Patent Abstract:
A body hanger bracket aligns and attaches an accent panel to a vehicle body panel. The hanger bracket includes selectively detachable first and second alignment tabs. The first alignment tab engages a horizontal indexing feature on the vehicle body panel for aligning the hanger bracket horizontally and the second alignment tab engages a vertical indexing feature on the vehicle body panel for aligning the hanger bracket vertically. After the hanger bracket is aligned and attached to the body panel, the first and second alignment tabs are detached. The accent panel is then attached to the hanger bracket.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/205,215, filed on Aug. 8, 2011, which claims the priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/503,863, filed on Jul. 1, 2011. All applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to body kit panels or accent panels for automotive vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a body hanger bracket for aligning and attaching a body kit panel or accent panel to an automotive vehicle body panel. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     By way of background, body hanger brackets are commonly used for attaching accent panels; such as front, side, and rear ground effect panels, to the front, side, and rear body panels of a vehicle. Typically, the body hanger bracket includes a pair of fingers for vertically aligning the hanger bracket relative to an upper edge of the vehicle body panel while the hanger bracket is fastened to the vehicle body by rivets, bolts, or the like. The hanger bracket includes an elongated lip spaced laterally from the vehicle body for receiving and supporting an upper edge of the accent panel. The upper edge of the accent panel is supported by the hanger bracket and the lower edge of the accent panel is riveted or bolted to an underside of the vehicle body. Current body hanger brackets, however, do not provide both vertical and horizontal alignment of the hanger bracket along the vehicle body panel for accurate alignment and attachment of the accent panel to the vehicle. 
     It is desirable, therefore, to provide a body hanger bracket that provides both vertical and horizontal alignment of the hanger bracket along a vehicle body panel for alignment and attachment of an accent panel to a vehicle. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a body hanger bracket is provided for aligning and attaching an accent panel to a vehicle body panel. The hanger bracket includes selectively detachable first and second alignment tabs. The first alignment tab engages a horizontal indexing feature on the vehicle body panel for aligning the hanger bracket horizontally and the second alignment tab engages a vertical indexing feature on the vehicle body panel for aligning the hanger bracket vertically. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of installing a body hanger bracket for an accent panel on a vehicle body panel includes the steps of: locating the body hanger bracket in a horizontal direction by engaging a first alignment tab on the hanger bracket with a horizontal indexing feature on the vehicle body panel; locating the hanger bracket in a vertical direction by engaging a second alignment tab on the hanger bracket with a vertical indexing feature on the vehicle body panel; permanently attaching the hanger bracket to the vehicle body panel; and supporting the accent panel on the hanger bracket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a body hanger bracket on a vehicle body panel according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the body hanger bracket taken through lines  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the body hanger bracket supporting an accent panel; 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary perspective view of the body hanger bracket illustrating a first alignment tab of the body hanger bracket; and 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view of the body hanger bracket illustrating a second alignment tab of the body hanger bracket. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle body panel on a vehicle is generally shown at  10  including a front panel  12 , a lateral edge  14 , and a bottom edge  16 . A body hanger bracket, shown at  20 , provides for vertical and horizontal alignment and attachment of the hanger bracket  20  along the front panel  12  of the body panel  10  relative to the lateral edge  14  and the bottom edge  16 . Specifically, the body hanger bracket  20  includes an elongated support plate  22  extending longitudinally between a first alignment tab  24  and an opposite distal end  26 . A plurality of second alignment tabs  28  is spaced apart and extends transversely from the support plate  22  to a hooked distal end  30 . An elongated support lip  32  extends upwardly from a top edge of the support plate  22  and is arranged to be spaced laterally from the front panel  12  defining a channel  33  therebetween. The support lip  32  is adapted for supporting an accent panel  40  as is described below in more detail. In the embodiment shown, the second alignment tabs  28  extend downwardly from a bottom edge of the support plate  22 , however, it is appreciated that the tabs  28  may extend upwardly from a top edge of the support plate  22  without varying from the scope of the invention. 
     The body hanger bracket  20  is aligned along the vehicle body panel  10  by engaging the first alignment tab  24  with the lateral edge  14  and the second alignment tabs  28  with the bottom edge  16 . It is appreciated that the first and second alignment tabs  24 ,  28  may also be aligned with any suitable horizontal and vertical indexing feature on the vehicle body panel  10 , such as vehicle body panel joint lines, sill plates, etc., without varying from the scope of the invention. Once the first and second alignment tabs  24 ,  28  are aligned with the respective lateral and bottom edges  14 ,  16 , the support plate  22  is temporarily secured to the front panel  12  of the body panel  10  by strips of double-sided adhesive tape  34 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . An installer may then drill holes in the body panel  10  through existing holes  35  in the support plate  22 . The body hanger bracket  20  is permanently attached to the body panel  10  by securing the support plate  22  to the body panel  10  with rivets, screws, or the like extending through the existing holes  35  into the holes drilled in the body panel  10 . 
     The first alignment tab  24  is attached to the support plate  22  by a V-shaped notched membrane  36  to allow the tab  24  to be removed from the support plate  22  after permanent attachment of the body hanger bracket  20  to the body panel  10 . The first alignment tab  24  is removed by bending the tab  24  away from the front panel  12  until the notched membrane  36  breaks. Similarly, the second alignment tabs  28  are attached to the support plate  22  by the V-shaped notched membrane  36  to allow the tabs  28  to be removed from the support plate  22  after permanent attachment of the body hanger bracket  20  to the body panel  10 . The second alignment tabs  28  are removed by bending the tabs  28  away from the front panel  12  until the notched membrane  36  breaks. Additional body hanger brackets may be aligned and attached to the body panel  10  along the length of the vehicle depending on the length and contour of the body panel  10  and associated accent panel  40 . 
     After the body hanger bracket  20  is aligned and attached to the body panel  10 , and the first and second alignment tabs  24 ,  28  are removed; the accent panel  40  is aligned and attached to the body panel  10 . More specifically, referring to  FIG. 3 , the accent panel  40  includes an upper hooked portion  42  having longitudinally spaced apart openings  44  in a distal edge thereof. The upper hooked portion  42  is hooked about the support lip  32  on the body hanger bracket  20  to support the accent panel  40 . The support lip  32  includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart locking tabs  38  received in the respective openings  44  to secure the accent panel  40  to the body hanger bracket  20 . An opposite lower portion  46  of the accent panel  40  extends adjacent the bottom edge  16  of the vehicle body panel  10 . The accent panel  40  is permanently attached to the bottom edge  16  by securing the lower portion  46  to the bottom edge  16  with rivets, screws, or the like  47  extending through existing holes  48  in the accent panel  40  into holes drilled in the body panel  10 . It is appreciated that the body hanger bracket  20  provides a simple and accurate method of aligning and attaching the accent panel  40  on the body panel  10  within specified tolerances and without expensive tooling or fixtures. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, one or more of the second alignment tabs  28  includes a drill-hole template  50  extending from the hooked distal end  30  of the respective tab  28 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In the embodiment shown, the drill-hole template  50  includes a semi-circular relief  52 , which is provided as a location guide for an installer to drill a hole in the bottom edge  16  of the vehicle body panel  10 . Thus, when the second alignment tabs  28  are removed and the accent panel  40  is supported on the body hanger bracket  20 , the existing hole  48  in the lower portion  46  of the accent panel  40  will align with the hole drilled in the bottom edge  16  of the body panel  10  for receiving the rivet or screw  47  therethrough. Similarly, the first alignment tab  24  may also include a drill-hole template  54  extending from a distal end thereof, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The drill-hole template  54  includes a semi-circular relief  56 , which is provided as a location guide for an installer to drill a hole in the lateral edge  14  of the vehicle body panel  10 . Thus, when the first alignment tab  24  is removed and the accent panel  40  is supported on the body hanger bracket  20 , an existing hole in the accent panel  40  will align with the hole drilled in the lateral edge  14  of the body panel  10  for receiving a rivet or screw therethrough. It is appreciated that the drill-hole templates  50 ,  54  may also be a circular hole, slot or other feature that is suitable for use as a location guide without varying from the scope of the invention. 
     In still another embodiment, a second body hanger bracket, shown at  58  in  FIG. 1 , is disposed adjacent to the body hanger bracket  20 . It is appreciated that one end of the second body hanger bracket  58  may abut directly against the distal end  26  of the body hanger bracket  20  to help locate the second body hanger bracket  58  on the vehicle. Alternatively, the second body hanger bracket  58  may be disposed between the body hanger bracket  20  and a remote body hanger bracket, not shown in the Figures. In this case, the second body hanger bracket  58  is centered between the body hanger bracket  20  and the remote body hanger bracket ensuring an even gap between both. The second body hanger bracket  58  may include a removal tab  60  at one or both ends that can be broken off along a notched membrane  62  if additional space is required to center the second body hanger bracket  58  between the body hanger bracket  20  and the remote body hanger bracket. 
     The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8