# US 11,077,742 B2 · Adjustable locator for interior trim panel of vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,742 B2 - Document ID: US11077742B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/559,146 - Filed: 2019-09-03 - Published: 2021-03-04 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-03 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Jesus Edgar Dominguez Cuevas; Jose Elias Ruede Gomez; Alejandro Barrera Torres; Ricardo Jesus Almazan Celis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077742B2 ## CPC - B60J 5/0469: {for door panels, e.g. hemming (hemming equipment B21D39/00)} - B60R 13/0243: {Doors} - B62D 65/024: {Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components} - B62D 65/14: the sub-units or components being passenger compartment fittings, e.g. seats, linings, trim, instrument panels - B60R 2013/0293: {Connection or positioning of adjacent panels} - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A locator assembly for an interior trim panel of a vehicle comprises a bracket and an adjustable locator. The bracket is disposed in the interior trim panel. The adjustable locator comprises a locator pin and is rotatably supported by the bracket. The adjustable locator is capable of rotating from a first position to a second position. The locator pin is disposed in a first location when the adjustable locator is in the first position. The locator pin is disposed in a second location when the adjustable locator is in the second position. The first location of the locator pin is displaced a first distance in a first direction from the second location of the locator pin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A locator assembly for an interior trim panel of a vehicle, the locator assembly comprising: a bracket disposed in the interior trim panel; and an adjustable locator comprising a locator pin, and wherein the adjustable locator is rotatably supported by the bracket; and wherein the adjustable locator is capable of rotating from a first position to a second position, the locator pin is disposed in a first location when the adjustable locator is in the first position, the locator pin is disposed in a second location when the adjustable locator is in the second position, and the first location of the locator pin is displaced a first distance in a first direction from the second location of the locator pin. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The locator assembly of claim 1 wherein the bracket comprises a first surface, a second surface, a first track, a second track, a locator access portion, and a locator groove, the second surface is opposite the first surface, the first track is disposed on the first surface, the second track is disposed on the second surface, and the adjustable locator is disposed in the locator groove. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The locator assembly of claim 2 wherein the adjustable locator comprises a first disc, and a second disc, the first disc is coaxially disposed on a base of the locator pin, the second disc is coaxially disposed on the locator pin approximately a second distance from the first disc, and the first disc and the second disc straddle the bracket. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The locator assembly of claim 3 wherein the adjustable locator further comprises a first tooth and a second tooth, the first tooth is disposed on a third surface of the first disc of the adjustable locator, the second tooth is disposed on a fourth surface of the second disc of the adjustable locator, and the adjustable locator is further disposed in the bracket such that the first tooth is disposed in the first track of the bracket and the second tooth is disposed in the second track of the bracket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The locator assembly of claim 4 wherein each of the first track and the second track include a first rail, a second rail, and a series of ridges, the second rail is disposed opposite the first rail and the series of ridges are disposed connecting the first rail to the second rail. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The locator assembly of claim 5 wherein the locator pin of the adjustable locator further comprises a co-axial bore formed by at least one interior surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The locator assembly of claim 6 wherein the co-axial bore of the locator pin has a hexagonal cross-section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The locator assembly of claim 7 wherein the adjustable locator further comprises a tab extending from an outer periphery of the first disc approximately opposite the first tooth. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The locator assembly of claim 8 wherein the bracket further comprises a first stop and a second stop, the first stop is disposed on the first surface of the bracket proximate a first end of the first track, the second stop is disposed on the first surface of the bracket proximate a second end of the first track. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The locator assembly of claim 9 wherein when the adjustable locator is rotated to the first position the tab is disposed in contact with the first stop of the bracket, when the adjustable locator is rotated to the second position the tab is disposed in contact with the second stop, the first distance is about 5 mm and the first direction is a vertical direction. ### Claim 11 A locator assembly for an interior trim panel of a vehicle, the locator assembly comprising: a bracket disposed in the interior trim panel, the bracket comprising a first surface, a second surface, a first track, a second track, a locator access portion, and a locator groove, and wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface, the first track is disposed on the first surface, and the second track is disposed on the second surface; and an adjustable locator comprising a locator pin, a first disc, a second disc, a first tooth, and a second tooth, and wherein the first disc is coaxially disposed on a base of the locator pin, the second disc is coaxially disposed on the locator pin approximately a second distance from the first disc, the first disc and the second disc straddle the bracket, the first tooth is disposed on a third surface of the first disc of the adjustable locator, the second tooth is disposed on a fourth surface of the second disc of the adjustable locator, and the adjustable locator is disposed in the locator groove of the bracket such that the first tooth is disposed in the first track of the bracket and the second tooth is disposed in the second track of the bracket; and wherein the adjustable locator is capable of rotating from a first position to a second position, the locator pin is disposed in a first location when the adjustable locator is in the first position, the locator pin is disposed in a second location when the adjustable locator is in the second position, and the first location of the locator pin is displaced a first distance in a first direction from the second location of the locator pin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The locator assembly of claim 11 wherein each of the first track and the second track include a first rail, a second rail, and a series of ridges, the second rail is disposed opposite the first rail and the series of ridges are disposed connecting the first rail to the second rail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The locator assembly of claim 11 wherein the locator pin of the adjustable locator further comprises a co-axial bore formed by at least one interior surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The locator assembly of claim 13 wherein the co-axial bore of the locator pin has a hexagonal cross-section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The locator assembly of claim 11 wherein the adjustable locator further comprises a tab extending from an outer periphery of the first disc approximately opposite the first tooth. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The locator assembly of claim 15 wherein the bracket further comprises a first stop and a second stop, the first stop is disposed on the first surface of the bracket proximate a first end of the first track, the second stop is disposed on the first surface of the bracket proximate a second end of the first track. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The locator assembly of claim 16 wherein when the adjustable locator is rotated to the first position the tab is disposed in contact with the first stop of the bracket, when the adjustable locator is rotated to the second position the tab is disposed in contact with the second stop, the first distance is about 5 mm and the first direction is a vertical direction. ### Claim 18 A method of assembling a first interior trim panel assembly to a door of a vehicle, the method comprising: providing a locator assembly for a first interior trim panel of a vehicle, the locator assembly comprising a bracket disposed in the first interior trim panel; and an adjustable locator comprising a locator pin, and wherein the adjustable locator is rotatably supported by the bracket; and wherein the adjustable locator is capable of rotating from a first position to a second position, the locator pin is disposed in a first location when the adjustable locator is in the first position, the locator pin is disposed in a second location when the adjustable locator is in the second position, and the first location of the locator pin is displaced a first distance in a first direction from the second location of the locator pin; providing a male clip attached to the first interior trim panel assembly; hanging the first interior trim panel assembly on the door at a top edge of the first interior trim panel assembly; swinging the first interior trim panel assembly onto the door forcing the male clip to engage with a female clip located on the door; and adjusting the locator assembly of the first interior trim panel assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising visually checking the first interior trim panel assembly alignment with an adjacent second interior trim panel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising installing additional trim parts on the first interior trim panel assembly to cover the first locator assembly.