Bathtub fastener assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11149774-B2
Application number	US-201916592307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2019
Priority date	Oct 3, 2019
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A bathtub component includes a structural plastic part and a plurality of separate flexible seal parts integrated together. Each of two tub side walls of a structural plastic part can have an aperture retention tab extending exteriorly therefrom. Openings in the structural plastic part on lateral sides of the aperture retention tabs are each sealed with a separate flexible seal part. Another separate flexible seal part can form an umbrella seal. A U-base clip component includes a rib retention protrusion and can extend interiorly from clip side walls into a rib receiving cavity the U-base clip component. The U-base clip component is received in an interior clip receiving cavity of the bathtub component. Clip retention protrusions can extend from the structural plastic part into a clip receiving cavity to engage apertures in the clip side walls to releasably couple the bathtub and U-base clip components together.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bathtub fastener assembly designed to couple a first component having an aperture therethrough to a second component having a rib extending therefrom, the bathtub fastener assembly comprising:
a bathtub component including a structural plastic part and a plurality of separate flexible seal parts, each of the separate flexible seal parts being integrated together with the structural plastic part;
the structural plastic part including a head and a tub body extending from the head, the tub body having two tub side walls connected at a tub insertion end with an interior clip receiving cavity between the two side walls, each of the two tub side walls having an aperture retention tab extending exteriorly therefrom and designed to retain the bathtub component in the aperture of the first component when inserted therein, the structural plastic part including openings on lateral sides of the aperture retention tabs designed to allow the aperture retention tabs to flex inwardly during insertion of the bathtub component into the aperture of the first component;
the plurality of separate flexible seal parts including a separate flexible seal part forming an umbrella seal extending from the head and a pair of separate flexible seal parts sealing the openings, respectively, on the lateral sides of the aperture retention tabs; and

a U-base clip component including two clip side walls connected at a clip insertion end with a rib receiving cavity between the two clip side walls, and a rib retention protrusion extending interiorly from the two clip side walls into the rib receiving cavity and designed to retain the rib in the rib receiving cavity of the U-base clip when inserted therein, and the U-base clip component being received in the interior clip receiving cavity and being coupled to the bathtub component;
wherein the structural plastic part is formed of a structural clastic material, and the plurality of separate flexible seal parts are formed of a flexible seal material that is different from the structural plastic material.

2. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aperture retention tabs of the structural plastic part are connected to the tub side walls, respectively, at both an insertion end and a trailing end of the aperture retention tabs.

3. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of separate flexible seal parts sealing the openings have a flanged U-shape in cross-section.

4. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 3 , wherein flange portions of the flanged U-shape comprise planar flange portions aligned with each other.

5. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 3 , wherein flange portions of the flanged U-shape comprise flange portions angled relative to each other giving the flanged U-shape in cross section an overall W-shape.

6. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the openings are positioned in the two tub side walls of the structural plastic part and are designed to allow the aperture retention tabs to flex inwardly relative to the tub side walls, respectively, during insertion of the bathtub component into the aperture of the first component.

7. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the openings extend between the two tub side walls at lateral ends of the tub body of the structural plastic part, and are designed to allow the aperture retention tabs to flex inwardly along with the two tub side walls, respectively, during insertion of the bathtub component into the aperture of the first component.

8. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two clip side walls include clip retention apertures, and the two tub side walls include clip retention protrusions engaging the clip retention apertures, respectively, to couple the U-base clip received in the interior clip receiving cavity of the bathtub component.

9. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 8 , wherein the clip retention protrusions extend through the clip retention apertures, respectively, and into the rib retention cavity of the U-base clip.

10. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 8 , wherein the clip retention protrusions extend from the two tub side walls opposite the aperture retention tabs, respectively.

11. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rib retention protrusion is a rib retention barb.

12. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 11 , wherein a barb support arm extends from each side wall and the rib retention barb extends from adjacent a distal end of the barb support arm.

13. A bathtub fastener assembly designed to couple a first component having an aperture therethrough to a second component having a rib extending therefrom, the bathtub fastener assembly comprising:
a bathtub component including a structural plastic part and a plurality of separate flexible seal parts, each of the flexible seal parts being separately integrated together with the structural plastic part;
the structural plastic part including a head and a tub body extending from the head, the tub body having two tub side walls connected at a tub insertion end with an interior clip receiving cavity between the two tub side walls, each of the two tub side walls having an aperture retention tab extending exteriorly therefrom and designed to retain the bathtub component in the aperture of the first component when inserted therein, the aperture retention tabs of the structural plastic part being connected to the tub side walls, respectively, at both an insertion end and a trailing end of the aperture retention tabs, the structural plastic part including openings in the two tub side walls and on lateral sides of the aperture retention tabs designed to allow the aperture retention tabs to flex inwardly relative to the tub side walls, respectively, during insertion of the bathtub component into the aperture of the first component, and clip retention protrusions extending from the two tub side walls into the interior clip receiving cavity;
the plurality of separate flexible seal parts including a separate flexible seal part forming an umbrella seal extending from the head and a pair of separate flexible seal parts sealing the openings, respectively, on the lateral sides of each of the aperture retention tabs; and

a U-base clip component including two clip side walls connected at a clip insertion end with a rib receiving cavity between the two clip side walls, and rib retention barbs extending interiorly from the two clip side walls into the rib receiving cavity and designed to retain the rib in the rib receiving cavity of the U-base clip when inserted therein, and the two clip side walls of the U-base clip including clip retention apertures cooperating with the clip retention protrusions to couple the U-base clip within the clip receiving cavity to the bathtub component;
wherein the structural plastic part is formed of a structural clastic material, and the plurality of separate flexible seal parts are formed of a flexible seal material that is different from the structural plastic material.

14. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 13 , wherein the clip retention protrusions extend from the two tub side walls opposite the aperture retention tabs, respectively.

15. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 13 , wherein a first pair of the clip retention protrusions extend from the two tub side walls opposite the aperture retention tabs, respectively, and a second pair of the clip retention protrusions are positioned adjacent the tub insertion end.

16. The bathtub fastener assembly of claim 15 , wherein the rib retention barbs are positioned between the first an

Assignees

• Newfrey Llc

Inventors

• Malek Collin J
• Safry Oday Amer
• Pilon Roger E

Classifications

• F16B5/0614

  in angled relationship · CPC title

• F16B5/0657

  at least one of the plates providing a raised structure, e.g. of the doghouse type, for connection with the clamps or clips of the other plate · 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

• F16B21/07 Primary

  in which the socket has a resilient part {(F16B21/065 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16B21/075 Primary

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