Interconnected trim components with light-blocking overlap flanges

Abstract

A trim system includes aesthetic trim components adapted for interconnected attachment to painted exterior vehicle body panels. The first and second trim components have edge flanges that define a joint line between their outer surfaces but that overlap to prevent see-through between the trim components. The first and second trim components include a recess and a hook frictionally engaging the recess to retain the first and second trim components closely together to minimize a width of the joint line. The first and second trim components also include an alignment flange portion and a clamping flange engaging the alignment flange portion to maintain an optimal flushness of the outer surfaces. At least one of the edge flanges has a reduced thickness to minimize a thickness of the assembly, with the hook and clamping flanges also being designed to minimize total thickness.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A trim system for aesthetic components, such as exterior automotive trim components, comprising: 
 first and second trim components with edge flanges that define a joint line between their outer surfaces, but that overlap to prevent see-through between the trim components, one of the first and second trim components including a recess and the other including a retainer for frictionally engaging the recess to retain the first and second trim components closely together to minimize a width of the joint line, one of the first and second trim components including an alignment flange portion and the other including a clamping flange for engaging the alignment flange portion to maintain an optimal flushness of the outer surfaces.    
     
     
         2 . The trim system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes a hook having a flexible stem that extends along line parallel the outer surfaces  
     
     
         3 . The trim system defineed in  claim 1 , including a second retainer on the one trim component having the first-mentioned retainer, and a second clamping flange on the one trim component having the first-mentioned clamping flange, the first-mentioned retainer and the second retainer being on opposing outboard sides of the second clamping flange and the first-mentioned clamping flange.  
     
     
         4 . The trim system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the retainer and the recess and also the clamping flange and the alignment flange portion are configured to allow lateral adjustment in a direction parallel the joint line.  
     
     
         5 . The trim system defined in  claim 1 , including a ramp in the one trim component having the recess, the ramp providing an angled path into recess for the retainer and being configured to flex the retainer as the retainer moves toward the recess during assembly.  
     
     
         6 . The trim system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the alignment flange portion is integrally formed as part of one of the edge flanges.  
     
     
         7 . The trim system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second trim components are molded parts that characteristically do not have blind surfaces such that the first and second trim components can be molded using molding dies not having slides and undercut mechanisms for forming blind surfaces.  
     
     
         8 . The trim system defined in  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second trim components includes a resilient alignment feature shaped to engage a mating alignment feature on the other of the first and second trim components.  
     
     
         9 . The trim system defined in  claim 8 , wherein the resilient alignment feature includes an arcuately-shaped tab that flexes laterally to permit some relative adjustment movement of the first and second trim components in a lateral direction parallel the joint line.  
     
     
         10 . A trim system for aesthetic components, such as exterior automotive trim components, comprising: 
 first and second trim components with edge flanges that define a joint line between their outer surfaces, one of the first and second trim components including a recess and the other including a retainer for frictionally engaging the recess to retain the first and second trim components closely together to minimize a width of the joint line, one of the first and second trim components including a pair of alignment flange portions and the other including a pair of clamping flanges for engaging the alignment flange portions to maintain an optimal flushness of the outer surfaces and to maintain engagement of the hook with the recess, the hook and recess being located between the alignment flange portions and the clamping flanges.    
     
     
         11 . A trim system for aesthetic components, such as exterior automotive trim components, comprising: 
 first and second trim components with edge flanges that define a joint line between their outer surfaces, one of the edge flanges including a reduced-thickness lip and the other including an overlapping lip that overlaps the reduced-thickness lip to prevent see-through between the trim components, the first and second trim components including retainers that frictionally engage to retain the first and second trim components closely together to minimize a gap width of the joint line while also maintaining a constant gap and an optimal flushness of the outer surfaces.    
     
     
         12 . A trim system for aesthetic components, such as exterior automotive trim components, comprising: 
 first and second trim components with edge flanges that define a joint line between their outer surfaces, retainers integral with the first and second trim components that secure the edge flanges together, and alignment features extending perpendicular to the edge flanges, one of the alignment features including resilient tabs defining a tapered chute and the other of the alignment features defining at least one mating surface fitting into the chute and engaging the resilient tabs, the alignment features permitting some lateral adjustability of the first and second trim components but biasing the first and second trim components toward a predetermined relative location along the joint line.    
     
     
         13 . The trim system defined in  claim 12 , wherein the resilient tabs include arcuately-shaped tabs that extend and flex in a direction parallel the joint line.  
     
     
         14 . The trim system defined in  claim 12 , wherein the resilient tabs include first and second resilient tabs shaped to flex in opposite directions.  
     
     
         15 . The trim system defined in  claim 12 , wherein the resilient tabs are shaped to provide lateral relative adjustability in a range of about 0.5 to 2.0 mm.  
     
     
         16 . The trim system defined in  claim 12 , wherein the retainers include hooks shaped to engage in an assembly direction that is generally perpendicular to the joint line.  
     
     
         17 . The trim system defined in  claim 12 , wherein the edge flanges of the first and second trim components overlap to prevent seeing through the joint line.