FASTENER

• US 20170198738A1
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Published: 07/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piolax Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Piolax Incorporated
• Inventors: NAJIMA, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,982,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0206 Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings devices for fastening or securing F16B
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0256 Dashboard liners
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 13/06 combined with expanding sleeve F16B13/045 and F16B13/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/10 fastened by expanding mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/1081 fastened by a drive-pin F16B19/109 takes precedence

Abstract

A fastener attached to an attachment hole of an attachment member, wherein a grommet has a head section having an opening, and a plurality of leg pieces having an outer surface capable of engaging with an edge of the attachment hole of the attachment member by expansion of the leg pieces. A pin member is pressed in from the opening to splay the plurality of leg pieces. The leg pieces each have: a flexure section that extends downward from the head section and is flexible for spreading out; and an inclined surface that is formed radially inwardly away from an inner surface of the flexure section, inclined downwardly toward the center axis, and subjected to a pressing force from the pin member when the pin member is pressed in.

Claims

1. A fastener which is made of a resin and which is to be attached to attachment holes of attachment members, the fastener comprising:

a grommet having

a head portion with an opening, and

plural leg pieces engageable with an edge of the attachment holes of the attachment members at their outer surfaces by being expanded; and

a pin member which is pushed in through the opening to thereby expand the plural leg pieces,

wherein each of the leg pieces has;

a bendable portion which projects downward from the head portion and which is bendable to be expanded;

an inclined surface which is inclined downward as it approaches toward a center axis, and which receives a push-in force from the pin member when the pin member is pushed in; and

a recess formed between the bendable portion and the inclined surface, and

wherein the inclined surface is formed so as to be distant from an inner surface of the bendable portion inward in a radial direction through the recess.

2. The fastener of claim 1,

wherein each of the leg pieces further has:

a contact portion which is formed at an inner edge of the inclined surface in the radial direction and which is in contact with the pin member in a state where the pin member has been pushed in fully, and

wherein the contact portion is located inside a lowermost portion of the bendable portion or its vicinity in the radial direction.

3. The fastener of claim 1,

wherein the pin member has:

a pyramid-like portion with plural tapered surfaces at its bottom, and

a column-like portion which is continuous with the pyramid-like portion and which is shaped like a column,

wherein the bendable portions urge the pin member such that, the tapered surfaces of the pin member are pressed against the respective inclined surfaces, the pin member is pushed back, and

wherein at least one of the plural tapered surfaces is inclined more steeply with respect to the center axis on a side of the column-like portion than an other one of the tapered surfaces.

4. The fastener of claim 3,

wherein the one of the tapered surfaces is recessed more than the other one of the tapered surfaces.

5. The fastener of claim 3,

wherein the one of the tapered surfaces has

a first tapered surface which is located on a side of the bottom, and

a second tapered surface which is located on the side of the column-like portion as compared with the first tapered surface and which has an inclination with respect to the center axis steeper than that of the first tapered surface.

6. The fastener of claim 1,

wherein the pin member has:

a lock portion which projects outward in the radial direction, which is locked on an edge of the opening in a state where the pin member has been pushed in fully, and which is deformable to go across the edge of the opening, and

wherein the lock portion is configured to produce a force to push back the pin member when the lock portion goes across the edge of the opening.

7. The faster of claim 1,

wherein each of the leg pieces further has:

a thick portion which is thicker than the bendable portion and which is continuous with an extending tip of the bendable portion.