Abstract:
A vehicle trim component includes an integrally formed self retaining fastening device that extends from the vehicle trim component and a passage that permits insertion of a fastener for securing the vehicle trim component to a vehicle structure. The self retaining fastening device further comprises a head portion and a shaft portion. The head portion comprises a rosebud-type fastener surface. The shaft portion extends from the housing and includes at least one row of ribs. The ribs may be angled to provide a relatively lesser amount of force needed for insertion, but a relatively higher amount of force in extraction of the self retaining fastening device. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to interior trim components of a vehicle, and in particular to an interior trim component with an integrally formed self retaining fastening device. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is known that interior trim components for a vehicle may be manually installed at an assembly plant with a fastener. In such situations, it may be difficult for an operator to locate a fastener reception hole in substantially non-visible location in the vehicle, such as, a high, overhead location in a headliner. This situation increases the difficulty of properly securing the trim component in a “blind installation operation” procedure when the trim component may also obstruct the operator&#39;s view of the fastener reception hole. Even further, if the fastener reception hole is properly located, the trim component may undesirably rotate about the axis of the fastener, thereby increasing the difficulty in properly installing the trim component. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The inventors of the present invention have recognized these and other problems associated with blind installation operation procedures and the undesirable rotation of a trim component about the axis of the fastener. To this end, the inventors have developed a vehicle trim component that includes an integrally formed self retaining fastening device and a passage. The self retaining fastening device extends from the vehicle trim component. The self retaining fastening device further comprises a head portion located at an end of a shaft portion. The passage permits the passage of a fastener that secures the vehicle trim component to a vehicle structure. 
   Another embodiment of the invention is an integrally formed self retaining fastening device that extends from a housing of a garment hook assembly. A pivot extends through the housing, and a garment hook is pivotally secured about the pivot. A passage is formed in the garment hook assembly. The passage permits the passage of a fastener that secures the garment hook assembly to a vehicle structure. The self retaining fastening device includes a head portion located at the end of a shaft portion. The shaft portion is defined by at least one row of ribs that extends from the housing. The head portion comprises a rosebud style fastener surface. The garment hook also comprises a frictional outer surface. 
   Another embodiment of the invention is an integrally formed self retaining fastening device. The self retaining fastening device comprises means for locating a vehicle body reception hole and means for preventing the rotation of a garment hook assembly about the axis of a fastener. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a self retaining fastening device integrally formed to a vehicle trim component according to one embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front rear perspective view of the self retaining fastening device integrally formed to the vehicle trim component of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the interior trim component of  FIG. 1  affixed to a vehicular headliner; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the interior trim component affixed to the vehicular headliner taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the self retaining fastening device integrally formed to the vehicle trim component taken along line  5 — 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating a hook component of the vehicle trim component of  FIG. 1  in a deployed position; 
       FIG. 7A  is a side view of a self retaining fastening device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7B  is a side view of a self retaining fastening device according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7C  is a side view of a self retaining fastening device according to a third embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7D  is a side view of a self retaining fastening device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7E  is a side view of a self retaining fastening device according to a fifth embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 7F  is a side view of a self retaining fastening device according to a sixth embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a self retaining fastening device (SRFD), shown generally at  10 , is shown according to a first embodiment of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the SRFD  10  is integrally formed with a vehicle trim component, such as a garment hook assembly, shown generally at  11 . The SRFD  10  and garment hook assembly  11  may be formed using any desirable method, such as injection molding, or the like. The SRFD  10  and garment hook assembly  11  may be made of any desirable thermoplastic resin, such as, Polypropylene (PP), Acrylnitril-Butadien-Styrol-Copolymere (ABS), Polycarbonate-Acrylnitril-Butadien-Styrol-Copolymere (PC/ABS), Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or the like. One particular thermoplastic resin that can be used to form the SRFD  10  and garment hook assembly  11  is sold under the tradename ZYTEL®, which is commercially available from the E.I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company Corporation of Wilmington, Del. Alternatively, the SRFD  10  and the garment hook assembly  11  can be made of different materials using a multi-shot molding process. 
   The SRFD  10  is an integrally formed component that extends from a housing  12  of the garment hook assembly  11 . The housing  12  includes an aperture or passage  14  that permits a fastener  13  ( FIG. 4 ) to be inserted through the housing  12  and into a fastener reception hole  17  having a diameter, for example, of approximately 9.0 mm. One aspect of the invention is that the SRFD  10  improves blind installation operation procedures and prevents the undesirable rotation of the garment hook assembly  11  about an axis, A, of the SRFD  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and described below. 
   In the illustrated embodiment, the garment hook assembly  11  is a three-piece unit that comprises the housing  12 , a garment hook  16 , and a pivot pin  18 . To provide a means for preventing the rotation of the garment hook assembly  11  about the axis, A, of the SRFD  10 , the SRFD  10  includes a head portion  20  and a shaft portion  22  extending from the housing  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1–2 ,  5 – 6 ,  7 A and  7 B. In one illustrated embodiment of the invention, the head portion  20  may include an X-shaped surface that resembles a rosebud-type fastener surface  24 , and the shaft portion  22  may include one or more row of ribs  26 . 
   The purpose of the rosebud-type fastener surface  24  and the one or more row of ribs  26  is to increase the friction force exerted by the SRFD  10  when inserted into the vehicle body reception hole  15 . In addition, the rosebud-type fastener surface  24  and the one or more row of ribs  26  prevent the undesirable rotation of the garment hook assembly  11  about an axis, A, during installation of the SRFD  10 . Each row of ribs  26  can comprise a single rib or a plurality of ribs. The SRFD  10  may also include at least one vertical rib  28  that may assist in preventing lateral movement of the garment hook assembly  11  about the vehicle body reception hole  15 . The head portion  20  and the shaft portion  22  may have any desirable shape or structure, and, the head portion  20  and the shaft portion  22  are not limited to the illustrated embodiment. For example, the head portion  20  and/or the shaft portion  22  may have a generally smooth surface. Other alternative embodiments of the head and shaft portions  20 ,  22  of the SRFD  10  are described in more detail below in  FIGS. 7B–7F . 
   Accordingly, as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the garment hook assembly  11  is preferably installed in a vehicular headliner  19 . Typically, the headliner  19  includes an underlying structure of sheet metal  21  having a thickness, T ( FIG. 4 ), for example, approximately 0.7 mm. Prior to driving the fastener  13  through the fastener reception hole  17 , an operator first locates the vehicle body reception hole  15  with the head portion  20 . Once the head portion  20  is located about the vehicle body reception hole  15 , the operator may selectively drive the shaft portion  22  of the SRFD  10  completely through the vehicle body reception hole  15 . Alternatively, the operator may partially drive the shaft portion  22  through the vehicle body reception hole  15 . Once the garment hook assembly  11  is retained about the vehicle body reception hole  15  by the SRFD  10 , the operator&#39;s hands are free to pick up a tool, such as a screw gun (not shown), to drive the fastener  13  through the fastener reception hole  17 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , once the garment hook assembly  11  is installed in a vehicle, a user may deploy the garment hook  16  about the pivot  18  to and from a stowed position ( FIG. 5 ) and in-use position ( FIG. 6 ). Accordingly, when not in use, the garment hook  16  may be pivoted in the stowed position. The garment hook  16  may be held in the stowed position by a lip  30  that engages a detent  32 . According to the illustrated embodiment, the lip  30  extends from a top  34  of the housing  12 , and the detent  32  is located at a bottom  36  of the garment hook  16 . However, this feature of the garment hook assembly  11  is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and the lip  30  may alternatively extend from the bottom  36  of the garment hook  16 , and the detent  32  may be located at the top  34  of the housing  12 . The garment hook  16  may also include a frictional outer surface  38  that assists in facilitating deployment of the garment hook  16 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the garment hook  16  may be fully deployed at any desirable angle, θ. The fully-deployed angle, θ, is referenced from a vertical axis, V, that is perpendicular to the vehicle base pan (not shown). The fully-deployed angle, θ, is determined by the design and positioning of a stop member  40  ( FIG. 5 ) that is located within the interior of the housing  12 . Once the garment hook  16  is in the fully deployed position, the garment hook  16  may receive garment hangers or other items that are traditionally hung from the garment hook  16 . The garment hook assembly  11  is designed to include a load capacity that may receive and withstand a pull force of at least 45 pounds. However, if desired, the garment hook assembly  11  may withstand higher loads, such as 100 pounds, by using stronger materials that comprises the garment hook  16 , pivot  18  and stop member  40 . Alternatively, the garment hook assembly  11  may withstand higher loads by also increasing the thickness, T, of the sheet metal  21 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7B–7F , alternative embodiments of the SRFD  10  are shown in greater detail at reference numerals  100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 , and  500 , respectively. The head and shaft portions  20 ,  22  are designed to reduce the insertion and extraction effort of an operator during an installation or service operation. As seen in  FIGS. 7A , and  7 C, the head portion  20  includes a generally flat tip  42 ; conversely, the embodiments seen in  FIGS. 7B ,  7 D,  7 E, and  7 F have a generally smooth, curved tip  44 . As seen in  FIGS. 7B and 7C , the head portion may also include an axial neck portion  46 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 7A–7F , the ribs  26  comprise a variety of alternative designs that are defined to comprise varying degrees insertion or extraction efforts. For example, as seen in  FIGS. 7A ,  7 E, and  7 F, the ribs  26  axially extend from the shaft portion  22  at approximately 0 degrees, resulting in the same degree of effort needed for insertion or extraction. Alternatively, as seen in  FIGS. 7B–7D , the ribs  26  extend from the shaft portion  22  at a desirable angle, φ, resulting in a lesser amount of force needed for insertion, but a higher amount of force in extraction. Accordingly, as the angle, φ, is increased, the extraction effort for inserting the garment hook assembly  11  is decreased proportionally. Even further, in another alternative embodiment as seen in  FIGS. 7C ,  7 E, and  7 F, the ribs  26  may axially extend from the shaft in an offset configuration. More specifically, a first row of ribs  48  may be vertically offset by a second row of ribs  50 . 
   Essentially, the embodiments of the SRFD  10 ,  100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 , and  500  described above improves blind installation operation procedures and prevents the undesirable rotation of a vehicular trim component about the axis of a fastener. The embodiments of the SRFD  10 ,  100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 , and  500  also permits an operator to locate and place the vehicular trim component about a reception hole in order to free the operator&#39;s hands for driving a fastener with a screw gun through a fastener reception hole. Although the invention as described above is shown for a garment hook assembly, the invention may also apply to any vehicular trim component that is typically installed in a “blind installation operation” procedure. 
   While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.