Molded headliner reinforcement

• US 7,798,566 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Alawadi, Mohammed, Arellano, Nora
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan; Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chenevert; Paul A
• Application Number:
  US11/957,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20090152905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 242/97, 244/53, 244/58, 296/1.07, 296/1.08, 296/97.9, 296/208, 296/214, 296/216.08, 174/40.CC, 174/70.R, 174/72.A, 174/535, 174/545, 248/71, 248/73, 248/74.1, 403/3, 403/4, 403/13, 403/14, 411/508
• 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 assembly having an elongated body and a clip attachment for ensuring the proper placement of a wire harness at a location above a headliner in a motor vehicle, said headliner reinforcement assembly comprising:

a wire harness assembly having a wire harness and a wire harness sheath, said wire harness sheath having an elongated body with an inner cavity and a longitudinal slit, said longitudinal slit dimensioned for said wire harness to be placed within said inner cavity of said elongated body, said wire harness sheath also having a pair of spaced apart clip plates extending from said elongated body and a pair of spaced apart clip bodies separated by a predetermined distance and extending from said spaced apart clip plates in an outwardly direction from said elongated body; and

a headliner reinforcement having a top side, said top side having two spaced apart clip attachments spaced apart by said predetermined distance;

said pair of spaced apart clip bodies of said wire harness sheath attached to said pair of spaced apart clip attachments of said headliner reinforcement.

2. The headliner reinforcement assembly 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 said wire harness to said headliner reinforcement in an incorrect orientation.

3. The headliner reinforcement assembly of claim 1, wherein said two spaced apart clip attachments are located proximate to a front region of said headliner reinforcement.

4. The headliner reinforcement assembly of claim 1, wherein said two spaced apart clip attachments are aligned along a generally horizontal line.

5. The wire harness assembly of claim 1, wherein said pair of spaced apart clip plates are integral with said wire harness sheath.

6. The headliner reinforcement assembly of claim 1, further comprising a support box for each of said two spaced apart clip attachments.

7. The headliner reinforcement assembly of claim 6, wherein each of said two spaced apart clip attachments is an aperture, each of said apertures at least partially within one of said support boxes of said headliner reinforcement member.