Headliner and sunshade fastener
AssigneeUnited Technologies Automotive, Inc.
InventorsJames D. Dowd, David M. Hilborn, Roy Weilant, Abdolhossein R. Lawassani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snap-fit fastener for securing a headliner, a sunshade or both to the body structure of a motor vehicle. The fastener has extending legs which are compressed to allow a cover portion to pass through an opening in the body structure. A torque fitting for attachment to a sunshade support rod is encased within the cover. A base portion engages the substrate and provides entering arms for aligning the fastener.
Claims22
A headliner and sunshade fastener for securing the substrate of a headliner defining a substrate opening and for securing a pivot rod extending from a sunshade, to body support members of a motor vehicle, wherein a body support member defines a first opening, which comprises:
- a base defining a rod opening of a first diameter, and a generally planar bezel portion;
- said rod extending through the rod opening of the base and wherein a sunshade may be mounted to the rod on one side of the base and a torque fitting mounted to the rod on the other side of said base, said torque fitting in the assembled position having a configuration which will not pass through the rod opening whereby the base supports the rod at the torque fitting;
- a cover sized to receive the torque fitting fastened to the rod and including flexible extending flanges which may be compressed to allow the cover and flanges to fit through the first opening and, when released, said flanges spring outwardly to engage the body support member adjacent the first opening;
- and
- means for securing the cover to the base with the cover extending through the substrate opening and the bezel engaging the substrate whereby the substrate and the pivot rod are secured to the vehicle body support members.
A snap-in fastener for securing a sunshade to the body structure of a motor vehicle which defines an opening, which comprises:
- a base defining a rod opening of a first size;
- a retainer for mounting to a rod for securing a sunshade, said rod when assembled extending through the rod opening and said retainer at a portion thereof having a larger diameter than an adjacent portion of the rod opening;
- a cover secured to the base to encase the retainer, said cover including a pair of flexible extending flanges sized to fit through the opening and to engage one side of the body structure adjacent the opening and said cover including a platform portion to engage the other side of the body structure adjacent the opening whereby the cover and base with the encased retainer may be snap-fit to the body structure.
A headliner fastener for securing the substrate of a headliner defining a substrate opening to body support members of a motor vehicle wherein a body support member defines a first opening which comprises:
- a base including a generally planar bezel portion;
- a cover including flexible extending flanges which may be compressed to allow a portion of the cover and flanges to fit through the first opening and, when released, spring outwardly to engage one surface of the body support member adjacent to the first opening and further including a platform portion engageable with an opposite surface of the body support member and one surface of said substrate;
- and
- means for securing the cover to the base such that the bezel engages an opposite surface of the substrate whereby the substrate is secured between said base and cover and to the vehicle body support member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.