Method and apparatus for fastening hard and soft top appliques

An apparatus and method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, providing a vehicle with a hard top option where a hard top can be attached to the vehicle, a soft top option where a soft top can be attached to the vehicle, and a dual top option where either the hard top or the soft top can be attached to the vehicle. A hard top applique is provided for the hard top and a soft top applique is provide for the soft top, and a common set of fasteners is used to attach the hard top applique and the soft top applique to a pillar as needed to attach the hard top or soft top to the vehicle.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to a method and apparatus for fastening hard and soft top appliques that uses a common fastening feature.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles can offer hard top and soft top configurations. To facilitate attachment of the hard and soft tops to the vehicle, an applique is mounted to a pillar. In addition, soft top configurations need to allow for retention of a soft top quarter panel window assembly to the pillar. The fastening technique for switching between the different configurations should be simple and effective.

SUMMARY

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, attaching a first applique to a pillar with at least one fastener to provide a first top configuration, positioning a second applique to cover at least a portion of an external surface of the first applique to provide a second top configuration, and attaching the second applique to the first applique with the at least one fastener such that the first applique remains attached to the pillar for both the first and second top configurations.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method, the at least one fastener comprises a plurality of fasteners.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes removing the plurality of fasteners, removing the second applique, and re-installing the plurality of fasteners to provide the first top configuration.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes removing the plurality of fasteners, positioning the second applique over the first applique, and re-installing the plurality of fasteners to provide the second top configuration.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the first top configuration comprises a hard top and the second top configuration comprises a soft top.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the second applique includes at least one mount interface for a soft top quarter panel window, and the method includes installing a mount portion of the soft top quarter panel window in the at least one mount interface to retain the soft top quarter panel window to the pillar.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes forming a first plurality of openings in the first applique, forming a second plurality of openings in the second applique, aligning the second plurality of openings with the first plurality of openings to provide an aligned set of openings, and inserting one fastener from the plurality of fasteners into each aligned opening from the aligned set of openings to provide the second top configuration.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes axially spacing the plurality of openings apart from each other along a length of the pillar.

A method according to still another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, providing a vehicle with a hard top option where a hard top can be attached to the vehicle, a soft top option where a soft top can be attached to the vehicle, and a dual top option where either the hard top or the soft top can be attached to the vehicle. The method further includes providing a hard top applique for the hard top and a soft top applique for the soft top, and using a common set of fasteners to attach the hard top applique and the soft top applique to a pillar as needed to attach the hard top or soft top to the vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes attaching the hard top applique to the pillar with the common set of fasteners to attach the hard top to the vehicle, and wherein the soft top applique is not attached to the pillar when the hard top is attached to the vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes removing the common set of fasteners, positioning the soft top applique over the hard top applique, and re-installing the common set of fasteners to secure the soft top applique to the pillar for attachment of the soft top to the vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the method includes removing the plurality of fasteners, removing the soft top applique, and re-installing the plurality of fasteners to secure the hard top applique to the pillar for attachment of the hard top to the vehicle.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods, the hard top applique remains attached to the pillar for each of the soft top, hard top, and dual top options.

An apparatus, according to yet another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a pillar, a first applique attached to the pillar with at least one fastener to provide a first top configuration, and a second applique attached to cover at least a portion of the first applique to provide a second top configuration. The second applique is attached to the first applique with the at least one fastener such that the first applique remains attached to the pillar for both the first and second top configurations.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing apparatus, the at least one fastener comprises a plurality of fasteners axially spaced apart from each other along a length of the pillar.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the at least one fastener comprises a plurality of fasteners, and wherein the plurality fasteners fasten only the first applique to the pillar for the first top configuration, and wherein the plurality of fasteners fasten both the first and second appliques to the pillar for the second top configuration.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the first top configuration comprises a hard top and the second top configuration comprises a soft top.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the second applique includes at least one mount interface for a soft top quarter panel window, and wherein a mount portion of the soft top quarter panel window is installed in the at least one mount interface to retain the soft top quarter panel window to the pillar.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the first applique includes a first plurality of openings and the second applique includes a second plurality of openings that are aligned with the first plurality of openings to provide an aligned set of openings, and wherein one fastener from the plurality of fasteners is inserted into each aligned opening from the aligned set of openings to provide the second top configuration.

In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing apparatus, the first applique includes an external surface with a recessed area formed between at least two side walls, and wherein the second applique fits within the recessed area between the at least two side walls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure details, among other things, an exemplary method and apparatus for fastening hard and soft top appliques that uses a common fastening feature. In one example, the common fastening feature comprises a plurality of fasteners that are used to provide both a hard top configuration and a soft top configuration.

FIG. 1shows a vehicle10that is capable of having a hard top configuration (FIG. 3) and a soft top configuration (FIG. 4). The vehicle10includes a frame or body structure12that includes at least a forward pillar14, a middle pillar16, and a rear pillar18. A top frame or rail20extends from the first pillar14, along upper edges of the middle16and rear18pillars, and then bends down toward the body structure12along a cargo area22.FIG. 1shows a driver side of the vehicle10, and it is understood that a similar set of pillars and a top rail would also be located on the passenger side of the of the vehicle10. Open areas between the pillars14,16,18are window areas. A hard top24(FIG. 3) or a soft top26(FIG. 4) is secured to the vehicle10over the top rails20in a known manner.

FIG. 2shows the pillar18, which has an upper portion30held fixed to the top rail and a lower portion32held fixed to the body structure12. In on example, the pillar18has an external surface34that extends between a front edge36and a rear edge38, and between the upper30and lower32portions. One or more openings40are formed within the external surface34. In one example, embossments48are formed around each opening40.

FIG. 3shows a first applique42that is attached to the pillar18with one or more fasteners44to provide a first top configuration. In this example, the first applique42is a hard top applique and the first top configuration is a hard top configuration where the hard top24is attached to the vehicle10. In one example, the hard top applique42includes one or more openings46that are aligned with the openings40in the pillar18. The fasteners44are inserted through the aligned openings40,46to secure the hard top applique42to the pillar18.

FIG. 4shows a second applique50attached to cover at least a portion of the hard top applique42to provide a second top configuration. In this example, the second applique50is a soft top applique and the second top configuration is a soft top configuration where the soft top26is attached to the vehicle10. In one example, the soft top applique50includes one or more openings52, which are aligned with the openings46in the hard top applique42, and are aligned with the openings40in the pillar18. The soft top applique50is attached to the hard top applique42with the fasteners44such that the hard top applique42remains attached to the pillar18for both the hard and soft top configurations. Thus, the fasteners44fasten only the hard top applique42to the pillar18for the hard top configuration, and the fasteners44simultaneously fasten both the hard42and soft50appliques to the pillar18for the soft top configuration.

In one example, a plurality of fasteners44are axially spaced apart from each other along a length of the pillar18that extends in a direction from the upper portion30to the lower portion32. In one example, the fasteners44are spaced inwardly of the front edge36and the rear edge38of the pillar18such that the fasteners44are in a central location along the pillar18, as well as being in a central location along the hard42and soft50top appliques. In one example, three fasteners44are used, and the three fasteners44are spaced generally equally apart from each other along the pillar18.

In one example, the method of assembling the appliques is as follows. The hard top applique42is initially installed to the pillar18with one or more small fasteners (not shown) such that the hard top applique42is retained to the vehicle10during initial install. Optionally, instead of small fasteners, other retaining techniques such press-fit or snap-fit, for example, could also be used. The fasteners44described above are used for the main retention of the appliques to the pillar18.

The vehicle10can be configured as a hard top vehicle where the hard top24is installed on the vehicle10, a soft top vehicle where the soft top26is installed on the vehicle10, or the vehicle can be configured as a dual top option vehicle where the customer orders both the hard top and the soft top options. A common set of fasteners44is then used to attach the hard top applique42and the soft top applique50to the pillar18as needed to attach the hard top24or soft top26to the vehicle10.

For a hard top vehicle, the hard top applique42is installed on the pillar18as described above, with the common fasteners44being used for the main retention of the hard top applique42to the pillar18. When a soft top vehicle is manufactured, the hard top applique42is installed first and remains attached to the vehicle with the two small fasteners or other initial retention feature as described above. Next, the soft top applique50is installed on top of the hart top applique42and the common fasteners44are inserted through both appliques42,50for the main retention of the appliques42,50to the pillar18. As such, the fasteners44retain both the hard top applique42and the soft top applique50to the pillar18, which provides a rigid part to attach a soft top quarter window60(FIG. 7).

For a dual top vehicle option, the vehicle10is manufactured with the hard top applique42attached to the pillar18, and with the fasteners44and the hard top24installed. When the customer wants to swap out the hard top24for the soft top26, the hard top24is removed and then the fasteners44are removed as shown inFIGS. 5A-5B. The soft top applique50is then installed over the hard top applique42and the fasteners44are re-inserted through the appliques42,50to secure the appliques42,50to the pillar50as shown inFIGS. 6A-6B. The vehicle10is now ready for the soft top installation.

When the customer wants to swap the soft top26for the hard top24, the soft top26is removed and the fasteners44are removed. The soft top applique50is then removed and the fasteners44are re-installed such that only the hard top applique42remains. The vehicle is then ready for the hard top installation.

FIG. 7shows an example for the soft top configuration where the soft top quarter window60is fit to the soft top applique50. As shown inFIG. 8, the soft top applique50includes at least one mount interface62for the soft top quarter panel window60. A mount portion64of the soft top quarter panel window60is installed in the mount interface62to retain the soft top quarter panel window60to the pillar18. In one example, the soft top quarter panel window60has a main window body66and the mount portion64is at a front edge of the main window body66. In one example, the mount portion64includes a flange or protrusion68that extends outwardly from a rear of the main window body66. An extension portion70extends rearwardly from the protrusion68and terminates at a distal retention lip72.

In one example, the soft top applique50includes a forward flange74and a rear flange76with a body portion78extending therebetween. The body portion78includes the openings52for the fasteners44. The mount interface62is formed within the body portion78. In one example, the mount interface62comprises a groove, slot, or recess that is configured to receive the protrusion68of the soft top quarter panel window60. The recess includes wall portions80that are separated by a gap that receives the protrusion68.

In one example, the hard top applique42includes an external surface82(FIG. 3) with a recessed area84formed between a forward side wall86and a rear side wall88. A front mount portion90fits over a forward edge of the pillar18and a rear mount portion92fits over a rear edge of the pillar18. The openings46are formed within the recessed area84of the hard top applique42. The soft top applique50fits within the recessed area84between the side walls86,88. The forward flange74of the soft top applique50faces the forward side wall86and the rear flange76faces the rear side wall88. The distal retention lip72of the soft top quarter panel window60abuts directly against a rear facing surface of the rear flange76of the soft top applique50to further facilitate holding of the soft top quarter panel window60to the pillar18as shown inFIG. 8.

Using a common set of fasteners44, as described above, provides a simplified and easy interchangeability for the hard top and the soft top configurations, as the customer uses the same fasteners for all configurations. This eliminates the chance of losing fasteners, as they are required to be installed for all configurations. Additionally, the provision of a separate soft top applique50allows for various styling options, customization, and possible advance lighting configurations.

Although a specific component relationship is illustrated in the figures of this disclosure, the illustrations are not intended to limit this disclosure. In other words, the placement and orientation of the various components shown could vary within the scope of this disclosure. In addition, the various figures accompanying this disclosure are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show certain details of a particular component.