Abstract:
A fastening system particularly adapted for joining automotive hardware components to body components, such as a window regulator module plate to the door inner panel. The system employs a joint element featuring twist in attachment and retention. The joint element includes features which enable it to be assembled to the module plate and a partially assembled shipping condition and a final assembled position in which the components are fastened together. The system provides rapid assembly with reliable mounting security and validation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is related to a fastener assembly particularly adapted for use with automotive body hardware components. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In the design and assembly of automotive components, it is often necessary to attach a subassembly unit to a vehicle body component. An example is the attachment of an automotive side door glass window regulator assembly which is mounted to a door inner panel. Window regulators include components which enable the side door glass to be raised and lowered, either manually or more typically through electric motor power actuation. The regulator assembly is frequently embodied in the subassembly including a molded housing which must be attached to the door inner panel sheet-metal. Various fastening approaches are known to make this connection including discrete fasteners such as threaded fasteners and deformable types such as rivets. For any automotive component intended for mass production, low-cost rapid assembly and quality assurance are essential requirements. These desires are facilitated by making the assembly process easily carried out in a production environment. Threaded fasteners such as a headed bolt threaded into a weld nut require multiple components and take time to achieve assembly, since the fastener must be rotated over numerous revolutions to achieve the final mounted condition. Threaded fasteners also pose the disadvantage that they generally need to be handled separately from the mounted subassembly which requires greater part counts, inventory, and part handling provisions. Accordingly there is a need in the art to provide improvements in such a subassembly mounting fastener systems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A fastener system is provided in accordance with the present invention which utilizes a twist lock type fastener element which can be mounted to a sub assembly such as a window regulator for shipping, and once mated with the associated vehicle structure, can be actuated to reach a final assembled condition. The fastener system in accordance with the present invention enables rapid and secure fastening, and avoids lose part conditions which give rise to buzz, squeak, and rattle issues. 
         [0004]    Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a window regulator module plate adapted for installation to a motor vehicle side door inner panel; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view showing the twist lock diecast fastener assembly, module plate, and sheet-metal panel; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the joint element; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  shows details of the mounting socket of the module plate viewed from the sheet-metal panel side; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is the side view of the joint element; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is an elevational view of the mounting socket portion of the module plate showing the joint element in the rotated shipping position; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are enlarged partial views of the module plate mounting socket showing the interaction between a portion of the joint element and the socket; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 9A through 9F  show the sequence of assembly of the fastener system; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view through the fastening system in the final assembled condition. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0014]    The fastening system in accordance with this invention is illustrated by the figures and generally includes joint element  10 , module plate  12 , and sheet-metal component  14 . 
         [0015]    Module plate  12  is best described with reference to  FIG. 1 . As illustrated, module plate  12  is a molded unit which carries components of an automotive window regulator mechanism, which includes slide rail  16  having window carrier  18  slidably mounted thereon, and drive motor assembly  20 . Module plate  12  as a subassembly carries all the primary elements of the window regulator unit in which window carrier  18  is attached to side door glass (not illustrated) to move the glass between closed and opened conditions. It is necessary to mount module plate  12  to door inner panel  22  during vehicle body production. As described previously, discrete fasteners are typically used to provide the connection between module plate  12  and door inner panel  22 , and has been primarily in the form of threaded or deformable fasteners in accordance with the prior art. The fasteners in accordance with this invention are mounted through fastener holes located around the perimeter of module plate  12 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows the primary elements of the present system in accordance with the present invention. Module plate  12  is shown in  FIG. 2  in a cutaway illustration depicting only the portion of the module plate which interact with the fastening system in accordance with this invention. Similarly, sheet-metal component  14  which features a rectangular cutout hole  24  is a portion of a larger door inner panel (or other mounting panel or structure) affixed to or part of the inner door structure. When assembled, joint element  10  fastens module plate  12  to door inner panel  22  at a number of location holes  23 ; nine such positions are shown in  FIG. 1 , although the number of discrete fasteners is a matter of design choice based on application requirements. It is further noted that the fastening system in accordance with this invention may be used to make other types of connections, not just between the components of motor vehicles but also for other machines and devices. 
         [0017]    Now with particular reference to  FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5 , features of joint element  10  are shown in more detail. Joint element  10  forms a flattened head  26  which has a hexigonal shape, and is joined with cylindrical shoulder  28 . Post  30  extends from the center of joint component  10 . A pair of extending engagement arms  32  and  34  are provided which extend from post  30  radially past the outer edge of cylindrical shoulder  28 . Engagement arms  32  and  34  form engagement surfaces  36  and  38  respectively which are positioned at different planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  40  of joint element  10 . This displacement is especially evident with reference to  FIG. 5 . Engagement wing  42  extends radially from post  30  and is shaped to be inserted into cutout hole  24  and mechanically engage with sheet-metal component  14 . Wing  42  further forms ramp surface  44  which provides a function which will be described later. Joint element  10  can be formed of numerous materials and in a preferred embodiment is formed of diecast light metal (e.g. zinc), but could alternatively be formed of injection molded polymeric plastic material or by other processes and materials. So that the rotated orientation of joint  10  can be determined visually, the external surface of head  26  may feature projection  46  or another witness mark. Additional projections  48  or witness marks may be provided on a surface of module plate  12  which when aligned with projection  46 , indicates a desired rotated position of joint component  10 . 
         [0018]    Now with particular reference to  FIGS. 2 through 8 , details of module plate  12  will be described. As mentioned previously the portion of module plate  12  illustrated is cut away from the remainder of a larger component. Module plate  12  forms number of mounting sockets  50 , each having an identical configuration with a central keyhole  52  which has a generally round perimeter edge with a pair of diametrically opposed cutouts  54  and  56 . Mounting socket  50  features a recessed pocket  58  concentric around keyhole  52  with extension pocket  60 .  FIG. 2  shows one side of module plate  12  illustrating that mounting socket  50  is displaced from the main surface of the mounting plate and forms a concave dished-out area on one side, and a protruding region on the other. The inner edge of mounting socket  50  adjacent to keyhole  52  forms a pair of arcuate tracks  62  and  64 . Each of tracks  62  and  64  trace partial arcs around the center of keyhole  52  and each sweep an arc of less than 180°. Tracks  62  and  64  terminate at both their circumferential ends at diametrically opposed stop tabs  66  and  68 . Retainer ribs  70  and  72  are provided near the arcuate and a both ends of track  62  adjacent to the stop surfaces formed by stop tabs  66  and  68 . Track  64  also terminates at surfaces of stop tabs  66  and  68 . Track  64  does not include retainer ribs such as ribs  70  and  72 , but such ribs could be provided as an alternative embodiment. 
         [0019]    Module plate  12  can be formed of the numerous materials. In a preferred embodiment, module plate  12  is made of a polymeric plastic by an injection molding process. 
         [0020]    Now with specific reference to  FIGS. 6 through 9A -F, the interaction between features of the joint element  10  and module plate  12  will be described in more detail.  FIG. 9A  illustrates the insertion of joint element  10  into keyhole  52 . Extension pocket  60  is provided to provide clearance for the insertion of the joint element wing  42 . Keyhole cutouts  54  and  56  are positioned to receive extension arms  32  and  34 , respectively. Module plate tracks  62  and  64  are positioned at different plane levels such that the interaction between extension arms  32  and  34  with the corresponding tracks  62  and  64  occurs only when joint element  10  is properly installed (the planes of arms  32  and  34  will not interact with the improper tracks  64  and  62 , respectively). After the initial assembly of joint  10  into position on module plate  12  as shown in  FIG. 9B , joint element  10  is rotated partially in the counterclockwise direction when viewed in  FIGS. 9B and 9C  (designated by the arrow in  FIG. 9C ) such that extension arms  32  and  34  sweep along arcuate tracks  62  and  64 , as shown in  FIGS. 9D and 9E . this position corresponds to a shipping or preassembled position of joint component  10  in module plate  12 . At the rotated shipping position, engagement arms  32  and  34  abut stop tabs  66  and  68 , and surface  36  of engagement arm  32  encounters retainer rib  72  which serves to maintain the extension arms at one end of the arcuate tracks  62  and  64 . This configuration (shipping condition) is illustrated by  FIGS. 6, 7 and 9D  which show in greater detail the configuration of tracks  62  and  64  at stop tabs  66  and  68 . The retention feature provided by rib  72  allows joint elements  10  to be assembled into their corresponding module plate mounting sockets  50  without becoming dislodged and disassembled during component handling, shipment, and inventory. This facilitates the final assembly process. 
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiments illustrated, each of the arcuate tracks  62  and  64  extend circumferentially from the position of cutouts  54  and  56 . With this configuration, as will be described in more detail as follows, joint element  10  can be rotated in a first rotated direction (counterclockwise in  FIG. 9C ) for initial assembly (referred to as a shipping condition) and then in an opposite rotated direction (counterclockwise in  FIG. 9F —which views the assembly from an opposite surface than shown in  FIG. 9C ) to the final assembled condition. 
         [0022]    After the preassembled condition is achieved in which each of joints  10  is affixed to its associated mounting socket  50  in the shipping condition as shown by  FIG. 9D , the module plate  12  assembly can be applied to sheet-metal component  14 . Joint wings  42  are positioned to be received by corresponding cutout holes  24  as illustrated in  FIG. 9E . In this position, joint  10  is then rotated in a direction opposite the initial assembly, causing extension arms  32  and  34  to reach the opposite arcuate ends of tracks  62  and  64 , pass the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 9F . In the final assembly condition, engagement arms  32  and  34  engage with stop tabs  66  and  68 , and retainer lip  70  maintains the joint component in the final assembled position. Wing  42  is displaced out of registration with cut out hole  24  and in the final assembly position and the components are mechanically interlocked. Ramp surface  44  of wing  42  causes the components to be clamped together or tightened up during rotation of the joint component  10  to the final installed condition. This ramp or cam feature is best shown with reference to  FIG. 10  which shows the clamped condition of the components. In a preferred embodiment, gasket  74  is provided as a discrete component or formed in place against either module plate  12  or on a surface of door inner panel  22 . 
         [0023]    As mentioned previously, joint element  10  may incorporate projection  46  which will enable a rapid visual inspection to ensure the proper assembled condition and position of head  26  with respect to an associated projection  48 . Joint element head  26  can be rotationally driven by an associated hexagonal shaped driver tool or other tool which corresponds to the outer perimeter shape of head  26 , or other driving tools may be provided which would engage with corresponding molded or formed features of head  26  (e.g. flat or Phillips screwdriver, Torx, or Allen type driver tools). 
         [0024]    The hook engagement provision provided by wing  42  provides a large interface surface area between the module plate  12  and joint element  10  which can prevent high point stress acting on sheet-metal component  14 . For embodiments of the present invention in which joint element  10  is formed of diecast material it may be important to properly oriented device since wing  42  represents a mass, which if not properly oriented, could cause undesired rotational forces due to gravity or inertia during transportation of the subassembly. In such conditions it may be desirable to orient wing  42  in a vertically up or downward position. Similarly in a final assembly condition it may be desirable to orient wing  42  in a position such that gravitational forces urge the joint component to be rotated toward the locked final position. 
         [0025]    While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.