Molded Headliner Reinforcement

• US 20090152905A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Alawadi, Mohammed, Arellano, Nora
• Granted Patent: US 7,798,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/214
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0225 self supporting head liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories

Abstract

A headliner reinforcement for ensuring the proper placement of a wire harness at a location above a headliner in a motor vehicle is provided. The headliner reinforcement includes a member having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side being adjacent to the headliner and the top side being adjacent to a roof of the motor vehicle. The top side includes at least one clip attachment operable to accept at least one clip. In some instances, the top side can include at least two spaced apart clip attachments separated by a predetermined distance and operable to accept at least two spaced apart clips separated by the same predetermined distance on the wire harness. The predetermined distance between the spaced apart clip attachments and the spaced apart clips can be unique among other clip attachments on the motor vehicle and thereby prevent the installment of an undesirable wire harness above the headliner of the motor vehicle. In addition, the predetermined distance between the spaced apart clip attachments and the clips can be unique for the particular model of the motor vehicle, and thereby prevent the installation of a wire harness designed for a different motor vehicle model.

Claims

1. A headliner reinforcement for ensuring the proper placement of a desirable wire harness at a location above a headliner in a motor vehicle, said headliner reinforcement comprising:

a member having a top side and a bottom side;

said bottom side adjacent to said headliner;

said top side having at least one clip attachment operable to accept at least one clip on the wire harness.

2. The headliner reinforcement of claim 1, further comprising a support box for each of said at least one clip attachments.

3. The headliner reinforcement of claim 1, wherein said clip attachment has a top end and a bottom end, said top end and said bottom end being asymmetrical, for the purpose of preventing attachment of the desirable wire harness to said member in an incorrect orientation.

4. The headliner reinforcement of claim 1, wherein said top side has at least two spaced apart clip attachments separated by a predetermined distance and operable to accept at least two spaced apart clips separated by said predetermined distance on the wire harness.

5. The headliner reinforcement of claim 4, wherein said predetermined distance between said at least two spaced apart clip attachments prevents attachment of a nondesirable wire harness sheath to said member.

6. The headliner reinforcement of claim 4, wherein said at least two spaced apart clip attachments are located proximate to a front region of said member.

7. The headliner assembly of claim 4, wherein said at least two spaced apart clip attachments are aligned along a generally horizontal line.

8. The headliner assembly of claim 4, wherein each of said at least two spaced apart clip attachments is an aperture, said aperture at least partially within said top side of said headliner reinforcement member.

9. The headliner reinforcement of claim 4, further comprising a wire harness sheath having an inner cavity for receiving the wire harness and an outer surface having at least two spaced apart clips separated by said predetermined distance and operable to attach to said at least two spaced apart clip attachments of said top side of said member.

10. A wire harness assembly for ensuring the proper placement of a desirable wire harness sheath at a location on a top side of a headliner reinforcement member, said wire harness comprising:

a wire harness; and

a wire harness sheath having an inner cavity for receiving said wire harness and an outer surface having at least two spaced apart clips, said at least two spaced apart clips having a predetermined distance therebetween and operable to attach to at least two spaced apart clip attachments on the top side of the headliner reinforcement member.

11. The wire harness assembly of claim 10, wherein each of said at least two spaced apart clips are attached to a clip plate, said clip plate being attached to said outer surface of said wire harness sheath.

12. The wire harness assembly of claim 11, wherein said clip plate is integral with said outer surface.

13. The wire harness assembly of claim 10, further comprising a headliner reinforcement member, said headliner reinforcement member having at least two spaced apart clip attachments separated by said predetermined distance and operable to accept said at least two spaced apart clips on said wire harness sheath.

14. The wire harness assembly of claim 13, wherein said clip attachments and said predetermined distance therebetween are unique to the location on the top side of a headliner reinforcement member, for the purpose of preventing attachment of a nondesirable wire harness sheath to said member.

15. The wire harness assembly of claim 14, wherein said at least two spaced apart clip attachments have a top side and a bottom side, said top side and said bottom side being asymmetrical, for the purpose of preventing attachment of the desirable wire harness sheath to said member in an incorrect orientation.

16. A wire harness assembly for ensuring proper placement of a desirable wire harness sheath containing a wire harness at a location on a top side of a headliner reinforcement member, said wire harness assembly comprising:

a wire harness;

a wire harness sheath having an inner cavity for receiving said wire harness and an outer surface having at least two spaced apart clips, said at least two spaced apart clips having a predetermined distance therebetween; and

a headliner reinforcement member having a top side and a bottom side;

said bottom side adjacent to a headliner;

said top side having at least two spaced apart clip attachments separated by said predetermined distance and operable to accept said at least two spaced apart clips on said outer surface of said wire harness sheath.

17. The wire harness assembly of claim 16, wherein said clip attachments and said predetermined distance therebetween are unique to said location on said top side of said headliner reinforcement member, for the purpose of preventing attachment of a nondesirable wire harness sheath to said member.

18. The headliner assembly of claim 17, wherein said clip attachments are asymmetrical, for the purpose of preventing attachment of the desirable wire harness sheath to said member in an incorrect orientation.