Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body and a vehicle door connected to the vehicle body. The vehicle door includes an interior trim panel including an upper board and an ornament member that is connected to an interior surface of the upper board. The ornament member has a front edge, a rear edge and side edges that extend from the front edge to the rear edge. The ornament member includes an interference member that extends outwardly from at least one of the front edge, the rear edge and the side edges and extends under the upper board to interface with the upper board during a side impact event.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body and a vehicle door connected to the vehicle body. The vehicle door includes an interior trim panel including an upper board and an ornament member that is connected to an interior surface of the upper board. The ornament member has a front edge, a rear edge and side edges that extend from the front edge to the rear edge. The ornament member includes an interference member that extends outwardly from at least one of the front edge, the rear edge and the side edges and extends under the upper board to interface with the upper board during a side impact event.

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.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a pillar garnish mounted at a side pillar assembly of the vehicle. The pillar garnish has an upper end portion, a roof head lining with an outer portion that extends along the upper end portion of the pillar garnish, and an airbag jump bracket fixedly located between a pillar body and the roof head lining. The airbag jump bracket includes a first portion extending in a vehicle height direction and a second portion extending outwardly from the first portion in a vehicle width direction. The second portion supports an airbag body that guides the airbag body toward an occupant compartment of the vehicle during an airbag deployment event. The airbag jump bracket further includes an outwardly turned flange portion that extends outwardly in the vehicle width direction to underhang the second portion of the airbag jump bracket. The outwardly turned flange portion has an underside and terminates at an end located beneath the second portion of the airbag jump bracket.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a pillar garnish mounted at a side pillar assembly of the vehicle. The pillar garnish has an upper end portion, a roof head lining with an outer portion that extends along the upper end portion of the pillar garnish, and an airbag jump bracket fixedly located between a pillar body and the roof head lining. The airbag jump bracket includes a first portion extending in a vehicle height direction and a second portion extending outwardly from the first portion in a vehicle width direction. The second portion supports an airbag body that guides the airbag body toward an occupant compartment of the vehicle during an airbag deployment event. The airbag jump bracket further includes an outwardly turned flange portion that extends outwardly in the vehicle width direction to underhang the second portion of the airbag jump bracket. The outwardly turned flange portion has an underside and terminates at an end located beneath the second portion of the airbag jump bracket.

Abstract: A curtain airbag guide bracket includes an airbag guide configured to direct deployment of an airbag toward an interior of a vehicle. The airbag guide includes an inside surface positioned adjacent the airbag and an opposite outside surface positioned adjacent a vehicle panel. A connector is used to attach the airbag guide to the vehicle panel. The airbag guide bracket also includes a post located adjacent the outside surface of the airbag guide. The post has a first side and a second side. The second side of the post is positioned closer to the connector than the first side of the post. The post is disposed within an aperture formed in the vehicle panel, such that the first side of the post engages an edge of the aperture and the second side of the post is displaced away from the edge of the aperture.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a B-pillar garnish mounted at a side pillar assembly of the vehicle. The B-pillar garnish includes an airbag jump bracket engaging feature including a hook-shaped engaging portion extending upwardly beyond an end of an outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket. The hook-shaped engaging portion includes a stem portion and an enlarged head portion that overhangs the end of the outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket that engages the outwardly turned flange portion during an airbag deployment event. The stem portion is located adjacent the end of the outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket. The stem portion is arranged to engage the end of the outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket to limit movement of an upper end portion of the B-pillar garnish into the occupant compartment of the vehicle.

Abstract: A housing assembly is provided. The housing assembly may be used in an automotive vehicle. The housing assembly includes a trim piece and a base. The trim piece is configured to engage the interior trim panel and attach to the base. The base is attached to the trim piece wherein the attachment to the trim piece is weaker than the attachment of the trim piece to the interior panel so as to allow the trim piece to separate from the base before the trim piece separates from the interior trim panel. The housing assembly may further include a pair of spacers configured to maintain a spatial relationship between a first side wall and a second side wall so as to prevent the first and second side walls from squeezing inwardly with respect to each other when the trim piece is displaced from the base.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a pillar garnish mounted at a side pillar assembly of the vehicle. The pillar garnish has an upper end portion, a roof head lining with an outer portion that extends along the upper end portion of the pillar garnish, and an airbag jump bracket fixedly located between a pillar body and the roof head lining. The airbag jump bracket includes a first portion extending in a vehicle height direction and a second portion extending outwardly from the first portion in a vehicle width direction. The second portion supports an airbag body that guides the airbag body toward an occupant compartment of the vehicle during an airbag deployment event. The airbag jump bracket further includes an outwardly turned flange portion that extends outwardly in the vehicle width direction to underhang the second portion of the airbag jump bracket. The outwardly turned flange portion has an underside and terminates at an end located beneath the second portion of the airbag jump bracket.

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.

Abstract: A housing assembly is provided. The housing assembly may be used in an automotive vehicle. The housing assembly includes a trim piece and a base. The trim piece is configured to engage the interior trim panel and attach to the base. The base is attached to the trim piece wherein the attachment to the trim piece is weaker than the attachment of the trim piece to the interior panel so as to allow the trim piece to separate from the base before the trim piece separates from the interior trim panel. The housing assembly may further include a pair of spacers configured to maintain a spatial relationship between a first side wall and a second side wall so as to prevent the first and second side walls from squeezing inwardly with respect to each other when the trim piece is displaced from the base.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the securing of a garnish in a vehicle. The garnish is disposed over the airbag and secures to one or more apertures in the vehicle. The garnish includes a cover, which hides the airbag before it is deployed. A tether is attached to the cover. The tether extends from the cover, and includes a flexible securing portion which is received in the vehicle aperture. When the airbag deploys, the garnish is displaced. Displacement of the garnish, and deployment of the airbag, is enabled by the flexible securing portion, which deforms in response to the airbag, thereby allowing deployment while maintaining attachment of the cover to the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the securing of a garnish in a vehicle. The garnish is disposed over the airbag and secures to one or more apertures in the vehicle. The garnish includes a cover, which hides the airbag before it is deployed. A tether is attached to the cover. The tether extends from the cover, and includes a flexible securing portion which is received in the vehicle aperture. When the airbag deploys, the garnish is displaced. Displacement of the garnish, and deployment of the airbag, is enabled by the flexible securing portion, which deforms in response to the airbag, thereby allowing deployment while maintaining attachment of the cover to the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle body assembly includes a body structure, a trim panel connected to the body structure and an air bag located between the body structure and the trim panel. A releasable clip assembly connects the body structure and the trim panel. The releasable clip assembly includes a first mating component connected to the body structure and a second mating component connected to the trim panel. The second mating component has a lock position and a release position relative to the first mating component. In the lock position, the second mating component is engaged with the first mating component. The second mating component moves to the release position relative to the first mating component with movement of the trim panel during deployment of the air bag to release the second mating component from the first mating component.

Abstract: A trim panel for mounting to a support structure of a vehicle by a retention clip includes an inner surface facing an interior and an outer surface facing the support structure and a two-stage retention clip housing extending from the outer surface. The two-stage retention clip housing includes a top surface and at least one sidewall coupling the top surface to the trim panel such that the top surface is spaced apart from the outer surface. The top surface includes a first aperture defining a pre-installation clip position for receiving a head of the retention clip, a second aperture defining an installed clip position for receiving a head of the retention clip, a first channel extending from an edge of the top surface to the first aperture and a second channel extending from the first aperture to the second aperture.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a retention apparatus for a fin subassembly used in connection with a vent assembly of a vehicle including a headliner assembly mounted to an interior vehicle body structure. A curtain side airbag is disposed between the headliner assembly and the vehicle body structure. The headliner is configured to be displaced by the curtain side airbag upon airbag deployment so as to provide a safety feature for passengers of the vehicle. The vent assembly includes a trim cover, a retainer ring and a fin subassembly. The trim cover is mounted to a vehicle headliner and the trim cover having a predetermined inside diameter. The fin subassembly having a plurality of fins configured to direct airflow from an air duct and also having an extended actuator operatively connected to the fins to permit simultaneous and identical movement of the fins.

Abstract: A molded plastic garnish assembly (10) for a front post of an automotive vehicle, the garnish assembly having a duct portion (16) integrally molded with an overlying portion (18) that has a vent opening (14) therein. The duct portion and the overlying portion are molded together in alignment and are subsequently brought into overlying relationship by bending them relative to one another about a molded-in hinge (20). The duct portion and the overlying portion are secured to one another by engagement of a hook portion (22) at the end of a finger (24) that depends from the overlying portion into an opening (26) in a finger (28) that depends from the duct portion.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a retention apparatus for a fin subassembly used in connection with a vent assembly of a vehicle including a headliner assembly mounted to an interior vehicle body structure. A curtain side airbag is disposed between the headliner assembly and the vehicle body structure. The headliner is configured to be displaced by the curtain side airbag upon airbag deployment so as to provide a safety feature for passengers of the vehicle. The vent assembly includes a trim cover, a retainer ring and a fin subassembly. The trim cover is mounted to a vehicle headliner and the trim cover having a predetermined inside diameter. The fin subassembly having a plurality of fins configured to direct airflow from an air duct and also having an extended actuator operatively connected to the fins to permit simultaneous and identical movement of the fins.

Abstract: A trim panel assembly configured to displace so as to allow an airbag to deploy. The trim panel assembly is mounted to the vehicle body structure and the airbag is housed between the vehicle body structure and the trim panel assembly. The trim panel assembly includes a trim panel body, a trim component, and a retainer. The trim panel body includes an aperture and the trim component is seated within the aperture. The trim component may include vehicle accessories such as a map light, or a handle. The retainer is mounted to the hidden surface of the trim panel body and attached to the trim component so as to retain the trim component to the trim panel body during airbag deployment.

Abstract: A molded plastic garnish assembly (10) for a front post of an automotive vehicle, the garnish assembly having a duct portion (16) integrally molded with an overlying portion (18) that has a vent opening (14) therein. The duct portion and the overlying portion are molded together in alignment and are subsequently brought into overlying relationship by bending them relative to one another about a molded-in hinge (20). The duct portion and the overlying portion are secured to one another by engagement of a hook portion (22) at the end of a finger (24) that depends from the overlying portion into an opening (26) in a finger (28) that depends from the duct portion.