Fastener to affix a component to a support with aperture

• US 7,862,274 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• 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: Limpert, Alexander, Henkelmann, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Saether; Flemming
• Application Number:
  US11/916,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20080199272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 411/41, 411 45- 48, 242/97, 244/53
• US Class Current: 411/45
• 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: F16B 19/1081 fastened by a drive-pin F16B19/109 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/076 the socket having a resilient part on its outside F16B21/075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/309 Plastic type

Abstract

A fastener to affix a component in a support fitted with an aperture, comprising an affixation casing of resilient plastic, further a hollow conical shell, and at one end a radial flange that cooperates in sealing manner with the support surface facing it when the affixation casing has been mounted in said aperture, the casing being fitted peripherally with radial bosses, ribs or the like that engage from below the aperture rim when the affixation casing, being temporarily deformed radially at its bosses, ribs or the like is being inserted into said aperture, further comprising a plastic core which is fitted with a head and which can be inserted from the affixation casing'"'"'s flanged end into the core cavity and which radially expands the casing and prevents it from being removable from the aperture, characterized by at least one radially inwardly pointing boss on the wall of the casing cavity and by the core being fitted at its end with a preferably peripheral groove that is entered by said boss when the core is pressed into the conical shell of the affixation casing and by the core being fitted on the side of the clearance facing the of the core with a shoulder or a shoulder engaging under the boss when the core has been fully inserted into the conical shell.

Claims

1. A fastener to affix a component in a support fitted with an aperture, comprising:

an affixation casing of resilient plastic, further comprising a hollow conical shell defining a cylindrical cavity closed at a tip thereof, and a radial flange at a distant end thereof, the radial flange configured to cooperate in sealing manner with a rim of a support surface defining an aperture received by the casing, the casing being fitted peripherally with radial bosses configured to engage from below the aperture rim when the casing is inserted into said aperture, the cylindrical cavity having a annular inwardly point boss; and

a plug comprising;

a head, on an underside of which is fitted a radial surface;

a cylindrical segment extending from a lower surface of the radial surface, the cylindrical segment having an outside diameter slightly larger than an inside diameter of the cylindrical cavity;

a longitudinal constriction extending from a lower surface of the cylindrical segment, the longitudinal construction having a first segment near to the cylindrical segment and having a diameter less than a diameter of the cylindrical segment, and a second segment extending to a tip of the plug, the second segment having a diameter greater than the first segment, the second segment having an annular groove with a cross-section complementary to a cross-section of the annular inward pointing boss of the cylindrical cavity;

wherein the annular boss of the cylindrical cavity is configured to engage the annular groove of the plug when the plug is fully inserted into the casing.

2. The fastener, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular boss consists of an annular rib.

3. The fastener, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the affixation casing and the plug are configured such that a force required to initially insert the plug into the affixation casing is less than a force required to completely force the plug into the affixation casing.

4. The fastener, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the segment of the plug between the annular groove and the cylindrical segment has a lesser diameter than the cylindrical segment.

5. The fastener, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radial flange includes a radial annular segment and a conical segment, wherein the radial annular segment is connected to the conical shell by a thin junction, whereby once inserted, the radial surface of the plug rests against the top side of the annular segment of the flange, compressing the flange against the support surface.