Method of manufacturing vehicle trim component having beverage retainer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9701352-B2
Application number	US-201514797455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	May 25, 2011
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle trim assembly is provided having a beverage retainer formed in a storage compartment on the door of an automotive vehicle. The trim assembly includes a storage receptacle and a trim component such as a trim panel arranged to define at least a portion of the storage receptacle. The trim panel includes a base portion connected to a beverage retainer portion via a living hinge. The beverage retainer portion is pivoted about the living hinge into position within the storage receptacle. The trim assembly may include a trim component assembled onto a pillar and pivoted about the living hinge between a use position and a stored position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a vehicle molded trim component comprising:
molding a trim component to integrally form a main portion, a beverage retainer portion, and first and second living hinges;
assembling the trim component onto a vehicle; and
rotating the beverage retainer portion about the first and second living hinges into a beverage retainer position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of assembling comprises assembling the trim component onto a vehicle pillar, wherein the beverage retainer portion pivots about the first and second living hinges into a use position extending from the pillar.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trim component comprises a polymeric material.

4. A method of assembling a vehicle molded trim component comprising;
molding a trim component to integrally form a main portion, a beverage retainer portion, and a living hinge;
assembling the trim component onto a door panel which includes a wall of a storage receptacle on a vehicle: and
rotating the beverage retainer portion about the living hinge into a beverage retainer position, wherein the beverage retainer portion is snap fit into the wall of the storage receptacle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of assembling comprises assembling the trim component to a vehicle door.

6. A method of assembling a vehicle trim component onto a vehicle pillar, comprising:
forming a trim component having a main portion, a beverage retainer portion, and at least one living hinge;
assembling the trim component onto the vehicle pillar; and
rotating the beverage retainer portion about the at least one living hinge and through an opening into a beverage retainer use position extending from the pillar.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of rotating the beverage retainer portion comprises rotating the beverage retainer portion about first and second living hinges.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of forming comprises molding the trim component to integrally form the main portion, the beverage retainer portion, and the at least one living hinge.

9. A method of assembling a vehicle molded trim component onto a vehicle pillar, comprising:
molding a trim component to integrally form a main portion, a beverage retainer portion, and a living hinge;
assembling the trim component onto the vehicle pillar; and
rotating the beverage retainer portion about the at least one living hinge into a beverage retainer position.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the beverage retainer portion pivots about the at least one living hinge and extends through an opening into a use position extending from the pillar.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of rotating the beverage retainer portion comprises rotating the beverage retainer portion about first and second living hinges.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the trim component comprises a polymeric material.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Langenbacher Kim
• Dreher Steve
• Dunham Scott H
• Bhatti Ammad

Classifications

• Y10T29/49828

  Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work · CPC title

• B60R13/0243

  Doors · CPC title

• Y10T29/49876

  by snap fit · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B62D65/02 Primary

  Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components · CPC title