Patent ID: 7338068

Claim:
A garnish clip for attaching a garnish, that holds a curtain shield airbag, to a portion of a vehicle body, comprising: a body attachment portion for attachment to a vehicle body, and a garnish attachment portion for attachment to a garnish, wherein the garnish attachment portion comprises a base with one end connected to the body attachment portion and an opposite end connected to one end of a garnish engagement portion by a U-shaped connection, so that the garnish engagement portion opposes the base, wherein a latch includes cooperable parts disposed on the garnish engagement portion and the body attachment portion at positions opposing one another, whereby the garnish engagement portion is latched to the body attachment portion, wherein the latch is released when an impact force is sustained by the deployment of the curtain shield airbag so as to move the garnish engagement portion away from the body attachment portion, and wherein the garnish attachment portion, including the U-shaped connection, has stiffening elements that provide sufficient rigidity to the garnish attachment portion to limit movement of the garnish engagement portion away from the body attachment portion when the latch is released.