Fastener for pre-assembling work pieces

A part-in-assembly fastener for securing a headliner panel to the interior of a vehicle, the fastener comprising:

• an upper head from which extends a shank, the shank having formed in a distal end thereof a shank fastener for securing the part-in-assembly fastener in a bore formed in the second object;
• a pair of flexible pre-assembly legs, each of the pair being secured at an upper end thereof to the shank at a predetermined offset distance from the upper head;
• a lower head having a generally annular shape with a bore formed through the center thereof, the bore being sized so as to be received over the shank of the part-in-assembly fastener and moveable between a first position in which the lower head is located adjacent the distal end of the shank and a second position located adjacent to the upper ends of the pre-assembly legs, the movement of the lower head from its first position to its second position acting to fold the pair of pre-assembly legs such that when the lower head is in its second position, the pair of pre-assembly legs are biased into contact with the headliner panel to compress the headliner panel between the pre-assembly legs and the head of the part-in-assembly fastener to a degree that maintains the fastener in predetermined attitude with respect to headliner panel and also allows the position of the fastener to be adjusted laterally;
• and
• a retaining structure for retaining the lower head in its second position comprising a flexible tab extending laterally from the shank and a catch formed opposite the flexible tab and also extending laterally from the shank, the flexible tab and the catch being constructed and arranged to permit the lower head to move to its second position at which point the flexible tab and the catch will engage respective notches formed into the under surface of the lower head.

A retainer for securing a first object to a second object, the retainer being constructed and arranged for pre-assembly with the first object, the retainer comprising:

• an upper head from which extends a shank, the shank having a shank fastener for securing the retainer in a bore formed in the second object;
• at least one pre-assembly leg, a first end of the at least one pre-assembly leg being secured to the shank of the retainer a predetermined distance from the upper head thereof;
• a lower head constructed and arranged to be received over the shank, the lower head being secured to a second end of the at least one pre-assembly leg, the lower head being moveable along the shank of the retainer between a first position adjacent a distal end of the shank and a second position located a predetermined distance from the upper head, the movement of the lower head from its first position to its second position being sufficient to cause the at least one pre-assembly leg to extend generally laterally from the shank;
• and
• a retaining mechanism for maintaining the lower head in its second position with respect to the shank, wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a flexible finger extending laterally from the shank such that as the lower head moves to its second position, the flexible finger is temporarily deflected out of the path of travel of the lower head only to return to its initial position once the lower head has achieved its second position, thereby retaining the lower head in its second position.

A retainer for securing a first object to a second object, the retainer being constructed and arranged for pre-assembly with the first object, the retainer comprising:

• an upper head from which extends a shank, the shank having a shank fastener for securing the retainer in a bore formed in the second object;
• at least one pre-assembly leg, a first end of the at least one pre-assembly leg being secured to the shank of the retainer a predetermined distance from the upper head thereof;
• a lower head constructed and arranged to be received over the shank, the lower head being secured to a second end of the at least one pre-assembly leg, the lower head being moveable along the shank of the retainer between a first position adjacent a distal end of the shank and a second position located a predetermined distance from the upper head, the movement of the lower head from its first position to its second position being sufficient to cause the at least one pre-assembly leg to extend generally laterally from the shank;
• and
• a retaining mechanism for maintaining the lower head in its second position with respect to the shank, wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a catch that extends laterally from the shank of the retainer so as to at least partially block the path of travel of the lower head in its movement to its second position, the lower head and the catch being constructed and arranged such that the lower head may be forced past the catch into its second position, the catch acting to maintain the lower head in its second position.