CN106837964B

CN106837964B - Fastener clip assembly with collapsible-removable cap

Info

Publication number: CN106837964B
Application number: CN201610841487.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 丹尼尔·詹姆斯·迪金森; 迈克尔·蒂雷尔; 约翰·克拉森
Original assignee: Termax LLC
Current assignee: Termax LLC
Priority date: 2015-08-20
Filing date: 2016-08-19
Publication date: 2020-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 2036-08-19
Also published as: CN206386348U; CN106979201A; CN106949124A; CN106949124B; CN206449076U; CN106837964A; CN206738331U; CN106979201B

Abstract

The present application provides a fastener clip assembly having a collapsible-removable cap. The fastener clip assembly includes a cap configured to be secured to the chassis through the chassis slot. The cap includes one or more wings configured to collapse when the cap is inserted into the chassis slot and expand when fully inserted. The cap is further configured to be secured to the chassis slot at least when the wing expands into the chassis slot. The clip further includes a pin configured to be secured to the vehicle body panel. The pin is configured to be secured to the cap. The cap includes one or more release members. The release is accessible from a side of the cap configured to receive the pin. The release is configured to collapse the one or more wings upon release. The cap is configured to be pulled out of the chassis based at least on releasing the release.

Description

Fastener clip assembly with collapsible-removable cap

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The patents and/or patent applications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

B. Copending application

The subject matter of the present application relates to the subject matter of the following commonly assigned, co-pending applications filed on even date with non-provisional patent application 15/234,691 (2016, 8, 11): U.S. non-provisional patent application entitled "Fastener Clip Assembly with removable seal", to Daniel James Dickinson, Michael Tirrell, and John clain; and U.S. non-provisional patent application entitled "Fastener clip assembly with Funnel Guide," by daniel james Dickinson, Michael Tirrell, and John clain.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to devices for fastening objects, and more particularly to fastener clip assemblies for insertion into an engaging structure, such as a vehicle chassis, hollow substrate, wall, panel, or any suitable surface.

Background

There are currently a variety of devices and fasteners that may be used to fasten panels, such as body panels and automotive interior trim panels, to the vehicle chassis. As used herein, a body panel refers to: such as any interior or exterior body panel, plastic interior trim, door panel, headliner, or any interior trim on a vehicle. Further, the panel may be any suitable exterior body panel, such as a fender, bumper, quarter panel, or door panel. The vehicle chassis may include any substrate, panel, body panel, structural skeleton, chassis component or sub-component, wall, or any suitable object.

These conventional fastener devices provide approximately equal levels of insertion and extraction forces. These body panels are often attached to the chassis of the motor vehicle with a relatively high level of insertion force while providing a relatively low level of extraction force.

Fastener clips, such as two-piece fasteners (multi-pieces), are known for attaching a body panel to a motor vehicle chassis. The use of a two-piece fastener allows: if the panel is removed after initial installation, such as for servicing of components within the door, the two-piece fastener may be pulled apart so that one portion remains attached to the sheet metal and the other remains attached to the trim panel. The two pieces may also be reattached after detachment. However, two-piece fasteners require the manufacture of multiple pieces and labor-intensive assembly of the two pieces, and are therefore relatively expensive.

One-piece fasteners are generally less expensive than two-piece fasteners or multi-piece fasteners. The one-piece fastener has: a base attached to a vehicle body panel; a post attached to the base; and wings attached at least to the top of the uprights at the ends of the fasteners to fasten to the frame slots. However, if the frame socket and fastener are misaligned, the forces on these wings are not equal, as the wing closest to the edge of the socket will experience higher wing compression, while the other wing will have insufficient spring force to engage the socket. This high force on one wing may cause the wing to break as the clip is forced into the slot, thus rendering the fastener incapable of securing the body panel to the frame. Worse still, the broken, damaged or weakened wing can result in the removal of the body panel or cause rattling.

The wings of conventional fasteners have sharp, non-smooth grooves that engage the edges of the frame socket. However, when the clamp is removed, the sharp edges of the frame socket cut into the softer plastic and cut the grooves. During manufacture, the slots are typically formed in the frame of the vehicle (such as in an interior roof or door sheet metal structure) by stamping the sheet metal. As the punch enters the sheet metal, the outer portion of the sheet metal is pushed to the inner side and a metal perforation or ridge is formed on the inner side of the sheet metal. The slot edges obtained on the outside of the slot are relatively smooth; however, the inside of the slot edge is sharp and rough. Upon removal of the fastener clip, the sharp edge of the frame severs the groove so that the clip cannot be reinserted and reused.

For example, if the slot is off-center, or if the thickness of the sheet metal varies, or if there are tolerances in the production of the slot in the vehicle chassis or trim, the engagement of one portion of the hole in the chassis with one of the wings may not provide a suitable frictional engagement. Twisting of the body panel will likely be more prevalent because not all of the contact points are actually brought into contact with the slots of the vehicle chassis. As a result, conventional one-piece fasteners do not self-align themselves when the fastener and body panel are misaligned, and conventional one-piece fasteners are prone to wing breakage such that the fastener cannot be reattached.

Conventional fasteners typically do not adequately secure the panel to vehicle chassis that vary in socket size and location or sheet metal having different curvatures or thicknesses throughout. Conventional one-piece fasteners do not self-align themselves when the fastener and body panel are misaligned, and conventional one-piece fasteners are prone to wing breakage such that the fastener cannot be reattached. In addition, conventional fasteners are not suitable when subjected to various environmental conditions, such as the presence of different levels of vibration amplitude and frequency. For example, conventional fasteners of this type typically do not prevent or minimize the amount of buzzing, rattling, or any other type of noise that may be noticeable to occupants of the vehicle or otherwise weaken the attachment. Conventional fasteners do not adequately accommodate various levels of production tolerances (such as, for example, various dimensions in the body panel and vehicle chassis). Thus, conventional fastener arrangements are typically not self-aligning, nor adequately secure to a range of sheet metal thicknesses, and do not minimize or eliminate buzzes and rattles, and do not adequately accommodate variations in production tolerances. As a result, wear, squeaking, rattling, buzzing, erosion, and loss of resiliency and loss of sealing may result, particularly after the vehicle has been operating for years and is exposed to vibration, heat, moisture, and other environmental conditions.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fastener clip assembly and a method for fastening a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

The fastener clip assembly of the present invention comprises: a cap configured to be secured to a chassis by a chassis slot, wherein the cap comprises one or more wings configured to collapse when the cap is inserted into the chassis slot and expand when fully inserted, wherein the cap is configured to be secured to the chassis slot at least when the wings expand into the chassis slot; a pin configured to be secured to a vehicle body panel, wherein the pin is configured to be secured to the cap; wherein the cap comprises one or more releases, wherein the releases are accessible from a side of the cap configured to receive the pin, wherein the one or more releases form one or more funnels, wherein the funnels are configured to collapse the one or more wings when pinched from the side of the cap, wherein the cap is configured to be pulled out of the chassis based at least on pinching the funnels.

The method for fastening a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis of the present invention includes: securing a cap to a chassis through a chassis slot, wherein the cap comprises one or more wings configured to collapse when the cap is inserted into the chassis slot and expand when fully inserted, wherein the cap is configured to be secured to the chassis slot at least when the wings expand into the chassis slot; securing a pin to a vehicle body panel, wherein the pin is configured to be secured to the cap; wherein the cap comprises one or more releases, wherein the releases are accessible from a side of the cap configured to receive the pin, wherein the one or more releases form one or more funnels, wherein the funnels are configured to collapse the one or more wings when pinched from the side of the cap, wherein the cap is configured to be pulled out of the chassis based at least on pinching the funnels.

Drawings

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a fastener clip assembly according to some embodiments.

FIG. 2 is an alternative exploded view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is another alternative exploded view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is an assembly view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is yet another perspective view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an assembled fastener clip according to some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an assembled fastener clip according to some embodiments.

Detailed Description

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and the accompanying detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description are not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment. Rather, the description is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

In some embodiments, a fastener for fastening two automotive parts includes two primary elements: a cap or grommet and a pin retainer. In some embodiments, the two-piece assembly may be configured to hold various trim panels (such as door bolsters, side skirts, pillars, etc.) to the vehicle chassis.

The pin may include a head and a post extending from the head. The cap may include a cap lead-in, a funnel, and at least two wings configured to retain the cap into the vehicle chassis. During servicing, the cap may be retained in the vehicle chassis while the trim panel and pin keeper are removed. In some embodiments, the cap may be configured to be removable. For example, the lead-in may be collapsible such that collapsing the lead-in collapses the wings and allows removal of the cap.

The cap contains a self-centering funnel feature for guiding the pin holder toward the center of the grommet with the pin positioned off-center from the grommet. The funnel may be part of the cap or formed as part of the cap. In an alternative embodiment, the funnel may be a separate piece configured to be attached to the cap. The funnel may have any suitable shape (such as a dome shape, parabolic shape, conical shape, or any other suitable shape) to allow the introducer to enter the cap. Among other advantages, the self-centering funnel feature allows any offset pin keeper to be easily positioned, centered, and then engaged into the grommet, such as during a re-assembly of a trim panel.

In some embodiments, the pin comprises: a pin head at one end of the pin; and a head on an end opposite the pin head, wherein the head is configured to be removably coupled to, for example, a vehicle body panel. The pin may also include a seal including a central hub for insertion over the head of the pin, a sealing flange coupled to the central hub, wherein the sealing flange is adjacent the head. The seal may be configured to be coupled to the pin, or the seal may be formed as part of the pin. The seal also includes an umbrella connected to and supported by the sealing flange. The umbrella may be configured to: when the pin is attached to the cap, it substantially seals against the chassis socket.

In embodiments where the seal is manufactured separately from the pin, the seal may not require more complex and process intensive formation of the seal on the pin or cap. The seal may be separately made, such as by injection molding, and then inserted and coupled to the pin. This process may avoid forming a cap and then forming a seal on the cap, which may require special fixtures and molds. Instead, the seal may be made independently of the manufacture of the cap or pin. Further, the umbrella seal may have a radius that flares outwardly from the perimeter of the sealing flange such that the umbrella seal compensates for any non-uniformity of the chassis slot. Because the umbrella seal has a much larger area and is more flexible than previous seals, the body panel (such as a door panel) (as compared to the sealing cap) is better sealed against any water or dust that may enter from the chassis or sheet metal side. In this manner, a substantial portion of the surface of the umbrella seal seals against the chassis or door frame metal.

In some embodiments, the cap includes a head, a post extending from the head, and a lead-in section extending from the post at an end opposite the head. At least two wings extend between the head and the lead-in section. The at least two wings include a land having a smooth recess. For example, the engagement region is configured to facilitate removal and reattachment of the fastener clip to a slot in the frame. The engagement region includes a recess configured to accommodate a change or movement of the socket.

In some embodiments, the fastener clip assembly includes a cap/grommet 1100 and a pin/pin retainer 1200. The pin 1200 is configured to engage and secure itself into an opening at the bottom of the cap 1100.

In some embodiments, the two-piece assembly may be configured to hold various trim panels (such as panel 1400) to an automobile chassis (such as chassis 1500). The cap 1100 may be configured to attach to a slot in the chassis 1500 and the pin 1200 is configured to attach to the panel 1400. In some embodiments, the chassis 1500 may be attached to the panel 1400 based at least on the pin 1200 being configured to attach to the cap 1100.

In some embodiments, the seal component 1300 is configured to: when the pin 1200 is attached to the cap, it attaches to the pin 1200 and forms a seal against the chassis surface 1500. In some embodiments, the seal formed against the chassis surface 1500 prevents the ingress of water, dust, and other debris through the chassis slot.

In some embodiments, cap 1100 may also include a funnel facing pin 1200 configured to guide the pin into the cap. For example, in situations where the pin may be off-center (off-center from a central axis through the center of the cap) near the cap, the funnel is configured to align the pin with the center of the cap so that the pin can properly engage the cap.

In some embodiments, the cap may also include a service slot configured to facilitate pinching of the cap. Accordingly, the cap may be pinched while installed in the chassis slot, thereby collapsing wings that may be securing the cap to the chassis and allowing removal of the cap from the chassis.

FIG. 4 is an assembly view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

The fastener clip is shown with a cap 1100, a seal 1300, and a pin 1200.

The cap 1100 includes two wings 40, the two wings 40 being configured to secure, for example, a fastener clip to a slot in an automobile chassis. Any suitable number of wings 40 may be used. For example, one, two, three, four, etc. wings 40 may be used. According to an embodiment, the wings 40 may have any suitable shape, such as, for example, at least one of: tapered, straight, curved, or any suitable shape.

The wings 40 have dimensions (such as width, length, thickness, and pivot point 542) to provide a high level of extraction force, while the level of insertion force remains relatively very low. According to some embodiments, the wings 40 may be fins having varying widths. In some embodiments, the lead-in section 60 may be inserted first into a slot in the chassis to ensure self-alignment of the fastener clip, and the wings 40 spring uniformly inward because the insertion force is low relative to the extraction force. During extraction, the wings 40 are also in compression; such that the land 50 provides a higher extraction force relative to the insertion force. In addition, the width of the wings 40 may be increased, thereby increasing the size of the joint area and the strength of the wings.

According to some embodiments, the engagement region 50 includes a recess formed on each wing 40 such that each recess is configured to engage at least a portion of the chassis slot 640 and is configured to accommodate changes or movement of the chassis slot.

In some embodiments, the cap 1100 may also include a funnel 80. The funnel portion 80 is configured to: as the pin 1200 is pushed into the cap 1100 to engage, the head of the pin 1200 is guided towards the center of the cap 1100. As such, when both the cap 1100 and the pin 1200 are brought close to each other to engage, less precision is required in the alignment of the cap 1100 and the pin 1200.

In some embodiments, the cap 1100 includes two (more or fewer in alternative embodiments) service slots 90 placed between the funnel 80. The service receptacle 90 is configured to: upon pinching of the funnel, inward bending of the funnel 80 is permitted. In this manner, the funnel 80 acts as a release for the wings 40. As the funnel 80 collapses inwardly, the wings 40 also collapse inwardly. In this manner, releasing/pinching the release/funnel 80 disengages the wings from the chassis socket surface and allows relatively easy removal of the cap 1100 from the chassis socket.

In some embodiments, two service slots 90 may be evenly placed between the two funnel portions 80 to facilitate inward bending of the funnel portions 80 (and wings 40).

In some embodiments, cap 1100 may also include crown 110. The crown 110 is configured to: as the head of the pin 1200 is inserted into the cap 1100, it bends and then snaps back into place. The crown 110 is configured to: once the pin is inserted into the cap, the crown 110 engages the bottom surface of the head of the pin to lock the pin to the cap.

In some embodiments, small slots 120 are placed between crowns 110. These small slots may be configured to facilitate bending of crown 110 such that crown 110 is able to bend enough to allow sufficient bending of the head for engaging pin 1200. In some embodiments, these small slots 120 may be placed between the wings 40 and the service slot 90 for higher rigidity of the cap 1100.

The pin 1200 is configured to engage and lock itself into the cap 1100. In some embodiments, the pin 1200 includes a pin head 170, the pin head 170 being tapered and configured to guide the pin into the cap. The bottom surface 160 of the pin head 170 is configured to: engage the top of the crown 110 and lock against them to prevent easy removal of the pin from the cap. The base plate 130 of the pin is configured to engage and lock into a housing, such as in a trim panel.

Removable seal 1300 is configured to slide over pin 1200 with rim 250 and form a seal against the chassis surface when the pin engages and locks to cap 1100. Umbrella 240 is attached to pin 1200 by central hub 250, which umbrella 240 is the portion of the seal that is configured to seal against the surface of the chassis. In some embodiments, the removable seal 240 may rest between the base disk 140 and the seal retainer 150, the base disk 140 and the seal retainer 150 being configured to hold the seal in place.

In some embodiments, the seal holder 150 can also be configured to push against the funnel 80. In such embodiments, when the pin and cap are engaged and interlocked, the seal retainer 150 is configured to prevent the funnel from collapsing and releasing the cap from the chassis socket.

It should be noted that having a removable piece provides several advantages. For example, the parts may be easier to manufacture and may be made of different materials — such as harder and stiffer materials for the pin and softer and more sealable materials for the seal.

In some embodiments, the fastener clips may be manufactured by injection molding from materials such as plastic nylon, polyoxymethylene (POM, also known as acetal), ABS, polypropylene, rubber materials of various durometers, and the like. It should again be noted that different materials may be used for different portions of the fastener clip.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fastener clip according to some embodiments.

Fig. 5 shows a bottom view of the cap 1100 as it may be installed through the slot 1500. The funnel 80 includes a funnel taper that can be used to guide the head of the pin into the cap in the event that the pin may not be perfectly aligned with the cap. The service socket 90 provides sufficient space to allow the funnel 80 to collapse sufficiently when pinched (from the bottom side) so that the wings of the cap (not shown here) collapse to allow the cap to be removed from the chassis 1500.

Fig. 6 better illustrates the funnel 80 in the collapsed position just prior to removal of the cap.

Fig. 7 shows the cap 1100 after the cap 1100 is removed from the slot in the chassis 1500 using the pinching method described above.

The cap 1100 is mounted in a slot in the chassis 1500 with the wings 40 in an extended position on the surface of the chassis 1500, thereby supporting the cap 1100 against the chassis. The base plate 140 of the pin attaches the pin to the housing 1450 of the trim panel 1400. The pin has been pushed through the cap 1100 and the pin head 170 is secured to the cap by the crown 110, thereby securing the trim panel 1400 to the chassis 1500.

It is understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of the various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. It is therefore contemplated to cover by the present invention any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.

One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. It should be noted that these and any other embodiments are exemplary and are intended to be illustrative of the invention rather than limiting. While the present invention is broadly applicable to various types of systems, those skilled in the art will appreciate that not all possible embodiments and contexts of the present invention are encompassed in this disclosure. Many alternative embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure.

The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

The benefits and advantages which may be provided by the present invention have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. These benefits and advantages, and any elements or limitations that may cause them to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any or all of the claims. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to be construed as non-exclusively including elements or limitations that follow those terms. Accordingly, a system, method, or other embodiment that comprises a set of elements is not limited to only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to the claimed embodiment.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that: these embodiments are illustrative, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements to the embodiments are possible. It is contemplated that these variations, modifications, additions and improvements fall within the scope of the invention as detailed within the following claims.

Claims

1. A fastener clip assembly comprising:

a cap configured to be secured to a chassis by a chassis slot, wherein the cap comprises one or more wings configured to collapse when the cap is inserted into the chassis slot and expand when fully inserted, wherein the cap is configured to be secured to the chassis slot at least when the wings expand into the chassis slot;

a pin configured to be secured to a vehicle body panel, wherein the pin is configured to be secured to the cap;

wherein the cap comprises one or more releases, wherein the releases are accessible from a side of the cap configured to receive the pin, wherein the one or more releases form one or more funnels, wherein the funnels are configured to collapse the one or more wings when pinched from the side of the cap, wherein the cap is configured to be pulled out of the chassis based at least on pinching the funnels.

2. The fastener clip assembly of claim 1, wherein the funnel is configured to: guiding the pin into the cap by centering the pin on the cap.

3. The fastener clip assembly of claim 1, wherein the pin is configured to: when inserted into the cap, the release is prevented from releasing based at least on the portion of the pin that rests against the release.

4. The fastener clip assembly of claim 1, wherein the cap further comprises one or more service slots spaced between the one or more releases.

5. The fastener clip assembly of claim 2, wherein the funnel has a radius that flares outward from a center of the cap, and the radius is configured to guide the pin toward a central axis of the cap.

6. The fastener clip assembly of claim 1, wherein the pin further comprises: a base plate configured to be releasably detachable from a corresponding housing on a vehicle body panel.

7. The fastener clip assembly of claim 1, wherein the pin and the cap are injection molded.

8. A method for securing a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis, comprising:

securing a cap to a chassis through a chassis slot, wherein the cap comprises one or more wings configured to collapse when the cap is inserted into the chassis slot and expand when fully inserted, wherein the cap is configured to be secured to the chassis slot at least when the wings expand into the chassis slot;

securing a pin to a vehicle body panel, wherein the pin is configured to be secured to the cap;

9. The method for securing a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein the funnel is configured to: guiding the pin into the cap by centering the pin on the cap.

10. The method for fastening a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein the pin is configured to: when inserted into the cap, the release is prevented from releasing based at least on the portion of the pin that rests against the release.

11. The method for securing a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis according to claim 8, wherein the cap further includes one or more service slots spaced between the one or more releases.

12. The method for securing a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis according to claim 9, wherein the funnel has a radius that flares outwardly from a center of the cap and the radius is configured to guide the pin toward a central axis of the cap.

13. The method for securing a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein the pin further comprises: a base plate configured to be releasably detachable from a corresponding housing on a vehicle body panel.

14. The method for fastening a vehicle body panel to a vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein the pin and the cap are injection molded.