Mounting structure of assist grip

• US 8,931,818 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): LYJAK, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US14/066,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20140117692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 296/1.02, 296/97.9, 296/97.12, 296/214
• US Class Current: 296/1.02
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/026 characterised by the fixing means B60N3/023 takes precedence

Abstract

Total four notched portions, two for each of both edges, are formed in a lateral leg to which a tensile load is applied when an assist grip is normally used. In an extending direction of the lateral leg, a position of the notched portion and a position of the notched portion are different from each other. Therefore, if excessive impact force is applied to the assist grip and a compression load is applied to the lateral leg, the notched portion is bent and the lateral leg buckles while being twisted. In this case, as compared to a case where the legs buckle by being bent so that the legs are overlapped with each other, the impact force is effectively absorbed.

Claims

1. A mounting structure of an assist grip in which the assist grip is mounted on a vehicle body via a bracket,

wherein the bracket comprises

a bracket main body on which the assist grip is mounted;

a plurality of plate-shaped legs which extend from the bracket main body, wherein each of tip portions of the plurality of legs is connected to the vehicle body,

wherein out of the plurality of legs, a plurality of weak portions are formed at each of both edges of the leg to which a tensile load is applied when the assist grip is normally used, and

wherein a position of the weak portion of one side edge is different from a position of the weak portion of the other side edge in an extending direction of the leg.

2. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 1,

wherein in the extending direction of the leg, a plurality of weak portions are arranged in the leg such that two weak portions aligned adjacent to each other on one side edge are interposed between two weak portions aligned adjacent to each other on the other side edge.

3. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 2,

wherein the two weak portions aligned adjacent to each other on one side edge are arranged upside of the vehicle and the two weak portions aligned adjacent to each other on the other side edge are arranged downside of the vehicle.

4. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of the legs are three legs consisting of one leg to which a compression load is applied when the assist grip is normally used and two legs to which a tensile load is applied when the assist grip is normally used.

5. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 4,

wherein the one leg to which a compression load is applied when the assist grip is normally used is a central leg located centrally and below, and the two legs to which a tensile load is applied when the assist grip is normally used are two lateral legs located on either side of the central leg.

6. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 5,

wherein the two lateral legs are arranged at substantially the same height position as the bracket main body or upper side position relative to the bracket main body.

7. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 4,

wherein the bracket main body has a square plate shape,

wherein the bracket further comprises a flange portion which extends to surround the bracket main body along a normal direction from an edge of the bracket main body, and

wherein the three legs extend from the edge of the bracket main body in the same direction as the flange portion.

8. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 1,

wherein the weak portion is notched.

9. The mounting structure of an assist grip according to claim 8,

wherein the notched shape is configured to be a curve.