US 11,780,377 B2
Mounting brackets packaged within roof ditch channels of vehicles
David A Zofcin, Belleville, MI (US); Kaitlyn A. Cherniuk, Ypsilanti, MI (US); Arthur Henry Whitney, Fenton, MI (US); and Luke W. Garnaut, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Jan. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/582,511.
Prior Publication US 2023/0234516 A1, Jul. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 9/042 (2006.01); B60R 9/058 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 9/042 (2013.01) [B60R 9/058 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising:
a roof assembly comprising a roof having an outer facing surface and a roof ditch that extends below the outer facing surface, the roof ditch extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction between a front windshield and a rear window;
a roof ditch sealer is located at least partially within the roof ditch; and
a mounting bracket for mounting a vehicle accessory is located in the roof ditch, the mounting bracket includes dam clips connected to a bracket body of the mounting bracket that comprise sealer dam portions that extend downward at opposite sides of a mounting surface of the mounting bracket to provide end stops for the roof ditch sealer.