The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 2010
Filed:
May. 04, 2007
Ian Hall, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
John Pinkerton, Canton, MI (US);
Jeff Chickola, Dearborn, MI (US);
Brian Spahn, Plymouth, MI (US);
A. Mangala Jayasuriya, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Ian Hall, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
John Pinkerton, Canton, MI (US);
Jeff Chickola, Dearborn, MI (US);
Brian Spahn, Plymouth, MI (US);
A. Mangala Jayasuriya, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A pull cup in a vehicle door is fitted to a door trim panel substrate and is connected to the door inner sheet metal panel of the vehicle door by way of a bracket or by one of a pair of inner and outer support brackets. The pull cup is provided with a bending initiator feature which is positioned a trigger area formed in the door trim panel substrate. In the event that a horizontal force is applied to the vehicle door, the vehicle inward movement of the door inner sheet metal panel causes the pull cup to be pushed upward. The bending initiator feature pushes on the trigger area causing the door trim panel substrate to buckle, thus substantially preventing vehicle inward movement of the door trim panel substrate during the impact event. The bending initiator feature also reduces the lateral stiffness of the door trim sub-system.