Mounting brackets packaged within roof ditch channels of vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11780377-B2
Application number	US-202217582511-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2022
Priority date	Jan 24, 2022
Publication date	Oct 10, 2023
Grant date	Oct 10, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle includes a roof assembly including a roof having an outer facing surface and a roof ditch that extends below the outer facing surface. The roof ditch extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction between a front windshield and a rear window. A roof ditch sealer is located at least partially within the roof ditch. A mounting bracket for mounting a vehicle accessory is located in the roof ditch. The mounting bracket may include sealer dam portions that extend downward at opposite sides of a mounting surface of the mounting bracket to provide end stops for the roof ditch sealer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a roof assembly comprising a roof having an outer facing surface and a roof ditch that extends below the outer facing surface, the roof ditch extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction between a front windshield and a rear window;
a roof ditch sealer is located at least partially within the roof ditch; and
a mounting bracket for mounting a vehicle accessory is located in the roof ditch, the mounting bracket includes dam clips connected to a bracket body of the mounting bracket that comprise sealer dam portions that extend downward at opposite sides of a mounting surface of the mounting bracket to provide end stops for the roof ditch sealer.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket comprises a run-off portions that extend outwardly at opposite sides of the mounting surface at an angle to horizontal.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sealer dam portions are attached to a bracket body that provides the mounting surface.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the dam clips comprise clips that clip onto the bracket body.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the sealer dam portions each comprise an angled dam wall that extends downward from a vertical wall at an angle to vertical.

6. A method of providing a mounting location in a roof ditch of a vehicle for mounting a vehicle accessory, the method comprising:
placing a mounting bracket in the roof ditch, the mounting bracket comprising dam clips connected to a bracket body of the mounting bracket that comprise sealer dam portions that extend downward at opposite sides of a mounting surface of the mounting bracket; and
applying a roof ditch sealer in the roof ditch, the sealer dam portions providing end stops for the roof ditch sealer.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the mounting bracket comprises a run-off portions that extend outwardly at opposite sides of the mounting surface at an angle to horizontal.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sealer dam portions are attached to a bracket body that provides the mounting surface.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dam clips comprise clips that clip onto the bracket body.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sealer dam portions comprise an angled dam wall that extends downward from a vertical wall at an angle to vertical.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Zofcin David A
• Cherniuk Kaitlyn A
• Whitney Arthur Henry
• Garnaut Luke W

Classifications

• B60R9/042 Primary

  Carriers characterised by means to facilitate loading or unloading of the load, e.g. rollers, tracks, or the like · CPC title

• B60R9/058 Primary

  characterised by releasable attaching means between carrier and roof · CPC title