Abstract: An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from an entrance station to a paint station within a dispensing area. The method further includes applying paint on the mold surface to form a layer of paint on the mold surface at the paint station. The method still further includes spraying curable polyurethane elastomer on the painted surface at a spray station within the dispensing area. The paint and spray stations may be coincident. The method still further includes, after the step of spraying and while the polyurethane elastomer is uncured, transferring the mold with the paint and the uncured polyurethane elastomer from the spray station to at least one accumulator station in a curing area to allow the polyurethane elastomer to completely cure in the mold and form the skin.

Abstract: A system for remotely opening a land vehicle door is provided. The system includes a mobile communication device supported on the vehicle and operative to produce a first signal in the form of a first electromagnetic field defined by a field envelope. A hand-held communication device is operative to detect the first electromagnetic field and produce a second signal in the form of a second electromagnetic field when the hand-held device is located within the field envelope. Control logic is coupled to the mobile device and is operative to determine if the hand-held device is an authorized hand-held device. The control logic is operative to determine if a pedestrian carrying an authorized hand-held device is located within the field envelope and to generate a door-opening command signal when the authorized device is located within the field envelope for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels, such as instrument panels, are provided wherein throughput and equipment utilization are greatly improved at a relatively low cost. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from an entrance station to a paint station within a dispensing area. The method further includes applying paint on the mold surface to form a layer of paint on the mold surface at the paint station. The method still further includes spraying curable polyurethane elastomer on the painted surface at a spray station within the dispensing area. The paint and spray stations may be coincident.

Abstract: A speaker system such as a sound bar assembly having a plurality of speaker units and improved sound quality is provided. Opposing mating portions of front and back panels of the assembly or system are fused or welded together to form outer boundary and interior joints where the front and back panels are welded together. The front and back panels are spaced apart at their first and second ends to define first and second speaker compartments, respectively, separated by a central compartment. A speaker unit is positioned in each of the speaker compartments. The speaker compartments are acoustically isolated from one another by the interior joints to improve the sound quality.

Abstract: A system for remotely controlling the position of a land vehicle door includes a hand-held communication device such as a key fob having a low-power setting and a high-power setting for wirelessly transmitting low-power command signals and high-power command signals, respectively. Each of the command signals containing command data which identifies a command issued by a pedestrian carrying the hand-held device and identification data which identifies the hand-held device. A mobile communication device is supported on the vehicle for movement therewith and is capable of wirelessly receiving the high-power and low-power command signals. Control logic is coupled to the devices. The hand-held and mobile communication devices automatically transmit and receive, respectively, the low-power command signals as long as a pedestrian carrying an authorized hand-held device is within a predetermined short range of the mobile device.

Abstract: A system for enhancing the visibility of a ground surface adjacent to a land vehicle is provided. The system includes a mobile communication device, a hand-held communication device and control logic coupled to the mobile device and operative to determine if the hand-held device is an authorized device. An imaging assembly is supported on the vehicle to obtain an image of the ground surface. An image processor processes the image to detect an obstacle located on the ground surface. The control logic is operative to generate a display command signal. A display device is responsive to the signal to display in real time the detected obstacle or a welcome mat onto or adjacent the vehicle for enhanced viewing by an approaching pedestrian when the pedestrian carrying the authorized device is located within a predetermined range of the mobile device.

Abstract: A system for remotely opening a land vehicle door is provided. The system includes a mobile communication device supported on the vehicle and operative to produce a first signal in the form of a first electromagnetic field defined by a field envelope. A hand-held communication device is operative to detect the first electromagnetic field and produce a second signal in the form of a second electromagnetic field when the hand-held device is located within the field envelope. Control logic is coupled to the mobile device and is operative to determine if the hand-held device is an authorized hand-held device. The control logic is operative to determine if a pedestrian carrying an authorized hand-held device is located within the field envelope and to generate a door-opening command signal when the authorized device is located within the field envelope for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A system for remotely controlling the position of a land vehicle door includes a hand-held communication device such as a key fob having a low-power setting and a high-power setting for wirelessly transmitting low-power command signals and high-power command signals, respectively. Each of the command signals containing command data which identifies a command issued by a pedestrian carrying the hand-held device and identification data which identifies the hand-held device. A mobile communication device is supported on the vehicle for movement therewith and is capable of wirelessly receiving the high-power and low-power command signals. Control logic is coupled to the devices. The hand-held and mobile communication devices automatically transmit and receive, respectively, the low-power command signals as long as a pedestrian carrying an authorized hand-held device is within a predetermined short range of the mobile device.

Abstract: A system for remotely controlling the position of a land vehicle door includes a mobile communication device operative to produce an excitation signal in the form of a first, short-range, electromagnetic field within a first range of the mobile device and a hand-held communication device, such as a key fob, operative to produce an excitation signal in the form of a second, short-range, electromagnetic field when the hand-held device is located within the first range. Control logic is coupled to the devices. The control logic is operative to detect when a pedestrian carrying an authorized hand-held device is located within the first range and to generate a door-opening command signal when the authorized device is located within the first range.

Abstract: A system for remotely controlling the position of a land vehicle door is provided. The system includes a mobile communication device supported on the vehicle for movement therewith and a hand-held communication device such as a key fob including a motion sensor operative to provide motion signals as a function of motions made by a pedestrian carrying the hand-held device. Control logic is coupled to the devices and is operative to detect a sequence of step motions made by the pedestrian carrying an authorized hand-held device when the pedestrian carrying the authorized hand-held device is located within a predetermined, short range of the mobile device and to generate a door-opening control signal based on command data contained within a command signal transmitted by the hand-held device and/or when the control logic recognizes the detected sequence of step motions as a door-opening pedestrian command.

Abstract: A speaker system such as a sound bar assembly having a plurality of speaker units and improved sound quality is provided. Opposing mating portions of front and back panels of the assembly or system are fused or welded together to form outer boundary and interior joints where the front and back panels are welded together. The front and back panels are spaced apart at their first and second ends to define first and second speaker compartments, respectively, separated by a central compartment. A speaker unit is positioned in each of the speaker compartments. The speaker compartments are acoustically isolated from one another by the interior joints to improve the sound quality.

Abstract: A speaker system such as a sound bar assembly having a plurality of speaker units and improved sound quality is provided. Opposing mating portions of front and back panels of the assembly or system are fused or welded together to form outer boundary and interior joints where the front and back panels are welded together. The front and back panels are spaced apart at their first and second ends to define first and second speaker compartments, respectively, separated by a central compartment. A speaker unit is positioned in each of the speaker compartments. The speaker compartments are acoustically isolated from one another by the interior joints to improve the sound quality.

Abstract: An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from an entrance station to a paint station within a dispensing area. The method further includes applying paint on the mold surface to form a layer of paint on the mold surface at the paint station. The method still further includes spraying curable polyurethane elastomer on the painted surface at a spray station within the dispensing area. The paint and spray stations may be coincident. The method still further includes, after the step of spraying and while the polyurethane elastomer is uncured, transferring the mold with the paint and the uncured polyurethane elastomer from the spray station to at least one accumulator station in a curing area to allow the polyurethane elastomer to completely cure in the mold and form the skin.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle interior plastic part having a vibration and shock damping support surface capable of wirelessly supplying electrical power to a supported electronic device during vehicle motion is provided. A part of the surface includes first and second sets of conductive, anti-vibration and anti-shock thermoplastic pads. Another part of the surface includes a non-conductive or insulating, unitary, anti-vibration and anti-shock plastic substrate bonded to the different sets of pads. The substrate electrically insulates the first set of pads from the second set of pads. A power source coupling includes first and second conductive power traces. The first trace is electrically coupled to each of the first set of pads and the second trace is electrically coupled to each of the second set of pads. The first and second traces form separate conductive pathways and are operable for biasing the different sets of pads at different voltage levels.

Abstract: An assembly capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device within a passenger compartment of a vehicle is provided. The assembly includes a base adapted to be coupled to an interior component of the vehicle and a device holder supported in spaced relationship relative to the interior component. The device holder has a vibration and shock damping bottom support surface capable of wirelessly supplying electrical power to the supported electronic device during vehicle motion. A part of the surface includes first and second sets of conductive, anti-vibration and anti-shock thermoplastic pads. Another part of the surface includes a non-conductive or insulating, unitary, anti-vibration and anti-shock plastic substrate bonded to the different sets of pads. The substrate electrically insulates the first set of pads from the second set of pads. The different sets of pads are adapted to be biased at different voltage levels.

Abstract: A speaker system such as a sound bar assembly having a plurality of speaker units and improved sound quality is provided. Opposing mating portions of front and back panels of the assembly or system are fused or welded together to form outer boundary and interior joints where the front and back panels are welded together. The front and back panels are spaced apart at their first and second ends to define first and second speaker compartments, respectively, separated by a central compartment. A speaker unit is positioned in each of the speaker compartments. The speaker compartments are acoustically isolated from one another by the interior joints to improve the sound quality.

Abstract: An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels, such as instrument panels, are provided wherein throughput and equipment utilization are greatly improved at a relatively low cost. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from an entrance station to a paint station within a dispensing area. The method further includes applying paint on the mold surface to form a layer of paint on the mold surface at the paint station. The method still further includes spraying curable polyurethane elastomer on the painted surface at a spray station within the dispensing area. The paint and spray stations may be coincident.

Abstract: An assembly capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device within a passenger compartment of a vehicle is provided. The assembly includes a base adapted to be coupled to an interior component of the vehicle and a device holder supported in spaced relationship relative to the interior component. The device holder has a vibration and shock damping bottom support surface capable of wirelessly supplying electrical power to the supported electronic device during vehicle motion. A part of the surface includes first and second sets of conductive, anti-vibration and anti-shock thermoplastic pads. Another part of the surface includes a non-conductive or insulating, unitary, anti-vibration and anti-shock plastic substrate bonded to the different sets of pads. The substrate electrically insulates the first set of pads from the second set of pads. The different sets of pads are adapted to be biased at different voltage levels.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle interior plastic part having a vibration and shock damping support surface capable of wirelessly supplying electrical power to a supported electronic device during vehicle motion is provided. A part of the surface includes first and second sets of conductive, anti-vibration and anti-shock thermoplastic pads. Another part of the surface includes a non-conductive or insulating, unitary, anti-vibration and anti-shock plastic substrate bonded to the different sets of pads. The substrate electrically insulates the first set of pads from the second set of pads. A power source coupling includes first and second conductive power traces. The first trace is electrically coupled to each of the first set of pads and the second trace is electrically coupled to each of the second set of pads. The first and second traces form separate conductive pathways and are operable for biasing the different sets of pads at different voltage levels.

Abstract: An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels, such as instrument panels, are provided wherein throughput and equipment utilization are greatly improved at a relatively low cost. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from an entrance station to a paint station within a dispensing area. The method further includes applying paint on the mold surface to form a layer of paint on the mold surface at the paint station. The method still further includes spraying curable polyurethane elastomer on the painted surface at a spray station within the dispensing area. The paint and spray stations may be coincident.