Patents by Inventor Edward L. Schulte

Edward L. Schulte 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).

  • Patent number: 7549691
    Abstract: An end gates which provides access to a cargo area of an automotive vehicle has a pair of outwardly opening cups which receive a pair of opposed pins directed inwardly from the cargo area. The end gate is rotatable from a closed vertical position through substantially 90° to provide horizontal access to the cargo area. The pins on the cargo area are aligned with notches in the cups when the end gate is in an intermediate position so that the end gate may be removed from the cargo area. In order to prevent the end gate from becoming inadvertently detached from the cargo area, resilient retainer clips are provided that overlie the notches so as to lock the pins in the cups and retain the end gate on the vehicle. The resilient retainer clips are rotated out of alignment with the notches when it is desired to remove the end gate from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L. Schulte, Matthew J. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20080252094
    Abstract: An end gates which provides access to a cargo area of an automotive vehicle has a pair of outwardly opening cups which receive a pair of opposed pins directed inwardly from the cargo area. The end gate is rotatable from a closed vertical position through substantially 90° to provide horizontal access to the cargo area. The pins on the cargo area are aligned with notches in the cups when the end gate is in an intermediate position so that the end gate may be removed from the cargo area. In order to prevent the end gate from becoming inadvertently detached from the cargo area, resilient retainer clips are provided that overlie the notches so as to lock the pins in the cups and retain the end gate on the vehicle. The resilient retainer clips are rotated out of alignment with the notches when it is desired to remove the end gate from the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Edward L. Schulte, Matthew J. Nelson