Engine cover integrated captive fastener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9540997-B2
Application number	US-201414219078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2014
Priority date	Mar 19, 2014
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

An engine cover assembly having an integrally attached captive fastener or part-in-assembly fastener for attachment to an engine is disclosed. The engine cover assembly includes an engine cover having a fastener aperture formed in a recessed area thereof and a captive fastener assembly integrally attached to the cover. The captive fastener assembly includes an elongated fastener having a head or shoulder, a load limiting spacer disposed next to the shoulder of the elongated fastener, and a load limiter positioned next to the load limiting spacer. The load limiter has shoulders formed at both ends. The elongated fastener has a threaded end for attachment to a threaded insert positioned in the engine. Insulators are attached to the load limiting spacer and are positioned to either side of an area of the engine cover adjacent the fastener aperture, thus capturing the engine cover between the elongated fastener head and the load limiter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle engine assembly comprising:
an engine having a threaded insert;
an engine cover having a fastener aperture;
a fastener assembly integrally attached to said cover, said assembly comprising an elongated fastener for attachment to said insert, said fastener having a shoulder, a load limiter having first and second shoulders, a spacer fitted between said shoulder of said fastener and said first shoulder of said limiter, and an insulator fitted between said shoulder of said fastener and said cover.

2. The vehicle engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein said spacer is a load limiting spacer.

3. The vehicle engine assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastener aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said shoulder of said elongated fastener and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulator being fitted around said spacer.

4. The vehicle engine assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastener aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said first shoulder of said load limiter and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulator being fitted around said spacer.

5. The vehicle engine assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastener aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said shoulder of said elongated fastener and said fastener portion of said cover and a second insulator fitted between said first shoulder of said load limiter and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulators being fitted around said spacer.

6. The vehicle engine assembly of claim 5 wherein said insulators are formed from rubber or a rubber-like material.

7. The vehicle engine assembly of claim 1 wherein said engine cover has a recessed area and wherein said fastener aperture is formed in said recessed area.

8. A cover assembly for a vehicle engine comprising:
an engine cover having a fastener aperture;
a fastener assembly integrally attached to said cover, said assembly comprising an elongated fastener having a shoulder, a load limiter having first and second shoulders, a spacer fitted between said shoulder of said fastener and said first shoulder of said limiter, and an insulator fitted between said shoulder of said fastener and said cover.

9. The vehicle engine assembly of claim 8 , wherein said spacer is a load limiting spacer.

10. The cover assembly for a vehicle engine of claim 8 wherein said fastener aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said shoulder of said elongated fastener and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulator being fitted around said spacer.

11. The cover assembly for a vehicle engine of claim 8 wherein said fastener aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said first shoulder of said load limiter and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulator being fitted around said spacer.

12. The cover assembly for a vehicle engine of claim 8 wherein said fastener aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said shoulder of said elongated fastener and said fastener portion of said cover and a second insulator fitted between said first shoulder of said load limiter and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulators being fitted around said spacer.

13. The cover assembly for a vehicle engine of claim 12 wherein said insulators are formed from rubber or a rubber-like material.

14. The cover assembly for a vehicle engine of claim 8 wherein said engine cover has a recessed area and wherein said fastener aperture is formed in said recessed area.

15. A method for covering a vehicle engine comprising:
forming an aperture in the engine and positioning a threaded insert therein;
forming a cover assembly including a cover and a fastener assembly integrally attached thereto, said assembly comprising a fastener having a shoulder, a load limiter having a shoulder, a spacer fitted between said fastener shoulder and said limiter shoulder, and an insulator fitted between said shoulder of said fastener and said cover;
positioning said cover assembly over the engine; and
threading said fastener into said insert.

16. The method for covering a vehicle engine of claim 15 , wherein said shoulder of said load limiter is a first shoulder, said load limiter including a second shoulder, and wherein said spacer is positioned against said first shoulder and said second shoulder is positioned against said aperture formed in the engine.

17. The method for covering a vehicle engine of claim 15 , wherein said cover has a recessed area having a fastener-passing aperture formed therein and said fastener is fitted through said aperture.

18. The method for covering a vehicle engine of claim 17 , wherein said fastener-passing aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said shoulder of said elongated fastener and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulator being fitted around said spacer.

19. The method for covering a vehicle engine of claim 17 , wherein said fastener-passing aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said first shoulder of said load limiter and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulator being fitted around said spacer.

20. The method for covering a vehicle engine of claim 17 , wherein said fastener-passing aperture is formed through a fastener portion of said engine cover and wherein said insulator is fitted between said shoulder of said elongated fastener and said fastener portion of said cover and a second insulator fitted between said first shoulder of said load limiter and said fastener portion of said cover, said insulators being fitted around said spacer.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lohr John Carl
• Osip Sandra Davidson
• Rakus Todd

Classifications

• F16M1/026

  for housing movable engine or machine parts other than crankshafts, e.g. valve-gear housings · CPC title

• F02B77/02 Primary

  Surface coverings of combustion-gas-swept parts (of pistons F02F3/10; of cylinders and cylinder heads F02F1/00) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49231

  I.C. [internal combustion] engine making · CPC title

• F02F7/0082

  Mounting of engine casings · CPC title

• F02B77/11 Primary

  Thermal or acoustic insulation · CPC title