Releasable clip assembly facilitating trim panel movement

• US 8,678,427 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Spamer, Carl D., Gillay, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US13/655,889
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.2, 280/728.1, 280/730.2, 280/728.3
• US Class Current: 280/728.2
• 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: B60R 13/025 Pillars; Roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars

Abstract

A vehicle body assembly includes a body structure, a trim panel connected to the body structure and an air bag located between the body structure and the trim panel. A releasable clip assembly connects the body structure and the trim panel. The releasable clip assembly includes a first mating component connected to the body structure and a second mating component connected to the trim panel. The second mating component has a lock position and a release position relative to the first mating component. In the lock position, the second mating component is engaged with the first mating component. The second mating component moves to the release position relative to the first mating component with movement of the trim panel during deployment of the air bag to release the second mating component from the first mating component.

Claims

1. A vehicle body assembly comprising:

a body structure;

a trim panel connected to the body structure;

an air bag located between the body structure and the trim panel; and

a releasable clip assembly that connects the body structure and the trim panel, the releasable clip assembly comprising;

a first mating component comprising an anchor body connected to the body structure; and

a second mating component having a bracket body including a first leg connected to the trim panel and a second leg connected to the first leg by a bend and engaged with the anchor body;

wherein the anchor body passes from the second leg through an open end in the first leg of the second mating component with movement of the trim panel and the second mating component during deployment of the air bag to release the second mating component from the anchor body.

2. The vehicle body assembly of claim 1, wherein the bracket body having a slot that is sized to receive the anchor body of the first mating component.

3. The vehicle body assembly of claim 2, wherein the slot defines a lengthwise receiving direction through which the bracket body receives the anchor body of the first mating component in the lock position.

4. The vehicle body assembly of claim 3, wherein the slot is continuous and extends through the first leg, the second leg and the bend.

5. The vehicle body assembly of claim 4, wherein the second leg includes a release projection that engages the first mating component to move the second mating component outwardly away from the body structure relative to the first mating component with movement of the trim panel during deployment of the air bag.

6. The vehicle body assembly of claim 1, wherein the first mating component comprises a tether connected to the anchor body.

7. The vehicle body assembly of claim 6, wherein the tether comprises an enlarged portion that is sized to engage the bracket body with the anchor body removed from the slot.

8. The vehicle body assembly of claim 1, wherein the second mating component is integrally molded with the trim panel.

19. The vehicle body assembly of claim 1, wherein the anchor body passes through the second mating component in a direction opposite of a development direction of the air bag during deployment of the air bag.

9. A releasable clip assembly that connects a body structure and a trim panel of a vehicle, the releasable clip assembly comprising:

a first mating component comprising an anchor body; and

a second mating component comprising a bracket body having a first leg and a second leg having a slot that is sized to receive the anchor body of the first mating component, the second mating component having a lock position and a release position relative to the first mating component, wherein the slot of the second leg defines a lengthwise receiving direction through which the bracket body receives the anchor body of the first mating component in the lock position;

wherein, in the lock position, the second leg of the second mating component is engaged with the first mating component within the slot and the second mating component having the release position where the second mating component moves in a transverse direction relative to the lengthwise receiving direction to the release position to allow the anchor body to pass through an open end in the first leg of the second mating component to release the second mating component from the anchor body.

10. The releasable clip assembly of claim 9, wherein the second leg being connected to the first leg by a bend.

11. The releasable clip assembly of claim 10, wherein the slot extends through both the first leg and the second leg forming the open end.

12. The releasable clip assembly of claim 11, wherein the second leg includes a release projection that engages the first mating component to move the second mating component in the transverse direction.

13. The releasable clip assembly of claim 9, wherein the first mating component comprises a tether connected to the anchor body.

14. The releasable clip assembly of claim 13, wherein the tether comprises an enlarged portion that is sized to engage the bracket body with the anchor body removed from the slot.

15. A method of deploying an air bag located between a body structure and a trim panel, the method comprising:

deploying an air bag; and

releasing a releasable clip assembly that connects the body structure and the trim panel, the releasable clip assembly comprising a first mating component comprising an anchor body connected to the body structure and a second mating component having a bracket body including a first leg connected to the trim panel and a second leg connected to the first leg by a bend and engaged with the anchor body, wherein, the anchor body passes from the second leg through an open end in the first leg of the second mating component with movement of the trim panel and the second mating component during deployment of the air bag to release the second mating component from the anchor body.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the slot defines a lengthwise receiving direction through which the bracket body receives the anchor body of the first mating component.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of releasing the releasable clip assembly comprises moving the anchor body in a direction transverse to the lengthwise receiving direction.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second leg being connected to the first leg by a bend, wherein the slot is continuous and extends through the first leg, the second leg and the bend.