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:
Apr. 30, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 17, 2001
Karthik R. Narayanaswamy, Canton, MI (US);
Kevin Arthur Murphy, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Jon C. Piasecki, Ortonville, MI (US);
David Jeungsuck Chae, Windsor, CA;
Bruce James Harvey, Shelby Township, MI (US);
Siemens VDO Automotive, Inc., Windsor, CA;
Abstract
An injection molded screw retainer is employed on an air intake manifold system to retain screws which connect an active system body to a manifold lower assembly. The retainer is substantially “L-shaped” and includes a retaining portion and a substantially perpendicular attachment portion. The retaining portion includes a substantially hemispherical feature positioned substantially over the head of the screw. The oversized attachment portion is inserted within a pocket in the active system body. Ultrasonic energy applied by a sonic welding process slightly melts the outer surface of the attachment portion, creating a weld interference between the attachment portion and the pocket, securing the attachment portion within the pocket.