Abstract: The present invention relates to a vehicle door container holder. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle door is disclosed which includes a door panel having a first wall and a second wall spaced from the first wall. The first and second walls help to form a cavity. In this embodiment, the door further includes an arm member moveable relative to at least the first wall, and a biasing member that extends between the door panel and the arm member. The biasing member cooperates with at least the first wall to be able to position a container within the cavity in a contacting relationship between the first wall and the arm member.

Abstract: A connector for securing an interior trim assembly to a support of an automobile. The connector includes a connector body having a head portion formed at a proximal end of the connector body and a shank portion extending from the head portion toward a distal end of the connector body. A sealing gasket is integrally molded onto the connector body distally of the head portion. A two-shot molding process may be used to form the connector with the connector body being formed in the first shot of the molding process and the sealing gasket being formed onto the connector body in the second shot of the molding process.

Abstract: A center stack for an instrument panel of a motor vehicle. The center stack includes a front plate having an exposed surface with a first surface finish and a back plate having a visible portion uncovered by the front plate. The front plate has at least one opening extending through the exposed surface for accessing at least one operational feature of the motor vehicle. The visible portion of the back plate has a second surface finish that differs from the first surface finish of the front plate. The back plate may include a flex joint that permits the visible portion of the back plate to move relative to an adjacent non-visible portion covered by the front plate.

Abstract: A vehicle storage assembly includes a storage compartment having an opening to permit access to the compartment. A door adjacent the opening is moveable between a closed position that covers the opening and an open position that permits access to the compartment through the opening. The storage assembly further includes a controllable damper coupled to the door and actuable between high and low damping states, such that the door is maintained in one of the closed position, the open position, or any position therebetween when the controllable damper is in the high damping state. To move the door to a new position, the controllable damper is actuated from the high damping state to the low damping state whereby the door can then be freely moved to the desired position. The controllable damper may then be actuated from the low damping state to the high damping state to retain the door in the selected position.

Abstract: An automotive center console is adjustable in fore and aft directions. In one embodiment, the console includes a console housing slidably mounted within the vehicle interior and a controllable damper having high and low damping states. In the high damping state, the controllable damper maintains the console housing in a selected position. When it is desired to relocate the console housing to a new position, the controllable damper is actuated to the low damping state, whereby the console housing may be freely moved to the desired position. The controllable damper is actuated back to the high damping state to maintain the console housing in the new position.

Abstract: A center console for an automobile includes an armrest that is selectively adjustable by vehicle occupants to and between a first position wherein the armrest is in a substantially horizontal orientation, and a second position wherein the armrest extends angularly away from the console. The console further includes a controllable damper coupled to the armrest and actuable between high and low damping states. In the low damping state, the armrest may be selectively placed at any position desired by the vehicle occupants. When the damper is actuated to the high damping state, the damper maintains the selected position of the armrest.

Abstract: A conductive plastic touch switch includes a plastic substrate having a first side surface including at least two channels formed within the first side surface and a second side surface including a manual activation region opposite of the at least two channels. At least two conductive traces are formed within the at least two channels, respectively. A printed circuit board is electrically attached to the at least two conductive traces. The plastic substrate is formed during a first mold process and said at least two conductive traces are in-molded during a second mold process.

Abstract: A touch sensitive electroluminiescent (EL) switch is provided in a vehicle for actuating a vehicle accessory. A dielectric layer is adjacent to a rear electrode layer. A phosphor layer is adjacent to the dielectric layer. A transparent electrode layer includes a pad adjacent to the phosphor layer, and a substantially concentric conductive trace is adjacent to the phosphor layer and is spaced from the pad in the transparent electrode layer. The phosphor layer is disposed between the rear electrode layer and the pad and defines an illuminated region when energized by a first voltage. The substantially conductive trace and the pad cooperate to define a detection region substantially coinciding with the illuminated region when energized by a second voltage.

Abstract: An automotive seat assembly is provided including a driver side seat comprised of a driver seat back portion, a driver seat base portion, and a driver inboard mount assembly. The seat assembly further includes a passenger side seat comprised of a passenger seat back portion, a passenger seat base portion, and a passenger inboard mount assembly. A joining frame is mounted to the driver inboard mount assembly and the passenger inboard mount assembly to connect the driver side seat and the passenger side seat into a single installable seat component. A lower console base is mounted to the joining frame. The lower console base is comprised of a plurality of lower console base walls and an open lower console base top. The lower console base walls and the open lower console base top form a lower console base storage bin. An upper console base is comprised of a plurality of upper console base walls, an open upper console base top and an open upper console base bottom.

Abstract: A thermoplastic sheet carrying a pattern of opaque dots or lines covering between 20 and 70% of the area of one surface of the sheet wherein the sheet has chromaticity coordinates (x,y), calculated using Illuminant C as reference, lying within the area of a circle of radius 0.15 scale units drawn with the center of the circle at coordinates (0.33, 0.33) and a tristimulus value (Y) of between 10 and 70, the chromaticity coordinates and the tristimulus values being calculated according to the 1931 Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) Colorimetric System in the absence of the applied pattern. The sheet provides differential two-way vision effects and is suitable for games courts and security glazing.