Abstract: A vehicle door assembly includes a vehicle body structure, a first door, a second door and a support assembly. The vehicle body structure has a wall portion that defines a door opening. The support assembly is fixed to the wall portion proximate the door opening and has at least one pair of tracks with door support devices and a motorized door mechanism. The door support devices independently support the first door and the second door for movement along the at least one pair of tracks and the motorized door mechanism is configured to raise and lower the door support devices along with the first door and the second door from respective closed orientations covering corresponding sections of the door opening and open orientations exposing the corresponding sections of the door opening.

Abstract: A long rail assembly for use in a vehicle includes a lower channel, an inverted U-shaped upper channel, a gearbox, a rack, a pinion, a drive shaft, and a motor. The lower channel is adapted to extend longitudinally along a floor of the vehicle. The upper channel is slidably coupled to the lower channel. The gearbox is fixedly secured to and housed within the upper channel. The rack is fixedly coupled to the lower channel and includes gear teeth extending along the rack in a longitudinal direction. The pinion is meshingly engaged with the gear teeth. The drive shaft operatively couples the gearbox to the pinion. The motor is operatively coupled to the gearbox to power drive the upper channel along the lower channel.

Abstract: A seat sliding device includes: a lower rail; an upper rail; a lock member; a spring member; and an operation lever, the first fixing portion of the spring member which has a ring shape having an outside diameter greater than a width between the pair of the side walls of the upper rail, which has a spring force in a diameter increasing direction between the pair of the side walls of the upper rail, and which includes a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion that are configured to be mounted and fixed, respectively, in the first hole portion and the second hole portion by the spring force.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a tailgate for a truck that rests at an intermediate level between the ground and the truck bed when the tailgate is disposed in an open/primarily-horizontal position. The inventive tailgate may be hinged below and forward of the rear edge of the bed level such that when opened, it rests at a level below the deck. The tailgate may be hinged with bearings that are constructed to and positioned to reduce the amount of hinge clogging. The inventive tailgate may include a pop-up mini-gate that raises to substantially the same level as the bed for use with transportation of oversized objects. The inventive tailgate may include a foldable or rotatable support structure that may be used to support items that extend beyond the end of the horizontal tailgate. The inventive tailgate may be sealed around three sides of the cargo box to prevent loss of particulate or granular cargo.

Abstract: Various embodiments of an airfoil and machines with airfoils are disclosed. The airfoils include a thicker leading airfoil portion and a thinner trailing airfoil portion. In one embodiment, the leading airfoil portion is formed by bending a body of the airfoil back toward itself. In another embodiment, the leading airfoil portion has a solid geometry and includes two elliptic surfaces. To prevent detachment of airflow, the leading airfoil portion includes at least two arc portions or surfaces that act to direct the airflow down to the trailing airfoil portion in a manner that stabilizes vortexes that may form in the region of changing thickness.

Abstract: A pickup full of gear doesn't have to be a jumbled mess. A modular, lightweight load-carrying system is custom engineered to fit directly onto a tailgate using the existing OEM mounting points of the vehicle. The rack systems allow drivers of the vehicle to keep gear organized, easily accessible, and secure.

Abstract: A modular subbase may comprise an upper surface, a longitudinal supporting structure coupled to the upper surface, one or more outrigger boxes coupled to the longitudinal supporting structure and the upper surface. The longitudinal supporting structure may comprise a wide sheet of metal comprising two upwardly-facing arms and a medial section adapted to be lightweight and to provide structural support to the upper surface. The longitudinal supporting structure and upper surface may comprise struts configured to prevent buckling of the medial section and the upper surface The modular subbase may be configured to couple to one or more modular bodies. The modular bodies may couple directly to the upper surface. A boom-arm pedestal for operating a boom-arm may be integrated into the upper surface and may be structurally supported by the modular subbase.

Abstract: An adjustable tailgate pad. The adjustable tailgate pad includes a front side. The adjustable tailgate pad also includes a back side. The adjustable tailgate pad further includes an adjustable top side coupled to the front side and the back side. The adjustable top side has a width which is adjustable.

Abstract: A hybrid door seal for a vehicle includes a first seal member, a second seal member, and a corner seal member. The first seal member is configured to be received by a channel in a door frame. The second seal member is configured to be received by the channel in a door frame. The corner seal member connects the first seal member and the second seal member. The first seal member, the second seal member and the corner seal member are integrally formed as a one-piece member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive device, comprising a cable which is connected at one end to a cable pulley, an actuator for driving the cable pulley, and a torsion bar which generates a torsional moment, wherein the torsion bar is supported on a higher-level assembly in such a way that it can move between a first and a second state of the torsion bar, wherein the torsion bar applies a torque in a first direction over a first partial movement range, applies a torque in a second direction opposite to the first direction over a second partial movement range, and does not apply torque over a third partial movement range. The present invention also relates to a superordinate hatch arrangement.

Abstract: An assembly for utility truck bodies having metal and/or composite reinforcement(s) and/or foam reinforcements and/or honeycomb reinforcement/and/or wood reinforcements encapsulated within a thermoformed thermoplastic, or thermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset walking surface floor structure of the truck bed assembly or other composite floor structure with attachable components and junctions, e.g., sidepack(s), and methods of making the same are provided.

Abstract: A backboard assembly for a vehicular rear seat is disclosed. The backboard assembly includes an upper part and a lower part, which are made of a hard plastic material. The backboard assembly prevents the formation of a gap between the lower part and a luggage board, regardless of the operational mode of the rear seat. When a seat back is folded, the upper part, the lower part, and the luggage board are aligned in a horizontal direction, thereby allowing the space for passengers in the rear seat to be completely integrated with a luggage compartment.

Abstract: A sound and heat insulator installable on a soft top vehicle includes: a body shaped to fit between a windshield frame and a roll bar of the soft top vehicle, the body having a rigid core, a foam layer located on each of an upper surface and lower surface of the rigid core, and an edging material located over the rigid core and the foam layer and around an edge of the body; one or more first mounting tabs located towards a front of the body; and one or more second mounting tabs located towards a rear of the body. At least one of the one or more first mounting tabs and the one or more second mounting tabs is shaped to engage a hard top mounting point of the soft top vehicle.

Abstract: A structure, for example a vehicle roof, may define an opening receiving one or more removable panels. The removable panels may each include a panel body configured to cover the opening, and a plurality of latches. The latches may each be positioned adjacent a respective edge of the body and configured to translate between different positions. The removable panel may also include an actuator and a plurality of latch links, with each latch link having a first end connected to a corresponding one of the latches, and each latch link having a second end operably linked with the actuator. Rotation of the actuator may drive each of the latches from an open position of the latch to a closed position, while rotation of the actuator in an opposite direction may drive each of the latches from the closed position of the latch to the open position of the latch.

Abstract: This is a hinge that simultaneously articulates two substantially planar surfaces forward, outward and downward, in an arc, relative to one another. The hinge can be attached to, and move, any two substantially planar surfaces. It is especially useful when attaching a door to a car with side exhaust pipes. When I choose a door that curves inwardly toward the interior of the car, and attach the inventive hinge, the curve of the door physically covers the exhaust pipe and exhaust gas.

Abstract: A connector for a removable tailgate includes a shank, an actuator and a retainer. The shank has a thread, a passage and an opening from the exterior of the shank to the passage. The actuator is received within the passage and has a stop portion and a void, and is movable relative to the shank from a first position in which the void is aligned with the opening and a second position in which the stop portion is aligned with the opening. And the retainer is received in the opening and movable relative to the shank from an extended position in which the retainer extends outwardly from the exterior of the shank farther than the thread and a retracted position in which the retainer is received at least partially in the void and in which the retainer does not extend from the exterior of the shank beyond the thread.

Abstract: A towable crash-attenuating vehicle is shown having a frame; at least two axles coupled to the frame, each of the axles having wheels attached thereto; a ballast coupled to the frame; deflection shields coupled to the right and left sides of the frame, wherein the deflection shields cover the frame and a majority of the wheels on each side of the vehicle; a tow connection coupled to the front of the frame; an impact attenuator coupled to the rear of the frame; wherein the vehicle is provided with a brake system, and wherein the vehicle is provided with an mechanism for locking and unlocking the brake system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hybrid structure comprising a first component having a base and an upstanding wall extending from the base, the first component having an interior enclosed between the upstanding wall and the base, and a thermoplastic second component moulded to the first component, the second component comprising a reinforcing portion for structurally reinforcing the first component, the reinforcing portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the first component and located in the interior of the first component, the thermoplastic second component further comprising a locking portion that extends adjacently over at least part of an exterior of the first component, wherein the reinforcing portion and the locking portion are integrally formed, thus interlocking the first component in the thermoplastic second component. The invention relates as well to a method for manufacturing such a hybrid structure, and to a vehicle comprising such a hybrid structure.

Abstract: A method of assembling a frame for a personal electric vehicle includes assembling a safety cage defining an occupant interior by attaching together a plurality of tubular members including at least two left pillars and two right pillars each having lower end portions positioned along respective sides of the occupant interior. The method further includes positioning a floorpan adjacent a bottom of the occupant interior, the floorpan having a floorpan left side adjacent the lower end portions of the left pillars and a floorpan right side adjacent the lower end portions of the right pillars. Thereafter, the method includes fixing a left inboard surface of each left pillar to the floorpan left side and fixing a right inboard surface of each right pillar to the floorpan right side for securing the safety cage to the floorpan.

Abstract: An articulating tailgate assembly with improved accessibility into a cargo bed of a vehicle, incorporating at least one door. The tailgate system provides a tailgate with a combination of predetermined plurality of functions for accessibility into the cargo bed of the vehicle and to improve functionality of the tailgate assembly.