Abstract: A cowl grille structure for positioning in a space between a lower edge of a motor vehicle windshield and a rear edge of a motor vehicle hood. In one embodiment the cowl grille structure includes a molded main body planar leaf screen portion, a washer fluid channel extending along the main body portion and molded integrally with the main body portion, and mounting structure molded integrally with the main body portion for receiving a windshield washer nozzle member with the nozzle member in fluid communication with the integral channel whereby windshield washer fluid may be delivered to the nozzle member through the integral channel. In a second embodiment the washer fluid channel is defined by a molding positioned along the rear edge of the main body leaf screen portion between the rear edge of the main body portion and the lower edge of the windshield.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door handle assembly including a first housing piece adapted to be mounted at one end of a bowl shaped depression formed in the outer skin of the vehicle door, a second housing piece adapted to be mounted at the other end of the depression in the outer skin, and an elongated handle pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the first housing piece and including a latch finger on the other end thereof received in a receptacle in the second housing piece to allow access to a latch actuator to control the latching and unlatching of the door.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door handle assembly, including a face plate positioned flush with the door outer surface. When operator pressure is applied to the face plate, the face plate pops out under spring pressure to a position where it may be gripped by the operator and pulled outwardly to unlatch the door and allow opening of the door. When the face plate is thereafter released, the face plate is returned to its flush position in the door by a damper mechanism which overcomes the face plate spring during the return movement of the door handle to return the face plate to its flush position.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door handle assembly combining the use of a counterweight to preclude inadvertent opening movement of the door in a side impact scenario and the ability to install the handle assembly from outside of the vehicle by passing the handle assembly through an aperture in an outer skin of the door. The handle assembly includes a housing; a handle mounted for opening and closing movement on the housing; an actuator mechanism operative in response to opening movement of the handle to unlatch a latch mechanism of the door and allow opening of the door; and a counterweight.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door handle assembly combining the use of a counterweight to preclude inadvertent opening movement of the door in a side impact scenario and the ability to install the handle assembly from outside of the vehicle by passing the handle assembly through an aperture in an outer skin of the door. The handle assembly includes a housing; a handle mounted for opening and closing movement on the housing; an actuator mechanism operative in response to opening movement of the handle to unlatch a latch mechanism of the door and allow opening of the door; and a counterweight.

Abstract: A fuel filler door assembly is provided for a motor vehicle facilitating rapid and inexpensive installation. Installation is accomplished by passing a tubular sleeve main body portion of a housing of the fuel filler door assembly through an aperture in a lip in an outer panel of the vehicle to pass circumferentially spaced keys on the sleeve through circumferentially spaced keyways provided in the lip, pass an aperture in an inner end wall of the housing over the free end of the filler tube of the vehicle fuel tank to seat the inner wall on a flange carried by the filler tube, and seat a flange provided on an outer end of the housing on the outer panel lip; turning the housing to move the keys under the panel lip and trap the lip between the flange and the keys; and passing a screw fastener through the end wall of the housing for engagement with the filler tube flange.

Abstract: A painting apparatus including a rack assembly mounted on a carriage and adapted to be moved on the carriage between a load station, a paint application station, and an unload station. The rack assembly includes a main rack assembly mounted for rotation about a central axis and a plurality of rack subassemblies carried by the main rack assembly and mounted for respective rotation about a plurality of subassembly axes spaced circumferentially about and parallel to the central axis. As the main rack assembly undergoes rotation about the central axis at the paint application station, the rack subassemblies simultaneously rotate about their subassembly axes so that the parts carried by the subassemblies undergo a compound rotation with the result that even intricate interior surfaces on the parts are given a uniform coating of paint.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door handle assembly for actuating a door latch of the vehicle. The assembly includes a housing adapted to be mounted on the vehicle door, a handle mounted on the door on the housing for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, and a latch actuator mounted on the housing, operated by the handle, and operative to unlatch the vehicle door in response to opening movement of the handle. The handle and housing define coacting detent structures operative in response to closing movement of the handle to catch the handle on the housing in the closed position of the handle and thereby resist inadvertent opening movement of the handle in a side impact scenario while allowing forceful opening movement of the handle by an operator.

Abstract: A tailgate assembly for a pickup truck including an outer tailgate assembly, an inner tailgate module, and attachment means for securing the inner tailgate module to the outer tailgate assembly to form the completed tailgate. The outer tailgate assembly is formed in a metal forming operation of sheet metal material and the inner panel module is formed in a molding operation of a plastics material. The inner panel module mounts the handle assembly, the latch devices, and the linkage devices for actuation of the latch devices. The latch devices are initially positioned on the inner tailgate module but, following assembly of the inner tailgate module to the outer tailgate assembly, the latch devices are fixedly secured to the outer structural sidewalls defined by the outer tailgate assembly.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door handle assembly including a housing structure adapted to be mounted on a vehicle door and a handle pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the housing structure at an arcuate bearing interface. The bearing interface comprises an inner bearing interface comprising coacting first and second arcuate surfaces and an outer bearing interface spaced radially outwardly from the inner bearing interface and comprising coacting third and fourth arcuate surfaces. All of the arcuate surfaces are centered on the handle pivot axis. The first arcuate surface comprises a radially outwardly facing handle surface; the second arcuate surface comprises a radially inwardly facing housing structure surface; the third arcuate surface comprises a radially inwardly facing handle surface; and the fourth arcuate surface comprises a radially outwardly facing housing structure surface.

Abstract: A tailgate assembly for use with a motor vehicle of the type including a cab and a cargo body positioned rearwardly of the cab and including side walls and a floor coacting at the rear of the cargo body to define a tailgate opening into which the tailgate is fitted. The tailgate assembly includes an extender assembly including a bar positioned proximate an upper edge of the tailgate and a pair of post assemblies extending downwardly from the bar into the tailgate proximate respective side edges of the tailgate. Each post assembly includes a lower post member articulated to an upper post member which in turn is connected to the bar. The bar may be raised to a position above the upper edge of the tailgate by sliding the post assemblies upwardly within guide tubes provided in the tailgate whereby to provide further vertical restraint for loads carried by the vehicle.

Abstract: A motor vehicle door assembly comprising an outside door handle, an outside door handle linkage for connecting the outside door handle to a door latch, an inside door handle, and an inside door handle linkage for connecting the inside door handle to the door latch. The inside and outside door handle linkages are arranged to share many common elements whereby to reduce the overall cost of the total door handle assembly by virtue of reduced parts costs and reduced labor. Specifically, the inside and outside door linkages share a common spring to provide a positive return movement of the handles to the rest position; share a common latch actuator lever to simplify the overall assembly; and share a common damper mechanism to dampen the closing movement of the inside and outside door handles as they are released following an unlatching action.

Abstract: An outside rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle of the type in which the mirror glass is selectively movably relative to the mirror housing to achieve the desired rearview image. A viscous damper device is positioned within the mirror housing, interconnects the mirror housing and the mirror glass, and is operative to damp vibrational movement of the mirror glass relative to the mirror housing so as to present a steady mirror image to the operator.

Abstract: A door handle assembly for a motor vehicle which acts to preclude inadvertent unlatching of the door in response to a side impact. The door handle assembly includes a housing and a handle member mounted for pivotal movement on the housing between latched and unlatched positions. An electromagnetic device is mounted on the housing and acts upon energization in response to receipt of an impact signal to preclude movement of the handle to its unlatched position. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic device comprises a solenoid having a plunger which lockingly coacts with detent structure on an arm of the handle in response to a sensed impact. In a second embodiment, the electromagnetic device comprises an electromagnet having a core which coacts upon energization with an armature carried by an arm of the handle to create a magnetic flux force field to preclude handle movement.

Abstract: An outside door handle assembly for a motor vehicle. The handle assembly includes a housing mounted in the door and a handle having a grip portion and an arm portion extending inwardly from one end of the handle for passage through an opening in the handle for coaction with a latch release mechanism positioned within the door. An annular resilient member is mounted on the arm portion proximate the juncture of the arm portion and the grip portion.

Abstract: A door handle assembly for a motor vehicle which acts to preclude inadvertent unlatching of the door in response to a side impact. The door handle assembly includes a bezel housing and a handle member including a handle portion positioned in a bowl portion of the bezel housing and a crank arm portion extending outwardly and upwardly through a slot in the bowl portion for connection to a pivot shaft. A sliding, spring biased weight is mounted on the bowl portion of the bezel proximate the location where the crank arm of the handle passes through the slot in the bowl portion. The weight moves slideably into coaction with a detent structure on the crank arm of the handle member in response to a side impact to preclude pivotal movement of the handle member in an unlatching direction.

Abstract: An automotive door handle assembly adapted to be mounted in an aperture defined in the outer skin of a motor vehicle door by a flange structure. The assembly includes an escutcheon plate sized to fit in the door skin aperture and having a peripheral flange sized to fit against an outer face of the outer door skin in surrounding relation to the door skin aperture. The door handle is pivotally mounted on a front face of the escutcheon plate for door unlatching movement, and a locking member is slidably mounted on a rear face of the escutcheon plate.

Abstract: A method of attaching a vehicle door handle to the a vehicle door, and a door handle assembly to facilitate such attachment. The door skin includes a plurality of individual, spaced apertures. The door handle assembly includes a handle member, a base plate pivotally mounting the handle member and defining a planar surface, a plurality of lugs on the base plate each sized to pass through a respective aperture and each defining a web portion extending outwardly from the planar surface, and a flange portion rigid with the web portion and a spring clip device on the base plate biased outwardly from the planar surface and including a latching free edge.

Abstract: A door handle assembly for a motor vehicle which acts to preclude inadvertent unlatching of the door in response to a side impact. The assembly includes a side impact detector member operative in response to a side impact against the door with the handle in its closed position to move inertially from a neutral position, allowing movement of the handle to its open position, to a side impact position, blocking movement of the handle to its open position. The door handle assembly includes an actuator lever operated by the door handle and mounted for pivotal movement in response to movement of the handle, and the side impact detector member comprises a lever pivotally mounted on the actuator lever. The side impact lever normally forms a linear extension of the actuator lever but pivots inertially relative to the actuator lever in response to side impact to a position blocking opening movement of the handle.

Abstract: A fluid-damped automotive door latch actuator comprising a fluid cylinder mounted adjacent the inside surface of an escutcheon plate between the door handle crank arms. A shaft connected to and extending between the crank arms is rotated to actuate the door latch. Damping action is caused in one embodiment by rotation of a shaft-mounted vane relative to a cylinder housing fixed to the escutcheon plate. In a second embodiment, the damper is designed to provide a fluid shearing action.