Attachment arrangement for side curtain air bag utilizing rotatable fastener

• US 9,321,417 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Lepper, Mark O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew
• Application Number:
  US14/532,342
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/201 Packaging straps or envelopes for inflatable members
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/303 having laterally extending biasing appendage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/304 Resilient metal type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/42 Independent, headed, aperture pass-through fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4406 Resilient channel or bar

Abstract

A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly for connection to a base plate having a fastener receiving receptacle, including a hanger bracket having a fastener receiving hole. The fastener includes a body rotatable between an insertion position for connection to the base plate and a locked position releasably securing said hanger bracket to the base plate having a head portion to move said fastener between the insertion position and the locked position, and an attachment portion sized to pass through the fastener receiving hole in the hanger bracket and the fastener receptacle in the base plate with at least one abutment surface to abut the back surface of the base plate in the locked position. The head portion includes deformable resilient arms extending laterally outward and toward said attachment portion with ends to engage a front face of said hanger bracket to urge said at least one abutment surface into abutting relation to the back surface of the base plate. The hanger assembly further includes a fabric member connected to the hanger bracket and to a supported element. In one form the hanger bracket includes forwardly bent tangs defining a locked position limit stop surface and a locked position retention limit stop surface with one of said deformable resilient arms abutting the stop surfaces to maintain the fastener in the locked position.

Claims

1. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly for connection to a base plate having a fastener receiving receptacle, said hanger assembly including a hanger bracket having a fastener receiving hole, wherein said hanger bracket includes at least one forwardly bent tang defining a locked position limit stop surface;

said fastener including a body rotatable between an insertion position for connection to the base plate and a locked position releasably securing said hanger bracket to the base plate;

a head portion to move said fastener between said insertion position and said locked position;

an attachment portion sized to pass through said fastener receiving hole in said hanger bracket and the fastener receptacle in the base plate;

said attachment portion including at least one abutment surface to abut the back surface of the base plate in said locked position,

said head portion includes deformable resilient arms extending laterally outward and toward said attachment portion with ends to engage a front face of said hanger bracket to urge said at least one abutment surface into abutting relation to the back surface of the base plate, wherein one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position,

wherein said hanger assembly further includes a fabric member connected to said hanger bracket and to a supported element.

2. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said at least one forwardly bent tang defines a locked position retention limit stop surface and one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit retention stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position.

3. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said hanger bracket is made of metal.

4. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly for connection to a base plate having a fastener receiving receptacle, said hanger assembly including a hanger bracket having a fastener receiving hole, wherein said hanger bracket includes at least one forwardly bent tang defining a locked position retention limit stop surface;

said fastener including a body rotatable between an insertion position for connection to the base plate and a locked position releasably securing said hanger bracket to the base plate;

a head portion to move said fastener between said insertion position and said locked position;

an attachment portion sized to pass through said fastener receiving hole in said hanger bracket and the fastener receptacle in the base plate;

said attachment portion including at least one abutment surface to abut the back surface of the base plate in said locked position,

said head portion includes deformable resilient arms extending laterally outward and toward said attachment portion with ends to engage a front face of said hanger bracket to urge said at least one abutment surface into abutting relation to the back surface of the base plate, wherein one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit retention stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position,

wherein said hanger assembly further includes a fabric member connected to said hanger bracket and to a supported element.

5. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly for connection to a base plate having a fastener receiving receptacle, said hanger assembly including a hanger bracket having a fastener receiving hole, wherein said hanger bracket defines a hook and includes an outwardly directed ledge portion and a depending arm portion defining a cradle;

said fastener including a body rotatable between an insertion position for connection to the base plate and a locked position releasably securing said hanger bracket to the base plate;

a head portion to move said fastener between said insertion position and said locked position;

an attachment portion sized to pass through said fastener receiving hole in said hanger bracket and the fastener receptacle in the base plate;

said attachment portion including at least one abutment surface to abut the back surface of the base plate in said locked position,

said head portion includes deformable resilient arms extending laterally outward and toward said attachment portion with ends to engage a front face of said hanger bracket to urge said at least one abutment surface into abutting relation to the back surface of the base plate,

wherein said hanger assembly further includes a fabric member connected to said hanger bracket and to a supported element that is configured to be received by said cradle.

6. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said fabric member includes a securement pad portion defining a cushioning member interposed between said hanger bracket and the base plate.

7. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said securement pad portion includes a top cross web connected to said hook of said hanger bracket.

8. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said fabric member includes a pair of frangible strips surrounding said supported element.

9. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said supported element is a curtain air bag.

10. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said hanger bracket includes at least one forwardly bent tang defining a locked position limit stop surface and one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position.

11. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 10,

wherein said at least one forwardly bent tang defines a locked position retention limit stop surface and one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit retention stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position.

12. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said hanger bracket includes at least one forwardly bent tang defining a locked position retention limit stop surface and one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit retention stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position.

13. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said forward planar securement flange portion includes tabs extending in the direction of fastener insertion at opposite distal ends of said long slot of said cruciform shaped fastener receiving hole.

14. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly for connection to a base plate having a fastener receiving receptacle, said hanger assembly including a hanger bracket having a fastener receiving hole, wherein said hanger bracket includes a forward planar securement flange portion and a rearward planar securement flange portion connected by at least one integrally formed link, each said planar securement flange portion including a cruciform shaped fastener receiving hole defined by an intersecting long slot and short slot;

said fastener including a body rotatable between an insertion position for connection to the base plate and a locked position releasably securing said hanger bracket to the base plate;

a head portion to move said fastener between said insertion position and said locked position;

an attachment portion sized to pass through said fastener receiving hole in said hanger bracket and the fastener receptacle in the base plate;

said attachment portion including at least one abutment surface to abut the back surface of the base plate in said locked position,

said head portion includes deformable resilient arms extending laterally outward and toward said attachment portion with ends to engage a front face of said hanger bracket to urge said at least one abutment surface into abutting relation to the back surface of the base plate,

wherein said hanger assembly further includes a fabric member connected to said hanger bracket and to a supported element.

15. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said hanger bracket includes a pair of links connecting said forward planar securement flange portion and said rearward planar securement flange portion,

and wherein said fabric member includes a securement pad disposed between said forward planar securement flange portion and said rearward planar securement flange portion and said securement pad includes a fastener receiving hole.

16. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said rearward planar securement flange portion includes tabs extending in the direction of fastener insertion at opposite distal ends of said long slot of said cruciform shaped fastener receiving hole.

17. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said hanger bracket includes at least one forwardly bent tang defining a locked position limit stop surface and one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position.

18. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said hanger bracket includes at least one forwardly bent tang defining a locked position retention limit stop surface and one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit retention stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position.

19. A quarter-turn fastener and hanger assembly as claimed in claim 18,

wherein said at least one forwardly bent tang defines a locked position limit stop surface and one of said deformable resilient arms abuts said locked position limit stop surface to prevent rotation from said locked position.