GB2555619A

GB2555619A - Liner

Info

Publication number: GB2555619A
Application number: GB1618627.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hayley Lusby Michelle; Louise Sherratt Victoria; Mo-Ching Lee Fanny
Original assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Current assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
Priority date: 2016-11-04
Filing date: 2016-11-04
Publication date: 2018-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-04
Also published as: GB2555619B

Abstract

A trimmed automotive roof comprises a closed roof panel 12; a headliner 2 provided with an aperture (3 figure 2); a support frame 11 around the aperture, said frame secured to the roof panel and having the headliner secured to it around the aperture; and a discrete liner 18, 19 across the aperture under the roof panel. The discrete liner may have openings or be perforated so that an inner liner (17 figure 2) and/or lighting provided around the frame can be viewed through the discrete liner. The discrete liner may be withdrawn to expose an inner liner, or it may be manipulated to reveal more or less of the inner liner. The discrete liner may be fixed across the aperture and be of a different external material and/or appearance to the headliner. The invention is intended to allow the use of a headliner provided with an aperture, as used with a sunroof, in a car which is not provided with a sunroof, said discrete liner thus closing the unnecessary aperture.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Liner

Abstract Title: Vehicle roof and headliner assembly (57) A trimmed automotive roof comprises a closed roof panel 12; a headliner 2 provided with an aperture (3 figure 2); a support frame 11 around the aperture, said frame secured to the roof panel and having the headliner secured to it around the aperture; and a discrete liner 18, 19 across the aperture under the roof panel. The discrete liner may have openings or be perforated so that an inner liner (17 figure 2) and/or lighting provided around the frame can be viewed through the discrete liner. The discrete liner may be withdrawn to expose an inner liner, or it may be manipulated to reveal more or less of the inner liner. The discrete liner may be fixed across the aperture and be of a different external material and/or appearance to the headliner. The invention is intended to allow the use of a headliner provided with an aperture, as used with a sunroof, in a car which is not provided with a sunroof, said discrete liner thus closing the unnecessary aperture.

At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.

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Figure 1

Figure 2

18 19

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Figure 3

LINER

The present invention relates to a liner for an automobile body, in particular but not exclusively a headliner.

Normally, a headliner is a panel for lining the underside of a roof of an automobile. It is known for headliners to be continuous, for instance from front to rear and side to side of the roof, though normally with edge trim strips. It is also known to provide a sunroof, in which case the headliner has an aperture corresponding to the extent of the sunroof aperture.

Usually a sunroof has lining for closing the headliner aperture to hide the underside of a metal sunroof or provide shade in the case of a glass sunroof.

The concept of this invention is to provide an economic means of enabling a car’s headliner to incorporate bespoke or limited numbers similar features without recourse to complete new headliners adapted to incorporate such features. More particularly the concept employs a known apertured headliner, as used with a sunroof, in a non-sunroof car and provides a recessed placement at the aperture for such features, supported by a frame attached to the roof panel of the car.

Accordingly in a first aspect of the invention within the concept, there is provided a trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• a closed roof panel • an apertured headliner fitted under the roof panel • a support frame around the headliner’s aperture, secured to the roof panel and having the headliner secured to it around the aperture and • a discrete liner across the aperture under the roof panel.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• a closed roof panel • an apertured headliner fitted under the roof panel • a support frame around the headliner’s aperture, secured to the roof panel and having the headliner secured to it around the aperture and • a discrete liner across the aperture under the roof panel, wherein:

· the discrete liner is perforate whereby an inner liner provided on the closed roof panel and/or lighting provided around the frame can be viewed through the discrete liner.

According to a third aspect, there is provided a trimmed automotive roof 10 comprising:

• a closed roof panel • an apertured headliner fitted under the roof panel • a support frame around the headliner’s aperture, secured to the roof panel and having the headliner secured to it around the aperture and · a discrete liner across the aperture under the roof panel, wherein:

• the discrete liner is withdrawable to reveal an inner liner provided on the closed roof panel.

According to a fourth aspect there is provided a trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• a discrete liner is manipulateable to reveal more or less of an inner liner provided on the closed roof panel.

According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• the discrete liner is fixed across the aperture and of a different external material and/or appearance from the aperture roof liner.

Normally, the aperture in the headliner will occupy a substantial part of the extent of the apertured headliner. In other words, the aperture will be an aperture substantially larger than any fixture aperture in it and/or fitting fixed to the liner.

The support frame is preferably a continuous frame around the aperture, but it cn be comprised of separate frame pieces.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an underneath view of a car’s headliner in accordance with the invention, shown in a car body with A, B & C pillars;

Figure 2 is a central, longitudinal cross-sectional elevation of the headliner of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a scrap view at III in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the headliner 1 is conventionally formed of a fibre board moulding 2 having a substantial aperture 3 intended in other cars in which the moulding finds use to provide for a sunroof. Normally the moulding will have various positions and small apertures for fittings such as grab handles 3, interior lights 4, sun visors 5 and a rear view mirror 6. These are incidental and mentioned only for the sake of completeness.

The moulding is covered in the normal way with a leather or fabric covering 7. At the outer edges, the moulding and covering are covered with by conventional trim pieces 8. Around the aperture, an aperture trim 9 is provided, covering the aperture edges 10.

For securement of the headliner at the aperture to the roof of the car, a sheet steel frame 11 is welded to the underside of the roof panel 12 of the car and provided with apertures 14 in flanges 15, turned-out with respect to the aperture, for fastenings 16 for securing the aperture edges 10. The aperture trim covers the fastenings.

An inner lining 17comprises a board 18 and a fabric covering 19 on it and is held against the roof panel 12 by flanges 20 of the aperture trim 9, which engage edges of the inner lining. The aperture trim is fastened by clips 21 engaging in apertures in webs 22 of the frame extending down from the roof. Thus the inner lining is held.

The webs are stepped 23 in their lower extent and the trim has a recess 24 running around the aperture. Resilient leaves 25 urge the trim inwards of the aperture. An discrete lining 26 with an inner moulding 27 and a leather covering 28 is held in the recess. For fitting, it is eased into the recess against the resilience of the leaves, which urge the aperture trim inwards to hold the discrete lining in place.

The inner moulding 27 is open centred with a central opening 29. Across this the leather of the covering is slit into strips 30, which are twisted. To hold the twist a cross strip 31 is stitched across them to their middles above them. The result is that the strips twist in one direction from one end to the middle and back again to the other end. The upper and lower surfaces of the leather are coloured differently. The result is that the apparent colour of the leather changes with the twists and the inner lining fabric can be viewed where the strips are edge on as opposed to face on. For illumination ofthe inner lining fabric, lights 32 are provided, interdigitated with the aperture trim clips 21.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, whilst it has been described in connection with a headliner moulding having a sunroof aperture, a headliner moulding could be designed specifically for the invention without being constrained to the details necessary in a sunroof moulding. Nevertheless, the aperture in such a moulding would be of the same general extent as a sunroof aperture, bearing in mind that sunroofs themselves come in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Whilst the aperture trim will normally be provided, we can envisage that the headliner moulding could be provided with fixtures for fixing it to the aperture frame, as in the conventional manner of trim fixing.

The aperture frame has been described as a fabricated frame with side and end members connected together. However in the interest of weight saving, at the top of the car, discrete frame pieces may be provided, fixed to the roof of the car to delimit a frame without continuity between the pieces as such.

In place of the slit and twisted leather, other arrangements can be provided, such as slats openable and closable in the manner of a Venetian blind. Again the discrete lining could be arranged to be withdrawn in the manner of a sliding panel, openable sunroof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A trimmed automotive roof comprising:

2. A trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• the discrete liner has openings and/or is reticulate or perforate whereby an inner liner provided on the closed roof panel and/or lighting provided around the frame can be viewed through the discrete liner.

3. A trimmed automotive roof comprising:

4. A trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• a discrete liner is manipulateable to alter the size of openings or perforations in it, to reveal more or less of an inner liner provided on the closed roof panel.

5. A trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• a closed roof panel

5 · an apertured headliner fitted under the roof panel • a support frame around the headliner’s aperture, secured to the roof panel and having the headliner secured to it around the aperture and • a discrete liner across the aperture under the roof panel, wherein:

10 · a discrete liner is withdrawable to expose an inner liner provided on the closed roof panel.

6. A trimmed automotive roof comprising:

• a closed roof panel • an apertured headliner fitted under the roof panel

15 · a support frame around the headliner’s aperture, secured to the roof panel and having the headliner secured to it around the aperture and • a discrete liner across the aperture under the roof panel, wherein:

• the discrete liner is fixed across the aperture and of a different external

20 material and/or appearance from the aperture roof liner.

7. A trimmed automotive roof as claimed in any preceding claim, including trim fitted around edges of the aperture headliner.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1618627.2 Examiner: Peter Gardiner