Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning, drying, and thermally managing vehicle components are described herein. In some embodiments, the vehicle components can include various sensors and, more particularly, the surfaces of cameras, LIDAR sensors, etc., that need to be clean to effectively perceive the environment around the vehicle. In one embodiment, a cleaning system includes a central delivery system configured to route fluid, such as washer fluid, along one or more delivery channels to remote holding chambers. The holding chambers can hold and/or heat the fluid before delivering the fluid to nozzles that spray the fluid on nearby vehicle components to clean the components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning, drying, and thermally managing vehicle components are described herein. In some embodiments, the vehicle components can include various sensors and, more particularly, the surfaces of cameras, LIDAR sensors, etc., that need to be clean to effectively perceive the environment around the vehicle. In one embodiment, a cleaning system includes a central delivery system configured to route fluid, such as washer fluid, along one or more delivery channels to remote holding chambers. The holding chambers can hold and/or heat the fluid before delivering the fluid to nozzles that spray the fluid on nearby vehicle components to clean the components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning, drying, and thermally managing vehicle components are described herein. In some embodiments, the vehicle components can include various sensors and, more particularly, the surfaces of cameras, LIDAR sensors, etc., that need to be clean to effectively perceive the environment around the vehicle. In one embodiment, a cleaning system includes a central delivery system configured to route fluid, such as washer fluid, along one or more delivery channels to remote holding chambers. The holding chambers can hold and/or heat the fluid before delivering the fluid to nozzles that spray the fluid on nearby vehicle components to clean the components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning, drying, and thermally managing vehicle components are described herein. In some embodiments, the vehicle components can include various sensors and, more particularly, the surfaces of cameras, LIDAR sensors, etc., that need to be clean to effectively perceive the environment around the vehicle. In one embodiment, a cleaning system includes a central delivery system configured to route fluid, such as washer fluid, along one or more delivery channels to remote holding chambers. The holding chambers can hold and/or heat the fluid before delivering the fluid to nozzles that spray the fluid on nearby vehicle components to clean the components.

Abstract: A windshield washer fluid heater having a housing which defines a housing chamber. A subhousing is disposed in the housing chamber. This subhousing is constructed of a thermally conductive material and divides the housing chamber into an outer housing chamber between the housing and the subhousing, and an inner housing chamber inside the subchamber. The outer housing chamber and inner housing chambers are fluidly isolated from each other. A core is disposed in the inner housing chamber thus forming an annular fluid chamber between the core and the subhousing. A washer fluid inlet on the housing is open to one end of the annular chamber while a washer fluid outlet at the other end is open to the other end of the annular chamber. An engine coolant inlet is open to the outer chamber while an engine coolant outlet is also open to the outer chamber at a position spaced from the inlet so that fluid flow into the coolant inlet flows through the outer housing chamber and to the coolant outlet.

Abstract: A windshield washer fluid heater having a housing which defines a housing chamber. A subhousing is disposed in the housing chamber. This subhousing is constructed of a thermally conductive material and divides the housing chamber into an outer housing chamber between the housing and the subhousing, and an inner housing chamber inside the subchamber. The outer housing chamber and inner housing chambers are fluidly isolated from each other. A core is disposed in the inner housing chamber thus forming an annular fluid chamber between the core and the subhousing. A washer fluid inlet on the housing is open to one end of the annular chamber while a washer fluid outlet at the other end is open to the other end of the annular chamber An engine coolant inlet is open to the outer chamber while an engine coolant outlet is also open to the outer chamber at a position spaced from the inlet so that fluid flow into the coolant inlet flows through the outer housing chamber and to the coolant outlet.

Abstract: An over-travel protection device is provided for placing in a load path between a load cell and an object being weighed. The device has a first member positioned to be in the load path and a second member also positioned to be in the load path. The second member is arranged to cooperate with the first member to transfer load force from the object to the load cell. The first and second members define a space between one another and a compressible member is disposed in the space between the first member and the second member. A retaining member is adapted to limit separation displacement between the first and second members.

Abstract: A vehicle cabin is provided, the cabin including at least one passenger seat and an anchor arrangement configured to detachably couple to a rearwardly facing infant seat situated on the passenger seat, in which the anchor arrangement prevents the rearwardly facing infant seat from accelerating toward a rear of a vehicle.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting a restraint belt mounted vehicle seat to a floor of an automotive vehicle is provided. The arrangement includes a floor rail supporting the vehicle seat, a load cell providing a supporting platform for the floor rail above the vehicle floor, a force transmittal member connected to the floor rail, a headed fastener connected to the vehicle floor, and a capture member connected to the vehicle floor by the fastener, the capture member in normal operational conditions having a clearance with the force transmittal member. In a predefined vehicle crash situation the force transmittal member is moved to an interference with the capture member retaining the floor rail to the vehicle floor.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting a restraint belt mounted vehicle seat to a floor of an automotive vehicle is provided. The arrangement includes a floor rail supporting the vehicle seat, a load cell providing a supporting platform for the floor rail above the vehicle floor, a force transmittal member connected to the floor rail, a headed fastener connected to the vehicle floor, and a capture member connected to the vehicle floor by the fastener, the capture member in normal operational conditions having a clearance with the force transmittal member. In a predefined vehicle crash situation the force transmittal member is moved to an interference with the capture member retaining the floor rail to the vehicle floor.

Abstract: A nut/clip assembly has a nut and a clip. The nut has an internally threaded cylindrical portion of sufficient wall thickness that the internal threads are fully-formed. The cylindrical portion of the nut is formed by extrusion. The clip is U-shaped and has spaced apart legs. One leg of the clip is rigidly secured to the cylindrical portion of the nut by welding. The other leg of the clip extends across the cylindrical portion of the nut and has a bolt-receiving hole aligned with the internal threads. The cylindrical portion of the nut is of greater thickness than the clip. The clip is made of a carbon steel alloy and the nut is made of a carbon steel alloy of lesser carbon content than the clip.

Abstract: A vehicle seat back panel can be reinforced against transverse buckling forces by training a high tensile strength web, or strip, back and forth along one face of the panel. The flexible strip is anchored to high strength brackets located along the margins of the panel, so that the strip absorbs most of the buckling loads imposed on the panel in pure tension.

Abstract: An instrument panel for a motor vehicle has a shelf formed with a multiplicity of parallel grooves and ridges to minimize reflected images and glare. The grooves and ridges are generally V-shaped with forwardly and rearwardly facing surfaces. The forwardly facing surfaces are each inclined upwardly and rearwardly at an angle selected to prevent reflection of light upwardly to the windshield and thence into the vehicle operator's eyes or glare directly from the shelf surface into the operator's eyes.

Abstract: A self-adjusting selector dial shift indicator mechanism is disclosed for an automatic transmission control system. The system includes a carriage assembly having a carrier member and an indicator member slidably interlocked by resilient biasing means for joint longitudinal movement on a support housing. A pair of stops on the housing limit the reciprocal travel of the indicator member at opposite end positions wherein its pointer is aligned respectively with the dial low-drive and park indicia. A first cable section connects the carrier member to the housing. A second cable section connects the carrier to the shift lever steering column tube. Movement of the shift lever from low-drive to park overcomes the biasing means allowing the carrier member to slip relative to the indicator member at each end of the dial automatically indexing its pointer wherein manual adjustment of the cable section is eliminated.

Abstract: A viscous fluid coupling for a fan drive in an automotive vehicle, including a stamped sheet metal input member inside a cast metal output member. The output member has a fluid reservoir formed of a sheet metal stamping attached to a ledge. A moveable reed valve permits fluid to flow from the reservoir to a working space between the input and output members.