Abstract: A wedge assembly for supporting automotive doors, particularly pivoted tail gate doors and sliding van doors, which is mounted between surfaces that are not horizontal so that the load applied to the assembly includes a vertical component. The assembly includes a striker member and a wedge member, the former being mounted on the vertical side pillar of an automotive door frame, and the latter being mounted on the side pillar of a pivoted tail gate or sliding door. The assembly provides both vertical and lateral support for the door and door frame and prevents misalignment between the two which can otherwise develop over the life of the vehicle.

Abstract: A faucet handle has a generally cylindrical ceramic body, with a bore extending axially through the body. A mounting member extends through the bore and has an enlarged head on the exterior end thereof. The interior end of the mounting member has threads for attachment to the faucet control member. There is a cylindrical chamber formed between the exterior of the mounting member and the surface of the bore and there is an axially extending cushioning insert positioned within the chamber. The insert extends substantially about the mounting member within the chamber and is there to prevent damaging contact between the mounting member and the ceramic body.

Abstract: A door bumper assembly for an automotive vehicle sliding door has an adjustable bumper head with a door face for mating with a door inner surface when the door is in a closed position to provide a predetermined lateral load to the door. A bumper base is mounted between the bumper head and a vehicle body surface at a rearward end of a door track and has a hinge face for contacting a door hinge to prevent door rearward longitudinal movement when the door is moved to a fully open position. A bolt threaded on both ends is attached on a first end to the bumper head to allow lateral adjustment with respect to the bumper base, and passes through the bumper base for attachment on a second end to a vehicle body portion.

Abstract: A door handle/knob assembly a door handle/knob assembly includes a housing having an opening formed within the housing, and a shaft received within the opening of the housing. The shaft has an outer surface, a rib for axially retaining the shaft to a lip of the housing in one direction, and a pair of generally oppositely positioned recess formations formed in the outer surface of the shaft. The recess formations are generally adjacent the intersection of the housing and the shaft. A door handle is secured to the shaft, the door handle having a handle member that tapers to a reduced neck portion. The reduced neck portion is fixedly secured to the shaft and has an end which is positioned adjacent the recess formations on a side opposite the housing so as to define a space between the end of the reduced neck portion and the housing. The recessed formations of the shaft are exposed within the space.

Abstract: The present invention is structured so that a guide pin will be captured within holes disposed on opposite walls of a case. A stopper wedge piece having a contact surface rides on the guide pin at one end of the case while a spring is disposed on the guide pin at the other end of the case. The guide pin has a collar close to one end that prevents the spring from slipping off that end of the guide pin. The collar also prevents the guide pin from passing through the hole at that end of the case. The spring keeps the stopper wedge pressed toward one side of the case while at the same time keeps the guide pin collar pressed toward the other side of the case. A metal plate pressed into the bottom of the case prevents wear of the case as the stopper wedge rides against the bottom plate during use. Assembly is facilitated by a downward incline toward the outside is formed on the lower portion of the hole on the case wall into which the stopper end of the guide pin is inserted.

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.

Abstract: Apparatus for guiding displaceable elements. The apparatus of this invention serves for guiding sliding elements, particularly doors, windows, dividing walls, shutters and coverings, that are slidably journalled on an upper side thereof in a first guide and are guided on a lower side thereof with an additional guide which is in turn connected with the floor or a side wall, with the additional guide including at least one elastic element which is adapted for direct force transfer or force transfer via transfer means, so as to press against the underside of the sliding element, so that the underside of the sliding element is retained by the additional guide free from play, thereby avoiding objectionable noises, both at rest and during displacement of the sliding element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pedal for a motor vehicle, particularly a brake pedal.The pedal rod (50) is articulated on a pin borne by a yoke securely attached to the end of the control rod (56). According to one embodiment, the yoke and the pedal rod are held against the pin by a resilient system constituted by a spring-forming wire (100) which interacts with the surface (54) of the pedal rod and the ends of which are securely attached to the yoke.

Abstract: A vehicle door wedge is provided including in a preferred embodiment a bracket having opposing ears, the bracket being connected to a door; a threaded shaft rotatably mounted by the ears of the bracket, the shaft having a head and being threadably engaged with the bracket ear generally least adjacent to the head of the shaft, the head of the shaft having a gap with the ear of the bracket to which it is most adjacent; and an elastomeric eccentrically mounted bumper mounted on the shaft. The bumper has a hardened member embedded therein and is rotated by the shaft to contact a door opening, preventing rattling of the door in the opening. The bumper is held in position by continuous rotation of the shaft causing the gap between the shaft head and the most adjacent bracket ear to be closed and for the bracket ears to elastically deform to capture the bumper until such time as the bracket ears are restrained from further deformation by resistance provided by the hardened member within the bumper.

Abstract: This invention, which provides a solution to the long-standing problem of motion-related rattle in torsion balances for windows, is based upon the discovery that the major source of the rattle is related to the movement of the free end of the twisted rod that is mounted within the coil of the torsion spring. A sound-deadening element of resin material is secured to the free end of the twisted rod, being positioned proximate to the extremity of the free end, and the preferred element has a maximum dimension (measured radial to the spring) that is greater than the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the twisted rod but less than the effective internal diameter of the coiled spring. The sound-deadening element eliminates the rattle by preventing contact between the free end of the rod and the spring, and it also acts as a glide to facilitate relative movement between the rod and the spring during operation of the balance.

Abstract: A door holding device for motor vehicle doors includes a door holding rod which is swivelably attached to a structural door component, a door or a door post. The door holding rod extends with its other end through a holder housing mounted on another structural component or the like. The door holding rod has along its length increased thickness portions which protrude outwardly transversely of the longitudinal direction of the door holding rod. The door holding rod is freely swivelably mounted on a carrier member by means of a clinch bolt or a screw bolt. A spring load is applied to the door holding rod in axial direction of the swivel bearing of the door holding rod. The clinch bolt or screw bolt is mounted secured against rotation in the opening of the carrier member. The clinch bolt or screw bolt additionally has a knurled profiling in engagement with the opening of the door holding rod.

Abstract: A pivot mount for a vehicular shift lever which precludes the play in the shift lever. The mount is employed in conjunction with a shift bowl that is rotatably mounted on a steering column. A clevis extends radially outwardly from the shift bowl, and the clevis has laterally spaced connecting plates. A bore penetrates each connecting plate. The bores through the connecting plates are registered. A shift lever having a mounting block is mounted from the clevis. The mounting block has laterally spaced, substantially parallel, first and second faces adapted to be embraced between the connecting plates. An aperture penetrates the mounting block and opens through the first and second faces to register with the bores through the connecting plates. A bushing assembly having an annular body portion with longitudinally spaced first and second rim edges is insertably received within the aperture which penetrates the mounting block.

Abstract: A vehicle instrument panel is disclosed with counter resetting knob, comping a push knob for resetting a trip recorder and mounted for sliding through a raised portion and a window. The knob comprises an end-piece with radial fins whose widened ends are situated between the raised portion and the window. Under the action of a compression spring the widened ends of the fins are urged towards the window, thus eliminating any play between the hole in the window and the end-piece.

Abstract: A wedge assembly to be secured to a vehicle door to prevent door rattling during vehicle operation. A slide element is captured by a base plate and stops are provided to prevent inadvertent disassembly.

Abstract: A window counterbalance spring (10, 30) enclosed within a spring cover (35) or tube (25) is sound deadened against rattling by having its outer surface (16) coated with a hot melt adhesive (11). Hot melt (11) is preferably sprayed on outer surface (16) of the spring, at it is wound; and for rotationally tensioned springs (10) surrounding twisted rods (20), some hot melt is deposited on the interior (17) of the spring to cushion its vibration against the twisted rod.

Abstract: A passenger seat with seating and backrest sections has an armrest pivotally supported on armrest support means by a bearing including an elastomeric ring structure disposed in wedge-shaped grooves formed opposite one another in the joint of the armrest and the armrest support means. The armrest and armrest support means are held in engagement by a bolt extending through a relatively large opening in one and screwed into the other of the armrest and the armrest support means and the elastomeric ring structure is axially wedged into the grooves to provide firm radial bearing support which prevents contact between the bolt and the walls of the opening so as to prevent rattling.

Abstract: Molded resin vibration dampener is mounted on coiled tension window balance springs arranged within spring covers. A resin wall of the vibration dampener, shaped for fitting around the tension spring, has a slot oriented longitudinally of the spring, and the wall is flexible enough to allow the slot to be spread open so that the body can be pressed onto a mid-region of the spring. Resilient fins extend obliquely outward from the body far enough to engage an interior surface of the spring cover and thereby hold the body and the spring spaced away from the spring cover to prevent rattling of the spring within the cover.

Abstract: An anti-rattle element for a curtain of a closure, the curtain having a corrugated surface and, adjacent to its edges, either a strap riveted to crests of each corrugation or bridges extending across the troughs of the corrugations. The strap or bridges form detent surfaces engageable by a resilient latching tongue protruding rearwardly from a body of the anti-rattle element. The tongue has a tip that engages either the bridge or the strap to hold the anti-rattle element to the curtain. The body of the element also has first and second abutment side faces and a rear face having a recess therein which embraces a portion of an edge margin of the curtain. The anti-rattle element is connected to the curtain in such manner that its abutment faces are disposed respectively on opposite sides of the curtain and face outwardly therefrom.

Abstract: Anti-rattle, disengagable hinge comprising two members respectively having mating concave and convex surfaces held together by wire-form spring. Spring prevents rattle but allows relative sliding motion of surfaces over an arc. Surfaces can be disengaged at one end of the arc.

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.