Illinois Tool Works Inc.

James S Tisol, Jr

Brock T Cooley

Benjamin H Moerke

Eric Leverger

Fulvio Yon

Wayne Matthew Hansen

James T Kirchen

David W Edland

Jason Mikeal Zander

Andrew B Terrill

Richard P Gustafson

A device for securing one or more units includes a first component and a second component configured to couple to the first component. The first component includes a body that has an elongated shape and a head that is connected to an upper longitudinal end of the body. The head includes a part that is configured to be rotationally engaged by a tool. The first component also includes a retainer at a lower longitudinal end of the body. The first component further includes an elastic latch formed in a thickness of the body. The elastic latch includes a tab that has an upper end connected to the body and a free lower end. The elastic latch is configured to cooperate with complementary means of one or both of the second component or the one or more units.

Fastening clip device configured to secure a door module to a door frame of a vehicle

A clip for a fastener assembly includes a main body and a base that includes a pair of fingers that each have a nub. The fingers extend from opposing ends of the base and the nubs are centrally disposed between the opposing ends.

Fastener assembly

A fastener includes a body, a fastener head having a flange extend radially outward from the body, and a plurality of shoulders that extend outwardly from the body. The body also includes a finger that extends from one end of each of the shoulders. The body further includes a plurality of cutouts positioned on the body between the shoulders. The body is flexible along the cutouts. The fingers are also flexible and cooperate with a plurality of locking features of a first component to sufficiently hold the first component and a second component between the fingers and the flange.

Flexible fastener

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 device for securing a first unit to a second unit includes a first component having a body and a head. The body is configured to be inserted in at least one of a first orifice of the first unit and a second orifice of the second unit. The first component includes a retainer at a lower longitudinal end of the body. A second component is configured to couple to the first component. At least one of the first and second components includes at least one cam surface and the other of the first and second components includes at least one follower configured to cooperate with the at least one cam surface, and to transform a rotational movement of the first component into a longitudinal translation movement of the first component in relation to the second component so that the retainer bears on the lower surface of the second unit.

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 quarter turn fastener includes a deflectable head and part in assembly legs for securing the fastener in a subassembly with one component positioned between the deflectable head and the part in assembly legs. Cooperating lock arms on the fastener and lock ribs on the component secure the fastener against unintended rotation for loosening. Stop ribs on the component limit the distance the fastener can be rotated. Main body legs are provided for securing a second component with the subassembly. Cooperating structures of the fastener and the components limit the fastener to rotate only in the lock direction from the unlocked position and in the unlock direction from the locked position.

Quarter turn fastener

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 fastener is provided particularly useful for securing automobile headliners to automobile roofs. The fastener includes a clip connectable to the headliner and a magnet assembly that can be secured to the roof. The magnet assembly can tilt relative to the clip.

Fastener

A retainer for securing items to a wall of a vehicle that may be installed by the user without the use of special tools or fasteners. The retainer includes an upper component that is slidably mounted to a lower component through the use of mating rails. The upper component includes an integral ring for securing items thereto, such as cargo nets, and the lower component includes a retainer leg that may be snap-fitted into an opening formed in a vehicle wall. A release member on the lower component engages a rib on the upper component for locking the upper component to the lower component. By moving the release member to a disengaged position, the upper component may be slidably removed from the lower component. To remove the lower component from the opening in the vehicle wall, the lower component includes opposing leg fingers that when pressed cause the retainer leg to disengage from the opening in the vehicle wall.

D-ring retainer

A accessory mounting mechanism for securing an accessory to the frame of a vehicle as herein disclosed. The accessory mounting mechanism generally comprises an upper grommet into which is inserted an end of the accessory, a lower grommet to which the upper grommet is secured, and a cap which covers both the upper and lower grommets. The lower grommet is provided with a retaining structure that engages a bore formed through the frame of the vehicle, so as to secure the accessory mounting mechanism thereto. The structure of the accessory mounting mechanism enables a simplified methodology for installing an accessory within a vehicle that involves the steps of pre-assembling the accessory mounting mechanism and then addressing the retaining structure of the accessory mounting mechanism to a bore formed through the frame of the vehicle so as to secure the accessory thereto.

Accessory mounting mechanism

A fastener for securing a first object such as a headliner to a second object such as the interior of an aircraft or automobile which is also capable of being pre-assembled with the first object in a predetermined orientation is disclosed. A fastener constructed and arranged according to the present invention has an upper head from which extends a shank having a shank fastener formed therein for securing the retainer into a bore formed in the second object. At least one pre-assembly leg is secured to the shank at a predetermined offset distance from the head. A lower head having a bore formed therethrough so that it may be received over the shank of the fastener is secured to a distal end of the at least one pre-assembly leg and actuates the pre-assembly leg so as to double the pre-assembly leg upon itself and simultaneously bias it into contact with the first object, thereby securing the fastener within a bore formed through the first object in the predetermined orientation.

Fastener for pre-assembling work pieces

The grommet includes a base and a slider. The base includes a rectangular slot which receives an extended screw boss of the slider. The extended screw boss can slide linearly within the rectangular slot with a single degree of freedom. The base includes guide tracks and inwardly extending protrusions between which lateral guide tracks of the slider are slidably engaged.

Growing community of inventors

Chippewa Falls, WI, United States of America

James S Tisol, Jr