United Technologies Automotive Inc.

Other

Roy Weilant

James D Dowd

David M Hilborn

Abdolhossein R Lawassani

A method of installing a headliner within a vehicle body. The headliner includes a plurality of overhead accessories each having an associated snap fit fastener shaped to fit in associated sheet metal openings in the vehicle body. The accessories are mounted to the headliner at a location remote from the vehicle with the snap fit fasteners protruding through the top of the headliner. The headliner, along with its associated accessories, is then transported to the vehicle body structure where the headliner is then mounted in the vehicle by aligning it with the vehicle body structure simultaneous with inserting a snap-fit fastener of one of the accessories into a corresponding sheet metal opening in the vehicle body structure. The remaining snap-fit fasteners associated with the other accessories are then mounted onto their corresponding sheet metal openings, thereby mounting the headliner and accessories to the vehicle structure.

Method of aligning and installing an automobile headliner by a

A sunshade fastener module for use in a motor vehicle secures a sunshade and headliner substrate to one another. Additionally, the fastener includes mounts for securing the fastener and the attached sunshade and substrate to the body structure of the motor vehicle.

Sunshade fastener module for use with modular headliner

A snap-fit fastener for securing a headliner, a sunshade or both to the body structure of a motor vehicle. The fastener has extending legs which are compressed to allow a cover portion to pass through an opening in the body structure. A torque fitting for attachment to a sunshade support rod is encased within the cover. A base portion engages the substrate and provides entering arms for aligning the fastener.

Headliner and sunshade fastener

A modular headliner subassembly incorporating a substrate defining a first opening, a retainer ring sized to be mounted relative to the first opening, a console sized to fit partially within the opening and be mounted to the retainer ring, a pair of inboard sunshade supports for supporting the inboard end of the sunshades mounted to a modular headliner and retention clips mounted to the inboard sunshade support fastening means such that the substrate and retaining ring are secured between the base of the inboard sunshade support and the retention clip to mount the inboard sunshade support to the substrate prior to assembly of the modular headliner to the motor vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Clarkston, MI, United States of America

Roy Weilant