Tethered fastener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611878-B2
Application number	US-201414478533-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A tethered fastener assembly includes a first connector portion, a second connector portion, and a tether portion. The tether portion couples the first connector portion to the second connector portion and includes a first releasable holding feature, a first cooperating releasable holding feature, a second releasable holding feature, and a second cooperating releasable holding feature. The first releasable holding feature is engageable with the first cooperating releasable holding feature. The second releasable holding feature is engageable with the second cooperating releasable holding feature. The first releasable holding feature engages the first cooperating releasable holding feature, and the second releasable holding feature engages the second cooperating releasable holding feature, to retain the tether portion in a folded configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tethered fastener assembly, comprising:
a first connector portion;
a second connector portion; and
a tether portion coupling the first connector portion to the second connector portion, the tether portion including:
a first releasable holding feature engageable with a first cooperating releasable holding feature, a second releasable holding feature engageable with a second cooperating releasable holding feature;

wherein the first releasable holding feature and the first cooperating releasable holding feature engage each other, and the second releasable holding feature and the second cooperating releasable holding feature engage each other to releasably retain the tether portion in a folded configuration.

2. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second connector portion has an elongated rectangular shape having a pair of short ends and a pair of elongated sides, and the second connector portion is joined to the tether portion at a short end, and wherein the tether portion includes at least one arm extending along and adjacent the pair of elongated sides.

3. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one arm comprises a pair of arms, with each arm extending beside one of the pair of elongated sides of the second connector portion.

4. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 3 , wherein each of the arms includes an I-beam shaped cross section.

5. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first releasable holding feature comprises a narrowed portion of the pair of arms, and the first cooperating releasable holding feature comprises a pair of protrusions operable to engage the narrowed portion of the pair of arms.

6. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 2 , further comprising at least one rib member extending from and between the at least one arm and the second connector portion.

7. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one arm comprises a pair of arms, with each arm extending beside one of the pair of elongated sides of the second connector portion, and wherein the at least one rib member includes a first frangible rib member extending from and between one of the pair of elongated sides and a first of the at least one arm, and a second frangible rib member extending from and between another of the pair or elongated sides and a second of the at least one arm.

8. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tether portion further includes a pair of beams extending in a first direction, the pair of beams defining a window therebetween.

9. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 8 , wherein each of the beams comprises an I-beam shaped cross section.

10. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first and second releasable holding features extend from and between the pair of arms.

11. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first cooperating releasable holding feature includes a pair of tangs operable to pinch the first releasable holding feature therebetween, and the second cooperating releasable holding feature includes a hook operable to engage the second releasable holding feature.

12. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tether portion includes a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, and a web portion extending from and between the first and second lateral edges, the first lateral edge including a first flange portion, and the second lateral edge including a second flange portion.

13. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 12 , wherein the web portion and the first and second flange portions define an I-beam shaped cross section.

14. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the tether portion includes a pair of arms, and the first releasable holding feature comprises a first beam member extending from and between the pair of arms, and the second releasable holding feature comprises a second beam member extending from and between the pair of arms, and the first cooperating releasable holding feature comprises a pair of tangs operable to releasably engage the first beam member, and the second cooperating releasable holding feature comprises a hook member operable to releasably engage the second beam member.

15. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first beam member includes a first pair of radially outwardly projecting flange portions, and the second beam member includes a second pair of radially outwardly projecting flange portions, and wherein the pair of tangs is releasably secured to the first beam member between the first pair of flange portions, and the hook member is releasably secured to the second beam member between the second pair of flange portions.

16. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 14 , wherein each of the pair of arms includes an I-beam shaped cross section.

17. A tethered fastener assembly, comprising:
a first connector;
a tether, including a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end coupled to the first connector;
a second connector, including a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the second connector coupled to the proximal end of the tether, the distal end of the second connector disposed between the proximal and distal ends of the tether;
wherein the tether includes a first releasable holding feature engageable with a first cooperating releasable holding feature, and a second releasable holding feature engageable with a second cooperating releasable holding feature, and wherein the first and second releasable holding features and the first and second cooperating releasable holding features engage each other to retain the tether portion in a folded configuration.

18. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 17 , wherein the second connector has an elongated rectangular shape having a pair of short ends and a pair of elongated sides, and the second connector is joined to the tether at a short end, and wherein the tether includes at least one arm extending along and adjacent the pair of elongated sides.

19. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 18 , further comprising at least one rib member extending from and between the at least one arm and the second connector.

20. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 17 , wherein the at least one arm comprises a pair of arms, with each arm extending beside one of the pair of elongated sides of the second connector portion.

21. The tethered fastener assembly of claim 20 , wherein each of the arms includes an I-beam shaped cross section.

22. A tethered fastener assembly, comprising:
a first connector portion;
a second connector portion; and
a tether portion coupling the first connector portion to the second connector portion, the tether portion including a proximal portion, a central portion, and a distal portion, the proximal portion including a pair of arms, the central portion including an aperture, the distal portion including a pair of tangs and a hook member, the pair of tangs extending from opposed lateral edges of the tether portion and operable to releasably engage the pair of arms, and the hook member operable to releasably engage the aperture.

23. A tethered fastener assembly of claim 22 , wherein the pair of arms includes a first portion having a first width and a second portion having a second width smaller than the first width, and wherein the pair of tangs is operable to engage the second portion of the pair of arms.

24. The tethered faste

Assignees

• Newfrey Llc

Inventors

• Benedetti Steven Michael
• Boylan Wayne Robert
• Garrett Grant Gerbasi

Classifications

• B60R21/216

  comprising tether means for limitation of cover motion during deployment · 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

• B60R21/213

  in vehicle roof frames or pillars · CPC title

• F16B5/065 Primary

  the plates being one on top of the other and distanced from each other, e.g. by using protrusions to keep contact and distance · CPC title