Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Todd Mueller

Rohit Telukunta

Edward Andrew Pleet

Jason Scott Balzer

Jonatan Leff Yaffe

Jaspinder S Sahi

Steven Perucca

Dinesh Munjurulimana

Carlos Emilio Merino

Anil Tiwari

Luis Manuel Garcia

Pedro Montoya

Jack Bekou

Ye Angela Chen

Di Wu

This disclosure details overmolded vehicle sheet metal structures that included integrated attachments for achieving part integration. An exemplary sheet metal structure includes a sheet metal panel, a reinforcing structure molded on the sheet metal panel, and an integrally molded attachment structure formed within the reinforcing structure. In some embodiments, the integrally molded attachment structure may include a nut, a bracket, or both. An additional vehicle component may be attached to the sheet metal panel via the integrally molded attachment structure. The sheet metal structure may be formed in a single shot injection molding process.

Overmolded vehicle sheet metal structures with integrated attachments

An apparatus, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a body-in-white member having an inboard side and an outboard side, a reinforcing structure molded on the inboard side, and an energy absorbing structure molded on the outboard side. A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, providing a body-in-white member having an inboard side and an outboard side, molding a reinforcing structure on the inboard side, and molding an energy absorbing structure on the outboard side.

Vehicle body-in-white panel with reinforcing and energy absorbing structures

An apparatus and method are provided for transporting cargo over a cargo bed. The apparatus includes a first rail, having a first key and a second key, and a first track member including (a) a first keyway having a first end and a second end, (b) a second keyway axially aligned with the first end and (c) a third keyway axially aligned with the second end.

Apparatus and method for transporting cargo over a cargo bed

An accessory support for a vehicle cargo area includes a guide assembly adapted to provide vertical and lateral adjustability and at least one support member slidably carried by the guide assembly. The guide assembly includes a first pair of guide rails each including one or more vehicle z-axis oriented guide channels and a second pair of guide rails each including one or more vehicle y-axis oriented guide channels.

Pickup box adaptable side-mounted rail

A vehicle body assembly may include a header, a roof rail, and a gusset component. The header may define a lateral axis extending across a vehicle body. The roof rail may define a longitudinal axis extending fore/aft along the vehicle body. The gusset component is for securing the header and roof rail to one another and includes an edge extending diagonally between the header and the roof rail to reinforce a vehicle body corner joint. The edge may extend diagonally from the header to the roof rail at an angle between thirty and sixty degrees relative to the lateral axis and the longitudinal axis. The edge may define an edge axis oriented at substantially forty-five degrees relative to the lateral axis.

Joint assembly for vehicle body

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Todd Mueller