Patent ID: 7178855
Filing Date: 2007-02-20
Classification: B60J,B60R,F16B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An automotive door panel fastener assembly comprising: a substrate; a doghouse structure molded onto said substrate, said doghouse structure comprising: a doghouse floor formed by said substrate; a doghouse ceiling positioned above and separated from said doghouse floor; a first doghouse sidewall joining said doghouse ceiling to said doghouse floor, said first doghouse sidewall having a first forward end and a first rearward end; a second doghouse sidewall joining said doghouse ceiling to said doghouse floor, said second doghouse sidewall having a second forward end and a second rearward end; a doghouse endwall joining said first rearward end to said second rearward end; and a doghouse insertion opening bounded by said doghouse ceiling, said doghouse floor, said first doghouse sidewall and said second doghouse sidewall; a pin chamber formed through said doghouse ceiling; an entrance slot formed in said doghouse ceiling, said entrance slot providing a path from said doghouse insertion opening to said pin chamber, said entrance slot having a first slot side and a second slot side; a first flexible arm having a first fixed end molded to said first slot side and a first free end extending towards said second slot side, said first flexible arm flexible in response to an inward force towards said pin chamber, said first flexible arm rigid in response to an outward force away from said pin chamber; and a perimeter arm extension formed on said first free end, said perimeter arm extension acting in concert with a pin chamber inner wall to form a generally continuous pin chamber perimeter.