Abstract: A concave notch portion to which an interference body is fitted is formed in an interference region with the interference body existing in an incorporated portion of at least one side edge portion of an interior trim member. A cushion body made of an elastically deformable material is arranged in a periphery including the concave notch portion, and a structure member made of a material which is light and harder than the cushion body is arranged in the other region than the arranged region of the cushion body in the interior trim member. The skin member, the structure member and the cushion body are integrated by a molding. Consequently, an interior trim member is removable from an incorporated position, even in the case that a post exists in a driver seat, in the rigid interior trim member incorporated in the driver seat of various work vehicle.

Abstract: A retaining structure and fastener assembly for securing a resin panel to a vehicle body. The panel has an inner surface and a retaining structure extending outwardly from the inner surface. The retaining structure has a retaining wall with a slot for receiving a shoulder of a bolt therethrough, so that a head of the bolt is retained between the inner surface and a washer for securing the panel to the body of the vehicle. The slot is oversized relative to the shoulder of the bolt so as to define a predetermined gap therebetween to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the panel, thereby preventing building of the panel relative to the vehicle.

Abstract: A convertible with a roof, which can be displaced longitudinally in an approximately horizontal position towards the rear of the vehicle, between a closed position, in which the roof is held directly or indirectly against the windshield frame and an intermediate position, in which the fixture between the roof and the windshield frame is released, is provided. The roof, for at least part of the lowering motion, is held in a receiving space of the car body in the rear intermediate position and in the lowered condition it can be displaced longitudinally towards the front of the vehicle. At least one displaceable locking element for the roof can be actuated during the longitudinal displacement of the stowed-away roof.

Abstract: A composite floor pan may be joined with other structural members of an automotive vehicle. External loads imparted to the structural members may be transferred to the floor pan. The floor pan may be configured to absorb and/or transfer these external loads without separating.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a unique system providing for the quick and efficient movement of cargo such as pallets, containerized loads, and the like while providing enhanced safety measures to reduce or eliminate some of the injuries that are typically associated with cargo transport. By deploying a cargo transport system constructed from a fiberglass cargo loading grid with one or more cargo restraining latches, the movement of cargo within the trailer or bed of the truck can be more efficiently restrained, thereby minimizing inadvertent exposure of personnel to accidents associated with the movement of the cargo and damage to the cargo during transport. The cargo restraining latch is a spring-loaded, multi-fingered mechanism that is selectively and removably inserted into a portion of the cargo transport system, thereby restraining any undesired movement of the cargo.

Abstract: A locking system for locking a container to a vehicle includes a locking assembly mounted to a hoist frame and a striker assembly mounted to the vehicle chassis. The locking assembly has at least one hook for hooking over a frame member of the container. The hook has a center of mass that biases the hook to an unlocked position. The striker assembly strikes the hook at a location to move the hook against the bias of the hook's center of mass into a locked position in which the hook is hooked over the frame member of the container. As the hoist frame supporting the container is lowered, the striker assembly contacts the hook and rotates the hook against the bias of the hook's center of mass into the locked position. As the hoist frame is raised, the hook rises as well and loses contact with the striker assembly, thereby falling away from the hoist frame and unlocking the container. A positive or mechanical unlocking mechanism prevents the hooks from binding to the container.

Abstract: A transportation system for a wind turbine component such as a wind nacelle or a section of a tubular wind turbine tower is provided, including a wind turbine component with a rigid structure. The system further includes at least two frame elements directly or indirectly connected to the rigid structure of the wind turbine component, where the at least two frame elements define a space enclosing the component. A a displacement system and a method of establishing a transportation or displacement system for a wind turbine component are also provided.

Abstract: A sliding door drive assembly for a motor vehicle having a sliding door includes a transmission operatively connected to a motor for transmitting a rotating force to an output shaft. A cable drum is fixedly secured to the output shaft and rotates therewith. First and second cables are wound about the cable drum in opposite directions. The first cable extends from the cable drum forward along the sliding door. The second cable extends from the cable drum rearward along the sliding door. Support guides extend tangentially out from the cable drum to guide the first and second cables outwardly and away from the cable drum along a path minimizing frictional forces. Front and rear pulley assemblies are mounted to the motor vehicle and are operatively coupled to the first and second cables between the sliding door drive assembly and the sliding door for tensioning the first and second cables.

Abstract: An apparatus connects a dump bed to a frame structure of a vehicle and facilitates tipping of the dump bed in a selected one of a plurality of directions from a load carrying position. The apparatus includes a ball joint assembly. The ball joint assembly is configured to selectively facilitate tipping of the dump bed as directed by an actuator. Vehicles including a ball joint assembly are also provided.

Abstract: A door system includes a structural member and a door being selectively movable with respect to the structural member. An actuator includes an active material that is configured to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal. The actuator is configured such that the change in at least one attribute causes the door to move relative to the structural member.

Abstract: A spring strut mounting for holding an upper end of a spring strut of a motor vehicle contains a spring strut dome with an articulation point for articulatedly connecting the upper end of the spring strut. The spring strut mounting further has a lower dome carrier which can be connected to a longitudinal member of the motor vehicle, and an upper dome carrier which can be connected to an A pillar of the motor vehicle, with the upper dome carrier engaging over the articulation point.

Abstract: A decklid linkage mechanism allows movement of a decklid relative to a body of an automotive vehicle. The decklid linkage mechanism includes a frame, an actuator and a linkage mechanism. The frame supports at least a portion of the decklid. The frame is pivotally coupled to the body for movement of the frame and decklid together between a closed position concealing a storage space in the vehicle and a first open position allowing access to the storage space from a first end of the storage space. The decklid is coupled to the frame for movement of the decklid between the closed position and a second open position allowing access to the storage space from a second end of the storage space opposite the first end. The actuator drives the decklid between the closed position and the first open position. The linkage mechanism includes an overcenter arrangement that locks the decklid in the closed position.

Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a trunk, in which the trunk has a body cutout opening which can be closed off by a two-part trunk lid which is composed of an upper trunk lid and a lower trunk lid. The upper trunk lid can be pivoted downward by an angle from, in each case, one closed position into, in each case, one open position. The lower trunk lid has at least one pivot lever, which is arranged such that it can be pivoted by way of a pivot axle formed on a lower body section. In the open position of the lower trunk lid, the pivot lever is in engagement with the lower body section.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus relating to vehicle storage compartments is disclosed. Specifically, the apparatus relates to the concealment of vehicle storage compartment strikers and the method of manufacturing the apparatus. The improvement relates to the elimination of some metal components while maintaining durability of the apparatus.

Abstract: A support for an automotive radiator grille that is supported from the hood assembly of the vehicle is formed of two major components, a support bracket and a rubber stop retained on the support bracket for engagement with the radiator grille when the hood is moved into the lowered, closed position. The rubber stop is formed in a circular configuration with a central projecting bumper that deflects into a cup formed by the support bracket to maintain contact with the radiator grille and provide self-adjusting positioning to accommodate build tolerances and variations in the hood assembly and mounted radiator grille. The rubber stop can be formed of multi-durometer elastomers to provide a tuning to the specific application for the radiator grille support. The rubber stop places a pre-load on the hood latch and closure mechanism through the spring-like deflection of the rubber stop into the cup.

Abstract: A construction vehicle door assembly includes a frame member having an inside surface and an outside surface, a window pane is positioned proximate one of the inside surface and outside surface, and a first resilient member substantially vibrationally isolates the frame member and the window pane. A fastener extends through the frame member, window pane and first resilient member to couple the window pane to the frame member. A second resilient member substantially vibrationally isolates the window pane and the fastener. A pair of hinges are coupled to the frame member, a pair of hinge pins are selectively extended into the respective one of the pair of hinges, and a lever is coupled to the pair of hinge pins for moving the pair of hinge pins relative to the pair on hinges upon movement of the lever, to detach the door assembly from the vehicle.

Abstract: A device for locking containers into place includes a frame, at least one locking claw affixed to the frame, and an adjustment component which is affixed to the locking claw. A position of a container to be locked into place is adjustable relative to the locking claw in a longitudinal direction of the frame.

Abstract: An all-terrain vehicle includes a first seat arranged on the vehicle and a second seat arranged behind the first seat. The vehicle includes a first floor arranged in front of the first seat and a second floor arranged between the first seat and the second seat wherein an engine is at least partially arranged between the first floor and the second floor with an exhaust pipe connected to the engine and having a first vertical pipe portion extending downward from a connecting portion to the engine and a horizontal pipe portion extending backward below the second floor.

Abstract: A tonneau cover is mounted to the cargo area of a pickup truck by a hinge mechanism positioned at the forward end of the pickup truck cargo area. The hinge assembly has two major components. The first component is a mounting plate that is affixed to each sidewall of the cargo area near the forward extent of the cargo area. The mounting plate includes an alignment mechanism and a mechanism for clamping the second component onto the mounting plate. The base plate also includes slots for engagement by the clamping mechanism of the mounting plate. The articulating mechanism is configured to open the tonneau cover in a nearly vertical direction initially, prior to rotation of the tonneau cover to an open position. An installer can reach in from the side of the truck cargo area and engage the clamps to secure the removable component to the mounting plate.

Abstract: Provided is an automotive vehicle body structure which is light weight but demonstrates improved mechanical strength during a frontal or side collision. A pair of front side frames extend in a fore-and-aft direction in a mutually spaced relationship in a front part of a vehicle body, and a pair of floor frames having forward ends joined to rear ends of the corresponding front side frames, respectively, extend in the fore-and-aft direction. A first middle cross member is joined to intermediate parts of the floor frames and to lateral ends of side sills. A front cross member is joined to a front side of the first middle cross member, has a pair of lateral ends that are joined to inboard sides of the corresponding front side frames, and is arch shaped such that a fore-and-aft dimension of the front cross member diminishes from each side end toward a middle part.