Cover fastening system for a vehicle

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a cover fastening system for an exterior surface (76) of a vehicle, comprising: a cover (20) having at least one locking pin (25) disposed on an inner surface (22) of the cover (20), wherein the at least one locking pin (25) has at least one protrusion (35); a housing (50) wherein the housing (50) is mechanically engaged in a groove (72) on the surface of the vehicle; and wherein the locking pin (25) engages with the inner surface (56) of the housing (50) to retain the cover (20); and relates to a cover fastening method for a vehicle surface (76).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mechanically attached cover for A-surface on a vehicle. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a cover for concealing slots provided on an A-surface having an attachment mechanism that enables multiple engagements and disengagements of the cover without causing damage. The present disclosure also relates to a vehicle having such a cover fastening system. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the advent of camera monitoring systems replacing mirrors in vehicles, when the camera system replaces the mirror system of existing vehicles, the slots provided for the screws attaching the mirror remain open. These slots detract from the aesthetics of the vehicle surface and typically, a cover is used to conceal the slots. An attachment element is used with the cover to provide secure attachment of the cover on the vehicle surface. The current system attachment element comprises an adapter that clips into the vehicle surface of the area to be concealed, a cover and double sided tape that adheres to the clip and the cover. This arrangement reduces the possibility of disassembling and assembling the cover without replacing the tape and additionally using glue to secure the cover to the vehicle, resulting in inconvenience of use. The present disclosure describes a means of attaching a cover to a vehicle for concealing slots that has a mechanism that allows multiple assembly / disassembly without functional damage, thereby providing greater convenience, reduced complexity and replacement cost.

[0003] It is an object of the present disclosure to further develop the known cover fastening system known in the art to overcome its problems. In particular, a mechanically attached cover for A-surface on a vehicle system will be provided that overcomes at least some of the above-mentioned problems. SUMMARY

[0004] One general aspect includes a cover fastening system for a vehicle surface, in particular an exterior surface. The cover fastening system includes a cover having at least one locking pin arranged on an inner surface of the cover, wherein the at least one locking pin has at least one protrusion. The system further includes a shell, wherein the shell is mechanically engaged within a slot on the exterior surface of the vehicle; and wherein the locking pin is configured to mate with and mechanically engage an inner surface of the shell to retain the cover.

[0005] In one embodiment, the at least one locking pin of the cover fastening system is removable from the shell without functional damage.

[0006] Functional damage according to the present disclosure is considered to be a structural damage of the locking pin, wherein the locking pin is not able to retain the cover to the vehicle when the locking pin is (re)inserted into the housing in the operating and non-operating condition. The at least one locking pin can be removed from the housing up to 10 or more times without functional damage. The protrusion depth on the locking pin is in the range between 0.05 mm and 10 mm, preferably 0.6 mm. The housing material is polycarbonate. The cover has at least one snap-fit connector. The cover has at least two biasing members arranged on the inner surface of the cover and on the peripheral wall.

[0007] One further aspect of the present disclosure comprises a cover fastening system for a vehicle, the cover fastening system also comprising: a cover having at least one locking pin arranged on an inner surface of the cover, wherein the at least one locking pin has at least one protrusion; a housing, wherein the housing is mechanically engaged within a groove on an exterior surface of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the locking pin is configured to mate and mechanically engage with an inner surface of the housing to retain the cover; and wherein the at least one locking pin can be removed from the housing without functional damage.

[0008] One further aspect of the disclosure provided herein comprises a cover fastening system for an exterior surface of a vehicle, the cover fastening system comprising: a cover having at least one locking pin arranged on an inner surface of the cover, wherein the at least one locking pin has at least one protrusion, at least one snap-fit connector, and at least one biasing member; a housing, and wherein the housing is mechanically engaged within a groove on an exterior surface of the vehicle; wherein the locking pin is configured to mate and mechanically engage with an inner surface of the housing.

[0009] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for fastening a cover to a surface of a vehicle. The method comprises inserting at least one housing onto at least one locking pin on the cover to form a pin-housing assembly, the at least one locking pin having at least one protrusion in pressure contact with an inner wall of a hollow tube housing of the housing, wherein a tapered portion of the locking pin is located outside an open end of the hollow tube housing. Additionally, the cover is positioned on a mirror mounting area such that the pin-housing assembly is aligned with a retaining groove and the at least one snap-fit connector is aligned with a corresponding groove on the mirror mounting area on the surface of the vehicle. The cover is then pushed, whereby the pin-housing assembly is inserted into the groove by a force, the assembly engages the groove, and an outer wall of the hollow tube housing is pressed against a threaded inner wall of the groove. As a result of the protruding member of the locking pin abutting the tapered portion engaging the open end of the hollow tube housing, the locking pin is thus retained in the groove. The at least one snap-fit connector having a top portion with a hook structure is adapted to snap within the groove on the mirror mounting area. The pin-housing assembly and the at least one snap-fit connector securely mount the cover to the surface of the vehicle.

[0010] It should be noted that the features expressly set forth in the following description can be combined with any technically advantageous features in any technically advantageous manner, and that other forms of the disclosure are expressly contemplated. The description is particularly further characterized and specified in connection with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] For a better understanding of the present disclosure, various forms thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0012] Figure 1 A perspective view of a cover according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 A side perspective view of a cover according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0014] Figure 3 A mirror mounting area on a vehicle surface according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 A side perspective view of a locking pin structure according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 A top view of a locking pin structure according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 6a A side perspective view of a housing according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 6b A top perspective view of a housing according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 7a A perspective view of a housing engaged with a pin according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 7b A cross-sectional view of a housing engaged with a pin according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 8 A top perspective view of an L-shaped cover according to the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 9 A mounting area on a vehicle surface for an L-shaped cover according to the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

[0024] REFERENCE Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 A top perspective view of a cover (20) is shown, Figure 2 A side perspective view of a cover (20) is shown,Figure 3 A mirror mounting area (74) on a vehicle surface (76) is shown. A cover (20) is used to conceal at least one slot on the mirror mounting area (74, Figure 3 ) on the vehicle surface (76, Figure 3 ). As described in this disclosure, the cover (20) can be used when a mirror in an existing vehicle is replaced by a camera. However, the cover arrangement can also be used for new design vehicle applications. The at least one slot can be, for example, on a door area of the vehicle, but can also be located anywhere internally or externally where a cover would be used for aesthetic purposes. The exemplary cover (20) has the same profile as the mirror mounting area (74, Figure 3 ), and has an outer surface (21), an inner surface (22), and a perimeter wall (23) that surrounds the perimeter of the inner surface (22). Other forms of the cover (20) can be any profile shape and are not limited to the profile of the mirror mounting area (74). The cover (20) can be attached to the mirror mounting area (74, Figure 3 ) by means of at least one locking structure provided on the inner surface (22). The at least one locking structure mechanically engages or presses into an appropriate retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ) or slot (72, Figure 3 ) provided on the mirror mounting area (74, Figure 3 ), thereby concealing the locking structure so that only the outer surface (21) of the cover (20) remains visible. The at least one locking structure can be one or more pin-and-socket assemblies (30) comprising a locking pin (25, Figure 4 ) and a socket (50, Figure 6a ), one or more snap-fit connectors (27), or a combination of one or more pin-and-socket assemblies (30) and one or more snap-fit connectors (27). The at least one locking structure can be arranged at different locations on the inner surface (22) of the cover (20) to ensure proper attachment to the vehicle. In addition, at least one biasing member (29) is arranged on the inner surface (22) of the cover (20) and on the perimeter wall (23) for shock absorption. In this form, the pin-and-socket assemblies (30) correspond to the retaining slots (70), and the snap-fit connectors correspond to the slots (72) for assembly. In this form, the retaining slots (70) are threaded holes.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 to 2 , the snap-fit connectors (27) provide additional support to mount the cover (20) securely on the vehicle surface (76, Figure 3 ). The snap-fit connectors (27) are present in pairs in this form, each snap-fit connector (27) having a top portion (28t) and a bottom portion. The top portion (28t) forms a slanted hook structure. The bottom portion is attached to the cover (20), while the hook structure facilitates insertion of the snap-fit connector (27) through the mirror mounting surface (74, Figure 3The slot (72) provided on the snap-fit ​​connector (27) is for the snap-fit ​​connector. Figure 3 The hook structure is suitable for snap-fitting into the groove (72, Figure 3 The cover (20) is securely mounted to the vehicle surface (76). Figure 3 ).

[0026] In another aspect of this disclosure, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, at least one biasing member (29) is arranged on the peripheral wall (23) and inner surface (22) of the cover (20) in the region near the locking structure for vibration damping. In this configuration, three biasing members (29) are arranged to help dampen vibrations on the cover. Additionally, a pad (not shown) may be arranged on the top surface of at least one biasing member (29) to prevent wear of the biasing member during pressing contact when the cover (20) is mounted on a vehicle surface.

[0027] refer to Figures 4 to 5 An exemplary locking pin (25) has a first portion (31) and a second portion (32). The first portion (31) has a central rod (33) on which two or more protruding members (34) are provided on either side. Each protruding member (34) has a protrusion (35) and a recess (42) extending along the entire length of the protruding member (34). Each protrusion (35) is equidistant from each other protrusion (35) and has a depth in the range of 0.05 mm to 10 mm (preferably 0.6 mm). The first portion (31) has a first end (36f) and a second end (36s). The second end (36s) is flat at the top, wherein the protruding members (34) taper toward the second end, thereby forming a tapered portion (64, FIG. 7).

[0028] The second part (32) has a first end (37f) and a second end (37s). The first end (37f) of the second part (32) is fixed to the cover (20), while the second end (37s) is connected to the first end (36f) of the first part (31). The second end (37s) of the second part (32) is provided with a stop arrangement, the stop arrangement including Figure 5 The second part shown has an extended flap structure (38) on the opposite side. When the first part (31) of the locking pin (25) is inserted into the first open end (52, FIG. 6) of the housing (50, FIG. 6), the flap structure (38) prevents the locking pin (25) from moving further into the housing (50, FIG. 6). The main body of the second part (32) has a trapezoidal shape and is provided with a first leg (39a) and a second leg (39b) and a connecting area (40) connecting the two legs. The dimensions of the main body of the second part (32) can be modified according to design needs and are not limited to these dimensions. Figure 4the example shown. The height of the body of the second portion (32) can be based on the distance required to secure the first portion (31) in the housing (50). The cross-sectional line A-A of the locking pin (25) inserted into the housing (50) is shown in Figure 7b .

[0029] Figure 6a is a side perspective view of the housing (50), and Figure 6b is a top perspective view of the housing (50). The housing (50) is preferably made of polycarbonate or any similar material. The housing is inserted onto the locking pin (25) of the cover (20) to form the pin-housing assembly (30) before attaching the cover onto the mirror mounting area (74, Figure 3 ) of the vehicle. The cover (20) is positioned on the mirror mounting area (74, Figure 3 ) such that the pin-housing assembly (30) is aligned with the retaining groove (70, Figure 3 ) and inserted by pushing the pin-housing assembly into the retaining groove (70, Figure 3 ). When the locking pin (25) and the housing (50) are engaged in the retaining groove provided on the vehicle, the housing (50) provides a shielding surface for the locking pin (25), thereby enabling the cover (20) to be removed without causing functional damage to the locking pin (25). Functional damage is considered as structural damage to the locking pin, wherein the locking pin is unable to retain the cover to the vehicle when the locking pin is inserted into the housing in the operating and non-operating conditions. The housing (50) has a hollow tube housing (51) having an outer wall (57) and an inner wall (56).

[0030] The hollow tube housing (51) is open at both ends and is provided with a circumferentially extending outer lip (54) on the first open end (52), wherein the diameter of the circumferentially extending outer lip (54) is greater than the diameter of the hollow tube housing (51). The outer lip (54) acts as a stopper to prevent the housing (50) from moving further into the retaining groove (70, Figure 3 ) on the vehicle. The hollow tube housing (51) provides an insertion path for the locking pin (25) structure, as shown in Figure 7a and Figure 7b , and the first portion (31) of the locking pin (25) is inserted into the first open end (52, Figure 5 ) of the hollow tube housing (51). Once the locking pin (25) is inserted into the housing (50), the pin-housing assembly (30) is formed. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the locking pin 25 inserted into the housing (50) along the cross-sectional line A-A, wherein the cross-sectional A-A line is in Figure 5is shown in FIG. 6. When the locking pin (25) is pressed into the shell (50), the protrusion (35) comes in pressure contact with the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube shell (51), thereby causing the inner wall (56) to deform. Thus, the protrusion clamps the inner wall (56) of the shell (50) with the tapered portion (64) outside the second open end (58) of the hollow tube shell (51) of the shell (50). The locking pin (25) is pressed into the retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ) provided on the mirror mounting region (74, Figure 3 ), along with the shell (50), and the outer wall (57) of the hollow tube shell (51) of the shell (50) remains in pressure contact with the threaded inner wall of the retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ). The pressure exerted by the locking pin (25) on the inner wall (56) of the tube shell (51) causes the outer wall (57) of the hollow tube shell (51) of the shell to press against the threaded inner wall of the retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ), which ensures strong contact between the outer wall (57) of the hollow tube shell (51) and the threaded inner wall of the retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ). When the pin (25) is engaged in the retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ), along with the shell (50), the tapered portion (64, FIG. 7) of the locking pin (25) is inside the cavity of the retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ). Additionally, the first protrusion (62) of each protruding member (34) that abuts the tapered portion (64, FIG. 7) of the locking pin (25) engages the outer surface of the second open end (58, Figure 6a ), thereby locking the locking pin (25) and preventing the locking pin (25) from sliding out of the shell (50). When the locking pin (25) is pressed into the shell (50), the flap structure (38) comes in contact with the outer lip (54, Figure 6a ), thereby preventing the locking pin (25) from moving further into the shell (50). The locking pin (25) is configured to be removable from the shell (50) up to 10 or more times without damage or minimal damage to the locking pin (25). Minimal damage to the locking pin (25) is defined as damage to the structural integrity that does not affect the ability of the locking pin (25) to remain in the shell (50). This allows the cover (20) to have an assembly / disassembly function, thereby eliminating the hassle of replacing a new cover when disassembled. The exemplary force required to push the locking pin (25) into the retaining slot (70, Figure 3 ) when the cover (20) is to be engaged in the mirror mounting region (74, Figure 3 ) or to pull the retaining pin (25) from the retaining slot when the cover (20) is to be disengaged from the mirror mounting region (74, Figure 3 ) is in the range of 20 Newtons and 200 Newtons. The force required can vary depending on the size of the cover (20) and the locking pin (25). Upon removal of the cover (20), the shell (50) can remain in the retaining slot (70, Figure 3The housing (50) may still need to be replaced after the locking pin (25) is removed.

[0031] Another exemplary representation of this disclosure is provided by Figure 8 The diagram shows an L-shaped cover (80) with a locking pin (25), a snap-fit ​​connector (27), and a biasing member (29). The L-shaped cover (80) is adapted to the upper region of the door (92), especially for long vehicles, to cover the slot provided for the V-class mirror. Figure 9 The image shows a mounting area (74) on the vehicle having a slot (70) for a locking pin (25) and a slot (72) for a snap-fit ​​connector (27) for an L-shaped cover (80).

[0032] The dimensions of the snap-fit ​​connector (27), locking pin (25), and housing (50) depend on the dimensions of the retaining groove (72) and the contours of the covers (20, 80), and can be adjusted according to the required design parameters. (Reference) Figure 7b The diameter D1 of the locking pin (25) is in the range of 0.5 mm to 20 mm; the diameter D2 of the locking pin (25) is in the range of 1 mm to 22 mm; the outer diameter D3 of the shell (50) is in the range of 2 mm to 25 mm; and the inner diameter D4 of the shell (50) is... Figure 6b The height h1 of the housing (50) can be in the range of 0.5mm to 20mm (represented by a thick dashed line). The height h2 of the first part (31) of the locking pin (25) can be in the range of 2mm to 25mm. Figure 7b (Represented by dashed lines) is in the range of 5mm to 30mm. The tilt angle α measured between x and y is in the range of 90° to 160°. The dimensions of the locking pin (25) and the housing are related and can vary depending on the size and nature of the retaining groove to ensure proper fit. In an exemplary variant, if the height of the first part of the locking pin (25) structure is 11.5mm and the width from one protrusion to the other is 3.6mm, then ideally the housing (50) should have a height of 7.7mm, an outer diameter of 5.3mm and an inner diameter of 3.4mm, and an angle α of 109.96°. Manufacturing tolerances are also taken into account when determining the dimensions of the housing (50), retaining groove (70), and covers (20, 80), and Figure 1 , Figure 8The locking pins (25) and snap-fit connectors (27) shown and described above are disposed in different locations of the cover (20, 80) and on different planes. However, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that the locking pins can be located on the same plane or different planes to match the slots on the mounting surface for proper fit based on the design of the cover (20, 80). The cover (20, 80) with the locking structures, members is molded as a single part and made of a thermoplastic such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene-Polycarbonate blend (ABS-PC), Polycarbonate (PC), or Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate-Polycarbonate blend (ASA-PC). The cover is manufactured to match the shape of the mounting area to which it is to be attached.

[0033] The foregoing description of various preferred forms has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The example forms described above were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the disclosure in various forms with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The features of the disclosure disclosed in the foregoing description, in the figures and in the claims can be of importance individually and in any combination.

[0034] List of Reference Signs

[0035] 20 - cover

[0036] 21 - outer surface

[0037] 22 - inner surface

[0038] 23 - peripheral wall

[0039] 25 - locking pin

[0040] 27 - snap-fit connector

[0041] 28t - top portion

[0042] 29 - biasing member

[0043] 30 - pin-housing assembly

[0044] 31 - first portion

[0045] 32 - second portion

[0046] 33 - rod

[0047] 34 - protruding member

[0048] 35 - protrusion

[0049] 36f - first end

[0050] 36s - second end

[0051] 37f - first end

[0052] 37s - second end

[0053] 38 - flap structure

[0054] 39a - first leg

[0055] 39b - second leg

[0056] 40 - connection area

[0057] 42 - recess

[0058] 50 - shell

[0059] 51 - outer shell

[0060] 52 - first open end

[0061] 54 - outer lip

[0062] 56 - inner wall

[0063] 57 - outer wall

[0064] 58 - second open end

[0065] 62 - first protrusion

[0066] 64 - tapered portion

[0067] 70 - retention slot

[0068] 72 - slot

[0069] 74 - mirror mounting area

[0070] 76 - vehicle surface

[0071] 80 - L-shaped cover

[0072] 92 - door

Claims

1. A cap fastening system for an exterior surface (76) of a vehicle, comprising: a cap (20) having at least one locking pin (25) arranged on an inner surface (22) of the cap (20), wherein the at least one locking pin (25) has at least one protrusion (35); a shell (50), wherein the shell (50) is mechanically engaged within a groove (72) on a vehicle surface; and wherein the locking pin (25) cooperates with an inner surface of the shell (50) to retain the cap (20); wherein the locking pin (25) has a first portion (31) having a central stem (33) provided with two or more protruding members (34) on either side of the stem, wherein each protruding member (34) has a protrusion (35) and a recess (42), wherein the protrusion (35) has a depth in the range of 0.05mm to 10mm, and the first portion has a first end (36f) and a second end (36s), wherein the second end is flat at the top, wherein the protruding members (34) taper towards the second end, thereby forming a tapered portion (64); and wherein the locking pin (25) has a second portion (32) having a first end (37f) fixed to the cap (20) and a second end (37s) connected to the first end (36f) of the first portion, such that when the locking pin (25) is pressed into the shell (50), the protrusion (35) is in pressure contact with an inner wall (56) of a hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), thereby causing the inner wall (56) to deform, wherein the protrusion (35) pinches the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), and wherein the tapered portion (64) is located outside a second open end (58) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50).

2. The cap fastening system of claim 1, wherein the at least one locking pin (25) is removable from the shell (50) without functional damage.

3. The cap fastening system of claim 2, wherein the at least one locking pin (25) is removable from the shell (50) up to 10 times without functional damage.

4. The cap fastening system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protrusion (35) has a depth of 0.6mm.

5. The cap fastening system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shell (50) is made of a material selected from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylonitrile acrylate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polycarbonate blend, polycarbonate, and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate polycarbonate blend.

6. The cap fastening system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cap (20) has at least one snap-fit connector (27).

7. The cap fastening system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cap (20) has at least one biasing member (29) arranged on the cap.

8. A cap fastening system for an exterior surface (76) of a vehicle, comprising: a cap (20) having at least one locking pin (25) arranged on an inner surface (22) of the cap (20), wherein the at least one locking pin (25) has at least one protrusion (35); a shell (50), wherein the shell (50) is mechanically engaged within a groove on a surface of a vehicle; wherein the locking pin (25) is mechanically engaged with an inner surface of the shell (50) to retain the cap (20); and wherein the at least one locking pin (25) is removable from the shell (50) without functional damage; wherein the locking pin (25) has a first portion (31) having a central stem (33) provided with two or more protruding members (34) on either side of the stem, wherein each protruding member (34) has a protrusion (35) and a recess (42), wherein the protrusion (35) has a depth in the range of 0.05mm to 10mm, and the first portion has a first end (36f) and a second end (36s), wherein the second end is flat at the top, wherein the protruding members (34) taper towards the second end, thereby forming a tapered portion (64); and wherein the locking pin (25) has a second portion (32) having a first end (37f) fixed to the cap (20) and a second end (37s) connected to the first end (36f) of the first portion, such that when the locking pin (25) is pressed into the shell (50), the protrusions (35) are in pressure contact with the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), thereby causing the inner wall (56) to deform, wherein the protrusions (35) pinch the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), and wherein the tapered portion (64) is located outside of the second open end (58) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50).

9. A cap fastening system for an exterior surface (76) of a vehicle, comprising: a cap (20) having at least one locking pin (25) arranged on an inner surface (22) of the cap (20), wherein the at least one locking pin (25) has at least one protrusion (35), at least one snap-fit connector (27), and at least one biasing member (29); a shell (50), wherein the shell (50) is mechanically engaged within a groove (72) on an exterior surface (76) of a vehicle; and wherein the locking pin (25) is mechanically engaged with an inner surface of the shell (50), wherein the locking pin (25) has a first portion (31) having a central stem (33) provided with two or more protruding members (34) on either side of the stem, wherein each protruding member (34) has a protrusion (35) and a recess (42), wherein the depth of the protrusion (35) is in the range of 0.05mm to 10mm, and the first portion has a first end (36f) and a second end (36s), wherein the second end is flat at the top, wherein the protruding members (34) taper towards the second end, thereby forming a tapered portion (64); and wherein the locking pin (25) has a second portion (32) having a first end (37f) fixed to the cover (20) and a second end (37s) connected to the first end (36f) of the first portion, such that when the locking pin (25) is pressed into the shell (50), the protrusions (35) are in pressure contact with the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), thereby causing the inner wall (56) to deform, wherein the protrusions (35) pinch the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), and wherein the tapered portion (64) is located outside the second open end (58) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50).

10. A cover fastening method for a vehicle surface, comprising the steps of: inserting at least one shell (50) onto at least one locking pin (25) on a cover (20) to form a pin-shell assembly, the at least one locking pin (25) having at least one protrusion (35) in pressure contact with an inner wall (56) of a hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), wherein a tapered portion of the locking pin (25) is located outside a second open end (58) of the hollow tube housing; positioning the cover (20) on a mirror mounting area (74) such that the pin-shell assembly is aligned with a retaining slot; inserting the pin-shell assembly into the retaining slot by force, the pin-shell assembly engaging the retaining slot, and an outer wall (57) of the hollow tube housing pressing against an inner wall (56) of the retaining slot, and locking the locking pin (25) in the slot as a result of the protruding member (34) of the locking pin (25) abutting the tapered portion engaging the second open end (58) of the hollow tube housing; wherein the locking pin (25) has a first portion (31) having a central stem (33) provided with two or more protruding members (34) on either side of the stem, wherein each protruding member (34) has a protrusion (35) and a recess (42), wherein the depth of the protrusion (35) is in the range of 0.05 mm to 10 mm, and the first portion has a first end (36f) and a second end (36s), wherein the second end is flat at the top, wherein the protruding members (34) taper towards the second end, thereby forming a tapered portion (64); and wherein the locking pin (25) has a second portion (32) having a first end (37f) fixed to the cover (20) and a second end (37s) connected to the first end (36f) of the first portion, such that when the locking pin (25) is pressed into the shell (50), the protrusions (35) are in pressure contact with the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), thereby causing the inner wall (56) to deform, wherein the protrusions (35) grip the inner wall (56) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50), and wherein the tapered portion (64) is located outside the second open end (58) of the hollow tube housing (51) of the shell (50).

11. The cover fastening method of claim 10, wherein the force required to push the pin-shell assembly into the retention slot when the cover (20) is to be engaged in the mounting area (74) or to pull the locking pin (25) out of the retention slot when the cover (20) is to be disengaged from the mounting area is between 20 Newton and 200 Newton.

Images