Fastener

A fastening element having a body, comprising:

• a gripping portion;
• a plurality of gripping elements extending away from the gripping portion;
• a supporting portion defined by at least two supporting-portion walls extending from the gripping portion in a direction opposite of the gripping elements;
• a crosspiece extending between the at least two supporting-portion walls;
• an anchoring portion extending from a distal end of at least one supporting-portion wall and extending opposite and parallel to the gripping portion thereby defining a flange portion relative to the gripping portion and a groove therebetween;
• and
• a first protrusion, wherein the first protrusion extends from a plane comprising a surface of the anchoring portion or the gripping portion and beyond an envelope surface of the fastening element body in a direction different from that of the plurality of gripping elements, or the first protrusion extends within the groove, and wherein the gripping portion, the plurality of gripping elements, the anchoring portion, and the first protrusion are rigid,
• wherein the first protrusion is configured to exert a reactive force on the flange portion following installation of the fastening element, and wherein a surface of the crosspiece is coplanar with the surface of the anchoring portion.

A fastening element, comprising:

• a gripping portion;
• a plurality of gripping elements extending from the gripping portion;
• a supporting portion being defined by at least two supporting-portion walls extending from the gripping portion in a direction opposite that of the gripping elements, the supporting portion having a supporting-portion width smaller than a gripping-portion width of the gripping portion, such that a top flange is formed by the gripping portion relative to the supporting portion on at least one side of the fastening element;
• a crosspiece extending between the at least two supporting-portion walls;
• and
• an anchoring portion extending from a distal end of at least one supporting-portion wall and parallel to the gripping portion thereby defining a bottom flange relative to the supporting portion on the at least one side corresponding to the top flange, wherein
• one or more protrusions extend from a plane comprising a bottom surface of the anchoring portion in a direction opposite that of the gripping elements,
• wherein the bottom flange comprises at least one chamfer located at a distal section of the bottom flange, and
• wherein the one or more protrusions are configured to exert a reactive force on the bottom flange following installation of the fastening element, and
• wherein a surface of the crosspiece is co-planar with the bottom surface.