Abstract:
A fastener assembly for securing a roof marker lamp to a vehicle includes a plurality of fasteners extending through the roof marker lamp. The fastener assembly also includes a plurality of retainers disposed adjacent the roof marker lamp to receive the fasteners for preventing the fasteners from exiting the roof marker lamp and adapted to be snapped into apertures in the roof to secure the roof marker lamp to the roof. The fastener assembly further includes a plurality of slides cooperating with the fasteners and the retainers to pre-assemble the fasteners and the retainers to the roof marker lamp prior to securing the roof marker lamp to the roof.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to fasteners and, more particularly, to a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known to provide a roof marker lamp for a vehicle such as a sport utility vehicle or a pick-up truck. Typically, the roof marker lamp is attached to an outer surface of a roof of the vehicle. The roof marker lamp is typically attached to the roof by a plurality of individual screws extending through the roof marker lamp and engaging separate individual nuts, which are disposed in recesses in the roof. However, the separate screws and nuts are loose and do not typically allow the roof lamp marker to be installed or attached to the roof in a required time. In addition, the screws cannot be adequately aligned with the roof lamp marker before conducting a torque procedure. 
     As a result, it is desirable to provide a new fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a fastener assembly that is pre-assembled to a roof marker lamp that snaps-in for installation to the roof of the vehicle. It is further desirable to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp that aligns the fasteners with the roof marker lamp prior to torquing when installed on the roof of the vehicle. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp on a vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp that is pre-assembled to the roof marker lamp. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a fastener assembly for a roof marker lamp that has an integrated extension to align a fastener with the roof marker lamp. 
     To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a fastener assembly for securing a roof marker lamp to a vehicle. The fastener assembly includes a plurality of fasteners extending through the roof marker lamp. The fastener assembly also includes a plurality of retainers disposed adjacent the roof marker lamp to receive the fasteners for preventing the fasteners from exiting the roof marker lamp and adapted to be snapped into apertures in the roof to secure the roof marker lamp to the roof. The fastener assembly further includes a plurality of slides cooperating with the fasteners and the retainers to pre-assemble the fasteners and the retainers to the roof marker lamp prior to securing the roof marker lamp to the roof. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that a new fastener assembly is provided for a roof marker lamp for a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly links together a fastener and retainer and is pre-assembled to a roof marker lamp to a vehicle. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly reduces the number of loose pieces in a vehicle assembly plant. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly has an integrated extension to allow alignment of the fastener to the retainer before conducting a torquing procedure so clearance holed for fasteners can be reduced in diameter to prevent leakage. A further advantage of the present invention is that the fastener assembly reduces installation time and improves quality due to adequate sealing. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a faster assembly, according to the present invention, illustrated in operational relationship with a roof marker lamp of a vehicle. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the fastener assembly and roof marker lamp of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the fastener assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a retainer of the fastener assembly of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the retainer of the fastener assembly of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 3 prior to torquing. 
     FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating the fastener assembly of FIG. 3 after torquing. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 through 7, one embodiment of a fastener assembly  10 , according to the present invention, for a roof marker lamp  22  to be described is shown for a vehicle such as a pick-up truck, generally indicated at  12 . The vehicle  12  includes a vehicle body  14  forming sides  16  and a roof  18  and including a windshield  20  extending forwardly and downwardly at a front longitudinal end thereof. It should be appreciated that the fastener assembly  10  may be used on other objects than a roof lamp marker. It should also be appreciated that, except for the fastener assembly  10 , the vehicle  12  is conventional and known in the art. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the roof marker lamp  22  is generally rectangular in shape. The roof marker lamp  22  has a base  24  and a lens  26  disposed over the base  24 . The base  24  has a bottom surface with a contour that differ from that of the roof  18  so that before the roof marker lamp  22  is secured to the roof  18  only outboard edges of the roof marker lamp  22  tough the roof  18 . The base  24  includes a connector  28  for a lamp or bulb (not shown), which is connected to a roof lamp harness connector  30  attached to the roof  18 . The base  24  has a plurality of apertures (not shown) spaced along a periphery thereof for a function to be described. The base  24  is made of a rigid material such as a plastic material, preferably polycarbonate. The base  24  includes a seal (not shown) such as a rubber gasket extending around the periphery of the base  24  for engagement with the outer surface of the roof  18 . It should be appreciated that the seal is conventional and known in the art. 
     The lens  26  is generally rectangular in shape and has a generally arcuate or curved cross-sectional shape. The lens  26  is disposed over the base  24  and has a plurality of recesses  34  spaced along a periphery thereof and aligned with the apertures  32  of the base  24 . Each of the recesses  34  has a bottom surface  36 , which is generally planar and horizontal, and may include a rim (not shown) extending upwardly into the recess  34  and generally perpendicular to the bottom surface  36  for a function to be described. Each of the recesses  34  has an aperture  38  extending through the bottom surface  36  to the base  24 . The aperture  38  includes an enlarged cavity or portion  39  adjacent the base  24 . The lens  26  is made of a rigid material such as a plastic material, preferably polycarbonate. 
     The fastener assembly  10 , according to the present invention, includes a fastener  40  such as a screw extending through the roof marker lamp  22 . The fastener  40  has a head  42  extending radially and a threaded shaft  44  extending axially from the head  42 . The fastener  40  is disposed in the recess  34  such that the threaded shaft  44  extends through the aperture in the lens  26  and the aperture in the base  24  and the head  42  abuts the rim. The fasteners  40  are made of a metal material such as steel. It should be appreciated that the threaded shaft  44  is of a sufficient length to extend past the base  24  for a function to be described. 
     The fastener assembly  10  further includes a retainer  46  disposed adjacent the base  24  and engaging the threaded shaft  44  of the fastener  40  to retain the fastener  40  to the roof marker lamp  22  and the roof  18  of the vehicle  12 . The retainer  46  has a threaded aperture  48  extending therethrough to receive the threaded shaft  44  of the fastener  40 . The retainer  46  also has a flange  50  extending laterally outwardly and a plurality of legs  52  extending downwardly and generally perpendicular thereto. The retainer  46  also includes a plurality of arms  54  extending inwardly and generally perpendicular to the legs  52 . The arms  54  overlap each other and may be integral, unitary, and one-piece on each side thereof. Each of the arms  54  have a generally arcuate recess  56  along a free end thereof for engagement with the threaded shaft  44  of the fastener  40  in a manner to be described. The retainers  46  are of a push-nut type to be disposed in a plurality of, preferably six, apertures  58  extending through the roof  18  to secure the roof marker lamp  22  to the roof  18 . The retainers  46  are made of a metal material such as steel. 
     The fastener assembly  10  further includes a slide  60  cooperating with the retainer  46  and the roof marker lamp  22 . The slide  60  is generally rectangular in shape. The slide  60  has a flange  62  extending laterally outwardly and a plurality of legs  64  extending downwardly and generally perpendicular thereto. The slide  60  also includes a plurality of arms  66  extending inwardly and generally perpendicular to the legs  64 . The flange  62 , legs  64 , and arms  66  for a generally rectangular recess  68  for engagement with the flange  50  of the retainer  46  in a manner to be described. The slide  60  may include a projection or extension  70  extending upwardly from the flange  62  and through the aperture in the base  24  to be disposed in the enlarged portion  39  of the aperture  38 . The extension  70  has an aperture  72  extending therethrough and communicating with the recess  68  to receive the threaded shaft  44  of the fastener  40 . The slide  60  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. The slides  60  are made of a plastic material. It should be appreciated that the extension  70  orients the retainer  46  and fastener  40  during assembly of the roof marker lamp  22  onto the roof  18  of the vehicle  12 . 
     In operation of the fastener assembly  10 , the lens  26  is disposed over the base  24  of the roof marker lamp  22 . The fasteners  40  are disposed in the recesses  34  of the lens  26  with the threaded shafts  44  extending through the aperture  38  of the lens  26  and the aperture  72  of the slide  60  to engage the retainers  46  with the extension  70  being disposed in the enlarged portions  39  of the apertures  38 . The fasteners  40  are rotated such that the threaded shafts  44  threadably engage the threaded apertures  48  and recesses  56  of the retainers  46 . It should be appreciated that the fastener assembly  10  is pre-assembled to the roof lamp marker  22  before being installed on the vehicle  12 . 
     Once the fastener assembly  10  and roof lamp marker  22  are pre-assembled, the roof marker lamp  22  is disposed adjacent the roof  18  such that the retainers  46  snap into the apertures  58  and engage the roof  18 . Before torquing the fasteners  40 , the only the outboard edges of the roof marker lamp  22  touch the roof  18 . The fasteners  40  are completely torqued one at a time, with the sequence being irrelevant. The extensions  70  mate in the roof marker lamp  22 , allowing enough movement to align all retainers  46  with their apertures  58  in the roof  18 . In addition, the legs  52  and arms  54  of the retainers  46  move outwardly and expand to engage the roof  18  to secure the roof marker lamp  22  thereto as illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
     The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
     Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.