Motor vehicle body structure for receiving snap-fit modular headliner fasteners

Claim 2

A motor vehicle body support structure for receiving a snap-fit modular headliner wherein the motor vehicle has a front and back, a roof, a left side and a right side, which comprises: left side A-pillar sheet metal means extending in a generally horizontal plan adjacent the front left side of the roof and defining a left side A-pillar opening having a longitudinal axis extending in a first direction; and right side A-pillar sheet metal means extending in a generally horizontal plane adjacent the front right side of the roof and defining a right side A-pillar opening having a longitudinal axis extending in said first direction; and a header extending adjacent the roof from the left side A-pillar sheet metal means to the right side A-pillar sheet metal means, said header defining a left side header opening having a longitudinal axis extending in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction and a right side header opening extending in said second direction, said header openings being positioned in alignment with the A-pillar openings.

Claim 3

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal axes of the A-pillar openings extend in a front to back direction and the longitudinal axes of the header openings extend in the left to right direction.

Claim 8

A motor vehicle body structure including sheet metal defining a series of openings sized to allow snap-fit fasteners from a shoulder headliner to extend there through and to engage the sheet metal adjacent to the openings for mounting the modular headliner to the vehicle body structure comprising: means for receiving a left side sunshade fastener including first sheet metal means defining a first slot extending in a first direction anD a second sheet metal means defining a second slot generally vertically aligned with said first slot and extending in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction; and means for receiving a right side sunshade fastener including third sheet metal means defining a third slot extending in a third direction and fourth sheet metal means defining a fourth slot generally vertically aligned with said third slot and extending in a fourth direction generally perpendicular to the third direction; said slots being dimensioned and overlapped such that said first slot extends beyond said second slot in said first direction and said second slot extends beyond said first slot in said second direction while said third slot extends beyond said fourth slot in said third direction and said fourth slot extends beyond said third slot in said fourth direction.

Claim 9

A motor vehicle body structure including sheet metal defining a series of openings sized to allow snap-fit fasteners from a shoulder headliner to extend there through and to engage the sheet metal adjacent to the openings for mounting the modular headliner to the vehicle body structure comprising: means for receiving a left side sunshade fastener including first sheet metal means defining a first slot extending in a first direction anD a second sheet metal means defining a second slot generally vertically aligned with said first slot and extending in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction; and means for receiving a right side sunshade fastener including third sheet metal means defining a third slot extending in a third direction and fourth sheet metal means defining a fourth slot generally vertically aligned with said third slot and extending in a fourth direction generally perpendicular to the third direction; said slots being dimensioned and overlapped such that said first slot extends beyond said second slot in said first direction and said second slot extends beyond said first slot in said second direction while said third slot extends beyond said fourth slot in said third direction and said fourth slot extends beyond said third slot in said fourth direction.

Claim 10

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the second sheet metal means and the third sheet metal means are a unitary sheet metal member and wherein said member defines at least two inboard sunshade support openings positioned to be engaged by inboard sunshade supports.

Claim 11

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 and further comprising side rail members extending along the side of the vehicle and defining assist strap openings positioned to receive assist strap fasteners.

Claim 12

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the first sheet metal means and the fourth sheet metal means are A-pillar inners.