Abstract: An all wheel drive mechanism has a powertrain including an engine, transmission, front drive differential, a rear drive transfer gearing and a selectively operable rear drive mechanism. The rear drive mechanism has a housing, driven by the transfer gearing through a drive shaft. A pair of selectively engageable clutches, which are operable to connect the rear wheels to the housing, are disposed in the housing. A pair of pumps are assembled in the housing to provide operating fluid for the clutches. Each pump has one member secured for rotation with the housing and another member secured for rotation with respective rear wheel drive axles. An inlet of the pumps is controlled by a solenoid operated valve which is energized in response to an anti-lock brake system and traction control system of the vehicle. When energized, the valve connects the pumps to a reservoir such that fluid in the reservoir can be pumped to the clutches to enforce engagement thereof resulting in a drive path to the rear wheels.

Abstract: A tube member is placed in a die having a plurality of nodules formed in the cavity thereof. A chamber is formed between a mandrel and end piece within the tube. The mandrel is positioned adjacent a first of the nodules and the chamber is pressurized during a hydroforming cycle to form a node on the tube by simultaneously expanding a portion of the tube outward and feeding the tube linearly into the die cavity. A mechanism for feeding the tube linearly is external to the die cavity and has a member in abutment with one end of the tube. During a positioning cycle, the pressure in the chamber is reduced and the mandrel is moved longitudinally within the tube to a position adjacent the next sequential nodule to permit a repeat of the hydroforming cycle. In one embodiment of the hydroforming process, a mandrel is positioned into the tube from each tube end and a feed mechanism is disposed adjacent each tube end. This permits the sequential simultaneous hydroforming of pairs of nodes on the tube.

Abstract: A knee bolster assembly is provided for use in a vehicle having a vehicle driver and including a steering column. The knee bolster assembly includes a central bracket adapted for partially surrounding the steering column and a foam element mounted on the central bracket. The knee bolster further includes left and right knee brackets mounted on opposite sides of the central bracket. The knee brackets each have a generally D-shaped cross-section including a convex rear wall positionable adjacent a vehicle driver such that upon loading by the vehicle driver, the knee brackets deform about multiple, nonspecific bend lines for absorption of energy. The knee brackets preferably include inner and forward walls rigidly secured to the central bracket and outer and rear walls that significantly deform for absorption of energy.

Abstract: A trunk lid has an externally operated key lock cylinder that operates a latch mechanism inside the trunk by a cable assembly. The key lock cylinder is connected to the cable assembly by a universal actuator assembly including a housing having a ferrule for attachment to a sheath of the cable assembly. The universal actuator assembly further includes an attachment sleeve that is attached to the key lock cylinder in a predetermined angular orientation. The attachment sleeve has one end disposed in the chamber of the housing, with the one end having a plurality of radial teeth that engage radial lugs in the housing to index the sleeve with respect to the housing in a selected angular orientation to reduce the length of the cable assembly that is required. A rotor rotatably disposed in the housing has a central drive aperture for being driven by the key lock cylinder and an eccentric connector aperture for driving the cable assembly.

Abstract: An engine cradle structure having a read lateral member and a forward cross frame attached to a body of a vehicle further includes a pair of longitudinal arms extend between the member and the frame and are further attached thereto. The longitudinal arms include a portion which curves toward a vehicle centerline near the attachment with the rear lateral member. The longitudinal arms further include a portion which curves out of a plane defined by the body of the vehicle. The curved portions cooperate to direct forces and displace the engine cradle underneath the vehicle and away from the vehicle toe pan.

Abstract: A method for hydroforming a large surface area, double paneled, hollow auto body part, such as a hood, in which the inner and outer panels are concurrently shape formed and seamed structurally together in the same apparatus. A pair of upper and lower dies crush the edges of a double walled blank together between the dies so as to simultaneously clamp, seal, and form the seam. Then, a special face seal and fluid inlet assembly grips and holds the edges of an inlet hole near the center of the blank to allow the interior to be successfully pressurized and expanded.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a rotatable forkbolt that is latched by a detent in a primary or an intermediate secondary latch position. The detent is operated via an intermittent lever that is operated by a transfer lever that is actuated by inside and outside door handles via suitable mechanical linkage. The door latch includes a locking lever that disables the door handles from operating the intermittent lever when it is in the locked position. The door latch also includes a cinching mechanism that automatically engages the forkbolt in the primary latch position when the intermediate secondary latch position is reached. The cinching mechanism includes a link that has one end connected to a cinch pawl and another end connected to the latch assembly. The link pulls on the pawl to disengage it from a cinching gear to allow the cinching gear to return to the standby or home position during an unlatching operation.

Abstract: A coupling between a motor vehicle window panel and a horizontal sash bar below a lower edge of the window panel including a pair of plastic clips rigidly attached to the window panel which hook onto an edge of the sash bar to vertically couple the window panel to the sash bar with zero vertical lash therebetween and a retainer which audibly signals that the plastic clips are hooked to the sash bar and thereafter prevents dislodgment of the plastic clips from the sash bar. In a preferred embodiment, each plastic clip is adhesively bonded to the window panel and hooks onto a flat edge of the sash bar adjacent to respective ones of a pair of access slots in the flat edge.

Abstract: An energy absorption material for covering a rigid vehicle support surface provide impact protection for a vehicle occupant's head is a sheet of material formed into a waveform comprising a plurality of regular corrugations which have identical crests and valleys connected by inclined sidewalls. The material thickness of the crests and valleys is the same and thicker than that of the sidewall material. The crests and valleys are curved such that the inside radius of each of the crests is smaller than the inside radius of each of the valleys, so that the sidewalls adjacent a valley are laterally closer than the sidewalls adjacent a crest. The corrugations have a pitch equal to their height. This construction provides a deformation mode of the material in which the crests and valleys deform by bending and the sidewalls deform by buckling. The material can contain a plurality of perforations, covering 7%-15% of the area for sound absorption.

Abstract: A crush control system for controlling the crush of spaced vehicle side composite structural rails in the event of either a full frontal impact or an offset frontal impact includes a crush controller for each side rail. An actuator is provided to move crush initiators between an inoperative position, which will cause an uncontrolled crush of the rail, and a deployed operative position, which will cause a controlled crush of the rail at half the crush force as an uncontrolled crush. In one embodiment each crush controller is normally inoperative and is controlled by a sensor for each located on the opposite side of the vehicle to become operative when the sensor is impacted. The crush initiators may take the form of a radiused wedge or a knife cutter, and the actuator maintains the crush initiators in deployed position to sustain the controlled crush.

Abstract: A blocker member is mounted on the vehicle body adjacent the floor mounted door track and includes a housing and a blocker lever which is pivotally mounted on the housing. The blocker lever is operably connected to the fuel filler door by a cable. When the fuel filler door is opened, the cable is tensioned and pivots the blocker lever to an extended position in which the blocker lever extends into the path of sliding movement the door. Thus, whenever the fuel filler door is open, the sliding door is blocked from sliding open into engagement with the fuel filler door. The blocker member preferably includes a resilient bumper against which the blocker lever seats in order to absorb energy when the door is slid into engagement with the blocker lever.

Abstract: The vehicle has a door movably mounted adjacent an occupant's seat and a pull strap by which the occupant may pull the door closed. A lamp is mounted on the door at a position generally outboard and concealed behind the pull strap. The pull strap is vertically located in relation to the occupant and the lap in a position so that light emanating from the lamp is directed onto the occupant lamp for reading when the door is closed and, simultaneously, shielded from shining into the occupant's eyes by the pull strap. When the door is swung open, the light shines down on the roadway.

Abstract: An instrument cluster assembly includes a light source for emitting black light and an instrument cluster display including at least one graphic feature that is illuminable by black light. The invisible black light illuminates only the graphic features when contacted by the black light from the light source without illuminating the surrounding portions of the instrument cluster display. Preferably, the light source includes first and second light sources positioned on opposite sides of the instrument cluster display. The light sources are each a single bulb for emitting ultraviolet light. The light sources are positioned between reflectors and the instrument cluster display such that the reflectors are positioned for redirecting black light initially emitted towards the reflector onto the instrument cluster display. The graphic features are preferably made of a phosphoric material.

Abstract: A vehicle body has front and rear door openings defined by front, middle and rear pillars and by the vehicle roof. A bi-fold door includes upper and lower door portions, each of which extends full length from the front pillar to the rear pillar. An upper hinge acts between the roof and the upper edge of the upper door portion. A door panel hinge acts between the adjacent edges of the upper and lower door portions. A track extends vertically along the middle pillar and a track follower is carried by the lower door portion at the lower edge adjacent the bottom thereof and is engaged in the track. A door beam is mounted within the lower door portion and extends the full length of the door from the front to the rear pillar. A first door latch is mounted on the front pillar and a second door latch is mounted on the rear pillar. Latch strikers are mounted respectively on the front and rear ends of the lower door portion to engage with the first and second door latches.

Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a perimeter frame including laterally spaced right and left side rails of tubular construction and front and rear bumper rails of tubular construction extending between the side rails. A structural tunnel extends longitudinally of the vehicle midway between the side rails and has front and rear ends. The structural tunnel includes an inverted U-shaped channel having vertically depending the first and second legs, and a close-out plate which extends horizontally between the legs. First and second front shear walls extend forwardly and diagonally from the first and second legs at the front of the tunnel to the respective right and left side rails of the perimeter frame. Similarly, first and second rear shear walls extend generally rearward and diagonally from the first and second legs at the rear end of the tunnel to the respective left and right side rails of the perimeter frame.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a locking mechanism and a latching mechanism and inside and outside handle levers for unlatching the vehicle door latch. Each handle lever cooperates with the locking mechanism and the latching mechanism independently of the other so that the vehicle door latch can be unlocked and unlatched by one handle lever when the other handle lever is stuck in an unlatched position.

Abstract: A vehicle door latch has a locking mechanism and an unlatching mechanism that cooperate with each other and an inside handle lever so the door latch can be unlocked and unlatched by an inside door handle or the like.

Abstract: According to the invention, an aperture is provided in the roof panel including a central opening and a plurality of slot portions radiating outwardly from the central opening and each such slot portion being defined by spaced apart side walls an end wall. The headliner has upper and lower surfaces and an aperture adapted to register with the roof panel aperture. A retention clip of stamped spring steel engages with the upper surface of the headliner and has a central body either a central aperture registering with the headliner. The sun visor has a mounting bracket which engages with the lower surface of the headliner. Screws are installed through the mounting bracket and into the retention clip so that the headliner is captured between the mounting bracket and the retention clip. The retention clip has a plurality of spring legs which radiate from the central body and are bent to project upwardly from the central body and have ends bent backwardly and terminating in a shoulder structure.

Abstract: A cockpit carrier includes a welded frame having a first clamp and a second clamp rotatably mounted therein defining an axis of rotation. The clamps adapted to receive a cockpit flame. A gearbox is mounted between the first clamp and a handwheel to allow for manual rotational manipulation of the cockpit frame. The cockpit carrier further includes a brake caliper mounted to the welded frame, the caliper having friction pads disposed therein and a spring mounted thereto to bias the caliper in an engaged position. A lever pivotally attached to the lame and the caliper allows for manual positioning of the caliper in a disengaged position. The gearbox further has an input shaft and a brake disc mounted thereto.

Abstract: A tumble forward seat for a van or the like includes a device to automatically unlatch the seat adjuster, return the seat from any forwardly adjusted position to its rearwardmost position, and relatch the seat adjuster, during the forward rotation. A specially designed cam and lift lever push the pivoting release handle of the seat adjuster up and open and hold it open while a wedging surface and pusher block react against one another to shift the seat cushion frame back. The lift lever resets itself as the seat is rotated back. The cam, lift lever, and wedging surface are coordinated to one another so as to always provide the correct degree of opening and shifting motion, regardless of initial seat adjusted position.