Composite Panel Fastener for Repeated Wear-Resistant Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fasteners used for connecting vehicle components, such as door panels to vehicle body metal plates, face challenges in durability and ease of repeated connection/disconnection due to material wear and assembly tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A fastener design featuring a thermoplastic main body and a metal retaining member with deflectable arms and connecting legs, allowing for secure attachment and easy detachment without significant wear, utilizing a neck with an anti-rotation shape for precise alignment and a sealing lip for added stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fastener uses a single material for both the main body and retaining member, then manufacturing is simpler, but wear resistance is insufficient for repeated connection/disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener combines a thermoplastic main body with a metal retaining member, creating a composite structure where each material performs its optimal function. The metal retaining member provides superior wear resistance for repeated connection/disconnection operations, while the thermoplastic main body provides structural integrity and ease of manufacturing.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the retaining member is made of metal for wear resistance, then durability improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener is divided into two separate components: a thermoplastic main body and a metal retaining member. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured using the most suitable process for its material, then assembled together. The retaining member can be stamped or formed from metal, while the main body is molded from thermoplastic, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite using multiple materials.
3Ease of operation
If the fastener allows repeated insertion and removal, then ease of operation improves, but wear on components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal retaining member is specifically positioned at the contact points with the mounting hole, providing localized wear resistance exactly where repeated insertion and removal cause friction. This allows the fastener to be easily reused without significant wear, as the metal material protects the critical wear zones while the rest of the fastener maintains its structural properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fastener ensures secure and repeatable connections with reduced wear, preventing rotation and movement, thus enhancing durability and ease of assembly/disassembly while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The pair of retaining arms are configured to be deflectable toward the supporting beam to enable the retaining member to be inserted into a hole of a mounting part. The pair of retaining arms are configured to abut against the hole to retain the fastener in the hole.
Implementation Method 2
The at least one pair of connecting legs extend at an angle relative to the supporting beam and are configured to resiliently clamp the supporting beam therebetween to connect the retaining member with the supporting beam.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a fastener, comprising a main body and a retaining member. The main body comprises a supporting beam. The retaining member is connected with the supporting beam and comprises a pair of retaining arms on a first side and a second side of the supporting beam respectively. The pair of retaining arms are configured to be deflectable toward the supporting beam to enable the retaining member to be inserted into a hole of a mounting part. The pair of retaining arms are configured to abut against the hole to retain the fastener in the hole. The main body is made of a first material, and the retaining member is made of a second material that is more wear-resistant than the first material. The retaining member in the present disclosure can be detached and installed multiple times.