IP Library Granted Patent US 12,589,702
Granted Patent B2
US 12,589,702 · App. 18/429,936 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Vehicle including a-pillar garnish extending into airflow gap and underneath hood

Inventors: Douglas Kaltenmark (Powell, OH); Timothy J. Rupp (Dublin, OH)
Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
B60R13/025B60R13/04B62D25/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,589,702
App. No.
18/429,936
Granted
Mar 31, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle can include a windshield, an A-pillar that is adjacent to the windshield, a hood that is adjacent to the A-pillar and spaced away from the A-pillar by an airflow gap, and an A-pillar garnish. The A-pillar garnish can extend along the windshield and cover at least a portion of the A-pillar. The A-pillar garnish can extend underneath the hood and bend away from the A-pillar and toward the hood. The A-pillar garnish can extend into the airflow gap at a location that is underneath the hood.

Claims (77)

1 . A vehicle comprising:

a windshield;

an A-pillar that is adjacent to the windshield;

a hood that is adjacent to the A-pillar and spaced away from the A-pillar by an airflow gap; and

an A-pillar garnish that extends along the windshield and covers at least a portion of the A-pillar, the A-pillar garnish extends underneath the hood and bends away from the A-pillar and toward the hood, and the A-pillar garnish extends into the airflow gap at a location that is underneath the hood.

2 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the A-pillar garnish includes,

an outer garnish panel extends from a first location that is underneath the hood to a second location that is on the A-pillar, the second location is spaced away from the hood,

a gasket that extends along the A-pillar, the gasket bends away from outer garnish panel and toward the hood, the gasket terminates at a first end that is adjacent to the hood, and

an inner garnish panel that extends between the outer garnish panel and the gasket, the inner garnish panel bends away from the outer garnish panel and toward the hood, the inner garnish panel terminates at a second end that is adjacent to the hood, and

the first end is spaced away from second end.

3 . The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein

the first end is spaced away from the hood by a first distance, and

the second end is spaced away from the hood by a second distance that is greater than the first distance, and the second end is adjacent to a position on the inner garnish that is spaced inwardly from the first end.

4 . The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein

the inner garnish panel has a first rigidity, and

the gasket has a second rigidity that is less than the first rigidity.

5 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the A-pillar garnish includes,

a gasket that is adjacent to the A-pillar,

an inner garnish panel that is adjacent to the gasket, and

an outer garnish panel that is adjacent to the inner garnish panel and includes an exterior surface of the A-pillar garnish.

6 . The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the inner garnish panel includes,

a pillar panel that extends along the A-pillar, and

an extension panel that protrudes from the pillar panel, the extension panel is located underneath the hood and protrudes into the airflow gap and toward the hood.

7 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein

the pillar panel is located between the outer garnish panel and the gasket, and

the outer garnish panel covers the pillar panel and exposes the extension panel.

8 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein

the pillar panel extends along the A-pillar in a first direction, and

the extension panel protrudes away from the pillar panel and toward the hood in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

9 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein

the extension panel terminates at a first end, and

the gasket includes,

a body that extends along the A-pillar, and

an extension that protrudes away from the body and extends along and beyond the extension panel, the extension panel terminates at a second end that is in the airflow gap at a location that is between the first end and the hood.

10 . The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the pillar panel is between the body and the outer garnish panel.

11 . The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the first end and the second end are spaced away from the hood.

12 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the outer garnish panel extends along the pillar panel and terminates at the extension panel.

13 . The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein

the gasket includes a concave surface, and

the inner garnish panel includes a convex surface that abuts the concave surface.

14 . The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein

the gasket includes a first side that opposes the A-pillar, a second side that opposes the inner garnish panel, and a first projection that has a convex surface on the first side and concave surface on the second side, and

the inner garnish panel includes a third side that opposes the second side of the gasket, a fourth side that opposes the outer garnish panel, and a second projection that has a convex surface on the third side of the inner garnish panel and a concave surface on the fourth side of the inner garnish panel.

15 . A vehicle comprising:

a windshield;

an A-pillar that is adjacent to the windshield;

a hood that is adjacent to the A-pillar and spaced away from the A-pillar by an airflow gap; and

a gasket that is adjacent to the A-pillar;

an inner garnish panel that is adjacent to gasket; and

an outer garnish panel that is adjacent to the inner garnish panel, wherein

at least one of the gasket and the inner garnish panel extends underneath the hood and bends away from the A-pillar and toward the hood, and the least one of the gasket and the inner garnish panel extends into the airflow gap at a location that is underneath the hood.

16 . The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the gasket includes,

a body that extends along the A-pillar, and

an extension that protrudes away from the body, toward the hood, and into the airflow gap, and

a first corner formed by the body and the extension, and

the inner garnish panel includes,

a pillar panel that extends along the A-pillar, and

an extension panel that protrudes away from the pillar panel, toward the hood, and into the airflow gap, and

a second corner formed by the pillar panel and the extension panel, the second corner abuts the first corner.

17 . The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein

the gasket terminates at a first end, the first end is in the airflow gap, underneath the hood, and spaced away from the hood, and

the inner garnish panel terminates at a second end, the second end is in the airflow gap, underneath the hood, and spaced away from both of the hood and the first end.

18 . A vehicle comprising:

a windshield;

an A-pillar that is adjacent to the windshield;

a door hinged to the A-pillar, the door includes a front edge;

a hood that is adjacent to the A-pillar and spaced away from the A-pillar by an airflow gap, the hood includes a rear edge that opposes the front edge;

a panel gap that separates the front edge and the rear edge from each other; and

an A-pillar garnish that extends along the windshield and covers at least a portion of the A-pillar, the A-pillar garnish extends underneath the hood and bends away from the A-pillar and toward the hood, and the A-pillar garnish extends into the airflow gap at a location that is underneath the hood.

19 . The vehicle according to claim 18 , wherein

the A-pillar garnish terminates at a first end that is spaced away from both of the A-pillar and the hood, and the first end is located underneath the hood.

20 . The vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the A-pillar garnish includes,

a gasket that is adjacent to the A-pillar, the gasket includes the first end,

an inner garnish panel that abuts the gasket, and

an outer garnish panel that abuts the inner garnish panel and includes an exterior surface of the A-pillar garnish.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2024
From: KALTENMARK, DOUGLAS; RUPP, TIMOTHY J.
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066327/0208 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250249841A1 · Aug 7, 2025
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