# US 12,110,916 B2 · Engagement verifying fastener > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,916 B2 - Document ID: US12110916B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/245,096 - Filed: 2021-04-30 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-04 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Joel Robert Lee; Eric David Kendall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110916B2 ## CPC - F16B 21/086: {the shank of the stud, pin or spigot having elevations, ribs, fins or prongs intended for deformation or tilting predominantly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion} - F16B 21/065: {with an additional locking element} - F16B 2200/95: with markings, colours, indicators or the like - F16B 2200/99: Fasteners with means for avoiding incorrect assembly or positioning - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract A cover includes a housing and a slider. The housing defines a first window. The slider is moveably connected to the housing and defines a second window. The first window and the second window are aligned when the slider is in a first position relative to the housing and misaligned when the slider is in a second position relative to the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cover, comprising: a housing that includes a first window and a front wall that is defined between a top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall; and a slider that includes a second window defined by a top rail, a bottom rail, a first stile, and a second stile and is moveably connected to the top wall of the housing by a living hinge that extends from the top rail of the slider, wherein the first window and the second window are aligned when the slider is in a first position relative to the housing, and misaligned when the slider is in a second position relative to the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cover of claim 1, wherein the living hinge is a spring that is at least partially disposed in the housing and is connected to both the housing and the slider. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cover of claim 2, wherein the slider is in the first position (Original) relative to the housing when the spring is in a compressed state and in the second position relative to the housing when the spring is in an extended state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cover of claim 3, wherein the cover is positioned on a mating wall, and wherein a portion of the mating wall is visible through both the first window and the second window when the slider is in the first position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cover of claim 4, wherein an indicia is disposed on the mating wall, and wherein the indicia is visible through both the first window and the second window when the slider is in the first position and the indicia is hidden when the slider is in the second position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The cover of claim 4, wherein a first indicia portion is disposed on the mating wall and a second indicia portion is disposed on the slider, and wherein the first indicia portion is visible through both the first window and the second window when the slider is in the first position and the first indicia portion is hidden when the slider is in the second position, wherein the second indicia portion is visible through the first window when the slider is in the first position, and wherein when the slider is in the first position the first indicia portion and the second indicia portion converge and form a complete set of indicia. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cover of claim 6, wherein the first indicia portion comprises part of the height of the complete set of indicia, the second indicia portion comprises part of the height of the complete set of indicia, and the total height of the complete set of indicia is defined by the combined heights of the first indicia portion and the second indicia portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The cover of claim 6, wherein the first indicia portion comprises part of the length of the complete set of indicia, the second indicia portion comprises part of the length of the complete set of indicia, and the total length of the complete set of indicia is defined by the combined lengths of the first indicia portion and the second indicia portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The cover of claim 6, wherein the complete set of indicia is configured to be scanned for entry into a database. ### Claim 10 A fastener system, comprising: a fastener; and a cover comprising: a housing that includes a first window and a front wall that is defined between a top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall; and a slider that includes a second window defined by a top rail, a bottom rail, a first stile, and a second stile and is moveably connected to the top wall of the housing by a living hinge that extends from the top rail of the slider, wherein the first window and the second window are aligned when the slider is in a first position relative to the housing, and misaligned when the slider is in a second position relative to the housing, wherein the cover is configured to couple with the fastener, wherein the living hinge is a spring including a first arm and a second arm that are partially disposed in the housing, and wherein an end of the first arm is only connected to the housing and an end of the second arm is only connected to the slider. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fastener system of claim 10, wherein the cover is configured to snapably engage with the fastener. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fastener system of claim 11, wherein the fastener further comprises a mating wall having a first tab and a second tab that extend laterally outward from the mating wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The fastener system of claim 12, wherein the housing further comprises a first bracket and a second bracket, and wherein the first bracket and the second bracket are configured to couple with the first tab and the second tab. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The fastener system of claim 13, wherein the first bracket comprises: a first clasp; a first end wall that is connected to the first clasp; a first slot that is defined by the first clasp and the first end wall; and a first snap barb that extends from the first clasp into the first slot, wherein the second bracket comprises: a second clasp; a second end wall that is connected to the second clasp; a second slot that is defined by the second clasp and the second end wall; and a second snap barb that extends from the second clasp into the second slot, and wherein the first and second brackets slidably receive the first and second tabs via the first and second slots respectively. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The fastener system of claim 13, wherein the first bracket comprises: a first hook extending from the housing; a first retainer extending from the first hook toward the housing; and a first snap barb extending from the first retainer, wherein the second bracket comprises: a second hook extending from the housing; a second retainer extending from the second hook toward the housing; and a second snap barb extending from the second retainer, and wherein the first and second brackets slidably receive the first and second tabs. ### Claim 16 A fastener system, comprising: a fastener comprising: a mating wall with a first tab and a second tab that extend laterally outward from the mating wall; indicia; and a cover comprising: a housing that includes a first window and a front wall that is defined between a top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall; a first bracket and a second bracket that are configured to couple with the first and second tabs, respectively; and a slider that includes a second window defined by a top rail, a bottom rail, a first stile, and a second stile and is moveably connected to the top wall of the housing by a spring that is at least partially disposed in the housing and is integrally connected to both the top wall of the housing and the top rail of the slider, wherein the first window and the second window are aligned when the slider is in a first position relative to the housing, and misaligned when the slider is in a second position relative to the housing, wherein the slider is in the first position relative to the housing when the spring is in a compressed state and in the second position relative to the housing when the spring is in an extended state, wherein a portion of the mating wall is visible through both the first window and the second window when the slider is in the first position, wherein at least a portion of the indicia is visible through both the first window and the second window when the slider is in the first position and is hidden when the slider is in the second position, and wherein the cover is configured to snapably engage with the fastener. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The fastener system of claim 16, wherein the entire indicia is visible through both the first window and the second window when the slider is in the first position and the entire indicia is hidden when the slider is in the second position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The fastener system of claim 16, wherein the indicia comprises a first indicia portion that is disposed on the mating wall and a second indicia portion that is disposed on the slider, wherein the first indicia portion is visible through both the first window and the second window when the slider is in the first position and the first indicia portion is hidden when the slider is in the second position, wherein the second indicia portion is visible through the first window when the slider is in the first position, and wherein when the slider is in the first position the first indicia portion and the second indicia portion converge and form a complete set of indicia. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The fastener system of claim 18, wherein the first indicia portion comprises part of the height of the complete set of indicia, the second indicia portion comprises part of the height of the complete set of indicia, and the total height of the complete set of indicia is defined by the combined heights of the first indicia portion and the second indicia portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The fastener system of claim 18, wherein the first indicia portion comprises part of the length of the complete set of indicia, the second indicia portion comprises part of the length of the complete set of indicia, and the total length of the complete set of indicia is defined by the combined lengths of the first indicia portion and the second indicia portion.