Fastening assembly for fastening a first member to a second member

• US 6,309,132 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1998
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. K.G. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. K.G. (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Brehmer, Lothar, Jakob, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garcia, Ernesto
• Application Number:
  US09/136,316
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 403/200, 403/353, 403/408.1, 403/230, 403/233, 403/240, 403/263, 403/6, 403/7, 411/410, 411/402, 411/411, 280/728.2, 280/755
• US Class Current: 403/200
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/406 Clamping parts being collars, bushings or wedges
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0036 and using hook and slot or keyhole-type connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/46 Rod end to transverse side of member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/75 having a joining piece extending through aligned openings in plural members

Abstract

A fastening assembly for fastening a first member to a second member comprising

at least one threaded fastener having a head at one end thereof, the head having engagement surfaces for a tool, a threaded shank, the other end of the shank having engagement surfaces for a tool,

at least one receiving bore in the first member into which the threaded shank is threaded in a pre-mounted state from one end thereof, with the head being spaced from the associated surface of the first member,

the second member being preferably of thin sheet material and having at least one elongated opening, the opening having a first portion adapted to allow the entrance of head and a smaller portion adapted to accommodate the shank while the head grips behind the edge of the opening.

Claims

1. A fastening assembly, comprising:

a first member having at least one threaded bore defined therein, and a first engagement surface;

at least one threaded fastener having a head at a first end thereof, and a threaded shank connected at a first end thereof to said head and having a second opposite end which has means thereon for engaging a rotary tool, said at least one threaded fastener being disposed within said at least one threaded bore of said first member as a result of threaded engagement of said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener with said at least one threaded bore of said first member whereby said head of said at least one threaded fastener is separated from said first engagement surface of said first member so as to define a space therebetween; and

a second member comprising a panel having first and second engagement surfaces and at least one elongated opening having a first larger portion for accommodating said head of said at least one threaded fastener, and a second smaller portion for accommodating said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener so as to permit said second member panel to be disposed within said space defined between said head of said at least one threaded fastener and said first engagement surface of said first member when said head of said at least one threaded fastener is initially inserted through said first larger portion of said at least one elongated opening of said second member and when said first end of said threaded shank is subsequently moved from said first larger portion of said at least one elongated opening of said second member and into said second smaller portion of said at least one elongated opening of said second member, whereby when said at least one threaded fastener is subsequently tightened as a result of rotary engagement of a rotary tool with said second opposite end of said at least one threaded fastener, said head of said at least one threaded fastener will be engaged with said first engagement surface of said second member while said second engagement surface of said second member will be engaged with said first engagement surface of said first member.

2. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener has a left-hand thread provided thereon.

3. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, comprising:

insert means fixedly disposed within said first member and having an internal thread defined therein so as to define said at least one threaded bore within said first member.

4. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said insert means is fixedly disposed within said first member by an interference fit.

5. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

coating means disposed upon said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener for increasing adherence of said at least one threaded fastener within said at least one threaded bore of said first member.

6. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said head of said at least one threaded fastener has means for engaging a rotary tool which comprises external hexagonal facets defined upon said head.

7. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said first member has two threaded bores defined therein;

said second member has two elongated openings defined therein; and

said at least one threaded fastener comprises two threaded fasteners respectively threadedly engaged within said two threaded bores of said first member.

8. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said first member comprises an automotive airbag sensor; and

said second member comprises an automotive support panel.

9. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said elongated openings of said second member have substantially keyhole configurations which define said first larger and second smaller portions thereof.

10. A fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said second member comprises a hollow portion; and

said head of said at least one threaded fastener is disposed internally within said hollow portion of said second member while said second end of said at least one threaded fastener is disposed internally within said at least one threaded bore of said first member such that said head and second end portions of said at least one threaded fastener do not project, externally of said first and second members.

11. A method of assembling, comprising the steps of:

providing a first member with at least one threaded bore and a first engagement surface;

pre-assembling at least one threaded fastener, having a head and a threaded shank connected at a first end thereof to said head and having a second opposite end, within said at least one threaded bore of said first member as a result of threaded engagement of said at least one threaded fastener within said at least one threaded bore of said first member such that said head of said at least one threaded fastener is separated from said first engagement surface of said first member so as to define a space therebetween;

providing a second member comprising a panel with first and second engagement surfaces and at least one elongated opening having a first larger portion for accommodating said head of said at least one threaded fastener, and a second smaller portion for accommodating said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener;

inserting said head of said at least one threaded fastener through said first larger portion of said at least one elongated opening of said second member panel;

moving said at least one threaded fastener and said first member relative to said second member such that said first end of said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener is moved from said first larger portion of said at least one elongated opening of said second member and into said second smaller portion of said at least one elongated opening of said second member, and said panel of said second member is disposed within said space defined between said head of said at least one threaded fastener and said first engagement surface of said first member; and

threadedly tighteneing said at least one threaded fastener within said at least one threaded bore of said first member such that said head of said at least one threaded fastener will be engaged with said first engagement surface of said second member while said second engagement surface of said second member will be engaged with said first engagement surface of said first member.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener is provided with a left-hand thread.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

threadedly engaging said at least one threaded fastener within said at least one threaded bore of said first member, during said pre-assembling step, from said second end of said at least one threaded fastener by means of a left-hand drive; and

threadedly engaging said at least one threaded fastener within said at least one threaded bore of said first member, during said tightening step, by said head of said at least one threaded fastener by means of right-hand drive.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein:

said head of said at least one threaded fastener has a hexagonal external configuration so as to facilitate said threaded engagement of said at least one threaded fastener within said at least one threaded bore of said first member.

15. A method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the step of:

providing an internally threaded insert within said first member so as to define said at least one threaded bore within said first member.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

fixedly disposing said threaded insert within said first member by an interference fit.

17. A method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the step of:

providing a coating upon said threaded shank of said at least one threaded fastener for increasing the adherence of said at least one threaded fastener within said at least one threaded bore of said first member.

18. A method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

providing said first member with two threaded bores;

providing said second member with two elongated openings; and

threadedly engaging two threaded fasteners within said two threaded bores of said first member.

19. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said first member comprises an automotive airbag sensor; and

said second member comprises an automotive support panel.

20. A method as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

said at least one elongated opening of said second member has a substantially keyhole configuration defining said first larger and second smaller portions thereof.