An integrated hinge for connecting an article of a furniture assembly to one or more articles or a main body of the furniture assembly comprising a multi-rod rigid structure and a flexible membrane. The multi-rod rigid structure comprises two or more rods arranged in a default shape, wherein each of the rods functions as a hinge arm, and wherein the rods are lateral-rotatable or pivot-able about an intersecting or meeting point of the rods. The flexible membrane has a three-dimensional contour configured to wrap around the multi-rod rigid structure tightly, fixing the multi-rod rigid structure in its default shape. The flexible membrane can be configured to wrap around the integrated hinge and articles of furniture assembly forming a single integrated furniture piece. The elasticity in the flexible membrane turns the integrated hinge into a spring hinge.

A cylinder-piston unit with load-dependent damping includes a piston longitudinally displaceable in a cylinder. The piston has a first piston channel and a second piston channel, which each connect a compensation space on one side of the piston to a displacement space side on an opposite side of the piston. On the displacement space side a throttle channel connects one first piston channel to the piston lateral surface. On its displacement space side the piston has a piston journal, which carries a resiliently deformable piston disc. The piston disc is displaceable and covers the throttle channel at least partially. The displacement space side has at least one relief portion deviating from a piston end face plane. The relief portion is delimited on a number of sides by a plurality of boundary lines running concentrically with respect to the central axis. Each of these boundary lines can be differentiated continuously.

A door hinge assembly includes: a door frame defining a frame opening and a jamb at one side of the frame opening, the jamb including two frame corners protruding into the frame opening and a jamb brace connecting the two frame corners across the frame opening, the jamb brace defining two spaced-apart hinge holes therethrough; a door movable to selectively provide access through the frame opening, and an elastic cord connecting the door to the door frame, the cord extending sequentially through a first of the two hinge passages, through a first of two passage openings at the jamb edge, through a first of the two hinge holes, across the jamb brace, through a second of the two hinge holes, through a second of the two passage openings at the jamb edge, and through the second of the two hinge passages.

The invention controls a power cinching function of a motor vehicle door latch in order to improve door seal performance under conditions wherein vibrations could otherwise reduce seal effectiveness. With the door latched closed in a flush condition, the vehicle speed is compared to a slow-speed threshold. When the vehicle speed is greater than the slow-speed threshold, then a vehicle vibration parameter is compared to a vibration threshold. When the vibration parameter is greater than the vibration threshold, then the power cinching function is activated to move the door to to a subflush condition which increases a compression of the seal between the door and a vehicle door frame. When the door is in the subflush condition, the vehicle speed continues to be compared to the slow-speed threshold, and when the vehicle speed is less than the slow-speed threshold then the door is released back to the flush condition.

Touch sensor apparatus for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed touch sensor assembly for a vehicle gate includes a sensor configured to operatively couple to the vehicle gate. The touch sensor assembly also includes a cover having a tubular body that extends over the sensor and ribs interposed between the tubular body and the sensor. At least one of the ribs is configured to transfer a load from the tubular body to the sensor to change a state of the sensor.

A leaf screen for an air intake of an HVAC system of a vehicle having a hood covering an engine compartment. The leaf screen includes a leaf screen body defining an air inlet opening covered by an integrally molded screen. A seal is integrally molded on a top surface of the leaf screen body in front of the air inlet opening. Bump-stops are integrally molded on the top surface that are engaged by an inner panel of the hood when closed. A method of making the leaf screen includes injecting a polymeric material into a mold to form a body portion. At least one elastomeric material is injected into the mold on one side of the body portion to form a seal and a plurality of bump-stops.

The invention controls a power cinching function of a motor vehicle door latch in order to improve door seal performance under conditions wherein vibrations could otherwise reduce seal effectiveness. With the door latched closed in a flush condition, the vehicle speed is compared to a slow-speed threshold. When the vehicle speed is greater than the slow-speed threshold, then a vehicle vibration parameter is compared to a vibration threshold. When the vibration parameter is greater than the vibration threshold, then the power cinching function is activated to move the door to to a subflush condition which increases a compression of the seal between the door and a vehicle door frame. When the door is in the subflush condition, the vehicle speed continues to be compared to the slow-speed threshold, and when the vehicle speed is less than the slow-speed threshold then the door is released back to the flush condition.

A hinge to pivotably connect a motor vehicle door to a body of the motor vehicle. The hinge includes a bolt, a first hinge half rotationally connected to a bolt, a second hinge half, a bushing, composed of an electrically insulating material, arranged on the second hinge half to rotationally connect the second hinge half to the bolt, and an electrically conductive component arranged between the bolt and the second hinge half to bridge the bushing and facilitate electrical contact between the bolt and the second hinge half.

Trunk lid stopper mechanism and method for controlling rotational speed of a trunk lid to slow down and halt its movement, and to hold the trunk lid at the halted position. The stopper mechanism comprises hinge arms for supporting the lid, torsion bars for applying biasing force to the lid, and link arms for transmitting biasing force from torsion bars to the hinge arms. Either each hinge arm or link arm is equipped with a stopper member that brakes the rotation movement of the trunk lid and halts the trunk lid fully-open. The stopper member has tapered surfaces for reducing relative rotational speed between the hinge and link arms by being forced therebetween during their relative rotational movement, and a stopper surface(s) for abutting against the other arm and halting the arms' relative rotational movement at the fully open position of the trunk lid.

The disclosure makes an insulating component and a sensor bracket to be an integrally molded article, simplifies the manufacturing process and cuts down the cost. A sensor holder and a sensor bracket made of a resin are made to be an integrally molded article, wherein the sensor holder inside which a pair of electrodes are arranged, and the sensor bracket made of a resin which holds the sensor holder and is attached to a tailgate. During an operation of filling a molten resin to a cavity, a part of the sensor holder is melted by the molten resin, and thus integrating the sensor holder and the molten resin, therefore, the two components can be structurally and firmly integrated. Accordingly, a touch sensor unit which endures long-term use can be obtained.