TRIM CUP SUITABLE FOR USE WITH CURTAIN SIDE AIR BAGS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2007-197139, filed July 30, 2007. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field

This invention relates to a trim clip suitable for holding trim that covers and houses a curtain side air bag. Background Art

One example of a trim clip suitable for holding trim that covers and houses a curtain side air bag is described in TOKKAI [Unexamined Patent Application Publication] No. 2006-118679 (Gazette) (Patent Literature 1 ). Curtain side air bags deploy very rapidly in the event of a collision or rollover (overturn) so as to protect the head of the occupant. Curtain side air bags ordinarily are housed in and held by trim such as a cover. The trim must not fly out at the occupant when the curtain side air bag very rapidly deploys. For that reason, the trim is connected to a body panel with the use of trim clips having strap-shaped tethers of a certain length.

A conventional trim clip 1 is diagrammed in Figs. 1 and 2, The trim ciip 1 consists of an integrated molded plastic product wherein a trim securing part 2 and a body securing part 3 are connected by a strap-shaped tether 5 of a certain length. The trim securing part 2 has a trim support 6 at the top and is attached to a support part of the trim. The

body securing part 3 has a teg 7 that is inserted into an attachment hole in the body panel and attached. The length 9 of the tether 5 is determined at a certain length, selected so that, when the curtain side air bag deploys, the trim supported by the trim securing part 2 separated from the body securing part 3 will not interfere with the depfoyment of the curtain side air bag, but also so as to limit the distance of movement from the trim securing part 2 so that the trim will not make contact with the head or other body part of the occupant, As diagrammed in Fig. 1 , the trim clip 1 is in the as-deiivered product condition. In that condition, as diagrammed in Fig, 2, a connecting part 10 of the trim securing part 2 is connected to a connecting part 11 of the body securing part 3, such that the trim securing part 2 and body securing part 3 are directly connected. In that product condition, the trim clip 1 is connected to the inside of the trim. Next, the trim to which the trim clip 1 has been attached is attached to a body panel of a vehicle by inserting the leg 7 of the body securing part 3, together with the trim, into an attachment hole in that body panel. Disclosure Of The Invention in the trim clip 1 , when in the as-delivered product condition, as diagrammed in Fig. 2, the tether 5 protrudes out from one side of the trim securing part 2 and body securing part 3 by a protruding length 13 that is approximately half the overall length 9 thereof. The operation of attaching the trim clip 1 in the as-delivered product condition to the inside of trim is not easy because the space inside the trim is narrow and the degree of freedom is small. Because the protruding length 13 of the tether 5 is long, extending to half the overall length 9 of the tether 5, as diagrammed in Fig. 2, the degree of freedom at the attachment position of the trim clip 1 in the narrow space inside the trim is further

limited. Also, because the trim cfip 1 is unbalanced, with the tether 5 protruding out to only one side of the trim securing part 2 and body securing part 3, the degree of freedom at the attachment position is even further reduced.

Patent Literature 2 JIKKAI [Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication] No. H7-020402/1995 (Gazette) does not describe a trim clip 1 _» but discloses a pantograph- shaped spacer clip. In that spacer clip, the pantograph-shaped portion protrudes to both sides of a base by being pushed in, so balance is maintained. If the tether 5 of the trim clip 1 diagrammed in Figs. 1 and 2 is formed so as to protrude on both sides, as with the pantograph shape of Patent Literature 2» a balanced condition will be realized in the as-deϋvered product condition, but the protruding length of the tether then becomes twice that of the trim clip 1 diagrammed in Fig. 2, and great overall, whereupon there is a danger of the operation of attaching the trim clip 1 to the trim becoming even more onerous.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a trim clip wherewith the attachment operation is easy even in a narrow space inside the trim.

Based on the present invention, a trim clip is provided, suitable for holding trim for covering and housing a curtain side air bag, having a trim securing part and a body securing part that are connected by a strap-shaped tether, such that, in a prioMo-use condition, the trim securing part is connected directly to the body securing part and the tether protrudes out from the sides of the trim securing part and the body securing part such as to be folded back in the lateral direction, whereupon the distance of movement of the trim securing part is limited by the tether when the trim securing part separates away from the body securing part, wherein the tether is formed in a shape such that,

when the trim securing part and body securing part are not directly connected, after protruding laterally from one side of the trim securing part, the tether foids back and extends so as to cross and protrude past the other side of the trim securing part, and then again folds back, and extends to and is connected to the other side of the body securing part; and the tether is also formed in a shape such that, when the trim securing part and the body securing part are directly connected, the tether folds up, protruding by substantially the same length from the sides on both sides of the trim securing part and body securing part, whereby the stated object is attained.

In the trim clip described above, when in the prior-to-use condition with the trim securing part and body securing part directly connected, the tether is folded and protrudes out at substantially the same length from the sides on the two sides of the trim securing part and body securing part. Therefore, even if the protruding length is short, the tether protrudes so as to be balanced on both sides, and the trim clip can easily be positioned even in the narrow space inside the trim and be easily attached as is.

In the trim clip described above, 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.

In the trim clip described above, furthermore, it is preferable that connection means be provided in the trim securing part and body securing part for directly and mutually connecting the two, in a configuration such that, when the curtain side air bag deploys, the trim securing part will separate from the body securing part, and the trim securing

part can, together with the trim, separate from the body securing part within the range of the length of the tether. When that is the case, the connection means for the trim securing part can be formed as a pair of locking concavities formed in the side surface(s) of the trim securing part, and the connection means for the body securing part can be formed as a pair of locking pawls erected so as to be oriented in positions corresponding to the pair of locking concavities. In that trim clip, moreover, lock release ribs can be formed in the locking pawls of the body securing part, and rib receptacles can be formed in the trim securing part, adjacent to the locking concavities, for accepting the lock release ribs, such that, when a release force is brought to bear against the trim securing part directly connected to the body securing part, at the portions comprising the release ribs and rib receptacles, the trim securing part can be directly released from the body securing part. Thereby, provision can be made so that, for the purposes of replacement or inspection or the like, a trained worker can disengage the connection, but an ordinary vehicle user cannot disengage the connection. When that is the case, the direction in which the release force can be brought to bear may be selected so as normally not to touch an ordinary user of the vehicle. Modes for Carrying out the Invention

A trim clip 15 relating to one embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to Figs. 3 to 10. In Figs. 3 to 5, the trim clip 15 is depicted in its as- manufactured condition, fn Figs. 6 to 8, the trim clip 15 is depicted in its as-delivered product condition, with the trim securing part 17 and body securing part 18 directly

connected. Fig. 10 diagrams how the trim clip 15 is used to attach trim 19 to a body panel 21.

In Figs. 3 to 5, the trim clip 15 consists of an integraify molded plastic product wherein the trim securing part 17 and the body securing part 18 are connected by a tether 22 of a certain length. The trim securing part 17 has a trim support 23 at the top, and is attached to a support frame 25 inside the trim 19 diagrammed in Fig. 10. The body securing part 18 has a leg 26 that is inserted into an attachment hole in the body panel 21 and thereto attached. The tether 22 is formed in a narrow plate-form strap shape exhibiting flexibility and pliability, the length 27 whereof is determined at a certain value. The length 27 is selected to be substantially the same as the length 9 of the tether 5 of the conventional trim clip 1 diagrammed in Fig. 1. That is, it is selected to a length wherewith, when the curtain side air bag deploys, the trim 19 supported by the trim securing part 17 that has separated from the body securing part 18 will move greatly so as not to interfere with the deployment of the curtain side air bag, but so as also to limit the distance of movement of that trim 19 from the body securing part 18 so that the former will not make contact with the head or other bodily part of the occupant.

The trim support 23 of the trim securing part 17, in the example diagrammed, is formed in the shape of a pair of latching channels which accept a pair of frame supports 25. The trim support 23 may be of any shape or configuration so long as it is capable of being attached to the trim 19. The leg 26 of the body securing part 18 has a pair of elastic latching pawls 29, moves in cooperation with a flange 30 formed in the upper part of the leg 26, and secures the body securing part 18 to the body panel 21. That leg

can be of any other shape or configuration so iong as it will secure the body securing part 18 to the body panel 21.

To the trim securing part 17 and the body securing part 18 are provided connection means for mutually and directly connecting the two. The connection means of the trim securing part 17 are a pair of locking concavities 31 formed by side surfaces at an intermediate height position on the trim securing part 17, formed at positions separated 90 degrees in the circumferential direction relative to the trim support 23. The connection means for the body securing part 18 are a pair of locking pawls 33 erected so as to be oriented toward positions corresponding to the pair of locking concavities 31 , formed so as to engage those locking concavities 31. The connections between those locking pawls 33 and locking concavities 31 are disengaged when the curtain side air bag deploys, whereupon the trim securing part 17, together with the trim 19, separates from the body securing part 18 within the range of the length of the tether 22. Furthermore, lock release ribs 34 are formed in the locking pawls 33, so that the connections between the locking concavities 31 and locking pawls 33 are maintained so that they will not be disengaged inadvertently or by an unintended force, but also so that, by a force from a prescribed direction, the connections between the locking concavities 31 and locking pawls 33 can be disengaged for the purposes of replacement or inspection or the like, and rib receptacles 35 for accepting the lock release ribs 34 are formed adjacent to the locking concavities 31. The configuration and action of such connections and connection release are described subsequently with reference to Figs. 7 to 9.

The tether 22, as diagrammed in Fig, 4, is formed overall in an S shape. More specifically, the tether 22 extends out laterally from one side (the right side in Fig. 2) of

the trim securing part 17, then bends so as to fold back to the other side (the left side in Fig. 2) and extend out, as is, on the other side of the trim securing part 17, whereupon, after having extended out by substantially the same length as that of the first-described extension to the one side, it bends again so as to fold back toward the side surface of the body securing part 18, and connects, as is, to the side surface of the body securing part 18. The tether 22 diagrammed in Fig. 2 is formed in what is substantially an S shape, but may instead be formed in a reverse S shape, or in some other shape, such, for example, as a Z shape or reverse Z shape. By such a configuration, the tether 22, when in the condition wherein the trim securing part 17 and body securing part 18 are connected, as indicated in Fig. 6, is rendered into a shape such as to be extended the same distance on both sides of the trim securing part 17 and body securing part 18. In Fig. 6, the overall length 37 of extension on both sides, to the left and right, is approximately half the overall length 27 of the tether 22, whereupon the length 38 of extension to each side from the centers of the trim securing part 17 and body securing part 18 becomes about half of that overall length 37, The tether 22, moreover, extends out to both sides with the same length, whereupon the trim clip 15, overall, is balanced, in other words, unlike in the conventional trim clip 1 diagrammed in Figs. 1 and 2, in the trim clip 15, the tether extends out to both sides, and the length 38 of each extension is substantially half of the protruding length 13 of the tether 5 of the conventional trim clip 1. That is, each protruding length 38 becomes a length that is substantially 1/4 {or less) of the overall length 27 of the tether 22. As a consequence, the trim clip 15 can easily be positioned and attached, even when the space on the inside of the trim 19 is narrow,

because the protruding lengths are short and the tether protrudes to both sides so as to be balanced.

As described above, the trim clip 15 is used in the condition diagrammed in Fig. 6, with the trim securing part 17 and body securing part 18 connected from the as- manufactured condition diagrammed in Fig. 4. As diagrammed in Figs. 7 and 8, the locking pawls 33 of the body securing part 18 latch with the edges of the locking concavities 31 of the trim securing part 17, whereupon the condition wherein the trim securing part 17 and body securing part 18 are connected is maintained, in this connection, a pair of abutting blocks 39 is formed, on the lower surface side of the trim securing part 17, and, corresponding to those abutting blocks 39, a flat plate-shaped base part 41 is formed on the lower surface side of the flange 30 of the body securing part 18. When connecting, the abutting blocks 39 come up against the base part 41 , and the trim securing part 17 is connected to the body securing part 18 in a stable condition allowing no wobble.

As diagrammed in Figs. 5 and 8, lock release ribs 34 of small width are formed in the locking pawls 33 of the body securing part 18, And, as diagrammed in Figs. 4 and 8, in the trim securing part 17, rib receptacles 35 of small width, for accepting the lock release ribs 34, are formed, adjacent to the locking concavities 31. The lock release ribs 34, as best depicted in Fig. 8, are formed so as to slope in a direction wherewith release of the connection is facilitated, and the rib receptacles 35 also are formed so as to slope in a direction wherewith release of the connection is facilitated. The widths of the lock release ribs 34 and the widths of the rib receptacles 35, moreover, are formed substantially smaller than the widths of the latching portions of the locking concavities

31 , to 1/5 or less _; for example. As a consequence, the connection between the locking concavities 31 and the locking pawls 33 is maintained so as not to be disengaged by an unintended force or by a force inadvertently applied. Furthermore, the latching of the locking pawls 33 wil! not be released from the edges of the locking concavities 31 , even by a deliberately applied force, if that force is a force (F1) puϋing out on the trim securing part 17 in the portion of the body securing part 18 where the locking pawls 33 are, or a force (F3) pulling out the trim securing part 17 at the locking pawls 33 portions of the body securing part 18, in a direction opposite to the force F1 , or a force (F2) turning the tether 22 about the axis of the body securing part 18. Release is effected when, during curtain side air bag deployment, a force F4 is applied in the direction of that deployment, the lock release ribs 34 engage the rib receptacles 35 _» the connections between the locking concavities 31 and the locking pawls 33 are released, and the trim securing part 17 supporting the trim separates from the body securing part 18. By this mechanism, provision can be made so that a trained worker can disengage the connection, for the purposes of replacement or inspection or the like, but an ordinary user of the vehicle cannot disengage the connection. The trim clip 15 may, for example, be given an orientation such that it will not be touched by an ordinary user of the vehicle.

Fig. 10 diagrams the way in which the trim 19 is attached to the body panel 21 using the trim cfip 15. With the trim clip 15, the trim securing part 17 is connected to the body securing part 18, the support frame 25 of the trim 19 is connected to the trim support 23 of the trim securing part 17, and the leg 26 of the body securing part 18 is inserted into an attachment hole in the body panel 21 , whereupon the body securing part 18 is connected to the body panel 21 by the elastic latching pawls 29 and the flange 30.

Although not shown in the drawings, the folded-υp curtain side air bag is housed between the inside of the trim 19 and the body panel 21. The curtain side air bag deploys very rapidly so as to protect the head of the occupant in the event of a vehicle collision or the like. Due to that deployment, forces will act to separate the trim 19 from the body panel 21 ; the trim securing part 17, together with the trim 19, will separate from the body securing part 18 (the latching between the locking concavities 31 and the locking pawls 33 being forcibly released); and the trim 19, supported by the trim securing part 17 which has separated from the body securing part 18, witl move greatly so as not to interfere with the deployment of the curtain side air bag. This movement of the trim 19 will be limited by the certain length of the tether 22, and the trim 19 will be prevented from making contact with the head or other body part of the occupant.

In order for a trained worker to disengage the trim 19 from the body panel 21 , for the purpose of replacement or inspection or the like, he or she need only twist the folded tether 22 in the direction of the force F4 on the trim clip 15 indicated in Fig. 9. Thereby, the lock release ribs 34 and rib receptacles 35 will function so that the latching of the locking concavities 31 and locking pawls 33 is released, the trim securing part 17 will be disengaged from the body securing part 18, and the trim 19 can separate from the body panel 21 within the range of the length of the tether 22.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a conventional trim clip as manufactured.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the conventional trim clip in the as-delivered product condition.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a trim clip relating to an embodiment of the present invention, as manufactured.

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

Fig. 5 is a right side elevation of the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a trim clip relating to an embodiment of the present invention, in the as-delivered product condition.

Fig. 7 is a section at the A-A line of the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section at the B-B line of the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 6].

Fig. 9 is a diagonal view of the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a section representing how trim is attached to a body panel using the trim clip diagrammed in Fig. 6.