VEHICLE INTERIOR PANEL WITH ADJUSTABLE LOCATOR

摘要

A vehicle interior panel includes an adjustable locator. The adjustable locator is operable to move a panel body after the panel body is mounted to a vehicle body and enables alignment of an aesthetic feature line with a complimentary feature line of an adjacent vehicle interior panel. A post of the adjustable locator can engage a receiver of the vehicle body at a fixed location while a working surface of the adjustable locator exerts a force on a reaction surface of the panel body to move the panel body. The adjustable locator can include gear teeth, a cam surface, ratcheting features, an adjustment rotor, or any combination thereof.

主权项

1. A vehicle interior panel for mounting to a portion of a vehicle body, the vehicle interior panel comprising:
a panel body having an outer side and an opposite inner side, the outer side facing the interior of the passenger cabin of the vehicle when mounted to said portion of the vehicle body; and a plurality of locators extending from the inner side of the panel body and arranged to engage a corresponding plurality of receivers of the vehicle body at a fixed location with respect to said portion of the vehicle body, the locators and receivers cooperating to locate the panel body with respect to said portion of the vehicle body, wherein the plurality of locators includes an adjustable locator comprising a post that engages a respective one of the receivers and an adjustment mechanism coupled with the post, the adjustment mechanism being operable to change the position of the post with respect to the panel body and thereby change the location of the panel body with respect to said portion of the vehicle body when mounted to said portion of the vehicle body.