Self-locking two-part grommet

• US 5,069,586 A
• Filed: 08/27/1990
• Issued: 12/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marion B. Casey
• Original Assignee: Marion B. Casey
• Inventors: Casey, Marion B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Neill R.
• Application Number:
  US07/573,444
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 411/338, 411/339, 411/508, 411/509, 411/510, 411/913, 411/908, 411/431, 24/104, 24/108, 24/453, 24/713.6, 24/713.8, 29/525, 29/525.1
• US Class Current: 411/339
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 13/007 made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 13/0088 by separable snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/002 Resiliently deformable pins F16B21/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/01 by means of fastening elements specially adapted for honeycomb panels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/908 Resinous material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/913 Self-expanding anchor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3742 having eyelet type directing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4995 Nonthreaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49952 At least one part is nonmetallic

Abstract

A grommet has a female member and a male member. Each member consists of a sleeve with a flange formed at one end. The sleeve of the male member is slightly smaller than the bore of the sleeve of the female member. A locking mechanism for the grommet consists of an annular groove inscribed within the inner surface of the sleeve of the female member and a slightly-offset, matching annular lip formed upon the outer surface of the sleeve of the male member. The annular groove and annular lip are offset so that the two members remain in tension, pulling toward one another when the grommet is locked in place. The grommet is locked in place by inserting the male member into the female member and urging them together until the annular lip fits within the annular groove. The grommet may be disassembled by placing a dowel or like object against the non-flanged end of the male member and striking the male member or otherwise applying a force thereto. The flange of the male member and the flange of the female member may each have an annular indentation on their respective bottom surfaces that separates each bottom surface into an outer annular bottom surface and an inner annular bottom surface. This indentation allows each flange to flex slightly and creates a snug fit of the flanges against the side of a partition, wall or other surface through which the grommet has been placed.

Claims

1. A grommet comprising:

a female member having a female member sleeve which has an inner surface defining a bore through said female member sleeve and which also has an outer surface, said inner surface of said female member sleeve also defining an annular groove, said female member also having a female member flange formed at an end of said female sleeve opposite an open end of said female member sleeve;

a male member having a male member sleeve slightly smaller than said bore through said female member sleeve, said male member sleeve having an inner surface defining a bore through said male member sleeve and having an outer surface, said outer surface of said male member sleeve having an annular lip corresponding to and for receiving said annular groove defined in said inner surface of said female member sleeve, said male member also having a male member flange formed at an end of said male member sleeve opposite an open end of said male member sleeve, said male member flange having a bottom surface; and

wherein a distance between said annular groove and said open end of said female member sleeve is slightly greater than a distance between said annular lip and said bottom surface of said male member flange.

2. The invention of claim 1, said inner surface of said male member sleeve defining a rounded opening at said end of said male member sleeve where said male member flange is formed.

3. The invention of claim 1, said annular groove having a toroidal configuration.

4. The invention of claim 3, said annular groove having a depth measured from the inner surface of said female member sleeve of about 0.030 inch.

5. The invention of claim 3, said annular groove having a width of from about 1/16 inch to about 3/32 inch.

6. The invention of claim 1, said male member sleeve having a length slightly less than a length of said female member sleeve.

7. The invention of claim 1, said bottom surface of said female member flange defining an indentation which separates said bottom surface of said female member flange into an outer annular bottom surface and an inner annular bottom surface.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said outer annular bottom surface of said female member flange extends a distance above said inner annular bottom surface of said female member flange.

9. The invention of claim 7, wherein said outer annular bottom surface of said female member flange extends a distance of about 0.010 inch above said inner annular bottom surface of said female member flange.

10. The invention of claim 7, wherein a depth of said outer annular bottom surface of said female member flange is greater than a depth of said inner annular bottom surface of said female member flange.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein a difference between said depth of said outer annular bottom surface of said female member flange and said depth of said inner annular bottom surface of said female member flange is about 0.010 inch.

12. The invention of claim 1, said bottom surface of said male member flange defining an indentation which separates said bottom surface of said male member flange into an outer annular bottom surface and an inner annular bottom surface.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein said outer annular bottom surface of said male member flange extends a distance above said inner annular bottom surface of said male member flange.

14. The invention of claim 12, wherein said outer annular bottom surface of said male member flange extends a distance of about 0.010 inch above said inner annular bottom surface of said male member flange.

15. The invention of claim 1, said male member sleeve and said bore of said female member sleeve having an allowance of from about 0.002 inch to about 0.004 inch.

16. The invention of claim 1, wherein said distance between said annular groove and said open end of said female member sleeve is about 0.006 inch longer than said distance between said annular lip and said bottom surface of said male member flange.

17. The invention of claim 1, wherein the grommet is comprised of hardened plastic.

18. The invention of claim 1, wherein the grommet is comprised of nylon.

19. A method for installing a grommet comprising:

providing a grommet which consists of

a female member having a female member sleeve which has an inner surface defining a bore through said female member sleeve and which also has an outer surface, said inner surface of said female member sleeve also defining an annular groove, said female member also having a female member flange formed at an end of said female member sleeve opposite an open end of said female member sleeve,

a male member having a male member sleeve slightly smaller than said bore through said female member sleeve, said male member sleeve having an inner surface defining a bore through said male member sleeve and having an outer surface, said outer surface of said male member sleeve having an annular lip corresponding to and for receiving said annular groove defined in said inner surface of said female member sleeve, said male member also having a male member flange formed at an end of said male member sleeve opposite an open end of said male member sleeve, said male member flange having a bottom surface, and

wherein a distance between said annular groove and said open end of said female member sleeve is slightly greater than a distance between said annular lip and said bottom surface of said male member flange;

inserting said open end of said male member sleeve into said open end of said female member sleeve; and

urging said female member and said male member together until said annular lip on said outer surface of said male member sleeve is engaged by and seated into said annular groove defined by said inner surface of said female member sleeve.