Abstract: An automotive door handle assembly includes an escutcheon sized to fit in a door aperture; a handle pivotally mounted on the escutcheon; a fastener device extending rearwardly from the escutcheon; and a clip of U-configuration having a bight portion and upper and lower leg portions extending forwardly from opposite edges of the bight portion in outwardly splayed relation with an aperture in the bight portion fitted over the fastener device to position the clip rearwardly of the escutcheon with the leg portions extending forwardly in embracing relation to the escutcheon. A resilient cushion member is fitted between the clip upper leg portion and the adjacent surface of the escutcheon and dimples upstand from the clip lower leg portion for slidable engagement with the adjacent escutcheon surface.

Abstract: A spray painting apparatus and methodology. A plurality of parts are loaded onto a carrier at circumferentially spaced locations about a central spin axis of the carrier whereafter the carrier is moved in indexing fashion to a spray station where drive means engage the carrier to spin the carrier about its spin axis while a spray gun assembly is moved up and down in reciprocal fashion parallel to the spin axis. The parts are mounted on the carrier in a fashion to simulate impellers which have the effect of sucking air into the center region of the carrier to augment painting of the interior surfaces of the parts. The carriers are preferably moved to the paint spray station by a power and free conveyor system wherein the carrier is disengaged from the power conveyor at the paint spray station and is reengaged with the power conveyor following spinning movement of the carrier and reciprocal movement of the spray gun assembly.

Abstract: A method of attaching a vehicle door handle to the outer skin of a vehicle door, and a door handle assembly to facilitate such attachment. The door skin is provided with a pair of apertures and a plurality of lugs are provided on an inner planar face of the door handle assembly together with a spring clip proximate one end of the planar surface. The door handle is mounted on the door by passing the lugs through the apertures while deflecting the spring clip inwardly and thereafter sliding the door handle assembly over the door skin to move web portions on the lugs into wedging engagement with respective edge portions of the apertures while moving the spring clip into latching engagement with a transverse edge portion of one of the apertures. Flange portions on the lugs are simultaneously positioned beneath respective inner surfaces on the skin to complete the attachment of the door handle to the skin.

Abstract: A method of attaching a vehicle door handle to the outer skin of a vehicle door, and a door handle assembly to facilitate such attachment. The door skin is provided with a pair of apertures and a plurality of lugs are provided on an inner planar face of the door handle assembly together with a spring clip proximate one end of the planar surface. The door handle is mounted on the door by passing the lugs through the apertures while deflecting the spring clip inwardly and thereafter sliding the door handle assembly over the door skin to move web portions on the lugs into wedging engagement with respective edge portions of the apertures while moving the spring clip into latching engagement with a transverse edge portion of one of the apertures. Flange portions on the lugs are simultaneously positioned beneath respective inner surfaces on the skin to complete the attachment of the door handle to the skin.

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: A circuit for use in providing high voltage power to a neon bulb positioned on the vehicle utilizing the vehicle DC battery as the power source. The circuit includes an invertor, a transformer, and a rectifier. The invertor receives low voltage DC from the vehicle battery, converts the low voltage DC to a low voltage AC drive voltage, and delivers the AC drive voltage to the transformer primary for conversion to a high voltage AC at the transformer secondary. The rectifier receives the high voltage AC from the transformer secondary, converts the high voltage AC to high voltage DC, and delivers the high voltage DC to the neon bulb. Since the power delivered to the neon tube is DC there is less need to shield the tube with respect to electro magnetic emissions and parasitic losses in the wire runs between the battery and the neon tube are significantly reduced.

Abstract: A headlamp assembly comprising a reflector defining an open front end, a lens adapted to close the open front end of the reflector to form a lamp chamber, a bulb mounted in the lamp chamber, and a mounting structure. The reflector and lens define respective annular flange portions which are seated together at an interface and the mounting structure is formed as an injection molding including an annular main body housing portion surrounding the reflector and an annular seal portion at the inner periphery of the main body portion encapsulating the seated together flange portions so as to seal the interface between the flange portions and seal the lamp chamber. Sealing of the lamp chamber is further facilitated by the provision of a series of annular grooves in the reflector flange portion and a series of annular ribs in the lens flange portion sized to fit in the respective annular grooves in the reflector flange portion.

Abstract: A side mounted vehicular rear view mirror of the type which comprises a hollow tubular steel gooseneck support arm which can be rotated forwardly or rearwardly relative to a clamp type mount on the vehicle body to fold the mirror against the vehicle body side to prevent damage to the mirror in, for example, a vehicle carwash or other narrow passageway. The clamping structure comprises a mount having longitudinally spaced semi-cylindrical bearing seats adapted to receive a length of the gooseneck arm and a spring steel clamp having opposing complemental bearing surfaces and an arcuate detent which engages a straight sides slot formed in the gooseneck arm where it overlies the spaced apart bearing seats. The spring clamp flexes to provide a relatively high break away torque and a relatively low continued rotation torque.

Abstract: A lamp especially designed for use with plasma discharge light sources such as neon tubes. The lamp provides secondary reflective surfaces to ensure that each ray of light leaving the neon tube strikes at least one metallic reflective surface so as to reduce the troublesome RF characteristic of the neon tube and reduce the interference with other electronic equipment on board the vehicle.

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 handle and a blocking member both pivotally mounted in an escutcheon and each including an actuator portion positioned in the window of the escutcheon and a stop portion positioned within the cavity of the escutcheon. The stop portions positioned within the cavity coact in the event of side impact to preclude inadvertent inertial pivotal movement of the handle to an unlatched position but depression of the blocking member actuator portion moves the stop portion of the blocking member out of the path of movement of the stop portion of the handle to allow the handle to be moved to open the door.

Abstract: A lamp especially suitable for use as a headlamp in a motor vehicle. The lamp includes a lamp housing, a lens sealed to the housing and coacting with the housing to define a sealed chamber, and a lightbulb positioned in the chamber and operative to generate light within the chamber for projection through the lens to a location to be illuminated. The lamp further includes a compensator mechanism which is operative in response to variations in chamber temperature to compensatingly vary the chamber volume whereby to maintain an essentially constant pressure in the chamber irrespective of changes in the chamber temperature resulting from ambient temperature changes or from energization and de-energization of the lightbulb. In one disclosed embodiment the compensator mechanism comprises a bellows positioned exteriorally of the chamber and a conduit interconnecting the bellows and the chamber.

Abstract: A gravity actuated switch and an automotive under hood or under deck lid light assembly utilizing the switch. The switch includes a blade and a ball mounted for rolling movement along the blade in response to a change in attitude of the switch. The ball is operative in response to such rolling movement to move the blade between a first configuration in which the switch is open and a second configuration in which the switch is closed. The blade comprises a beam member formed of a spring material arranged in cantilever fashion. The spring material of the beam is electrically conductive and the beam forms a part of the electrical circuit path through the switch.

Abstract: A mounting structure and methodology for mounting audio speakers in the package shelf of a motor vehicle. The speakers are mounted in a well formed integrally with the package shelf. The well opens at its upper end in the package shelf and defines an annular ledge at its lower end sized to seat the annular flange of the speaker. Resilient spring fingers on the annular wall of the well flex outwardly in response to insertion of the speaker into the well to allow passage of the speaker flange and thereafter, upon seating of the speaker flange on the ledge, flex inwardly to lockingly clamp the speaker flange between the spring fingers and the ledge. A grille structure includes a grille sized to fill the opening in the package shelf and a plurality of fingers extending downwardly from the grille and sized to fit within the well structure.

Abstract: A pilot-operated ball cock valve of the type wherein a vent to a pressure chamber is controlled by a lever arm to thereby control the flow of fluid through the valve. A movable rod is slidable in aligned relief and pilot conduit openings and has a valve sealing element carried on the rod. The valve sealing element is adapted to seal off the relief opening in one position of the rod and to open the relief opening in another position of the rod. Further, the sealing element is adapted to close off the pilot conduit between the pressure chamber and the inlet opening when the rod is in the other position. The valve is advantageously formed in two pieces which screw together through a threaded core. The float on the arm has a hole in an outer portion thereof and is rotatably mounted on the arm to adjust the buoyancy of the float and thereby adjust the height to which the arm will rise in the tank.