Interior body panel fit and finish tabs and methods of installation and use thereof
First Claim
1. An interior panel assembleable with a corresponding vehicle body portion, the interior panel comprising:
- a panel body having a vehicle interior facing surface and an edge portion;
a sunshade retaining portion coupled to the panel body; and
at least one panel tab extending from the panel body within the edge portion of the panel body on a side opposite the vehicle interior facing surface, each of the at least one panel tab having an extending length and a width, wherein each panel tab is positioned so as to lockably engage a corresponding one of at least one body tab extending from the vehicle body portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Interior panel and body assembly features for vehicles that include the placement of panel tabs on vehicle interior panels, with the panel tabs on the interior panels having features for interactive attachment of the interior panels with vehicle body portions via corresponding body tabs on each vehicle body portion. The interactive attachment aspects of the panel tabs operating with the body tabs may further assist in properly locating each interior panel relative to a vehicle body portions. When the interior panel is installed on the vehicle body, each panel tab attaches the interior panel to the corresponding body portion via a body tab, so as to enhance the strength of the attachment, such as at an edge location where standard attachment clips cannot be used, thereby improving positioning and good fit and finish, while maximizing interior space capacity.
17 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An interior panel assembleable with a corresponding vehicle body portion, the interior panel comprising:
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a panel body having a vehicle interior facing surface and an edge portion; a sunshade retaining portion coupled to the panel body; and at least one panel tab extending from the panel body within the edge portion of the panel body on a side opposite the vehicle interior facing surface, each of the at least one panel tab having an extending length and a width, wherein each panel tab is positioned so as to lockably engage a corresponding one of at least one body tab extending from the vehicle body portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 21)
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7. An interior panel and body assembly, comprising:
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an interior panel body having a vehicle interior facing surface and a panel edge portion, the panel body having at least one panel tab extending from the panel body at the panel edge portion on a side opposite the vehicle interior facing surface, each of the at least one panel tab having an extending length and a width; a sunshade retaining portion coupled to the interior panel body; and a vehicle body portion having a vehicle interior facing surface, a body portion edge, and at least one body tab extending from the body edge portion; wherein each panel tab is positioned so as to lockably engage a corresponding one of the at least one body tab. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for assembling an interior panel with a body portion of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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aligning the interior panel with the vehicle body portion; wherein the interior panel includes a panel body, a vehicle interior facing surface, a vehicle exterior facing surface, an edge portion, at least one panel tab extending from the panel body at the edge portion, and at least one attachment clip extending from the vehicle exterior facing surface, wherein the interior panel has a sunshade retaining portion coupled thereto, and wherein the at least one attachment clip is located other than at the edge portion; and wherein the vehicle body portion has at least one clip receiving feature and at least one body tab extending from the vehicle body portion; engaging at least one attachment clip of the interior panel with the at least one clip receiving feature of the vehicle body portion; and applying a force to the interior panel at the edge portion to engage each of the at least one panel tab with each of the at least one body tab. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification