Claims
- 1. A fastener assembly comprising:
- a fastener having at least one sidewall and at least one edge, and a flange extending from said sidewall, said flange extending circumferentially around said fastener;
- a retainer having a main body and an opening in said main body, said fastener mounted within said opening, said main body having first and second surfaces;
- a stake located in said sidewall, said stake extending from said sidewall into engagement with said first surface of said first surface of said retainer without disturbing said edge;
- said retainer is retained to said fastener by sandwiching said retainer between said stake and said flange.
- 2. The fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein said fastener has a plurality of sidewalls, each of said sidewalls having a stake.
- 3. The fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein said fastener has a plurality of polygonal oriented sidewalls.
- 4. The fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein said opening has a mating orientation such that said fastener generally mates with said opening.
- 5. A method of retaining a fastener in a retainer, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting a fastener having a plurality of edges defined by ajoining sidewalls and a flange extending radially from said fastener, said flange extending circumferentially around said fastener through an opening of a retainer, such that said retainer is adjacent to said flange; and
- (b) deforming a portion of at least one of said sidewalls without disturbing said edges to affix said retainer between said deformed portion of said fastener and said flange.
- 6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein step (a) further comprises press fitting said fastener into said opening.
- 7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein step (b) is accomplished by staking.
- 8. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein step (b) further comprises staking each of said sidewalls.
Parent Case Info
This application claims a priority to a provisional application filed on Jul. 2, 1997, application no. 60/052,771.
US Referenced Citations (5)