Tool for use with a two piece grommet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9568299-B2
Application number	US-201514689943-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2015
Priority date	Apr 17, 2015
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A tool for determining if a two piece grommet is properly installed is provided. The tool includes a housing having a button. The button is movable from an up position to a down position. In the up position, indicia is displayed indicating that the grommet is not properly installed. In the down position, indicia is displayed indicating that the grommet is properly installed. The tool further includes a cup gauge and a stroke pin assembly. The cup gauge is dimensioned to fittingly engage the cup. The stroke pin assembly includes a stroke pin and a movable support. The button rests the movable support. The actuation of a stroke pin displaces the movable part away from the button, allowing the button to fall to the down position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool for determining if a two piece grommet is properly installed, the two piece grommet having a first piece configured to engage a second piece so as to form a cup having a base concentric to the cup, the tool comprising:
a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface and an opening, the opening disposed on the top surface;
a button disposed within the opening, the button movable between an up position and a down position, wherein in the up position the button protrudes from the opening, in the down position the button is disposed within the opening;
a cup gauge dimensioned to fittingly engage the cup of a properly installed two piece grommet; and
a stroke pin assembly operatively connected to the button and configured to support the button in an up position, the stroke pin assembly further configured to disengage the stroke pin from the button when actuated so as to allow the button to fall to the down position, the stroke pin assembly is actuated when the cup gauge is fittingly received within the cup indicating that the grommet is properly installed.

2. The tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the stroke pin assembly includes at least two stroke pins extending through the bottom surface of the housing and adjacent the cup gauge.

3. The tool as set forth in claim 2 further including a hinge arm and a pivot support for each of the at least two stroke pins, the pivot support having a fixed pivot point, the hinge arm having a first end and a second, the second end of the hinge arm pivotally mounted to a respective at least two stroke pins, the first end of the hinge arm pivotally mounted to a moveable support, the movable support disposed beneath the button, the hinge arm pivotably mounted to the fixed pivot point.

4. The tool as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the first end of the arm includes an elongated slot, and wherein the button includes a pin, the elongated slot engage with the pin.

5. The tool as set forth in claim 3 , further including a first biasing member operatively connected to each of the at least two stroke pins so as to urge each of the at least two stroke pins into a first position, wherein the movable support is positioned to support the button in the up position.

6. The tool as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the hinge arm is angled relative to the stroke pin when the stroke pin is in the first position.

7. The tool as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the button includes an outer peripheral wall having indicia indicating that the two piece grommet is not properly installed so as to be displayed when the stroke pin is not actuated.

8. The tool as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the gauge includes a pair of opposing side walls, the side walls spaced apart so as to slidingly engage opposing surfaces of the cup.

9. The tool set as set forth in claim 8 , wherein one of the at least two stroke pins is disposed adjacent one of the side walls and the other of the of at least two stroke pins stroke pins is disposed adjacent the other side wall.

10. A tool for determining if a two piece grommet is properly installed, the two piece grommet having a first piece configured to engage a second piece so as to form a cup having a base concentric to the cup, the tool comprising:
a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface and an opening, the opening disposed on the top surface;
a button disposed within the opening, the button movable between an up position and a down position, wherein in the up position the button protrudes from the opening, in the down position the button is disposed within the opening;
a cup gauge dimensioned to fittingly engage the cup of a properly installed two piece grommet; and
a stroke pin assembly configured to move the button between an up and down position, the stroke pin assembly including at least two stroke pins, a hinge arm, and a movable support, each of the at least two stroke pins mounted to a first end of the hinge arm, the hinge arm pivotably mounted within the housing, a second end the hinge arm the stroke pin is mounted to the movable support, the button resting on the movable support, wherein actuation all of the at least two stroke pin displaces the movable support from the button so as to allow gravity to move the button from the up position to the down position.

11. The tool as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the first end of the at least one hinge arm includes an elongated slot, and wherein the button includes a pin, the elongated slot engage with the pin.

12. The tool as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the button includes an outer peripheral wall having indicia indicating that the two piece grommet is not properly installed so as to be displayed when the stroke pin is not actuated.

13. The tool as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the gauge includes a pair of opposing side walls, the side walls spaced apart so as to slidingly engage opposing surfaces of the cup.

14. The tool set as set forth in claim 13 , wherein one of the at least two stroke pins is disposed adjacent one of the side walls and the other of the at least two stroke pins is disposed adjacent the other side wall.

15. The tool as set forth in claim 10 , further including a first biasing member operatively connected to each of the at least two strokes pin so as to urge each of the at least two stroke pins into a first position, wherein the movable support is positioned to support the button in the up position.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Eng & Mfg North America Inc

Inventors

• Rhee Que-Whang

Classifications

• B60N3/046 Primary

  characterised by the fixing means · CPC title

• G01B5/20 Primary

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title

• A47G27/00

  Floor fabrics; Fastenings therefor (woven fabrics D03D; non-woven fabrics D04H {; floor covering on a textile basis D06N7/0005}) · CPC title

• B60R16/0222

  Grommets · CPC title

• F16B5/0692

  joining flexible sheets to other sheets or plates or to strips or bars (tent fastenings E04H15/64; coping elements for swimming pools with fixing means for sealing foil E04H4/142; greenhouses of flexible synthetic material A01G9/1407; end or aperture-closing arrangements or devices for sacks or bags B65D33/16) · CPC title