Fastener assembly

• US 7,784,857 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Naik, Umesh, Kano, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): ENGLE, PATRICIA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US11/668,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20080181745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 411/104, 411/107, 296/193.1, 296/191
• US Class Current: 296/193.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/09 Releasable fastening devices with a stud engaging a keyhole slot
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0241 with the possibility for the connection to absorb deformation, e.g. thermal or vibrational

Abstract

A retaining structure and fastener assembly for securing a resin panel to a vehicle body. The panel has an inner surface and a retaining structure extending outwardly from the inner surface. The retaining structure has a retaining wall with a slot for receiving a shoulder of a bolt therethrough, so that a head of the bolt is retained between the inner surface and a washer for securing the panel to the body of the vehicle. The slot is oversized relative to the shoulder of the bolt so as to define a predetermined gap therebetween to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the panel, thereby preventing building of the panel relative to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a body having a hole;

a fastener assembly comprising a bolt, a nut and a washer, the bolt having a head having a flat edge and a threaded portion formed at opposite ends thereof, the bolt having an annular shoulder formed adjacent the head, the bolt having a reduced diameter portion disposed between the shoulder and the threaded portion;

the nut being assembled to the threaded portion of the bolt;

the washer being axially retained between the shoulder and the threaded portion of the bolt;

a panel having an inner surface and a retaining structure extending outwardly from the inner surface, the retaining structure having a retaining wall with a slot for receiving the shoulder of the bolt therethrough during assembly of the panel to the body, the head of the bolt being retained between the inner surface of the panel and the retaining wall, the shoulder contacting the washer and the reduced diameter portion passing through the washer and partially into the hole of the body, the washer retained between the shoulder and the body, the slot including tabs separated from each other less than a diameter of the shoulder, wherein the height of the shoulder is greater than the thickness of the retainer wall so as to allow a predetermined amount of axial displacement of the retaining structure relative to the fastener assembly to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the panel.

2. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the retaining structure includes a connecting wall extending between the inner surface and the retaining wall.

3. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the slot has a generally circular shaped edge that extends between generally parallel and spaced apart side edges, the circular shaped edge defining a generally circular aperture for supporting the shoulder of the bolt therein.

4. A vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein the diameter of the shoulder is less than the diameter of the circular aperture in the retaining wall to define a gap of at least 0.1 mm for accommodating the expansion and contraction of the panel, thereby preventing buckling of the panel relative to the vehicle.

5. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of axial displacement is at least 0.3 mm.

6. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the panel extends longitudinally between opposite and spaced apart sides, the panel having at least two retaining structures disposed at respective sides of the panel.

7. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the panel is a radiator grill.