Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Saturn Corporation

Wieslaw S Zaydel

David A Dean

Patricia Tibbenham

Michelle Winowski-Zaydel

Bhupendra A Patel

James Joseph Loschiavo

James C Ostrand

Brad L Pietryga

Eleonora K Curti

James G Bouck

Hulki Aldikacti

Thomas A Ebi

Insert stud for molded plastic components

An emergency trunk release handle for an automobile displays the graphics explaining the use and function of the handle by cutting out the material from the handle. Forming the emergency release handle from a phosphorescent plastic material that can be formed by a molding process, such as injection molding, the cut-out graphics show as darkened areas, when viewed in the dark confines of an automobile trunk, to provide a high degree of visibility for the graphics. The graphics are also visible when seen against the dark carpet in the interior of an opened trunk cavity. The formation of the graphics is accomplished by coring the mold in the configuration of the desired graphics and by forming the plastic material in the mold around the cores. The resultant handle structure is thus formed in a cost effective manner that reduces the process failure potential during the manufacturing of the handle.

Method of manufacturing a trunk release handle for automobiles

A fastener is configured for use in the manufacture of molded plastic components that will be subsequently attached to other components by the fastener. The low profile head portion of the fastener has a rounded contoured and convoluted top surface to facilitate the flow of plastic material around the head portion during the molding process. The underside of the head portion is formed with a square face surrounded circumferentially by circumferential land surfaces that provides a high pull-out force resistance for the fastener. The square face on the underside and convoluted top surface of the head portion provides a high spin-out torque resistance without sacrificing the pull-out force resistance. The rounded edges of the head portion are compatible with molding processes to allow the flow of plastic material to fully encapsulate the head portion within the molded plastic component.

Waffle stud for insert molded plastic members

Trunk release handle for automobiles

Emergency trunk release handle for automobiles

A vehicle body has a roof-enclosed passenger compartment and a rear cargo compartment. The cargo compartment has a cover and a tailgate to close the cargo compartment. The cover is movable along a pair of tracks from its closed position on the cargo compartment to a stowed position on top of the passenger compartment. The cover has an intermediate position above the cargo compartment which serves as a camper top and with the addition of zip-on side covers converts the vehicle body to a camper. The intermediate position of the cover in conjunction with the roof of the vehicle body also provides support for hauling long cargo.

Convertible bed cover for a vehicle

A U-nut in which a pair of axially aligned collars are formed on the opposed plate members of the nut with one of the collars having internal threads for accommodating a bolt and the other of the collars is provided with a reversely bent radially inwardly extending circular projection which serves as a locator for properly locating the nut relative to hole formed in a support panel.

Sheet metal nut

Apparatus and method for mounting a plastic panel upon an underlying metal substructure includes fixing the longitudinal location of one end of the plastic panel by machining a locating feature in the metal substructure at a precise location relative the adjacent body panel and then engaging an integrally molded locating element of the plastic panel with the machined locating feature. A screw is then installed between the plastic panel and the substructure. A mounting member for the rear portion of the plastic panel includes a first molded plastic block slidable on a support bracket of the substructure and having an integrally molded spring finger engaging the bracket to resiliently urge the mounting block to a certain longitudinal position on the metal substructure and a second mounting block which is connected thereto by a screw thread by which a rotation of the second mounting block establishes a mounting face thereon at a precise position transversely of the vehicle body for abutment by and support of the plastic panel in precise surface alignment with the adjacent body panel. The mounting face of the second mounting member provides a field for the drilling of a hole for receiving a fastener attaching the plastic panel to the mounting member. Accordingly, thermal or hygroscopic growth of the plastic panel induces longitudinal movement of the mounting member so that the plastic panel is movably supported for distortion-free growth relative the underlying metal substructure.

Method for mounting plastic body panel

Apparatus for mounting a plastic panel upon an underlying metal substructure. One end of the panel is fixedly mounted on the metal substructure. A mounting member for the other end of the panel includes a first molded plastic block slidable on a support bracket of the substructure and having an integrally molded spring finger engaging the bracket to resiliently urge the first mounting block to a certain longitudinal position on the metal substructure and a second mounting block connected thereto by a screw thread by which rotation of the second mounting block establishes a mounting face thereon at a precise position transversely of the vehicle body for abutment by and support of the panel in precise surface alignment with the adjacent body panel. The mounting face provides a field for the drilling of a hole for receiving a fastener attaching the panel to the mounting member. Thermal or hygroscopic growth of the panel induces longitudinal movement of the mounting member to permit distortion-free growth relative the underlying metal substructure.

Apparatus for mounting plastic body panel

A vehicle body panel structure includes a plastic panel mounted upon an underlying metal substructure. A fastener fixedly attaches one end portion of the plastic panel on the metal structure. A mounting block is slidably mounted on the metal substructure longitudinally spaced from the fastener to define a path of longitudinal movement of the mounting block toward and away from the fixed end portion of the plastic panel. A spring urges the mounting block to a certain longitudinal position and is yieldable to permit movement of the mounting block away from the certain longitudinal position. A fastener attaches the plastic panel to the mounting block so that the plastic panel is effectively supported in a manner enabling longitudinal movement relative to the fixed one end portion to accommodate thermal or hygroscopic growth of the plastic panel.

Plastic vehicle body panel mounting structure

Method and apparatus for attachment of a plastic body outer panel on a dimensionally variable underlying body structure includes a plurality of plastic filled attachment blocks welded at selected points on the body structure to approximately align with apertured mounting faces previously provided on the plastic panels. The body structure is mounted within a locating and machining fixture and each of the plurality of attachment blocks are milled to provide panel support face on each attachment block precisely dimensioned relative panel support faces on each other attachment block. A fastener hole is drilled in the panel support face of each attachment block at a precise location relative the fastener hole drilled in each of the other panel support faces. The body structure is removed from the fixture and the plastic panels are attached thereto by installing fasteners through apertured mounting faces of each panel and through the fastener holes. The precise drilled location of the fastener holes cause each of the plastic panels to be precisely located and spaced relative the adjacent plastic panels. The fasteners hold the mounting faces of the plastic panels in contact with the precisely machined panel support faces of the attachment blocks so that each body outer panel is mounted without distortion of its visible outer surface and the surface of each of the plastic panels is mounted in precise surface alignment with each adjacent plastic panel.

Method and apparatus for plastic body panel attachment

The invention provides a new and improved fastener for attaching a tail lamp assembly to an apertured vehicle body panel. According to the invention, a stud member has a first shank portion which is externally threaded for threaded attachment within a threaded aperture of the tail lamp assembly. A second shank portion of the stud member has internal threads formed therein and a smooth outer cylindrical surface which is adapted for non-interfering insertion through an aperture of the vehicle body panel. A nut member includes a screw encapsulated within a molded nut. The molded nut has a bearing surface adapted to engage against the panel member and the screw has an external screw thread adapted for threaded engagement within the internal threads of the stud member second shank portion so that the tail lamp device is attached to the panel. A cup-shaped retainer is preferably carried by the stud member axially intermediate the first and second shank portions and has an outer peripheral rim adapted to bear against the face of the panel to limit insertion of the stud member into the panel aperture. The cup-shaped retainer also has a recessed cup portion radially intermediate the stud member and the peripheral rim adapted to retain a seal in a sealing interposition between the fastener and the panel.

Tail lamp attachment

A fastener assembly for securing a first member to an apertured second member which includes a stud fixed to the first member with the stud shank extending therefrom having a series of spaced apart annular retention grooves thereon, a stud retainer in the form of a plastic plug assembled into the aperture of the second member, the stud retainer having a socket cavity extending from one side to receive the stud shank in an interference fit therewith, and a nut threaded onto the stud retainer causing the material thereof to flow radially inward into the annular grooves of the stud shank whereby to entrap the stud shank in the stud retainer.

Plastic plug, nut and stud fastener assembly

A self-locking knob and stud assembly includes a self-locking knob consisting of an internally threaded knob with an apertured spring retainer clip slidably received in a transverse slot provided in the knob, the aperture through the retainer clip being operative to effect a locking action of the knob relative to a stud on which the knob is threaded when rotated in one direction. The stud which is of special configuration has a reduced diameter Z-shaped free end shank portion that extends axially outward for the externally threaded portion of the stud. The aperture through the retainer clip is defined by a semi-circular rim edge at one end thereof to define an opening of a diameter so as to slidably and rotatably receive the Z-shaped free end shank portion of the stud and the aperture is defined at its other end by an edge means including a cam tab means positioned to normally be in the path of the Z-shaped shank portion during rotation of the knob relative thereto, the retainer clip further including a return bent spring portion abutting against the exterior of the knob to normally bias the retainer clip in a direction whereby the cam tab edge means is positioned to be in interference relationship with the Z-shaped free end shank portion of the stud upon rotation of the knob relative thereto.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Wieslaw S Zaydel