Taillight assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10967782-B2
Application number	US-201916429962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A taillight assembly includes a lamp housing and a deformable member. The lamp housing is configured to be fixedly supported to a movable panel of a vehicle body structure. The lamp housing is positioned relative to an overhang of the movable panel such that the lamp housing and the overhang are separated by a space. The deformable member is attached to the lamp housing and disposed within the space. The deformable member has a first exposed surface that substantially aligns with a second exposed surface of the lamp housing and a third exposed surface of the overhang.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A taillight assembly comprising:
a lamp housing configured to be fixedly supported to a movable panel of a vehicle body structure, the lamp housing being positioned relative to an overhang of the movable panel such that the lamp housing and the overhang are separated by a space; and
a deformable member attached to the lamp housing and disposed within the space, the deformable member having a first exposed surface that substantially aligns with a second exposed surface of the lamp housing and a third exposed surface of the overhang.

2. The taillight assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the deformable member includes an exposed part and an attachment part, the exposed part having the exposed surface, the attachment part extending from the exposed part and configured to be fixedly attached to an overhang facing side of the lamp housing.

3. The taillight assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the overhang facing side of the lamp housing is a stepped surface having an overhang abutting part and a stepped part that is spaced from the overhang, the deformable member being attached to the stepped part.

4. The taillight assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the attachment part includes an attaching surface configured to be fixedly attached to the overhang facing side of the lamp housing.

5. The taillight assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the exposed part of the deformable member includes a protrusion protruding from the attachment part toward the overhang when the lamp housing is installed onto the movable panel.

6. The taillight assembly according to claim 5 , wherein
the protrusion is sized and dimensioned to substantially correspond to a size and dimension of the space between the lamp housing and the overhang.

7. The taillight assembly according to claim 5 , wherein
the protrusion is made of rubber to deform during installation of the lamp housing to the movable panel.

8. The taillight assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the protrusion has an exposed edge that substantially aligns with an exposed edge of the lamp housing, the exposed edge of the lamp housing contacting the overhang of the movable panel when the lamp housing is installed onto the movable panel.

9. The taillight assembly according to claim 3 , wherein
the attaching part includes an overhang facing side of the deformable member that is opposite of the attaching surface, the overhang facing side of the deformable member includes at least one positioning abutment configured to abut the overhang of the movable panel when the lamp housing is installed onto the movable panel.

10. The taillight assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the attaching surface of the deformable member includes adhesive.

11. The taillight assembly according to claim 2 , wherein
the attachment part includes double-sided tape.

12. A vehicle having a taillight assembly comprising:
a vehicle body structure including a movable panel movable to cover a storage access opening, the movable panel having an overhang protruding over a taillight installation area of the movable panel;
a lamp housing fixedly supported to the movable panel at the taillight installation area, the lamp housing being positioned relative to the overhang such that the lamp housing and the overhang are separated by a space; and
a deformable member attached to the lamp housing and disposed within the space, the deformable member having a first exposed surface that substantially aligns with a second exposed surface of the lamp housing and a third exposed surface of the overhang.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein
the deformable member includes an exposed part and an attachment part, the exposed part having the exposed surface, the attachment part extending from the exposed part and being fixedly attached to an overhang facing side of the lamp housing.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein
the overhang facing side of the lamp housing is a stepped surface having an overhang abutting part and a stepped part that is spaced from the overhang, the attachment part of the deformable member being attached to the stepped part of the lamp housing.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein
the overhang includes a downward sloping lip that protrudes from the third exposed surface toward the taillight installation area, the lip being received in the stepped part of the lamp housing during installation of the lamp housing to the movable panel.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein
the lip extending rearward of the stepped part when the lamp housing is installed onto the movable panel.

17. The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein
the space is defined by the stepped part and the third exposed surface of the overhang.

18. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein
the exposed part of the deformable member includes a protrusion protruding from the attachment part toward the overhang.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18 , wherein
the protrusion is sized and dimensioned to substantially correspond to a size and dimension of the space between the lamp housing and the overhang.

20. The taillight assembly according to claim 19 , wherein
the protrusion is made of rubber to deform during installation of the taillight assembly to the movable panel.

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Carrillo Pereira Mario Alberto

Classifications

• B62D25/12 Primary

  Parts or details thereof (locks E05B, {E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042}; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; {checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; } springs, {e.g. pneumatic springs} F16F) · CPC title

• B60Q1/304

  Adaptations of signalling devices having a part on the vehicle body and another on the boot door · CPC title

• B60Q1/2653

  with arrangement for sealing the device with respect to the vehicle body, or for concealing gaps between the device and the vehicle body · CPC title

• B62D25/105

  for motor cars · CPC title

• B60Q1/30 Primary

  for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces · CPC title