The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 11, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 15, 1998
John H Bakker, Cortland, OH (US);
William G Flask, Youngstown, OH (US);
Vickey E Reed, Beaver Falls, PA (US);
John Kountz, Poland, OH (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A bilaterally split retainer pin which is structurally robust, having a head easily insertable into an aperture yet highly resistant to backing out through the aperture. The bilaterally split retainer pin includes a post base having a periphery and a pair of legs integrally connected thereto which are mutually separated by a bilateral slot. Each of the legs is composed of a post segment integrally connected with the post base and a head integrally connected with the respective post segment. Each head is characterized by a tapered surface and an abutment surface, wherein a barb radially projects outwardly relative to the periphery a radial length defined by an abutment surface. The tapered surface includes the barb and converges radially toward a respective tip. Each leg has a transverse cut originating at the post base and extending to the tip, wherein the transverse cut slopes from the periphery toward a midsection of the bilaterally split pin. The transverse cut is located at diametrically opposite sides of each of the legs in transverse relation to the slot. Each head is characterized by a flat opposite, and parallel, to the slot, whereby the barb of each respective leg is located diametrically opposite its respective transverse cut. When the bilaterally split retainer pin is pressed through an aperture about the size of the perimeter, the barbs engage the aperture wall and cause the legs to laterally flex parallel to the slot, allowing the heads to pass through the aperture. Upon passage through the aperture, the legs freely flex laterally back to their original configuration, and the abutment surfaces now serve to prevent the head from backing out through the aperture.