Panel fastener

A vehicle door trim panel and fastener assembly for attaching the panel to a door support member comprising:

• a door trim panel having a decorative side for facing the interior of a vehicle and an opposite side for facing a vehicle door, said panel including at least one support socket mounted to said opposite side of said door panel for receiving a grommet, said socket including a slotted aperture and at least one resilient locking arm having an end extending adjacent said slotted aperture;
• a grommet having an annular groove for insertion into said slotted aperture, said grommet including an aperture extending there through in a direction generally orthogonal to said annular groove, said groove of said grommet cooperating with said slotted aperture and said locking arm for lockably mounting said grommet into said socket;
• said mounting grommet including a conically tapered opening at one end which communicates with said aperture for receiving a fastening pin therein, said grommet further including at least one leg at an opposite end of said aperture and extending radially into said aperture;
• and
• a fastening pin including annular longitudinally spaced ratchet grooves at one end and a generally pointed opposite end including at least one resilient outwardly extending locking arm extending away from said generally pointed end, wherein said pin is inserted into said grommet with said ratchet grooves engaging said legs of said grommet for releasably holding said pin to said grommet.

A polymeric two piece fastener in combination with a panel mounted socket for releasably attaching a panel to a support member comprising:

• a grommet having a collar and an annular flange spaced from said collar to define an annular groove therebetween for attachment of said grommet to a panel, wherein said annular flange of said grommet includes an inclined outer annular surface for facilitating insertion of said grommet to a panel receiving member, said grommet including an aperture extending longitudinally there through in a direction generally orthogonal to said annular groove, said aperture including a conically tapered opening at one end for receiving a fastening pin therein, said grommet further including at least one leg at an opposite end of said aperture and extending radially into said aperture;
• a fastening pin including annular longitudinally spaced ratchet grooves at one end and a generally pointed opposite end including at least one resilient outwardly extending locking arm extending away from said generally pointed end, wherein said one end of said pin can be inserted into said grommet with said ratchet grooves engaging said leg of said grommet for releasably holding said pin to said grommet, wherein said opposite end of said pin includes a pair of opposed locking arms each extending divergently outwardly from said opposite end at an angle of from about 25 degrees to about 40 degrees to facilitate insertion of said opposite end of said pin into an aperture of a support member, and wherein said opposite end of said pin further includes a rib extending longitudinally and laterally adjacent each of said locking arms for stabilizing said arms when deflected;
• and
• a socket including a slotted aperture and at least one resilient locking arm having an end extending adjacent said slotted aperture for lockably engaging said collar of said grommet when said grommet is inserted into said slotted aperture.