Termax Corporation

Michael Tirrell

Daniel James Dickinson

John Clasen

Michael Walter Smith

Mark Fleydervish

Shawn Willis

John Winnie

A tether fastening device for an automobile body structure includes a fastener clip, at least one tether strap, a tether clip bracket, a clip strap coupler, and a bracket strap coupler. The clip strap coupler operably couples to a slot in the automobile chassis. The tether clip bracket attaches to the fastener clip when in an attached position. The bracket strap coupler is attached to the body panel. The tether strap allows for controlled detachment between the clip strap coupler and the bracket strap coupler. The strap may include a mesh to absorb the deployment energy and decelerate the body panel in a controlled manner. In the event of an airbag activation, the tether clip bracket and the fastener clip initially accelerate and then decelerate from each other. The pair of tether straps control the deceleration and separation distance of the clip strap coupler and bracket strap coupler.

Tethered fastener apparatus and method

A fastener clip system including a carrier and a fastener clip configured to fit over the carrier. The fastener clip includes at least one wing, where the at least one wing is configured to engage a slot in a surface, and one or more hooks that are configured to secure the fastener clip to the carrier. The hooks are configured to engage corresponding retaining ledge underctus on the carrier.

Fastener clip over a carrier secured with hooks

A magnetic fastener clip includes a cup having at least one hole, an overmold is attached to the cup and a magnet. The overmold has: a cup cover is injection molded on an outside portion of the cup, and an inner ring is injection molded on at least part of an inside portion of the cup. The inner ring is attached to the cup cover via the at least one hole. The magnet operably attaches into the inner ring. According to one embodiment, a turn coupler attaches to the cup cover. The magnetic fastener clip is operative for blind attachment into a structure, such as a vehicle chassis i.e. a pillar, door frame, chassis or roof.

Magnetic fastener clip

A fastener clip assembly including a cap configured to be secured to a chassis through a chassis slot. The cap comprises one or more wings configured to collapse upon inserting the cap into the chassis slot and to expand upon full insertion. The cap is further configured to be secured to the chassis slot at least upon the wings expanding into the chassis slot. The clip further includes a pin configured to be secured to a body panel. The pin is configured to be secured to the cap. The cap comprises one or more releases. The releases are accessible from a side of the cap configured to receive the pin. The releases are configured, upon release, to collapse the one or more wings. The cap is configured to be extracted from the chassis based at least upon releasing the releases.

Fastener clip assembly with pinch-removable cap

A fastener clip assembly including a cap configured to be secured to a chassis through a chassis slot and a pin configured to be secured to a body panel. The pin is configured to be secured to the cap. The clip also includes a removable seal configured to be attached between the pin and the cap. The removable seal is configured to form a seal against the chassis based at least upon the pin being secured to the cap.

Fastener clip assembly with removable seal

A fastener clip assembly including a cap configured to be secured to a chassis through a chassis slot and a pin configured to be secured to a body panel. The pin is configured to be secured to the cap. The clip further includes a funnel coupled to the cap and facing in a direction of insertion of the pin. The funnel is configured to guide the pin into the cap based at least upon inserting the pin into the cap off center.

Fastener clip assembly with funnel guide

A fastener clip system including a carrier and a fastener clip configured to fit over the carrier. The fastener clip includes at least one wing, where the at least one wing is configured to engage a slot in a surface, and one or more barbs that are configured to secure the fastener clip to the carrier. The barbs may include gussets that are configured to increase a bending resistance of the barbs.

Fastener clip over a carrier secured with barbs

A fastener clip assembly including a first part and a second part. The first part is configured to engage and be secured to a first article, where the second part is configured to engage and be secured to a second article, and where the first part is configured to engage and be secured to the second part. The first part is pre-attached to the second part with a frangible link, where the first part is configured to engage and be secured to the second part based at least upon breaking the frangible link, and where breaking the frangible link is based at least upon pressing the first part toward the second part.

One step assembly fastener clip

A fastener clip includes a base plate and a first and second pair of laterally offset legs extending from the base plate. At least one first wing extends from the first pair of laterally offset legs. The at least one first wing has an engagement region. At least one second wing extends from the second pair of laterally offset legs. The at least one second wing also has an engagement region. A first joined portion extends from the first pair of legs and a second joined portion extends from the second pair of legs with the first joined portion and the second joined portion extending and overlapping over and under each other. First locking tabs extend sideways from the first joined portion folded over against the overlapping second portion, and second locking tabs extend sideways from the second joined portion folded over against the overlapping first portion.

Continously adaptive fastener clip

A magnetic fastener clip includes a cup having at least one injection hole, an overmold attached to the cup and a magnet is attached to the overmold. The overmold has: a cup cover attached to an outside portion of the cup, and an inner ring attached to an inside portion of the cup. The inner ring is attached to the cup cover via the at least one injection hole. The magnet operably attaches into the inner ring. According to one embodiment, the cup cover and the inner ring are injection molded over at least one part of the cup. An optional coupler for attachment to a body panel is attached to the cup cover and is operative to flex. The magnetic fastener clip adapts to different surface curvatures and thicknesses. The magnetic fastener clip is operative for blind attachment into a structure, such as a vehicle chassis.

A pole bracket magnetically attaches a magnetic cable fastener to a magnetic object such as a building structure such as a frame, electrical box, conduit, truss, I-beam, car body, vehicle chassis or any suitable object. For example, the pole bracket removably attaches to and holds the magnetic cable fastener to hold a cable to the building structure. The pole bracket has a base having a pole attachment portion to attach to a pole. The pole bracket also has a magnetic clip holder section coupled to the base. The magnetic clip holder section includes a snap stem portion operable to removably hold the magnetic cable fastener. As the magnetic fastener is positioned as desired via the pole bracket, the magnetic fastener is magnetically self-aligned with and removably attached to the building structure.

Growing community of inventors

Volo, IL, United States of America

Michael Tirrell