Mounting structure of a vehicle interior part

• US 7,077,449 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tokunaga, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blankenship, Greg
• Application Number:
  US10/490,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20040245798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 296/39.1, 296/187.05, 296/187.09, 296/187.12, 296/203.02, 296/203.03, 296/193.06
• US Class Current: 296/39.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0206 Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings devices for fastening or securing F16B
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/065 the plates being one on top of the other and distanced from each other, e.g. by using protrusions to keep contact and distance
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0657 at least one of the plates providing a raised structure, e.g. of the doghouse type, for connection with the clamps or clips of the other plate

Abstract

A mounting device (30) for mounting a vehicle interior part (20) to a vehicle body 10 includes a first engaging portion (31), a second engaging portion (32), and a movement limiting portion (33). The first engaging portion (31) is engaged and thus fixed to the vehicle body (10) so as to be kept from being disengaged therefrom under a predetermined load. The second engaging portion (32) is engaged and thus fixed to the interior part (20) so as to be disengaged therefrom under the predetermined load. While the second engaging portion (32) is engaged with the interior part (20), the movement limiting portion (33) is kept within an interior space (22) formed in the interior part (20). When the interior part is detached and moves away from the vehicle body (10), the movement limiting portion (33) prevents the interior part (20) from moving away from the vehicle body (10) by a distance exceeding a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A mounting structure adapted to mount an interior part for a vehicle on a body of the vehicle, comprising:

a first engaging portion that is engaged with and fixed to the body of the vehicle, the first engaging portion being kept from being disengaged from the body of the vehicle under a predetermined load;

a second engaging portion that is connected to the first engaging portion, the second engaging portion being engaged with and fixed to the interior part, and disengaged from the interior part under the predetermined load; and

a movement limiting portion that is connected to the second engaging portion and stored in an interior space formed in the interior part in a state where the second engaging portion is engaged with the interior part, wherein

the movement limiting portion limits a movement of the interior part away from the body of the vehicle by a distance that is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance when the second engaging portion is disengaged from the interior part so as to be moved away from the body of the vehicle

wherein the movement limiting portion includes an end that serves as an anchor portion engaged with the interior part so as to limit the movement of the interior part, and a flexible portion that connects the anchor portion and the second engaging portion; and

wherein the second engaging portion and the movement limiting portion have substantially flat shapes that extend in different directions.

2. A mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the movement limiting portion has an end portion that is movable in the interior space where the movement limiting portion is kept.

3. A mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion is provided on a first end of the mounting structure, the second engaging portion is provided on an intermediate portion of the mounting structure, and the movement limiting portion is provided on a second end of the mounting structure.

4. A mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein a direction in which the flat shape of the anchor portion extends is different from a direction in which the flat shape of the second engaging portion by substantially 90 degrees.

5. A mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion, the second engaging portion and the movement limiting portion are formed on a single member.

6. A mounting structure according to claim 1 wherein the body of the vehicle is a pillar.

7. A mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the interior part is a pillar garnish.