Chrysler Corporation

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Thomas M Knowles

Kenneth Horney

Brian D Dwyer

Stephen M Leitner

Stephen D Donohue

Richard R Pasek

David K Evans

James R Edwards

Apparatus for inhibiting substantial rearward displacement of an automotive vehicle's engine/transmission powertrain and for transferring rearward thrust of the engine to support structure of the vehicle. A rigid transversely extending cross beam in the form of a hollow tube is secured to the support structure and located just rearwardly of the powertrain. An impact member is secured to the engine/transmission in a position between the engine and the cross beam. The impact member is in the form of an elongated, generally C-shaped bar with its opposite ends secured to the engine/transmission. The impact bar has an intermediate portion formed with a concave section spaced from and opposed to the cross beam member. Rearward thrust of the engine/transmission is transmitted to the cross beam and ultimately to the support structure of the vehicle, inhibiting substantial rearward movement of the engine/transmission.

Impact bar

An engine mount with vertical alignment for mounting a powertrain member on a chassis of a vehicle. The engine mount with vertical alignment has a mount body which has a hollow core for housing a metal core. The metal core has at least one channel for accepting a vertically placed bolt, the metal core being held in position by a rubber mount. The metal core interfaces with a mounting bracket that is connected to a powertrain member for vertical mounting onto a chassis.

Engine mount with vertical alignment

A fresh air duct system for a vehicle that includes an engine air cleaner with an attached conduit for passing fresh air into the air cleaner. The system includes a bumper beam that has elongated upper and lower air passageways that can be in fluid flow communication with the conduit for defining an air flow path between the air cleaner and the passageways. Fresh air can be introduced into the air duct system such that at least one of the air flow passageways can simultaneously act as a sound resonator and a resonator tuner.

Fresh air duct system for a vehicle

A clamp device for attaching a vehicular component to a tubular member. The clamp device includes a split ring that has a latch end member, a tab end member, and a device disposed on the latch end member and the tab end member for interengaging the latch end member and the tab end member when the ring is closed around the tubular member. The clamp device further includes a component retention member that is fixedly attached to the ring for positively orienting the component on the tubular member. The retention member has a support member that is integrally formed with the ring, and a housing member that is affixed to the support member. The housing member includes a device for slidably receiving and releasably attaching the component to the ring.

Clamp device for attaching and positively orienting a vehicular

An air induction system for an internal combustion engine featuring a throttle body and air cleaner assembly vibrationally isolated from the engine by a resilient air transmitting zip tube interconnecting the throttle body with the engine air intake manifold. The zip tube flexes to isolate the throttle body from engine vibrations and oscillations thereby eliminating a cause of throttle body fractures or looseness from its mounting. Furthermore, with such isolation, the throttle body can be readily formed from plastics and provide long service life. With the throttle body isolated, engine generated throttle pedal vibration is eliminated. Additionally with the remote location, throttle body and throttle plate coking and icing from recirculating exhaust gases is obviated. The throttle body and air cleaner assembly is supplied as a unit to augment vehicle assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

Thomas M Knowles