U.S. patent application number 10/789543 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for releaseable fastening device.
Invention is credited to Schwab, Leo F..
Application Number | 20050190573 10/789543 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34887296 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050190573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schwab, Leo F. |
September 1, 2005 |
Releaseable fastening device
Abstract
A device for releasably fastening a first component to a second
component includes a device body, a first fastener extending from
the device body and operable to attach the device body to the first
component, and a second fastener extending from the device body and
adapted to attach the device to the second component. When a force
of greater than a predetermined amount is applied to the second
component, the first fastener detaches from the first component
without damaging the first component. Preferably, the first
component is a vehicle headlamp assembly and the second component
is a bumper fascia. The first and second fasteners of the device
body accurately position the fascia relative to said headlamp
assembly and securely hold the fascia at a location near a lamp
lens.
Inventors: |
Schwab, Leo F.; (Fraser,
MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LAURA C. HARGITT
General Motors Corporation
Legal Staff, Mail Code 482-C23-B21
P.O. Box 300
Detroit
MI
48265-3000
US
|
Family ID: |
34887296 |
Appl. No.: |
10/789543 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/549 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 19/26 20130101;
Y10T 403/606 20150115; B60R 2019/1886 20130101; B60Q 1/0491
20130101; B60R 13/04 20130101; F16B 5/0635 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
362/549 |
International
Class: |
F21V 007/04 |
Claims
1. A device for releasably fastening a first component to a second
component, comprising: a device body; a first fastener extending
from said device body and operable to attach said device body to
the first component; a second fastener extending from said device
body and adapted to attach said device to the second component,
whereby when a force of greater than a predetermined amount is
applied to the second component, said first fastener detaches from
the first component without damaging the first component.
2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said device body
includes an upper arm and a lower arm connected by an intermediate
arm.
3. The device according to claim 2 wherein said first fastener is a
return flange defining a channel between said return flange and
said upper arm.
4. The device according to claim 2 wherein said second fastener is
an attachment arm extending from said intermediate arm and defining
a channel between said intermediate arm and said lower arm.
5. The device according to claim 1 wherein said device body is
constructed of a one of an acetyl material, a polypropylene
material, and a plastic material.
6. The device according to claim 1 wherein said device body is
constructed of a one of an acetyl material, a polypropylene
material, and a plastic material.
7. An assembly for releasably fastening a first component to a
second component, comprising: a first component; a second
component; a device body; a first fastener extending from said
device body and operable to attach said device body to said first
component; a second fastener extending from said device body and
adapted to attach said device to said second component, whereby
when a force of greater than a predetermined amount is applied to
said second component, said first fastener detaches from the first
component without damaging the first component, and whereby when a
force of less than the predetermined amount is applied to said
second component, said first fastener remains attached to said
first component.
8. The device according to claim 6 wherein said device body
includes an upper arm and a lower arm connected by an intermediate
arm.
9. The device according to claim 7 wherein said first fastener is a
return flange defining a channel between said return flange and
said upper arm.
10. The device according to claim 7 wherein said second fastener is
an attachment arm extending from said intermediate arm and defining
a channel between said intermediate arm and said lower arm.
11. The device according to claim 6 wherein said device body is
constructed of a one of an acetyl material, a polypropylene
material, and a plastic material.
12. The device according to claim 1 wherein said first component is
a headlamp assembly.
13. The device according to claim 1 wherein said first component is
a taillamp assembly.
14. The device according to claim 1 wherein said second component
is bumper fascia.
15. A fascia assembly for releasably fastening a component to a
housing, comprising: a lamp assembly having a housing and a lamp
lens; a fascia; a device body having an upper arm and a lower arm
connected by an intermediate arm; a first fastener extending from
said device body and operable to attach said device body to said
lamp assembly; a second fastener extending from said device body
and adapted to attach said device body to the fascia, whereby when
a force of greater than a predetermined amount is applied to said
fascia, said first fastener detaches from the lamp assembly without
damaging the lamp assembly, whereby when a force of less than the
predetermined amount is applied to said fascia, said first fastener
remains attached to said lamp assembly, wherein said first and
second fasteners of said device body accurately position said
fascia relative to said lamp assembly and securely hold said fascia
at a location near said lamp lens.
16. The fascia assembly according to claim 15 including a
projection extending outwardly from a free end of said intermediate
arm, said projection operable to provide a surface to allow for
manually removing said fascia from said device body.
17. The device according to claim 15 including a finger extending
from said housing that engages with an end of said device body,
said end of said device body overlapping said finger by a distance
and including a radius formed thereon.
18. The device according to claim 17 wherein the predetermined
force applied to said fascia to detach said first fastener from
said lamp assembly may be varied by varying the distance said end
overlaps said finger. 19. The device according to claim 17 wherein
the predetermined force applied to said fascia to detach said first
fastener from said lamp assembly may be varied by varying said
radius.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to fastening devices
and, in particular, to a releasable fastening device for automotive
vehicle components, such as vehicle trim components.
[0002] Vehicle trim components, such as fascias mounted adjacent to
headlamp and taillamp assemblies are well known. Gaps and flushness
requirements on vehicles between the fascia and the headlamp and
taillamp assemblies on future vehicles are being reduced. As a
result, the dimensional variation between the fascia and the lamp
assembly needs to be controlled much more accurately. Prior art
means of controlling this variation have resorted to using support
brackets that hold the top surface of the fascia relative to the
headlamp and taillamp lens. These designs, however, allow the high
loads imparted into a fascia from a bumper impact to be absorbed
into the body structure of the vehicle. If the fascia is mounted
directly to the lamp housing, the impact loading disadvantageously
breaks the lamp housing and lens, causing a great deal of damage
for a fairly small impact load.
[0003] It is desirable, therefore, to provide a device and/or a
method for releaseably fastening a fascia to a headlamp or a
taillamp housing while letting it release during a bumper impact
rather than transfer high loads to the housing and lens.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention concerns a device for releasably
fastening a first component to a second component. The device
includes a device body, a first fastener extending from the device
body and operable to attach the device body to the first component
and a second fastener extending from the device body and adapted to
attach the device to the second component. When a force of greater
than a predetermined amount is applied to the second component, the
first fastener detaches from the first component without damaging
the first component.
[0005] Preferably, the first component is a vehicle headlamp or
taillamp assembly and the second component is a vehicle bumper
fascia. Preferably, the device body attaches to the first and
second components by snap-fit connections with the first and second
fasteners. The device in accordance with the present invention
holds the top surface of the fascia housing relative to the lamp
lens but upon high bumper impact loading, the device snaps away
from the lamp assembly. The snap features are designed so that
after the high bumper impact load, the snap feature of the device
will allow it to be snapped back into place without damage to the
device or the lamp assembly or the fascia. In addition, the device
can more accurately control the fascia to lamp assembly dimensions
because it is located directly to the lamp housing under the
lens.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The above, as well as other advantages of the present
invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art
from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment
when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a releasable
fastening device in accordance with the present invention shown
attached to a lamp housing and a bumper fascia;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the
releasable fastening device of FIG. 1 shown detached from the
housing; and
[0009] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view in an enlarged scale of the
encircled portion 3 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0010] Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a device for releasably
attaching a first component to a second component in accordance
with the present invention is indicated generally at 10. The device
10 includes a device body 12 having an upper arm 14 and a lower arm
16 connected by an intermediate arm 18 and extending in opposite
directions therefrom. The upper arm 14 includes a return flange 20
extending from a free end thereof that defines a channel 22 between
respective inner surfaces of the return flange 20 and the upper arm
14. The upper arm 14, the return flange 20, and the channel 22
define a first fastener, indicated generally at 23. A projection 24
extends upwardly from the inner surface of the upper arm 14.
Preferably, the projection 24 is ramped on a leading edge thereof
to facilitate attachment to a flange 26 of a first component, such
as a housing 28, discussed in more detail below. Preferably the
device body 12 is formed of an acetyl material, a polypropylene
material, a plastic material, or another material having similar
properties. A rib 13 extends between the upper arm 14 and the
intermediate arm 18 to provide support to the device body 12.
Alternatively, the first component 28 is a taillamp housing.
[0011] An attachment arm 30 extends from the intermediate arm 18
from a location between the upper arm 14 and the lower arm 16 and
in the same direction as the lower arm 16, defining a channel 32
between respective interior surfaces of the attachment arm 30 and
the lower arm 16. The lower arm 14, the attachment arm 30, and the
channel 32 define a second fastener, indicated generally at 33. A
projection 34 extends downwardly from an inner surface of the
attachment arm 30. Preferably, the projection 34 is ramped on a
leading edge thereof to facilitate attachment to a flange 36 of a
second component 38, discussed in more detail below. The second
component 38 is preferably a vehicle bumper fascia.
[0012] The flange 26 includes an aperture 27 formed therein and the
flange 36 includes an aperture 37 formed therein. The interior
surface defined by the aperture 27 cooperates with the projection
24 of the upper arm 14 when the device body 12 is attached thereto,
discussed in more detail below. The interior surface defined by the
aperture 37 cooperates with the projection 34 of the attachment arm
30 when the device body 12 is attached thereto, discussed in more
detail below.
[0013] The housing 28 is adapted to receive a first component such
as a vehicle headlamp lens 40. Alternatively, the first component
40 is a vehicle taillamp lens. The housing 28 and the lens 40 form
a lamp assembly, indicated generally at 41. A pair of flanges 42 of
the housing 28 is operable to attach to a corresponding flange 44
of the lens 40. Alternatively, the housing 28 is attached to the
lens 40 in any suitable manner to form the assembly 41. A finger 46
extends from the housing 28 in an opposite direction from the
flanges 42 to engage with an end 48 of the upper arm 14 opposite
the return flange 20 when the device body 12 is attached thereto.
The end 48 of the upper arm 14 includes a corner shaped by a radius
48a, best seen in FIG. 3, that engages with the finger 46 of the
housing 28.
[0014] During assembly of the device 10, the device body 12 is
attached to the fascia 38 by pressing the flange 36 into the
channel 32 at the second fastener 33. The free end of the flange 36
engages with the projection 34, deflecting the flange 30 upwardly
and, as the flange 36 continues into the channel 32, the projection
34 engages in the aperture 37, releasably securing the flange 36 in
place in the channel 32 and attaching the device body 12 to the
fascia 38 via a snap-fit.
[0015] After the flange 36 has been pressed into the channel 32,
the flange 26 is pressed into the channel 22 at the first fastener
23. Alternatively, the flange 26 is pressed into the channel 22
prior to the flange 36 being pressed into the channel 32.
Alternatively, concurrent with the flange 36 being pressed into the
channel 32, the flange 26 is pressed into the channel 22. The free
end of the flange 26 engages with the projection 24, deflecting the
flange 26 upwardly and, as the flange 26 continues into the channel
22, the projection 24 engages in the aperture 27, releasably
securing the flange 26 in place in the channel 22 and attaching the
device body 12 to the housing 28 via a snap-fit. An upper surface
of the finger 46 engages with a lower surface of the end 48 of the
upper arm 14. The engaging surfaces of the finger 46 and the end 48
of the upper arm 14 overlap by a distance indicated by an arrow 47.
Preferably, a groove (not shown) is molded in the housing 28
adjacent the finger 46 that facilitates attaching the end 48 of the
upper arm 14 to the housing 28. The overlap 47 and the radius 48a
may be varied depending on the detachment requirements of the
device 10, discussed in more detail below. The projection 34
extends from the lower surface of the arm 30 for a greater distance
that the distance that the projection 24 extends from the upper
surface of the arm 14. The force required to dislodge or release
the projection 24 of the upper arm 14 from the flange 26,
therefore, is much less than the force required to dislodge or
release the projection 34 of the attachment arm 30 from the flange
36.
[0016] Because the device body 12 is attached to both the flange 26
of the housing 28 and to the flange 36 of the fascia 38, the device
body 12 secures the fascia 38 to the headlamp assembly 41. The
fascia 38 and the headlamp assembly 41, when attached, therefore,
define a gap 50 between the lens 40 and the fascia 38. The device
body 12, therefore, accurately positions the fascia 38 relative to
the headlamp assembly 41 and securely holds the fascia 38 at a
location near the lens 40.
[0017] The attachment arm 30 of the device body 12 may be removed
from the flange 36 by placing a tool, such as a screwdriver or the
like (not shown), on the lower surface of a projection 54 extending
outwardly from a free end of the attachment arm 30. Preferably, the
tool is placed on the lower surface of the projection 54 by moving
the flange 36 in a downward direction indicated by an arrow 56,
which widens the gap 50 and allows the tool to be placed adjacent
the projection 54. The projection 54 provides a surface for lifting
the arm 30 whereby the projection 34 on the lower surface of the
arm 30 can be lifted away from the aperture 37, and the arms 16,
18, and 30 may be moved away from the flange 36, which allows for
removal of the fascia 38 from the device body 12 upon disassembly
of the fascia 38, the device body 12, the lens 40, and the lamp
housing 28 for vehicle repair.
[0018] When a force is applied to the fascia 38 in a direction
indicated by an arrow 58, (such as during a bumper impact or the
like) the fascia 38 and the flange 36 transmit the force to the
device body 12 through the arms 16 and 30 and the projection 34.
The device body 12 reacts to the force by moving in a direction
indicated by an arrow 60. If the force applied to the fascia 38 is
less than a predetermined amount, the end 48 of the upper arm 14
remains overlapped on the finger 46 and the projection 24 remains
in the aperture 27. If the force applied to the fascia 38 is
greater than the predetermined amount, the end 48 moves away from
the flange 46 and the projection 24 is forced out of the aperture
27, removing the upper arm 14 from the flange 26 of the housing 28,
best seen in FIG. 2. Because the end 48 moves away from the finger
46 and/or the arm 14 releases from the flange 26 after a force of
the predetermined amount has been applied to the fascia 38, the
excess force is not transferred to the lamp housing 28 or, more
importantly, to the headlamp assembly 41. The headlamp assembly 41,
therefore, remains intact and undamaged when a force is applied to
the fascia 38, advantageously reducing the amount of potential
repair and/or replacement costs after the force has been applied.
After the event has taken place, the device body 12 can be
reattached to the housing 28.
[0019] The predetermined amount of force applied to the fascia 38
that will separate the end 48 of the arm 14 from the finger 46
and/or the projection 24 from the flange 26 may be tuned by varying
the profile of the projection 24, by varying the length of the
projection 24, by varying the amount of overlap 47 between the end
48 of the arm 14 and the finger 46, and by varying the radius 48a.
For example, the radius 48a can be varied to allow the tuning of
the load to occur so that there is no damage imparted to the
headlamp assembly 41 or to the fascia 38 when the end 48 releases
but also allows the device 10 to hold the fascia 38 relative to the
headlamp assembly 41 under normal or low speed impacts.
[0020] The device 10 in accordance with the present invention can
be advantageously tuned depending on a desired functionality. For
example, if it is desired that the fascia 38 must absorb a
predetermined load but not release from the headlamp assembly 41,
the radius 48a may be tuned to provide this desired functionality.
Similarly, if it is desired that the fascia 38 must absorb a
predetermined load and release from but not break the headlamp
assembly 41, the radius 48a may also be tuned to provide this
desired functionality. Thus with the same device 10 each or both of
the desired functions may be met by merely tuning the radius 48a on
the end 48 of the arm 14 while remaining within the scope of the
present invention.
[0021] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes,
the present invention has been described in what is considered to
represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted
that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically
illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or
scope.
* * * * *