Patents by Inventor RONALD J. WOJCIECHOWSKI
RONALD J. WOJCIECHOWSKI has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9150259Abstract: A vehicle having a front wall, two side walls, and a truck bed that altogether define a tonneau is provided. The vehicle includes a tailgate that has a front panel, a rear panel, two side panels, and a top panel that altogether define a cavity. The tailgate also has a tonneau cover deployable from and retractable to within the cavity. The tonneau cover is selectively movable between a stowed position, a deployed position, and a partially deployed position. In the stowed position, the tonneau cover is substantially within the cavity. In the deployed position, the tonneau cover substantially covers the tonneau of the vehicle. The partially deployed position is any position between the stowed position.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2014Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: GM Global Technologies Operations LLCInventors: Brian J. Jutila, Jeffrey A. Diegel, Ronald J. Wojciechowski
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Publication number: 20150210321Abstract: A vehicle having a front wall, two side walls, and a truck bed that altogether define a tonneau is provided. The vehicle includes a tailgate that has a front panel, a rear panel, two side panels, and a top panel that altogether define a cavity. The tailgate also has a tonneau cover deployable from and retractable to within the cavity. The tonneau cover is selectively movable between a stowed position, a deployed position, and a partially deployed position. In the stowed position, the tonneau cover is substantially within the cavity. In the deployed position, the tonneau cover substantially covers the tonneau of the vehicle. The partially deployed position is any position between the stowed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2014Publication date: July 30, 2015Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Brian J. Jutila, Jeffrey A. Diegel, Ronald J. Wojciechowski
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Patent number: 9022264Abstract: A roof rack attachment assembly for a vehicle is provided along with a method of assembling a vehicle having a roof panel capable of receiving a roof rack attachment at a predetermined attachment point is provided. The vehicle may include a roof panel defining a plurality of elongated grooves. The assembly may include a groove applique disposed within and along the length of each of the elongated grooves. The groove applique may be secured within each of the elongated grooves with a plurality of securing components placed along the length of the elongated groove. A plurality of attachment features may be coupled to the groove applique at predetermined locations, defining a predetermined attachment point for a vehicle roof rack. The roof rack assembly allows a roof rack of any style to be added, removed, or replaced at the each of the predetermined attachment points throughout the life of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2012Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Brian J Jutila, Ronald J. Wojciechowski, Mark A. Fredal
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Publication number: 20140131406Abstract: A roof rack attachment assembly for a vehicle is provided along with a method of assembling a vehicle having a roof panel capable of receiving a roof rack attachment at a predetermined attachment point is provided. The vehicle may include a roof panel defining a plurality of elongated grooves. The assembly may include a groove applique disposed within and along the length of each of the elongated grooves. The groove applique may be secured within each of the elongated grooves with a plurality of securing components placed along the length of the elongated groove. A plurality of attachment features may be coupled to the groove applique at predetermined locations, defining a predetermined attachment point for a vehicle roof rack. The roof rack assembly allows a roof rack of any style to be added, removed, or replaced at the each of the predetermined attachment points throughout the life of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Brian J. Jutila, Ronald J. Wojciechowski, Mark A. Fredal
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Patent number: 8529176Abstract: A tie-down assembly for attachment to and detachment from a structure, such as a vehicle pick-up bed, includes a female fastener configured to collapse during insertion of the tie-down assembly into the structure. The female fastener is also configured to expand following the insertion for retention of the tie-down assembly on the structure. The tie-down assembly also includes a male fastener configured to threadably engage the female fastener. Additionally, the tie-down assembly includes a holder configured to retain and rotatably restrain the female fastener when the male fastener is being threaded into the female fastener and when the male fastener is being threaded out of the female fastener. The holder includes an aperture and the male fastener is configured to be inserted into the aperture. The holder is also configured to guide the female fastener to a fixed position for removal of the tie-down assembly from the structure.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2011Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Brian J. Jutila, David K. Rock, Ronald J. Wojciechowski, Srinivasa A. Mandadapu, Michael J. Clark, Vanessa Menezes Oliveira
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Patent number: 8414168Abstract: A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof is presented here. The roof rack assembly includes a first stanchion for structural attachment to the roof, a second stanchion for structural attachment to the roof, and a bar coupled between, and held above the roof by, the first stanchion and the second stanchion. The bar has a securing feature integrally formed therein, which holds an electric powered light-emitting component. Accordingly, the roof rack assembly employs a roof rack bar having a light-emitting element integrated therein.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLCInventors: Brian J. Jutila, Robert E. Boniface, Jeffrey A. Diegel, Joel T. Bachler, Ronald J. Wojciechowski
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Publication number: 20120181816Abstract: A tie-down assembly for attachment to and detachment from a structure, such as a vehicle pick-up bed, includes a female fastener configured to collapse during insertion of the tie-down assembly into the structure. The female fastener is also configured to expand following the insertion for retention of the tie-down assembly on the structure. The tie-down assembly also includes a male fastener configured to threadably engage the female fastener. Additionally, the tie-down assembly includes a holder configured to retain and rotatably restrain the female fastener when the male fastener is being threaded into the female fastener and when the male fastener is being threaded out of the female fastener. The holder includes an aperture and the male fastener is configured to be inserted into the aperture. The holder is also configured to guide the female fastener to a fixed position for removal of the tie-down assembly from the structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2011Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Brian J. Jutila, David K. Rock, Ronald J. Wojciechowski, Srinivasa A. Mandadapu, Michael J. Clark, Vanessa Menezes Oliveira
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Publication number: 20120031939Abstract: A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof is presented here. The roof rack assembly includes a first stanchion for structural attachment to the roof, a second stanchion for structural attachment to the roof, and a bar coupled between, and held above the roof by, the first stanchion and the second stanchion. The bar has a securing feature integrally formed therein, which holds an electric powered light-emitting component. Accordingly, the roof rack assembly employs a roof rack bar having a light-emitting element integrated therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2010Publication date: February 9, 2012Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: BRIAN J. JUTILA, ROBERT E. BONIFACE, JEFFREY A. DIEGEL, JOEL T. BACHLER, RONALD J. WOJCIECHOWSKI