IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,988,007
Granted Patent B1
US 10,988,007 · App. 16/600,792 · Granted Apr 27, 2021

Hanger and associated hanger-based mounting package for a sunroof assembly and a roof crossbeam

Inventors: Thomas Bernath (Huntington Woods, MI); Joel T. Runyan (Canton, MI); Kevin J. James (Saline, MI); James D. Cunningham (Clarkston, MI)
Assignees: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc.; Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
B60J7/043B60J7/0435B60J7/05B60J7/053
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,988,007
App. No.
16/600,792
Granted
Apr 27, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

A mounting package includes a sunroof assembly, a roof crossbeam, and a hanger hanging the roof crossbeam underneath the sunroof assembly. The sunroof assembly includes a guiderail. The hanger includes a lower hook hooked with the roof crossbeam, and an upper hook hooked with the guiderail. The hanger is configured to flexibly accommodate multidirectional movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail. The multidirectional movement includes lifting movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail.

Claims (29)

1. A mounting package, comprising:

a sunroof assembly, the sunroof assembly including a guiderail;

a roof crossbeam; and

a hanger hanging the roof crossbeam underneath the sunroof assembly, the hanger including a lower hook hooked with the roof crossbeam, and an upper hook hooked with the guiderail, the hanger configured to flexibly accommodate multidirectional movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail, the multidirectional movement including lifting movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail.

2. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the hanger includes a semi-rigid strip extending between the lower hook and the upper hook, the strip including a bend, the bend configured to interiorly engage the guiderail to establish a lowermost hanging position of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail, interiorly disengage the guiderail in response to the lifting movement, and thereafter flexibly accommodate further of the multidirectional movement.

3. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the roof crossbeam includes an aperture and a bordering area around the aperture, and the lower hook is hooked with the bordering area from below.

4. The mounting package of claim 3 , wherein the lower hook includes a shared bias for hooking with the bordering area from below and fixedly locating on the roof crossbeam.

5. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the roof crossbeam includes an aperture and a bordering area around the aperture, and to hook with the roof crossbeam, the lower hook is configured to insert into the aperture from above, and turn inside the aperture to hook with the bordering area from below, and for removal from the roof crossbeam, the lower hook is configured to counterturn inside the aperture to unhook from the bordering area from below, and withdraw from the aperture from above.

6. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the roof crossbeam includes an aperture, a pair of sidewall sections in spaced opposition about the aperture, and a bordering area around the aperture, and to hook with the roof crossbeam, the lower hook is configured to insert into the aperture from above to engage the bordering area from above, and turn inside the aperture to hook with the bordering area from below, and opposingly engage the sidewall sections from beside.

7. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the guiderail includes an upper rim, and the upper hook is hooked with the upper rim from above.

8. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the guiderail includes an upper rim, the lower hook is hooked with the roof crossbeam underneath the guiderail, and the upper hook is hooked with the upper rim from above.

9. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the hanger is polymeric.

10. The mounting package of claim 1 , wherein the lower hook is fixedly located on the roof crossbeam, and the upper hook is fixedly located on the guiderail.

11. A mounting package, comprising:

a sunroof assembly, the sunroof assembly including a guiderail, the guiderail including an upper rim;

a roof crossbeam; and

a polymeric hanger hanging the roof crossbeam underneath the sunroof assembly, the hanger including a lower hook hooked with the roof crossbeam underneath the guiderail, and fixedly located on the roof crossbeam, an upper hook hooked with the upper rim from above, and fixedly located on the guiderail, and a semi-rigid strip extending between the lower hook and the upper hook, the strip including a bend, the bend configured to interiorly engage the guiderail to establish a lowermost hanging position of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail, flexibly accommodate lifting movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail, interiorly disengage the guiderail in response to the lifting movement, and thereafter flexibly accommodate multidirectional movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail.

12. The mounting package of claim 11 , wherein the roof crossbeam includes an aperture and a bordering area around the aperture, and the lower hook is hooked with the bordering area from below.

13. The mounting package of claim 12 , wherein the lower hook includes a shared bias for hooking with the bordering area from below and fixedly locating on the roof crossbeam.

14. The mounting package of claim 11 , wherein the roof crossbeam includes an aperture and a bordering area around the aperture, and to hook with the roof crossbeam, the lower hook is configured to insert into the aperture from above, and turn inside the aperture to hook with the bordering area from below, and for removal from the roof crossbeam, the lower hook is configured to counterturn inside the aperture to unhook from the bordering area from below, and withdraw from the aperture from above.

15. The mounting package of claim 11 , wherein the roof crossbeam includes an aperture, a pair of sidewall sections in spaced opposition about the aperture, and a bordering area around the aperture, and to hook with the roof crossbeam, the lower hook is configured to insert into the aperture from above to engage the bordering area from above, and turn inside the aperture to hook with the bordering area from below, and opposingly engage the sidewall sections from beside.

16. A mounting package, comprising:

a sunroof assembly, the sunroof assembly including a guiderail;

a roof crossbeam, the roof crossbeam including an aperture, a pair of sidewall sections in spaced opposition about the aperture, and a bordering area around the aperture; and

a hanger hanging the roof crossbeam underneath the sunroof assembly, the hanger including a lower hook hooked with the bordering area from below, and an upper hook hooked with the guiderail, the lower hook configured to insert into the aperture from above to engage the bordering area from above, and turn inside the aperture to hook with the bordering area from below, and opposingly engage the sidewall sections from beside, the hanger configured to flexibly accommodate multidirectional movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail, the multidirectional movement including lifting movement of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail.

17. The mounting package of claim 16 , wherein the hanger includes a semi-rigid strip extending between the lower hook and the upper hook, the strip including a bend, the bend configured to interiorly engage the guiderail to establish a lowermost hanging position of the roof crossbeam relative to the guiderail, interiorly disengage the guiderail in response to the lifting movement, and thereafter flexibly accommodate further of the multidirectional movement.

18. The mounting package of claim 16 , wherein for removal from the roof crossbeam, the lower hook is configured to counterturn inside the aperture to unhook from the bordering area from below, and withdraw from the aperture from above.

19. The mounting package of claim 16 , wherein the guiderail includes an upper rim, and the upper hook is hooked with the upper rim from above.

20. The mounting package of claim 16 , wherein the hanger is polymeric.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2025
From: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.
To: AISIN WORLD CORP. OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 070736/0220 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2021
From: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 056124/0431 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2019
From: BERNATH, THOMAS; RUNYAN, JOEL T.
To: AISIN TECHNICAL CENTER OF AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 050762/0712 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2019
From: JAMES, KEVIN J.; CUNNINGHAM, JAMES D.
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 050762/0736 →