Patent Publication Number: US-2010127536-A1

Title: System to establish a trim edge for a vehicle roof window

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/737,325, filed Apr. 19, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to systems to establish a trim edge for a vehicle roof window. 
     2. Discussion 
     Variations may occur in the edgefold height of trim around a sunroof due to manufacturing tolerances or wear of edgefolding equipment. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the invention may take the form of a system for providing a trim edge for a roof window in a vehicle having a cabin partially defined by a roof. The system includes a cover stock to provide an aesthetic surface for the roof of the cabin and a substrate to support the cover stock and including an angled portion defining an opening for the roof window. The substrate includes first and second surfaces. The cover stock covers the first surface of the angled portion of the substrate. The system also includes a bracket, having a finishing edge and attached with the second surface of the substrate, to support the angled portion of the substrate. The finishing edge at least partially defines the trim edge for the roof window. 
     While exemplary embodiments in accordance with the invention are illustrated and disclosed, such disclosure should not be construed to limit the claims. It is anticipated that various modifications and alternative designs may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an exterior perspective view of a vehicle sunroof and shows the location of the sunroof; 
         FIG. 1B  is an interior perspective view of the sunroof of  FIG. 1A  and shows the trim edge defining the perimeter of the roof relative to the sunroof; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded assembly view of portions of an edge system used to create the trim edge of  FIG. 1B  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and shows a headliner and reinforcement; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view, in cross-section, of the edge system of  FIG. 2 , when assembled, and shows the trim edge in detail; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view, in cross-section, of an alternative embodiment of the edge system of  FIG. 2 , when assembled, and shows the trim edge in detail; 
         FIG. 5  is another side view, in cross-section, of the edge system of  FIG. 2 , when assembled, and shows the attachment between the reinforcement and roof in detail; and, 
         FIG. 6  is another side view, in cross-section, of an alternative embodiment of the edge system of  FIG. 2 , when assembled, and shows the lip having a curved profile and the attachment between the reinforcement and the roof in detail. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1A  is an exterior perspective view of sunroof  10  of vehicle  12  showing the location of sunroof  10 . 
       FIG. 1B  is an interior perspective view (cabin view) of sunroof  10  of vehicle  12  showing trim edge  16  defining the perimeter of roof  14  relative to sunroof  10 . As described below, trim edge  16  provides a finished edge around sunroof  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded assembly view of portions of edge system  17  used to create trim edge  16  ( FIG. 1B ) showing headliner  18  and reinforcement  20 . Headliner  18  includes shaped opening  22 , A-surface  24 , and B-surface  26 . Shaped opening  22  provides access to sunroof  10  ( FIG. 1B ) from the vehicle cabin. Reinforcement  20  includes bottom surface  28  and top surface  30 . Bottom surface  28  of reinforcement  20  and B-surface  26  of headliner  18  are attached as described below. Reinforcement  20  also includes clip retainers  32  which receive a portion of push clips  34  ( FIG. 5 ). Reinforcement  20  is attached with roof  14  ( FIG. 1B ) via push clips  34  as described below. Reinforcement  20  further includes holes  36  for hot melt bonding of reinforcement  20  to headliner  18 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side view, in cross-section, of edge system  17  of  FIG. 2 , when assembled, showing trim edge  16  in detail. Cover  38 , e.g., fabric, is adhered, e.g., glued, to A-surface  24  of headliner  18 . Reinforcement  20  includes lip  40 , which may be flexible, that wraps around edge  42  of headliner  18  and covers a portion of cover  38  adhered to A-surface  24  of headliner  18 . Lip  40 , thus, forms trim edge  16 . In alternative embodiments, lip  40  may have a different profile, e.g., curved. 
     During assembly, edge  42  of headliner  18 , and any portion of cover adhered with A-surface  24  of headliner  18  near edge  42 , may be pushed into lip  40  such that edge  42  is obscured from occupant view. Also, if lip  40  is flexible, it may be pulled around edge  42  such that edge  42  is obscured from occupant view. 
     Lip  40  includes interior surface  44 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , interior surface  44  of lip  40  is in contact with cover  38  such that there is no space between interior surface  44  and cover  38 . In other embodiments, a gap may exist between interior surface  44  and cover  38 . Whether there is a gap may depend on design requirements or visual preferences. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view, in cross-section, of an alternative embodiment of edge system  117  of  FIG. 2 , when assembled, showing trim edge  116  in detail. Numbered elements that differ by increments of  100  have similar descriptions, e.g., headliners  18 ,  118  (substrates) have similar descriptions. Reinforcement  120  (bracket) includes lip  140  (rigid finishing portion) that wraps partially around edge  142  of headliner  118 . Cover  138  (cover stock) is adhered to A-surface  124  (first surface) of headliner  118  and wraps around lip  140  of reinforcement  120 . Cover  138  is adhered to top surface  130  (rear surface) of reinforcement  120 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , cover  138  in combination with lip  140  forms trim edge  116 . 
     In the embodiments described above, edges  42 ,  142  do not define trim edges  16 ,  116 . Rather, in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , lip  40  defines the distance between sunroof  10  and trim edge  16 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , lip  140  and cover  138  define the distance between sunroof  110  and trim edge  116 . These configurations offer better control over the distance between a sunroof and trim edge. The location of edges  42 ,  142  relative to the substantially flat portions of headliners  18 ,  118  respectively depends on manufacturing tolerances that result from manufacturing processes such as thermoforming and water jet cutting. The location of lips  40 ,  140  relative to the substantially flat portions of headliners  18 ,  118  respectively may be formed with more controllable processes. 
       FIG. 5  is another side view, in cross-section, of edge system  17 , when assembled, showing the attachment between reinforcement  20  and roof  14  in detail. Push clip  34 , which mounts in reinforcement  20  as described above, is pushed into roof  14 . 
       FIG. 6  is another side view, in cross-section, of an alternative embodiment of edge system  217 , when assembled, showing lip  240  having a curved profile and the attachment between reinforcement  220  and roof  214 . Roof  214  and reinforcement  220  each include self-aligning fasteners, e.g., Velcro®, which are used to attach reinforcement  220  to roof  214 . Reinforcement  220  may be attached to roof  214 , however, in any desired fashion. 
     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.