Doghouse retainer, door assembly incorporating that doghouse retainer and method of adjusting a gap between a first component and a second component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10894517-B2
Application number	US-201916402750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2019
Priority date	May 3, 2019
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A doghouse retainer includes a body having an end wall incorporating a clip receiver and a sidewall having an ultrasonic heating concentration feature. A door assembly is provided including a door inner and a door trim panel incorporating such a doghouse retainer. A method of adjusting a gap between two components is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A doghouse retainer, comprising:
a body including an end wall having a clip receiver and a sidewall having an end for molding to a panel and having an ultrasonic heating concentration feature, wherein the sidewall includes an opposing end with a collar projecting beyond the end wall, and wherein the sidewall includes at least three faces, wherein the ultrasonic heating concentration feature extends across the at least three faces.

2. The doghouse retainer of claim 1 , wherein said sidewall has a height H 1 prior to ultrasonic heating and a height H 2 following ultrasonic heating and converting of said ultrasonic heating concentration feature to a weld bond where H 1 >H 2 .

3. The doghouse retainer of claim 1 , wherein said sidewall has a first thickness T 1 and said ultrasonic heating concentration feature has a second thickness T 2 where T 1 >T 2 .

4. The doghouse retainer of claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic heating concentration feature is a notch in said sidewall.

5. The doghouse retainer of claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic heating concentration feature is a step in said sidewall.

6. The doghouse retainer of claim 1 , wherein said sidewall includes four faces.

7. The doghouse retainer of claim 6 , wherein said ultrasonic heating concentration feature extends across said four faces.

8. The doghouse retainer of claim 7 , wherein said sidewall has a first thickness T 1 and said ultrasonic heating concentration feature has a second thickness T 2 where T 1 >T 2 .

9. The doghouse retainer of claim 7 , wherein said ultrasonic heating concentration feature is a notch in said sidewall.

10. The doghouse retainer of claim 7 , wherein said ultrasonic heating concentration feature is a step in said sidewall.

11. A door assembly, comprising:
a door inner; and
a door trim panel including a doghouse retainer having a body including an end wall with a clip receiver and a sidewall having an end for molding to a panel and having an ultrasonic heating concentration feature, wherein the sidewall includes an opposing end with a collar projecting beyond the end wall, and wherein the sidewall includes at least three faces, wherein the ultrasonic heating concentration feature extends across the at least three faces.

12. The door assembly of claim 11 , wherein said sidewall has a height H 1 prior to ultrasonic heating and a height H 2 following ultrasonic heating and converting of said ultrasonic heating concentration feature to a weld bond where H 1 >H 2 .

13. The door assembly of claim 11 , wherein said sidewall has a first thickness T 1 and said ultrasonic heating concentration feature has a second thickness T 2 where T 1 >T 2 .

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Koehler Juergen
• Polo Javier
• Doan Linh Ngoc

Classifications

• B60J5/0463

  Conceptual assembling of door, i.e. how door frame parts should be fitted together to form door · CPC title

• B60R13/0206 Primary

  Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings (devices for fastening or securing F16B) · CPC title

• B60R13/0243 Primary

  Doors · CPC title

• B60J5/0468

  Fixation or mounting means specific for door components (fasteners in general F16B21/00) · CPC title

• F16B5/0096

  by using permanent deformation · CPC title