# US 2021/0276629 A1 · Vehicle exterior component and attachment structure for the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276629 A1 - Document ID: US20210276629A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/497,582 - Filed: 2018-03-08 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-30 - Assignees: FALTEC Co., Ltd. - Applicants: FALTEC Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Soji ONUKI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276629A1 ## CPC - B60R 9/058: characterised by releasable attaching means between carrier and roof - B62D 27/02: rigid - B60R 9/04: Carriers associated with vehicle roof (B60R9/08 takes precedence) - 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 vehicle exterior component includes: a main body having an elongated shape and attached to a vehicle body panel having vehicle body-side attachment portions; and attachment portions provided in the main body at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the main body. The attachment portions have attachment reference surfaces in contact with the vehicle body-side attachment portions at two or more combination positions each defined by a combination of one of lateral positions shifted from each other in a width direction of the main body and one of vertical positions shifted from each other in an attachment height direction of the main body to the vehicle body panel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle exterior component comprising: a main body having an elongated shape and attached to a vehicle body panel having vehicle body-side attachment portions; and attachment portions provided in the main body at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the main body and having attachment reference surfaces in contact with the vehicle body-side attachment portions at two or more combination positions each defined by a combination of one of lateral positions shifted from each other in a width direction of the main body and one of vertical positions shifted from each other in an attachment height direction of the main body to the vehicle body panel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle exterior component according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portions have the attachment reference surfaces at all of the combination positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle exterior component according to claim 2, wherein the lateral positions include a first lateral position and a second lateral position, the vertical positions include a first vertical position and a second vertical position, and the attachment portions include: a first attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the first lateral position and the first vertical position; a second attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the first lateral position and the second vertical position; a third attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the second lateral position and the first vertical position; and a fourth attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the second lateral position and the second vertical position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle exterior component according to claim 3, wherein the attachment portions are arranged in the longitudinal direction with an arrangement pattern including a group of the single first attachment portion, the single second attachment portion, the single third attachment portion, and the single fourth attachment portion being repeated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle exterior component according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portions have the attachment reference surfaces at four or more of the combination positions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle exterior component according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle exterior component is a vehicle roof rail. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) An attachment structure of a vehicle exterior component, comprising: a vehicle body panel having vehicle body-side attachment portions; and the vehicle exterior component according to any one of claims 1 to 6claim 1 attached to the vehicle body panel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The attachment structure according to claim 7, wherein the attachment portions have the attachment reference surfaces at all of the combination positions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The attachment structure according to claim 8, wherein the lateral positions include a first lateral position and a second lateral position, the vertical positions include a first vertical position and a second vertical position, and the attachment portions include: a first attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the first lateral position and the first vertical position; a second attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the first lateral position and the second vertical position; a third attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the second lateral position and the first vertical position; and a fourth attachment portion having the attachment reference surface at the combination position defined by the second lateral position and the second vertical position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The attachment structure according to claim 9, wherein the attachment portions are arranged in the longitudinal direction with an arrangement pattern including a group of the single first attachment portion, the single second attachment portion, the single third attachment portion, and the single fourth attachment portion being repeated. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The attachment structure according to claim 7, wherein the attachment portions have the attachment reference surfaces at four or more of the combination positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The attachment structure according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle exterior component is a vehicle roof rail.