Rocker panel fastener
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorMarc R. Risdale
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A panel fastener for assembling a panel structure to a substructure is herein disclosed. The fastener comprises a body having a pair of offset flanges connected by a hollow support structure having a bore formed therethrough that is connected to a head having a third flange and a shank extending therefrom, by at least one flexible member that is connected between the body and the head of the fastener. The shaft of the head further having at least one retaining mechanism formed therein such that when the shaft of the head is inserted through the bore formed through the hollow support structure of the body of the fastener, the retaining mechanism can engage a bore formed through the substructure so as to secure the panel structure thereto.
Claims15
A fastener for securing a panel to a substructure, the fastener comprising:
- a body comprising a pair of offset flanges connected to one another by a support structure having a bore formed longitudinally therethrough in generally perpendicular relation to the pair of offset flanges, the offset flanges being constructed and arranged to receive the panel therebetween;
- a head comprising a third flange from which extends a shaft, the shaft extending generally perpendicular from the third flange, the head being located a first distance from the offset flanges of the body when the fastener is in a first, preassembled position with the panel located between the offset flanges, the shaft further having formed therein a retaining mechanism constructed and arranged to securely retain the shaft of the fastener within a bore formed in the substructure when the head of the fastener is moved from the first, pre-assembled position to a second, fully assembled position;
- and,
- at least one flexible member resiliently connecting the body and the head such that the shaft of the head may pass into and through the bore formed through the support structure, and such that the head is located a second distance from the offset flanges of the body when the fastener is in the second, fully assembled position, the second distance being closer to the offset flanges than the first distance.
A method of assembling a panel structure to a substructure comprising the steps of:
- providing a fastener comprising a body having a pair of offset flanges connected in a generally parallel relationship to one another by a support structure, the support structure having an opening formed longitudinally therethrough, a head comprising a third flange from which extends in the direction of the body a shaft having at least one retaining mechanism extending laterally therefrom, the shaft extending at least partially into the bore formed through the support structure, the body and the head of the fastener being interconnected by at least one flexible member, a tip of the shaft of the fastener being substantially withdrawn into the support structure;
- pre-assembling the fastener with the panel structure such that the support structure of the body of the fastener is inserted into an opening formed into the panel structure in a predetermined position with regard to the panel structure, the head of the fastener being located a first distance from the offset flanges of the body;
- aligning the panel structure with the substructure such that the fastener is aligned with a bore formed through the substructure;
- and
- applying force to the head of the fastener so as to insert the shaft of the fastener into the bore formed through the substructure so that the retaining mechanism of the fastener engages the substructure and secures the panel structure to the substructure, and, once secured, the head of the fastener being located a second distance from the offset flanges of the body, such that the second distance is closer to the offset flanges than the first distance.
A fastener for securing a panel to a substructure, the fastener comprising:
- a body comprising a pair of offset flanges connected to one another by a support structure having a bore formed longitudinally therethrough in generally perpendicular relation to the pair of offset flanges, the body further comprising a retention member that extends into the space formed between the offset flanges so as to engage an associated member of the panel structure to maintain the fastener in a predetermined location with respect to the panel structure,
- a head comprising a third flange from which extends a shaft, the shaft extending generally perpendicular from the third flange, the shaft further having formed therein a retaining mechanism constructed and arranged to securely retain the shaft of the fastener within a bore formed in the substructure when the head of the fastener is moved from a first, pre-assembled position to a second, filly assembled position;
- and,
- at least one flexible member resiliently connecting the body and the head such that the shaft of the head may pass into and through the bore formed through the support structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.