Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Tehui Peng

Chi-Mou Ni

Thomas B Bartholomew

Shawn G Quinn

Edward J Strzelecki

David B DeClerck

Brian J Schachermeyer

John L Brummans

James W Kosakowski

Timothy R Hoye

A mounting apparatus is provided for securing a component to a base on a vehicle. The component has a first longitudinal lip extending along a first side thereof and a second longitudinal lip extending along a second side substantially opposite the first side. The mounting apparatus comprises an elongate track assembly configured to be fixedly coupled to the base and having first and second edge sections. The first edge section is configured to secure the first lip, and the second edge section is configured to form a wall. A wedge assembly is coupled to the track assembly for engaging the wall and the second lip to secure the component on the track assembly.

Apparatus for attaching components to a vehicle

A mounting system for a heat exchanger includes an isolator fabricated of a nitrile rubber material to dampen vibrations. The isolator includes a body portion and a pair of legs. The body portion includes a pair of openings sized to receive a vehicle hood latch support. The legs include contoured inner surfaces and are sized to straddle the top surface of the heat exchanger. A vehicle hood latch support assembly is frictionally attached within the isolator body portion openings. As the vehicle is initially assembled, the isolator legs straddle the heat exchanger to secure the heat exchanger to the vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for mounting a heat exchanger to a vehicle

A hydroformed tubular structure includes at least two hydroformed members connected at a joint. At least one of said members includes a flattened portion having opposite sides in engagement. One of the sides engages and is secured to a mating portion of another of the members and a hydroformed conjugate portion is formed in the one side adjacent the flattened portion and is secured in a recess of the other member. A hydroformed structural portion extends from the conjugate portion in a direction away from the flattened portion. A method of making the structure includes the steps of placing a tubular member in a hydroforming die, filling the tubular member with hydroforming liquid, flattening at least one portion of the tubular member intermediate its ends by forcing opposite sides of the member into engagement upon closing of the die, the liquid in the member acting to prevent collapse of other portions of the tubular member than the flattened portions, hydroforming the member into a predetermined configuration including expanded conjugate portions adjacent the flattened portions, trimming the flattened portions of the member to form a plurality of separate hydroformed parts each having at least one flattened end portion with an adjacent expanded conjugate portion, and securing the flattened portion of a first one of the parts to a second part having a recess receiving the conjugate portion of the first part to form a secure joint connecting the first and second parts.

Hydroformed tubular structures and methods of making

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Tehui Peng