Abstract: A rechargeable energy storage system includes a plurality of battery cells and a wall structure disposed adjacent to the plurality of battery cells and having an inner layer and an outer layer. An interior reinforcement structure includes a first sheet metal member and a second sheet metal member each having a plurality of vertical sections and a plurality of horizontal sections. The first and second sheet metal members define an aligned load transfer section wherein one of the plurality of horizontal sections of the first sheet metal member is vertically aligned with one of the plurality of horizontal sections of the second sheet metal member. The first and second sheet metal members define a crush region wherein one of the plurality of horizontal sections of the first sheet metal member is vertically misaligned with all of the plurality of horizontal sections of the second sheet metal member.

Abstract: A spill or squirt resistant fluid management system is described. The system primarily includes: (1) a first fluid passage portion having a first open end; (2) a second fluid passage portion having a second open end; (3) a fluid accumulator portion disposed between, and in fluid communication with, the first and second fluid passage portions; (4) a fluid inlet disposed between the second fluid passage portion and the fluid accumulator portion; and (5) a fluid exit disposed between the first fluid passage portion and the fluid accumulator portion. The system is useful for incorporation into drinking straws, fluid containers, drinking container lids, and tanker trucks.

Abstract: A spill or squirt resistant fluid management system is described. The system primarily includes: (1) a first fluid passage portion having a first open end; (2) a second fluid passage portion having a second open end; (3) a fluid accumulator portion disposed between, and in fluid communication with, the first and second fluid passage portions; (4) a fluid inlet disposed between the second fluid passage portion and the fluid accumulator portion; and (5) a fluid exit disposed between the first fluid passage portion and the fluid accumulator portion. The system is useful for incorporation into drinking straws, fluid containers, drinking container lids, and tanker trucks.

Abstract: A vehicle door wedge is provided including in a preferred embodiment a bracket having opposing ears, the bracket being connected to a door; a threaded shaft rotatably mounted by the ears of the bracket, the shaft having a head and being threadably engaged with the bracket ear generally least adjacent to the head of the shaft, the head of the shaft having a gap with the ear of the bracket to which it is most adjacent; and an elastomeric eccentrically mounted bumper mounted on the shaft. The bumper has a hardened member embedded therein and is rotated by the shaft to contact a door opening, preventing rattling of the door in the opening. The bumper is held in position by continuous rotation of the shaft causing the gap between the shaft head and the most adjacent bracket ear to be closed and for the bracket ears to elastically deform to capture the bumper until such time as the bracket ears are restrained from further deformation by resistance provided by the hardened member within the bumper.

Abstract: A handle housing intended for attachment on a vehicle door panel is of injection molded plastic construction and has a base adapted to engage against the surface of the door panel. The housing carries at least one anchor leg, and preferably several, which project from the base and extend through registering apertures provided in the panel. Each of these anchor legs has a foot at the end thereof which is adapted to engage and underlie the underside of the panel when the housing is slid longitudinally along the surface so that the foot will engage with the underside of the housing and thereby prevent the housing from being pulled away from the panel. The housing also has a plurality of locking legs projecting from the base and extending through registering openings in the panel.

Abstract: The vehicle door has a mounting panel with a track formed therein by integral flanges struck from the panel. The window regulator arm has a roller carried thereon for engaging with the track to permit movement of the roller along the panel. The track has an open end permitting entry of the roller into the track when the roller has obtained both axial and cross-track alignment with the track. In order to facilitate installation of the roller into the track, the roller has an end face and the panel has an integral portion thereof underlying the open end of the track and being engaged by the end face of the roller to establish the roller in a position of axial alignment with the panel from which the roller may be easily entered into the open end of the track.

Abstract: A handle bracket intended for attachment on a vehicle door panel is a sheet metal stamping having a pair of spaced apart legs which carry spaced apart feet extending longitudinally and adapted to overlie the planar surface of the door panel. Each of the feet has a toe portion and a heel. The panel has a pair of toe straps struck from the panel and defining receptacles for receiving the toe portions of the feet when the feet are abutted with the panel and then slid longitudinally along the surface into the receptacles. The panel also has a pair of openings therein which register with the heel portions of the feet. The heels have integral retaining flaps bent forwardly from the underside thereof and being admitted through the openings in the panel to become engaged with the panel when the feet are abutted with the panel and then slid longitudinally along the surface.

Abstract: A mounting bracket for mounting a window regulator motor housing with three holes to a door panel having three holes aligned with the holes in the power regulator motor and three slots. The mounting bracket has three legs projecting radially outward from a central portion. Each leg has an arm that depends toward the door panel carrying a tab with a ramp surface for engaging the door panel for flexing the tab as tab is inserted in a normal direction to the panel through the slot of the door panel. Each tab has a shoulder for engaging the door panel upon the tab flexing back after insertion of the tab into the slot so that the bracket is secured to the door panel. The central portion engages the motor housing for sandwiching the motor housing between the mounting bracket and the door panel so that the motor housing is mounted to the door panel.

Abstract: An electrical connector for a manual welding machine includes first and second contacts each having a frustoconical surface thereon engageable with one another for carrying high amperage current between the first and second contacts; one of the contacts connects to a kickless cable and the other of the contacts connects to a welding head; the contacts include a self-contained lockup mechanism concentrically within the first and second contacts for pulling the contacts together as they are initially mated to impose an amplified axial force therebetween which is amplified further in a direction transverse to the axial force to produce a contact pressure between the frustoconical surfaces of the first and second contacts of a magnitude to assure low resistance flow of high amperage welding current.

Abstract: A robot tool changer and overload device has first and second separable plates adapted to be respectively connected to a robot arm and to an end of arm tooling device (EOAT) for the robot; a magnet is connected to one of the plates and a steel insert is connected to the other of the plates for providing a magnetic attraction therebetween for holding the first and second plates together; a pair of frustoconical bearing surfaces are formed on the first and second plates at an angle and a depth to interconnect the plates during normal operation and operative to produce pivotal release movement between the plates when an overload force is applied thereto; a flange on one of the plates is adapted to be removably received within a tool cage to cooperate with structure for applying a pneumatic release force between the first and second plates to allow separation therebetween along a Z axis without imposing an overlaod force on the robot arm.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of a robot or like end-of-arm tool (EOAT) for gripping workpieces by cavities in the workpieces is provided. The EOAT is connected with the robot or like and includes an extendible rod having a generally flanged end opposite the robot. The EOAT also includes at least one spacer encircling the rod between the robot or like and the flanged end of the rod, and at least two elastomeric gripper portions encircling the rod and capturing at least one spacer. The gripper portions have a first dimension when the rod is extended whereby at least one of the gripper portions can be inserted into a workpiece cavity and the gripper portions have a second dimension when the rod is retracted whereby the gripper portions can engage with the workpiece cavity to grip the workpiece.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of utilization thereof of a quick disconnect coupling for attaching an end of arm tool (EOAT) to a robot or like wherein there is fluid communication between the robot end of the coupling and the EOAT of the coupling. The coupling of the present invention also is designed so that fluid communication can only occur after the coupling halves are joined and sealed together. Fluid communication is cut off before the coupling halves can separate from each other thereby minimizing leakage during the coupling operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a quick disconnect coupling for a work tool to a machine. The invention in its preferred embodiment provides a coupling having fluid and electrical connections and also providing alignment independent of the locking mechanism. The present invention also is advantageous in that the locking mechanism is protected from the environment when the coupling halves are not mated and also prevents a false lock-up unless the halves of the coupling are mated and aligned.