Two piece housing assembly with elongated attachment and method for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9844900-B2
Application number	US-201414249848-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2014
Priority date	Apr 10, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A first part having an attachment having an elongated body configured to release from a second attachment of a second part under a desired force, and a method of manufacturing the same is provided. The first attachment includes a generally elongated body extending outwardly from the first wall with respect to the first support surface, the first wall further including at least one indent, the at least one indent formed on the first wall and open to a peripheral side edge of the elongated body, the indent extending into the wall a predetermined depth so as to provide the elongated body with a predetermined resiliency.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A housing assembly configured to house a door handle mounted to a vehicle, a portion of the housing assembly further configured to attach to an interior trim panel of a door assembly, the housing assembly comprising:
a base configured to attach to a trim piece, the trim piece having a second attachment, the base further configured to release from the trim piece under a predetermined force wherein,
the base includes a first support surface and a first wall, the first wall defining a portion of a first peripheral edge of the base, the first support surface is generally planar, and the first wall projects outwardly from the first support surface, the first wall having a generally uniform thickness;
a first attachment configured to engage the second attachment so as to attach the base to the trim piece, the first attachment having a generally elongated body extending outwardly from the first wall with respect to the first support surface, a bottom portion of the elongated body being contiguous with the first wall; and
at least one indent, the at least one indent formed on the first wall, the at least one indent extending into the first wall a predetermined depth so as to define a peripheral side edge of the bottom portion of the elongated body, the peripheral side edge being open to the indent so as to provide the elongated body with a predetermined resiliency.

2. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the at least one indent is a pair of indents, each of the pair of indents disposed on an opposite peripheral side edge of the elongated body.

3. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the elongated body includes an opening, the opening disposed centrally within the elongated body so as to define a pair of side legs and a top edge, the side legs extending outwardly from the first wall, the top edge extending between distal ends of the side legs.

4. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the first wall includes a pair of spaced apart side walls and a third wall extending between proximal ends of the side walls and an open end opposite the third wall, wherein each of the respective side walls and the third wall have a first attachment.

5. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first wall includes an inner wall ledge, forming a step.

6. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the trim piece includes a second wall bounding a space configured to hold the door handle.

7. A housing assembly configured to house a door handle mounted to a vehicle, a portion of the housing assembly further configured to attach to an interior trim panel of a door assembly, the housing assembly comprising:
a base having a first support surface, a first wall and a first attachment, the first wall defining a portion of a peripheral edge of the base, the first support surface is generally planar, and the first wall projects outwardly from the first support surface, the first wall having a generally uniform thickness, the first attachment having a generally elongated body extending outwardly from the first wall with respect to the first support surface, a bottom portion of the elongated body being contiguous with the first wall;
at least one indent, the at least one indent formed on the first wall, the at least one indent extending into the first wall a predetermined depth so as to define a thinned section of the first wall and a peripheral side edge of the bottom portion of the elongated body, the peripheral side edge being open to the indent and the thinned section of the first wall providing the elongated body with a predetermined resiliency; and
a trim piece having a second wall bounding a space configured to hold the door handle, the trim piece having a second attachment configured to engage the first attachment so as to secure the base to the trim piece.

8. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the at least one indent is a pair of indents, each of the pair of indents disposed on opposite peripheral side edges of the elongated body.

9. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the elongated body includes an opening, the opening disposed centrally within the elongated body so as to define a pair of side legs and a top edge, the side legs extending outwardly from the first wall, the top edge extending between distal ends of the side legs.

10. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the first wall includes a pair of spaced apart side walls and a third wall extending between proximal ends of the side walls, and an open end opposite the third wall, wherein each of the respective side walls and the third wall have a first attachment.

11. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the first wall includes an inner wall ledge, forming a step.

12. A housing assembly comprising:
a first part configured to attach to a second part, the second part including a second attachment, the first part further configured to release from the second part under a predetermined force wherein,
the first part includes a first support surface and a first wall, the first wall defining a portion of a first peripheral edge of the first part, the first support surface is generally planar, and the first wall projects outwardly from the first support surface, the first wall including a generally uniform thickness;
a first attachment configured to engage the second attachment so as to attach the first part to the second part, the first attachment includes a generally elongated body extending outwardly from the first wall with respect to the first support surface, a bottom portion of the elongated body being contiguous with the first wall, the elongated body includes an opening disposed centrally within the elongated body so as to define a pair of side legs and a top edge, the pair of side legs extend outwardly from the first wall, the top edge extends between distal ends of the pair of side legs; and
at least one indent, the at least one indent formed on the first wall, the at least one indent extending into the first wall a predetermined depth so as to define a peripheral side edge of the bottom portion of the elongated body, the peripheral side edge being open to the indent so as to provide the elongated body with a predetermined resiliency.

13. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the at least one indent is a pair of indents, each of the pair of indents disposed on an opposite peripheral side edge of the elongated body.

14. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the first wall includes a pair of spaced apart side walls and a third wall extending between proximal ends of the side walls and an open end opposite the third wall, wherein each of the respective side walls and the third wall have a first attachment.

15. The housing assembly as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the first wall includes an inner wall ledge, forming a step.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Gillay Daniel F
• Rhee Que-Whang

Classifications

• B60R13/0243 Primary

  Doors · CPC title

• B29C45/2673

  with exchangeable mould parts, e.g. cassette moulds (B29C45/1756 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05B85/02

  Lock casings · CPC title

• B29L2031/3005

  Body finishings · CPC title

• B29C2045/0093

  of articles provided with an attaching element · CPC title