Abstract: A vehicle bed assembly includes a vehicle bed having a floor and first and second side walls, wherein the first and second side walls include a top portion with a cavity. At least one compartment is disposed below the floor of the vehicle bed. First and second rails are extendably received in the cavity of each of the first and second side walls, wherein the first and second rails are mounted in vertical tracks that provide for linear translation of the first and second rails between an extended position and a retracted position.

Abstract: A vehicle bed assembly includes a vehicle bed having a floor and first and second side walls, wherein the first and second side walls include a top portion with a cavity. At least one compartment is disposed below the floor of the vehicle bed. First and second rails are extendably received in the cavity of each of the first and second side walls, wherein the first and second rails are mounted in vertical tracks that provide for linear translation of the first and second rails between an extended position and a retracted position.

Abstract: A preplugged nut is attachable to a vehicle panel for fastening a component to the vehicle panel. The nut has a body with an opening for receiving a bolt to fasten the component to the panel and a plug in the body opening sealing the opening to prevent ingress of moisture, dust, fumes and other contaminants to the panel through the body opening. A method for forming a vehicle panel with the preplugged fastener includes forming the vehicle panel, forming a nut having a body opening for receiving a bolt to fasten the bracket to the panel, forming a plug, inserting the plug into the body opening of the nut and plugging the body opening to thereby prevent ingress of contaminants through the panel to the body opening after the nut is installed, and fastening the nut to the vehicle panel with the bolt.

Abstract: An induction heating method includes the steps of molding composite material having non-induction heatable reinforcement material and induction heatable material in a thermally curable polymer based resin, followed by curing the polymer based resin at least partially while in the mold by exposure to a time varying magnetic field. The molding tool apparatus has molding tool members defining a molding tool cavity corresponding to the desired composite article, and an induction heating system having induction coils integral with the molding tool members such that the molding tool cavity is disposed between them. An electrical circuit for providing power to the induction coils to generate a time varying magnetic field about the molding tool cavity includes an RF generator and a matching network for matching the impedance of the induction coils, electrical leads and connections of the induction heating system to the output of the RF generator.