Abstract: A gear damper includes anti-ratcheting means for preventing disengagement between a gear of the damper and a mating gear rack when a sliding or rotating tray is moved or rotated in and out of a stationary housing. The gear damper further includes mounting means so as to permit the gear damper to move floatingly in a direction perpendicular to the gear rack as a toothed wheel gear follows the gear rack. As a result, the distance between the toothed gear of the damper and the gear rack is held substantially constant so as to eliminate ratcheting and gear skipping.

Abstract: A fuel door housing for readily attaching a neck of a fuel tank with respect to an aperture or recess pocket in a sheet metal or non-metallic body panel of a vehicle includes a hollow sleeve having a cross-sectional dimension less than the aperture, and has first and second ends. The first end extends a predetermined distance away from the aperture within the interior of the body panel for connection with the fuel tank neck, and the second end extends a slight distance through the aperture to the exterior of the body panel. A flange having a predetermined configuration is connected to the second end of the sleeve and is substantially positioned on the exterior of the body panel. The flange is configured to connect and center the sleeve with respect to the aperture and provide a degree of flexibility to the flange for readily adjusting the flange and the housing with respect to the aperture upon installation as well as adjusting to movement between the housing and the body panel that may occur during use.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting a gasket to a vehicle door handle housing is provided whereby the gasket and the housing can be easily and rapidly assembled together without requiring the use of a separate fastening operation. The handle housing is provided with grooves, and the gasket is provided with rib members. The rib members are adapted so as to be press fitted into the grooves so as to securely mount the gasket to the housing.

Abstract: An adjustable high torque damper device is provided which can be easily and rapidly adjusted so as to produce variable amounts of torque over a predetermined range. The damper device includes a plurality of co-mating concentric rings formed on a stator housing and a rotor. As a cap is screwed into or out of the housing, the distances between the rotor concentric rings and the stator concentric rings are selectively and gradually increased and decreased to thereby decrease or increase the amount of torque.

Abstract: A tailgate handle assembly in a housing including a flush-mounted handle and an adjacent key cylinder. The housing is spaced apart from a tailgate latch mechanism. A laterally extending lever is slidably actuated on the housing from a locked mode to an unlocked mode manually by rotation of the key cylinder, or electrically via a power actuator, and then pivoted by manual lift-pulling on the handle, to thereby lift a latch rod extending between the lever and the latch mechanism to actuate the latter. An electrical limit switch is mounted on the handle assembly, adapted to being actuated by one slidable movement of the lever to unlock the latch of an upwardly pivotable tailgate window.

Abstract: An improved hydrometer collar for use within lead-acid storage batteries of the type installed within vehicles includes a cylindrically-shaped member having an annular side wall. A plurality of sealing rings are formed upon the outer surface of the annular side wall. Each one of the plurality of sealing rings is spaced axially apart from each other in a substantially parallel relationship so as to form annular grooves therebetween. A small wiping rib is formed integrally with each one of the plurality of sealing rings and extends radially outwardly therefrom. Each one of the wiping ribs is disposed substantially intermediate an upper surface and a lower surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of sealing rings. The wiping ribs are easily deformable so as to fill any imperfections existing upon the interior surface of a battery casing bore of the storage battery into which the collar is inserted thereby creating a fluid-tight seal therewith.