Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Brock T Cooley

Wayne Matthew Hansen

James T Kirchen

James S Tisol, Jr

David W Edland

Benjamin H Moerke

Andrew B Terrill

Adam C Peterson

Anatoly I Gosis

Frank Otte

Marc R Risdale

Jesse L Jensen

Richard P Gustafson

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 fastening clip assembly is configured to securely connect a first panel to a second panel. The fastening clip assembly may include a collar, a securing support extending from the collar, and deflectable beams connected to the securing support. The deflectable beams are configured to move in first and second directions when the deflectable beams are mated with one or both of the first and second panels. The first direction differs from the second direction.

Fastening clip assembly

A piercing rib clip has first and second legs defining a space for receiving a rib of a component held thereby and a piercing pin held by at least one of the legs piercing the rib held between the legs.

Piercing rib clip

A vehicle headliner attachment system for displaceable attachment of a headliner to a sunroof assembly frame. The attachment system includes at least one snap-in male connector including a distal insertion head adapted to be press fit into a corresponding elongated female acceptance slot disposed at a position adjacent to the perimeter of a sunroof opening. The male connector is releasably held at a support element secured to the headliner. The support element is oriented on the headliner such that the male connector is slideable along the elongated female acceptance slot without disengaging from the support element when the headliner is moved rearward relative to the assembly frame.

Sunroof headliner attachment system

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

A U-nut fastener assembly includes a U-nut fastener including a first arm member, a second arm member formed unitarily with the first arm member, a bite portion formed unitarily between the first and second arm portions such that the first arm member, the second arm member, and the bite portion are oriented to form a substantially U-shape. The nut includes a single helical thread having a proximal end and a distal end that are separated by a longitudinal gap. The U-nut assembly also includes a fastener device adapted to be received within the U-nut fastener. The single helical thread has a proximal end and a distal end and a gap disposed between the proximal and distal ends. The U-nut assembly is molded from a plastic material to include an anti-reverse feature that inhibits the fastener device from loosening with respect to the U-nut fastener. The anti-reverse feature is also adapted to provide a tactile indication to an operator installing the U-nut assembly.

U-nut fastener assembly

A fastener for securing an airbag assembly in a motor vehicle includes first and second body components held one against another with a fastening tab of an airbag there between. A flexible collet from the body of the fastener is secured in a hole of a supporting component in a vehicle roof, and a pin pushed into the collet secures the installation. Tools and fastener structures for verification testing are disclosed.

Airbag fastener assembly

A fastener assembly includes a collar configured to be secured to a structure, and a D-ring that may include a main ring body, end joints rotatably secured to the collar, and smooth intermediate sections integrally connecting the main ring body to the end joints. The smooth intermediate sections gradually transition the main ring body to the end joints. The main ring body may have a bow-tie cross-sectional shape that provides directional strength to the main ring body.

Fastening assembly

A w-base fastener that may be used in many applications, including numerous applications throughout the automotive industry, combines the functionality of a w-base fastener with the serviceability of other fasteners. The w-base fastener of the invention provides the ability to service the w-base fastener without damaging the panel or hole in which the fastener is inserted. This is accomplished by incorporating a secondary connection into the w-base fastener. This secondary connection permits the fastener to be easily extracted by providing a technique for pulling the legs of the w-base fastener inward prior to extraction of the fastener from the hole.

Serviceable w-base fastener

A fastener assembly includes a grommet, a dampening subassembly, and a pin. The pin is secured to the grommet and the dampening subassembly. The pin is configured to rotate between a locked position and an unlocked position with respect to the grommet. The pin secures to the grommet in the locked position, and is removable from the grommet in the unlocked position.

Fastener assembly

A vehicle door wedge assembly includes a chassis and a slide moveable within the chassis. A non-metallic, elastomeric biasing element is provided to urge the slide toward one end of the chassis. The vehicle door wedge assembly with the chassis defines a slide path for the slide to move along, and the non-metallic, elastomeric biasing element is disposed between the chassis and the slide for urging the slide toward one end of the path.

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Bloomer, WI, United States of America

Brock T Cooley