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US-12617351-B2 - Tether cover structure

US12617351B2US 12617351 B2US12617351 B2US 12617351B2US-12617351-B2

Abstract

A tether cover structure has a trim panel, a tether bracket and a cover. The trim panel defines an opening with a lower portion being defined along an upright portion of the trim panel. An upper portion of the opening is defined along an upper horizontal ledge of the trim panel. The tether bracket has a lower portion that is attached to an upright panel and is aligned with the lower portion of the opening of the trim panel. The upper portion of the opening is dimensioned such that the tether bracket extends out of the upper portion of the opening. The cover is dimensioned to attach to the trim panel covering the lower portion of the opening concealing the lower portion of the tether bracket. The upper portion of the tether bracket extends upward through the upper portion of the opening.

Inventors

  • Jake PRUSAKIEWICZ
  • Darin DALTON

Assignees

  • NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20231016

Claims (16)

  1. 1 . A tether cover structure, comprising an upright panel within a passenger compartment of a vehicle; a trim panel attached to the upright panel, the trim panel defining an opening with a lower portion of the opening being defined along an upright portion of the trim panel and an upper portion of the opening being defined along an upper horizontal ledge of the trim panel; a tether bracket having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion of the tether bracket being attached to the upright panel and being aligned with the lower portion of the opening, with the upper portion of the opening being dimensioned such that the upper portion of the tether bracket extends out of the upper portion of the opening; and a cover dimensioned to attach to the trim panel covering the lower portion of the opening concealing the lower portion of the tether bracket, with the upper portion of the tether bracket extending upward through the upper portion of the opening.
  2. 2 . The tether cover structure according to claim 1 , wherein the cover includes a main panel, an upper portion, lower hook protrusions and snap-fitting side projections.
  3. 3 . The tether cover structure according to claim 2 , wherein the main panel is dimensioned to cover the lower portion of the opening of the trim panel.
  4. 4 . The tether cover structure according to claim 2 , wherein the lower hook protrusions are dimensioned and positioned to hook onto a lower edge of the trim panel that defines a lower end of the opening in the trim panel.
  5. 5 . The tether cover structure according to claim 2 , wherein the snap-fitting side projections are dimensioned and positioned to retain the cover in positioned covering the lower portion of the opening of the trim panel when the cover is installed to the trim panel.
  6. 6 . The tether cover structure according to claim 2 , wherein the upper portion of the cover is dimensioned and oriented to extend in a horizontal direction at least partially cover the upper portion of the opening and contacting the tether bracket.
  7. 7 . The tether cover structure according to claim 1 , wherein the tether bracket includes at least one mechanical fastener removably attached to the upright panel, the at least one mechanical fastener being concealed by the cover with the cover attached to the trim panel.
  8. 8 . The tether cover structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a rear seat located forward of and adjacent to the trim panel, the rear seat having a lower seat portion and an upright seat portion such that upper horizontal ledge of the trim panel is located adjacent to an upper end of the upright seat portion.
  9. 9 . The tether cover structure according to claim 8 , wherein the cover includes a main panel, an upper portion, lower hook protrusions and snap-fitting side projections.
  10. 10 . The tether cover structure according to claim 9 , wherein the upper portion of the cover is located proximate the upper end of the upright seat portion.
  11. 11 . The tether cover structure according to claim 9 , wherein the main panel is dimensioned to cover the lower portion of the opening of the trim panel.
  12. 12 . The tether cover structure according to claim 9 , wherein the lower hook protrusions are dimensioned and positioned to hook onto a lower edge of the trim panel that defines a lower end of the opening in the trim panel.
  13. 13 . The tether cover structure according to claim 9 , wherein the snap-fitting side projections are dimensioned and positioned to retain the cover in positioned covering the lower portion of the opening of the trim panel when the cover is installed to the trim panel.
  14. 14 . The tether cover structure according to claim 9 , wherein the upper portion of the cover is dimensioned and oriented to extend in a horizontal directed at least partially cover the upper portion of the opening and contacting the tether bracket.
  15. 15 . The tether cover structure according to claim 9 , wherein with the upright seat portion in an upright orientation the upright seat portion at least partially conceals the main portion of the cover.
  16. 16 . A tether cover structure, comprising a trim panel having an upright portion and an upper horizontal ledge, the trim panel defining an opening with a lower portion of the opening being defined along the upright portion of the trim panel and an upper portion of the opening being defined along the upper horizontal ledge of the trim panel; a tether bracket having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion of the tether bracket extending through the upper portion of the opening; and a cover dimensioned to attach to the trim panel covering the lower portion of the opening concealing the lower portion of the tether bracket, the cover having a main panel, an upper portion, lower hook protrusions and snap-fitting side projections with the lower protrusions and the snap-fitting side projections retaining the cover to the trim panel with the main portion covering the lower portion of the opening and the upper portion extending over a section of the upper portion of the opening and extending toward the tether bracket.

Description

BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure generally relates to a vehicle tether cover structure. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a tether structure where a tether bracket is located at or proximate the upper end of a rear seat of the vehicle with a lower portion of the tether bracket being concealed by a removable cover. Background Information Tether structures are standard features in many vehicles. The tether is typically located at the juncture of a lower seat portion and an upright seat portion of a rear seat. SUMMARY One object of the present disclosure is to provide a tether cover structure in a vehicle where the tether bracket is located at or proximate the upper end of an upright seat portion of a rear seat with a lower portion of the tether bracket being concealed by a removable cover. In view of the state of the known technology, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a tether cover structure with an upright panel, a trim panel, a tether bracket and a removable cover. The upright panel located within a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The trim panel is attached to the upright panel. The trim panel defines an opening with a lower portion of the opening being defined along an upright portion of the trim panel and an upper portion of the opening being defined along an upper horizontal ledge of the trim panel. The tether bracket has an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the tether bracket is attached to the upright panel and is aligned with the lower portion of the opening. The upper portion of the opening is dimensioned such that the upper portion of the tether bracket extends out of the upper portion of the opening. The cover is dimensioned to attach to the trim panel covering the lower portion of the opening and concealing the lower portion of the tether bracket. The upper portion of the tether bracket extends upward through the upper portion of the opening. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure: FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a passenger compartment of a vehicle showing front seats, rear seats and a rear window of a rear upright wall in accordance with a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the rear upright wall with portions of the vehicle and portions of the passenger compartment removed showing a rear panel and a forward panel attached to the rear upright wall, a trim panel, a tether bracket and the rear seats with an upright seat portion of the rear seats in an upright orientation with a tether bracket extending above a central portion of the trim panel in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is another perspective view similar to FIG. 2 of the portion of the rear upright wall with portions of the vehicle and portions of the passenger compartment removed showing the rear panel and the forward panel attached to the rear upright wall, the trim panel, the tether bracket and the rear seats with the upright seat portion in a lowered or folded orientation revealing three tether brackets that extend above the trim panel in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is another perspective view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 with the rear seats removed showing the trim panel having three openings and three covers installed to lower portions of the three openings in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is another perspective view similar to FIGS. 2-4 showing the trim panel and the three openings with the three covers removed showing the three openings and upright portions (lower portions) of three tether brackets in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG. 6 is another perspective view similar to FIGS. 2-5 showing the trim panel and the three openings with the three covers and three tether brackets removed showing three tether attachment surfaces of the forward panel in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG. 7 is another perspective view similar to FIGS. 2-6 showing the forward panel with the trim panel removed showing the three tether brackets fixed to the three tether attachment surfaces of the forward panel in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG. 8 is a top view of one of the tether brackets removed from the forward panel showing the horizontal portion and the openings in the horizontal portion with a first strap attached to the upright portion of the tether bracket and extending in a forward direction and a second strap extending through one of the openings in the horizontal portion in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG. 9 is a front view of the tether bracket depicted in FIG. 8 removed from the forward panel showing the upright portion and the horizontal portion with the first strap looped through and attached to a pair of slots in the upright portion of the tether bracket and the second strap extending through the opening in the horizontal portion in accordance with the first embodiment; FIG.