Abstract: A front end assembly for a motor vehicle is provided including a U-shaped cross-car support member capable of being spot welded to a pair of cowl members and a pair of rail members. The U-shaped cross-car support member preferably comprises a hydroformed tube having a lower section disposed laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a pair of upwardly projecting side sections extending essentially orthogonal to the lower section, and a pair of outwardly projecting end sections extending essentially orthogonal to the upright sections so as to be nearly parallel to the lower section. A cowl bracket is connected to each of the end sections and is spot welded to each of the cowl members. Similarly, a rail bracket is connected to each of the side sections and is spot welded to each of the rails. Advantageously, the ability to spot weld the cowl and rail brackets enables the U-shaped support member to be installed within the front end assembly in a high speed automated process.

Abstract: An integrated holder/sifter for cleaning litter comprising: a container; a holding area in the container for receiving litter to be cleaned, and a sifting area containing openings positioned adjacent to the holding area where the container, the holding area, and the sifting area are integrated as a single component.

Abstract: An improved tapping plate and retention bracket assembly for attaching a threaded bolt in a adjustable manner relative to a support structure such as a vehicle door pillar, for example. The bracket comprises a generally rectangular planar portion bordered by a pair of upstanding end flanges having diametrically opposed retention slots. The tapping plate has a generally rectangular base portion formed with oppositely projecting first and second tongues extending from each end thereof and first and second pairs of opposed bendable prongs, of lesser length than the tongues, positioned in spaced relationship on either side of an associated tongue. In one mode of assembly both pairs of prongs may be initially preformed at a first acute angle from the base portion enabling the first tongue to be inserted through one end flange retention slot with its associated preformed pair of prongs contacting the one end flange enabling the second tongue to be inserted through the other retention slot.