Compensating position roof ditch molding retainer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9404519-B2
Application number	US-201414223554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Jun 6, 2008
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A retainer adapted for disposition within a vehicle roof ditch between a first sidewall and a second sidewall to hold an elongate molding strip in covering relation to the vehicle roof ditch. The retainer includes at least one body portion adapted for disposition within the roof ditch in operative connection to a base portion of the roof ditch. The body portion has a length dimension adapted for orientation along a length segment of the roof ditch between a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The body portion includes an arrangement of molding attachment elements adapted to engage an underside of the elongate molding strip and at least one spring biasing leg disposed at an elevation below the molding attachment elements, which extends an operative length away from one side of the body portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A retainer adapted for disposition within a vehicle roof ditch between a first sidewall and a second sidewall and to hold an elongate molding strip in covering relation to the vehicle roof ditch, the retainer comprising:
at least one body portion adapted for disposition within the roof ditch in operative connection to a base portion of the roof ditch, the body portion having a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a length dimension adapted for orientation along a length segment of the roof ditch between the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the roof ditch, the body portion including an arrangement of molding attachment elements adapted to retainingly engage an underside of the elongate molding strip, the body portion further including at least one spring biasing leg disposed at an elevation below the molding attachment elements, the spring biasing leg extending an operative length away from the first lateral side of the body portion for contacting, in a flexing relation, the first sidewall, such that the spring biasing leg continuously urges the body portion away from the first sidewall and towards the second sidewall;
an elevated positioning post is disposed along one of the first or the second lateral sides; and
at least one stop platform adapted to limit downward movement of the molding strip,
wherein the stop platform and the spring biasing leg commonly extend away from a side of the body portion.

2. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the arrangement of molding attachment elements comprises a plurality of angled clip elements disposed along upper lateral edges of the body portion.

3. The retainer as recited in claim 2 , wherein the body portion has a substantially rectangular box shape, and wherein angled clip elements are disposed adjacent upper corners of the body portion.

4. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the stop platform extends outwardly from the body portion at an elevation between the molding attachment elements and the spring biasing leg.

5. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of stop platforms extend away from the first and the second lateral sides of the body portion.

6. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of spring biasing legs extend away from the first lateral side of the body portion.

7. The retainer as recited in claim 6 , wherein the spring biasing legs define leaf springs having upwardly angled distal edges that are formed on extensions of the spring biasing legs that extend in at least about a normal direction away from a direction of extension of the spring biasing legs.

8. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , further including at least one stop platform adapted to limit downward movement of the molding strip, the stop platform extending outwardly from the body portion at an elevation between a location where the molding attachment elements attach to the molding strip and the spring biasing leg contacts the first sidewall.

9. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , further including at least one stop platform adapted to limit downward movement of the molding strip, the stop platform extending in an elongate manner outwardly from the body portion having an end separate from an end of all of the spring biasing legs and separate from an end of all molding attachment elements.

10. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the stop platform and the spring biasing leg extend away from the first lateral side of the body portion in a direction at least about normal to a longitudinal axis of the at least one body portion.

11. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of stop platforms extend away from each of the first and second lateral sides of the body portion in a direction at least about normal to the respective lateral sides.

12. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of spring biasing legs extend away from the first lateral side of the body portion in a direction at least about normal to the first lateral side.

13. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one body portion is a monolithic component.

14. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second lateral side of the body portion does not have any spring biasing legs.

15. The retainer as recited in claim 14 , wherein the body portion is a monolithic component.

16. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the spring biasing leg extends at a substantially orthogonal manner relative to the first lateral side of the body portion when in an undeformed state.

17. The retainer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the spring biasing leg has a cross-section having a height that is substantially smaller than a length of the cross-section.

18. A device, comprising:
a single-piece retainer adapted for disposition within a vehicle roof ditch between a first sidewall and a second sidewall to hold an elongate molding strip in covering relation to the vehicle roof ditch, the retainer including:
a body portion adapted to be disposed within the roof ditch and operatively attached to a base portion of the roof ditch, the body portion being of unitary construction and having a length dimension adapted for orientation along a length segment of the roof ditch between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, the body portion including an arrangement of molding attachment elements adapted to engage an underside of the elongate molding strip in snap-fit relation, the body portion further including at least one spring biasing leg disposed at an elevation below the molding attachment elements, said at least one spring biasing leg extending an operative length away from a first lateral side of the body portion for contacting, flexing relation with the first sidewall, such that said at least one spring biasing leg continuously urges the body portion away from the first sidewall and towards the second sidewall,
wherein the body portion includes a rivet opening adapted for passage of a rivet between the body portion and the base portion of the roof ditch.

19. The retainer as recited in claim 18 , wherein the rivet opening is of an elongate geometry oriented with a major axis transverse to the length dimension of the body portion.

20. The retainer as recited in claim 19 , wherein the rivet opening is an oval.

21. The retainer as recited in claim 18 , wherein a second lateral side of the body portion does not have any spring biasing legs.

22. The retainer as recited in claim 21 , wherein the body portion is a monolithic component.

23. The retainer as recited in claim 18 , wherein the spring biasing leg extends at a substantially orthogonal manner relative to the first lateral side of the body portion when in an undeformed state.

24. The retainer as recited in claim 18 , wherein the spring biasing leg has a cross-section having a height that is substantially smaller than a length of the cross-section.

25. The retainer as recited in claim 18 , wherein the body portion is adapted for disposition within the roof ditch in operative mechanical connection to a base portion of the roof ditch.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Scroggie Derek
• Osterland Robert

Classifications

• Y10T24/303

  having laterally extending biasing appendage · CPC title

• F16B21/08

  in which the stud, pin, or spigot has a resilient part ({F16B21/065, F16B21/125, F16B21/165, F16B37/043 take precedence}; wall-dowels F16B13/00) · CPC title

• B60R13/00

  Elements for body-finishing, identifying, or decorating; Arrangements or adaptations for advertising purposes · CPC title

• Y10T24/45105

  for upholstery, panel, trim strip, etc. [e.g., spring biased] · CPC title

• Y10T24/309

  Plastic type · CPC title