Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Global Tech.inc

Ronald Machin

Michael J Gardynik

Steven Frank

Ching-Hung Chuang

Michael Joseph Lee

Kevin Joseph Favero

Xiao Wu

Amar Ourchane

Scott Crane

Robert Anthony Brancaleone

Craig Angelo Moccio

Michael Kozak

Patrick L Folk

Joshua R Kesten

John O Wheeler

Lothar Budde

Greg Dobieralski

An automotive panel assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a first panel, a second panel, and a flange of the first panel folded over an edge region of the second panel to hem together the first and second panels. The flange of the first panel includes a textured geometry that interlocks with a textured geometry of the edge region.

Automotive panel hem stabilizing assembly and method

An automotive panel assembly includes, among other things, a first panel, a second panel, a flange of the first panel folded over an edge region of the second panel to hem together the first and second panel, and a dimple of the flange extending into an aperture within the edge region of the second panel. At least a portion of the aperture is exposed.

A vehicle door attachment unit for rotatably and detachably coupling a vehicle door to a vehicle body. The unit may include a bodyside bracket mountable to the vehicle body and having first and second portions with respective first and second apertures, with the first and second portions extending generally away from the vehicle body. A doorside bracket may be mountable to the vehicle door and include a segment with a third aperture, the segment extending generally away from the vehicle door. A retaining mechanism may extend through the third aperture, and through the first and/or second apertures. A fastener may extend through at least one of the apertures and mate with the retaining mechanism to substantially align the first, second, and third apertures. A bearing may be disposed on the retaining mechanism for providing rotational freedom between the retaining mechanism, and the bodyside or doorside bracket.

Lift-off door hinge

A door sash header for an automotive vehicle includes a glazing seal retainer, an external trim retention portion, and a multi-channel weatherstrip retention structure which utilizes upwardly and downwardly opening channels cooperating with the door sash to retain a weatherstrip upon the header without the need for additional fastening devices such as mechanical fasteners or adhesives.

Door sash header for automotive vehicle

A three-piece tailor welded blank vehicle door structure includes a periphery defined by a bottom portion, a pair of opposing side portions, a top portion, and an inclined portion. A first thickness gage sheet material portion is disposed generally along the door hinge side of the door structure. A second thicker gage sheet material portion is disposed generally along the door latch side of the door structure. A thinner gage sheet material portion is disposed between the first and second thickness gage sheet material portions, whereby the overall weight of the vehicle door is reduced.

Method and apparatus for forming a three piece tailor welded door blank

A mounting structure having improved stiffness characteristics. The mounting structure includes a pillar which forms a portion of a vehicle body and which operatively supports a vehicle door which is selectively attached to the pillar by hinges The structure includes a pair of &ldquo;closed-loop&rdquo; beads which are formed around hinges and which increase the stiffness characteristics of the pillar and of the vehicle door.

Mounting structure with improved stiffness characteristics

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Ronald Machin