Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Brian R Peek

Thomas A Benoit

Paul M Sutenbach

Christopher J Hoyle

Mark Owen Lepper

Charles P Meyer

David A Shereyk

James T Kirchen

Christopher Michael Pangallo

Mark J Kwilosz

Stephen M Everard

James E Gugle

Beryle S Doyle

Kathleen A Sullivan

Richard F Daubert

Gene R Harris

A fastener mounting assembly is configured to securely mount to at least one panel of a component. The fastener mounting assembly may include a base, a fastener mount extending from the base, and at least one panel-engaging member connected to one or both of the base and the fastener. The panel-engaging member(s) is configured to securely engage the panel(s) of the component to securely lock the fastener mounting assembly to the panel(s).

Fastener mounting assembly

A tube retention block assembly having a support body incorporating one or more tube support passageways of discontinuous character extending across the support body. A displaceable retaining yoke member is adapted for insertion into a slot disposed transverse to the tube support passageways. The retaining yoke member includes one or more engagement cradles adapted to at least partially surround and lock in place tubes extending through the tube support body.

Tube holding block assembly

Embodiments of the present invention provide a pressure relief assembly that may include a main housing having an air passage chamber, and a flapper positioned on or within the air passage chamber. The flapper includes a membrane flap and a stabilizing member extending toward a center of the membrane flap. The stabilizing member prevents the center of said membrane flap from flapping open, but allows outer free edges of the membrane flap to open when air flow at a particular pressure is exerted into said membrane flap from an opening direction.

Pressure relief assembly

A retainer for holding nuts, bolts and other components includes a pocket configured for retaining a portion of the component and having an entrance opening for insertion of the component into the pocket. A deflectable blocking element is disposed in the opening and yields to insertion pressure, allowing the component to enter the pocket. A tether secured near the distal end of the blocking element resists deflection of the blocking element in response to withdrawal force applied to a component in the pocket.

Tethered retainer assembly

A clip device is disclosed for removably securing a tube, such as an air conditioning condenser tube, to a bracket, such as a radiator bracket, which includes a slot. The clip includes an annular body having a first and a second edge, the body defining an opening for the removable reception therein of the condenser tube. The body includes a flexible arm having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the arm defines a tooth which lockingly cooperates with the slot. The arrangement is such that the condenser tube passes through the opening of the body and then the body is further moved axially along the condenser tube so that the bracket extends through the opening and next, the body is rotated about the condenser tube such that the tooth engages the slot for removably securing the condenser tube to the bracket.

Clip device

A routing clip for fixing a conduit to a support is integrally molded from a plastic material and includes a U-shaped channel having two substantially parallel walls extending therefrom. Each of the walls has an inwardly curving projection, perhaps reaching or extending beyond the centerline of the U-shaped channel. The inwardly curving projections prevent a tube or conduit, secured within the U-shaped channel, from being readily removed therefrom.

Sidewinder clip

A spiral flex tree fastener, for use in securing a component to a panel by insertion into a hole provided therein, has a head, and a shank extending axially therefrom and ending in a conical rounded point. The head, shank, and point share a common axis, the head naturally being of greater diameter than the shank and point. The point has a maximum diameter substantially equal to the hole into which the fastener may be inserted. The shank is flattened, has two sides and a flange running axially along each of the two sides. The shank has a diagonally measured width equivalent to the maximum diameter of the point and merges smoothly thereinto, and the flanges ensure that the fastener remains centered in the appropriately sized hole into which it may be inserted. On each side of the shank are a plurality of flexible fins set at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of the fastener. A portion of each fin extends radially outward from the axis of the shank beyond the radial extent of the conical rounded point. The fins flex against the walls of the appropriately sized hole, securing the fastener therein, and are shaped to make its nondestructive withdrawal, if desired or necessary, possible but more difficult to effect than its original insertion.

Spiral flex tree fastener

An insulation retainer is provided for mounting upon the threads of a threaded stud so as to retain insulation of various thicknesses upon a substrate to which the stud is attached. The insulation retainer includes an outer body member and an inner body member. Adjustment means are formed upon the interior surface of the outer body member and upon the exterior surface of the inner body member so as to permit ratcheting of the outer body member over the inner body member in small increments so as to accommodate various thicknesses of insulation to be retained upon the substrate.

Insulation retainer

A pin and grommet assembly includes a push-pin and a grommet of unique construction which is capable of absorbing variations in the relative positions of a supporting panel and a mating panel to be attached caused by thermal expansion and contraction. A pair of diametrically opposed semicylindrical-shaped portions are disposed on the push-pin and cylindrical-shaped mating grooves are formed in the interior of the grommet for retaining freely floating the semicylindrical-shaped portions in the grommet so as to permit lateral sliding engagement between the opposed outer wall surfaces on the shorter sides of the main body portion of the grommet.

Pin and grommet

A rod end clip for retaining an elongated L-shaped actuating rod, terminating in a short substantially right angled end portion, in a connected state with respect to an apertured lever member includes a rear wall section upstanding from a base member and having its distal end terminating in an overlying arm portion. A rigid retaining wall member upstanding from the base member and disposed substantially opposite the rear wall section is provided so as to form a retaining groove therebetween for securely retaining the actuating rod therein against rotational and vertical movement. The rigid retaining wall member has a cam surface which permits the insertion of the long leg of the actuating rod into the retaining groove with a low insertion force.

Rod end clip

A sliding grommet includes a head flange and a shank portion of a unique construction which is capable of absorbing relative positions of an oblong fitting hole in a mounting panel and a throughhole in a mating hole to be attached caused by thermal expansion and contraction. A pair of Y-shaped members are disposed on opposite sides of the shank portion to permit flexing upon insertion, and locking tabs are provided on each leg of the Y-shaped members for retaining freely floating the shank portion in the oblong fitting hole in the mounting panel so as to permit lateral sliding engagement between the upper and lower edges of the fitting hole.

Sliding grommet

A one-piece thermoplastic fastener assembly is disclosed having a friction-weld fastening surface with a centrally located heat-activated adhesive pellet. A plurality of deflector segments are integrally formed with the friction weld surface at the plurality of radial distances from the axis of rotation. The shape of the base member and the thickness of the plurality of deflector segments are selected to cause any imaginary straight line emanating from the axis of rotation and passing through the marginal edge of each intercepted deflector segment to extend below the radial plane which passes across the outer marginal edge of the innermost deflector segment to thereby causes even distribution of the heat-activated adhesive across the friction weld surface in response to a driving rotation of the base member.

Adhesive friction weld fastener

A ball socket assembly is constructed of a plastic molded housing and a locking member. The plastic molded housing has a ball socket integrally formed on its bottom wall in the form of a base member having a spherical-shaped internal wall segment which faces an opening in the housing and having a pair of resilient arm members integrally formed with the base segment. The resilient arm members extend generally parallel to and equidistant from the axis drawn through the center of the spherical-shaped wall segment. Each of the resilient arm members have a curved internal face which matches the curvature of the spherical-shaped wall segment. A locking member can be selectively installed to prevent outward flexing of the resilient arm members after a spherical ball-headed screw has been installed into the ball socket.

Ball socket assembly

A one-piece plastic wing-nut fastener is constructed to push onto a threaded stud and be held in threaded engagement therewith through the use of a pair of opposing arcuate thin wall sections which are formed with internal threads and which flex radially outward whenever the fastener is pushed onto a threaded stud to provide a ratcheting action therebetween. The thin wall sections are supported on a base member by a U-shaped support having a head section and a pair of leg portions. The pair of leg portions are integrally formed with the base portion and extend between the base portion and head portion in a parallel relationship with the thin wall sections. The pair of thin wall sections are integrally formed between the base and the head portion with its axis in alignment with an enlarged aperture in the base portion and an enlarged central opening in the head portion.

Push-on plastic wing-nut fastener

A spin welded fastening assembly is constructed of two interfitting components. A circular base member formed of thermoplastic material has a circular disc portion with a workpiece engaging surface for friction welding and has a circular upstanding coupler portion integrally formed on the opposite surface of the disc portion for mounting a standoff member. The standoff member has a downwardly extending circular flange portion which snaps over the upstanding circular coupler portion of the circular base member. The circular flange portion of the standoff member has a closed end in the form of a transversely extending mounting plate portion having a central mounting aperture formed therethrough. The head of a quarter turn type fastener is installed in the mounting aperture of the standoff member. The snap fitting connection between the circular flange portion of the standoff member and the upstanding circular coupler portion includes a ratchet means for permitting the standoff member to be turned in one direction only. This rotating direction is opposite to the direction which the quarter turn fastener must be turned to be is installed into the mounting aperture of the standoff member.

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Mokena, IL, United States of America

Brian R Peek