Self-tapping plastic embossment for injection molded parts
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsLuis Flores Alonso, Salvador Soriano, Pedro Gerardo Vargas Hernández, Jose Maria Aburto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A molded part includes a plurality of surfaces and an embossment extending from one of the plurality of surfaces. The embossment includes a body and a bore extending through a central portion of the body. The embossment further includes a first pocket extending through a sidewall of the body and into the bore and a second pocket extending through an opposite sidewall of the body and into the bore. The first pocket and the second pocket each define inwardly tapered walls. The first pocket and the second pocket are spaced axially along the body and are diametrically opposed.
Claims20
A molded part comprising:
- a plurality of surfaces;
- an embossment extending from one of the plurality of surfaces, the embossment comprising:
- a body;
- a bore extending through a central portion of the body;
- a first pocket extending through a sidewall of the body and into the bore, the first pocket defining inwardly tapered walls;
- and
- a second pocket extending through an opposite sidewall of the body and into the bore, the second pocket defining inwardly tapered walls,
- wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are diametrically opposed, and wherein the first pocket is located at a first distance from the one of the plurality of surfaces and the second pocket is located at a second distance from the one of the plurality of surfaces, the first distance is different from the second distance.
An assembly of parts comprising:
- a molded part comprising:
- a plurality of surfaces;
- an embossment extending from one of the plurality of surfaces, the embossment comprising:
- a body;
- a bore extending through a central portion of the body;
- a first pocket extending through a sidewall of the body and into the bore, the first pocket defining inwardly tapered walls;
- and
- a second pocket extending through an opposite sidewall of the body and into the bore, the second pocket defining inwardly tapered walls,
- wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are diametrically opposed, and wherein the first pocket is located at a first distance from the one of the plurality of surfaces and the second pocket is located at a second distance from the one of the plurality of surfaces, the first distance is different from the second distance;
- an adjacent part comprising a gusset having a central opening;
- and
- a tapping screw extending through the central opening of the gusset and into the bore of the embossment.
A molded part comprising:
- a plurality of surfaces;
- an embossment extending from one of the plurality of surfaces, the embossment comprising:
- a body;
- a bore extending through a central portion of the body;
- a plurality of pockets extending through a sidewall of the body and into the bore, the plurality of pockets defining inwardly tapered walls, wherein the plurality of pockets are spaced axially along the body and are sequentially diametrically opposed;
- and
- a plurality of wall portions, each wall portion defining a bottom of a respective pocket, wherein the wall portions extend circumferentially around a portion of the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.