Abstract: A container assembly for a motor vehicle passenger compartment includes a housing, a door, an arm, a helical spring and a cam. The door is pivotally coupled to the housing for movement about a first pivot between a closed position wherein the door covers an opening in the housing and an open position wherein the door is pivoted about the first pivot to allow access through the opening to a storage space in the housing. The arm is pivotally coupled to the housing for movement about a second pivot. The arm has a cam surface. The helical spring continuously biases the arm toward the first pivot. The cam is coupled to the door and movable with the door about the first pivot between the closed position and the open position. The cam has a center portion and a lobe extending outwardly from the center portion. The lobe remains in contact with the cam surface of the arm.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a storage compartment having an illuminating device mounted therein and a tray having a lens mounted thereon. The tray is movable within the storage compartment between a forward position and a rear position. The illuminating device may provide light to both the interior of the storage compartment and the tray depending upon the position of the tray.

Abstract: A component assembly for a motor vehicle includes a first component and a second component. The first component includes a main wall and a tab extending outwardly from the main wall. The tab has an aperture extending therethrough. The second component has a support wall and a tab receiver extending outwardly from the support wall. The tab receiver lockingly engages the tab to interconnect the first component and the second component. The tab receiver has an end wall and a pair of guide walls extending from opposite ends of the end wall. The guide walls are spaced apart to receive the tab therebetween. The tab receiver has a retaining member disposed between the side wall and extending outwardly from the support wall. The retaining member extends through the aperture of the tab when the tab is fully received between the side walls.

Abstract: A magnetic gap is provided between a permanent magnet of a rotor and an auxiliary magnet pole portion which is arranged adjacent to the permanent magnet in a peripheral direction. A gradual change in a magnetic flux density distribution of a surface of the rotor is obtained and a cogging torque and a torque pulsation are restrained. By obtaining a reluctance torque according to the auxiliary magnetic pole, a permanent magnet electric rotating machine in which the cogging torque and the torque pulsation are restrained can be obtained and further an electromotive vehicle having the permanent magnet electric rotating machine can be provided.

Abstract: Mounting structures for wire harnesses may include a first finger and a second finger with each finger extending outwardly from a substrate. The first finger and the second finger may form a housing between the first finger, the second finger and the substrate for holding the wire. The first finger and the second finger may be offset from one another along a first axis through the substrate.

Abstract: A robotic platform for autonomous automotive vehicle development. The platform includes a frame having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted to the frame. A motor mechanism is associated with at least one of the wheels and the motor mechanism is responsive to drive signals to rotatably drive its associated wheel. At least one sensor is mounted to the vehicle which provides an output signal representative of a parameter relevant to the position of the robotic platform. A programmable control circuit is programmed to generate drive signals in response to the sensor output(s) to simulate the operation of an automotive vehicle for vehicle development.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a customizable video display in a vehicle is provided for allowing a user to select what driving information is to be displayed. The system having a video display device fixed on the instrument panel of a vehicle, and an input device allowing users to choose what to view and the size the information will appear in, from a list of vehicle driver information. The method having the steps of providing a list of driver information from which the user may select, selecting the desired driver information to be displayed, selecting the size the information will be displayed in, and displaying the information on the video display device.

Abstract: A container assembly for use in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle includes a housing having a storage space. The housing has an outer surface and an opening formed in the outer surface providing access to the storage space. The container assembly also includes a door movably coupled to the housing for movement between a closed position covering the opening and preventing access to the storage space and an open position disposed below the outer surface to reveal the opening and allow access to the storage space. This allows the container assembly to slide beneath a bin lid of a center console when the door of the container assembly is in either the closed position or the open position without interfering with the bin door.

Abstract: An instrument panel for a vehicle having an instrument panel support configured to be supportive in the vertical direction. The instrument panel support is inserted into a receptacle contained on the underside of the instrument panel such that the receptacle holds the support part in the vertical and lateral directions. The instrument panel support is then affixed to the instrument panel by a fastener. Loads applied to the instrument panel are transferred to the instrument panel support which, in turn, transfers the load to an instrument panel reinforcement thereby improving the rigidity of the instrument panel.

Abstract: An integrated bracket for attaching multiple components to a vehicle instrument panel reinforcement includes a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion. The first attachment portion is configured to receive a first component and the second attachment portion is configured to receive a second component. The integrated bracket also includes at least one flange for attaching the integrated bracket to an instrument panel reinforcement.

Abstract: A bonding strength measuring device for measuring the bonding strength between a substrate and a molding compound disposed on the substrate is provided. The measuring device includes a heating platform, a heating slide plate, and a fixing bracket. The heating platform has a first heating area and a first replaceable fixture. The substrate is disposed on the first heating area, and the first replaceable fixture is used to fix the substrate and has an opening exposing the molding compound. The heating slide plate has a second heating area and a second replaceable fixture. The second heating area is used to heat the molding compound, and the second replaceable fixture has a cavity for accommodating the molding compound. The fixing bracket is used to fix the heating slide plate above the heating platform.

Abstract: A magnetic gap is provided between a permanent magnet of a rotor and an auxiliary magnet pole portion which is arranged adjacent to the permanent magnet in a peripheral direction. A gradual change in a magnetic flux density distribution of a surface of the rotor is obtained and a cogging torque and a torque pulsation are restrained. By obtaining a reluctance torque according to the auxiliary magnetic pole, a permanent magnet electric rotating machine in which the cogging torque and the torque pulsation are restrained can be obtained and further an electromotive vehicle having the permanent magnet electric rotating machine can be provided.

Abstract: An instrument panel assembly for a motor vehicle includes a first component, a second component and a frame. The first component has a first aperture. The second component has a second aperture. The frame has a main wall. The frame includes a generally cylindrical boss extending outwardly from the main wall. The boss has an outer surface. The boss has a bore aligned with the first aperture of the first component to receive a fastener therethrough to secure the first component to the frame. The boss extends through the second aperture of the second component such that the outer surface locates the second component relative to the frame along a plane generally orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the boss. The second component is disposed between the first component and the frame so as to be constrained along the longitudinal axis of the boss.

Abstract: A cover for use in an opening of a vehicle instrument panel. The cover may include a top surface, an underside and one or more clips for securing the cover in an opening of the vehicle instrument panel. The cover may also include one or more lock-out ribs extending from the underside of the cover. The lock-out ribs prevent the cover from being improperly installed in an instrument panel opening where an accessory is present.

Abstract: A removable cup adaptor is for holding a beverage container for use in a cup holder that eliminates rattling of the beverage container when both the cup adaptor and beverage container are seated in a cup holder. The removable cup adaptor has a plurality of ribs extending radially outward from the outer surface. The removable cup adaptor eliminates rattle of the beverage containers by having the ribs maintaining contact with an inner surface of the vehicle console cup holder. The ribs are made of a flexible material such as rubber, such that the removable cup adaptor may be fittingly seated into cup holders of different diameters, but rigid enough such that the ribs provide stability while the removable adaptor is seated therein.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an instrument panel assembly affording for installment in a motor vehicle as one unit even though the assembly has a final width that is greater than a predetermined maximum width criterion for passing the assembly through a doorframe. The instrument panel assembly includes an instrument panel having a front side and a rear side, the front side having a temporary attachment structure and a permanent attachment structure. The assembly also includes an electronic panel with a temporary attachment structure and a permanent attachment structure, the electronic panel being operable to temporarily attach to the instrument panel in a position that affords for a reduced width of the instrument panel assembly. A process is also disclosed for installing an instrument panel assembly having an overall width that is greater than a predetermined maximum width criterion.

Abstract: A parking mechanism of a transmission includes a parking sprocket plug having a pawl portion to be engaged with a parking gear, a parking rod which has a bulge portion and causes the parking sprocket plug to operate, and a bracket which has a rod support member supporting the parking rod. The parking sprocket plug also has a support piece. When the bulge portion is disengaged from a projection, the support piece is hooked on the bulge portion, and the parking sprocket plug is supported in a position where the pawl portion is disengaged from the parking gear. Thereby, a parking mechanism which incurs no malfunction and requires small force for operation is provided.

Abstract: A connector housing for a small and portable transmitting-receiving module includes an upper housing and a lower housing. The upper housing has a top board, two side walls and a rear cover. The lower edge of the two side walls has a first wedging plate, first convex blocks, and first indentations. The lower housing has a bottom board, and the bottom board has a second wedging plate, second convex blocks, and second indentations. The second wedging plate is wedging the two side walls. The first wedging plate is wedging the bottom board. The second convex blocks are plugged into the first indentations. The first convex blocks are plugged into the second indentations. Thereby, the structure of the connector housing is stronger compared to the prior art. The housing is not easily deformed. Its structure is simple, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

Abstract: A bulk material handling accessory such as a conveyor belt cleaner for use in connection with a bulk material handling system. The bulk material handling accessory includes a main frame, a scraping member including an arm and a scraper blade pivotally attached to the main frame, and a damper mechanism coupled at one end to the main frame and at another end to the scraping member. A mounting mechanism is attached to the main frame for providing linear and rotational movement of the main frame and the associated scraping member and damper mechanism. The damper mechanism includes a damper having a piston and a housing having a fluid chamber. The viscosity of the fluid within the fluid chamber is selectively changeable to change the damping characteristics of the damper mechanism to accommodate changes in operating conditions.

Abstract: A method of scanning an object includes the steps of: providing a digitizer adapter having at least three markers disposed along a target surface thereof, wherein the digitizer adapter includes a spherical member disposed a predetermined distance at its center point to each of the at least three markers; securing the adapter along an outer surface of the object; creating a plurality of digital images of the object; extracting the coordinates of the at least three markers from the image using photogrammetry; calculating the coordinates of the center point of the spherical member based on the coordinates of the at least three markers; generating surface data by scanning the outer surface of the object and the spherical member; calculating the coordinates of the center point of the spherical member based on at least three points from the surface data of the spherical member; and aligning the center point coordinates to facilitate combining the data from the photogrammetric and surface scan processes.