Adac Plastics, Inc.

Todd W Trap

Robert L Bingle

Todd W Pastrick

Joseph S Meinke

Richard T Young

Robert Dault

Thomas R Futryk

Ian R Pettigrew

A component of an actuatable apparatus has a substrate, a selectively light- transmissive opaque covering, and an illumination source. The opaque covering is applied to an obverse surface or a reverse surface of the substrate to selectively enable and prevent transmission of light therethrough. The illumination source is adjacent the reverse surface for illuminating a selected area of the substrate. The opaque covering is characterized by first and second portions collectively defining a pattern associated with the selected area. The first portion enables transmission of light therethrough, and the second portion prevents or impedes transmission of light therethrough. Actuation of the illumination source directs light through the first portion but not through the second portion to reveal the pattern. The opaque covering renders the pattern invisible when the illumination source is in the non- illuminated state, and visible when the illumination source is in the illuminated state.

Trim component with concealed indicium

A vehicular trim component comprises a substrate having external and internal surfaces and a finish on at least one of the external and internal surfaces. An illumination source actuatable between an illuminated state and a non-illuminated state is positioned behind the substrate to direct light through the finish with the illumination source is in the illuminated state. A mask associated with the substrate defines at least a masked portion and an unmasked portion, wherein the unmasked portion transmits more light than the unmasked portion. The finish extends across both the masked portion and the unmasked portion to conceal visible differences between the masked portion and the unmasked portion when the illumination source is in the non-illuminated state. When the illumination source is in the illuminated state, light passes through the unmasked portion and the finish to provide a visible distinction between the masked portion and the unmasked portion.

A method of attaching a vehicle door handle to the outer skin of a vehicle door, and a door handle assembly to facilitate such attachment. The door skin is provided with a pair of apertures and a plurality of lugs are provided on an inner planar face of the door handle assembly together with a spring clip proximate one end of the planar surface. The door handle is mounted on the door by passing the lugs through the apertures while deflecting the spring clip inwardly and thereafter sliding the door handle assembly over the door skin to move web portions on the lugs into wedging engagement with respective edge portions of the apertures while moving the spring clip into latching engagement with a transverse edge portion of one of the apertures. Flange portions on the lugs are simultaneously positioned beneath respective inner surfaces on the skin to complete the attachment of the door handle to the skin.

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Kentwood, MI, United States of America

Todd W Trap