Ford Motor Company Limited

William J Fobar

Charles J Haddad

Donald L Glossop, Jr

Adam M Janotik

Thomas C Holka

Lawrence P Kazyak

Derek F Gentle

Joe Marasco

Hachig A Gopigian

Giuseppe Delena

A connector for a space frame on an automotive vehicle having a plurality of structural members in at least two dimensions includes an inner panel, and an outer panel spaced from the inner panel and substantially parallel thereto. The connector also includes a connector panel attached to the inner and outer panel to form a channel defining one dimension and adapted to receive one of the structural members. The connector further includes at least one extension member attached to either one of the connector panel and the inner panel and the outer panel and extending outwardly therefrom to define a second dimension relative to the first dimension and adapted to be disposed within another one of the structural members to form a joint therebetween.

Space frame connector

A vehicle window regulating and sealing assembly for raising and lowering a window. The window is supported at the sides within vertical guide channels by pivotal sliding upper and lower guide members attached to the window. The guide channels include an outwardly extending curved ramp section within which the lower guide members track to cause the window to pivot about the upper guide members as it nears the raised position thereby causing the window to firmly bear against relatively non-yielding sealing members to establish a perfectly flush positioning of the window relative to the vehicle exterior. The guide channel members each include a housing having an elongate U-shaped elastomeric seal disposed with its open end facing the window and receiving in sealing engagement a vane type seal member affixed to the window whereby a seal is maintained between each guide channel and the window between the upper and lower guide members when the window is fully raised and at all times during the raising and lowering of the window when the upper guide member is above the beltline.

Window panel position regulating assembly

A window panel position regulating means for a vehicle door which will accommodate a doubly irregularly curved window panel and will guide the window panel through the slot at the belt line of the door in such a manner that the width of the belt line slot can be maintained at absolute minimum so as to improve the oveall appearance of the door assembly and the functional rigidity of the assembly. The regulating assembly includes a pair of guide channel members mounted within the door panel cavity at the front edge of the door and a third guide channel member mounted within the door panel cavity at the rear edge of the door. Guide follower members are mounted to the window and guided within the respective guide channel members to thereby guide the window through the belt line slot. Each guide channel member is generally curved in the direction of the curve of the window panel and has a substantially continuously variable rate of curvature distinct from that of any other guide channel member to provide that the window panel will be continuously pivoted about several axes as it is raised and lowered to allow it to pass through the belt line slot of minimum width.

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Wyandotte, MI, United States of America

William J Fobar