Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Other

Paul Richard Meernik

Scott W Thorpe

James Herbert Shoemaker

Alan L Browne

Andrew J Novajovsky

Andrew G Fox

Warren J Meidinger

Nancy L Johnson

Nilesh D Mankame

Gary Lee Jones

Thomas Arthur Perry

Jenne-Tai Wang

Jan Henning Aase

Martin Stephen Kramer

Kenneth J Baron

Larry Edward Byrnes

Joseph D Mc Cleary

Dominic S Pupillo

Francis Hap-Kwong Chen

Mark W Ruesink

Hitesh R Desai

James J Karlavage

Liping L Wang

Yih-Chyun Sheu

A closure assembly and method of operation for a vehicle closure includes a latch for selectively securing the closure to the vehicle, and a lockable bumper assembly that includes an electronic locking mechanism that can selectively secure the bumper in a pocket of the base to add an additional mechanism for securing the closure to the vehicle. The locking mechanism may be controlled to secure the bumper to the base after a controller detects that the latch is latched and the bumper is seated in the pocket of the base.

Lockable vehicle closure bumpers

A damping assembly is disposed within a housing of a latch assembly to slow rotation of a forkbolt as the forkbolt rotates between an over-travel position and a latched position within the housing. The damping assembly includes a first passage and a second passage that are each configured to allow a fluid to flow therein. A restriction passage fluidly connects the first passage and the second passage and increases the pressure of the fluid within the passages. A check valve is configured to allow unidirectional flow of the fluid through the passages. An engagement mechanism is operatively connected to the passages and is configured to engage the forkbolt as the forkbolt rotates between the over-travel position and the latched position. The fluid within the passages reacts against the engagement mechanism to slow rotation of the forkbolt as the forkbolt rotates between the over-travel position and the latched position.

Damping assembly for reducing vibrations in a latch for a vehicle door

A multiple position ball stud assembly for a closure strut supporting a closure pivotally attached adjacent to an opening, and a method of operation, is disclosed. The ball stud assembly may comprise a ball stud and a ball stud actuator. The ball stud may have a socket portion mounted on a closure lift assist strut and a guide pin extending from the socket portion. The ball stud actuator assembly may include a housing, a guide for receiving the guide pin, and an actuator for moving the guide pin along the guide to thereby cause the ball stud to move relative to the housing. The multiple position ball stud assembly may also include a control assembly that engages the actuator for selectively causing the actuator to move the guide pin along the guide.

Multiple position ball stud for closure strut

A vehicle door seal venting system is provided for venting air trapped in the seal gap between two or more spaced environmental seals. As the vehicle door transitions to a closed position, the seals engage between the vehicle door and vehicle body door opening, acting to closeout the seal gap. The compression of the seal gap as the door further closes results in pressurization of the trapped air, which then acts to resist closure of the vehicle door, therefore requiring that additional closure force be applied to fully close the door. The vehicle door seal venting system relieves the pressurized air from between the seals without compromising the integrity of the seals or overall noise and sealing performance of the door system.

Vehicle door seal venting system and method

A closure assembly for a vehicle pivotable between a closed position and a full open position, and a method of controlling its movement includes a closure, a hinge mechanism attached to the closure, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes a damper actuator and a pneumatic closure damper, with the closure damper including a hollow bellows extending from a support base, an orifice and an end opposite the support base. The damper actuator is attached to the hinge mechanism and the support base is attached to the body structure such that the damper actuator is spaced from the end when the closure is in the closed position and the damper actuator is in contact with the end and compresses the bellows when the closure is in the full open position.

Closure damper assembly

A ground cloth is adapted for use between the ground and a ground engagable floor to protect the floor from contamination by the ground. The ground cloth includes a plurality of drain holes for draining to the ground moisture entering between the ground engagable floor and the ground cloth to minimize the retention of moisture between the ground cloth and the floor.

Tent ground cloth with drainage

Disclosed herein is a locking device comprising a striker; and a latch in operative communication with an actuator that comprises an active material; wherein the latch is adapted to engage the striker in direct proportion to an applied activation signal. Disclosed herein too is a method for assisting a final closing motion of a suspended body with respect to a supporting body comprising moving the suspended body to within a defined distance from the supporting body; and activating a locking device, wherein the locking device comprises a striker; a latch in operative communication with an actuator that comprises an active material; wherein the latch is adapted to engage the striker in direct proportion to an applied activation signal.

Active materials based approaches to latch snug down and articles containing the same

A self locking apparatus is disclosed having a housing, a load initiating element located within the housing, a spring located adjacent to the load initiating element and configured to expand in compression against the housing in response to a compressive load, and a compression member slideably disposed within the housing and configured to compress the spring from a side opposite the load initiating element. The load initiating element, spring and compression member are slideable within the housing in a first axial direction and in a second opposite axial direction in response to an axial load on the load initiating element, and lockable within the housing in the second axial direction in response to an axial load on the compression member in the second axial direction.

Self locking apparatus

Disclosed herein is a locking mechanism for positioning or locking an article comprising a housing; an optional active elementin operative communication with a connecting means, wherein the active elementand the connecting meansare disposed within the housing; wherein the active elementupon being activated is capable of exerting a force on the connecting means; a compression initiation elementlocated within the housing, wherein the compression initiation elementcomprises a shape memory material, and wherein the compression initiation elementupon activation facilitates the activation of the active element; and a spring stackdisposed adjacent to the compression initiation element, wherein the spring stackis in operative communication with the compression initiation elementand wherein the spring stackis configured to radially expand within the housing

Positioning and locking mechanisms and articles that employ the same

Active pressure relief valves and methods of use for regulating atmospheric conditions within an interior compartment of a vehicle generally include an active material to effect movement of a flap relative to an opening. The active material has the ability to remember its original at least one attribute such as dimension, shape, and/or flexural modulus, which can subsequently be recalled by applying or removing an external stimulus, as will be discussed in detail herein. Suitable active materials include, without limitation, shape memory alloys, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, piezoelectric materials, electroactive polymers, magnetorheological fluids and elastomers, electrorheological fluids, composites of one or more of the foregoing materials with non-active materials, combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials, and the like. Depending on the particular active material, the activation signal can take the form of, without limitation, an electric current, a temperature change, a magnetic field, a mechanical loading or stressing, or the like.

Active pressure relief valves and methods of use

An axial positioner capable of yielding to absorb energy under compression or tension loads. The positioner includes an outer tube having first and second ends, a threaded actuator rod extending between the first and second ends and a drive to rotate the actuator rod. A threaded member threadably engaging the actuator rod moves axially between the ends of the outer tube as the actuator rod rotates. The member includes a radial flange extending toward the outer tube. A radially extending load ring spaced axially from the flange is connected to a plurality of axially extending force transmitting elements. A spring positioned between the flange and a load ring expands radially outward against the outer tube when compressed between the flange and the load ring. Loading of the spring against the tube absorbs energy of axial motion of the flange under excessive loads transmitted by the force transmitting elements to the load ring.

Load carrying axial positioners with overload energy absorption

An engine piston compression ring designed to reduce the negative effects of ring end butting and reduce blowby. The compression ring has a gap forming an angle with a longitudinal axis of the ring or with a radius drawn from the axis. A relieved portion is provided along the upper or inner side of the ring adjacent one end, depending upon the direction of the gap angle. The relieved portion slopes along the upper or inner side toward the one end where the longitudinal thickness of the ring is smallest.

Angled gap compression rings with end relief

A crescent pump including a housing having an inlet port and a discharge port, a driving gear, and a driven gear meshing with driving gear in a gap between the inlet and the discharge ports. External and internal troughs on the driving and the driven gears define pump chambers. A stationary crescent-body has a pair of arc-shaped walls which cooperate with the tips of the external and the internal gear teeth thereon in defining fluid seals. The edges of an inlet ramp at an upstream end of the crescent body and the edges of a discharge ramp at a downstream end of the crescent body define inner and outer upstream and downstream metering orifices which close and open in complementary fashion to maintain constant the rate of fluid leakage from the discharge port toward the inlet port. A pair of shaped metering grooves in the pump housing cooperate in defining a flow path between the discharge port and the inlet port through a succession of trapped volumes between the driving and the driven gears. The flow path has a pair of variable orifices therein calibrated to reduce the fluid pressure in the succession of trapped volumes at a controlled rate.

Crescent gear pump

The oil control ring for a piston has a single low tension rail and a contiguous blocker ring, under light tension, to prevent oil flow through the rail end gap. A separate spring applies tension to the rail. A serpentine spring in conic form presses outwardly on the rail and presses inwardly on a restraining ring. A separator ring behind the blocker ring allows oil flow to a drainage vent to help keep the region behind the blocker ring dry. A dike behind the blocker ring in the form of a closed ring or a recess formed in the groove collects oil thrown upwardly on the upper half of the piston cycle to prevent oil leakage through the upper axial clearance or the blocker ring end gap.

Growing community of inventors

Redford, MI, United States of America

Paul Richard Meernik