Connector for automotive interior trim
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsMichael Cass, John Youngs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector for securing an interior trim assembly to a support of an automobile. The connector includes a connector body having a head portion formed at a proximal end of the connector body and a shank portion extending from the head portion toward a distal end of the connector body. A sealing gasket is integrally molded onto the connector body distally of the head portion. A two-shot molding process may be used to form the connector with the connector body being formed in the first shot of the molding process and the sealing gasket being formed onto the connector body in the second shot of the molding process.
Claims47
A connector for securing a trim assembly to a support of an automobile, comprising:
- a connector body having a head portion formed at a proximal end of said connector body and configured to be operatively connected with the trim assembly and a shank portion extending from said head portion toward a distal end of said connector body and being configured to operatively connect with the support;
- and
- a sealing gasket integrally molded onto said connector body distally of said head portion, said sealing gasket being adapted to form a seal between said head portion of said connector body and the trim assembly when the trim assembly is coupled to the support member.
A connector for securing a trim assembly to a support of an automobile, comprising:
- a connector body having a head portion formed at a proximal end of said connector body and configured to be operatively connected with the trim assembly and a shank portion extending from said head portion toward a distal end of said connector body and being configured to operatively connect with the support;
- and
- a sealing gasket integrally molded onto said connector body distally of said head portion and extending outwardly from said shank portion, said sealing gasket being adapted to form a seal between said head portion of said connector body and the trim assembly when the trim assembly is coupled to the support member.
A connector for securing a trim assembly to a support of an automobile, comprising:
- a connector body having a head portion formed at a proximal end of said connector body and configured to be operatively connected with the trim assembly, a shank portion extending from said head portion toward a distal end of said connector body and being configured to operatively connect with the support, and a sealing flange extending outwardly from said shank portion distally of said head portion;
- and
- a sealing gasket integrally molded onto said connector body distally of said sealing flange and extending outwardly from said shank portion, said sealing gasket being adapted to form a seal between said sealing flange of said connector body and the trim assembly when the trim assembly is coupled to the support member.
A method of forming a connector for securing a trim assembly to a support of an automobile, comprising:
- molding a first material to form a connector body;
- and
- molding a second material onto the connector body to form a sealing gasket on the connector body.
A method of forming a connector in a two-shot molding operation for securing a trim assembly to a support of an automobile, comprising:
- providing a first mold cavity;
- molding a first material within the first mold cavity to form a connector body during a first shot of the molding operation;
- providing a second mold cavity;
- and
- molding a second material within the second mold cavity to form a sealing gasket on the connector body during a second shot of the molding operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.