a predetermined height. Additionally, an override mechanism is included where a user requires full extension of the gas spring. For example, the user can override the internal mechanism by applying a force in the direction of the extension, which disengages the mechanism allowing full extension. When the spring is compressed again, the mechanism resets and opens to the predetermined height. The gas spring can be utilized in a vehicle liftgate system, allowing the liftgate to open at one or more heights based upon the internal mechanism settings of the gas spring.

Multiple stop gas compression spring

The technology described herein provides a slidable, retractable, and foldable cargo floor organizer with a rotatable and extensible retention net frame and associated cargo retention net for the rear cargo floor area of a vehicle. The system additionally provides an interior cargo tray having multiple partitions. The system includes a cargo retention net frame disposed about the interior cargo tray, wherein the cargo retention net frame is extensible, and a cargo retention net, the cargo retention net being disposed about the retention net frame, and wherein the cargo retention net is extensible and extends as the cargo retention net frame extends. The system provides for the secure containment of cargo in the rear cargo floor area of a vehicle.

Vehicle cargo floor organizer

An instrument panel for a vehicle that includes a screen that is operable to display at least one object, and wherein the object automatically changes in size when the vehicle changes between a drive mode and a park mode.

Removable electronic tablet for vehicle instrument panel

A vehicle package design system includes a data store of vehicle packages defined in terms of spatial dimensions relating vehicle hard points. A design engine adaptively renders a vehicle space based on a vehicle package, and, in response to user input defining a required change in a target spatial dimension, alters the target spatial dimension according to the required change, and alters one or more potentially altered spatial dimensions based on alteration of the target spatial dimension. A user interface communicates potentially altered spatial dimensions to the user, including indicating them as potentially altered according to alteration of the target spatial dimension. In further aspects, the user interface is adapted to accept user input expressing a desire whether to allow a potentially altered spatial dimension to change, and the design engine preferentially maintains some potentially altered spatial dimensions while altering other potentially altered spatial dimensions based on the expressed preference.

Knowledge-based system and method for automated vehicle packaging design

A seat assembly for a motor vehicle having a tub disposed at least partially in a floor of the vehicle. The seat assembly comprises at least one rear leg non-releasably secured to the floor of the vehicle. The at least one rear leg is pivotable to stow the seat assembly in the tub.

Stadium style motor vehicle seat

A fold-in-floor vehicle seat is supported in a use position on a generally flat load floor. To move the seat into a storage position, the seat is lowered onto a portion of the load floor that acts as an articulated base for the seat. The base approximates the footprint of the seat, and covers a storage cavity directly below the seat and configured to closely receive the seat. The base is free floating with respect to the remainder of the load floor, but is pivotally connected to the vehicle by an articulating arm that allows the base to rotate about a pivot point through an arcuate section of guide track in the storage cavity, and the arm then articulates to allow the base to travel through a straight portion of track. The arm then returns to its starting position as the base traverses a second arcuate section of track, having now inverted so that the seat is lodged within the storage cavity.

Articulated base with guide track for fold-in-floor vehicle seat

A seat assembly for a motor vehicle includes a seat cushion translatable on at least one track to a position generally above a tub disposed at least partially in a floor of the vehicle. The seat cushion is stowable in the tub.

Fold flat motor vehicle seat

A folding seating apparatus, for on-board stowage of an optionally deployable passenger seat, in a vehicle having a floor defining a floor surface that may be entirely flat when the seating apparatus is stowed. The seating apparatus includes a stowable seat having a seat cushion supported on one or more legs above the floor, a seat back that is foldable upon the seat cushion for stowage of the seat, and a seat receiving recess in the floor for on-board stowage of the seat. The seat is movable transversely in the vehicle in addition to being stowable.

Underfloor stowage of a folding seat in a vehicle

Optionally expandable passenger seating is provided in a second compartment of a vehicle body including a first compartment and a second compartment rearwardly adjacent the first compartment, through use of a passenger seating cushion attached to an interior surface of a rear wallgate, of the first compartment, optionally separating the first and second compartments from one another. The rear wallgate is attached at a lower edge thereof for pivoting movement from a vertical position, whereat the rear wallgate at least partially separates the first compartment from the second compartment with the interior surface of the wallgate facing into the first compartment, to a horizontal position, whereat the rear wall gate extends into the second compartment with the interior surface of the rear wallgate facing generally upward, thereby allowing a passenger to sit on the cushion when the rear wall gate is in the horizontal position.

Secondary folding seat in a vehicle

A folding seating apparatus, for on-board stowage of an optionally deployable passenger seat, in a vehicle having a floor defining a floor surface that may be entirely flat when the seating apparatus is stowed. The seating apparatus includes a stowable seat having a seat cushion supported on one or more legs above the floor, a seat back that is foldable upon the seat cushion for stowage of the seat, and a seat receiving recess in the floor for on-board stowage of the seat.

A removable storage unit for a motor vehicle including a first portion having an open side and defining a storage area, and a second portion having an open side and defining a second storage area. The first and second portions are rotateably coupled together to allow the storage areas to be adjacently located. The removable storage unit preferably has two modes. In the first mode, the storage unit is removed from the motor vehicle, and the open sides of the first and second portions are positioned adjacent one another, which allows for easy transportation of the unit. In the second mode, the storage unit is positioned within the motor vehicle so that the open sides of the first and second portions are oriented substantially coplanar.

Removable storage unit for a motor vehicle

A vehicle seat that articulates and dumps is provided. The vehicle seat includes an articulation link connected to a bottom frame and a seat frame. The seat frame is also connected to a seatback frame. The seatback frame is connected to a bottom frame. The articulation link allows the seat frame to rotate down to the bottom frame while the seatback frame articulates forward and downwardly toward the seat frame. The vehicle seat can be dumped forwardly and upwardly around a dumping pivot. A dumping mechanism releases the bottom frame from the vehicle deck so that the bottom frame can rotate forwardly and upwardly. The bottom frame rotates about the dumping pivot which is attached to a dumping frame. The dumping frame is shaped so that it provides clearance for the headrest and the seat cushion end of the seat frame when the vehicle is substantially dumped in a vertical position relative to a vehicle floor pan.

Growing community of inventors

Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Louis A Rhodes