Abstract: An internal deployable vehicle panel assembly includes an inner panel, an outer panel and a deployable energy absorber. The inner panel includes a first mounting structure that movably couples the inner panel to a vehicle component to move between a closed position to cover an access opening to a vehicle storage compartment and an open position to reveal the access opening. The outer panel includes a second mounting structure that is removably coupled to a third mounting structure of the inner panel. The deployable energy absorber is disposed between the inner and outer panels in an undeployed state. The deployable energy absorber is free from fixed attachment to the outer panel and energizable to a deployed state in which the deployable energy absorber separates the outer panel from the inner panel and displaces the outer panel away from the inner panel.

Abstract: A vehicle cowl component configured to extend between a hood's rear edge and a vehicle front windshield comprises a cowl and a seal, the seal including a U-shaped cross section attached to the under-hood edge and having upwardly extending front and rear curved walls, each of the curved walls having an unconnected free end. In one embodiment, the seal is two-shot molded onto the cowl, which eliminates secondary attachment operations. A method includes steps of first-shot molding a cowl, and then second-shot molding a U-shaped seal onto the cowl along an under-hood front edge. A modified cowl includes a seal with a downwardly extending wiper for sealing engagement with a body support structure under the cowl and seal.

Abstract: A vehicle cowl cover includes a windshield support portion and a channel portion. The windshield support portion includes a first windshield supporting wall and a second windshield supporting wall coupled to the first windshield supporting wall to define a windshield receiving cavity that is configured to receive a bottom edge of a windshield. The windshield receiving cavity extends in a lateral direction along the bottom edge of the windshield. The channel portion extends from the second windshield supporting wall and defines a water receiving channel that is configured to receive water that flows over a top edge of the second windshield supporting wall from the windshield receiving cavity. The channel portion is angled relative to an inner surface of the windshield to direct water laterally along the channel portion to at least one side edge of the vehicle cowl cover.

Abstract: An integrated assembly includes a vehicle bumper system, and upper and lower air shutter sections with subassembled shutter vanes movable between closed and open positions, an actuator mechanism for moving the shutter members between positions. When in the fully open position, the shutter vanes are aerodynamically designed to minimize air drag, both as air flows past the vanes and also during after-vane airflow (and during after-bumper-beam airflow). When in the fully closed vane position, the vanes seal against each other to provide a highly efficient and leak-resistant air-blocking assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus forms a sheet into a beam having four exterior walls and a common center leg extending between an opposing two of the walls. The apparatus includes a roll former forming the sheet into the beam cross section, a welding station with top and bottom laser welders, and a weld box fixture having inwardly-biased external mandrels (biased by actuators) and outwardly-biased internal split mandrels (biased by springs) that interact to hold a desired shape of the beam in the weld fixture, and also includes a sweeping unit and cutoff device. By this arrangement, the internal and external mandrels, in combination with a bias of the actuators and springs, control a shape of the beam by flexure and movement of material of the sheet when in the weld box fixture during a welding process of the welder.

Abstract: A co-molding process includes molding a body between a “common cavity” and “first shot core” die halves, co-molding a soft plastic onto the first component to form a final part using the “common cavity” die half and a “second shot core” die half. The “second shot core” die half includes shallow formations forming expansion locks along an elongated edge of the final part on a non-show concave surface, the locks having a shallow depth and extending in a direction non-parallel a die pull direction such that the locks affirmatively prevent shifting of first component during the co-molding process. Also, the locks can be made to cause the final part to remain with the “second shot core” die half when dies are opened during a final step of the co-molding process.

Abstract: A vehicle cowl component configured to extend between a hood's rear edge and a vehicle front windshield comprises a cowl and a seal, the seal including a U-shaped cross section attached to the under-hood edge and having upwardly extending front and rear curved walls, each of the curved walls having an unconnected free end. In one embodiment, the seal is two-shot molded onto the cowl, which eliminates secondary attachment operations. A method includes steps of first-shot molding a cowl, and then second-shot molding a U-shaped seal onto the cowl along an under-hood front edge. A modified cowl includes a seal with a downwardly extending wiper for sealing engagement with a body support structure under the cowl and seal.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for improved pedestrian safety during impact by a vehicle, where the vehicle includes a bumper, a hood, and structural components located generally above the bumper and in front of the hood. The apparatus includes an energy absorber with at least one crush lobe attached to a horizontal top beam of the bulkhead in a low-visible position when the hood is closed, but with the energy absorber positioned to crush and absorb energy to reduce injury to a pedestrian's upper leg when a pedestrian is impacted by the vehicle. The energy absorber is made of polymeric material, and the crush lobe is hollow and shaped to crush upon impact for maximum energy absorption.

Abstract: A vehicle cowl cover includes a main body and a first yielding portion. The main body includes a first lateral end portion defining a first end edge and a second lateral end portion defining a second end edge. The first yielding portion is attached along a majority of the first end edge such that the first yielding portion at least partially forms a first end surface of the first lateral end portion. The first yielding portion has a first elasticity greater than a second elasticity of the main body.

Abstract: A vehicle cowl cover includes a windshield support portion and a channel portion. The windshield support portion includes a first windshield supporting wall and a second windshield supporting wall coupled to the first windshield supporting wall to define a windshield receiving cavity that is configured to receive a bottom edge of a windshield. The windshield receiving cavity extends in a lateral direction along the bottom edge of the windshield. The channel portion extends from the second windshield supporting wall and defines a water receiving channel that is configured to receive water that flows over a top edge of the second windshield supporting wall from the windshield receiving cavity. The channel portion is angled relative to an inner surface of the windshield to direct water laterally along the channel portion to at least one side edge of the vehicle cowl cover.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a roll former with rolls configured to form a structural beam from sheet material, and a sweep unit for longitudinally sweeping a beam in any of vertical, horizontal, or combination directions. The sweep unit has a first pair of forming rolls positioned to engage first opposing sides of the structural beam and has a second pair of forming rolls positioned to engage second opposing sides of the structural beam. The sweep unit movably supports the first and second pairs of forming rolls so that any selected one of the forming rolls continuously engages an associated side of the structural beam while an associated one of the forming rolls opposing the selected one forming roll moves downstream and around the selected one forming roll. This provides a very stable beam-bending condition promoting dimensional stability during the sweeping process, and hence dimensional accuracy and repeatability.

Abstract: An energy absorbing system includes a hood with inner and outer panels defining a rear edge cavity, and a pair of polymeric energy absorbers in the cavity. The hood and energy absorber are tuned to minimize an HIC value when a pedestrian's head contacts the hood during an impact to absorb energy prior to the hood bottoming out on the plenum of the vehicle. The energy absorber is preferably made of a polymeric material capable of withstanding high temperatures associated with going through a paint over or e-coat process, such as high temperature nylon. The illustrated energy absorber has a hat-shaped cross section and includes criss-crossing flanges tuned to provide an optimal force-deflection curve during impact.

Abstract: An apparatus includes, in combination, a roll former with rolls configured to form a structural beam from sheet material, and a sweep unit for longitudinally sweeping a beam in any of vertical, horizontal, or combination directions. The sweep unit has a first pair of forming rolls positioned to engage first opposing sides of the structural beam and has a second pair of forming rolls positioned to engage second opposing sides of the structural beam. The sweep unit movably supports the first and second pairs of forming rolls so that any selected one of the forming rolls continuously engages an associated side of the structural beam while an associated one of the forming rolls opposing the selected one forming roll moves downstream and around the selected one forming roll. This provides a very stable beam-bending condition promoting dimensional stability during the sweeping process, and hence dimensional accuracy and repeatability.

Abstract: A method includes, in combination, a roll former with rolls configured to form a structural beam from sheet material, and a sweep unit for longitudinally sweeping a beam in any of vertical, horizontal, or combination directions. The sweep unit has a first pair of forming rolls positioned to engage first opposing sides of the structural beam and has a second pair of forming rolls positioned to engage second opposing sides of the structural beam. The sweep unit movably supports the first and second pairs of forming rolls so that any selected one of the forming rolls continuously engages an associated side of the structural beam while an associated one of the forming rolls opposing the selected one forming roll moves downstream and around the selected one forming roll. This provides a very stable beam-bending condition promoting dimensional stability during the sweeping process, and hence dimensional accuracy and repeatability.

Abstract: A high-strength beam includes first and second sections bent in opposite directions as part of a roll-forming process. A frame includes side frame members incorporating the double-bent beam and at least one energy management tube attached to the beam. In one form, the beam is tubular and has a cross-sectional dimension of greater than 25 mm and a material strength of at least about 60 KSI tensile strength. A roll form apparatus includes a roll former device and a sweep station in-line with the roll former device for sweeping the continuous beam in first and second opposing directions. Also, a method of roll-forming comprises steps of: roll-forming a sheet of material into a continuous beam and sweeping first and second sections of the beam in opposite directions.

Abstract: A storage unit is anchored in a truck bed with an attachment system incorporating side modules forming a track for easy pull-out and yet security when moved to a storage position within the truck bed. The storage unit and/or the side modules have recesses and components shaped for function and utility, as well as security and yet easy access. For example, the side modules can include a stationary light, a pull-out spot light, an electrical plug, a storage recess with a lockable cover, and/or a tool-holding recess. The storage unit includes functionally-shaped walls, pull-out containers and drawers, repositionable dividers for the storage recess, a lockable cover, handles to facilitate carriage, wheels for rolling transport, walls with external cable anchors for tying down items, and/or an air deflector/spoiler. The side modules can be releasable for use as a suitcase-like separate unit.

Abstract: A bumper system includes an injection molded energy absorber of polymeric material having hollow longitudinally-spaced lobes configured to crush and absorb energy during a pedestrian impact, and straps interconnecting adjacent lobes. The lobes are particularly sized and dimensioned, including potentially external ribs and/or apertures in corners, to provide a relatively uniform impact energy absorption during an impact stroke during crush of the shear walls of the lobes, such as within +/?30% or more preferably within +/?20% of a desired amount regardless of a specific location of impact, along a selected center portion of the energy absorber. A reason for the uniformity is to promote pedestrian safety regardless of the specific location where a pedestrian's leg strikes the energy absorber.

Abstract: A cutoff unit for cutting a variably swept continuous beam extending from a roll forming mill includes a pickup subassembly for tracking a shape of the continuous beam, and a cutoff subassembly that engages and supports sides of the continuous beam while a blade slices transversely through the continuous beam. A controller connected to the roll forming mill and to the cutoff unit controls the cutoff unit to allow pass through of the continuous beam, and is configured to actuate the pickup and then actuate the blade to cut the continuous beam into longitudinally symmetrical beam segments, each having a center section (swept or not) and with mirror-image equally-swept end sections.

Abstract: A tube comprising an outer tube section with a stepped outer surface and an inner tube section, with the inner tube section being located within the outer tube section. The tube also comprises a spanning section connecting an end of the outer tube section to an end of the inner tube section. The outer tube section is longer than the inner tube section, whereby, upon undergoing a longitudinal impact, the outer tube section crushes predictably and sooner than the inner tube section upon the energy management tube receiving forces from the longitudinal impact, to thereby create a first energy absorption level during crushing of the outer tube section alone and a second energy absorption level during crushing of the outer tube section and the inner tube section.

Abstract: A vehicle bumper system includes an elongated reinforcement beam for mounting to a vehicle frame and an energy absorber abutting a front surface of the reinforcement beam. The energy absorber includes longitudinally-elongated hollow crush lobes configured to crush and absorb energy upon a vehicle crash, the crush lobes including interconnected top, bottom, side and front walls. At least one opposing pair of the walls, such as the top and bottom walls, are elongated parallel a length of the beam to define enlarged areas that are generally unsupported, but the one pair of walls further include a plurality of spaced external ribs extending perpendicular to the length for stabilizing the enlarged areas.