Push through retainer connection with integrated hinging seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11971066-B2
Application number	US-202217984088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2022
Priority date	Dec 19, 2012
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

A press-in retainer includes a retainer head having a collar and a seal disposed at least partially about the collar. A clip portion projects from the collar. The seal includes a main body engaging the collar and a sealing foot disposed entirely outboard from the collar. The sealing foot is configured to hinge about an intersection of the sealing foot and body portion while remaining entirely outboard from the main body. In a substantially flattened condition of the sealing foot, an angle between the sealing foot and a distal surface of the main body approaches a flat contiguous surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A press-in retainer, comprising:
a retainer head defining a central axis and including a collar and a seal disposed at least partially about the collar, the collar being perpendicular with respect to the central axis and defining an annularly continuous step at an outer end thereof; and
a clip portion projecting from the collar,
wherein the seal includes a main body engaging the collar and a sealing foot disposed entirely outboard from the collar,
wherein the sealing foot is configured to hinge about an intersection of the sealing foot and main body while remaining entirely outboard from the main body,
wherein, in a substantially flattened condition of the sealing foot, an angle between the sealing foot and a distal surface of the main body approaches a flat contiguous surface, and
wherein, in an insertion condition of the press-in retainer, the entire seal is disposed radially farther from the central axis than the entire clip portion.

2. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein the sealing foot projecting from the distal surface of the main body forms obtuse angles on both an underside and upper surface of the seal.

3. The press-in retainer of claim 2 , wherein the obtuse angles on the underside and upper surfaces of the seal are substantially opposite to each other.

4. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein the collar includes a reduced thickness outer annular lip such that a step is disposed at an intersection of an interior collar portion and the outer annular lip.

5. The press-in retainer of claim 4 , wherein the main body of the seal substantially covers the outer annular lip of the collar.

6. The press-in retainer of claim 5 , wherein an inner diameter of the seal abuts the step.

7. The press-in retainer of claim 4 , wherein the seal does not extend inwardly past the reduced thickness outer annular lip of the collar.

8. The press-in retainer of claim 4 , wherein the main body of the seal engages only the reduced thickness outer annular lip.

9. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein the sealing foot can flex from its unstressed condition to its fully flexed position without experiencing a stack-up condition of seal material beneath the lower collar.

10. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein no portion of the sealing foot is in a zone below the lower collar.

11. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein the seal is formed on the collar by over-molding such that a material forming the seal is integrally fused with a material forming the collar.

12. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein the seal is formed separately from the lower collar.

13. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein the intersection of the sealing foot and main body is not in a zone below the lower collar.

14. The press-in retainer of claim 1 , wherein the sealing foot can flex from its unstressed condition to a fully-flexed condition without experiencing a stack-up of seal material.

15. A retainer assembly configured to join a surface element to a support structure, the support structure having an acceptance opening, the retainer assembly comprising:
a retainer head defining a central axis and including a collar, a platform, and a neck disposed between the collar and the platform, the retainer head being configured for placement into a channel defined by the surface element, and the collar being perpendicular with respect to the central axis and defining an annularly continuous step at an outer end thereof;
a seal disposed about a perimeter of the collar and comprising an annular main body and a sealing foot, the sealing foot being connected to the main body by a living hinge extending along a perimeter of the main body and being disposed entirely outboard from the collar, and the sealing foot extending from the living hinge to a free edge that is disposed radially outwardly from the living hinge; and
a clip portion extending from the collar of the retainer head,
wherein the collar includes an interior collar portion and a reduced thickness outer annular lip disposed circumferentially about the interior collar portion such that a step is disposed at an intersection of the interior collar portion and the outer annular lip, the outer annular lip extending radially outwardly from a perimeter of the interior collar portion, and
wherein the main body of the seal further includes a circumferential acceptance slot that extends circumferentially along an inner diameter of the main body and is configured to receive the annular lip of the collar, and
wherein, in an insertion condition of the press-in retainer, the entire seal is disposed radially farther from the central axis than the entire clip portion.

16. The retainer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the sealing foot cannot stack up against the main body of the seal.

17. The retainer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the sealing foot projecting from a distal surface of the main body forms obtuse angles on both an underside and upper surface of the seal that are substantially opposite to each other.

18. The retainer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the main body of the seal substantially covers the outer annular lip of the collar and abuts the step.

19. The retainer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the seal does not extend inwardly past the reduced thickness outer annular lip of the collar.

20. The retainer assembly of claim 15 , wherein the intersection of the sealing foot and main body is not in a zone below the lower collar.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Scroggie Derek
• Bozinovski Michelle E
• Murawski Robert A

Classifications

• F16B5/0084 Primary

  characterised by particular locking means · CPC title

• F16B2/22

  of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material {(F16B2/205 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16B5/0607

  joining sheets or plates to each other (F16B5/0692, F16B21/082 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16B19/00

  Bolts without screw-thread; Pins, including deformable elements (in screwed connections F16B29/00); Rivets (means for preventing withdrawal F16B21/00) · CPC title

• F16B19/008 Primary

  with sealing means · CPC title