Abstract: A powered latch assembly for a vehicle tailgate includes a latch having a slot structured to receive a striker therein during closing of a tailgate. The latch is structured to be rotatable about a rotational axis into a latched position of the latch when the striker is received in the slot so as to maintain the tailgate in at least one closed position of the tailgate associated with the latched position. The latch is also structured so that, with respect to a vertical plane extending through the rotational axis, a centroid of a cross-section of the striker taken through a portion of the striker residing inside the slot resides along a first side of the plane when the latch is in a fully-latched position.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid supply system with which it is possible to perform quality control of a liquid provided by the system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wrapped V-belt including: a tension member layer including a tension member; a tension rubber layer laminated on the tension member layer at a belt outer peripheral side; a compression rubber layer laminated on the tension member layer at a belt inner peripheral side; and an outside cloth covering an entire outer surface of the belt, in which the compression rubber layer includes a first compression rubber layer laminated at the belt outer peripheral side and a second compression rubber layer laminated at the belt inner peripheral side, and the tension rubber layer has a rubber hardness that is higher than a rubber hardness of the second compression rubber layer and lower than a rubber hardness of the first compression rubber layer.

Abstract: There are provided a liquid supply system and a liquid loss reduction method capable of reducing a liquid loss caused when a liquid storage container is replaced. A liquid supply system (101) that transfers a liquid in a storage container (10) through a supply pipe (30), and dispenses the liquid from a dispensing outlet in a dispensing device (50). The liquid supply system includes a spout prevention unit (110) that is installed in the supply pipe, has a predetermined internal volume, and prevents a pressurized gas from being spouted from the dispensing outlet, a liquid-absence detection device (120) that is installed between the storage container and the spout prevention unit, and detects absence of the liquid in the storage container, and a control device (130) that is electrically connected to the liquid-absence detection device, and gives instructions for closing a flow path in the dispensing device in response to the detection of the absence of the liquid in the storage container.

Abstract: A vehicle tailgate structure of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle tailgate structure includes a tailgate located at the rear of the vehicle; a garnish covering a top surface of the tailgate and configured to deform when an external load applies on the garnish, the garnish including a plurality of rib structures along an interior surface of the garnish and a screw portion including the garnish around a screw of the screw portion; and a touch sensor extending along the top surface of the tailgate and covered by the garnish, the touch sensor configured to detect deformation of the garnish, the touch sensor including touch sensor wires connecting to a control system of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle tailgate structure of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle tailgate structure includes a tailgate located at the rear of the vehicle; a garnish covering a top surface of the tailgate and configured to deform when an external load applies on the garnish, the garnish including a plurality of rib structures along an interior surface of the garnish and a screw portion including the garnish around a screw of the screw portion; and a touch sensor extending along the top surface of the tailgate and covered by the garnish, the touch sensor configured to detect deformation of the garnish, the touch sensor including touch sensor wires connecting to a control system of the vehicle.

Abstract: A hinge assembly includes a tailgate bracket securable to a vehicular tailgate, a support bracket securable to a vehicular bed, a torque shaft, and a crank. The tailgate bracket includes a socket. The support bracket includes a support. The torque shaft is supported by the support for axial rotation. The torque shaft includes a tailgate-side head and a crank-side head. The tailgate-side head and the socket are configured to make a head-and-socket connection with one another. The crank-side head includes an external profile. The crank includes a shaft-side base and an actuator-side base, a load arm extending therebetween, and at least one of a dogleg along the shaft-side base, the load arm and the actuator-side base, and an embossed rib extending along the load arm. The shaft-side base includes an internal profile. The external profile and the internal profile are configured to make a shaft-and-hub connection with one another.

Abstract: Embodiments of an actuator assembly for a power tailgate system are disclosed. The actuator assembly includes an actuator having a housing, a guide with a first end extending from the housing and a second end opposite the first end, and a slide coupled to the guide so as to be movable with respect to the guide second end. The actuator assembly also includes a bellows having a first end attached to the guide first end, a second end opposite the first end and attached to an end of the slide, and a body extending between the first and second ends. At least one hole is formed in the bellows proximate the bellows second end and enables fluid communication between an interior of the bellows and an exterior of the bellows. The bellows may expel moisture collected therein during operation of the actuator.

Abstract: A powered latch assembly for a vehicle tailgate includes a latch having a slot structured to receive a striker therein during closing of a tailgate. The latch is structured to be rotatable about a rotational axis into a latched position of the latch when the striker is received in the slot so as to maintain the tailgate in at least one closed position of the tailgate associated with the latched position. The latch is also structured so that, with respect to a vertical plane extending through the rotational axis, a centroid of a cross-section of the striker taken through a portion of the striker residing inside the slot resides along a first side of the plane when the latch is in a fully-latched position.

Abstract: A powered latch assembly for a vehicle tailgate includes a latch structured to engage a striker mounted on a vehicle and to be rotatable into a latching position when engaged with the striker, so as to maintain the tailgate in a closed position associated with the latching position of the latch. The latch assembly also includes a latch control member rotationally connected to the latch and structured to be engageable by a pawl of the latch assembly to maintain the latch control member in a position associated with the latching position of the latch. A rotational position of the latch is thus controlled by engagement between the pawl and the latch control member rotationally connected to the latch. A wall may be provided between the latch and the latch control member to environmentally isolate the latch control member and components of the latch assembly from the vehicle exterior environment.

Abstract: Embodiments of an actuator assembly for a power tailgate system are disclosed. The actuator assembly includes an actuator having a housing, a guide with a first end extending from the housing and a second end opposite the first end, and a slide coupled to the guide so as to be movable with respect to the guide second end. The actuator assembly also includes a bellows having a first end attached to the guide first end, a second end opposite the first end and attached to an end of the slide, and a body extending between the first and second ends. At least one hole is formed in the bellows proximate the bellows second end and enables fluid communication between an interior of the bellows and an exterior of the bellows. The bellows may expel moisture collected therein during operation of the actuator.

Abstract: A hinge assembly includes a tailgate bracket securable to a vehicular tailgate, a support bracket securable to a vehicular bed, a torque shaft, and a crank. The tailgate bracket includes a socket. The support bracket includes a support. The torque shaft is supported by the support for axial rotation. The torque shaft includes a tailgate-side head and a crank-side head. The tailgate-side head and the socket are configured to make a head-and-socket connection with one another. The crank-side head includes an external profile. The crank includes a shaft-side base and an actuator-side base, a load arm extending therebetween, and at least one of a dogleg along the shaft-side base, the load arm and the actuator-side base, and an embossed rib extending along the load arm. The shaft-side base includes an internal profile. The external profile and the internal profile are configured to make a shaft-and-hub connection with one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wrapped V-belt including: a tension member layer including a tension member; a tension rubber layer laminated on the tension member layer at a belt outer peripheral side; a compression rubber layer laminated on the tension member layer at a belt inner peripheral side; and an outside cloth covering an entire outer surface of the belt, in which the compression rubber layer includes a first compression rubber layer laminated at the belt outer peripheral side and a second compression rubber layer laminated at the belt inner peripheral side, and the tension rubber layer has a rubber hardness that is higher than a rubber hardness of the second compression rubber layer and lower than a rubber hardness of the first compression rubber layer.

Abstract: A vehicle door lock device includes: a door lock body configured to be mounted to a door; an outside open lever mounted, in a pivotable manner, to a support shaft arranged on the door lock body; and a coupling member mounted to a pivot end portion of the outside open lever and having an insertion hole. An end portion of a rod on the outside open lever side is insertable through the insertion hole. The rod is configured to couple the outside open lever and an outside door handle configured to be mounted to a vehicle exterior side of the door. A mounting hole in the coupling member intersects the insertion hole, and the pivot end portion of the outside open lever has a mounting portion. The coupling member is fitted and fixed onto the mounting portion of the outside open lever through the mounting hole.

Abstract: An electric supply structure includes a body including plural shaft support portions, a housing being joined with the body, a motor being positioned between the body and the housing, being restricted from moving in an axial direction of a motor shaft by the shaft support portion and being rotatably supported about the motor shaft, a terminal being connected to the motor, and a connector being provided with an insertion hole. The terminal includes a bus bar portion movably mounted to the body, a motor-side terminal portion being fixed on the motor so as to supply electricity and a connector-side terminal portion being positioned to be inserted into the insertion hole. The housing includes first and second pressing portions having different stiffnesses and being configured to hold the motor while displacing a rotational attitude of the motor about the motor shaft in a specific direction by pressing the motor.

Abstract: A cable for a vehicle door includes: a locking knob movable in a vertical direction between an unlocking position where the locking knob advances from an inside of the vehicle door to an inside of a vehicle interior and a locking position where the locking knob retreats from the inside of the vehicle interior to the inside of the vehicle door; a conduit having one end fixed to the vehicle door or a fixing member provided on the vehicle door, and the other end fixed to a door locking device capable of switching the vehicle door to the unlocked state or the locked state, and including an insertion hole formed to penetrate from the one end to the other end; and a core wire slidably inserted into the insertion hole and connect the locking knob and a locking/unlocking lever.

Abstract: A door lock device has a high degree of freedom in the disposition of an open link for switching between a locked state and an unlocked state and has low operational resistance when being put into the locked state. When there is a malfunction in which the open link is jammed by the dust and therefore does not move from a lock waiting position to an unlock waiting position even when an unlock action is performed, when an outside handle interlock lever is turned, a sliding-contact tilt guide provided on a support body slides and makes sliding-contact with the open link and forcibly tilts the open link, and as a result, it becomes unnecessary to increase an energizing force of a torsion coil spring as a precaution against such malfunction. This makes it possible to reduce the operational resistance when the door lock device is put into the locked state.

Abstract: A vehicle door lock device includes: a housing having an opening; a coupling member configured to be coupled to an operation mechanism arranged on a door; an operation lever arranged inside the housing and coupled to the coupling member through the opening; and a cover capable of opening and closing the opening and a coupling point between the coupling member and the operation lever. The cover is separate from the housing and assembled to the housing to be mountable on and demountable from the housing and rotatable between opened and closed states. Each of the housing and the cover includes: a temporary retaining mechanism to temporarily retain the cover in the opened state when the cover is assembled to the housing in a rotatable manner; and a full retaining mechanism configured to retain the cover in the closed state when the cover is rotatably assembled to the housing.

Abstract: A position holding device for a rotating lever includes a rotating lever and a torsion spring. The rotating lever is elastically held at two positions, that is, a first position and a second position. The torsion spring includes a coiled part, and a first arm part and a second arm part each extending from the coiled part. The first arm part has a mountain portion formed thereon, and the second arm part has a reversely urging portion formed thereon. An urging force of the reversely urging portion is applied to the rotating lever as a braking force against an urging force of the mountain portion. Further, a regulating member is formed on a base member so as to abut against the first arm part when the rotating lever rotates toward the first position through a neutral position.

Abstract: A child protector mechanism includes a base member, a first lever, a second lever, a bush arranged between the first lever and the second lever, a child protector lever for moving the bush to an unset position or a set position, and a position retaining mechanism provided between the first lever and the bush. The bush is retained at each of the unset position and the set position by the position retaining mechanism provided between the first lever and the bush. Therefore, when assembling the bush and the first lever to the base member, the bush is retained at a predetermined position (for example, unset position) with respect to the first lever so that the bush does not move. Thus, the easiness of assembly of the bush and the first lever and the easiness of assembly of the child protector lever are excellent.