Isolating blind hole fastener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12305689-B2
Application number	US-202318128904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2023
Priority date	Apr 5, 2022
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

Described is an isolating fastener assembly for attaching a first component to a blind hole of a second component. The isolating fastener assembly includes a clip and an isolating cap. The clip having a retaining head portion and a body portion. The body portion including a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another at the retaining head portion to define a channel. The isolating cap having a pair of guides. Each guide having a fastener-retention feature to engage and retain the clip.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An isolating fastener assembly for attaching a first component to a hole component of a second component, the isolating fastener assembly comprising:
a clip having a retaining head portion and a body portion, wherein the body portion includes a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another at the retaining head portion to define a channel; and
an isolating cap, wherein the isolating cap comprises a pair of guides extending away from an underside surface of the isolating cap, each of said pair of guides having a fastener-retention feature configured to engage and retain the clip via one of the pair of legs.

2. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the isolating cap is a plastic component.

3. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 2 , wherein the clip is a stamped-metal component.

4. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the isolating cap comprises one or more torque interface features formed on a surface thereof and configured to engage the retaining head portion.

5. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 4 , wherein the one or more torque interface features are sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the retaining head portion.

6. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the isolating cap comprises a twist-removal handle to enable a user to remove the isolating fastener assembly from the hole component via a twist-and-pull motion.

7. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of pair of legs comprises an aperture formed therein and configured to receive the fastener-retention feature of a respective one of said pair of guides.

8. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of pair of legs comprises a retaining tab having a first portion configured to engage the hole component and a second portion that serves as a lead-in feature.

9. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of pair of legs comprises a retaining tab having a first portion that extends outwardly away from the channel and a second portion that extends inwardly toward the channel.

10. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of guides is configured to pass through an opening in the first component.

11. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the isolating cap is configured to electrically isolate the clip.

12. An isolating fastener assembly for attaching a first component to a hole component of a second component, the isolating fastener assembly comprising:
a stamped-metal clip having a retaining head portion and a body portion, wherein the body portion includes a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another at the retaining head portion to define a channel; and
a plastic isolating cap, wherein the plastic isolating cap comprises a pair of guides extending away from an underside surface of the isolating cap to engage the stamped-metal clip, wherein the plastic isolating cap comprises one or more torque interface features formed on a surface thereof and configured to engage the retaining head portion.

13. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of said pair of guides having a fastener-retention feature configured to engage and retain the stamped-metal clip.

14. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 13 , wherein each of pair of legs comprises an aperture formed therein and configured to receive the fastener-retention feature of a respective one of said pair of guides.

15. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 12 , wherein the plastic isolating cap comprises a twist-removal handle to enable a user to remove the isolating fastener assembly from the hole component via a twist-and-pull motion.

16. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of pair of legs comprises a retaining tab having a first portion configured to engage the hole component and a second portion that serves as a lead-in feature.

17. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of pair of legs comprises a retaining tab having a first portion that extends outwardly away from the channel and a second portion that extends inwardly toward the channel.

18. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 12 , wherein the pair of guides is configured to pass through an opening in the first component.

19. An isolating fastener assembly for attaching a first component to a hole component of a second component, the isolating fastener assembly comprising:
a stamped-metal clip having a retaining head portion and a body portion,
wherein the body portion includes a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another at the retaining head portion to define a channel,
wherein each of pair of legs comprises an aperture formed therein; and
a plastic isolating cap,
wherein the plastic isolating cap comprises a pair of guides extending away from an underside surface of the isolating cap, each of the pair of guides having a fastener-retention feature configured to engage and retain the stamped-metal clip via the aperture, and
wherein the plastic isolating cap comprises one or more torque interface features formed on a surface thereof that are sized and shaped to receive and engage at least a portion of the retaining head portion.

20. The isolating fastener assembly of claim 19 , wherein each of pair of legs comprises a retaining tab having a first portion configured to engage the hole component and a second portion that serves as a lead-in feature.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Clark Chad M
• Lepper Mark O

Classifications

• F16B21/075

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

• F16B21/125

  radially resilient or with a snap-action member, e.g. elastic tooth, pawl with spring, resilient coil or wire · CPC title

• F16B2/241

  of sheet metal · CPC title

• F16B2/20

  Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening · CPC title

• F16B37/14 Primary

  Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps · CPC title