Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Chad Michael Clark

Ronald C Owens

Michael Fullerton

Ronald C Owens, Ii

Jason Paradis

Mark Owen Lepper

Gregory George Buczynski

Glenn G Heavens

Jeremy R D Tuttle

Sean M O'Reilly

Ronald Carter Owens

Described is an isolating fastener assembly for attaching a first component to a blind hole of a second component. The isolating fastener assembly includes a clip and an isolating cap. The clip having a retaining head portion and a body portion. The body portion including a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another at the retaining head portion to define a channel. The isolating cap having a pair of guides. Each guide having a fastener-retention feature to engage and retain the clip.

Isolating blind hole fastener

Disclosed are fastening systems for coupling a first component to stud, shaft, or the like via a sleeve assembly. The fastening system comprising an upper sleeve component, a lower sleeve component, and a nut. The upper sleeve component defines an upper sleeve opening, while the lower sleeve component defines a lower sleeve opening. The lower sleeve component comprises one or more flexible tabs configured to engage the upper sleeve component via the component opening. The nut is configured to pass through a sleeve opening to engage the stud. The sleeve opening is defined by the upper sleeve opening and the lower sleeve opening.

Method of retaining a sleeve with low force

Disclosed are systems and methods for coupling a first panel to a second panel via a push retainer. The push retainer includes an annular body, flexible tabs, and legs. The annular body has a topside surface and an underside surface. The annular body defines an opening. The flexible tabs are coupled to the annular body and canted upwardly away from the topside surface at a first angle. The flexible tabs are configured to engage a post of the second panel. The legs extend downwardly away from the underside surface at a second angle. The legs are configured to engage the first panel to form a part-in-assembly (PIA) component when inserted through the opening.

Pre-captured push retainer

A compensating fastener assembly is configured to secure a fastener to a surface element. The compensating fastener assembly includes a compression limiter having a cylindrical main body and a flange, the cylindrical main body defining a channel and a longitudinal axis. The compensating fastener assembly further includes a spring defining a central passage. The central passage of the spring is configured to receive the main body of the compression limiter such that a first end of the spring is configured to be disposed adjacent the flange of the compression limiter.

Compensating fastener assembly

A fastener assembly that is configured to securely couple to a component includes a bolt, a limiter, and a grommet. The bold has a head, a shaft, and a medial ridge disposed around a portion of the shaft. The limiter has a brim and a tube, with the tube extending away from the brim. A grommet has a central passage extending through a top section. The top section further includes a central wall and a bottom surface. At least one tab extends from the bottom surface.

Apparatus for a captured fastener assembly with expanding grommet

A fastener assembly is configured to securely couple to a component. The fastener assembly includes a compression-limiting bushing, a fastener coupled to the bushing, and a grommet coupled to the bushing. A clearance gap is defined between one or both of the bushing or the fastener and the grommet. At least a portion of the grommet is configured to move into the clearance gap as the fastener assembly is urged into an opening of the component. The grommet is configured to securely couple to the component.

Fastener assembly having a component-isolating grommet

A fastener-retaining system () is configured to securely couple a fastener () to a substrate (). The fastener-retaining system () includes a compression-limiting bushing () including a tube defining a central passage (), and a retainer () positioned within the central passage. The retainer () includes a first portion that securely connects to the bushing, and a second portion that is configured to securely connect to a portion of the fastener.

Fastener-retaining system and method

A bushing device includes a cap end shaped to engage a first surface of a first component having a first hole, and a slotted barrel body coupled with the cap end and elongated along a center axis. The slotted barrel body includes plural first cantilevered beam legs extending away from the cap end in directions that are parallel to the center axis. One or more of the first cantilevered beam legs has a hook at a distal end of the one or more first cantilevered beam legs. The slotted barrel body is shaped to fit inside the first hole in the first component and into a concentric second hole in a second component. The hook of the one or more first cantilevered beam legs is positioned to engage the second component to secure the first component and the second component together.

Clipping bushing device of fastener assembly

A fastener assembly is configured to securely couple to a component. The fastener assembly includes at least one bushing, a first grommet that is coupled to the bushing(s), and a second grommet that is coupled to the bushing(s). The first grommet and the second grommet are configured to securely retain the component therebetween.

Growing community of inventors

Stamping Ground, KY, United States of America

Chad Michael Clark