Elastic tubular attachment assembly for mating components and method of mating components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9382935-B2
Application number	US-201313856927-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2013
Priority date	Apr 4, 2013
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

An elastic tubular attachment assembly for mating components is provided. The elastic tubular attachment assembly includes a first component having a first surface. Also included is a second component having a second surface, a third surface, and at least one aperture, wherein the second surface is configured to align and engage with the first surface of the first component. Further included is at least one elastically deformable tubular member operatively coupled to the first component proximate the first surface, the at least one elastically deformable tubular member comprising an outer surface, wherein the at least one elastically deformable tubular member is formed of an elastically deformable material and configured to elastically deform radially inwardly upon contact with at least one aperture wall of the second component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elastic tubular attachment assembly for mating components, the elastic tubular attachment assembly comprising:
a first component having a planar first surface;
a second component having a planar second surface, a third surface opposite and parallel to the second surface, and at least one aperture extending through the second and third surfaces and being defined by an aperture wall, wherein the second surface is configured to align and engage with the first surface of the first component, the aperture wall comprising a first angled portion extending from the second surface and a second angled portion extending from the third surface;
at least one elastically deformable hollow tubular member longitudinally extending parallel to and operatively coupled to the first component proximate the first surface, the at least one elastically deformable tubular member comprising an outer surface, wherein a standoff portion of the first component integrally extends between the at least one elastically deformable tubular member and the first surface, the standoff portion being formed by a surrounding recess in the first surface such that the outer surface of the tubular member is adjacent the plane of the first surface, wherein each at least one elastically deformable tubular member is formed of an elastically deformable material and configured to elastically deform radially inwardly upon contact with the aperture wall of a respective at least one aperture in the second component, the first angled portion of the aperture wall extending radially inwardly as the first angled portion extends from the second surface toward the third surface to reduce the cross-sectional area of the aperture to initially receive the elastically deformable tubular member during engagement, the second angled portion extending radially outwardly as the second angled portion extends from the first angled portion toward the third surface and being contoured to correspond with a geometry of the outer surface of the elastically deformable tubular member and compressing the elastically deformable tubular member in a fully engaged position of the first and second components, wherein the first surface and the second surface are in planar contact, to stabilize the elastically deformable tubular member.

2. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastically deformable tubular member comprises a tubular member width and the at least one aperture comprises an aperture width, and wherein the tubular member width is greater than the aperture width.

3. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 2 , wherein the fully engaged position comprises contact interference between the outer surface of the at least one elastically deformable tubular member and the at least one aperture wall of the second component.

4. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 3 , wherein the fully engaged position corresponds to a location of the second component that is closer to the first surface of the first component than the tubular member width of the at least one elastically deformable tubular member is to the first surface.

5. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastically deformable tubular member comprises a tubular member length and the at least one aperture comprises an aperture length, and wherein the aperture length is greater than the tubular member length.

6. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastically deformable tubular member comprises a substantially circular cross-section.

7. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastically deformable tubular member comprises a substantially diamond-shaped cross-section.

8. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal directions of the at least one elastically deformable tubular member and the at least one aperture are substantially aligned.

9. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastically deformable tubular member comprises a plurality of elastically deformable tubular members, and wherein the at least one aperture comprises a plurality of apertures corresponding to each of the plurality of elastically deformable tubular members.

10. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of elastically deformable tubular members are aligned relatively parallel to each other.

11. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of elastically deformable tubular members are aligned in a non-parallel manner.

12. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 9 , wherein an amount of deformation of the plurality of elastically deformable tubular members is averaged in aggregate relative to each other when the first component and the second component are disposed in the fully engaged position.

13. The elastic tubular attachment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first component and the second component comprise vehicle components.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Inc

Inventors

• Morris Steven E
• Lawall Jennifer P

Classifications

• F16B17/006 Primary

  of rods or tubes to sheets or plates · CPC title

• Y10T403/4949

  Deforming component is inserted section · CPC title

• B60R13/0206 Primary

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

• Y10T29/49872

  Confining elastic part in socket · CPC title

• F16B5/0642

  the plates being arranged one on top of the other and in full close contact with each other · CPC title