Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Saturn Corporation

Dynalloy, Inc.

Robert Dallos, Jr

Paul W Alexander

Roger Herbert Culver

James Holbrook Brown

Aragorn Zolno

Mark K Denison

Nancy L Johnson

Steven Morris

Jennifer P Lawall

James Nicholas Nickolaou

Kevin S Kidston

Adam L Wright

Thomas W Cox

David A Young

Thomas W Jozwiak

Gordan N Noll

Suzanne M Cody-Gump

Thomas J Pickett

John H Bednarchik

Michael J Mukhtar

Christopher J Georgi

Benjamin M Ekola

Gregory A Castillo

Rodney G Dick

Lyn R Zbinden

A wiper system incorporates a wiper motor provided with a wireless interface to provide electric power and control signals to the wiper motor. Thus, a direct electric/signal wire connection to the wiper motor is eliminated. A wireless transmitter may be provided within a first body portion of a vehicle and a wireless receiver and a wiper motor are provided in a second body portion of the vehicle. The second body portion may be moveable relative to the first body portion, such as, for example, a lift gate moving relative to a body opening.

Wiper assembly and method

A clip assembly includes a bracket defining a hole. A vehicle includes a component and the clip assembly attached to the component. The bracket includes an inner surface, a first side and a second side opposing the first side. The hole is defined through the first and second sides. The clip assembly includes a post disposed through the hole and an attachment feature formed to the post. The clip assembly includes a first stop and a second stop each formed to the post. The first stop is disposed between the first side of the bracket and the attachment feature. The second stop is spaced from the first stop, and the bracket is disposed between the first and second stops. The second side of the bracket is open such that the second stop is unsurrounded by the bracket relative to the second side.

Clip assembly and a vehicle that utilizes the clip assembly

A vehicle body assembly includes a first body wholly or partly made of a first polymeric material. The first polymeric material includes a polycarbonate and has a 60-degree gloss that is equal to or greater than 80 gloss units. The first body defines an outermost surface of the vehicle body assembly. The first body may be an exterior trim component, such as a grille portion, and may have a black color. The vehicle body assembly further includes a second body coupled (e.g., chemically bonded) to the first body. The second body may be a support body configured to support the exterior trim component and is wholly or partly made of a second polymeric material. The second polymeric material is different from the first polymeric material, and the outermost surface of the first body faces away from the second body.

Low stress attachment for high gloss weatherable polycarbonate decorative applications

A spray nozzle system includes a housing having an upper cap, a neck portion for helping to support the housing adjacent a component, and at least one fluid flow line for supplying a fluid to an interior area of the housing. A plurality of spray nozzles may be included which are housed in the housing and in communication with the at least one fluid line for distributing the fluid over a circumferential surface of the component.

Circular spray nozzle system and method for cleaning a cylindrical surface of a component

A lockable latching device includes a body defining a cavity and having a central longitudinal axis, and a plunger disposed within the cavity. The plunger has a first end and a second end and is translatable along the axis between an open position and a closed position. The device includes an annular rotator disposed along the axis and configured for rotating the plunger about the axis. The device also includes an annular latch abutting the rotator that is transitionable between an unlocked state and a locked state. The device includes a first element operably connected to the latch and formed from a first shape memory alloy and a second element operably connected to the latch and formed from a second shape memory alloy.

Lockable latching device

A lockable latching device includes a body defining a cavity therein and having a central longitudinal axis, and a plunger disposed within the cavity. The plunger has a first end and a second end and is translatable with respect to the body along the axis between an open position and a closed position. The device also includes an annular rotator spaced apart from the body along the axis and configured for rotating the plunger about the axis. The device includes an annular latch abutting the rotator that is transitionable between an unlocked state and a locked state. The device also includes an element attached to the latch and formed from a shape memory alloy that is transitionable between an austenite crystallographic phase and a martensite crystallographic phase in response to an activation signal to thereby transition the latch from the locked state to the unlocked state.

A method includes assembling a first latching device and a second latching device. The first latching device includes a first support housing and a first sliding assembly. The first sliding assembly is selectively movable, relative to the first support housing, between a latched position and an unlatched position. The second latching device includes a second support housing, a second sliding assembly, and an actuating mechanism. The second support housing is substantially identical to the first support housing. The second sliding assembly is selectively movable, relative to the second support housing, between a latched position and an unlatched position. The actuating mechanism is operatively disposed in the second support housing and is configured to selectively maintain the sliding assembly in the latched position until the actuating mechanism is selectively actuated. The first latching device does not include the actuating mechanism.

Latching device for selectively latching and unlatching a closure of a vehicle

A vehicle fuel door assembly includes a cover comprising a plurality of alignment features fixedly disposed relative to the cover, the plurality of alignment features formed of an elastically deformable material. The assembly also includes a hinge comprising a plurality of alignment elements fixedly disposed relative to the hinge, each of the alignment features interferingly, deformably and matingly engageable with a respective alignment element, the alignment features elastically deforming to an elastically averaged final configuration that aligns the cover relative to the hinge in six planar orthogonal directions by averaging the elastic deformation of the respective alignment features.

Elastically averaged vehicle door assembly

A push-push latch includes a slider slidably disposed on a frame. A resilient element is to urge the slider toward an extended state. The slider or the frame defines a cam-track. A pin member is connected to the frame or the slider. The pin member selectably engages a closed course in the cam-track to cause the slider to alternate between a retracted state and the extended state in response to alternating application and removal of an actuating force on the slider. An interference member is on the frame to selectively prevent the pin member from engaging the closed course thereby locking the slider in the retracted state. A pivotable catch is rotatably on the slider to open in the extended state and to close in the retracted state. A shape memory alloy actuator selectively causes the interference member to selectively prevent the pin member from engaging the closed course.

Push-push latch

An access system for a vehicle energy storage device includes a housing and an access port in the housing configured for operative communication with the energy storage device. An access door is operatively connected to the housing and is movable between a closed position in which the access door closes the housing, and an open position in which the access door opens the housing. The access door prevents access to the access port in the closed position and permits access to the access port in the open position. A magnet is operatively connected to one of the housing and the access door. A magnetic sensor is operatively connected to the other one of the housing and the access door and detects the proximity of the magnet relative to the sensor. The sensor is operable to provide a signal indicative of whether the access door is in the closed position.

Access system for vehicle energy storage device with magnetic sensor to detect access door position

A vehicle wiper system includes a wiper arm, a motor including a motor shaft, and a drive connection through which torque is transmitted from the motor shaft to the wiper arm when the motor is energized, and at least partially releasing a connection between the motor shaft and the wiper arm when the motor is deenergized.

Detachable rear wiper system

A wiper blade for use on a vehicle window comprises a blade hinge made of a hydrophobic, elastomeric material, a wiping lip and a blade body. The wiping lip has a tip that contacts the vehicle window, a wiping lip base adjoining the blade hinge, and a tapered portion extending between the tip and the wiping lip base. The wiping lip base is made of a hydrophobic, elastomeric material and a majority of the tapered portion is made of an elastomeric material that is not hydrophobic. The blade body includes a main body portion configured to secure a wiper arm thereto, and a base portion adjoining the main body portion and the blade hinge. The base portion is made of a hydrophobic, elastomeric material and the main body portion is made of an elastomeric material that is not hydrophobic.

Wiper blade for vehicle window wiper

A coupling between a motor vehicle window panel and a horizontal sash bar below a lower edge of the window panel including a pair of plastic clips rigidly attached to the window panel which hook onto an edge of the sash bar to vertically couple the window panel to the sash bar with zero vertical lash therebetween and a retainer which audibly signals that the plastic clips are hooked to the sash bar and thereafter prevents dislodgment of the plastic clips from the sash bar. In a preferred embodiment, each plastic clip is adhesively bonded to the window panel and hooks onto a flat edge of the sash bar adjacent to respective ones of a pair of access slots in the flat edge. The retainer includes a cantilever spring on each plastic clip which audibly snaps into a notch in the flat edge of the sash bar when each of the plastic clips are fully hooked on the flat edge of the sash bar and which also thrusts the sash bar and the window panel in opposite directions to eliminate horizontal lash between the sash bar and window panel.

Motor vehicle window mounting apparatus

A glass positioning fixture for retaining a glass enclosure in place while the glass enclosure is being adhesively joined to an automotive frame is provided which in one preferred embodiment includes a base which includes a platform with a projecting compliant hook extending therefrom, the hook having a width generally larger than an insertion aperture provided in the frame and the hook expanding outwardly, permanently pivotally joining the base with the frame after insertion into the aperture, the base also having facing channel sides connected to the platform, the channel sides having a series of apertures; and a linear slider having a main body captured adjacent the platform and held by the channel sides and having a curvilinear head for contact with the glass enclosure, the slider also having peripheral sides with protrusions for selective engagement in the holes of the channel to allow bidirectional incremental adjustment of the slider with respect to the base, thereby positioning the glass enclosure.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Robert Dallos, Jr