Curved prong fastener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761469-B2
Application number	US-202017097546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Nov 22, 2019
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a fastener for coupling a base component on which the fastener is deployed to a target component having an opening with which the fastener is configured to couple. The fastener has a core, a cap, and a plurality of prongs. Each prong has a shelf and may also have a ramp. The fastener is configured to couple with a variety of openings having different sizes, shapes, and dimensions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fastener, comprising:
a core;
a cap; and
a plurality of prongs extending from the core, each prong comprising a shelf having a top surface, an inner edge, and an outer edge, and each shelf having a plurality of different gap heights and a plurality of different widths,
wherein the gap height is defined by the distance between the top surface of the shelf and a bottom surface of the cap, and
wherein the widths are defined by the distance between the outer edge of the shelf and the inner edge of the shelf.

2. The fastener of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the top surface of the shelf is sloped relative to the bottom surface of the cap.

3. The fastener of claim 2 , wherein each shelf has a top end and a bottom end; and wherein each shelf has a maximum gap height at the bottom end and a minimum gap height at the top end.

4. The fastener of claim 3 , wherein each shelf has a maximum width at the top end and a minimum width at the bottom end.

5. The fastener of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the top surface of each shelf is curved.

6. The fastener of claim 1 , further comprising a panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the panel is positioned such that the top surface of the panel engages the bottom surface of the cap and wherein the bottom surface of the panel engages the top surface of the shelf of at least one of the plurality of prongs.

7. The fastener of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of wings extending from the cap;
wherein the cap defines a plane and each wing defines a plane, and
wherein the plane defined by each wing forms an oblique angle to the plane defined by the cap.

8. The fastener of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of prongs includes two prongs positioned opposite each other about the core; and
the plurality of wings includes two wings positioned opposite each other about the core.

9. The fastener of claim 8 , further comprising a panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the panel is positioned such that the top surface of the panel engages the plurality of wings and the bottom surface of the panel engages the top surface of the shelf.

10. The fastener of claim 9 , further comprising a sealant coating selected from the group consisting of an expandable glue, a hot melt, and a thermoplastic elastomer.

11. A fastener, comprising:
a core having an exterior surface;
a cap having a bottom surface; and
a plurality of prongs extending from the core,
wherein each prong comprises a ramp extending from the core and having a top edge with a first thickness and a bottom edge with a second thickness, the second thickness greater than the first thickness, and
wherein each prong comprises a shelf extending away from the bottom edge of the ramp and having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the distance between the bottom surface of the cap and the bottom end of the shelf is greater than the distance between the bottom surface of cap and the top end of the shelf.

12. The fastener of claim 11 , wherein the distance between the bottom surface of the cap and the top edge of the ramp is less than the distance between the bottom surface of the cap and the bottom edge of the ramp.

13. The fastener of claim 12 , wherein the core has an exterior surface and the shelf has an outer edge, and the distance between the exterior surface of the core and the outer edge of the shelf is greater at the top end of the shelf than at the bottom end of the shelf.

14. The fastener of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of wings extending from the cap, wherein the cap defines a plane and each wing defines a plane, and wherein the plane defined by each wing forms an oblique angle to the plane defined by the cap.

15. The fastener of claim 14 , further comprising a panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the panel is positioned such that the top surface of the panel engages the plurality of wings and the bottom surface of the panel engages the plurality of prongs.

16. The fastener of claim 15 , further comprising a sealant coating selected from the group consisting of an expandable glue, a hot melt, and a thermoplastic elastomer.

17. A fastener, comprising:
a core;
a cap; and
a plurality of prongs extending from the core, each prong comprising a ramp extending from the core and having an outside surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge, and each prong comprising a shelf extending away from the core and having a top surface, an outer edge, a top end, and a bottom end,
wherein the distance between an exterior surface of the core and the outside surface of the ramp is greater at the bottom edge of the ramp than at the top edge of the ramp, and
wherein the distance between a bottom surface of the cap and the top surface of the shelf is greater at the bottom end of the shelf than at the top end of the shelf.

18. The fastener of claim 17 , wherein the distance between the exterior surface of the core and the outside edge of the shelf is greater at the top end of the shelf than at the bottom end of the shelf.

19. The fastener of claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of wings extending from the cap, wherein the cap defines a plane and each wing defines a plane, and wherein the plane defined by each wing forms an oblique angle to the plane defined by the cap.

20. The fastener of claim 19 , further comprising a panel having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the panel is positioned such that the top surface of the panel engages the plurality of wings and the bottom surface of the panel engages both the top surface of the shelf and the outside surface of the ramp.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• John Ciby
• Bell Kileean E

Classifications

• F16B21/078 Primary

  the socket having a further molded-in or embedded component, e.g. a ring with snap-in teeth molded into it (F16B21/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B5/0621 Primary

  in parallel relationship (fastened by a drive-pin F16B19/1081; fastened by a device locking by rotation F16B21/02) · CPC title

• F16B5/0657 Primary

  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

• F16B21/076 Primary

  the socket having a resilient part on its outside (F16B21/075 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R13/0206

  Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings (devices for fastening or securing F16B) · CPC title