The present disclosure relates to the use of a push pin for mounting in a vehicle, and, more particularly, to a push pin configured to mount to the interior of a vehicle without adhesives or clamping.
Vehicle interiors, specifically instrument panels, may need to be protected from physical and environmental damage during the manufacturing process or during repair. Protective films may be placed over portions of the interior to protect the underlying components. Due to the varying geometry of the vehicle interiors, the protective films may not remain in place without some retention mechanism to fix them in a desired position.
Adhesives may be used to fix the films in a desired position. The adhesives, for example, an adhesive tape, may be applied to the film and a surface of the vehicle interior to couple the two and hold the film in position on the surface. The adhesives may hold the film in place and prevent physical or environmental damage to the underlying vehicle interior. However, when the adhesive is removed it may leave behind a residue on the vehicle interior. The residue may be difficult or in some cases, impossible to remove without damaging the vehicle interior. Further, the adhesive removal may require cleaning equipment and/or cleaning chemicals that can add additional expense to the vehicle manufacturing or repair operation. Alternatively, even if an adhesive does not leave a residue it may still leave behind an imprint, sometimes referred to as “ghosting” in the art, in which the outline of the adhesive is still visible on the interior surface even after removal.
Instead of adhesives, mechanical mechanisms, such as clamps, may be used to fix the film in a desired position. The clamps, for example, alligator clips, may retain the film in place by clamping a portion of the film to a structure on the interior of the vehicle such as an air conditioning vent. However, as the clamp applies pressure to the interior structure it may also risk damaging the interior structure. Further, the clamp can leave an indentation or notches in the surface of the interior structure if too much pressure is applied. Moreover, the clamp itself may break resulting in added expense to the vehicle manufacturing or repair operation.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mounting mechanism that does not require the use of adhesives or clamps and may be used on the interior surfaces of vehicles.
In an embodiment, a push pin provided. The push pin may be used for temporary mounting on a surface, the push pin may comprise a head, a pin tip adjacent to the head, and a rib protruding from the pin tip and disposed about the exterior profile of the pin tip; wherein the rib comprises a compressible material.
Additionally or alternatively, the push pin may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. The push pin may be one continuous piece comprising the same compressible material of the rib. The head, the pin tip, and the rib may be discrete components and the push pin comprises these assembled discrete components of the head, the pin tip, and the rib. The head may further comprise an adhesive. The pin tip and the rib may not comprise adhesives or clamping means. The push pin may further comprise a multiple of ribs. The compressible material may comprise a compressible material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polychloroprene foam, polyimide foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinylchloride foam, silicone foam, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, natural polyisoprene, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polyacrylic rubber, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, fluoroelastomers, perfluoroelastomers, polyether block amides, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and any combination thereof. The head may comprise a first head and the push pin may further comprise a second head that is interchangeable with the first head. The rib may comprise a first rib and the push pin may further comprise a second rib that is interchangeable with the first rib.
In an embodiment, a method of covering a surface of an interior of a vehicle is provided. The method may comprise providing a push pin comprising: a head, a pin tip adjacent to the head, and a rib protruding from the pin tip and disposed about the exterior profile of the pin tip; wherein the rib comprises a compressible material. The method may further comprise inserting the pin tip of the push pin into a film opening; wherein the pin tip of the push pin is inserted into the film opening past the rib of the push pin; and inserting the pin tip of the push pin into a surface opening; wherein the pin tip of the push pin is inserted into the surface opening past the rib of the push pin; wherein the head of the push pin is not inserted past the film opening or the surface opening.
Additionally or alternatively, the method may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. The method may further comprise repeating the method with a different push pin, a different surface opening, and a different film opening. The surface opening may be an air conditioning vent. The surface may comprise an instrument panel of a vehicle. The push pin may be one continuous piece comprising the same compressible material of the rib. The head, the pin tip, and the rib may be discrete components and the push pin comprises these assembled discrete components of the head, the pin tip, and the rib. The head may further comprise an adhesive. The pin tip and the rib may not comprise adhesives or clamping means. The push pin may further comprise a multiple of ribs. The compressible material may comprise a compressible material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polychloroprene foam, polyimide foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinylchloride foam, silicone foam, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, natural polyisoprene, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polyacrylic rubber, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, fluoroelastomers, perfluoroelastomers, polyether block amides, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and any combination thereof. The head may comprise a first head and the push pin may further comprise a second head that is interchangeable with the first head. The rib may comprise a first rib and the push pin may further comprise a second rib that is interchangeable with the first rib.
In an embodiment, a push pin provided. The push pin may be used for temporary mounting on a surface, the push pin may comprise a holster, a pin tip adjacent to the holster, and a rib protruding from the pin tip and disposed about the exterior profile of the pin tip; wherein the rib comprises a compressible material.
Additionally or alternatively, the method may include one or more of the following features individually or in combination. The holster may be used to hold an accessory selected from the group consisting of cell phones, music players, music storage systems, air fresheners, GPS systems, lights, trash containers, storage containers, fans, and any combination thereof. The push pin may be one continuous piece comprising the same compressible material of the rib. The holster, the pin tip, and the rib may be discrete components and the push pin comprises these assembled discrete components of the holster, the pin tip, and the rib. The pin tip and the rib may not comprise adhesives or clamping means. The push pin may further comprise a multiple of ribs. The compressible material may comprise a compressible material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polychloroprene foam, polyimide foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinylchloride foam, silicone foam, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, natural polyisoprene, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polyacrylic rubber, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, fluoroelastomers, perfluoroelastomers, polyether block amides, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and any combination thereof. The holster may comprise a first holster and the push pin may further comprise a second holster that is interchangeable with the first holster. The rib may comprise a first rib and the push pin may further comprise a second rib that is interchangeable with the first rib.
Illustrative examples of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein, and wherein:
The illustrated figures are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different examples may be implemented.
The present disclosure relates to the use of a push pin for mounting in a vehicle, and, more particularly, to a push pin configured to mount to the interior of a vehicle without adhesives or clamping.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of components, properties such as molecular weight, reaction conditions, and so forth used in the present specification and associated claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the examples of the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claim, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. It should be noted that when “about” is at the beginning of a numerical list, “about” modifies each number of the numerical list. Further, in some numerical listings of ranges some lower limits listed may be greater than some upper limits listed. One skilled in the art will recognize that the selected subset will require the selection of an upper limit in excess of the selected lower limit.
The embodiments described herein comprise the use of a push pin. The push pin may be mounted to an interior surface of a vehicle. In some embodiments the push pin may retain a film over the interior surface. In some alternative embodiments, the push pin may function as an accessory mount allowing for the holstering of vehicle and/or personal accessories on the interior of a vehicle. The push pin may mount to the interior of the vehicle without the use of an adhesive or a clamp. The term “clamp,” as used herein, generally refers to any clamp, clip, clasp, brace, vice, press or other similar such device. Although some examples may describe the use of the push pin for the interior of a vehicle, it is to be understood that the push pin may be used to mount to any opening in any surface in which the push pin may be inserted. As such, this disclosure explicitly contemplates the use of the push pin to retain, mount, or hold any object in any surface into which the push pin may be inserted.
The push pin may be made from any compressible material. General examples of compressible materials include, but are not limited to, elastomeric materials, foamed materials, and the like. Specific examples of materials include polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, polychloroprene foam, polyimide foam, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinylchloride foam, silicone foam, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (hereafter “SBS”) rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber (hereafter “SBR”), natural polyisoprene, synthetic polyisoprene, polybutadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polyacrylic rubber, silicone rubber, fluorosilicone rubber, fluoroelastomers, perfluoroelastomers, polyether block amides, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, or any combination thereof. In some alternative examples where the push pin is comprised of discrete components assembled to collectively form the push pin, all of the discrete components may be made from the same or different compressible materials, or only the rib(s) of the push pin may be made of compressible materials. If only the rib(s) of the push pin comprise compressible materials, the remaining materials (e.g., the head, the pin tip, or the holster discussed below) may be made from non-compressible materials such as hard plastics, metals, wood, composites thereof, or any combination thereof.
The push pin may be molded, machined, or otherwise provided as one continuous piece. For example, the push pin of
The adhesive in the adhesive layer 230 may be any adhesive sufficient for a desired use. Examples may include, but are not limited to, waterborne adhesives, solventborne adhesives, hot melt adhesives, acrylic adhesives, natural and/or synthetic rubber adhesives, silicone adhesives, or any combination thereof. It is to be understood that the adhesive should be chosen such that it does not negatively interfere with the compressible material used to form push pin 200 or the material of the component to which the adhesive layer 230 is to attach the push pin 200. The push pin 200 may be used in embodiments where it may be more desirable to adhere a material to the push pin 200 instead of pushing the push pin 200 through a hole or opening in the material. However, push pin 200 is still mountable inside the vehicle interior without the use of adhesives or clamping, and the pin tip 210 and ribs 220 portions of the push pin 200 do not comprise adhesives or clamping means. The adhesive layer 230 is used only to adhere a material to the mounted push pin 200. If not already mounted to a surface, the push pin 200 may then be mounted to the surface.
In all embodiments, the push pin may be removed by applying a sufficient force to the head or holster to compress the at least one rib such that the rib may slide out of any opening in a surface in which the push pin was inserted.
One or more illustrative examples incorporating the examples disclosed herein are presented. Not all features of a physical implementation are described or shown in this application for the sake of clarity. Therefore, the disclosed systems and methods are well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular examples disclosed above are illustrative only, as the teachings of the present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular illustrative examples disclosed above may be altered, combined, or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope of the present disclosure. The systems and methods illustratively disclosed herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically disclosed herein and/or any optional element disclosed herein.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.