Patents by Inventor Charles S. Boughton

Charles S. Boughton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Automotive body and trim assembly with complementary locating and positioning features and method of assembling same
    Patent number: 7686386
    Abstract: An automotive body and trim assembly is provided that utilizes locating features on only a single sheet metal layer of a multi-layer body frame pillar to position a trim member, thus minimizing variability in the final assembled position of the trim member. The single sheet metal layer has both a fore-aft-locating feature and a cross-car-locating feature. A fore-aft-positioning feature and a cross-car-positioning feature on the pillar trim member are spaced to permit contact with the fore-aft-locating feature and the cross-car-locating feature, respectively when the pillar trim member is assembled with the body frame pillar, so that only the single sheet metal layer determines the fore-aft and cross-car position of the pillar trim member. A method of assembling a pillar trim member and a body frame pillar having multiple sheet metal layers is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen W. Marks, Steven P. Balgaard, Hirde N. Bhatia, Victoria L. Enyedy, Wayne S. Wilson, Charles S. Boughton
  • Automotive Body and Trim Assembly with Complementary Locating and Positioning Features and Method of Assembling Same
    Publication number: 20080315627
    Abstract: An automotive body and trim assembly is provided that utilizes locating features on only a single sheet metal layer of a multi-layer body frame pillar to position a trim member, thus minimizing variability in the final assembled position of the trim member. The single sheet metal layer has both a fore-aft-locating feature and a cross-car-locating feature. A fore-aft-positioning feature and a cross-car-positioning feature on the pillar trim member are spaced to permit contact with the fore-aft-locating feature and the cross-car-locating feature, respectively when the pillar trim member is assembled with the body frame pillar, so that only the single sheet metal layer determines the fore-aft and cross-car position of the pillar trim member. A method of assembling a pillar trim member and a body frame pillar having multiple sheet metal layers is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen W. Marks, Steven P. Balgaard, Hirde N. Bhatia, Victoria L. Enyedy, Wayne S. Wilson, Charles S. Boughton