# US 2016/0355145 A1 · Interior trim gap covering apparatuses for motor vehicles and methods for making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0355145 A1 - Document ID: US20160355145A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/729,638 - Filed: 2015-06-03 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-03 - Assignees: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Gary FORTH; Frank GIANFERRARA; Roger REUTER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355145A1 ## CPC - B60R 21/05: associated with the steering wheel, {steering} hand lever or {steering} column (yieldable steering columns B62D1/18) - B60R 13/02: {Internal} Trim mouldings {; Internal} Ledges; Wall liners {for passenger compartments}; Roof liners (B60R13/01 takes precedence {; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18}) - B60R 13/0256: {Dashboard liners} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/10: including control of change-speed gearings - B60W 10/182: {including control of parking brakes} - B60W 30/18: Propelling the vehicle - B62D 1/187: with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment (B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence) - B60R 2013/0293: {Connection or positioning of adjacent panels} - B60W 2510/06: Combustion engines, Gas turbines - B60W 2510/101: Transmission neutral state - B60W 2540/00: Input parameters relating to occupants - B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - 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 Interior trim gap covering apparatuses for motor vehicles and methods for making interior trim gap covering apparatuses are provided. In one example, an interior trim gap covering apparatus comprises a first gap hider member. The first gap hider member comprises a substrate having a forward edge and a rearward edge and a plurality of openings formed therethrough extending between the forward and rearward edges to facilitate the substrate deforming in response to an applied force. A flexible covering overlies the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interior trim gap covering apparatus for a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a first gap hider member comprising: a substrate deformable from a normal state to a deformed state along a deformation axis between a forward edge and a rearward edge of the substrate, the substrate having a plurality of elongated openings formed therethrough extending between the forward and rearward edges along the deformation axis to facilitate the substrate deforming from the normal state to the deformed state in response to an applied force along the deformation axis; and a flexible covering overlying the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the openings are configured as diamond-shaped openings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the openings are configured as slots. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the openings are configured as a plurality of juxtaposed elongated openings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible covering comprises an outer skin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the flexible covering further comprises a foam layer that is disposed between the outer skin and the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gap hider member further comprises: a steering wheel shroud that is coupled to the substrate and that is configured to operatively couple to a steering column. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second gap hider member that is configured for positioning adjacent to the first gap hider member and to move relative to the first gap hider member generally along an axis to cooperatively cover a gap. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second gap hider member is configured to operatively couple to an instrument panel and the first gap hider member is configured to operatively couple to a steering column, and wherein the first and second gap hider members are cooperatively configured to cover the gap that exposes a portion of the steering column and/or the instrument panel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second gap hider member comprises; a rigid substrate; and an outer covering overlying the rigid substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the openings each have a length of from about 10 to about 50 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the openings each have a width of from about 5 to about 12 mm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the openings are spaced apart from each other a distance of from about 10 to about 30 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a thickness of from about 0.75 to about 2.5 mm. ### Claim 15 A method of forming an interior trim gap covering apparatus for a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of elongated openings through a substrate extending between a forward edge and a rearward edge of the substrate along a deformation axis between the forward edge and the rearward edge of the substrate, wherein the openings are configured to facilitate the substrate deforming from a normal state to a deformed state along the deformation axis in response to an applied force along the deformation axis; and covering the substrate with a flexible covering to form a gap hider member.