Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Accessories
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-07
2002-12-31
Patel, Kiran (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Accessories
C296S097900, C296S214000, C024S293000, C024S295000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06499782
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an auxiliary-handle fixture for a modular headliner of an automobile, and more particularly to a new auxiliary-handle fixture for a module type headliner of an automobile which enables an easy mounting and nevertheless guarantees a firm securement of accessaries against loosening or detachment after mounting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, a plurality of auxiliary handles are provided on upper positions of both sides inside an automobile for passengers to grip, wherein these handles are positioned inside the car, particularly at inner side of a headliner and fixed on a body panel through certain fixtures.
Conventionally, automobile manufactures installed the auxiliary handles on body panels one by one after attaching headliners on the inside of cars. Because this method adds to the burden of increasing assembling process for car manufactures, in recent years a modular method is employed, wherein when car manufacturers receive headliners already attached with the above-described auxiliary handles made by cooperating companies, the car manufacturers install them on body panels in a one-touch manner.
As a representative form of auxiliary-handle fixtures used in such a modular method is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, those fixtures are formed of metal panels cut in predetermined form followed by bending, wherein in the base area, there are provided base portion
50
positioned between the body panel
10
and the headliner
20
and in the front or tip portion, there are provided hook portion
51
integrally bent from the base portion
50
and fitted in the holes
15
of the body panel
10
. When the hooks
51
, which are each provided, on respective opposite sides, with wedge-formed supporting pieces
53
spreading toward the base portion
50
from the tip portion, are inserted in the holes
15
of the body panel
10
, the supporting pieces
53
, in a compressed state, are coupled in the holes
15
of the body panel
10
and subsequently expanded by their own elasticity to engage with the body panel
10
for securement. As shown in Figures, however, in order to help the fixtures
5
coupled in the holes
15
of the body panel
10
to be secured and prevented from play, the supporting pieces
53
are provided, on the end parts, with bending portion
54
, which are so formed as to be bent inwardly up to the free ends.
However, the fixtures of this type are associated with the problem that the supporting pieces
53
tend to experience a play as the bending portion
54
get flat or contracted, or even can come off the body panel
10
in extreme cases, when the auxiliary handles
30
connected to fixtures
5
are pulled, because the fixtures
5
are so secured that the bending portion
54
of supporting pieces
53
are tightly held against the inner circumferential surfaces of holes
15
in the body panel
10
but in a somewhat collapsable manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to resolve the above-described problem and thus the object of the invention is to provide a new auxiliary-handle fixture for module type headliner of an automobile which enables an easy mounting and nevertheless guarantees a firm securement of the handle against loosening or detachment after mounting.
The above-described object is achieved according to an aspect of the invention by an auxiliary-handle fixture for a modular headliner of automobile, mounted in a coupling hole
15
of the body panel
10
for fixing an auxiliary handle
30
positioned inside a headliner
20
, comprising a body
4
having a central threaded hole
48
, a plurality of elastic coupling pieces
40
extending outwardly from the front portion of the body
4
in a spreading manner to the base portion of the body
4
and capable of contacting, with their ends, to the outer surface of the body panel
10
after insertion through the coupling hole
15
, and a plurality of supporting pieces
45
bent at the base portion of the body
4
to extend outwardly toward the front portion of the body
4
to thereby elastically bear on the inside surface of the body panel
10
after mounting, wherein in assembling on the body panel
10
, the ends of the coupling pieces
40
interfere with the outside surface of the body panel
10
for firm fixing and the end portions of the supporting pieces
45
elastically bear on the inner surface of the body panel
10
for prevention from play.
Preferably, the coupling pieces
40
and supporting pieces
45
are radially arranged around the central threaded hole
48
of the body
4
at predetermined circumferential angle and each pair of the coupling pieces
40
and supporting pieces
45
is arranged overlapped in view of the axial direction of the threaded hole
48
.
Preferably, each pair of the coupling pieces
40
and supporting pieces
45
are disposed in opposite direction of the central threaded hole
48
of the body
4
.
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Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Daehan Solution Co., Ltd.
Patel Kiran
LandOfFree
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