Abstract:
An automobile includes a plastic body and a steel frame bonded to the plastic body. The front suspension system of the automobile includes a "v"-shaped control arm coupled to a front wheel. An arm shaft extends between the "v" of the control arm and is engaged with a rubber cartridge press-fit into a cartridge housing that is affixed to the frame. Thereby, motion of the control arm is attenuated. A horizontally-mounted transversely-oriented shock absorber further interconnects the control arm and frame. This shock absorber orientation avoids transferring suspension system loads to the plastic body.
Abstract:
A box-like coupler for coupling a first car body part to another which includes a box-like device having a closed perimeter of a plurality of sides and two open ends. The box-like coupler may have a center rib between the two open ends which extends to all of the sides of the plurality of sides. Another embodiment is a winged coupler for coupling a first car body part to another which includes a device having a first wing and a second wing connected to the first wing. Each wing of the device has at least one distal width which is greater than a proximal width of the same wing. The winged coupler may have a middle between the first and second wings, an upper surface, a lower surface, two sides connecting the upper and lower surfaces, two ends connecting the upper and lower surfaces, one end being an end of the first wing and the other end being the end of the second wing, a pin extending outwardly from the upper surface at the middle of the device, a pin extending outwardly from the lower surface at the middle of the device, and a recess in the upper surface of each wing. In addition, at least one of the two sides of the device may be V-shaped so that the upper surface at the middle of the device is narrower than the upper surface at the ends of the device.
Abstract:
A first car body part to be bonded to a second car body part. The first car body part includes a sealing wall and a supplemental wall having a first side end and a second side end. The sealing wall has a bonding surface to be bonded to a surface of the second car body part. The supplemental wall joins the sealing wall at the first and second side ends forming a void between the sealing wall and the supplemental wall. The joined sealing wall and supplemental wall form a tubular member having a top end and a bottom end. The sealing wall, the bonding surface, the supplemental wall, and the void may be elongated. The first car body part may have a top capping wall and a bottom capping wall, the top capping wall sealing the top end of the tubular member and the bottom capping wall sealing the bottom end of the tubular member, thereby fully enclosing the void. The first car body part may be, e.g., a side body panel, a door interior trim panel, an instrument panel, or a hardware panel.
Abstract:
A vehicle door assembly including an outer contoured panel, an inner contoured panel, the panels being connected at their side and bottom edges, and a glass and regulator track assembly adapted to being assembled through the adjacent upper edges of the panels into the space between the panals and secured to the inner panel. A majority of the inner trim is molded integrally as the surface of the inner panel, with a separately applied trim element secured to the upper edge portion of the inner panel, and an arm rest secured to the inner panel at a central portion thereof. A side impact beam extends longitudinally between the outer and inner panels, and includes a longitudinally oriented mounting plate at its forward end and a laterally oriented mounting plate at its rear end for mounting on the inner panel.
Abstract:
There is disclosed herein a utility/camper multiple purpose shell integrated with a pick-up truck frame and cab. The shell is adaptable (1) to being fully opened at the rear, (2) to having the roof thereof pivotally raised to permit standing room for a user, (3) to having flexible walls attached to the raised roof suitable for camping therein, and (4) to having the roof thereof lifted off of the front and side walls. The shell components are formed of light weight materials and bonded together.
Abstract:
A vehicle body roof construction of the disclosure includes an improved edge structure adjacent closure members thereof such as a side door or rear tailgate and also includes an improved pillar structure for supporting a roof panel whose edge portions are stamped to define integrally connected flanges that constitute components of the improved roof edge structure. At the side and rear edge portions of the roof panel, roof inner members have extreme outer edges secured to extreme outer edges of the roof panel so as to cooperate therewith in providing a side roof rail and a tailgate header that define the upper extremities of side door and tailgate openings, respectively. An associated side door and a tailgate are mounted for movement between open and closed positions and include upper window frames that overlie the adjacent roof panel edge portion in their closed position. Pillars support the side edge portion of the roof panel at its juncture with the rear and front edge portions of the roof panel. Each pillar includes inner and outer members that define an enclosed chamber and include first and second portions that project along the adjacent front or rear edge portion and the side edge portion, respectively. The pillar outer member includes depressions in its projecting portions at a spaced location from the juncture of the roof panel edge portions.
Abstract:
A lift type tailgate on a passenger van type vehicle body is operated by an electric motor powered actuator with an electronic control circuit utilizing a microprocessor operating under program control to respond to user-initiated opening and closing signals to move the tailgate in the selected direction. In the control circuit, feedback information to the microprocessor indicative of tailgate position is provided by a potentiometer coupled with the actuator motor and the microprocessor is programmed to operate with this information to stop the tailgate at a wide open position, a partially closed position and a fully closed position. Obstruction detection is performed by the microprocessor using an obstruction detection circuit and additionally by monitoring the position signal input from the potentiometer to stop the tailgate on encountering an obstacle. Activation of a tailgate latching mechanism is performed under the control of the microprocessor using a solenoid drive circuit and warning or alerting sounds indicating tailgate closure operation including tailgate stoppage at the partially closed position are provided in accordance with audio data received from the microprocessor.
Abstract:
A motor vehicle body which includes a left-hand outer body panel, a left-hand inner body panel, a right-hand inner body panel, and a right-hand outer body panel. The four body panels are capable of being easily secured together at the longitudinal midline of the motor vehicle body. In another aspect, a motor vehicle body includes a plurality of interconnectable body panels including a body panel having a generally-vertical side and a horizontal appendage extending from the vertical side. The horizontal appendage is tapered circumferentially from its proximal end to its distal end. In another aspects a motor vehicle body has a plurality of interconnectable body panels including a body panel having an integral door frame member and an integral front fender liner having an integral inner splash shield. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the motor vehicle body may have a body panel having an integral roof frame member and an integral front fender liner having an integral inner splash shield. In another aspect, a motor vehicle body includes four complementary body panels being capable of being secured together providing a roof frame, a floor, a front, a back, and two sides of a motor vehicle, the body panels forming a plenum therebetween.
Abstract:
An air conditioning unit for a motor vehicle is housed entirely inside a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The air conditioning unit includes a power generator inside an enclosure which also houses the air conditioning unit. The power generator is a small internal combustion engine that combusts the same fuel as the primary internal combustion engine which provides the motive force for the motor vehicle. The enclosure has an inlet port which allows ambient air to flow into the enclosure and an outlet port which allows the ambient air to exit the enclosure and the motor vehicle after it has been heated. The thermal energy received by the ambient air is transmitted from the internal air inside the passenger compartment and transferred to the ambient air via a fluid (refrigerant) which flows therebetween. The use of the power generator eliminates a drain of power on the primary internal combustion engine when the air conditioning unit is being used.