Sealing spring fastener with closed cavity

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6527471
  • Patent Number
    6,527,471
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, January 10, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 4, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
This invention relates to a sealing spring fastener, which comprises a U-shaped structure, on which an elastic body has been incorporated. The elastic body has a closed cavity within the U-shaped structure. The sealing spring fastener can form an assembly with an extension of a panel, preferably a plastic panel. The assembly or the fastener by itself can be engaged into the slot of a solid sheet, preferably a metal sheet, in a manner that one side of the sheet is sealed from the other side of the sheet in the vicinity of the slot.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to spring fasteners, and more particularly to those fasteners which are suitable to be engaged in a slot of a solid sheet and support the extension of a panel in a manner that one side of the solid sheet is sealed from the other side around the slot.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




A number of fasteners have been used in the past for securing one object on another object, as for example, securing an article such as for example a plastic sheet on a metal or other rigid plastic sheet. However, the fasteners being used presently are particularly designed for only a limited number of matching objects to be secured on each other. For sealing purposes, a secondary resilient sheet, or a resilient body attached to the fastener may be used.




Examples of conventional fasteners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,987,714 (Smith); 5,887,319 (Smith); 5,542,158 (Gronau et al.); 5,422,789 (Fisher et al.), 5,373,611 (Murata); 5,314,280 (Gagliardi); 5,095,592 (Doerfling); 4,792,475 (Bien); 4,683,622 (Ohelke); 4,609,170 (Schnabl); 4,245,652 (Kelly et al.); 3,864,789 (Leitner); 3,673,643 (Kindell); 3,525,129 (Holton); 2,825,948 (Parkin); 2,607,971 (Bedford, Jr.); 2,542,883 (Tinnerman); 2,329,688 (Bedford, Jr.); 2,322,656 (Murphy), among others.




U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,887,319; 5,987,714; patent application Ser. No. 09/493,476, filed Jan. 28, 2000; patent application Ser. No. 09/494,112, filed Jan. 28, 2000; and patent application Ser. No. 09/493,304, filed Jan. 28, 2000; describe fasteners suitable to be used in a slot, and they are all incorporated herein by reference.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




As aforementioned, this invention relates to spring fasteners characterized by a structure suitable to be engaged in a slot. More particularly, this invention pertains a sealing spring fastener comprising:




a U-shaped structure having a first side, a second side, a top end and a bottom end;




a spring leg on each side of the U-shaped structure, extending outwardly from said U-shaped structure in a general direction from the bottom end toward the top end, each spring leg having an attached end and a free end; and




an elastic body integrally molded on the U-shaped structure at least with the top end, except at least the free end of each extending leg, the elastic body having a closed cavity within the first side and the second side of said U-shaped structure.




Preferably, the elastic body further comprises a gasket extending away from the closed cavity in the vicinity of the top end.




The elastic body preferably comprises a compound selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer, silicone, polyurethane, plastisol, and a mixture thereof. More preferably, the elastic body comprises a thermoplastic elastomer, and even more preferably the elastic body has been molded by insert injection molding




The free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet. The gasket seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end of each slot with the slot of said solid sheet.




The sealing fastener of the present invention preferably further comprises barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.




This invention also relates to an assembly of a panel having an extension and a sealing spring fastener, according to any of the variations described above, wherein the extension of the panel is inserted into the closed cavity




This invention also relates to a vehicle comprising two objects connected with any of the fasteners in any of the variations described above.











DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.




The reader's understanding of practical implementation of preferred embodiments of the invention will be enhanced by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with perusal of the drawing figures, wherein:





FIG. 1

illustrates a cross-sectional view of a sealing spring fastener according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 2

shows a perspective view of a part of the fastener of

FIG. 1

without the elastic body.





FIG. 3

shows a perspective view of the spring fastener of

FIG. 1







FIG. 4

shows another perspective view of the spring fastener of

FIG. 1







FIG. 5

is a cross-sectional view of an assembly of the extension of a panel and the fastener of

FIG. 1

, wherein the extension is inserted into the closed cavity of the fastener.





FIG. 6

is a cross-sectional view of the fastener of

FIG. 1

engaged into a slot of a solid sheet.





FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of

FIG. 5

engaged into a slot of a solid sheet.





FIG. 8

is a cross-sectional view of an assembly similar to that of

FIG. 5

engaged into a slot of a solid sheet, wherein the free ends of the legs remain within the slot.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




As aforementioned, this invention relates to spring fasteners characterized by a structure suitable to be engaged in a slot and secure one article on another article.




More specifically, this invention relates to a sealing spring fastener, which comprises a U-shaped structure, on which an elastic body has been incorporated. The elastic body has a closed cavity within the U-shaped structure. The sealing spring fastener can form an assembly with an extension of a panel, preferably a plastic panel. The assembly or the fastener by itself can be engaged into the slot of a solid sheet, preferably a metal sheet, in a manner that one side of the sheet is sealed from the other side of the sheet.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1-4

, there is depicted a sealing spring fastener


10


, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprising a U-shaped structure


12


having a first side


14


, a second side


16


, a top end


18


, and a bottom end


20


.




On each side


14


and


16


of the U-shaped structure


12


there is a spring leg


22


, extending outwardly from the U-shaped structure


12


in a general direction from the bottom end


20


toward the top end


18


. Each spring leg


22


has an attached end


24


and a free end


26


.




An elastic body


28


is integrally molded on the U-shaped structure


12


at least under the top end


18


, with the exception of at least the free end


26


of each extending leg


22


. The elastic body


28


has a closed cavity


30


within the first side


14


and the second side


16


of said U-shaped structure


12


. The closed cavity


30


has an opening


31


. The specific definition of a “closed” cavity is that there is no communication or opening between the cavity and any region outside the cavity except for the opening


31


.




The U-shaped structure


12


in the vicinity of the bottom


20


, especially under the attached end


24


of the legs


22


, may also be uncovered (not shown in the figures) by the elastic body


28


, as long as the cavity


30


remains as a closed cavity.




The elastic body may be any elastic material such as for example plastisol or polyurethane, more preferably silicone, and even more preferably a thermoplastic elastomer as described in provisional application No. 60/170,112, filed Dec. 10, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. Preferably, the thermoplastic elastomer is molded by insert injection molding, a technique well known to the art.




The free end


26


of each leg


22


is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet. The gasket


32


seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end


26


of each leg


22


with the slot of said solid sheet, as it will be illustrated in detail hereinbelow.




The sealing fastener of the present invention preferably further comprises barbs


34


inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end


18


toward the bottom end


20


of the U-shaped structure


12


.




The present invention also pertains an assembly of a panel


36


, preferably plastic, which has an extension


38


, as better shown in FIG.


5


. The extension


38


has preferably a cross sectional shape commensurate to the shape of opening


31


of the closed cavity


30


, so that the extension


38


can be inserted through the opening


31


, and secured in the closed cavity


30


by the barbs


34


.





FIG. 6

, shows the fastener


10


engaged in a slot


40


of a solid sheet


42


, preferably a steel sheet, before insertion of the extension


38


into the closed cavity


30


of the sealing spring fastener


10


.




In operation, it is highly preferable that the sealing spring fastener


10


is assembled first with the panel


36


by insertion of the extension


38


into the closed cavity


30


, although the fastener may also be engaged into the slot


40


, as shown in

FIG. 6

, before formation of the assembly shown in FIG.


5


. This is because during manufacturing the plastic sheet is usually made in one location and transferred to a different location for being placed and secured on the solid sheet in the manufacture of a vehicle, such as an automobile for example. Therefore, it is considerably more convenient, albeit not necessary, to make the assembly of the panel


36


with the fastener


10


at the location of the manufacture of the panel


36


and ship it ready for engagement on the sheet


42


at the location of the final assembly.




The sealing spring fastener


10


, after having been assembled with the panel


36


, is engaged in the slot


40


of the solid sheet


42


. The pressure applied on the gasket


32


of the elastic body, due to the engagement of the legs


22


with the slot


40


, seals hermetically said slot


40


, taking also into account that the cavity


30


is a closed cavity.




The arrangements shown in

FIGS. 6 and 7

provide a more secure engagement of the assembly with the slot


40


. However, if disassembling the arrangement is desired, pulling the panel away from the solid sheet will usually result in leaving the fastener


10


engaged in the slot


40


. On the other hand, if the legs


22


are such as to provide the engagement shown in

FIG. 8

, pulling the panel


36


away from the solid sheet will usually result in leaving the fastener


10


still assembled with the panel


36


, provided that the barbs


34


provide adequate grabbing force on the panel


36


.




Automobiles or other vehicles may be made, comprising one or more of the fasteners of the instant invention, providing substantial improvements regarding safety, performance and comfort.




Examples of embodiments demonstrating the operation of the instant invention, have now been given for illustration purposes only, and should not be construed as restricting the scope or limits of this invention in any way.



Claims
  • 1. A sealing spring fastener comprising:a U-shaped structure having a first side, a second side, a top end and a bottom end; a spring leg on each side of the U-shaped structure, extending outwardly from said U-shaped structure in a general direction from the bottom end toward the top end, each spring leg having an attached end and a free end; and an elastic body integrally molded on the U-shaped structure at least under the top end, except at least the free end of each extending leg, the elastic body having a closed cavity within the first side and the second side of said U-shaped structure.
  • 2. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 1, wherein the elastic body further comprises a gasket extending away from the closed cavity.
  • 3. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 2, wherein the elastic body comprises a compound selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer, silicone, polyurethane, plastisol, and a mixture thereof.
  • 4. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 2, wherein the elastic body comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.
  • 5. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 4, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has been molded by injection molding.
  • 6. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 5, wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet, and the gasket seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end of each slot with the slot of said solid sheet.
  • 7. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 4, wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet, and the gasket seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end of each slot with the slot of said solid sheet.
  • 8. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 4, further comprising barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.
  • 9. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 2, wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet, and the gasket seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end of each slot with the slot of said solid sheet.
  • 10. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 9, further comprising barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.
  • 11. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 2, further comprising barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.
  • 12. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 1, wherein the elastic body comprises a compound selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer, silicone, polyurethane, plastisol, and a mixture thereof.
  • 13. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 1, wherein the elastic body comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.
  • 14. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 13, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has been molded by injection molding.
  • 15. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 1, wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet.
  • 16. A sealing spring fastener as defined in claim 1, further comprising barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.
RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of provisional patent application No. 60/176,883, filed on Jan. 19, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

US Referenced Citations (15)
Number Name Date Kind
2946612 Ahlgren Jul 1960 A
4245652 Kelly et al. Jan 1981 A
4250599 Nagashima et al. Feb 1981 A
4271634 Andrzejewski Jun 1981 A
4324826 Ginster Apr 1982 A
4399644 Bright Aug 1983 A
4402118 Benedetti Sep 1983 A
4778320 Nakama Oct 1988 A
4792475 Bien Dec 1988 A
4865505 Okada Sep 1989 A
5193961 Hoyle et al. Mar 1993 A
5533237 Higgins Jul 1996 A
5542158 Gronau et al. Aug 1996 A
5561961 Paul Oct 1996 A
6381811 Smith et al. May 2002 B2
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
254071 Jan 1963 AU
496700 Oct 1953 CA
884123 Dec 1961 GB
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/176883 Jan 2000 US