Roof header modules in a vehicle

• US 10,442,471 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tulett, Daniel Eric, D'Agata, Gaetano, Uchil, Raviraj
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ivey, Dana D
• Application Number:
  US15/895,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20180281868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 296 2434
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/006 characterised by fixation means such as clips, adhesive, etc. incorporated in seal B60J10/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/00 Antiglare equipment associated with windows or windscreens optical viewing arrangements for vehicles B60R1/00; Sun visors for vehicles sun visors having appliances for storing or holding personal property B60R7/05
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0204 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0243 sliding out from ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0212 Roof or head liners movable head-liners B60J7/0007
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1238 with vanity mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/04 Door pillars ; windshield pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/06 Fixed roofs non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/02 rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/007 predominantly of special steel or specially treated steel, e.g. stainless steel or locally surface hardened steel

Abstract

Roof header modules in a vehicle comprises a base configured to interface with a windshield, a headliner and an A-pillar. The plurality of components is attached to the base through a plurality mounts designed to receive the plurality of the components. The plurality of components may include one of a sun visor, a vanity mirror, an overhead console, rear view mirror or monitor, a rain sensor, a camera, and/or a radar and may be attached by mounts. The roof header module is a preassembled single piece.

Claims

1. A roof header module in a vehicle, comprising:

a base disposed between a windshield and a headliner along a lengthwise direction and attached to a sheet metal of the vehicle; and

a plurality of components attached to the base and included on an interior of the vehicle,

wherein the base extends across a width of an interior of the vehicle, is configured to interface with the windshield, the headliner and an A-pillar, wherein the base includes a plurality mounts to receive corresponding plurality of the components, and wherein the roof header module is a preassembled piece separate from the headliner.

2. The roof header module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the components includes a sun visor and a vanity mirror.

3. The roof header module of claim 2, wherein the plurality of the components further includes one of an overhead console and a rear view mirror.

4. The roof header module of claim 3, wherein the plurality of the components further includes one of a rain sensor, a camera, a radar, and a sun sensor.

5. The roof header module of claim 4, wherein the base includes a channel to hold wiring harness of one of the rain sensor, the camera, the radar, and a sun sensor.

6. The roof header module of claim 5, wherein the base is made of hard plastic.

7. The roof header module of claim 6, wherein the mounts of the base include recesses opened to a first side to receive the vanity mirror and the sun visor, and the channel opened at a second side to hold the wiring harness, and wherein the mounts are integrally formed with the base.

8. The roof header module of claim 7, wherein the mounts of the base include a cavity to receive the overhead console.

9. A roof header module in a vehicle, comprising:

a base including a plurality of mounts; and

a plurality of components to be included on an interior of the vehicle and attached to the corresponding mounts on the base,

wherein the base and the plurality of components are preassembled to form a single module and the base is disposed between a windshield and a headliner along a lengthwise direction and extends across a width of the vehicle, and configured to be fit between the windshield and the headliner, and wherein the roof header module and the headliner together cover an entire sheet metal of the vehicle roof.

10. The roof header module of claim 9, wherein the plurality of components includes at least one of two sun visors, two vanity mirrors and an overhead console.

11. The roof header module of claim 9, wherein the base further includes a plurality of coupling mounts to provide connection points with a sheet metal of a vehicle roof or a header panel disposed between the sheet metal of the vehicle roof and to reinforce strength of the base, and wherein the coupling mounts are integrally formed with the base.

12. The roof head module of claim 9, wherein the base includes a curved edge or a straight edge at a side adjacent to the headliner.

13. A vehicle, comprising:

a windshield;

an A-pillar;

a headliner; and

a roof header module disposed on a sheet metal of a vehicle roof between the windshield and the headliner along a lengthwise direction of the vehicle and extending across a width of the vehicle, wherein the roof header module includes a base, and a plurality of components attached to the base, and the roof header module is a separate piece from the headliner, wherein the roof header module and the headliner together cover an entire sheet metal of the vehicle roof, and

wherein the plurality of components include at least one of a sun visor, a vanity mirror, a rear view mirror and a plurality of sensors, and

wherein the base includes a plurality of mounts corresponding to the plurality of components.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the base is made from hard plastic.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the base is attached to sheet metal of vehicle roof by a bolt, screw, adhesive, or snap attachment.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein an edge portion of the base is disposed under the A-pillar trim.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein a space between the windshield and the headliner is configured such that the base has further interference fit with the headliner.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the sun visor is a sliding-pulling type sun visor, and wherein a mount corresponding to the sun visor is an elongated opening to allow the sun visor to move in and out, and the sun visor is wound on a reel attached to the base and the reel is a power operated.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the reel is electrically communicated with a sun sensor and a control unit and the reel is activated to extend the sun visor to a use position when the control unit determines that an angle of sun light affects a driver'"'"'s line of sight based on the information from the sun sensor.