Abstract: A bumper assembly for a vehicle having an upper body portion, a lower body portion, a grill opening delimited by the upper body portion and the lower body portion, a grill assembly positioned between the upper body portion and the lower body portion to face the grill opening, the grill assembly with a plurality of fins, and a link mechanism that articulates the plurality of fins between an open position when the Vehicle is moving below a predetermined speed and in an open position when the Vehicle is moving above the predetermined speed.

Abstract: A camera system for a vehicle including a camera attached to a door of the vehicle to provide a rear field of view of the vehicle, the camera being articulable between an opened position and a closed position; an actuator affixed to the camera to rotate the camera; a position sensor that detects a position of the door between the opened position and the closed position; and an electrical control unit configured to operate the camera actuator based on the position detected by the position sensor such that the rear field of view is substantially directed in a horizontal direction to provide an unobstructed rear field of view when the door is articulated.

Abstract: A damper assembly to harvest energy from road deflections including a housing with a first shell, a second shell affixed to the first shell and to a vehicle body, a generator assembly with a first generator nested in the first shell, and a second generator nested in the second shell, a ball screw crossing the housing and with a first terminal portion that protrudes from the first shell and affixed to a wheel assembly of the vehicle, a second terminal portion that protrudes from the second shell, and a central portion extending between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion, wherein the central portion actuates the first generator to provide a first electrical current when the wheel assembly is displaced in a first direction and the second generator to provide a second electrical current when the wheel assembly is displaced in a second direction.

Abstract: A sliding apparatus for a sunroof of an automobile including a shoe having a first channel and a second channel slidably connected to a rail, a guide block including a front channel connecting a lower channel to form a first path, and a rear channel connecting to an upper channel to form a second path, and a lever with a first pin projecting from a first side and a second side, a second pin projecting from the first side and a third pin projecting from the second side. The first pin is connected to the front channel and the second pin is connected to the rear channel on the first side, and the first pin is connected to the first channel and the third pin is connected to the second channel on a second side.

Abstract: A sliding apparatus for a sunroof of an automobile including a shoe having a first channel and a second channel slidably connected to a rail, a guide block including a front channel connecting a lower channel to form a first path, and a rear channel connecting to an upper channel to form a second path, and a lever with a first pin projecting from a first side and a second side, a second pin projecting from the first side and a third pin projecting from the second side. The first pin is connected to the front channel and the second pin is connected to the rear channel on the first side, and the first pin is connected to the first channel and the third pin is connected to the second channel on a second side.

Abstract: A driver assist system and method for a motor vehicle that includes processing circuitry configured to receive and store a sequence of images from perimeter view cameras, select at least a portion of a previously stored image based on an estimated position displacement of the motor vehicle, construct an under view image of at least a portion of the motor vehicle, and display the under view image on a display monitor.

Abstract: A smart sensor system and method for a vehicle are described. The smart sensor includes at least one sensing element installed on a suspension of the vehicle and coupled with a wheel of the vehicle, and a digital signal processing circuitry configured to receive signal from the at least one sensing element in the form of a digital signal, correlate the digital signal to an air gap data, and determine a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration, a suspension condition, a tire condition, a brake condition, a wheel condition, and a road condition.

Abstract: A bumper beam for a vehicle including a bumper beam body having a tubular portion extending in a vehicle width direction, the bumper beam having a metal section and a composite section, wherein the metal section and the composite section are coaxial, the composite portion being along an inner surface of the metal section.

Abstract: A seat assembly including a seat rail having an opening at an end of the seat rail, a seat slider that slides relative to the seat rail along a length of the seat rail, and an end stop at the end of the seat rail that prevents the seat slider from sliding beyond the opening and that substantially covers a cross section of the opening.

Abstract: A seat assembly including a seat rail having an opening at an end of the seat rail, a seat slider that slides relative to the seat rail along a length of the seat rail, and an end stop at the end of the seat rail that prevents the seat slider from sliding beyond the opening and that substantially covers a cross section of the opening.

Abstract: A door closing apparatus including a camera with at least four pins, a first arm including a first open slot and a first arc slot, the first open slot rotatably supporting a first pin of the at least four pins of the camera and the first arc slot rotatably supporting a second pin of the at least four pins of the camera, and a second arm including a second open slot and a second arc slot, the second open slot rotatably supporting a third pin of the at least four pins of the camera and the second arc slot rotatably supporting a fourth pin of the at least four pins of the camera. The first arm and the second arm are configured to rotate about a first axis allowing the camera to rotate about the first axis as well as about a second axis of the at least four pins.

Abstract: A fastening device integrated into a vehicle to fasten a cargo including a strap assembly with a strap, and a hook affixed to a first extremity of the strap, a shaft assembly affixed to a second extremity of the strap to roll the strap, a ratchet assembly to prevent rotation of the shaft assembly in an unrolling direction when engaged, a handle assembly to engage and force the ratchet assembly to rotate, a housing assembly affixed to the body of the vehicle to support the shaft assembly, and the handle assembly, a head cover to cover the shaft assembly, the ratchet assembly, and the housing assembly and provide access to the handle assembly, a neck cover that protrudes downwardly from the head cover to receive the strap and the hook, wherein the handle assembly is articulable to engage the ratchet assembly and tighten the strap around the cargo.

Abstract: A side step apparatus for a vehicle including a side step, a bracket having a base plate and a panel plate, and an actuation mechanism including a first link, a second link and an actuator connected between the base plate of the bracket and the side step to move the side step in at least one of a running board position, an aerodynamic position, and a stowed position based on a speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: A seat arrangement apparatus for a vehicle seat that includes at least two tracks fixed to a floor of a vehicle each track including a base separating a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion, at least two seat mounting assemblies movable along the at least two tracks, and a stopper movably installed inside each of the at least two tracks between the at least two seat mounting assemblies to prevent the at least two seat mounting assemblies from touching each other when positioned together.

Abstract: A closing-releasing apparatus for a door of a vehicle including a lock assembly to unlatch, partially latch, and fully latch the door; a close release assembly to articulate the lock assembly, the close release assembly having an active lever that rotates around an active lever axis, a cancel gear slidably affixed to the active lever, a passive lever disengageably affixed to the cancel gear and that articulates the link lever, an open lever disengageably affixed to the passive lever that rotates around the active lever axis to articulate the lift lever, and a cancel lever configured to disengage the passive lever from the cancel gear and to disengage the open lever from the passive lever when activated; a drive assembly to drive the active lever in normal mode of operations; and a manual actuator to activate the cancel lever and by-pass the active lever in emergency manual mode of operations.

Abstract: A tailgate of a vehicle including a back portion and a seat portion, a telescopic mechanism including a first link, a second link, and a slotted link with a slot connected to the back portion of the tailgate allowing the tailgate to slide and pivot, and a four-bar mechanism including a third link and a fourth link hingedly connected to the back portion and the seat portion of the tailgate, wherein the telescopic mechanism and the four-bar mechanism allow the tailgate to transition between a first position, a second position, and a third position.

Abstract: A system to reduce wind noise and turbulent airflow from entering into a sunroof opening of a vehicle, including a sunroof panel slideably connected to the sunroof opening; a rail on a side of the sunroof opening; and a holder fixed in the rail; a deflector assembly including an upper panel pivotally connected to holder and a lower panel connected to the rail. The sunroof panel covers and compresses the deflector assembly in a closed position and covers the sunroof opening, and the deflector assembly rotates and extends when the sunroof panel retracts to an at least a partially open position.

Abstract: A visual communication apparatus affixed to a vehicle. The visual communication apparatus includes a smart key system that detects a key fob of a user within a keyless detection zone, a projector projecting visual indications on a projecting zone lying on a ground surface of the vehicle, a sensor optically capturing gestures of the user of the vehicle, and an electrical control unit capable of actuated key elements of the vehicle. The visual indications include passive visual indications requiring no activation from the user and active visual indications requiring activations from the user. The activations are performed by gestures of the user on the active visual indications.

Abstract: An air deflector system for a sunroof of a vehicle including an air deflector with holes along the length of the air deflector and having an input port, an air pump connected to the input port, an airspeed sensor, and an air controller configured to control a speed of the air pump based on the airspeed sensor to enable discharge of an air stream through the holes of the air deflector.

Abstract: A walk-in apparatus for a seat of a vehicle, including an upper rail connected to the seat; a lower rail connected to a floor of the vehicle; a lead screw connected to the lower rail; a male helical gear connected to the lead screw, the male helical gear including external splines; and a female helical gear connected to the upper rail. The female helical gear includes internal splines configured to engage with the external splines of the male helical gear, and the male helical gear and the female helical gear are selectively separable. A torque transferred between the internal splines of the female helical gear and the external splines of the male helical gear when connected moves the upper rail relative to the lower rail.