Pin and grommet fastener accommodating two directional offset and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10288098-B2
Application number	US-201615344155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2016
Priority date	Nov 4, 2016
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An inner housing defines a pin retaining receptacle elongated in an X-direction with entry ramps extending parallel to the X-direction. The inner housing is slidably coupled to an outer housing and extends into an interior thereof. A plurality of centering blades extend into the interior and between the inner and outer housings to locate the pin retaining receptacle in a central position within the interior in a Y-direction prior to insertion of the pin into the pin retention receptacle. The centering blades are movable in the Y-direction to permit the pin retaining receptacle of the inner housing to move to a non-central position relative to the housing in the Y-direction as a result of the inner housing moving the centering blades in response to the pin engaging the entry ramps during insertion of the pin into the pin receiving receptacle. Associated methods are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pin and grommet fastener for mounting in an aperture of a first component and receiving a pin extending from a second component to couple the first and second components together comprising:
a pin including a pin retention groove or protrusion;
a grommet comprising:
an inner housing defining a pin retaining receptacle elongated in an X-direction with entry ramps extending parallel to the X-direction, a cooperating pin retention groove or protrusion operable to retain the pin retention groove or protrusion, and an inner housing flange having an inner housing retaining surface;
an outer housing defining an interior with an outer housing flange having a cooperating inner housing retaining surface, and a plurality of resilient retention wings positioned to retain the first component with the outer housing flange when the outer housing is mounted within the aperture of the first component;
a plurality of centering blades extending within the interior and between the inner and outer housings and extending to locate the pin retaining receptacle of the inner housing in a central position within the interior of the outer housing in a Y-direction prior to insertion of the pin into the pin retention receptacle, wherein the centering blades are movable in the Y-direction to permit the pin retaining receptacle of the inner housing to move to a non-central position relative to the interior of the outer housing in the Y-direction as a result of the inner housing moving the centering blades during insertion of the pin into the pin receiving receptacle.

2. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the centering blades have first and second ends and each of the first and second ends is coupled to a wall or the flange of the outer housing.

3. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 2 , wherein the first and second ends are coupled to adjacent side walls of the outer housing.

4. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 2 , wherein the first and second ends are coupled to the outer housing flange and an end wall of the outer housing opposite the outer housing flange.

5. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein at least a first end of the centering blades is coupled to a wall or the flange of the outer housing.

6. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the centering blades extend generally axially within the interior of the outer housing between an upper portion of the housing and a lower portion of the housing.

7. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the centering blades extend generally laterally within the interior of the outer housing between a right portion of the housing and a left portion of the housing.

8. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the centering blade is flexible between an initial position corresponding to the central position and a second position corresponding to the non-central position.

9. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the centering blade is frangible between an initial position corresponding to the central position and a second position corresponding to the non-central position.

10. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing and the inner housing are each a single-piece integral component.

11. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 10 , wherein the inner housing retaining surface is provided by a peripheral portion of a slot in the inner housing flange and the cooperating inner housing retaining surface is provided by a protrusion extending from a flexible post.

12. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the outer housing comprises two half-components with cooperating locking surfaces coupling the two half-components together.

13. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 12 , wherein the two half components are hingedly coupled together.

14. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 13 , wherein the inner housing retaining surface is provided by a peripheral portion of an edge of the inner housing flange and the cooperating inner housing retaining surface is provided by a protrusion extending from a non-flexible post, and wherein the protrusion is positioned to capture the peripheral portion as the two half-components are coupled together during engagement of the cooperating locking surfaces.

15. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 1 , wherein the inner housing retaining surface is provided by a peripheral portion of an edge of the inner housing flange and the cooperating inner housing retaining surface is provided by a protrusion extending from a non-flexible post.

16. The pin and grommet fastener of claim 15 , wherein the inner housing flange has an upper surface, and wherein the protrusion and the non-flexible post are completely positioned below the upper surface when the inner housing is coupled to the outer housing.

Assignees

• Newfrey Llc

Inventors

• Meyers Jason A
• Polselli Matthew R

Classifications

• F16B21/075

  the socket having resilient parts on its inside and outside · CPC title

• F16B5/065

  the plates being one on top of the other and distanced from each other, e.g. by using protrusions to keep contact and distance · CPC title

• F16B5/126

  at least one of the sheets, plates, bars or strips having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features · CPC title

• F16B19/02 Primary

  Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings · CPC title

• F16B5/0628

  allowing for adjustment parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the sheets or plates · CPC title