Garnish clip for curtain shield airbag

• US 7,338,068 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Teshima, Koya, Kawai, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US11/152,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20050285375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/728.2, 242/97, 244/53, 411/508, 411/999
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21537 characterised by hinges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/309 Plastic type

Abstract

A garnish clip comprises a body attachment portion for attachment to a vehicle body and a garnish attachment portion for attachment to a garnish. The garnish attachment portion comprises a plate-shaped base with one end connected to the body attachment portion and a plate-shaped garnish engagement portion connected to the other end of the base by a U-shaped connection. The garnish engagement portion is latched to a head of the body attachment portion. Ribs on the garnish attachment portion provide rigidity to limit opening of the garnish engagement portion away from the head when the airbag deploys and the latch is released by collision or roll-over forces.

Claims

1. A garnish clip for attaching a garnish, that holds a curtain shield airbag, to a portion of a vehicle body, comprising:

a body attachment portion for attachment to a vehicle body, and

a garnish attachment portion for attachment to a garnish,

wherein the garnish attachment portion comprises a base with one end connected to the body attachment portion and an opposite end connected to one end of a garnish engagement portion by a U-shaped connection, so that the garnish engagement portion opposes the base,

wherein a latch includes cooperable parts disposed on the garnish engagement portion and the body attachment portion at positions opposing one another, whereby the garnish engagement portion is latched to the body attachment portion,

wherein the latch is released when an impact force is sustained by the deployment of the curtain shield airbag so as to move the garnish engagement portion away from the body attachment portion, and

wherein the garnish attachment portion, including the U-shaped connection, has stiffening elements that provide sufficient rigidity to the garnish attachment portion to limit movement of the garnish engagement portion away from the body attachment portion when the latch is released.

2. The clip described in claim 1, wherein the latch comprises latch plates extending from either the garnish engagement portion or the body attachment portion and latch shoulders on either the body attachment portion or the garnish engagement portion to engage pawls on the ends of the latch plates.

4. The clip described in claim 1, wherein a garnish insertion tube is provided on the garnish engagement portion for sliding engagement with a recess in a garnish.

5. The clip described in claim 1, wherein the body attachment portion has a pair of legs with a corresponding pair of pawls for insertion into an attachment hole in the vehicle body.

3. A garnish clip for attaching a garnish, that holds a curtain shield airbag, to a portion of a vehicle body, comprising:

a body attachment portion for attachment to a vehicle body, and

a garnish attachment portion for attachment to a garnish,

wherein the garnish attachment portion comprises a base with one end connected to the body attachment portion and an opposite end connected to one end of a garnish engagement portion by a U-shaped connection, so that the garnish engagement portion opposes the base,

wherein a latch includes cooperable parts disposed on the garnish engagement portion and the body attachment portion at positions opposing one another, whereby the garnish engagement portion is latched to the body attachment portion,

wherein the latch is released when an impact force is sustained by the deployment of the curtain shield airbag so as to move the garnish engagement portion away from the body attachment portion,

wherein the garnish attachment portion has sufficient rigidity to limit movement of the garnish engagement portion away from the body attachment portion when the latch is released, and

wherein ribs extend lengthwise on the base, the U-shaped connection, and the garnish engagement portion, to provide rigidity to the garnish attachment portion that limits movement of the garnish engagement portion away from the body attachment portion when the latch is released.

6. A garnish clip for attaching a garnish, that holds a curtain shield airbag, to a portion of a vehicle body, comprising:

a body attachment portion for attachment to a vehicle body; and

a garnish attachment portion for attachment to a garnish,

wherein the garnish attachment portion is constructed to provide a space for retaining a portion of an airbag, and has a latch that is released upon deployment of the airbag to expand the space to a limited extent, and to move a garnish away from the body attachment portion to a limited extent, and

wherein the garnish attachment portion has ribs that limit said movement.

7. The clip described in claim 6, wherein the latch has cooperable parts on the body attachment portion and one end of the garnish attachment portion, and the garnish attachment portion has a hinge at an opposite end thereof that permits said movement.