Assist grip attachment structure method

Details Assist grip attachment structure method Assist grip attachment structure method

2000-11-06

2002-07-09

Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3676)

Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,

Insulated handle

Loop-type handle

C016S443000, C016S419000, C016S383000, C016SDIG002, C016SDIG004, C403S297000, C411S045000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06415478

ABSTRACT:

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 11-320034 filed on Nov. 10, 1999 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure and a method for attaching an assist grip to a vehicle body via a ceiling base member, and more particularly, to an attachment structure for an assist grip having a contractible member as an attachment portion formed integrally with a grip body, wherein the contractible member is inserted into an attachment hole of the vehicle body.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, an assist grip to be mounted in a vehicle compartment (typically, on the ceiling) has a bolt-nut attachment structure. Such an assist grip is mounted in place by aligning an attachment hole of the assist grip with a nut welded to the vehicle body, and fastening a bolt into the nut.
With the bolt-nut attachment structure, however, the assist grip is attached to the ceiling with a poor work efficiency since workmen usually look up or turn the face upward so as to fasten the bolt into the nut. In view of this problem, an attachment structure that provides an improved work efficiency is proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 10-292807.
The attachment structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 10-292807 principally consists of a pin member
100
and a grommet
102
as shown in
FIGS. 6A and 6B
.
The pin member
100
and the grommet
102
are both formed of synthetic resin. To attach the assist grip to the ceiling using the pin member
100
and the grommet
102
, a substrate
104
of the grommet
102
is initially bonded (at its top surface as viewed in the figure) to a ceiling base member
200
, and in this state a leg portion
106
of the grommet
102
is inserted through an attachment hole
204
of a vehicle body
202
(inner panel). Upon the insertion, elastically-deformable stop claws
108
are brought into engagement with the periphery of the attachment hole
204
such that the ceiling base member
200
is tentatively fixed with respect to the vehicle body
202
.
Subsequently, an attachment hole
208
of the assist grip
206
is aligned with a receiving hole
110
of the grommet
102
, and an insertion shaft
112
of the pin member
100
is inserted into the attachment hole
208
and receiving hole
110
. During the insertion, engaging claws
114
formed at the distal end portion of the insertion shaft
112
are moved in the axial direction while being guided by respective slits
116
so that the leg portion
106
of the grommet
102
is expandable radially outwards.
In this manner, the assist grip
206
and the ceiling base member
200
are sandwiched between a head
118
of the pin member
100
and the substrate
104
of the grommet
102
.
A tool, such as a screwdriver, is put into a receiving groove
120
formed in the head
118
of the pin member
100
, so that the pin member
100
is rotated by 90°. As a result, the leg portion
106
expands radially outwards, and the engaging claws
114
are fitted in respective engaging recesses
124
formed in an inner wall
122
of the leg portion
106
. Thus, the pin member
100
is prevented from being disengaged from the grommet
102
, and the assist grip
206
is mounted on the vehicle body
202
via the ceiling base member
200
.
The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 10-292807 also discloses a structure in which the grommet
102
is formed integrally with the assist grip
206
in an attempt to reduce the number of components.
With the above-described attachment structure of the assist grip, it takes a lot of time and labor to bond the grommet
102
to the ceiling base member
200
. Even the structure in which the grommet
102
is formed integrally with the assist grip
206
still suffers from a poor work efficiency since the pin member
100
must be rotated and locked so as to be fixed to the grommet
102
. Additionally, this requires the use of a tool, such as a screwdriver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing facts, it is an object of the invention to provide an attachment structure with which an assist grip is attached to a vehicle body with an improved efficiency.
To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an attachment structure with which an assist grip is attached to a vehicle body with a ceiling base member interposed therebetween, comprising: a grip body configured and positioned to be held by a passenger; a contractible member formed integrally with the grip body and inserted through a first attachment hole formed in the ceiling base member and a second attachment hole formed in the vehicle body, the contractible member having a space formed therein which allows the contractible member to be contracted; and an insertion member that is inserted into the space of the contractible member, to reach a locking position at which the insertion member restricts contraction of the contractible member. In this attachment structure, the contractible member includes a large-sized portion having an outside dimension that is larger than corresponding dimensions of the first and second attachment holes when the contractible member is in a normal state, and the contractible member is able to be contracted while the insertion member is not located at the locking position so that the outside dimension of the large-sized portion becomes smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the first and second attachment holes. The contractible member further includes a smallsized portion that is dimensioned to be fitted in the first and second attachment holes when the insertion member is located at the locking position.
With the attachment structure as described above, when the assist grip is attached to the vehicle body via the ceiling base member, the contractible member is contracted so that the size of the large-sized portion is reduced to be smaller than those of the first and second attachment holes. Thus, the contractible member can be inserted through the first and second attachment holes.
After the contractible member is fitted in the attachment holes, the insertion member is inserted into the space of the contractible member so as to restrict contraction of the contractible member that is now in the normal or non-contracted state. Thus, the size of the large-sized portion is kept larger than those of the first and second attachment holes. At this time, the small-sized portions of the contractible member are fitted in the first and second attachment holes, while the large-sized portions are held in engagement with the edges of the first and second attachment holes, and thus prevented from slipping out through the attachment holes.
Thus, the assist grip is attached to the vehicle body simply by fitting the contractible member formed integrally with the grip body in the first attachment hole of the ceiling base member and the second attachment hole of the body, and then inserting the insertion member into the space of the contractible member. Thus, the assist grip can be easily attached to the body with an improved efficiency.
In the attachment structure for the assist grip as described above, the contractible member may be formed from an elastic body. In this case, the contractible member is able to be elastically deformed to be contracted, and return to its normal or non-contracted state by use of its own elastic force.
During attachment of the assist grip, therefore, the contractible member restores its normal or non-contracted state from the contracted state after the member is fitted in the first and second attachment holes. Thus, the large-sized portions are brought into engagement with the first and second attachment holes even if the insertion member is not inserted into the space. Accordingly, the contractible member can be tentatively attached to the body merely by fitting the member in the first and second attachment holes, thus assuring further i

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