Detented Compression Limiter for Plastic Fastener Mounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive components made of lightweight, low-hardness materials like plastics deform under compressive forces from threaded fasteners, requiring a solution to maintain structural integrity during attachment.
Innovation Solution
A compression limiter with a tubular bushing and detents is integrated into vehicle components, providing a high-hardness material that withstands compressive forces and secures the fastener, preventing deformation by forming a retainer within the mounting tab.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If lightweight, low-hardness materials like plastics are used for automotive components, then weight is reduced, but the components deform under compressive forces from threaded fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a hard bushing material (metal or hard polymer) with a soft mounting tab material (plastic) to create a composite structure. The hard bushing is embedded within the soft mounting tab, allowing the overall component to remain lightweight while the bushing provides localized compression resistance against fastener forces
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire component hard and heavy, the patent applies local reinforcement by embedding a hard bushing only at the specific location where compression forces are applied by the fastener. This allows the mounting tab to remain lightweight plastic while having localized hardness where needed
2Strength
If a hard bushing is embedded in the mounting tab, then compression resistance is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing is pre-formed as a separate component with detents attached to its ends before being inserted into the mounting tab. This preliminary preparation allows for standardized mass production of bushings that can then be easily installed into molds during the injection molding process of the mounting tab
Solution Approach 2:
The bushing is designed to be inserted into a cavity within the mounting tab structure, with detents that engage with features in the mounting tab. This nested arrangement allows the bushing to be pre-manufactured separately and then integrated into the final component through a single injection molding operation
Data Source
AI summary
A compression limiter is configured for incorporation within a vehicle component. The compression limiter includes a tubular bushing extending from a first end to a second end. The tubular bushing includes an exterior surface and an interior surface extending from the first end to the second end to define an aperture through the tubular bushing. The compression limiter also includes one or more detents formed in at least one of the first end of the bushing and/or the second end of the bushing. In some examples, the compression limiter includes a first pair of the detents formed in the first end and a second pair of the detents formed in the second end.