TRIM CLIP FOR CURTAIN SIDE AlR BAG TRIM

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2007-197140, filed July 3O ₁ 2007. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field

This invention relates to a trim ciip suitable for holding curtain side air bag trim for covering and housing a curtain side air bag. Background Art

A trim clip suitable for holding curtain side air bag trim for covering and housing a curtain side air bag is described in PCT (WO) No. 2002-519551 (gazette) (Patent Literature 1 ). That trim clip is configured by a first male part that is snap-fastened inside an opening in a body panel, a second male part extended linearly in the opposite direction from the first male part, a female part snap-fastened to the trim and having the second male part snap-fastened in a hollow portion of itself , and a flexible strap-shaped tether for connecting the first male part and the female part. The curtain side air bag very rapidly deploys in the event of a vehicle collision, for example, to protect the head or other part of the body of an occupant. With the trim clip of Patent Literature 1 , when the curtain side air bag rapidly deploys and the trim, due to the force of that deployment, is separated from the body panel with a strong force, the second

male part snap-fastened to the female part connected to the trim disengages from the female part, and the first male part, together with the female part, separates from the body panel to which the first male part is secured, but the flying-out of the trim is limited to within a certain range by the tether extending from the female part connected to that trim, whereupon the trim is prevented from striking the head or other part of the body of the occupant.

Patent Literature 1 : PCT (WO) No, 2002-519591 (gazette) (International KOKAI No. WO99/67542)

Patent Literature 2: TOKKAi (Unexamined Patent Application Publication) No. 2001 -026248 (gazette)

Patent Literature 3: TOKKAI No. 2001-165134 (gazette) Disclosure of the Invention

The trim clip described in Patent Literature 1 is preferred because there is a tether, the flying-out of the trim is limited to within a certain range, and the trim is prevented from striking the head or other part of the body of the occupant. Nevertheless, when the body securing part completely disengages from the body panel, the tether also separates from the body panel together with the tether, whereupon the flying-out of the trim can no longer be limited to within the certain range. That being so, it is desirable that the body securing part be maintained as is, attached to the body panel, no matter how strong a force it is subjected to. With the body securing part of the trim clip described in Patent Literature 1 , however, there is a danger of the body securing part being pulled away from the

body panef, with the anchor-shaped leg being unable to withstand strong pulling- out forces, or the leg thereof being damaged or the like.

Patent Literature 2 describes a pillar garnish structure that facilitates smoothness of air bag deployment and prevents the disengagement of garnish (or trim). With the structure described in Patent Literature 2, a rivet-like pin having a head with a sloping surface that expands the outer diameter thereof is provided in the clip for the purpose of preventing garnish disengagement, whereby a pillar inner panef is prevented from disengaging from the clip. This structure is not something to be applied to a trim clip equipped with a tether, nor is it something that will prevent the pulling away of a body securing part equipped with a tether.

Patent Literature 3 describes a structure that prevents the disengagement of a member to be secured, even when subjected to a sudden force, wherewith the member to be secured can easily be disengaged from an object being secured to. This structure comprises a clip secured in a through-hole in the object being secured to, and an insertion pin, one end whereof is inserted into a part to be inserted into, in the clip, and the other end whereof is attached to the member to be secured, having an enlarged head at that other end. The part to be inserted into of the clip comprises a stepped part for preventing movement of the pin head in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion when the clip is opened by the insertion of the pin head. Thereby, the pulling away of the member to be secured that is attached to the pin from the clip is prevented. This structure also is not

something to be applied to a trim clip equipped with a tether, nor is it something that will prevent the pulling away of a body securing part equipped with a tether.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a trim clip equipped with a tether, wherewith, even should the body securing part of the trim clip equipped with the tether be subjected to a strong puliing-out force, the body securing part will not pull away from the body panel.

In order to attain that object, a trim clip is provided, suitable for holding trim for covering and housing a curtain side air bag to a body panel or other member being attached to, equipped with a tether, having a trim securing part and a body securing part that are connected by a strap-shaped tether, wherewith, prior to use, the trim securing part and body securing part are directly connected; wherein: the body securing part has a leg that is inserted into an attachment hole in the member being attached to and secured; the leg is formed in a hollow tubular shape; latching pawls are formed in the side surfaces of the leg, protruding elasticaily outward in the radial direction; and the latching pawls, when the leg is inserted into the attachment hole of the member being attached to, exhibit the flexibility to flex, from positions of outward protrusion, in the radial direction, inwardly, in the radial direction, into the hollow portion of the leg; comprising: a pin that is inserted into the hollow portion of the leg; the pin comprising a head that is connected to the trim securing part when the trim securing part is directly connected to the body securing part, an operative part, formed on the end opposite the head, having a diameter large enough to prevent the flexure of the latching pawls inwardly in the radial direction of the leg, and a

non-operative part, that is a small-diameter portion between the operative part and the head, which afiows the latching pawls to flex inwardly in the radial direction of the leg; whereupon: when the trim securing part is directly connected to the body securing part, the pin is in a condition wherein the flexure of the latching pawls inwardly in the radial direction of the leg is not prevented, with the non-operative part thereof being in a non-operative position opposing the latching pawls; and, when the trim securing part moves so as to disengage from the connection with the body securing part, the pin is moved by the movement of the trim securing part, and the operative part thereof moves to an operative position opposing the latching pawls inside the leg and prevents the flexure of the latching pawls inwardly in the radia! direction of the leg.

With the trim clip described above, when the trim securing part moves so as to disengage from the connection with the body securing part, due to a sudden strong force during curtain side air bag deployment, the pin, moved by the movement of the trim securing part, moves to the operative position, and prevents flexure of the latching pawls inwardly in the radial direction of the leg. As a consequence, the body securing part will not puli away from the body pane!, even when a strong pulϋng-out force acts on the body securing part of the trim clip equipped with the tether.

In the trim clip described above, a neck of small diameter is formed between the pin head and the non-operative part, and a slot is formed in the trim securing part into which the neck fits. The body securing part and the trim securing part are provided with connection means for mutually connecting the two. The

connection means for the body securing part are a pair of locking pawls, between which locking pawls is formed an acceptance space for accommodating the connection means of the trim securing part. The connection means for the trim securing part are a locking plug that is inserted into the acceptance space between the locking pawls, which locking plug is accommodated by being slid from the side into the acceptance space. A slot is formed in the locking plug. When the locking plug is slid and inserted from the side into the acceptance space, the neck of the pin is accepted in the slot. When the trim securing part separates from the body securing part due to a strong force during curtain side air bag deployment or the like, the locking plug topples the locking pawls over in a direction wherewith latching is disengaged, acting to pull the pin out from the body securing part. The length of the tether is selected so that trim supported by the trim securing part separated from the body securing part will move greatly so as not to interfere with the deployment of the curtain side air bag, but also so that the distance of movement thereof from the body securing part will be limited so that the trim will not make contact with the head or other part of the body of an occupant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the main clip body of a trim clip equipped with a tether, relating to one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the main cup body diagrammed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a pfan view of the pin of a trim clip, relating to one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the pin diagrammed in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section at the A-A line of the pin diagrammed in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a diagonal view representing a trim clip equipped with a tether, and relating to one embodiment of the present invention, prior to being assembled to the as-delivered product condition.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 6, after being assembled to the as-delivered product condition.

Fig. 8 is a section at the B-B line of the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a section representing the condition wherein trim is attached to a body panel using the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a section at the C-C line of the trim ciip diagrammed in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a section tike that of Fig. 9, but representing the trim clip when the trim has been moved by the rapid deployment of the curtain side air bag.

Fig. 12 is a section at the D-D line of the trim ciip diagrammed in Fig. 11. Modes for Carrying out the invention

A trim clip equipped with a tether, suitable for holding curtain side air bag trim, and relating to one embodiment of the present invention, is now described with reference to the drawings. In Figs. 1 and 2 are represented a main clip body 2 in the as-manufactured condition. In Figs. 3 to 5, a pin 6 that is inserted into a leg 5 of a body securing part 3 of the main dtp body 2 is diagrammed by itself. Fig. 6 diagrams how the trim ciip 1 is assembled, by connecting a trim securing part 7 of the main clip body 2 to the body securing part 3, and inserting the pin 6 into the body securing part 3. Figs. 7 and 8 diagram the trim clip 1 assembled in the

as-delivered product condition, prior to use. Thus the trim clip 1 comprises two parts, namely the main clip body 2 and the pin 6, constituting the product prior to use in the condition diagrammed in Figs. 7 and 8. Figs. 9 and 10 diagram how trim 9 is attached to a body panel 10 using the trim clip 1. Figs. 11 and 12 diagram how a curtain side air bag (not shown) deploys, pushing up the trim 9, so that the trim securing part 7 becomes disengaged from the body securing part 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the main clip body 2 is an integrally molded plastic product wherein the trim securing part 7 and body securing part 3 are connected by a tether 11 of a certain length. The trim securing part 7 has a trim support 13 at the top, and is attached to a support frame 14 on the inside of the trim 9 diagrammed in Fig. 9. The body securing part 3 has a leg 5 that is inserted into an attachment hole in the body pane! 10 diagrammed in Fig. 9 and attached thereto. The tether 11 is formed as a narrow plate-form strap exhibiting flexibility and pliability, the length whereof is determined at a certain value. The length thereof is selected to a length wherewith, when the curtain side air bag deploys, the trim 9 supported by the trim securing part 7 separated from the body securing part 3 will move greatly so as not to interfere with the deployment of the curtain side air bag, but also so as to limit the distance of movement of that trim 9 from the body securing part 3 so that the former will not make contact with the head or other part of the body of the occupant. The trim support 13 in the trim securing part 7, in the example diagrammed, is formed in the shape of a pair of latching channels for accepting a pair of support frames 14 in the trim 9. The trim support

13 may be of any shape or configuration so long as it is capable of being attached to the trim 9.

To the body securing part 3 and the trim securing part 7 are provided connection means for mutually and directly connecting the two. The connection means of the body securing part 3 are a pair of plate-form locking pawls 15 which, in Fig. 2, extend a short distance upward and also, as diagrammed in Fig. 1 , extend to the ful! width. Between the pair of locking pawls 15 is formed an acceptance space 17 for accommodating the connection means of the trim securing part 7. The root portions of the locking pawls 15 are formed as a rigid rectangular base 18 of a certain thickness. In the center of the base 18, as diagrammed in Fig. 1 , a hole 21 is formed for the head 19 of the pin 6 to extend through. The trim securing part 7, as indicated by the arrow 22 in Fig. 6, is folded back at the tether 11. The connection means of the trim securing part 7 are a locking plug 23, for insertion into the acceptance space 17 between the locking pawls 15 of the body securing part 3, formed on the opposite side from the trim support 13. The locking plug 23, which is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped or similar cubic shape that is accommodated in the acceptance space 17, is slid and inserted from the direction of the side surface of the acceptance space 17, as indicated by the arrow 25 in Fig. 6, and accommodated in that acceptance space 17. In the locking piug 23, latching shoulders 26 for latching with the locking pawis 15 are formed in a pair so as to be mutually parallel, matched with the locking pawls 15. In the locking plug 23 is formed a slot 29 for accepting the neck 27 that is the portion of small diameter in the lower part of the head 19 of

the pin 6 protruding from the base 18 of the body securing part 3. When the locking plug 23 is slid and inserted from the direction of the side surface of the acceptance space 17, as indicated by the arrow 25 in Fig, 6, the slot 29 accepts the neck 27 of the ptn 6 that is protruding into the acceptance space 17 from the base 18 of the body securing part 3, and connects the pin 6 to the trim securing part 7. The trim securing part 7 operates so as to pull out the pin 6 when it separates from the body securing part 3 during curtain side air bag deployment.

The trim securing part 7, furthermore, separates from the body securing part 3 when the curtain side air bag deploys. The connection between the locking pawls 15 and the latching shoulders 26 of the locking plug 23 is such that, when the curtain side air bag deploys, the locking pawls 15 flex slightly to the outside and the engagement with the latching shoulders 26 is released, as diagrammed in Fig. 11 , whereupon the trim securing part 7, together with the trim 9, separates from the body securing part 3. The range wherewith the trim securing part 7 will separate is limited to the range of the length of the tether 11. When the trim securing part 7 separates from the body securing part 3, moreover, the pin 6 latched in the slot 29 of the locking plug 23 of the trim securing part 7 also tries to separate together from the body securing part 3, but sloping surfaces 30 matched to the neck 27 of the pin 6 are formed in the slot 29, and, by those sloping surfaces 30, after the pin 6 is pulled out to a prescribed height, the engagement between the pin 6 and the slot 29 is released.

The leg 5 of the body securing part 3 is formed as a hollow tubular member for accepting the pin 6. In the side surfaces of the tubular leg 5, there is a pair of

latching pawls 31 that protrude elastically in the radial direction and are in opposition in the radial direction, which cooperate with a flange 33 formed at the top of the leg 5 to secure the body securing part 3 to the body panel 10. On the inside of the latching pawls 31 , a space 34 is formed through which the pin 6 passes. When the non-operative part 35 in the middle portion of the pin 6 is on the inside of the latching pawls 31 , the latching pawls 31 can flex, from their positions of protruding to the outside in the radial direction, to the inside in the radial direction. When the operative part 37 of large diameter at the lower end of the pin 6 (the end opposite the head 19) is inside of the latching pawls 31 , and particularly when inside the tips of the latching pawls 31 , the latching pawls 31 are forced to be in positions of protruding to the outside in the radial direction, and cannot flex inwardly in the radial direction.

The pin 6 consists of an integrally molded plastic product. As diagrammed in Figs. 3 to 5, the pin 6 is a rod-shaped member that is inserted into the space 34 in the leg 5 of the body securing part 3 of the main clip body 2, comprising a head 19 at the top, a neck 27 of small diameter adjacent to the head 19, a non- operative part 35 in the middle, of substantially the same diameter as the head 19, and an operative part 37 of large diameter at the lower end. The non- operative part 35 in the middle is formed with a diameter whereby, when inside the latching pawls 31 of the leg 5, a space is formed between the latching pawls 31 for the latching pawls 31 to flex inwardly in the radial direction. The diameters of the head 19 and non-operative part 35 are formed such as to allow passage through the hole 21 formed in the base 18 of the body securing part 3. The

operative part 37 at the lower end has a latching shoulder 38 formed in the portion thereof adjacent to the non-operative part 35, and is formed, so as to latch to the edge of the hole 21 formed in the base 18, to a diameter wherewith the pin 6 cannot be pulled out any further. The diameter of the operative part 37, moreover, is formed such that, when the operative part 37 is inside the latching pawls 31 (and particularly when inside the tips of the latching pawls 31), the latching pawls 31 are forced to positions of protruding outwardly in the radial direction and cannot flex inwardly in the radial direction.

As diagrammed in Fig. 6, with the main clip body 2, starting from the as- manufactured condition diagrammed in Figs. 1 and 2, the trim securing part 7 is connected to the body securing part 3 as indicated by the arrow 22 and the arrow 25, the pin 6 is inserted into the leg 5 of the body securing part 3 as indicated by the arrow 39, and, as diagrammed in Figs. 7 and 8, the trim clip 1 is assembled into the as-delivered product condition prior to use. During the assembly operation, the pin 6 is preliminarily inserted into the leg 5 of the body securing part 3 as indicated by the arrow 39, and the head 19 and neck 27 are passed through the hole 21 of the base 18 of the body securing part 3 and caused to protrude upward. The trim securing part 7 of the main clip body 2 is folded back in the direction of the arrow 22, using the flexibility of the tether 11 , the locking plug 23 is caused to slide in the direction of the arrow 25 from the side so as to enter the acceptance space 17 between the pair of locking pawls 15, and the locking plug 23 is accommodated in the acceptance space 17. During the sliding maneuver, the tether 11 will be slightly twisted, but the tether 11 will not be

damaged because of the great pliability of the tether 11. During the sliding maneuver, the neck 27 of the pin 6, whereof the head 19 and neck 27 have protruded from the base 18 of the body securing part 3, is caused to be accepted and slide in the slot 29 in the locking plug 23, Thereby, as diagrammed in Fig. 8, the pin 6 is connected to the trim securing part 7. As diagrammed in Figs. 7 and 8, furthermore, by the latching shoulders 26 engaging the locking pawls 15, the trim securing part 7 is connected to the body securing part 3 with the tether 11 folded back to what is substantially half its length.

In Figs. 7 and 8, with the trim clip 1 in the as-delivered product condition prior to use, the pin 6 is positioned such that the non-operative part 35 thereof has space 34 between the latching pawls 31 of the leg 5, and the latching pawls 31 can flex, from their positions of protruding outwardly in the radial direction, inwardly in the radial direction. This position of the pin 6 is called the non- operative position.

Fig. 9 diagrams how, using the trim clip 1 , the trim 9 is attached to the body panel 10. With the main clip body 2, the trim securing part 7 is connected to the body securing part 3, the support frame 14 of the trim 9 is connected to the trim support 13 of the trim securing part 7, the leg 5 of the body securing part 3 is inserted into an attachment hole in the body panel 10, and the body securing part 3 is connected to the body panel 10 by the flange 33 and the pair of latching pawls 31 , The pin 6, furthermore, as diagrammed in Fig. 10, is in the non- operative position wherein the space 34 is formed between the non-operative part 35 and the latching pawls 31 , such that the latching pawls 31 can flex

inwardly in the radial direction, but does not hinder the insertion of the leg 5 of the body securing part 3 into the attachment hole in the body pane! 10. Atthough not shown in the drawings, the folded-up curtain side air bag is housed between the body panel 10 and the inside of the trim 9.

The action of the trim clip 1 when the curtain side air bag deploys rapidly is now described with reference to Figs. 11 and 12. The curtain side air bag deploys very rapidly in the event of a vehicle collision or the like so as to protect the head of an occupant. Due to that deployment, forces will operate to separate the trim 9 from the body panel 10, and the trim securing part 7, together with the trim 9, will try to separate from the body securing part 3. Due to these forces, the locking pawls 15 will flex in the directions of the arrows 41 in Fig. 11 , so as to release the engagement between the latching shoulders 26 and the locking pawls 15, and the trim securing part 7 will separate from the body securing part 3 as indicated by the arrow 42. The movement of the trim 9 is limited by the certain length of the tether 11 , and that trim 9 is prevented from making contact with the head or other part of the body of the occupant.

When the trim securing part 7 moves from the body securing part 3 as indicated by the arrow 42, the pin 6 that was latched in the slot 29 of the locking plug 23 moves together therewith so as to be pulled out from the body securing part 3. That movement continues until the latching shoulder 38 of the large- diameter operative part 37 comes up against the edge of the hole 21 in the base 18. When the latching shoulder 38 of the operative part 37 comes up against the edge of the hole 21 of the base 18, the pin 6 can no longer be pulled out any

further, the sloping surface in the lower part of the head 19 of the pin 6 slides over the sloping surfaces 30 of the slot 29 of the locking plug 23, and the pin 6 disengages from the trim securing part 7 and remains in the body securing part 3. The pin 6 is pulled up to a position at which the large-diameter operative part 37 comes up against the inside of the latching pawls 31 of the leg 5, as diagrammed in Fig, 12. This position of the pin 6 is called the operative position. Because the pin 6 is in the operative position, the latching pawls 31 can no longer flex inwardly in the radial direction, and the body securing part 3 is strongly secured to the body panel 10 by the latching pawls 31 which cannot flex inwardly in the radial direction. The forces causing the trim 9 and the trim securing part 7 to move due to the rapid deployment of the curtain side air bag are transmitted via the tether 11 to the body securing part 3, whereupon the body securing part 3 will try to disengage from the body panel 10, but, because the pin 6 is in the operative position, the body securing part 3 cannot disengage from the body panel 10. As a consequence, the body securing part 3 is maintained, as is, attached to the body panel 10, no matter how strong a force is applied. As a consequence, the trim 9 (and the trim securing part 7) will be prevented from contacting the head or other part of the body of the occupant.