Aaron Michael Atkinson

US Patent:

20130069396, Mar 21, 2013

Filed:

Sep 16, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/234484

Inventors:

Aaron W.J. Atkinson - Glendale AZ, US
Peter Kim - Northville MI, US
David Takeo Nakayama - Canton MI, US

Assignee:

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. - Erlanger KY

International Classification:

B62D 25/20

US Classification:

296209

Abstract:

A rocker molding for attachment to a rocker panel of a vehicle includes a rocker garnish with an arcuate cross section. A garnish shelf extends from an upper edge of the rocker garnish such that the garnish shelf is substantially perpendicular to the rocker garnish. A riser portion extends from an inboard edge of the garnish shelf in a substantially vertical direction. A cap shelf extends from a top edge of the riser portion in an inboard direction. When the rocker molding is installed on the rocker panel of the vehicle, the garnish shelf extends from the rocker panel in an outboard direction, the riser portion is substantially flush with a skin of a vehicle door when the door is in a closed position, and a bottom edge of the vehicle door is spaced apart from the garnish shelf by at least a height H of the riser portion.