Glenn P Vangelderen

US Patent:

6769729, Aug 3, 2004

Filed:

Jun 25, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/604075

Inventors:

Stephen Lewis Bruford - West Bloomfield MI
Jeffrey Alan Firzlaff - Royal Oak MI
Scott G. Miller - Canton MI
Ed Rybarczyk - Ypsilanti MI
Duane A. Koehler - Livonia MI
Glenn VanGelderen - West Bloomfield MI

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B62D 33023

US Classification:

296 50, 296 571, 29614611, 49386, 16308

Abstract:

An automotive tailgate includes a door adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal pivot axis, with the door including a shell defining an interior space. The door is pivoted upon bearings mounted upon bearing retainers located at each end of the door. A full floating torsion bar is provided and includes a first end rotationally grounded within the interior of the door shell and a second end engaged with and rotationally locked with one of the bearing inserts so that the torsion bar will be subjected to torsional loading as the door is pivoted. Because the torsion bar is full floating, the operation of the tailgate hinges will not be impaired even if the torsion bar were to become fractured.

US Patent:

6793263, Sep 21, 2004

Filed:

Jul 11, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/604331

Inventors:

Stephen Lewis Bruford - West Bloomfield MI
Jeffrey Alan Firzlaff - Royal Oak MI
Duane A. Koehler - Livonia MI
Scott G. Miller - Canton MI
Ed Rybarczyk - Lake View NY
Glenn VanGelderen - West Bloomfield MI

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B62D 33023

US Classification:

296 50, 296 571, 29614611, 49386, 16308

Abstract:

An automotive vehicle, such as a pickup truck, has a tailgate including a door adapted to pivot about a generally horizontal pivot axis, with the door including a shell defining a space surrounded by the shell. The door is pivoted upon bearings mounted upon bearing retainers located at each end of the door. A full floating torsion bar is provided and includes a first end rotationally grounded within the interior space of the door shell and a second end engaged with and rotationally locked with one of the bearing inserts so that the torsion bar will be subjected to torsional loading as the door is pivoted. Because of the full floating feature, the hinge function of the tailgate will not be impaired in the event that the torsion bar becomes fractured.

US Patent:

54455030, Aug 29, 1995

Filed:

Oct 4, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/130829

Inventors:

Timothy M. Kmiec - Rochester Hills MI
Joseph J. Melotik - White Lake MI
Glenn P. Vangelderen - West Bloomfield MI

Assignee:

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F04B 3504
F16M 1300

US Classification:

417360

Abstract:

A fuel pump is mounted within the fuel tank of an automobile on a bracket attached to a flange which sealingly covers an opening in the fuel tank. The bracket has side members with materially altered sections for increasing the energy absorption capability of the bracket. Materially altered sections can take the shape of oblong slots or circular apertures in a center section of the side members, or notches along the edges of the side members. Crimped sections in the side members also serve to absorb energy imparted to the bracket.

US Patent:

54196094, May 30, 1995

Filed:

Sep 23, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/311287

Inventors:

Timothy M. Kmiec - Rochester Hills MI
Glenn P. Vangelderen - West Bloomfield MI
Joseph J. Melotik - White Lake MI

Assignee:

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B62D 2508

US Classification:

296188

Abstract:

An automotive vehicle of the type having a front end, a rear end, a front pair of road wheels and a rear pair of road wheels located respectively adjacent to front and rear ends is disclosed. The vehicle also includes a passenger compartment area extending longitudinally between front and rear road wheels, a pair of frame members and a bumper member disposed generally transverses to the frame members. The vehicle further includes a storage compartment disposed longitudinally forward of the bumper member bounded by a plurality of body panel members and an isolation mechanism which isolates the storage compartment from longitudinal loads applied to the bumper member from a rear end collision to minimize the magnitude of the loads acting on the storage compartment.