Patent Abstract:
A garnish system for a vehicle. The system comprises a garnish having a patterned surface with styling features, a cavity, and a mounting aperture within the cavity for receiving a fastener to attach the garnish to a mounting structure. A cover is shaped to engage and close the cavity such that the cover, which is patterned to correspond to the styling features of the garnish, visually obscures the cover when the cover is installed. A method employs the cover.

Full Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application 60/627,067, filed Nov. 12, 2004, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to fasteners for attaching garnishes to a vehicle, particularly to fastener covers that blend in with surrounding styling features of the garnish and aid to disguise the fastener.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Garnishes are used in the automotive industry for various purposes such as enhancing the styling of vehicles, providing protection for surfaces and edges of components, and covering openings or gaps. The garnishes are typically attached to a mounting structure of a vehicle with one or more recessed fasteners such as screws. The screws are often covered by a snap-in cap to protect them from the elements and provide a more finished appearance for the garnish. However, such caps, which are typically round in shape and extend above the surface of the garnish, have a shortcoming in that they interrupt the visual pattern of the garnish. The caps thus detract from the esthetics of the garnish.  
         [0004]     Some garnishes may be attached to a mounting structure with push-in fasteners instead of screws. One known push-in type fastener for attaching garnishes, commonly referred to as a “fir tree” fastener, includes a shaft portion with fins or ridges that extends through the garnish and engages a mounting aperture of a mounting structure. The push-in fastener further includes a head portion that engages an outer surface of the garnish to hold the garnish in place. The head of the push-in fastener is visible after installation and likewise generally detracts from the esthetics of the garnish. Push-in fasteners are also frequently exposed to the elements, causing them to degrade and become difficult to remove without damage to the fasteners and/or garnish.  
         [0005]     Yet another way of attaching a garnish to a vehicle involves assembling together a fastener element and a retainer element. The retainer, such as a keyhole-shaped mounting aperture, is located on a concealable surface of the garnish. The fastener, such as a headed pin, is attached to a mounting structure. The garnish is attached to the vehicle by inserting the head of the pin into a rounded portion of the keyhole, then moving the garnish laterally with respect to the pin such that a shaft portion of the pin travels to a slot portion of the keyhole, securing the garnish in place. While such fastening assemblies are hidden and protected after the garnish is installed, the retainer and fastener can be difficult to align for assembly since the installer often cannot see the retainer and fastener when the garnish is placed into position for assembly. Additionally, the retainer and fastener can be difficult to disengage without damage should the garnish need to be removed.  
         [0006]     There is a need for a way to conceal and protect fasteners for garnishes that provides convenient access to the fastener for installation and removal of the garnish, reduces the potential for damage to the garnish upon removal, and does not detract from the esthetics of the garnish.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     The present invention provides a novel fastener cover that is patterned to visually blend with surrounding styling features of a garnish. The cover interfaces with the garnish such that the gap between the cover and the garnish is oriented generally parallel to the surface of the garnish, concealing the fastener from view without detracting from the esthetics of the garnish.  
         [0008]     An aspect of the invention is a garnish system for a vehicle. The system comprises a garnish having a patterned surface with styling features, a cavity, and a mounting aperture within the cavity for receiving a fastener to attach the garnish to a mounting structure. A cover is shaped to engage and close the cavity such that the cover, which is patterned to correspond to the styling features of the garnish, visually obscures the cover when the cover is installed.  
         [0009]     Another aspect of the invention is a garnish system for a vehicle. The system comprises a garnish having a patterned surface with styling features, a cavity, and a mounting aperture within the cavity for receiving a fastener to attach the garnish to a mounting structure. A cover is shaped to engage and close the cavity. The cover includes a grooved portion that engages a tongued portion of the garnish to attach the cover to the garnish. The cover is patterned to correspond to the styling features of the garnish to visually obscure the cover when the cover is installed.  
         [0010]     Still another aspect of the invention is a method for attaching a garnish to a mounting structure. The method comprises the steps of constructing a pattern of styling features on a surface of the garnish, forming a cavity in the garnish, and installing a mounting aperture in the cavity. Additional steps include locating the mounting aperture proximate the mounting structure, installing a fastener into both the mounting aperture and the mounting structure to attach the garnish to the mounting structure, and closing the cavity with a cover such that the cover is patterned to correspond to the styling features of the garnish to visually obscure the cover.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Further features of the inventive embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the embodiments relate from reading the specification and claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a garnish, a fastener and a cover for the fastener according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a view in section of the garnish, fastener and cover of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a garnish, a fastener and a cover for the fastener according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view in section of the garnish, fastener and cover of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a garnish and fastener cover according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a garnish and a fastener according to still another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a view in section of a garnish and cover according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a garnish and a hinged fastener cover according to still another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     A cover for a fastener according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A piece of trim or garnish  10  includes a patterned surface having styling features, such as a plurality of oblong-shaped, raised styling features  12 . A fastener  14 , such as a screw or a “fir tree” push-in fastener, is installed into a cavity  16  of garnish  10  and then inserted through a mounting aperture  18  of the garnish to secure it to an adjacent mounting aperture  19  of a mounting structure  20 , such as an exterior or interior portion of a vehicle. Mounting aperture  19  may be threaded to receive a screw-type fastener  14 , or sized to retain fins or ridges of a push-in fastener. Alternately, fastener  14  may be a self-tapping screw, in which case mounting aperture  19  need not be present. A cover  22  is shaped similarly to styling features  12  so as to visually blend in with the styling features and, accordingly, functions as a camouflaged cover. Cover  22  is further adapted to engage cavity  16  with an interference fit to retain the cover to garnish  10 , and may optionally include a recessed portion  23  to provide additional clearance for fastener  14  when the cover is installed. The gap between the perimeter of cover  22  and the perimeter of cavity  16  is preferably minimal so that the cover, when attached to garnish  10 , does not visually interrupt the pattern of styling features  12 .  
         [0021]     It should be noted that the present invention can be adapted to correspond with garnishes having various shapes and features. An example of a cover  122  adapted to correspond to a garnish  110  having generally dome-shaped styling features  112  is depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . A fastener  114 , such as a screw or push-in fastener, is installed into a cavity  116  of garnish  110  and through a mounting aperture  118  of the garnish to secure it to an adjacent mounting aperture  119  of a mounting structure  120 , such as an exterior or interior portion of a vehicle. Alternately, fastener  114  may be a self-tapping screw, in which case mounting aperture  119  need not be present. Cover  122 , which is shaped similarly to styling features  112  so as to visually blend in with the styling features, detachably engages cavity  116  with an interference fit to retain the cover to the garnish. Cover  122  may optionally include a recessed portion  123  to provide additional clearance for fastener  114  when the cover is installed. When in place, cover  122  hides fastener  114  and the cavity  116  from view without detracting from the esthetics of the garnish.  
         [0022]     As previously indicated, the present invention may be used with garnishes having styling characteristics of any shape by forming one or more covers in at least one of a shape, color, and texture corresponding to the styling characteristics. A further example is shown in  FIG. 5 , wherein hexagonal-shaped covers  222  are shaped to correspond with surface pattern characteristics comprising hexagonal-shaped styling features  212  of a garnish  210  to cover fasteners  214 . Fastener  214  is installed into a cavity  216 , through a mounting aperture  218 , and engages a mounting structure (not shown) in any manner previously discussed. As noted previously, cover  222  is preferably made of a shape, color, material and texture to as appropriate to closely correspond to the surrounding styling features of the garnish, and may include a recessed portion  223  to provide additional clearance for fastener  214  when the cover is installed. The garnish, styling features, fastener, cavity, cover, mounting apertures and mounting structure are otherwise similar in structure and function to the like-named components previously discussed and so will not be restated here.  
         [0023]     With reference to  FIG. 6 , in still another embodiment of the present invention a garnish  310  may have at least one cavity  316  that further includes a “T”-shaped or keyhole-shaped mounting aperture  318 . In this embodiment a headed fastener  314  is secured to a mounting structure  320 . Garnish  310  is aligned over fastener  314  and the head of the fastener is inserted into a larger, rounded portion of mounting aperture  318  to engage the head. Garnish  310  is then moved laterally such that a shaft portion of fastener  314  moves into a smaller, slotted retaining portion of mounting aperture  318 , securing the garnish to the mounting structure  320 . A cover  322  having a shape, color and texture similar to styling features  312  is then installed, visually obscuring cavity  316 . The cover  322  may optionally include a recessed portion  323  to provide additional clearance for fastener  314  when the cover is installed. The garnish, styling features, fastener, cavity, cover, mounting apertures and mounting structure are otherwise similar in structure and function to the like-named components previously discussed and so will not be restated here.  
         [0024]     With reference now to  FIGS. 1 through 5  in combination, the cover may be permanently or detachably attached to the garnish by use of any conventional attachment means including, without limitation, an interference-type press-fit or snap-fit between the cover and the garnish, adhesive, hook-and-loop, tabs, ribs, tongue and groove, threaded couplings and protrusions. In addition, although the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5  depict a cover engaging the perimeter of a cavity, one skilled in the art will recognize that the cover may alternatively be made with grooved or tabbed portions shaped to slidably engage an inner tongue or slot portion of the garnish to secure the cover to the garnish. An illustrative example is shown in  FIG. 7  wherein the embodiment of  FIG. 3  is modified to utilize covers  422  having one or more slots or grooves  424 . Grooves  424  are shaped to slidably couple to one or more complementary tongues  426  formed in a garnish  410 . Use of such grooves, tabs, slots, tongues and channels is well-known in the art, and details of same are left to the artisan. It is to be understood that the groove portions  424  and tongue portions  426  may be likewise incorporated with any of the embodiments of the present invention described herein. It is also to be understood that tongues  426  could be formed in cover  422  and grooves formed in garnish  410 .  
         [0025]     With continued reference to  FIG. 7 , a fastener  414 , such as a screw or push-in fastener, is installed into a cavity  416  of garnish  410  and through a mounting aperture  418  of the garnish to secure it to an adjacent mounting aperture  419  of a mounting structure  420 , such as an exterior or interior portion of a vehicle. Alternately, fastener  414  may be a self-tapping screw, in which case mounting aperture  419  need not be present. Cover  422  is preferably made of a shape, color, material and texture to as appropriate to closely correspond to the surrounding styling features  412  of the garnish, and may include a recessed portion  423  to provide additional clearance for fastener  414  when the cover is installed. The garnish, styling features, fastener, cavity, cover, mounting apertures and mounting structure are otherwise similar in structure and function to the like-named components previously discussed and so will not be restated here.  
         [0026]     With reference to  FIG. 8 , in yet another embodiment of the present invention a cover  522  may be formed with a garnish  510  and pivotally attached to the garnish with a “living hinge”  528 . In this embodiment cover  522  may be pivoted away from a cavity  516  to provide access to attach garnish  510  to a mounting structure  520  with a fastener  514 . A fastener  514 , such as a screw or push-in fastener, is installed into cavity  516  of garnish  510  and through a mounting aperture  518  of the garnish to secure it to an adjacent mounting structure  520  in any manner previously discussed.  
         [0027]     After fastener  514  is secured, cover  522  is pivoted to a closed position, covering and visually obscuring the cavity  516 . Cover  522  may be held in a closed position by any of the previously-discussed cover attachment devices including, without limitation, press-fit or snap-fit between the cover and the garnish, adhesive, hook-and-loop, tongue and groove, tabs, ribs, threaded couplings, and protrusions. Cover  522  is preferably made of a shape, color, material and texture to as appropriate to closely correspond to the surrounding styling features  512  of the garnish, and may include a recessed portion  523  to provide additional clearance for fastener  514  when the cover is installed. The garnish, styling features, fastener, cavity, mounting apertures and mounting structure are otherwise similar in structure and function to the like-named components previously discussed and so will not be restated here.  
         [0028]     As can be seen, the present invention may be employed with garnishes having a wide variety of surface patterns and shapes. Furthermore, the number of styling characteristics may be greater or lesser without affecting the scope of the invention. For example, a garnish may have a fewer number of styling characteristics of a desired size, such as the oblong-shaped styling features  12  depicted in  FIG. 1 . Conversely, the garnish may have a number of closely-spaced styling characteristics, such as styling features  112 , shown in  FIG. 3 , and  212 , shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0029]     In the aforementioned embodiments, in addition to its visual similarity to its surroundings, a cover according to the present invention may be made from a material similar to the material used for the garnish, or may be made from differing materials having greater or lesser elasticity for ease of installation and removal. In some embodiments it may be desirable to make the cover from a different material than the garnish and then coat the cover with the same or a similar material as the garnish. For example, a cover may be made of metal and then coated with a plastic material that is the same as, or similar to, the material of a plastic garnish. The cover may be finished to correspond to the finish, pattern, texture, and grain of the garnish so as to visually blend in with the garnish.  
         [0030]     While this invention has been shown and described with respect to a detailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the claims of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1