Emblem Retainer
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorMark A. Beyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods for retaining system coupling a component to a panel via a retainer. The retainer can couple a component with panels of different thicknesses. The retainer comprising a body portion and at least one panel-engagement feature coupled to the body portion. The body portion having a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another to define a channel. The channel is sized and shaped to receive a tower associated with the component. The at least one panel-engagement feature is coupled to one of the pair of legs to engages an opening of a panel having a thickness ranging from a first thickness (T1) to a second thickness (T2) that is greater than the first thickness (T1).
Claims20
A retainer to couple a component with panels of different thicknesses, the retainer comprising:
- a retaining head portion;
- a body portion extending from the retaining head portion, the body portion having a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another to define a channel, wherein the channel is configured to receive a tower associated with the component;
- and
- at least one panel-engagement feature coupled to one of the pair of legs and configured to engage an opening of a panel having a thickness ranging from a first thickness (T1) to a second thickness (T2) that is greater than the first thickness (T1).
A stamped-metal retainer to couple a component with panels of different thicknesses, the retainer comprising:
- a body portion having a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another to define a channel, wherein the channel is configured to receive a tower associated with the component;
- and
- at least one panel-engagement feature coupled to one of the pair of legs and configured to engage an opening of a panel having a thickness ranging from a first thickness (T1) to a second thickness (T2) that is greater than the first thickness (T1), wherein the at least one panel-engagement feature is a saw-tooth structure.
A stamped-metal retainer to couple a component with panels of different thicknesses, the retainer comprising:
- a body portion having a pair of legs spaced apart and flexibly connected to one another to define a channel, wherein the channel is configured to receive a tower associated with the component;
- and
- at least one panel-engagement feature coupled to one of the pair of legs and configured to engage an opening of a panel having a thickness ranging from a first thickness (T1) to a second thickness (T2) that is greater than the first thickness (T1),
- wherein the at least one panel-engagement feature is arranged to both engage and retain the tower within the channel and engage and retain the retainer within the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.