Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02685346 2009-10-16
POSITIVE PRESSURE FASTENING AID
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
10001 The present invention relates to devices and methods for installing a
fastener with an anchor
member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Particularly in the automotive industry, 100021 y as well as other industries,
it is often necessary to install
an anchor member onto a work piece. This is commonly done, for instance, to
mount a trim strip on a side
panel of the vehicle. The anchor member, also known as a grommet,
traditionally is installed in a first step
into an aperture located in the side panel, followed by installing a bracket
on the grommet. This is done by
aligning a passageway in the bracket with the grommet. A fastener is then
installed through the
passageway in the bracket and received into the grommet.
(0003] The grommet is installed manually or with the aid of a specialized tool
and then the fastener is
installed using a separate tool, making the procedure relatively awkward and
inconsistent. Furthermore, the
grommet is prone to what is known as "outflow" wherein, following the initial
installation of the grornmet,
it can partially recede from its target position before the installation of a
fastener, resulting in a poor fit of
the bracket against the surface when the fastener is installed in a further
step. It is therefore desirable to
obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL INVENTIVE CONCEPT
100041 In an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a device for installing a
fastener in an anchor
member. The device comprises a housing which has a first end region and a
second end region. The
second end region is adapted to receive therethrough an elongate drive member
for driving the fastener.
The elongate drive member has a drive head for operably communicating with the
fastener. The second
end region has a plurality of gripping projections extending outwardly from
the second end region for
reversibly gripping the anchor member. The drive member is slidably mounted in
the housing for travel
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between a drive head extended position and a drive head receded position
relative to the gripping
projections. A biasing member is located within the housing for biasing the
drive member end toward the
drive member end receded position.
100051 In some exemplary embodiments, the housing includes a central opening
in the second end region
and between the gripping projections. A sleeve is positioned centrally in the
housing and includes a
passageway. The passageway and central opening are aligned to receive the
drive member therethrough.
100061 In some exemplary embodiments, the housing includes a pair of side wall
portions. The sleeve is
positioned by a pair of lateral support portions, with each extending inwardly
from a corresponding side
wall portion. In one example, the lateral support portions include set screws.
100071 Some exemplary embodiments further comprise a first flange portion
coupled to the sleeve to
engage the biasing member. The biasing member may be a coil spring acting
between the first end region
and the flange portion.
100081 In some exemplary embodiments, the projections include fingers
extending beyond opposite sides
of the central opening. The fingers may have remote end regions with
engagement formations thereon to
engage corresponding opposite sides of the anchor member. The fingers may
include outer surface regions
and be configured for the outer surface regions to engage corresponding inner
surface regions on a bracket
to be installed with the anchor member on the target surface. In this case,
the outer surface regions may be
planar and generally parallel.
[00091 In another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a coupling assembly
comprising a bracket
portion mountable on a target surface. The bracket portion includes a central
passage for alignment with an
aperture on the target surface. The central passage is arranged to receive an
anchor member therein. The
bracket includes a cavity bounded by a pair of inner surface regions. The
central passage is located at an
inner boundary of the cavity. A mounting tool is also provided with a pair of
projections with a
corresponding pair of distal end regions configured to engage the anchor
member. The mounting tool
includes a drive portion with a drive head to receive a fastener thereon. The
mounting tool is arranged to
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extend along the cavity with the projections locating the anchor member in an
operative position adjacent
the passage.
1000101 In some embodiments, the drive tool is configured to position a
threaded fastener in a central hole
in the anchor member, to mount the anchor member and the bracket on the target
surface.
[000111 In still another exemplified embodiment, there is provided a method
for securing an article against
a work piece surface comprising:
a) providing an article with a central passage for alignment with an aperture
on the target
surface;
b) providing a tool with a housing, a drive member with a drive head end, and
with the drive
head extending through the housing; a pair of projections on opposite sides
along a travel path
of the drive head, the projections being configured to engage the article in
regions peripheral
to the central passage;
c) locating a fastener on the drive head;
d) aligning an anchor member with the article and the aperture;
e) delivering the projections into the passage to a preassembly position in
which the
projections engage the article , with the article against the target surface
and aligned with the
aperture; and
f) displacing the drive head to deliver the fastener through the anchor member
and the
aperture to secure the article on the target surface.
[000121 In some exemplary embodiments, step e) includes:
g) engaging the anchor member with the projections.
[00013] In some exemplary embodiments, step e) includes, after step g),
h) delivering the anchor member into the passage.
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(00014( In some exemplary embodiments, step e) includes:
i) installing the anchor member in the aperture or in the article adjacent the
aperture; and
j) aligning the projections in the preassembly position with the anchor
member.
1000151 In some exemplary embodiments, the article is a bracket.
1000161 In yet another exemplary embodiment, there is provided an automotive
vehicle made according to
the methods described herein.
(00017( In yet another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a device for
inserting an anchor member
into an aperture on a target surface and maintaining the anchor member in a
desired position during
installation of a fastener. The anchor member is adapted for receiving the
fastener therein. The device
comprises a housing which has a first end region and a second end region. The
second end region is
adapted to receive therethrough an elongate drive member for driving the
fastener. The elongate drive
member has a drive head for operably communicating with the fastener. The
second end region has a
plurality of gripping projections extending outwardly from the second end
region for reversibly gripping
the anchor member. The drive member is slidably mounted in the housing for
travel between a drive head
extended position and a drive head receded position relative to the gripping
projections. A biasing member
is located within the housing for biasing the drive member end toward the
drive member end receded
position.
1000181 In still another exemplified embodiment, there is provided a method
for securing a mounting
bracket against a work piece surface comprising:
-providing a bracket with a central passage for alignment with an aperture on
the target
surface;
- providing an anchor member to be aligned with the bracket and the aperture;
- providing a tool with a housing, a drive member with a drive head end, and
with the drive
head extending through the housing; a pair of projections on opposite sides
along a-travel path
of the drive head, the projections being configured to engage the bracket in
regions peripheral
to the central passage;
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- locating a fastener on the drive head;
- delivering the anchor member and projections and anchor member into the
passage to a
preassembly position in which the anchor member is engaged with the
projections and the
bracket, with the bracket against the target surface and aligned with the
aperture; and
- displacing the drive head to deliver the fastener through the anchor member
and the aperture
to secure the anchor member and bracket on the target surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[000191 Several embodiments of the present invention will be provided, by way
of examples only, with
reference to the appended drawings, wherein:
[000201 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for inserting an anchor
member;
[000211 Figures 2a to 2g are operational side views of the device of figure 1
in a first operation;
1000221 Figures 3a to 3f are operational side views of the device of figure 1
in a second operation;
[000231 Figures 4a to 4c are operational side views of the device of figure 1
in a first operation;
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[000241 It should be understood that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of
construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced
or of being carried out in
various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the
purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of
"including," "comprising," or
"having" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed
thereafter and equivalents
thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms
"connected," "coupled," and
"mounted," and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct
and indirect connections,
couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms "connected" and "coupled" and
variations thereof are not
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restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. Furthermore,
and as described in subsequent
paragraphs, the specific mechanical, other configurations illustrated in the
drawings are intended to
exemplify embodiments of the invention. However, other alternative mechanical
or other configurations
are possible which are considered to be within the teachings of the instant
disclosure.
1000251 Referring to the figures, there is provided a device 10 for inserting
an anchor member 12 (figure
2a) into an aperture 14 on a target surface 16 and maintaining the anchor
member 12 in a desired position
during installation of a fastener 17 (figure 2e). The anchor member 12, as
will be described, is adapted for
receiving the fastener 17 therein and, in one example, is provided as a
grommet 12. In this case, the target
surface 16 may be provided on an automotive vehicle or other product.
1000261 The device 10 has a housing 18 with a first end region 20 and a second
end region 22. The second
end region 22 is adapted to receive therethrough, an elongate drive member 24
for driving the fastener 17.
The elongate drive member 24 has a drive head 26 for operably communicating
with the fastener 17. A
plurality of gripping projections 28 extend outwardly from the second end
region 22 for reversibly gripping
the grommet 12. The drive member 24 is slidably mounted in the housing 18 for
travel between a drive
head extended position, as shown in figure 2g, and a drive head receded
position, as shown in figure 2d,
relative to the gripping projections 28. A biasing member 30 is also located
within the housing I8 for
biasing the drive head 24 toward the drive head receded position.
[00027) The housing 18 includes a central opening 32 in the second end region
22 and between the
gripping projections 28. A sleeve 34 is positioned centrally in the housing 18
and includes a passageway,
which is aligned with the central opening 32 to receive the drive member 24
therethrough.
[00028) The housing 18 includes a pair of side wall portions 18a and the
sleeve 34 is positioned by way a
pair of lateral support portions 38, each extending inwardly from a
corresponding side wall portion 18a. In
this case, the lateral support portions are provided in the form of set screws
38 held within corresponding
passages in the side wall portion 18a.
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1000291 The biasing member 30, in this case, is a coil spring 30 which is
positioned between the first end
region 20 and a flange portion 40 coupled to the sleeve 34, thus enabling the
spring 30 to act between the
first end region 20 and the flange portion 40.
1000301 The projections 28 are provided, in this case, in the form of fingers
28 which extend beyond
opposite sides of the central opening 32. The fingers 28 have remote end
regions 28a with engagement
formations thereon to engage corresponding opposite sides of the anchor member
12. The engagement
formations, in this case, are in the form of stepped corners 42, with an outer
spacing between them which
approximates the outer diameter of the anchor members 12. Other engagement
formations may be
employed, according to the shape and/or configuration of the grommet.
1000311 The fingers 28 include outer surface regions 44 and are configured for
the outer surface regions 44
to engage corresponding inner surface regions 46a on a bracket 46 (as shown in
figures 2a and 2b) to be
installed with the anchor member 12 on the target surface 16. In this case,
the outer surface regions 44 are
planar and generally parallel.
1000321 The device 10 may be employed in different ways to deliver the anchor
member 12 in an operative
position against a target surface 16, for example on a vehicle chassis, or
other work piece. First, a fastener
17 may be installed on the drive head 26 as shown in figure 2e. The anchor
member 12 and the projections 28 may then be delivered into a passage 48 on
the bracket 46 and placed in a preassembly position in which
the anchor member 12 is engaged with the stepped corners 42 and the bracket
46, with the bracket 46
against the target surface 16 and aligned with the aperture 14. The drive head
26 may then be displaced to
deliver the fastener 17 through the anchor member 12 and the aperture 14 to
secure the anchor member 12
and bracket 46 on the target surface 16.
1000331 One variation of this method is shown in figures 2a to 2g. In this
case, the anchor member 12 is
located first in the aperture 14 on the target surface 16 as shown in figures
2a to 2c. Next, a fastener 17 is
positioned on the drive head 26 as shown in figure 2e and the projections 28
are oriented to fit in the
passage 48 until contact is made between the stepped corners 42 and the outer
periphery of the anchor
member 12. The engagement between the projections 28 and the inner surface
regions 46a of the passages
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thus provide alignment for the fastener 17 and the anchor member 12. Further,
the stepped corners 42
allow for alignment of the anchor member 12 and the bracket 46. With the
alignment of the fastener 17, the
anchor member 12 and the bracket 46, the drive head 26 may be driven by a
drive tool to deliver the
fastener 17 through the anchor member 12 and into the aperture 14. The device
10 may then be removed.
1000341 Another variation is shown in figures 3a to 3f. In this case, the
anchor member 12 is located
below the bracket 46 and already in the aperture 14 on the target surface 16.
A fastener 17 is positioned on
the drive head 26 and the projections 28 are oriented to fit in the passage 48
of the bracket 46 until contact
is made between the stepped comers 42 and an inner boundary wall 46b on the
bracket 46, thus aligning for
the fastener 17 with the bracket 46. The bracket 46 may then be aligned with
the aperture 14. With the
alignment of the fastener 17, the anchor member 12 and the bracket 46, the
drive head 26 may be driven by
a drive tool to deliver the fastener 17 through the anchor member 12 and into
the aperture 14. The device
may then be removed.
100035] Still another variation is shown in figures 4a to 4c. In this case, a
fastener 17 is positioned on the
drive head 26 and the anchor member 12 is located in the stepped corners 42 of
the projections 28. Next,
projections 28 are oriented to fit in the passage 48 until contact is made
with the inner boundary wall of the
bracket 46. With the alignment of the fastener 17, the anchor member 12 and
the bracket 46, the drive head
26 may be driven by a drive tool to deliver the fastener 17 through the anchor
member 12 and into the
aperture 14. The device 10 may then be removed.
1000361 Thus, in one example, the device 10 provides a positive pressure
fastening aid enabling a fastener
and a clip bracket to be installed simultaneously. The device may be attached
to any fastener installation
tool's drive (such as those with square, hex or other configurations). The
device is made to either hold an
object stationary while installing a fastener or to lock a clip or bracket
into place while installing a fastener.
When the device is held to attain an object without pressure, the fastener
will not engage the object. Once
pressure is induced, the fastener will engage the object depending on the
amount of pressure exerted. The
amount of pressure may be adjusted within the body of the device.
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1000371 Thus, in one example, the device 10 provides an effective tool for
employing a grommet or other
anchor member, together with a fastener, to install a bracket or other article
on a target surface of a work
piece, such as an automotive vehicle, by utilizing interactions between
gripping projections and the anchor
member, the gripping projections and the article, along with the drive head
and the fastener.
1000381 While the device 10 is described hereinabove for use in mounting a
bracket to a target surface, the
device may be used for installing articles other than brackets.
1000391 Those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications,
permutations, additions and sub-
combinations thereof of parts noted herein. While the positive pressure
fastening aid device 10 has been
described for what are presently considered the exemplary embodiments, the
invention is not so limited. To
the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and
equivalent arrangements included
within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of the following
claims is to be accorded the
broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent structures and functions.
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