U.S. patent number RE32,165 [Application Number 06/672,353] was granted by the patent office on 1986-06-03 for method of assembling vehicle top structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Gerwin Vans, Inc.. Invention is credited to Harold E. Gerring.
United States Patent |
RE32,165 |
Gerring |
June 3, 1986 |
Method of assembling vehicle top structure
Abstract
A rigid vehicle top of unitary construction and method of making
the same is provided. The rigidity of the roof and headliner
portions allows for the complete off-line assembly of lighting
systems, switches, clocks, environmental control apparatus and
decorations. Additionally, a method of converting an existing
passenger vehicle is provided.
Inventors: |
Gerring; Harold E. (Elkhart,
IN) |
Assignee: |
Gerwin Vans, Inc. (Bristol,
IN)
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Family
ID: |
26800615 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/672,353 |
Filed: |
November 16, 1984 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
103586 |
Dec 14, 1979 |
04358883 |
Nov 16, 1982 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/401.1; 29/469;
296/211; 296/214; 296/218 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R
13/0225 (20130101); B60R 2013/0281 (20130101); Y10T
29/49904 (20150115); B60R 2013/0293 (20130101); Y10T
29/49716 (20150115); B60R 2013/0287 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60R
13/02 (20060101); B21K 021/16 (); B23P 017/04 ();
B23P 023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;29/401.1,469
;296/210,218,211,214,26,137 ;52/285 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Automobile Body Reconditioning, by Wohlfeil et al., McGraw-Hill
Book Co. Inc., 1952, pp. 109, 108, 107, 106, 105..
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Primary Examiner: Moon; Charlie T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Barnes & Thornburg
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of converting a passenger compartment of a motor
vehicle of the type bound by body side walls and a roof structure
attached to the top of said side walls, comprising:
cutting through the side walls at a position below the roof
structure and removing the roof structure and upper portion of the
side walls as a unit from the vehicle passenger compartment,
forming a vehicle roof,
forming a relatively rigid self-supporting headliner separate from
the vehicle roof, including means for accommodating vehicle
lighting fixtures .[.and the like..].
attaching said self-supporting headliner to the top of the cut side
walls of the vehicle,
attaching said vehicle roof on top of said headliner and to the top
of the cut side walls of the vehicle to form a vehicle body top
structure,
whereby assembly workers are allowed great freedom of movement and
ease of access in assembling said headliner and said vehicle
roof.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising affixing electrical
wiring to the headliner from above after attaching the headliner to
the side walls and before attaching the roof to the side walls.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising affixing duct
work to the headliner from above after attaching the headliner to
the side walls and before attaching the roof to the side walls.
4. The method of claim 1, comprising fastening said roof part and
said headliner by ceiling fasteners to maintain rigid contact
between said roof and headliner.
5. The method of claim 4, comprising attaching decorative panel
means to said headliner to conceal said ceiling fasteners.
6. The method of claim 1, comprising forming said roof with
attaching flange means, wherein said attaching of the roof includes
placing said attaching flange means in contact with at least one of
said headliner and said side walls.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said headliner
includes forming of a raceway for electrical or air conditioning
duct work in said headliner.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said headliner
includes forming a rear molded storage compartment and a front
molded in console in said headliner.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming said headliner
includes forming a flattened area in said headliner to provide
direct seat lighting.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein said forming said headliner
includes forming a rear molded storage compartment and a front
molded in console in said headliner.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said forming said headliner
includes forming a flattened area in said headliner to provide
direct seat lighting.
12. The method of claim 7, further comprising affixing electrical
wiring to the headliner from above after attaching the headliner to
the side walls and before attaching the roof to the side walls.
.Iadd.
13. A method of converting a passenger compartment of a motor
vehicle of the type bound by body side walls and a roof structure
attached to the top of said side walls, comprising:
removing the existing roof structure at the top of said side walls
from said vehicle passenger compartment;
forming a new vehicle roof part;
forming a relatively rigid self-supporting headliner, including
means molded therein for receiving, structurally supporting and
positively locating vehicle accessory component fixtures;
attaching said new vehicle roof part and said headliner to one
another to form a relatively rigid unitary vehicle body top
structure;
then affixing said vehicle accessory component fixtures to said
relatively rigid unitary vehicle body top structure;
thereafter attaching said relatively rigid unitary vehicle body top
structure as a preassembled unit with said accessory component
fixtures therein to the vehicle to replace said existing vehicle
roof structure previously removed; and
whereby assembly and conversion of said compartment can be made
with minimal on-site modification and installation at the vehicle
body itself. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The general field of the present invention is that of vehicle body
top structures and their methods of assembly. While various top
structures for vehicles have been known for many years, it has not
been until the recent windspread utilization and, especially mass
assembly, of the automobile and other motor vehicles that on
simplicity, reproducibility and cost-effectiveness has lead to an
ever increasing interest in structural and assembly
improvements.
Early attempts at improvements in this field are exemplified by
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,020,346 and 2,466,366. Other more recent designs
and methods are demonstrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,768,026;
3,300,357; 3,719,383; 3,953,067; 4,119,749; and U.S. Pat. Nos. Des.
203,033; 213,189; 239,101; and 251,292.
As pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,067, there are generally two
different types of vehicle top structures and consequently, methods
of assembly. These two types are (1) cut- and sewn and (2) molded.
The cut- and sewn structure is fabricated and installed by highly
skilled laborers at an assembly plant whereas the molded structure
may be molded elsewhere and installed by slipping it through the
front window or back light opening. Both of these methods demand an
excessive amount of installation time and therefore promulgate
excessive labor costs due to the necessary utilization of highly
skilled labor within a cramped and crowded working area; namely the
passenger or storage area of the motor vehicle being assembled.
The present invention relates to a rigid vehicle top of unitary
costruction which may be unitarily attached to the vehicle body
after the complete off-line assembly of all electrical (i.e.
clocks, radios, etc.) and mechanical (i.e. ventilation ducts,
storage spaces, etc.) components of the vehicle top. This
construction assembly eliminates many of the problems existing in
the present vehicle top assembly methods. In particular, the
present method promulgates a substantial reduction in labor costs
over the presently existing methods. The labor cost reduction is a
direct result of the application of the presently disclosed
inventive method and structure since assembly of the vehicle top is
achieved at an off-line assembly location which may or may not be
within an assembly plant. The off-line assembly of the vehicle top
from its components parts (i.e. roof portions, headliners, clocks,
ventilation ducts, etc.) allows the workers ready access to the
inside area of the vehicle top thus totally obviating the necessity
of assembling the components of the vehicle top and headliner
within the confines of the vehicle passenger or cargo area, itself.
Therefore, the rigid vehicle top of unitary structure of this
invention may be unitarily attached to the vehicle body at a
predetermined point or points in the assembly line.
This invention relates generally to vehicle top structure and more
particularly to a new improved vehicle top structure and method of
attaching the same which is intended to overcome the many
disadvantages and objectional features of both the cut- and sewn
and molded vehicle top structures.
Various advantages, aspects and objects of the present invention
include:
(i) to provide a new and improved vehicle top structure;
(ii) to provide a new and improved method of affixation (attachment
of the vehicle top structure to the vehicle body);
(iii) to provide a vehicle top structure that has the customized
appearance of either cut- and sewn or molded type structures, but
which eliminates many of the problems of assembly and fitting
associated therewith;
(iv) to provide a vehicle top structure which may be assembled
off-line and then be unitarily affixed or attached to the vehicle
body;
(v) to provide a rigid vehicle top of unitary structure which can
be economically manufactured and assembled;
(vi) to provide aesthetically pleasing vehicle top structures of
durable nature.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparently from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a plurality of
preferble embodiments thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the affixation
(attachment) and the vehicle top structure as affixed to a motor
vehicle body which is assembled and constructed according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an interior plan view of an embodiment of a vehicle top
structure according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional right side view taken along line
III--III of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an interior plan view of another embodiment of the
vehicle top structure of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a front sectional view along line VI--VI of the
embodiment of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the affixation and
joining area of the vehicle top structure conversion as affixed
(attached) to a motor vehicle body constructed and assembled
according a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now in detail to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1
thereof, a rigid, unitary and self-supporting vehicle roof portion
1, is affixed to vehicle body 2 by means of wall attaching flange
3. Other affixing or attachment embodiments are also contemplated.
For example pressure sensitive adhesives, spot welding, nuts and
bolts, etc. Self-supporting headliner 4 is preferably provided with
a raceway 5 for electrical or air conditioning duct work. A
flattened area 6 to provide direct seat lighting is also preferably
provided. Ceiling fasteners 7 maintain rigid contact between
headliner 4 and self-supporting vehicle roof portion 1 and are also
preferably hidden for aesthetic purposes, from passenger view by
decorative panels 8 which are recessed into a ceiling insert area
9. Affixation of vehicle roof portion 1 and headliner 4 to vehicle
body 2 is maintained at all contact points in the manner previously
described. Placement of various instruments and indicators, i.e.
clocks, speedometers, oil pressure gauge, tachometer, etc. may be
such that all passengers may view them.
FIG. 2 discloses a preferred embodiment of decorative panels 8,
and, additionally, the usage of windows 10.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 along line III--III and
further discloses rear molded storage compartment 11 and front
molded console 12. A cross-sectional view of the interior liner 13
is also revealed.
FIG. 4 reveals another embodiment of decorative panels 8 and the
provision for stereo speakers 14.
FIG. 5 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a front sectional view along line VI--VI of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7, as previously stated, is a transverse, cross-sectional view
of the affixation (attachment) and adjoining area of a vehicle top
conversion structure as affixed to a motor vehicle body and
constructed and assembled according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
From the above drawings and detailed description, the distinct
advantages of constructing a rigid and unitary vehicle top
structure consisting of a vehicle roof portion and headliner is
readily recognizable. Since the headliner 4 is also rigid and of
unitary structure, workers at an off-line location may assemble the
vehicle roof portion 1 and headliner 4 structures to form the
vehicle top without the inherent problems of a cramped working
area. Workers would thus have ready and easy access to the wiring
and duct work area between the self-supporting headliner and
vehicle top 1. Consequently, the labor necessary per unit assembled
would be drastically reduced. Furthermore, all clocks, radios,
speakers, decorative panelling, etc. could be assembled into the
headliner with ease at the off-line assembly area. Thus, a
completely assembled vehicle top structure could be unitarily
attached to the vehicle body at a predetermined point or points in
the assembly line.
Another application of the present method and structure resides in
vehicle top conversions. A hypothetical owner of a vehicle might
desire an aesthetic "new look" or additional space in his vehicle.
Such a modification could be readily practiced through usage of the
present rigid unitary vehicle top structure. In this regard,
workers would merely have to cut off the existing vehicle top
structure, preferably three inches below the roof line, and then
attach the new vehicle top structure of the owner's choice.
Therefore a quite economical modification of existing vehicles may
be envisioned through application of the present invention.
The present invention lends itself to yet another unique and
unobvious construction method. In this regard, a conversion dealer
would simply cut off the existing vehicle top structure and then
affix the rigid, unitary, self-supporting molded headliner of the
present invention to the sidewalls of the vehicle to be converted.
Thereafter, electrical wiring duct work etc. could be easily
affixed to the headliner since the area above the headliner which
would eventually be beneath the vehicle roof structure would be
readily accessible to the workers. Thereafter the vehicle roof
structure would be attached to the body sidewalls above the
headliner. While this method might involve slightly more labor
costs (due to the double attachment costs necessary), these costs
could be well overcome through a dealer not having to carry a large
inventory of all possible combinations of headliners/vehicle roof
structures.
While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the
invention disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects
abovestated, it will be appreciated that the invention is
acceptable to modification, variation and/or change without
departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the claims
appended hereto.
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