Vehicle body system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10221600-B2
Application number	US-201715443539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2017
Priority date	Feb 27, 2017
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle includes a roof panel, hinge bracket, cover, and retaining clip. The roof panel defines a recess. The hinge bracket is secured to the roof panel within the recess. The cover is disposed in the recess. The cover has a doghouse that extends downward toward the bracket. The retaining clip has a head that is disposed within the doghouse, a stem that extends downward from the head beyond the doghouse, and a biasing element that forces an opposing surface of the stem into contact with an edge of the bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a roof panel defining a recess;
a hinge bracket secured to the roof panel within the recess;
a cover disposed in the recess and having a doghouse extending downward toward the bracket; and
a retaining clip having a head disposed within the doghouse, a stem extending downward from the head beyond the doghouse, and a biasing element forcing an opposing surface of the stem into contact with an edge of the bracket.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element extends outward from the head, and the biasing element engages and applies a force to an internal lateral surface of the doghouse forcing the opposing surface of the stem into contact with the edge of the bracket.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the biasing element forces a second opposing surface of the stem into contact with an internal peripheral surface of the doghouse that defines an orifice that accesses the doghouse.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the recess is proximate to a side panel, the biasing element extends outward from the stem, and the biasing element engages and applies a force to the side panel forcing the opposing surface of the stem into contact with the edge of the bracket.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the hinge bracket overhangs the roof panel and the stem is forced into contact with an edge of the bracket via the biasing element along the overhanging portion of the hinge bracket.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the retaining clip has a tapered end that tapers outward and extends upward towards the opposing surface of the stem.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the tapered end terminates along a ledge that extends horizontally from the tapered end to the opposing surface of the stem.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the tapered end is disposed below the hinge bracket such that the ledge is below and facing a lower surface of a portion of the hinge bracket that overhangs the roof panel.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is a living hinge that is integral with the retaining clip.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is a metallic spring that is over molded into the retaining clip.

11. A vehicle hinge cover system comprising:
a cover having a doghouse extending downward;
a hinge bracket; and
a retaining clip having a head disposed within the doghouse, a stem extending downward from the head beyond the doghouse, and a biasing element extending outward and configured to force an opposing surface of the stem into contact with an edge of the hinge bracket upon installation.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the retaining clip has a tapered end that tapers outward and extends upward towards the opposing surface of the stem.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the tapered end terminates along a ledge that extends horizontally from the tapered end to the opposing surface of the stem.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the stem includes first and second portions that are offset relative to each other, the first portion extending from the head and into an orifice that is defined by and provides access to the doghouse, and the second portion extending from the first portion beyond the doghouse.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the biasing element is a living hinge that is integral with the retaining clip.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the biasing element is a metallic spring that is over molded into the retaining clip.

17. A vehicle comprising:
a body panel defining a recess;
a bracket secured to the panel within the recess;
a cover disposed in the recess and having a doghouse extending downward toward the bracket; and
a retaining clip having a head disposed within the doghouse, a stem extending downward from the head beyond the doghouse, and a biasing element forcing an opposing surface of the stem into contact with an edge of the bracket.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the biasing element extends outward from the head, and the biasing element engages and applies a force to an internal lateral surface of the doghouse forcing the opposing surface of the stem into contact with the edge of the bracket.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the biasing element forces a second opposing surface of the stem into contact with an internal peripheral surface of the doghouse that defines an orifice that accesses the doghouse.

20. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the recess is proximate to a second body panel, the biasing element extends outward from the stem, and the biasing element engages and applies a force to the second panel forcing the opposing surface of the stem into contact with the edge of the bracket.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Slemons James
• Spolyar David James
• Mayville Jeffrey Scott
• Reed Patrick

Classifications

• E05Y2201/11

  Covers · CPC title

• E05Y2900/532

  Back doors or end doors · CPC title

• E05D11/0054 Primary

  Covers, e.g. for protection · CPC title

• B60J5/107

  constructional details, e.g. about door frame, panels, materials used, reinforcements · CPC title

• E05D5/0207

  for attachment to vehicles (E05D5/043, E05D5/062 take precedence) · CPC title