Vehicle interior member and method for removal thereof

• US 7,559,592 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daikyo Nishikawa Corporation
• Original Assignee: Daikyo Nishikawa Corporation
• Inventors: Hidaka, Shouichirou, Yamagiwa, Tsuyoshi, Kikkawa, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): GUTMAN, HILARY L
• Application Number:
  US11/819,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 296/1.02, 296/29, 296/1.08, 161/101, 242/89, 242/97
• US Class Current: 296/1.02
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/026 characterised by the fixing means B60N3/023 takes precedence

Abstract

To provide a vehicle interior member affixing member capable of improving the efficiency of attachment and removal operations. A vehicle interior member attached to an attaching portion in a vehicle cabin having an interior member main body and an affixing member for attaching the interior member main body, wherein the affixing member comprises two inserted portions inserted at the leading end side into an opening portion and mutually separated, a tab portion disposed on these inserted portions and engaging the edge portions of the opening portion when attached, thereby preventing the affixing member from falling out, and a connecting portion connecting the two inserted portions in such a way that the width at the base end side is approximately the same as the width at the opening portion; when the interior member main body is attached, the two inserted portions are placed at a spacing such that the tab portions engage the opening portions, and when pulled out, they are elastically deformed such that the gap at the leading end side of the inserted portions narrows and the engagement between the tab portion and the opening portion is released.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior member attached to an attaching portion disposed in a vehicle cabin comprising:

an interior member main body and

an affixing member for attaching the interior member main body to the attaching portion by insertion thereof into an opening portion formed on the attaching portion,

wherein the affixing member has;

two inserted portions arranged so as to be mutually separated, leading end sides of which are inserted into the opening portion;

a tab portion disposed on at least one of the inserted portions, so as to engage an edge portion of the opening portion when the interior member main body is attached to the attaching portion, thereby preventing the affixing member from falling out of the opening portion; and

a connecting portion connecting the two inserted portions in such a way that a width at a base end side of the affixing member is approximately the same as or greater than a width at the opening portion;

wherein the vehicle interior member is constituted in such a way that when the interior member main body is attached to the attaching portion, the two inserted portions are placed at a spacing such that the tab portion engages the opening portion, and when the two inserted portions are pulled out from the opening portion, a gap at the leading end sides of the two inserted portions is elastically deformed to become narrow, and the engagement between the tab portion and the opening portion is released;

the vehicle interior member further comprising a falling out prevention portion which prevents the dropping-out of the affixing member, whereby the falling out prevention portion has two spacer members arranged between the two inserted portions and extending on both sides of the connecting portion, and a spacer connecting portion for connecting the two spacer members at a leading end side relative to the connecting portion, such that when the interior member main body is attached to the attaching portion, the two inserted portions are placed at a spacing whereby the tab portion engages the opening portion, and by moving the two spacer members to a base end side, the affixing member elastically deforms the affixing member such that a gap on the leading end side of the two inserted portions narrows, thus enabling a release of the engagement between the tab portion and the opening portion; and

wherein the two spacer members extend from the base end side of the inserted portion up to a vicinity of the tab portion.

2. A vehicle interior member attached to an attaching portion disposed in a vehicle cabin comprising:

an interior member main body and

an affixing member for attaching the interior member main body to the attaching portion by insertion thereof into an opening portion formed on the attaching portion,

wherein the affixing member has;

two inserted portions arranged so as to be mutually separated, leading end sides of which are inserted into the opening portion;

a tab portion disposed on at least one of the inserted portions, so as to engage an edge portion of the opening portion when the interior member main body is attached to the attaching portion, thereby preventing the affixing member from falling out of the opening portion; and

a connecting portion connecting the two inserted portions in such a way that a width at a base end side of the affixing member is approximately the same as or greater than a width at the opening portion;

wherein the vehicle interior member is constituted in such a way that when the interior member main body is attached to the attaching portion, the two inserted portions are placed at a spacing such that the tab portion engages the opening portion, and when the two inserted portions are pulled out from the opening portion, a gap at the leading end sides of the two inserted portions is elastically deformed to become narrow, and the engagement between the tab portion and the opening portion is released;

wherein the interior member main body is attached to the attaching portion in such a way that roof trim disposed to cover a vehicle-mounted airbag is disposed between the attaching portion and the interior member main body, and the tab portion extends at an angle from the respective leading end side to a base end side of the inserted portion;

a leading end of the tab portion is formed to engage an edge portion of the opening portion, and when a strong force is applied by deployment of an airbag, the tab portion is bent and the interior member main body is displaced toward the base end side, and displacement to the base end side by the roof trim is permitted.

3. An affixing member for attaching an interior member main body to an attaching portion disposed in a vehicle cabin interior, comprising:

two inserted portions arranged so as to be mutually separated, leading end sides of which are inserted into an opening portion;

a tab portion disposed on at least one of these inserted portions, such that the inverted portion engages an edge portion of the opening portion when the interior member main body is attached to an attaching portion, thereby preventing the affixing member from falling out of the opening portion;

a connecting portion connecting the two inserted portions at a base end side of the affixing member in such a way that a width at the base end side of the affixing member is approximately the same as or greater than a width at the opening portion;

wherein the affixing member is constituted in such a way that when the interior member main body is attached to the attaching portion, the two inserted portions are placed at a spacing such that the tab portion engages the opening portions, and when the two inserted portions are pulled out from the opening portion, a gap at the leading end side of the two inserted portions is elastically deformed to become narrow, and engagement between the tab portion and the opening portion is released.