Two-Piece Fastener Assembly for Tight-Clearance Panel Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing two-piece fastener assemblies for joining a panel with a doghouse to a support with an aperture face clearance issues in automotive applications and require consistent coupling and uncoupling forces for repeated access, which existing designs often fail to accommodate effectively.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece fastener assembly design featuring a doghouse fastener piece with a receiver and an aperture fastener piece, where the receiver includes an annular wall with flexible plate retention surfaces and aperture retention arms, allowing for flexible coupling and uncoupling by a coupling plate, minimizing clearance requirements and maintaining consistent forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing two-piece fastener assemblies are used to join a panel with a doghouse to a support with an aperture, then the fastener can provide structural connection, but the clearance required between the doghouse and support becomes too large for automotive applications
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener assembly incorporates flexible components including a flexible receiver in the doghouse fastener piece and flexible retention arms in the aperture fastener piece. These flexible elements allow the fastener to adapt to varying clearance conditions while maintaining functional coupling, enabling operation in tight automotive clearance spaces without compromising access capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the fastener components by introducing flexibility through segmented structures and elastic materials. The flexible receiver and retention arms can deform within elastic limits to accommodate reduced clearance while still providing sufficient coupling force, effectively changing the dimensional parameters required for operation
2Ease of operation
If existing two-piece fastener assemblies are used for repeated access behind the panel, then the fastener can be coupled and uncoupled, but the coupling and uncoupling forces required are inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible receiver and flexible retention arms are designed to provide consistent elastic response during repeated coupling and uncoupling cycles. The elasticity of these components ensures that the forces required for operation remain uniform across multiple uses, enhancing both operator consistency and system reliability for repeated access applications
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible components provide tactile and force feedback to the operator during coupling and uncoupling operations. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to sense when the fastener is properly engaged or disengaged, ensuring consistent operation and reliable repeated access without requiring excessive or variable forces
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 design enables flexible and consistent coupling and uncoupling of the fastener pieces, accommodating limited clearance and allowing for repeated access, with the flexible components minimizing plastic deformation and maintaining high uncoupling force consistency.
Implementation Method 1
The annular wall of the receiver can include a plurality of wall segments separated by gaps therebetween. The wall segments can flexibly support the plate retention surfaces of the receiver to provide the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together
Data Source
AI summary
An aperture fastener piece has an intermediate head and an aperture shaft, including aperture retention arms extending from a side of the intermediate head. A receiver includes an annular wall extending from a base, and a plurality of plate retention surfaces supported by and positioned inwardly of the annular wall. A coupling plate can be engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention surfaces within the receiver to couple the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together. Each of the receiver and the coupling plate extends from different ones of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece. The coupling plate can extend from a second of the opposite side of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece, and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece.