Abstract: A ball and socket pivot joint includes a housing socket, having upper and lower open ends concentrically disposed about a socket axis, receiving a ball stud including an integral stem extending through the socket lower open end with a lower semi-spherical portion of the ball stud seated on a socket lower bearing seat. The socket upper open end is closed by a pressure member disposed between a housing cap and a pressure plate wherein the pressure plate provides an upper bearing seat for an upper semi-spherical surface of the ball stud. The ball stud lower surface is defined by a pivot center having a first radius of curvature on the socket axis while its upper surface is defined by a variable preload center on the stem axis and having a second radius of curvature a predetermined dimension greater than the first radius of curvature. With the ball joint in a neutral mode the socket and stem axes coincide such that the variable preload center is located on both axes and below the ball stud pivot center.

Abstract: A container holding assembly for a vehicle including an interior trim panel having an inside surface and an outside surface. Container holding assembly comprises an arcuate support member and a cylindrically-shaped net of flexible material including a top end annular border defining an opening and a bottom end annular border. The net top end annular border is secured to the support member so that the net is adapted to be suspended in a free state from the support member. The support member is constructed from a one-piece wire form, having a substantially circular shape, defining a closed end portion terminating in parallel end portions laterally spaced apart a predetermined dimension. The trim panel includes a pair of holes extending through the trim panel. The holes are laterally spaced apart a dimension equal to the predetermined dimension of the parallel end portions so that the end portions may be inserted therein in a removably retained manner.

Abstract: A laser welding system for welding sheets of material, such as automobile body parts, together includes a plurality of clamps. The system includes a fiber optic cable for each clamp having a first end coupled to a laser beam source and a second end coupled to the clamp for transmitting a laser beam from the laser beam source to the clamp. The system further includes a focusing head secured to each clamp and the second end of the cable for focusing the laser beam onto the material to be welded.

Abstract: A vehicle storage compartment includes a door hingedly mounted thereon, with a hold-open device integrally molded on the door and in the storage compartment. The hold-open device includes a substantially one-fourth circle cam molded on an inner surface of the door, and a flex finger molded on an upper surface of the storage compartment. The flex finger serves to hold the door open until manually forced downwardly, thereby bending the flex finger while the cam moves therepast to allow the door to be closed.

Abstract: A latch control assembly for a vehicle sliding side door, mounted on the passenger side of the inside door panel. The assembly includes an outside handle latch release lever, an inside latch release lever, and a hold-open latch release lever, all pivotally mounted on one mounting pin and operatively interconnected. A locking lever, responsive to a key cylinder lock and an inside door lock, is mounted on a second mounting pin and is operatively connected to the other three levers. A child guard lever is pivotally mounted adjacent the three stacked levers, and is operatively connected thereto.

Abstract: An arrangement for swingably supporting a lower suspension control arm on a vehicle frame member includes a front clevis fitting pivot bolt for the arm front pivot bushing assembly and a rear upstanding housing formed with a cavity for receiving a generally oval sectioned elastomer rear pivot bushing. The housing defines an undersurface having a cavity access opening from which its opposed side faces extend upward ending in a half-circle shaped ceiling. An aft projecting arm portion terminates in an integral stem, which extends through an elliptical sectioned axial passage in the rear bushing, wherein the bushing is retained on the stem after being stretched-over an integral nub on the stem's distal end. The bushing is configured for reception in the cavity, after which side flanges of a bushing retainer are attached by threaded fasteners to the housing undersurface.

Abstract: In a sunroof module structure for an opening in a vehicle roof which incorporates a sunroof glass panel adapted to be moved between a forward position for closing the opening and an aft position for exposing the opening. The module includes front and intermediate crossmembers which, together with a pair of longitudinal panel guide rails, define the roof opening area. The module further includes a rear crossmember which, together with the intermediate crossmember and the pair of longitudinal guide rails, define an area for storage of the glass panel. The frame has a plurality of resiliently-loaded fastener assemblies each connected to an associated underlying portion of the module. Upon an occupant of the vehicle striking the module, a resilient member of at least one fastener assembly being compressed absorbing at least a portion of the resultant impact force exerted by the occupant.

Abstract: A stored energy torsional rotary fastener device providing ready releasable attachment of first and second components. A fastener housing, attached to the first component, includes a cylindrical socket having an upper open end and a lower end configured by a pair of base segments defining a cross-slot the parallel edges of which are formed with concentrically disposed arcuate cutouts. The segments have interior helical pitched ramp portions establishing an interrupted thread support. A rotor, including an axial stem terminating in a radial disc axially positioned in the socket, is rotatably biased by a coiled spring interconnecting the rotor and housing. The rotor disc is formed with a depending axial hub having its lower portion journalled in the slot cutouts. The hub upper end includes oppositely extending radial lugs, with each lug underface formed with a helical pitch adapted to mate with an associated ramp portion, enabling axial threaded rotor travel.

Abstract: A four speed automatic transmission for a vehicle includes a transmission housing, an input member, an output member, three planetary gearsets for changing a ratio of torque between the input member and the output member, a plurality of clutch assemblies to selectively couple the input member to predetermined gears of the planetary gearsets, a plurality of brake assemblies to selectively couple predetermined gears of the planetary gearsets to the transmission housing, and a structure for allowing the output member and a planetary carrier from one of the planetary gearsets and an annulus gear of another of the planetary gearsets to rotate simultaneously.

Abstract: An electric circuit for manual shifting of an electronically-controlled automatic transmission system having a controller and a shift lever includes a first switch, a second switch, and a voltage divider interconnecting the first switch and the second switch and the controller to allow passing of an input signal from either the first switch or the second switch to the controller in response to the shift lever closing the first switch or the second switch.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement including a window actuator mounting bracket for mounting on a vehicle inner door panel. The inner door panel is formed to include rear and front pairs of openings having L-shaped slots extending therefrom. The mounting device, having one of the power window motor or manual actuator mounted thereon, has outwardly extending L-shaped mounting lugs formed thereon. Bolts are threadedly mounted through the latter for sliding cooperation with the L-shaped slots of the inner door panel prior to being tightened thereon.

Abstract: A light-weight vehicle door including, in one form, outer and inner plastic panels bonded together with the inner panel molded with upright forward, aft and intermediate frame portions. The forward and aft frame portions providing opposed side walls formed with L-section mirror image window panel supporting rebates including co-planar fore and aft reveal flanges and parallel opposed fence flanges. An inverted U-shaped trim member having vertically extending leg sections with each leg section received in an associated rebate and defining, with a respective fence flange, opposed guide grooves slidably supporting a window panel. A manual window panel regulating mechanism mounted on a lower edge of the window panel having a regulator adapted for cooperative locking engagement with an intermediate frame portion holding the window panel in a partially or fully raised position.

Abstract: A sensor is operably disposed within an environment containing a fluid including a sensing mechanism, a housing containing the sensing mechanism, a cavity intraposed between the sensing mechanism and the housing, and a vent for draining fluid from the cavity back to the environment.

Abstract: An open-top vehicle rear cross car beam body support arrangement for an open-top vehicle having a passenger compartment defined in part by a front floor pan ending in an elevated rear floor pan together with right and left rear inner wheelhouse panels. The beam arrangement includes forming each wheelhouse panel upper inboard portion with a recessed step defining opposed upstanding riser portions each having a lower edge terminating in an inboard extending tread portion. An upper horizontal gusset panel of the beam is welded to upper portions of spaced apart front and rear downstanding gusset panels, while lower flanges of the front and rear gusset panels are welded to the rear floor pan forming a closed section cross beam. The outboard ends of the upper gusset panel terminate in connector portions, each formed with an upstanding shroud having a top panel defined by fore and aft downstanding side walls together with an inboard wall.

Abstract: A cable noise and vibration isolator arrangement for use with an actuator cable assembly having a cable core extending through an outer sheath passageway adapted to interconnect an input actuator with an actuated mechanism. A reactive housing of the arrangement includes an aft larger diameter annular portion and a forwardly extending smaller diameter tubular portion having an axial through-bore terminating in the annular portion with an internal truncated conical surface. A rubber isolator includes a large diameter aft end portion interconnected to a forwardly extending barrel portion by an intermediate body portion formed with an outer truncated conical surface and an inner truncated conical socket. The isolator socket is of sufficient size to receive the truncated conical head portion of the sheath in a conforming self-centered manner.

Abstract: A three diameter hinge pin for a vehicle door hinge assembly including a door bracket and a body pillar bracket. The three diameters include successive large upper diameter, small lower diameter, and an intermediate diameter, wherein the latter diameter permits the hinge pin to drop further downwardly through two openings in the upper legs of two hinge brackets, wherein the openings must closely approximate the pin's large upper diameter, thereby allowing the lower end of the pin to enter the opening in the lower legs of the two brackets, rather than being positioned somewhere above the opening.

Abstract: A vehicle door assembly including an outer contoured panel, an inner contoured panel, the panels being connected at their side and bottom edges, and a glass and regulator track assembly adapted to being assembled through the adjacent upper edges of the panels into the space between the panels and secured to the inner panel. A majority of the inner trim is molded integrally as the surface of the inner panel, with a separately applied trim element secured to the upper edge portion of the inner panel, and an arm rest secured to the inner panel at a central portion thereof. A side impact beam extends longitudinally between the outer and inner panels, and includes a longitudinally oriented mounting plate at its forward end and a laterally oriented mounting plate at its rear end for mounting on the inner panel.

Abstract: A longitudinally adjustable vehicle seat, including a seat cushion and a seatback, is supported on a bi-level seat frame for movement from an occupant in-use position to a compact fold-flat stowed position. The bi-level seat frame includes a front lower portion slidably supported on front track assemblies and a rear elevated portion slidably supported on rear track assemblies. A pair of forward upright links each has a lower end pivoted on the seat frame front portion for rotation about a first transverse axis and upper ends pivoted to associated front underlying portions of the seat cushion for rotation about a second transverse axis. A pair of upstanding laterally spaced arms each has a lower end fixed to an aft end of the seat cushion and an upper end pivoted to an intermediate portion of the seatback for rotation about a third transverse axis. The seatback has its lower portion pivoted to a pair of pivot mounts on the seat frame elevated portion for rotation about a fourth transverse pivot axis.

Abstract: A vehicle door assembly including an outer contoured panel, an inner contoured panel, the panels being connected at their side and bottom edges, and a glass and regulator track assembly adapted to being assembled through the adjacent upper edges of the panels into the space between the panals and secured to the inner panel. A majority of the inner trim is molded integrally as the surface of the inner panel, with a separately applied trim element secured to the upper edge portion of the inner panel, and an arm rest secured to the inner panel at a central portion thereof. A side impact beam extends longitudinally between the outer and inner panels, and includes a longitudinally oriented mounting plate at its forward end and a laterally oriented mounting plate at its rear end for mounting on the inner panel.

Abstract: A double pivot hinge assembly for attaching a door to a vehicle body door frame for swinging the door between closed, intermediate open, and full open positions in a self-latching and unlatching uninterrupted manner. The hinge assembly includes a U-shaped link having a bight portion and first and second legs extending therefrom wherein a first pin pivotally connects a body hinge to a free end of the first leg and a second pin pivotally connects a door hinge to a free end of the second leg. The door and body hinges are each formed with a sector plate providing a horizontal raceway such that the body and door hinges are interchangeable except for the location of the detent pocket. Each link leg has a resilient detent member juxtaposed its associated raceway adapted for biased travel on a predetermined raceway arcuate path for releasable self-latching engagement at a predetermined position of the door with an associated detent pocket.