Blade Fastener For Trim Member

A metal/plastic fastener, comprising:

• a metal body having parallel first and second perimeter members perpendicularly oriented with respect to third and fourth perimeter members, the first, second, third, and fourth perimeter members defining a central aperture;
• the third perimeter member having contiguous third perimeter surfaces;
• the fourth perimeter member having contiguous fourth perimeter surfaces;
• a polymeric member including:
• a head member entirely encapsulating the third perimeter member and in contact with all of the third perimeter surfaces;
• a connecting member having the fourth perimeter member partially embedded in the connecting member;
• and
• oppositely directed first and second elastically deflectable wings each homogenously connected to both the head member and the connecting member.

A metal/plastic fastener system adapted to connect to a trim component, comprising:

• a fastener assembly including:
• a metal body portion having parallel first and second perimeter members perpendicularly oriented with respect to third and fourth perimeter members, and a central aperture;
• a polymeric portion including:
• a lead member;
• an end member having the second perimeter member completely embedded therein;
• and
• oppositely directed first and second elastically deflectable wings each homogenously connected to both the lead member and the end member and elastically deflectable within the central aperture;
• and
• a trim component having a receiving portion, the receiving portion including a cavity adapted to slidably receive the metal body portion and the polymeric portion until the end member contacts the receiving portion, a second portion of the metal body portion of the fastener assembly not embedded in the end member being entirely enclosed within the receiving portion in an installed position.

A metal/plastic fastener system, comprising:

• a sub-assembly including;
• a fastener assembly including:
• a metal body having a central aperture;
• and
• a polymeric portion having at least a portion of the metal body embedded therein, the polymeric portion including:
• a lead member and an end member;
• and
• oppositely directed first and second elastically deflectable wings each homogenously connected to both the lead member and the end member and elastically deflectable within the central aperture;
• and
• a trim component having a receiving portion, the receiving portion including a cavity adapted to slidably receive the metal body portion and the polymeric portion until the end member contacts the receiving portion defining an installed position;
• and
• a first portion of the first deflectable wing protruding outwardly from a first elongated aperture of the receiving portion and a second portion of the second deflectable wing protruding outwardly from a second elongated slot of the receiving portion in the installed position, the first and second portions of the first and second deflectable wings being elastically deflectable toward each other when the subassembly is slidably received in an aperture of a vehicle body panel and elastically deflectable to an original extended orientation having the first and second portions of the first and second wings adapted to engage the vehicle body panel to resist removal of the subassembly from the vehicle body panel.

A metal/plastic fastener system adapted to connect to a trim component, comprising:

• a fastener assembly including:
• a metal body portion having first and second perimeter members perpendicularly oriented with respect to third and fourth perimeter members defining a central aperture, and a plurality of bite members angularly extending away from each of the first and second perimeter members;
• a polymeric portion including:
• a lead member;
• an end member having the second perimeter member completely embedded therein;
• and
• oppositely directed first and second elastically deflectable wings each homogenously connected to both the lead member and the end member and elastically deflectable within the central aperture;
• and
• a trim component having a receiving portion, the receiving portion including opposed walls defining a cavity adapted to slidably receive the metal body portion and the polymeric portion, the opposed walls each homogenously including spaced apart raised ribs extending into the cavity, each positioned to engage an individual one of the plurality of bite members.

A method for manufacturing a metal/plastic fastener, the metal/plastic fastener including a metal body portion having parallel first and second perimeter members perpendicularly oriented with respect to third and fourth perimeter members and a central aperture, and a polymeric portion including an end member, a lead member, and oppositely directed first and second elastically deflectable wings elastically deflectable in the central aperture, the method comprising:

• stamping material from a metal strip to create multiple ones of the metal bodies with proximate ones homogenously connected by a connecting member;
• inserting the metal strip into a mold;
• and
• injecting a polymeric material into the mold at each of the metal bodies creating the end member having the third perimeter member completely embedded in the end member, the lead member having a portion of the fourth perimeter member embedded in the lead member, and homogenously connecting the first and second elastically deflectable wings to both the lead member and the end member.