METHOD OF JOINING A BACKLIGHT COVER AND HEADLINER CLIP FOR A CONVERTIBLE TOP
A convertible top has a convertible top cover, a backlight, and a headliner. A connector system includes a molded ring of material affixed to the backlight and the top cover. The connector system includes a clip attached to the headliner. The molded ring may have a slot formed on an interior surface between the backlight and the cover. The clip may be inserted into the slot to secure the headliner inside the top cover. A method of securing a headliner to a convertible top is also provided.
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This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/130,661 filed Nov. 8, 2011, which is a National Phase of PCT Application No. PCT/US2009/065846 filed Nov. 25, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/118,279 filed Nov. 26, 2008, the disclosures of which are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the manufacture of a convertible top wherein a backlight, top cover, and headliner are joined by an in situ molded elastomeric ring.
2. Background Art
Convertible tops are generally provided with a backlight that is connected around the periphery of the backlight to a flexible fabric cover. The backlight may be connected to the cover by gluing, fastener clips, or elastomeric rings that may be separately formed or molded to the backlight and cover.
Convertible tops including a headliner are preferred because they reduce noise and improve the overall appearance of the convertible top. Assembling a headliner to a convertible top is complicated by the need to secure the headliner to the backlight and the cover. Additional assembly steps and fasteners are required to secure the headliner to the top around the periphery of the backlight.
The problem addressed by Applicants' invention is reducing the complexity of assembling a headliner to a convertible top.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a connector system for a convertible top cover, a backlight, and a headliner. The connector system includes a molded ring of material. The molded ring is affixed to the backlight and the top cover. The ring defines a slot formed on an interior surface of the ring between the backlight and the top cover. The connector system also includes a ring shaped clip. The clip is attached to the headliner. The clip is inserted into the slot to secure the headliner inside the cover.
According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the clip may be provided with one or more barbs to engage a side of the slot. The clip may include a flange to which the headliner is attached.
According to one embodiment, a connector system is provided for a convertible top cover, a backlight, and a headliner. The connector system includes a molded ring affixed to the backlight and an opening in the convertible top cover. The connector system includes a ring shaped member that is insert molded into the molded ring. The member is molded into the molded ring between the backlight and the opening in the top cover. The connector system includes a retainer clip. The clip is secured to the headliner. The clip is assembled to the ring shaped member inside the cover.
According to another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of securing a headliner to a convertible top. The method includes providing a backlight and a top cover to the mold. The top cover defines an opening for receiving the backlight. A ring of material is molded around the periphery of the backlight and to the opening defined by the top cover. A slot is formed in the ring between the periphery of the backlight and the opening. A ring shaped clip is attached to the headliner to assemble the headliner to the ring by inserting the clip into the slot.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Referring to
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Referring to
The retainer ring insert 26 has a headliner clip receiver 40 that is disposed at the opposite end of a body portion 42. An intermediate flange 44 extends outwardly from the intermediate area of the body portion 42. The intermediate flange 44 is used to support the retainer ring insert 26 during the molding process as will be described more fully below.
Referring to
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The molding process for the embodiment of
Referring to
Referring to
The method of assembling the headliner 76 to the convertible top according to the embodiment of
While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A method of securing a headliner to a convertible top comprising:
- providing a backlight to a mold:
- providing a top cover to the mold, the top cover defining an opening for receiving the backlight;
- molding a ring of polymeric material around the periphery of the backlight and to the opening defined by the top cover;
- forming a slot in the ring between the periphery of the backlight and the opening defined by the top cover;
- attaching a ring shaped clip to the headliner; and
- assembling the headliner to the ring by inserting the clip into the slot.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming the slot in the ring is performed as part of the molding step.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the ring shaped clip is a press in connector ring that includes a plurality of barbs that retain the connector ring within the slot.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the connector ring has a flange that is joined to a hem of the headliner.
5. A convertible top headliner clip connector ring for connecting a headliner to an elastomeric ring that is molded to a backlight and to a top cover, the clip connector ring comprising:
- a flange formed on the connector ring that is attached to the headliner that extends continuously around the backlight;
- at least one barb shaped rib formed on the connector ring at a spaced location relative to the flange, wherein the barb shaped rib is received by the elastomeric ring between the backlight and the top cover.
6. The convertible top headliner clip of claim 5 wherein the flange is a continuous flange.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 18, 2013
Publication Date: Aug 22, 2013
Applicant: MAGNA CAR TOP SYSTEMS GMBH (Rochester Hills, MI)
Inventor: MAGNA CAR TOP SYSTEMS GMBH
Application Number: 13/845,327
International Classification: F16B 2/22 (20060101); B62D 65/06 (20060101);