Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Other

Thomas S Prevost

Julien P Mourou

Bradley Allen Newcomb

Giles D Bryer

Joung Min Choi

Jonglee Park

Xiaosong Huang

Bhavesh Shah

John A Landis

Jodi Mary Jean Allen

Helgert Elezi

A transparent structural component including embedded light emitting diodes (LEDs) includes a transparent layer. A plurality of LEDs is arranged on the transparent layer. A plurality of interconnections is made to the plurality of LEDs. A plurality of structural fibers arranged adjacent to the transparent layer. A transparent material encapsulates the transparent layer, the plurality of LEDs, the plurality of interconnections and the plurality of structural fibers.

Transparent structural composites with encapsulated micro-LEDs

Aspects of the disclosure include lighting assemblies and methods of using the same that leverage auto-shading laminates to support a common cavity for mixed lighting applications. An exemplary vehicle includes a lighting assembly having a common cavity. The common cavity includes an outer lens coated with an auto-shading film, a primary light source positioned behind the outer lens, a secondary light source positioned on an edge of the outer lens, and a wire embedded in the auto-shading film. The auto-shading film includes discrete substructures which vary in alignment in response to an electric field, thereby varying a transmittance through the outer lens. A controller is electrically coupled to the wire. The controller is configured to direct a switching voltage to a switch to change a state of the switch, thereby causing the wire to deliver the electric field to the discrete substructures to change the transmittance of the auto-shading film.

Common cavity lighting assembly using auto shading

A light member includes a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface, a portion of the outer surface includes a lens. A light source is mounted in the housing. The light source is directed toward the lens. A plurality of light manipulating elements is arranged in the housing between the light source and the lens. Each of the plurality of light manipulating elements includes a body having a first side surface and a second side surface. Each of the first side surface and the second side surface is a light manipulating surface.

Light member having a light manipulating element including two light manipulating surfaces

A composite panel includes a backing substrate and a first plurality of fiber tows. The first plurality of fiber tows is stitched to a first surface of the backing substrate in a predetermined pattern to form a fiber reinforced insert. A first polymer layer encapsulates the first surface of the backing substrate and the first plurality of fiber tows.

Fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite body panel

Presented are multilayer composite panels for motor vehicles, methods for making/using such panels, and motor vehicles with transparent composite roof panels having localized reinforcement features. A sandwich-type multilayer composite panel contains one or more exterior layers each including a transparent rigid material, one or more bonding layers each including a transparent adhesive material, and one or more structural reinforcement layers each including a fiber-reinforced polymer material. Each structural reinforcement layer may be attached directly to a bonding layer and/or exterior layer. The composite panel may also include one or more IR-reflective layers, one or more light-absorbing sunshade layers, and one or more insulating low-k layers. The multilayer body panel has a plan-view profile; the individual layers extend substantially the entire length and width of the plan area, whereas the fibers in each structural reinforcement layer are localized to one or more discrete regions within the plan-view profile.

Transparent composite body panels with localized structural reinforcements for motor vehicles

Presented are multilayer composite panels for motor vehicles, methods for making/using such panels, and motor vehicles with transparent composite roof panels having localized reinforcement features. A sandwich-type multilayer composite panel contains one or more exterior layers each including a transparent rigid material, one or more bonding layers each including a transparent adhesive material, and one or more structural reinforcement layers each including a fiber-reinforced polymer material. Each structural reinforcement layer may be attached directly to a bonding layer and/or exterior layer. The composite panel may also include one or more IR-reflective layers, one or more light-absorbing sunshade layers, and one or more insulating low-k layers. The fibers of each structural reinforcement layer are localized to a discrete region within the composite panel's plan-view profile. This region has laterally spaced side rails extending along the length of the multilayer body panel, and one or more transverse crossmembers connecting the side rails.

Laminate composite roof panels with internal localized structural reinforcements for motor vehicles

Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite components for vehicle body structures, methods for making/using such components, and motor vehicles equipped with such components. A vehicle body structure includes one or more elongated support rails (e.g., a pair of lateral roof rails) each with an inner contoured rail panel joined to an outer contoured rail panel to define an internal rail cavity. One or more elongated support pillars (e.g., front, side, and/or back vehicle pillars) adjoin the support rail(s) and each includes an inner contoured pillar panel joined to an outer contoured pillar panel to define an internal pillar cavity coupled to the internal rail cavity. One or both contoured pillar panels and one or both contoured rail panels is/are formed, in whole or in part, from an FRP material. A structural reinforcement insert may be located inside the adjoined pillar and rail, filling a discrete region within the internal cavities.

Fiber-reinforced polymer composite components for vehicle body structures and methods of making the same

Presented are fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite components for motor vehicles, methods for making and using such components, and motor vehicles with unitary FRP-composite vehicle roof rail-and-panel structures. A vehicle body structure for a motor vehicle includes one or more elongated support rails, each of which includes at least two contoured rail panels that are joined together to define therebetween an internal rail cavity. At least one of these contoured rail panels is formed with an FRP material. The vehicle body structure also includes a body panel that is formed with the same FRP material. The body panel includes a main panel section with one or more stepped interfaces that each projects transversely from a respective side of the main panel section and mounts thereon one of the contoured rail panels. The body panel and a contoured rail panel of each support rail are integrally formed as a single-piece, unitary structure.

Integrated fiber-reinforced polymer vehicle rail-and-panel structures and methods of making the same

Presented are structurally reinforced components for vehicle body structures, methods for making/using such components, and motor vehicles equipped with such components. A vehicle body structure includes an elongated support rail (e.g., a pair of lateral roof rails) with an inner contoured rail panel joined to an outer contoured rail panel to define an internal rail cavity. An elongated support pillar (e.g., front, side, and/or back vehicle pillars) adjoins the support rail and includes an inner contoured pillar panel joined to an outer contoured pillar panel to define an internal pillar cavity coupled to the internal rail cavity. The inner rail and pillar panels may be integrally from as a single-piece structure, and the outer rail and pillar panels may be integrally from as a single-piece structure. A structural reinforcement insert is located inside the support pillar and support rail, filling a discrete region within the rail cavity and pillar cavity.

Locally reinforced foam-filled composite components for vehicle body structures and methods of making the same

A wireless guitar synthesizer for creating theremin like sounds on an unmodified electric guitar. The wireless synthesizer generally includes a portable housing adapted to be moved independent of an electric guitar to influence a sound outputted by an audio means connected to the guitar and a circuit supported by the housing for generating an electromagnetic field to be received by the coil pickup of the guitar to influence the outputted sound. The circuit generally includes a signal generator for producing an output signal, at least one user-adjustable modulator electrically coupled to the signal generator for varying the output signal, and an LED antenna array electrically coupled to the signal generator to receive the modulated output signal and output the electromagnetic field. The user-adjustable modulators may include a joystick movable along an X-Y axis, as well as a plurality of switches, each of which independently alter the output signal.

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West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Thomas S Prevost