Integral doghouse fastener with retaining feature

An automotive door panel fastener assembly comprising:

• a substrate;
• a doghouse structure molded onto said substrate, said doghouse structure comprising:
• a doghouse floor formed by said substrate;
• a doghouse ceiling positioned above and separated from said doghouse floor;
• a first doghouse sidewall joining said doghouse ceiling to said doghouse floor, said first doghouse sidewall having a first forward end and a first rearward end;
• a second doghouse sidewall joining said doghouse ceiling to said doghouse floor, said second doghouse sidewall having a second forward end and a second rearward end;
• and
• a doghouse insertion opening bounded by said doghouse ceiling, said doghouse floor, said first doghouse sidewall and said second doghouse sidewall;
• a pin chamber formed through said doghouse ceiling;
• an entrance slot formed in said doghouse ceiling, said entrance slot providing a path from said doghouse insertion opening to said pin chamber, said entrance slot having a first slot side and a second slot side;
• a first flexible arm having a first fixed end molded to said first slot side and a first free end extending towards said second slot side, said first flexible arm flexible in response to an inward force towards said pin chamber, said first flexible arm rigid in response to an outward force away from said pin chamber, said fist flexible arm angled inwardly towards said pin chamber;
• a pin element assembly comprising:
• a footing portion;
• and
• a pin extension affixed to said footing portion;
• wherein said pin element assembly is inserted into said doghouse insertion opening such that a pin lower portion flexes said first flexible arm as said pin element is moved through said entrance slot and into said pin chamber, said first flexible arm moving to lock said pin lower portion into said pin chamber once said pin element passes said first flexible;
• and
• wherein said first free end remains in movable contact with said second slot side when in a natural state.

An automotive door panel assembly comprising:

• a inner door substrate;
• a stamped door panel including a plurality of mounting ports;
• a plurality of doghouse structures molded onto said inner door substrate, each of said doghouse structures comprising:
• a doghouse floor formed by said substrate;
• a doghouse ceiling positioned above and separated from said doghouse floor;
• a first doghouse sidewall joining said doghouse ceiling to said doghouse floor, said first doghouse sidewall having a first forward end and a first rearward end;
• and
• a second doghouse sidewall joining said doghouse ceiling to said doghouse floor, said second doghouse sidewall having a second forward end and a second rearward end;
• a doghouse insertion opening bounded by said doghouse ceiling, said doghouse floor, said first doghouse sidewall and said second doghouse sidewall;
• a pin chamber formed through said doghouse ceiling;
• an entrance slot formed in said doghouse ceiling, said entrance slot providing a path from said doghouse insertion opening to said pin chamber, said entrance slot having a first slot side and a second slot side;
• a first flexible arm having a first fixed end molded to said first slot side and a first free end extending towards said second slot side, said first flexible arm flexible in response to an inward force towards said pin chamber, said first flexible arm rigid in response to an outward force away from said pin chamber, said fist flexible arm angled inwardly towards said pin chamber;
• a plurality of pin element assemblies each comprising:
• a footing portion;
• and
• a pin extension affixed to said footing portion, said pin extension including a locking tabular head formed on an upper pin surface;
• wherein each of said pin elements is inserted into one of said doghouse insertion openings such that a lower pin portion flexes said first flexible arm as said pin element is moved through said entrance slot and into said pin chamber, said first flexible arm moving to lock said lower pin portion into said pin chamber once said pin element passes said first flexible arm, said pin extension inserted into one of said mounting ports such that said inner door substrate becomes affixed to said stamped door panel;
• wherein each of said first flexible arms comprises:
• a perimeter arm extension formed on said first free end, said perimeter arm extension acting in concert with a pin chamber inner wall to form a generally continuous pin chamber perimeter.