Patent ID: 9457845
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: B60R,B62D,F16B,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. An elastically averaged alignment system, comprising: a first component comprising a first alignment member and an elastically deformable alignment element fixedly disposed with respect to the first alignment member; a second component comprising a second alignment member and an alignment aperture fixedly disposed with respect to the second alignment member; wherein the elastically deformable alignment element is configured and disposed to interferingly, deformably and matingly engage the alignment aperture; wherein the elastically deformable alignment element comprises a lobular hollow tube having four lobes, the elastically deformable alignment element comprising a slotted retention feature on each of two opposing lobes that extend from an outer surface of the hollow tube radially inward toward a central axis of the hollow tube; wherein portions of the elastically deformable alignment element when inserted into the alignment aperture elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration that aligns the first alignment member with the second alignment member in at least two planar orthogonal directions; and wherein each of the slotted retention features engages with an edge of the alignment aperture.