Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Other

Robert W Baughman

David Joseph Chapman

Lloyd Walker Rogers, Jr

Kevin W Wright

Michael Antonio Ciavaglia

William L Priest

Gary D Bree

Craig R Blanchard

The counter balance system for a vehicle liftgate includes a pair of gas cylinders in combination with a torsion rod. The gas cylinders urge the liftgate toward an open position but due to a short moment arm do not exert sufficient force to open the liftgate until the liftgate has pivoted about one third of the distance from the closed position toward the open position. The torsion rod also urges the liftgate toward an open position. Maximum force is exerted by the torsion rod when the liftgate is closed. As the liftgate moves toward an open position, the force exerted by the torsion rod decreases until the liftgate is midway between closed and open. The torque rod does not exert any force on the liftgate during the last portion of its movement to an open position.

Vehicle liftgate counter balance system

A vehicle power liftgate cable drive has a cable drive housing. An electric motor with a motor housing and an output shaft is secured to the cable drive housing. A clutch pack with a first clutch driven by the output shaft and a second clutch driven by the first clutch, is mounted in the cable drive housing. One of the clutches in the clutch pack is a one way clutch and the other clutch is an electromechanical clutch. A pinion gear is driven by the second clutch. A driven gear is rotatably journaled on a fixed shaft and driven by the pinion gear. The cable drum is attached to the driven gear. A coil spring has one end fixed to the fixed shaft and its other end attached to the cable drum. The fixed shaft is rotated to preload the coil spring in a direction that tends to wind a cable on the cable drum and then the fixed shaft is fastened to the cable drive housing. A cable is attached to the cable drum and to the liftgate.

Power liftgate cable drive

An operator including an extensible strut, a power drive unit and at least one drive cable connected between the power drive unit and the extensible strut is provided for powered opening and closing of pivotable vehicle closure elements such as doors, hoods, liftgates, tailgates, and hatches

Power operator for pivotable vehicle closure element

A latch release disabling device for use in a vehicle. The device can be applied to the release mechanism of latches on passenger doors, hoods, deck lids and similar features such as latch locks. The device is useful in preventing the unlatching or unlocking of a latch by disabling the latch or lock release mechanism. The device is responsive to electrical control means and can be remotely activated.

Remote latch release disabling device

A method and apparatus for recognizing and counting coins is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus is battery powered and includes a magnet which moves between two positions upon a coin moving along a coin path. Movement of the magnet activates a reed switch that wakes up a microprocessor controlled circuit from a low power quiescent state. The circuit is then operable to count the coin and to then take appropriate action. In another aspect, the apparatus includes a second magnet located near the coin path and opposite a second reed switch. This magnet keeps the contacts of the reed switch closed until a ferromagnetic object passes therebetween and shunts the magnetic field away from the reed switch. A photointerrupter is used to detect U.S. coin currency and other non-ferromagnetic objects not detected via the second reed switch. Thus, the apparatus can distinguish ferromagnetic objects from U.S. coin currency by the method of not detecting opening of the second reed switch, but detecting an object with the photointerrupter. Also disclosed is a method for identifying the particular type of coin moving along the coin path. Further, there is disclosed a battery powered apparatus used with a conventional coin separator to count coins.

Growing community of inventors

Mt. Clemens, MI, United States of America

Robert W Baughman