US 5,401,132 AGranted

Screw grommet

AssigneeEmhart Inc.

InventorTsuyoshi Akema

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Abstract

A screw grommet 1 which is capable of dealing with a change in the thickness of panel comprises a grommet member 3 and a holding member 2 to hold the grommet member. The holding member comprises a flange formed larger than a mounting hole of a panel 33 and a leg portion 4 which extends downward from the flange, is formed with, in its center, a space to receive the grommet member, and passes through the mounting hole of the panel so as to extend to the bottom side of the panel. The grommet member 3 comprises a head 17 which is fixed so as to be prevented from vertical movements when received in the leg portion of the holding member, a tubular portion 19 which is received vertically movably in the leg portion of the holding member and is formed with a hole for a tapping screw 5 to be screwed thereinto, and a pair of connection arms 20 which connect the tubular portion to the head and bend so as to project radially outwardly in mid portions 25 thereof when the tubular portion is brought closer to the head. When the tapping screw 5 is screwed in, the mid portions 25 of the connection arms 20 project outwardly to sandwich the panel 33 and an ornamental member 34 associatedly with the flange 6 to connect them together.

A screw grommet for connecting a first member to a panel member having a mounting hole therein by the use of a tapping screw, said grommet being adapted for use with a range of panel member thicknesses, said grommet having a flange to be positioned on said panel member and a shank to receive said screw extending in said hole in said panel member, said grommet being connected to said panel member by means of the flange and the diametrical expansion of said shank when said screw is screwed thereinto;

characterized in that:
said screw grommet comprises a grommet member and a holding member to hold the grommet member;
said holding member including said flange which is formed larger that said mounting hole in the second member and a leg portion which extends downwardly from said flange, and passes through said mounting hole of said panel member, said leg portion being formed with a space to receive said grommet member;
said grommet member comprising a head which is adapted to be axially interlocked with said leg portion of said holding member, a tubular portion which is received in said leg portion of said holding member, said tubular portion being axially movable and being formed with a hole for the screw member to be screwed thereinto, and a pair of arms, said arms comprising
a pair of panel support portions extending from said tubular portion toward said head and flaring outwardly therefrom, said panel support portions having an upper surface facing said panel member to engage and support said panel when said tubular portion is moved toward said panel;
a pair of upper arm portions extending between said head and an outer end of said upper surface to retain said panel support portions with said upper surfaces facing toward said panel, said upper arm portions being of a thickness less than that of the panel support portions so that they are flexible to accommodate any of a variety of thicknesses of said panel member while holding the upper surface of said panel support portions facing said panel member when said tubular portion is moved toward said head.

3 more elements

Abstract

Claims2