Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a frame subassembly of a tailgate. The frame subassembly has a cargo bed access opening between a first outboard section and a second outboard section. The assembly further includes a door subassembly of the tailgate. The door subassembly is pivotably coupled to the frame subassembly. The door subassembly is pivotable relative to the frame subassembly back-and-forth between a door open position and a door closed position. When the door subassembly is in the door closed position, the door subassembly closes the cargo bed access opening and is shingled relative to the frame subassembly.

Abstract: A method for fabrication of a chip for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), including: providing a substrate; texturing a surface of the substrate to form a plurality of pillars randomly on the surface until a desired average pillar height, average pillar width and/or pillar density is/are reached; depositing a metal onto the surface of the textured substrate; and thermally annealing the metal such that the metal forms a layer encasing the pillars.

Abstract: A tailgate assembly includes a frame subassembly for a tailgate. The frame subassembly has a first brace placed adjacent to a second brace to provide a connection beam with a hollow structural section. The assembly further includes a torsion rod and a torsion rod anchor. The torsion rod is at least partially disposed within the hollow structural section. The torsion rod anchor has a rod-receiving opening that receives an end portion of the torsion rod to anchor the end portion of the torsion rod.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a striker of a tailgate assembly, and a door subassembly of the tailgate assembly. The door subassembly has a latch configured to engage the striker to hold the door subassembly in a door closed position. The door subassembly has a notched area that receives the striker when the door subassembly is pivoted from a door open position to a door closed position. A material shield extends into the notched area when the door subassembly is in the door closed position.

Abstract: Closure member systems are provided for motor vehicles. Exemplary closure member systems may include a hinge assembly having an internal stop. The internal stop may be established by portions of both a stationary hinge component and a movable hinge component of the hinge assembly. For example, the stationary hinge component may include one or more ears that are arranged to contact one or more stop surfaces provided on the movable hinge component. The ears may engage the stop surfaces to limit a range of motion of the closure member.

Abstract: This disclosure details vehicle closure member systems that include integrated features for increasing the functionality of a closure member (e.g., a swing gate) of the system. A bottle opener feature may be integrated as part of a hinge assembly that movably mounts the closure member relative to a vehicle body. A bottle cap catch feature may be integrated as part of a trim piece that at least partially conceals portions of the hinge assembly, and the bottle cap catch feature may function to collect bottle caps that are dislodged by the bottle opener feature. The integrated bottle opener and bottle cap catch features are conveniently packaged on the vehicle for use during outdoor social gatherings when the closure member is moved to an open position during stationary, non-moving conditions of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a hinge and a wire shield assembly mounted to the hinge. A method of shielding a wire can include providing a tailgate assembly that includes a door subassembly pivotably coupled to a frame subassembly. The door subassembly and the frame subassembly can be pivotable together between a tailgate closed position and a tailgate open position. The method can include pivoting the door subassembly relative to the frame subassembly to provide a cargo bed access opening; and electrically connecting the door subassembly using a wire routed through a wire shield assembly.

Abstract: A device may include a carrier assembly connected to a vehicle and having a first arm configured to connect to a first location on the vehicle and a second arm configured to connect to a second location on the vehicle, the second location spaced outboard of the first location, the carrier assembly configured to pivot between a stowed position and an accessing position.

Abstract: Closure member systems are provided for motor vehicles. Exemplary closure member systems may include a hinge assembly having an internal stop. The internal stop may be established by portions of both a stationary hinge component and a movable hinge component of the hinge assembly. For example, the stationary hinge component may include one or more ears that are arranged to contact one or more stop surfaces provided on the movable hinge component. The ears may engage the stop surfaces to limit a range of motion of the closure member.

Abstract: A tailgate assembly includes a frame subassembly having a cargo bed access opening disposed between a driver side section and a passenger side section, and a door subassembly that is pivotably coupled to the frame subassembly. The door subassembly is pivotable relative to the frame subassembly back-and-forth between a door open position and a door closed position. The door subassembly closes the cargo bed access opening when the door subassembly is in the door closed position. The tailgate assembly further includes an actuator system that can pivot the door subassembly and the frame subassembly together back-and-forth between a tailgate closed position and a tailgate open position.

Abstract: A closure system, includes a first closure module pivotable between a first closure closed position and a first closure open position, and a second closure module pivotable between a second closure closed position and a second closure open position. A sealing system that seals an interface between the first closure module and the second closure module when the first closure module is in the first closure closed position and the second closure module is in the second closure closed position.

Abstract: A tailgate subassembly alignment method includes positioning at least one panel support bracket of a frame subassembly relative to a connection member of the frame subassembly, and securing the at least one panel support bracket to the connection member when the at least one panel support bracket is in a preset position. After securing the at least one panel support bracket, the method includes securing a tailgate panel assembly to the at least one panel support bracket.

Abstract: A tailgate assembly, includes a frame subassembly having a cargo bed access opening between a driver side section and a passenger side section, and a door subassembly that is pivotably coupled to the frame subassembly. The door subassembly is pivotable relative to the frame subassembly back-and-forth between a door open position and a door closed position. The door subassembly closes the cargo bed access opening when the door subassembly is in the door closed position. A latching system has a latch that engages a striker to hold the door subassembly in the door closed position. The tailgate assembly further includes an alignment system separate from the latching system. The alignment system includes an alignment post that is received within an alignment slot as the door subassembly is pivoted to the door closed position. The alignment post is configured to be received within the alignment slot to align the door subassembly relative to the frame subassembly prior to the latch contacting the striker.

Abstract: The tailgate assembly method includes presetting a frame subassembly of a tailgate assembly relative to a vehicle structure; and presetting a door subassembly of the tailgate assembly relative to the frame subassembly. The frame subassembly can include a cargo bed access opening between a driver side section and a passenger side section. The door subassembly can be pivotable relative to the frame subassembly back-and-forth between a door open position and a door closed position. The door subassembly closes the cargo bed access opening when the door subassembly is in the door closed position.

Abstract: A variable focus imaging lens assembly has different, calibrated settings for each of multiple different wavelength ranges. Images are captured for each wavelength range using the different settings, corrected and stacked to form an image data cube. Using multiple wavelength ranges allows a scene or object to be imaged by multispectral imagers, hyperspectral imagers and imaging spectrometers using an overall wide wavelength range.

Abstract: A variable focus imaging lens assembly has different, calibrated settings for each of multiple different wavelength ranges. Images are captured for each wavelength range using the different settings, corrected and stacked to form an image data cube. Using multiple wavelength ranges allows a scene or object to be imaged by multispectral imagers, hyperspectral imagers and imaging spectrometers using an overall wide wavelength range.

Abstract: An interlaced diffraction grating system and process are disclosed. The interlaced grating system includes an optical dispersive grating with alternating bands of unique grating densities wherein the number of unique grating densities is greater than or equal to two. The optical dispersive grating may be reflective or transmissive, and it may be fabricated by mechanical ruling, holography, or reactive ion etching of a binary mask. An interlaced grating allows additional utility for both point spectroscopic detection as well as hyperspectral imaging.

Abstract: A variable focus imaging lens assembly has different, calibrated settings for each of multiple different wavelength ranges. Images are captured for each wavelength range using the different settings, corrected and stacked to form an image data cube. Using multiple wavelength ranges allows a scene or object to be imaged by multispectral imagers, hyperspectral imagers and imaging spectrometers using an overall wide wavelength range.

Abstract: An interlaced diffraction grating system and process are disclosed. The interlaced grating system includes an optical dispersive grating with alternating bands of unique grating densities wherein the number of unique grating densities is greater than or equal to two. The optical dispersive grating may be reflective or transmissive, and it may be fabricated by mechanical ruling, holography, or reactive ion etching of a binary mask. An interlaced grating allows additional utility for both point spectroscopic detection as well as hyperspectral imaging.

Abstract: Battery backed memory for use in an industrial controller allows software disconnect of the battery and memory so that unplanned power outages may receive the benefit of battery backup, but battery power is not unduly wasted during planned power outages when data loss may be accommodated or other provisions may be made for saving data in nonvolatile memory.