Patent Publication Number: US-2023142918-A1

Title: T-bayonet joint

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a PCT International Application and claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/062,864, filed Aug. 7, 2020. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to joining of two pieces of vehicle trim and appliques using a connection assembly. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In automotive assembly manufacturing tolerances and detail as to final fit on vehicles is very important. Elongated trim pieces are used to provide finished surfaces around windows and doors in vehicles. Pieces of trim may need to be butted end to end in some areas. These areas of connecting trim pieces are hard to align and maintain proper desired fit. Inconsistencies in joint fits based on variation in manufactured parts is a common problem in such assemblies. 
     Therefore, it is an objective in the art to provide a robust joint feature that is tunable and able to account for variation in assembly of trim and applique parts. 
     One way of providing a better joint is through tie plates. These form a robust joint that forces out of specification parts into place. However, this type of joint is costly due to adding an additional component to the joint system and fit can degrade over time. 
     Therefore, it is an objective in the art to provide a robust joint feature that is tunable and able to account for variation in assembly of trim and applique parts. 
     It is also a goal to provide a tunable connection that can be tuned during part manufacturing such that final assembly line tuning is reduced or eliminated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A flange connector assembly for connecting trim pieces of a vehicle, wherein a first male portion having an end portion connected to a first trim part, and a second female portion connected to a trim part end to be attached to the first trim part. The first male portion has a connection portion with a T-shaped cross section and the second portion has a second connecting portion with a T-shaped cavity. The first male connecting portion and the second female connecting portion fit to precisely engage each other and retain the trim portion to be attached. The protruding T-shaped portion includes tuning surfaces and is capable of holding positioning up/down, inboard/outboard or twist fine tuning for providing alignment adjustment to the trim pieces. 
     The T-bayonet has a shape that allows for tunability in all directions to drive the joint to a nominal fit, but can be molded directly into the part, making it cost efficient. 
     The bayonet is designed to be in a T-shape, offering tuning surfaces for every direction, as well as twist. 
     A T-shaped hole in a receiver clip is used to pull a joining extruded part into place. This allows for the extrusion to be installed with a stab onto the bayonet, creating a desirable joint fit as the bayonet enters the receiver. 
     According to the process aspects of the present invention, a process for providing assembly tuning of a flange connector fit is provided. The steps include first providing a mold for making of a T-flange connector. The T-flange connector includes a first male portion having an end attached to an end of a first trim portion and a second female connection portion attached to an end of a second trim part to be attached to the first trim part. The first male portion has a connection portion with a T-shaped cross section and the second female portion has a second connecting portion with a T-shaped cavity wherein the first male portion and the second female connecting portion fit to precisely engage each other and retain the trim portion to be attached. The male portion includes tuning flange surfaces and is capable of holding positioning up/down, inboard/outboard or twist fine tuning for providing alignment adjustment to the trim pieces. The first male connector is fitted into the female connection flange and the connections are assessed for necessary fitment corrections. The fitment is corrected adjusting the height of the tuning flange surfaces by adding or subtracting materials in the molding surfaces of the mold to adjust the flange height. Thereafter, the male portion is remolded remolding one or more of the male portion connectors for providing a precision fit to a final tuned connection. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a plan view of a typical trim area in which a trim assembly connector is used; 
         FIG.  2    is a sectional view of a trim assembly connector along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view showing the male side of the T-bayonet protrusion of the present invention; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the T-bayonet with the female T-shaped connector in phantom illustrating engagement of the two connection portions; 
         FIG.  5    is a sectional view showing the female section having a T-shaped cross section for receiving the T-bayonet portion; 
         FIG.  6    is a sectional view showing the T-bayonet portion engaged in the female T-shaped opening; 
         FIG.  7    is an end view illustrating the rib tanning adjustments for inboard and outboard movement; 
         FIG.  8    is an end view illustrating the ribs requiring adjustment for up/down; and, 
         FIG.  9    is an end view illustrating the ribs requiring adjustment for tuning for twist fitting of the pieces. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
     A flange connector assembly is shown generally at  10 . The flange connector assembly  10  is for connecting trim pieces  12  and  14  of a vehicle  16 . Each trim piece  12  and  14  have a longitudinal cavity  18  and  20  respectively. 
     The flange connector assembly  10  includes a first portion  22  having an end  24  fitting molded in place into cavity  18  on a first side and second portion  26  having an end  28  molded in place or fitting into a cavity  20  of a trim part  14  to be attached. The first portion  22  has a T-shaped cross section bayonet connecting portion  30  and the second portion  26  has a second female connecting portion  32 . The first connecting portion  30  and the second connecting portion  32  provide alignment adjustment and hold their position in the adjusted position. In a preferred embodiment the male and female portions are molded in place during molding of the trim piece itself. This saves steps in assembly line of trying to hand fit each joint as it is assembled. With the present process a one-time change to the mold results in improved fit in the assembly line. Alternatively, if a metal shell type trim piece is used the male and female pieces can be inserted into the ends of the trim strip prior to assembly. 
     The first portion  22  has a male T-shaped protrusion  34  and the second portion  26  has a T-shaped slot  32  which accepts the T-shaped protrusion  30 . 
     Referring now to  FIG.  5   , the T-shaped protrusion  34  has ramped surfaces  34  and  36 . The T-shaped protrusion has an elongated leg  38  and a second shorter leg  40 . The leg  40  extends from the leg  38  offset along its length at an angle of about 90-degrees. The leg  38  has on its flat sides  42  and  44  a series of longitudinally extending contact ribs  46 ,  48 ,  50 , and  52 . The T-shaped portion itself in combination with contact ribs  46 ,  48 ,  50 , and  52  are provided for adjustment and facial alignment of the trim pieces  12  and  14  during securement. Additionally, the shorter leg has tunable contact ribs  54  and  56  which allow up/down tunability to the design. At least one of the ribs is provide which extend 90-degrees to the elongated leg, Preferably, a plurality of ribs  54  and  56  are provided along the length of the second shorter leg  40 . The T-bayonet connection assembly allows for tuning of the outer belt fit to the applique by the use of tuning ribs in the joint clip to allow up/down, inboard/outboard or twist fine tuning. 
     With respect to process aspects of the present invention for tuning the fitting and the tunability of the flanges. If the alignment of the two components need correction for better flushness The height of the rib features can be reduced or increased to induce a twist and/or translation in the direction to better align the two components. These ribs are easily “tuned” in the mold tool allowing for quick reaction times to improve fits. They are also aligned on the T-shaped bayonet to effectively tune in the directions which impact flushness in a direct manner. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  7   , if tuning is desired in the inboard or outboard direction the ribs  46 ,  48 ,  50  and  52  are adjusted higher or lower in the mold as needed for changing the final alignment. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  8    if an up/down movement is needed to align the parts the height of the ribs  54  and  56  is adjusted in the mold. If a twisting is needed in alignment, then the height of all of the ribs is adjusted for the proper movement as seen in  FIG.  9   . Thus, a part is test fitted and the adjustments made and measured, the ribs are adjusted in the mold and parts are molded such that the final assembly is in alignment. 
     In operation with the next molding cycle where a rib(s) needs to be tuned, the mold cavity which defines these ribs has to be modified. The modification is done by machining or grinding the mold cavity at the very localized and defined areas of the rib. This can be easily and quickly be done as opposed to a bayonet feature without ribs. Without ribs the entire shape profile of a bayonet would have to be modified which could be more of an extensive modification to the mold cavity. The other important aspect of the ribs is that engineers can quickly file down the ribs and/or add tape shims to build up the ribs to determine the degree of change to tune-in the fit. Once dialed in, this part with shaved or built-up ribs can be measured for rib height changes and easily translated to changes needed in the mold cavity. In essence, the information back to the mold maker would be a single value for each rib to deepen or shorten. Without ribs a bayonet feature might require surface changes that are variable along its bearing surfaces. This can be difficult to measure the degree of change since it might vary in the section of the bayonet and hence be prone to a degree of error when modifying the mold. These joints require precision at the scale of 0.25 mm, so elimination of error is important and pertinent to making changes quickly. 
     This method is advantageous in that it takes the assembly line operator out of the picture in terms of effecting the flushness of the joint (good or bad). With this approach the rib heights are what controls the quality of the joint. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.