Automotive Patents

Regardless of my job title, I've always had a roll up your sleeves kind of attitude.  I have a tremendous respect for the people working on my plant floor and like to interact with them in order to better understand full operations from front door to back door.  Perhaps it's due to my background in Engineering or my skills as a Master Tool & Die Maker.

In the 90's, I applied for several patents in automotive trim with colleauges, however, the one that stands out most to me was the running board.  Yes, a metal bar running across the bottom side of the vehicle already existed, but we turned this into something practical. With Minivans and SUVs becoming more and more popular, there was a need for easy access.  The running board is one of my most memorable accomplishments.  -- Today, the running board is used worldwide and has been taken to a new level of becoming fully retractable.

For anyone interested in seeing these patents, click on the bold writing below and you'll be redirected to the patent's link.

• Bilaminate polymer coated metal strip and method for manufacture thereof

  • United States Patent 5.182,141
   
  • Issued January 26, 1993
  
  

• Automotive Trim Piece

  • United States Patent 5,536,540
   
  • Issued July 16, 1996
  
  

• Automotive Trim Piece

  • United States Patent 5,564,249
   
  • Issued October 15, 1996
  
  

• Automotive Trim Piece

  • Canada Patent CA 2113187
   
  • Issued April 4, 2002
  
  

• Bilaminate polymer coated metal strip and method for manufacture thereof

  • Europe Patent EP0525455 B1
   
  • Issued February 12, 1991
  Also published as EP0515455A1 and US5182141

• Automotive Trim Piece

  • Europe Patent EP0593652 B1
   
  • Issued July 15, 1992
  Also published as EP0593652A1 and US5536540
  
  

  • Structural Part for a Motor Vehicle and Method of Construction  

    
    

    • Canada Patent CA 2123621
       Filed:  Mau 16, 1994