Quarter turn panel fastener

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to fasteners, particularly for adjacent panels of sheet metal, which can be fastened with relatively small ranges of rotation, particularly one quarter turn to a first panel, and linearly inserted into a second adjacent panel.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] In the prior art, reusable fasteners are used in many applications wherein adjacent sheet metal panels are joined, such as, but not limited to, automotive applications. However, many of these fasteners function only if the aperture in the panel is a molded aperture having intricate ramped surfaces. Additionally, many fasteners in the prior art do not provide a seal on the panel. Other prior art of this type includes multi-component fasteners which increase the difficulty during assembly or disassembly, both in automated and manual applications.

[0006] The invention is a fastener which passes through aligned apertures of adjacent panels of sheet metal. The fastener includes a head and a retainer. The head includes ramped surfaces on the underside thereof and an oval quarter turn configuration which is designed to install through a slot in a flat panel, typically the secondary panel. Flex tabs lock the head in place after the head has been turned one quarter turn.

[0007] The retainer includes retention fingers, which can be of a single or a double height, for engaging a flat panel, typically a primary panel. The fastener further provides seals against the panels, which is particularly important in automotive applications. Additionally, a foam or rubber washer can enhance the sealing.

[0008] The fastener of the present invention is further easily serviceable in that the fastener can be turned one quarter turn in the opposite direction of the original installation, so that the secondary panel can be removed from the primary panel, but the fastener remains attached to the primary panel by the retention fingers.

[0009] Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the fastener of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the fastener of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fastener of the present invention, particularly illustrating the retainer portion.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the fastener of the present invention, shown with installed to the primary and secondary panels.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the head of the fastener of the present invention being inserted through an oval shaped slot.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fastener of the present invention with the head fastened to the panel of FIG. 5.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the fastener of the panel of FIG. 5.

[0017] FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the head of the fastener of the present invention being inserted through the oval shaped slot in the panel of FIG. 5.

[0018] FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of the head of the fastener of the present invention in an installed position in the oval shaped slot in the panel.

[0019] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fastener 10 of the present invention. Fastener 10 is typically formed of an integral piece of molded plastic, although those skilled in the art will recognize a range of equivalent substitutions. Fastener 10 is formed about a longitudinal axis 100 and includes the following parts, starting from the top in the orientation shown in FIG. 1—oval shaped head 12, head seal 14, spacer 16 (shown in FIG. 4), retainer seal 18 and retainer 20.

[0020] Head 12 has a circular upper surface 22 with a blind aperture 24 with alternating concave and convex interior surfaces for receiving a driving tool (not shown) along longitudinal axis 100. Frusto-conical walls 26 extend downwardly from circular upper surface 22 to oval-shaped base 28. Oval-shaped base 28 is supported by a cylindrical post 30 which has a diameter substantially coextensive with the minor axis of oval-shaped base 28. Cantilevered underside portions 32, 34 of oval shaped base 28 are formed along the exterior portions of major axis of oval shaped base 28. In the illustrated embodiment, cantilevered underside portions 32, 34 extend radially outward from cylindrical support 30 by a distance equal to one half of the difference between the length of the major axis and the length of the minor axis of oval-shaped base 28. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other configurations of the major and minor axis may be used according to the present invention. Cantilevered underside portions 32, 34 are ramped. This ramped configuration allows a range of thicknesses of secondary panel 200 to be engaged between cantilevered underside portions 32, 34 and head seal 14.

[0021] Head seal 14 has a disk-shaped cross section when viewed from above in the orientation of FIG. 1 or along longitudinal axis 100. Head seal 14 further has an upwardly directed umbrella-type shape so as to flatten and compress against a panel engaged between head seal 14 and cantilevered underside portions 32, 34 of head 12 thereby forming a sealing relationship.

[0022] Locking tabs 40, 42 (see FIG. 9 for the illustration of both tabs 40, 42) are formed at the intersection of circular support 30 and head seal 14, immediately under the minor axis of oval shaped base 28 of head 12. Locking tabs 40, 42 are typically as long as the width of the slot into which head 12 will lock. Further, locking tabs 40, 42 are configured and arranged to bend downwardly when head 12 is first inserted in an oval slot 202 of secondary panel 200 such as in FIG. 8, and then after head 12 is turned a quarter turn (i.e., 90°), locking tabs 40, 42 snap upwardly so as to traverse a width of oval slot 202 thereby locking fastener 10 in place with respect to slot 202.

[0023] Spacer 16 separates head seal 14 from retainer seal 18. Retainer seal 18 is similarly shaped to head seal 14 in that it is disk-shaped when viewed along the longitudinal axis 100 and further has an umbrella-type shape when viewed from the side, directed toward retainer 20. Retainer seal 18 flattens and compresses thereby forming a sealing relationship with a primary panel 100 engaged by retainer 20. Retainer 20 is illustrated as being cylindrically shaped and, as shown in FIG. 2, has a hollow interior with a square or other shaped blind aperture 50 therein for receiving a driving tool (not shown). Those skilled in the art will realize that other configurations of the retainer 20, including but not limited to a tree-type design, can be used according to the principles of the present invention. Lateral walls of retainer 20 include diametrically opposed retention fingers 52, 54 pointing upwardly toward retainer seal 18. FIG. 2 shows single level retention fingers 52, 54 for snap engaging a primary panel 100 of a specific thickness or narrow range of thicknesses between retention fingers 52, 54 and retainer seal 18. However, FIG. 3 shows a double level retention finger 52a, 52ballowing for a broader range of thicknesses of primary panel 100 to be engaged therein. The cylindrical shape of retainer 20 allows retainer 20 to rotate within the aperture of primary panel 100 while snap detent engaged therein.

[0024] To use the fastener 10 of the present invention, the user typically inserts head 12 into an oval slot 202 in a secondary panel 200 (a typical but non-limiting example of a secondary panel 200 is a panel of an automotive door module) as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8. This initially requires the major axis of oval shaped base 28 to be aligned with the length of oval slot 202. The user then twists fastener 10, possibly with the aid of driving tools inserted into at least one of blind apertures 24, 50, by one quarter turn (i.e., 90°) so that the edges of oval shaped slot 202 are engaged by the ramps of cantilevered underside portions 32, 34 and engaged between head seal 14 and oval shaped base 28. Oval shaped base 28 is then perpendicular to oval slot 202. Head seal 14 flattens against secondary panel 200 to form a sealing relationship and locking tabs 40, 42 flex upwardly so as to traverse a width of oval shaped base 28 and lock fastener 10 in place. The user then linearly urges retainer 20, with secondary panel 200 attached, through an aperture in primary panel 100. A typical but non-limiting example of a primary panel 100 would be automotive door sheet metal. Retention fingers 52, 54 flex inwardly while passing through the aperture in primary panel 100 and, after clearing primary panel 100, snap outwardly to detent engage primary panel 100. It is envisioned that some applications may reverse the order of installation. Additionally, the user may insert a foam or rubber washer (not shown) onto head seal 14 or retainer seal 18 to enhance the sealing function. Subsequently, when the secondary panel 200 is to be removed, such as for servicing or replacement of an automotive door module, the user turns fastener 10 by one quarter turn (i.e., 90°) whereby fastener 10 releases from secondary panel 200 by remains attached to primary panel 100. This provides for fasteners 10 to remain in place in the primary panel 100 while any apparatus associated with secondary panel 200 is reloaded and subsequently refastened.

[0025] Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.