PUSH-IN FASTENER

• US 20160138629A1
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: ZANDER, Jason M., FLYNN, Gregory S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,631,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 13/063 by the use of an expander
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/1081 fastened by a drive-pin F16B19/109 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 41/002 Measures against loss of bolts, nuts or pins devices for fastening nuts to surfaces F16B37/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0621 in parallel relationship fastened by a drive-pin F16B19/1081; fastened by a device locking by rotation F16B21/02

Abstract

A re-usable push-in fastener includes a fastener grommet including a plurality of deflectable legs and a fastener pin which is inserted into the fastener grommet. The grommet and pin have a pre-installation relative position in which the pin is held in the grommet, with the legs of the grommet in relaxed positions. A full installation relative position for the grommet and pin includes the pin urging the legs outwardly against the surface of a hole in an object in which the grommet is installed.

Claims

1. A push-in fastener, comprising:

a fastener grommet having a grommet head defining a hole therethrough and a plurality of legs extending from said grommet head;

a fastener pin having a pin head and a shaft configured for insertion through said hole in said grommet head;

said grommet and said pin having a pre-installation relative arrangement in which said pin is held in said grommet with said legs in relaxed states; and

said grommet and said pin having an installed relative arrangement in which said pin holds said legs in outwardly rotated positions to define an outer diameter of said legs greater than with said legs in said relaxed states.

2. The push-in fastener of claim 1, including undercuts at transitions from said grommet head to outer surfaces of said legs.

3. The push-in fastener of claim 1, said pin shaft including a more distal neck of a first diameter and a more proximal neck of a second diameter greater than said first diameter.

4. The push-in fastener of claim 3, including undercuts at transitions from said grommet head to outer surfaces of said legs.

5. The push-in fastener of claim 3, said grommet having four said legs.

6. The push-in fastener of claim 5, said legs including inwardly directed tips positioned around said more distal neck in said pre-installation relative arrangement and around said more proximal neck in said installed relative arrangement.

7. The push-in fastener of claim 1, said legs including inwardly directed tips positioned around a narrower region of said pin in said pre-installation relative arrangement and around a thicker region of said pin in said installed relative arrangement.

8. The push-in fastener of claim 1, said grommet including four said legs.

9. The push-in fastener of claim 1, said grommet legs having inwardly angled inner surfaces adjacent said hole in said grommet head and transitions from said inwardly angled inner surfaces to outwardly angled inner surfaces, and said pin including a proximal segment wider than a space defined between said transitions.

10. The push-in fastener of claim 9, said pin including an inwardly angled surface from said proximal segment to more distal portions of said pin.

11. The push-in fastener of claim 10, said pin shaft including a more distal neck of a first diameter and a more proximal neck of a second diameter greater than said first diameter.

12. The push-in fastener of claim 11, said legs including inwardly directed tips positioned around said more distal neck in said pre-installation relative arrangement and around said more proximal neck in said installed relative arrangement.

13. A push-in fastener, comprising:

a fastener grommet having a grommet head defining a hole therethrough and a plurality of legs extending from said grommet head;

a fastener pin having a pin head of a diameter larger than said hole and a shaft configured for insertion through said hole in said grommet head;

said grommet legs having inwardly directed tips;

said pin shaft including a more distal neck and a more proximal neck relative to said head, said more distal neck being of a first diameter and said more proximal neck being of a second diameter greater than said first diameter;

said grommet and said pin having a pre-installation relative arrangement with said grommet secured on said pin by said inwardly directed tips positioned around said more distal neck; and

said grommet and said pin having an installed relative arrangement with said inwardly directed tips positioned around said more proximal neck.

14. The push-in fastener of claim 13, including undercuts at transitions from said grommet head to outer surfaces of said legs.

15. The push-in fastener of claim 13, said grommet having four said legs.

16. The push-in fastener of claim 15, including undercuts at transitions from said grommet head to outer surfaces of said legs.

17. The push-in fastener of claim 15, said grommet legs having inwardly angled inner surfaces adjacent said hole in said grommet head and transitions from said inwardly angled inner surfaces to outwardly angled inner surfaces, and said pin including a proximal segment wider than a space defined between said transitions.

18. The push-in fastener of claim 17, said pin including an inwardly angled surface from said proximal segment to more distal portions of said pin.

19. The push-in fastener of claim 13, said grommet legs having inwardly angled inner surfaces adjacent said hole in said grommet head and transitions from said inwardly angled inner surfaces to outwardly angled inner surfaces, and said pin including a proximal segment wider than a space defined between said transitions.

20. The push-in fastener of claim 19, said pin including an inwardly angled surface from said proximal segment to more distal portions of said pin.