| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7621382 |
Shock absorber |
November 24, 2009 |
| A dampening mechanism is described having a pressure tube defining a working chamber between a rod guide proximate a first end and an end cap proximate a second end. A piston is disposed within the pressure tube and divides the working chamber into an upper working chamber and a lower |
| 7617794 |
One piece horn cover |
November 17, 2009 |
| A horn assembly for a motor vehicle includes a sound generating member, a housing having a first opening connected to the sound generating member and a second opening to disperse sound from the sound generating member, and a deflector to restrict ingress of liquid into the second opening |
| 7611200 |
Adjustable seat for use in a vehicle |
November 3, 2009 |
| An adjustable seat for use in a passenger compartment of a vehicle. A seat cushion is slidably mounted for movement between an aft position and a fore position, and a seat back is connected to the seat cushion. A latch connected to the seat back, and a mounting member is connected to the |
| 7609174 |
Vehicle information communication system |
October 27, 2009 |
| A vehicle information communication system is provided in which probe data or other private data relating to a host vehicle can be collected with anonymity. Basically, the host vehicle collects the probe data and sends the probe data to a carrier vehicle that disassociates the host vehic |
| 7607684 |
Integrated inflatable curtain deployment ramp into vehicle body trim |
October 27, 2009 |
| A pillar trim component can include a main body portion and an airbag support portion extending from the main body portion. An attachment portion can include an outwardly extending portion connected to the airbag support portion, an angled portion connected to an outer end of the out |
| 7607314 |
Air conditioning system |
October 27, 2009 |
| An air conditioning system includes an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, a valve an energy recovery device and at least one bypass passage. The compressor is fluidly connected to the evaporator. The condenser is fluidly connected to the compressor. The valve is configured to con |
| 7606662 |
Traffic navigation system |
October 20, 2009 |
| A vehicle navigation system is provided with a destination input section, a travel route information section, a historical data input section and an expected travel time reporting section. The travel destination input section is provided for entering a destination point. The travel route |
| 7594787 |
Track slot fastener |
September 29, 2009 |
| A slidably retainable fastener assembly for securing loads to a track is provided with a retainer adapted to fit at least partly within a track slot and a member operating on the retainer, the member being positionable in at least a first position and a second position. When the memb |
| 7588285 |
Cargo box for pickup truck and method for making same |
September 15, 2009 |
| A cargo box for a pickup truck having a header panel with integral welding braces or struts. The cargo box has left and right sidewalls defining the left and right sides of the cargo box, respectively, a tailgate attached to the rear end of at least one of the left and right sidewalls, a |
| 7588159 |
Fuel cap for vehicle |
September 15, 2009 |
| A fuel cap for closing a filler neck of a fuel tank for a vehicle includes a cover pivotally supporting a handle for movement between an extended position and a retracted position. The cover encloses an outwardly extending flange portion of a threaded closure body. Ratchet teeth are |
| 7581749 |
Integrated airbag panel |
September 1, 2009 |
| A moveable integrated airbag panel and method of assembly is presented. In the exemplary application, a vehicular expandable airbag is attached to the inside of an A-pillar trim panel along with the inflator to form an integrated airbag panel that is attached as a preassembled unit to th |
| 7578521 |
Add-on inflatable curtain deployment ramp to center pillar trim |
August 25, 2009 |
| A pillar trim component can include a main body member and a separately formed airbag support member having an integrally formed inflatable curtain deployment trajectory ramp surface, and complementary interconnecting shaped portions formed on the main body member and the airbag supp |
| 7576640 |
Method and apparatus for detecting use of a spare wheel |
August 18, 2009 |
| An apparatus and method is provided for detecting when a spare wheel has been placed onto a rolling wheel location and for taking appropriate action such as providing a driver alert, limiting vehicle speed or alerting the driver when vehicle speed exceeds the maximum safe speed for o |
| 7575263 |
Center hide away floor storage with hi-rise feature |
August 18, 2009 |
| A storage apparatus for a motor vehicle includes a stationary platform connectible to a floor of the motor vehicle. A lid connects to the platform and moves between opened and closed positions. The lid engages with the platform when in the lowered position and includes an upper surfa |
| 7575243 |
Structure mounting rear suspension |
August 18, 2009 |
| A vehicle suspension structure includes a frame member having a first side portion and a bottom portion. The bottom portion extends in a first direction relative to the first side portion. The structure also includes a suspension mounting member attached to the first side portion of the |
| 7571930 |
Inflatable curtain airbag integrated tether |
August 11, 2009 |
| An inflatable curtain airbag integrated tether and method of manufacture can include forming an inflatable curtain from at least one panel of material defining at least one expandable chamber, forming a tether integrally from a salvage area of the at one panel of material, and attach |
| 7568749 |
Retractable cup holder assembly |
August 4, 2009 |
| A retractable cup holder assembly includes an interior trim panel, a support housing and a retractable cup holder. The support housing is releasably retained in a cup holder receiving opening of the interior trim panel by a reusable breakaway connection such that the breakaway connec |
| 7568744 |
Vehicle door handle assembly |
August 4, 2009 |
| A vehicle door handle assembly includes a mounting bracket and a handle. The mounting bracket is configured and dimensioned to be mounted within a vehicle door. The handle is pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket to pivot about a pivot axis between a latching position and a latch rel |
| 7565940 |
Orifice cover |
July 28, 2009 |
| An orifice cover is described that is selectively disposed within an orifice having a structural member adapted to extend through the orifice. The orifice includes an inner peripheral extent and both an inner surface and an outer surface. The orifice cover further includes an elastomeric |
| 7562931 |
Vehicle seat assembly |
July 21, 2009 |
| A vehicle seat assembly includes a first seat section, a second seat section, and a portioning panel. The first seat section has a first cushion portion and a first seatback portion that define a first seating area. The second seat section has a second cushion portion and a second se |
| 7562902 |
Side airbag seat reinforcement pocket |
July 21, 2009 |
| A side airbag seat reinforcement pocket is defined by at least one sheet of material having a peripheral edge and being divided into at least three major surface portions along first, second and third fold lines. The first major surface portion includes at least one first aperture ad |
| 7555868 |
Window regulator lifter plate |
July 7, 2009 |
| A vehicle door includes a door body, a window panel, a window regulator rail and a lifter plate. The door body defines a window opening and a window panel is slidably supported in the door body. The window regulator rail is mounted to the vehicle frame and the lifter plate is slidably |
| 7554435 |
Vehicle on-board unit |
June 30, 2009 |
| A vehicle on-board unit of a host vehicle is configured to communicate with other vehicle to alert the driver of a potential braking situation in a preceding vehicle. The vehicle on-board unit has an incoming message receiving section, an incoming message relevancy section and a driver |
| 7548173 |
Vehicle on-board unit |
June 16, 2009 |
| A vehicle on-board unit of a host vehicle is configured to activate its brake lights upon determining a vehicle traveling condition exists that is indicative of a potentially inadequate safety zone between the host vehicle and a following vehicle. The vehicle on-board unit has a vehicle |
| 7547170 |
Track slot fastener |
June 16, 2009 |
| A fastener assembly secures loads to a track in a truck bed and is retainable within a track slot of the track. The fastener assembly may include a retainer adapted to fit at least partly within a track slot and a rotatable handle operating on the retainer, the rotatable handle being |
| 7540550 |
Vehicle body structure |
June 2, 2009 |
| A vehicle body structure is provided with a bumper fascia panel with a bumper fascia mounting flange, a fender body panel with a fender mounting flange and a mounting flange attachment that secures the mounting flanges together. The mounting flange attachment arrangement has a first |
| 7533920 |
Selectively detachable tailgate hinge assembly |
May 19, 2009 |
| A selectively detachable tailgate hinge assembly connects a tailgate to a vehicle. The hinge assembly has a hinge mechanism, a first wiring harness, and a second wiring harness. At least a first portion of the hinge mechanism may be selectively detached from a second portion of the h |
| 7530620 |
Combination harness protector and carpet |
May 12, 2009 |
| A floor covering product, process, and product by process provides protection for an electrical wiring harness of a motor vehicle routed through a passenger compartment on top of an interior surface of a contoured floor pan area with an adjacent kick plate body area portion extending |
| 7530600 |
Temporary hold mechanism for a buckle assembly |
May 12, 2009 |
| A temporary hold mechanism for a seat belt sub-assembly is disclosed. The seat belt buckle sub-assembly includes a mounting bracket, at least one seat belt buckle receptacle that is selectively movable between a pre-installed position and an installed position, a biasing element that |
| 7523991 |
Vehicle seat structure |
April 28, 2009 |
| A vehicle seat includes a seat assembly having an exposed non-seating surface that includes one of a hook material and a loop material. The seat assembly also includes at least one removable storage element having a surface portion covered with the other of the hook material and the |
| 7523000 |
Vehicle pre-collision countermeasure system |
April 21, 2009 |
| A vehicle pre-collision countermeasure system is provided has a communication component, a rear collision predicting component and an acceleration countermeasure component. The communication component conducts a direct communications with other vehicles, including broadcasting vehicl |
| 7513439 |
Automatic climate control system for vehicle |
April 7, 2009 |
| An automatic climate control system for a vehicle determines actual sun load and a virtual sun load based on prescribed virtual heat load data and the external air temperature. A controller is configured to compare the actual sun load to the virtual sun load to obtain an optimized sun |
| 7511610 |
Multiple passenger vehicle seat belt notification system with force feedback |
March 31, 2009 |
| A seat belt notification system and process for a vehicle can include an occupant detection sensor operable to determine if a vehicle seat is in one of an occupied condition or an unoccupied condition. A seat belt sensor can be operable to determine if a seat belt associated with the |
| 7510234 |
Vehicle frame structure |
March 31, 2009 |
| A vehicle frame structure includes an outer pillar panel, an inner pillar panel and a bulkhead. The outer pillar panel includes an outer upper end, an outer lower end and an outer bulkhead attachment section located between the outer lower end and the outer upper end and at or above a |
| 7510232 |
Bumper with an override feature |
March 31, 2009 |
| A bumper with an override feature for a vehicle has at least one impact resisting member having at least one bumper beam with a bumper face and at least one override member having at least one override face extending from the bumper beam to increase an effective face area of the bumper |
| 7504133 |
Method of manufacturing a truck bed liner with a reusable masking device |
March 17, 2009 |
| A method of manufacturing a bed liner for a truck bed. The method comprises providing a truck bed, applying a masking device to an orifice in the truck bed, retaining the masking device in the orifice by inserting a portion of the masking device into the orifice, applying a coating o |
| 7503238 |
Engine balancing device |
March 17, 2009 |
| An engine balancing device is provided that is adapted to be coupled to an axial end of a crankshaft of an engine. The engine balancing device comprises a generally disk shaped main body and at least one balance tab. The generally disk shaped main body includes a hub portion with a c |
| 7497458 |
Power retractable trailer hitch |
March 3, 2009 |
| A power retractable trailer hitch for a vehicle can include a hitch assembly movably coupled to an external case or support member, and a power actuator engaging the hitch assembly. The power actuator can be operable to move the hitch assembly between a retracted position and an exte |
| 7494032 |
Sliding bed accessory arrangement |
February 24, 2009 |
| A sliding bed accessory arrangement is provided with a sliding bed accessory, such as an upper bed tray, that is configured to slide between and retained in several different positions within a vehicle cargo bed. The sliding bed accessory arrangement has a pair of tracks fixedly atta |
| 7488036 |
Seat cover for automotive vehicle seat |
February 10, 2009 |
| A cover for a seat portion of an automotive vehicular seat, the cover including a panel releasably engageable with an attachment mechanism mounted on the upholstery layer of the vehicle seat. The cover layer overlies the seat surface of the vehicle seat when in the attached position. |
| 7488032 |
Attachment joint for plastic over-fender to plastic fascia |
February 10, 2009 |
| An attachment joint can provide in combination a plastic over-fender member connectable to a fender of a motor vehicle, a plastic fascia member connectable to a fender, and a complementary attachment coupling located between the over-fender member and the fascia member for interlocki |
| 7488026 |
Guard member for adjustable seat in a vehicle |
February 10, 2009 |
| A guard member for a seat installed on the floor of a vehicle and having an adjustment mechanism to move the seat up and down relative to the floor of the vehicle. The guard member includes a first segment fixed to a track mounted on the vehicle floor, an intermediate segment, and a |
| 7487946 |
Sliding/adjusting container holder |
February 10, 2009 |
| A container holder for a vehicle includes a container bin unit with a cavity and a size adjustment mechanism. The cavity has a first portion and a second portion. The adjustment mechanism includes a dual adjustment piece and a single adjustment piece, which are movable between at least a |
| 7486199 |
Forward vehicle brake warning system |
February 3, 2009 |
| A forward vehicle brake warning system includes an incoming message receiving component, an adverse driving condition obtaining component, an incoming message relevancy component, a relevancy adjustment component and a driver warning component. The incoming message receiving component |
| 7484784 |
Selectively removable tailgate hinge for a power tailgate |
February 3, 2009 |
| A selectively detachable tailgate assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The tailgate assembly includes a tailgate, a hinge mechanism, and a power assembly. The hinge mechanism connects the tailgate to a portion of a vehicle. A portion of the hinge mechanism may be selectively disassembled |
| 7478849 |
Vehicle bumper assembly |
January 20, 2009 |
| A vehicle bumper assembly includes a bumper reinforcement member, a corner bracket and a biasing member. The bumper reinforcement member has a first lateral end section, a second lateral end section, an outboard facing side extending between the first and second lateral end sections and |
| 7477978 |
Rumble strip responsive system: vehicle control on rumble strip |
January 13, 2009 |
| A device adapted to automatically control the effective output of a vehicle control system/component that, for example, automatically applies braking and/or steering control, in response to tire contact with a rumble strip. The device includes a processor configured to receive a firs |
| 7445350 |
Interior/exterior component with electroluminescent lighting and soft touch switching |
November 4, 2008 |
| A light panel includes an outer layer, a first proximity switch, an electroluminescent element and a base portion. The outer layer includes a translucent portion. The first proximity switch is disposed beneath the outer layer and has first and second electrically conductive switch po |
| 7444227 |
Vehicle communication system |
October 28, 2008 |
| A vehicle communication system is provided to facilitate meeting our people in nearby or neighboring cars with similar interests, desires or wants. The vehicle communication system has a host vehicle two way communication device, a host vehicle personal data storage component and a h |
| 7441996 |
Vehicle floating nut assembly |
October 28, 2008 |
| A vehicle floating nut assembly is part of a body mounting fixture that couples a vehicle body onto a vehicle frame. The floating nut assembly has a nut element that floats with in a nut retainer assembly. At least one of the sliding surfaces located between the nut element and the r |
