Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Shunmugam Baskar

Michael J Gardynik

Christina Dung Nguyen

Venkatasamy Veluchamy

Christopher Pope

Geoffrey John Cooper

Jason Douglas Scott

Lohitha Dewasurendra

Stephen D Rusnak

AmirReza Latif

Bruce Richard Ghastin

Kenneth G Danaj

Sagar Ashok Dhond

Raymond Lyszczarz

Sarah J Pike

Sreekanth Gondipalle

Salman A Khan

An apparatus for holding a hood of a vehicle open during e-coat application and painting. The apparatus includes a support incorporating first and second pairs of legs attached to spaced locations on right and left sides of an engine compartment. The two pairs of legs are connected at an upper portion of the legs. A hood support bar is connected to the upper portion of both the first and second pairs of legs and extends transversely across the engine compartment. A hood striker receiving bracket may be provided on the hood support bar. The apparatus is adjustable to position the hood striker receiving bracket in a range of vertical, transverse and longitudinal locations. The adjustability of the apparatus provides a flexible hood support that reduces thermal distortion or sag due to thermal load.

Adjustable and flexible hood panel support

An active anti-flutter system is provided for a motor vehicle. That active anti-flutter system includes an electromagnet on a first component, a ferromagnetic target on a second component and a controller. The controller is configured to energize the electromagnet to generate a magnetic flux that attracts the ferromagnetic target toward the electromagnet thereby reducing vibration of one of the first component and the second component. A method of reducing flutter of a closure panel on a motor vehicle is also disclosed.

Active anti-flutter system for a motor vehicle

A vehicle closure member sealing system includes a first seal including a first bulb section and an inflatable geometric feature disposed on a discrete portion of the first seal. The inflatable geometric feature includes a second bulb section separate from the first bulb section. A pressure source is configured to communicate a fluid into the second bulb section to inflate the inflatable geometric feature between a first position and a second position. The vehicle closure member sealing system may be utilized to seal a side door or liftgate.

Pressurized sealing systems for vehicle closure members

A vehicle body includes a floor side panel, a rocker panel, and a reinforcement structure. The floor side panel is secured to the rocker panel. The floor side panel and the rocker panel each extend longitudinally from a front to a rear of the vehicle body and define a cavity therebetween. The reinforcement structure is disposed within the cavity and forms a plurality of longitudinally aligned crush cans. Each crush can extends laterally from the floor side panel to the rocker panel.

Vehicle impact absorbing structure

A damping and stiffening assembly for a body panel. The assembly includes a first damping patch and a second damping patch that are attached to the body panel. The assembly also includes a stiffening lamination that has a first end, a middle portion, and a second end. The first end of the stiffening lamination attaches to and overlaps the first damping patch. The middle portion of the stiffening lamination attaches to the body panel. The second end of the stiffening lamination attaches to and overlaps the second damping patch.

Damping and stiffening of a vehicle body panel

A door for selectively opening and closing at least a portion of an opening in a vehicle includes an outer door panel and an inner door panel. The inner panel is attached to the outer panel thus defining a space between the inner and outer panels. The inner panel is characterized by height and length. A reinforcement beam having a length substantially equal to the length of the inner panel is attached to the inner panel such that the beam is disposed in the defined space. A reinforcement bracket having a height and a length is attached to the inner panel intermediate the first and second ends of the length of the inner panel such that the beam is disposed in the space between the inner and outer panels. The length of the bracket is smaller than the length of the reinforcement beam.

Side-impact energy absorption bracket

A door assembly for a vehicle includes an exterior panel and an impact beam coupled to the exterior panel and spaced from an interior surface of the exterior panel a gap distance. A bracket is attached to the impact beam via a snap fit connection. The bracket includes an outboard surface disposed between the impact beam and the interior surface to at least partially span the gap distance. The snap fit connection allows for repositioning and removal of the bracket from the door assembly without negatively affecting the structural integrity of the impact beam.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Shunmugam Baskar