Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Benjamin H Moerke

Brock T Cooley

James T Kirchen

James S Tisol, Jr

David W Edland

Hideki Kanie

Jesse L Jensen

Edward P Massof

Adam C Peterson

Mark W Severin

A fastener including a pin and a grommet. The pin is pre-engaged to the grommet with at least one flash connection, the pin is configured to be secured to the grommet at least by the flash connection being broken, and one of the pin or the grommet moves relative to the other of the pin or the grommet to break the at least one flash connection. Further, the pin is configured to engage and be secured to a first component and the grommet is configured to engage and be secured to a second component.

Two-part fastener

A system for manufacturing a two-part fastener may include a fastener-molding housing and an actuating assembly. The fastener-molding housing may include a fastener mold having a first mold section connected to a second mold section through a flash connection mold section. The fastener mold is configured to receive fastener-forming material to form a pre-engaged fastener having a first fastener portion within the first mold section and a second fastener portion within the second mold section. The first fastener portion is temporarily secured to the second fastener portion through a flash connection portion formed within the flash connection mold section. The an actuating assembly includes a stripper plate, a connecting member, and at least one ejection member. The connecting member is configured to securely retain the first fastener portion. The stripper plate is configured to be moved relative to the connecting member in order to drive one of the first or second fastener portions into the other of the first or second fastener portions to form a fully-formed fastener. The ejection member is configured to eject the fully-formed fastener from the actuating assembly.

System and method of manufacturing a two-part fastener

A push-in fastener assembly includes a fastener having deflectable retainer wings and a guide ring slidable over the retainer wings. The retainer wings and/or the guide ring are shaped to reduce interference of the guide ring sliding over the retainer wings when distorted by the retainer wings. Structure is provided for more secure preassembly of the guide ring on the fastener.

Push-in fastener assembly

A magnet fastener includes a carrier connectable to a first component and a magnet for attachment to a second, metal component. The carrier includes structures for holding a magnet assembly including the magnet in a manner that reduces rattle caused by vibration but provides flex so the magnet can articulate and adjust to a surface of the metal component.

Anti-rattle carrier for magnet fastener

A fastener clip includes a body having an opening extending therethrough, and a rigid retaining pin inserted through the opening, the rigid retaining pin having a first end secured within the body and a second end disposed outside the body, the retaining pin configured to limit the movement of a vehicle trim piece with respect to the vehicle chassis when an airbag is deployed. The fastener clip also includes a plurality of molding gates formed at an intersection between the body and the rigid retaining pin, the rigid retaining pin being subsequently movable with respect to the body after the molding gates are broken. The fastener clip further includes a pair of flexible retention legs adapted to secure the fastener clip to a vehicle chassis and a pair of flexible retention legs adapted to secure the trim piece to a vehicle chassis.

Fastener clip and method of fabricating the same

The invention relates to fasteners adapted for use in automobile air bag attachment systems. The fastener comprises a hook to engage a vehicle structure during installation and a pin to lock the fastener in place. Advantageously, the hook portion may be quickly installed and will support the air bag assembly while allowing any positional adjustments to be made prior to locking the fastener by depressing the pin until it is fully engaged in the vehicle structure. An embodiment of the invention incorporates both a locking method to prevent the fastener from being disengaged and a method of releasing this lock if needed for servicing. Another aspect of the invention provides a method for reducing the likelihood of improperly installed parts by preventing locking when the fastener is in a partially installed configuration.

Fastener

Grommet

A fastener for securing a panel to a substrate is herein disclosed. The fastener has a body portion that is received in a substrate and a pin portion that is passed through a panel and driven into the body portion to secure the panel to the substrate. The body portion has a pair of legs that act to retain the body portion within the substrate and which incorporate an interference control mechanism that controls the force required to insert the pin portion of the fastener into the body portion. The interference control mechanism may include a bore formed through a leg of the body portion, a reduced cross-sectional area formed adjacent the base of a leg at the fastener, or an elastomeric member molded into the base of a leg of the fastener.

Ergonomic fastener

A molded fastener for securing an object to a support is herein disclosed. The fastener is capable of bearing tension, shear, and bending stresses and may be installed in a simple aperture or hole formed in the support. The fastener is comprised of a base member from which extends an attachment structure that is adapted to secure to the fastener an object and a hooked tail that is passed through the simple aperture formed in the support to secure the fastener, and hence the object, to the support. A retention member of the fastener prevents the withdrawal of the fastener from the simple aperture by resisting withdrawal forces substantially in compression.

Fastener for simple holes

The fastener includes a pin and a body. The pin includes longitudinal grooves which communicate with partially threaded grooved which traverse the circumference of the shank by an interger multiple of 180&deg;. Retention fingers engage the longitudinal grooves in the pre-installed configuration and allow straight-line insertion of the pin into the body. The retention fingers are then urged outwardly by the walls of the partially threaded grooves and then snap engage into subsequent portions of the partially threaded grooves thereby preventing straight-line removal of the pin. The pin, however, can be subsequently removed by threaded rotating the pin until the retention fingers engage the longitudinal grooves. Thereafter, the pin can be manually removed by a straight-line motion.

Growing community of inventors

Chippewa Falls, WI, United States of America

Benjamin H Moerke