Magna Closures Inc.

Other

Atoma International Corporation

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Wieslaw Nowicki

Joseph Felix Scheuring

Andrew R Daniels

Peter Lance Oxley

Thomas P Frommer

Grzegorz Baniak

Robert Brady Mooney

Frederick C Butler

Andre Olivier

Victor Gusev

Gerard McMahon

Joseph Scheuring

A counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the counterbalance mechanism including: a housing coupled at one end to one of the closure panel and a body of a vehicle by a first connector and at another end by a second connector to the other of the body and the closure panel, the housing containing an extension member and a spring positioned along a longitudinal axis, the spring positioned adjacent to the first connector; the first connector having a body with a connection portion coupled by a connection to an end of the housing positioned at the one end; and a spring retention mechanism for inhibiting extension of the spring out of the one end of the housing, the spring retention mechanism including: a spring retainer positioned between the spring and the end; and a retainer pin positioned between the spring retainer and the end; wherein upon decoupling of the connection portion with the end, the retainer pin inhibits movement of the spring and the spring retainer towards the one end along the longitudinal axis.

Counterbalance mechanism with optional watershield, kicker spring, friction bearing, and fail safe spring retention mechanism

A friction based counterbalance mechanism for coupling with a closure panel of a vehicle to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel, the counterbalance mechanism including: a first housing having a first pivot connection mount for connecting to one of a body of the vehicle and the closure panel; an extension member coupled to the first housing at one end and being extendable and retractable with respect to a second housing coupled adjacent to the first housing along an axis, the second housing for connecting by a second pivot connection mount to the other of the body and the closure panel; a sliding friction mechanism having: a shaped sleeve mounted on an exterior surface of the extension member, the shaped sleeve providing an exterior friction surface; and a resilient friction element mounted to the second housing in a fixed location on the axis, the resilient friction element positioned between second housing and the shaped sleeve and biased into contact with the exterior friction surface; wherein relative movement between the shaped sleeve and the resilient friction element as the extension member is displaced generates sliding friction between the resilient friction element and the shaped sleeve.

Counterbalance mechanism with friction

A method for constructing an extension mechanism for a closure panel of a vehicle, the extension mechanism including an extension member housed in a body housing, such that the extension member extends and retracts with respect to the body housing as the closure panel is opened and closed, the extension mechanism having a first connection at one end for connecting the extension member to the vehicle and a second connection at the other end for connecting the body housing to the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: overlapping a tube wall of the body housing with an end portion of the body housing, the end portion having a receiving indentation; receiving a deformed portion of the tube wall into the receiving indentation in order to form a crimp connection between the tube wall and the end portion; and positioning a clamping member having a body by at least a portion of the body over the tube wall, such that the deformed portion is sandwiched between the portion of the body and the receiving indentation.

Connection mechanism for thin wall tube

An extension mechanism for coupling with a closure panel to assist in opening and closing of the closure panel of a vehicle between a fully closed position and a fully open position of the closure panel, the extension mechanism including: an inner tube having an outer surface; an outer tube having an inner surface and overlapping the inner tube for at least a portion of the outer surface along an extension axis, such that the inner surface and the outer surface are adjacent to one another when overlapped; a first spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the outer tube; a second spring positioned along the extension axis in an interior of the inner tube; a seal positioned between the inner surface and the outer surface; and a stopper to engage the first spring at one end and engage the second spring at an opposite end such that the first spring and the second spring are in series with one another along the extension axis; wherein the one end and the opposite end are spaced apart from one another such that the seal is positioned between the one and opposite end.

Closure panel extension mechanism with multiple springs

An electromechanical strut is provided for moving a pivotal closure member between open and closed positions relative to a motor vehicle body. The electromechanical strut includes a drive mechanism having a motor-gearbox assembly, flex coupling assembly, and a spring-loaded supplemental friction assembly that are operable to drive a rotatable power screw. The drive mechanism converts rotary motion of the power screw into linear motion of an extensible member to move the extensible member between a retracted position corresponding to the closure member closed position and an extended position corresponding to the closure member open position. The motor-gearbox assembly includes a motor and a geartrain having an output component driven at a reduced speed relative to the motor speed. The flex coupling assembly is operably disposed between the output component and the power screw. The spring-loaded supplemental friction assembly generates and applies a supplemental frictional force to the flex coupling assembly.

Electromechanical strut with power actuator having supplemental friction control

An electromechanical strut for moving a closure member between open and closed positions relative to a vehicle body includes a housing having an inner surface bounding a cavity extending along a central axis between opposite first and second ends. A power screw is disposed in the cavity in operable communication with a motor, with a gear assembly operably connecting the motor to the power screw. An extensible member has an outer cover tube received in the housing cavity and a drive mechanism for converting rotary motion of the power screw into linear motion of the extensible member. An annular gap extends between the inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the outer cover tube. An annular bushing is disposed within the annular gap to minimize laterally play between the housing and the outer cover tube.

Electromechanical strut with lateral support feature

An electromechanical strut is provided for moving a pivotal closure member between an open position and a closed position relative to a motor vehicle body. The electromechanical strut includes a housing connected to one of the closure member and the motor vehicle body. An extensible shaft is connected to the other of the closure member and the motor vehicle body for slidable movement relative to the housing. A motor-gear assembly operably drives a rotatable power screw. A drive mechanism converts rotary motion of the power screw into linear motion of the extensible shaft to move the extensible shaft between a retracted position corresponding to the closed position of the closure member and an extended position corresponding to the open position of the closure member. A clutch/coupling assembly is operably disposed between the motor-gear assembly and the power screw and integrates a slip clutch device and a flexible coupling into a common unit.

Electromechanical strut with integrated flex coupling and slip device and clutch/coupling assembly therefor

A power drive mechanism () for a motor vehicle liftgate includes a linking arm () pivotally connected with the liftgate, a crank arm () drivable for pivotal movement and connected with the linking arm (), and a gear train () operatively engaging the crank arm (). A drive motor () is operatively connected with the crank arm () through the gear train () to provide power assisted opening and closing of the liftgate. The gear train () is disengagable from the drive motor () to permit manual opening and closing of the liftgate without backdriving the drive motor (). An actuator () is operatively connected with the gear train () to move the gear train into and out of engagement with the drive motor. A holding linkage () is operatively associated with the gear train () to maintain the gear train () in engagement during power assisted opening and closing of the liftgate.

Power drive mechanism for a motor vehicle liftgate having a disengageable gear train

A power drive mechanism ( ) for a motor vehicle liftgate includes a linking arm ( ) pivotally connected with the liftgate, a crank arm ( ) drivable for pivotal movement and connected with the linking arm ( ), and a gear train ( ) operatively engaging the crank arm ( ). A drive motor ( ) is operatively connected with the crank arm ( ) through the gear train ( ) to provide power assisted opening and closing of the liftgate. The gear train ( ) is disengageable from the drive motor ( ) to permit manual opening and closing of the liftgate without backdriving the drive motor ( ). An actuator ( ) is operatively connected with the gear train ( ) to move the gear train into and out of engagement with the drive motor. A holding linkage ( ) is operatively associated with the gear train ( ) to maintain the gear train ( ) in engagement during power assisted opening and closing of the liftgate.

Growing community of inventors

Mississauga, Canada

Wieslaw Nowicki