Patent Publication Number: US-2006018709-A1

Title: Dual-ended press pin and assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      “Press pins,” or “press-in pins,” are commonly pressed into a panel structure to enable the article to engage or function with an article in an assembly in a prescribed manner. For example, the panel structure and the article may be engaged by being immovably fixed together and spaced apart by the press pin. On the other hand, the article may be able to rotate relative to the panel structure around the press pin. Other manners of engaging two articles by a press pin are also common. Additionally, a wide variety of press pin shapes are available for a wide variety of functions and situations.  
      The press pin is mounted into a hole in the panel structure. If another press pin is mounted to the panel structure at another hole in order to engage another article, the centerlines of the press pins must be separated by a distance referred to as the “location tolerance.” The location tolerance is primarily governed by the strength and thickness of the material of the panel structure and the anticipated load on the bonds between the panel structure and the press pins. The strength of the bonds between the panel structure and the press pins is primarily determined by the strength and thickness of the materials of the panel structure and of the press pins. The location tolerance, thus, must allow a sufficient amount of the material of the panel structure between the two holes to retain the strength of the bonds between the panel structure and the two press pins. It is, therefore, not possible to engage the two articles coaxially, since the two press pins must be separated by the location tolerance. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dual-ended press pin incorporating an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the dual-ended press pin shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the dual-ended press pin shown in  FIG. 1  with a cross sectional view of a panel structure to which the dual-ended press pin may be mounted according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the dual-ended press pin shown in  FIG. 1  with a cross sectional view of the panel structure shown in  FIG. 3  and a cross sectional view of a punch and an anvil for mounting the dual-ended press pin to the panel structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of an assembly incorporating an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an assembly incorporating an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a dual-ended press pin incorporating an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a dual-ended press pin incorporating another alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a dual-ended press pin incorporating another alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      An exemplary dual-ended, or dual-sided, press pin (or “press-in pin”)  200 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , generally has two end “pin features”  202  and  204  on opposite sides of a central retaining section, portion or segment  206 . The end pin features  202  and  204  are both shown having a spool shape, with a narrow elongated cylindrical portion  208  and a broader shorter end portion  210 . However, as will be described below, the end pin features  202  and  204  may have any appropriate shape for the intended function or situation, so the present invention is not limited to the specific end pin features shown herein. Additionally, the central retaining section  206  is shown as generally circular and having a groove  212  between a large retaining wall  214  and a small retaining wall  216 . In an alternative embodiment, the central retaining section  206  does not include the groove  212 . Additionally, as will be described below, the central retaining section  206  may further have any appropriate shape for the intended function or situation. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the specific central retaining sections shown herein. Furthermore, the dual-ended press pins described herein may be made of any appropriate material, such as metal, plastic, etc.  
      In the embodiment shown, the end pin features  202  and  204  are coaxial with each other and with the central retaining section  206 . In this manner, the dual-ended press pin  200  can be used to coaxially engage two articles on opposite sides of a central panel structure, as described below. The dual-ended and coaxial nature of the press pin  200  is, thus, particularly advantageous in a situation or application having limited available space, so that economy of size or compactness of design is a consideration. Additionally, an assembly can use one component (the dual-ended press pin  200 ), instead of two or more components, and potentially achieve a simpler and/or smaller design.  
      In the embodiment shown, the dual-ended press pin  200  is for mounting in a panel structure  218 , as shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 ,  5  and  6 . The panel structure  218  may be made of any appropriate material (e.g. metal, plastic, etc.) and has an opening  220  of generally the same shape as the central retaining section  206  of the dual-ended press pin  200 . In the embodiment shown, the opening  220  is slightly larger than the end portion  210  of one of the spool-shaped end pin features  204 , so that the end portion  210  can be inserted through the opening  220  (in the direction of arrow A,  FIG. 3 ) without undue force, in order to avoid damaging the end portion  210  when constructing an exemplary assembly  222  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) that incorporates the dual-ended press pin  200 . Additionally, in the embodiment shown, the opening  220  is slightly larger than the small retaining wall  216  of the central retaining portion  206 .  
      To mount the dual-ended press pin  200  to the panel structure  218 , the small retaining wall  216  of the central retaining section  206  is inserted into opening  220  and the large retaining wall  214  is held against the panel structure  218  at the opening  220 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , until the central retaining section  206  is pressed or punched into the opening  220 . A punch device  224  presses on the central retaining section  206  at the large retaining wall  214  in the direction of arrow B. An anvil  226  presses on the panel structure  218  at the opening  220  in the direction of arrow C. In the embodiment shown, the punch device  224  and the anvil  226 , thus, have internal cavities  228  and  230 , respectively, that surround the end pin features  202  and  204 . The cavities  228  and  230  are sufficiently large that inner walls of the cavities  228  and  230  do not touch the end pin features  202  and  204 , in order to avoid damaging the end pin features  202  and  204  or getting them stuck inside the cavities  228  and  230 .  
      The punch device  224  and the anvil  226  operate together to press or punch the central retaining section  206  into the opening  220 . Upon doing so, the material of the panel structure  218  at the opening  220  may be slightly deformed, as shown in  FIG. 5 , to fit partially into the groove  212  of the central retaining section  206 . In this manner, the panel structure  218  holds the dual-ended press pin  200  primarily by compression and friction.  
      To complete construction of the exemplary assembly  222 , two side articles  232  and  234  are placed onto the end pin features  202  and  204 , respectively. In the example shown, the side articles  232  and  234  may engage the end pin features  202  and  204  in a rotating or a sliding manner, since the side articles  232  and  234  have openings  236  and  238 , respectively, slightly larger than the narrow elongated cylindrical portion  208  of the end pin features  202  and  204 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . To install the side articles  232  and  234  onto the end pin features  202  and  204 , the side articles  232  and  234  may include a slot  240  with an edge opening  242  (as shown for side article  234  in  FIG. 6 ) at which to slide onto the end pin features  202  and  204  in a sliding manner in the direction of arrow D, e.g. so that the side articles  232  and  234  may pivot relative to the panel structure  218  about point  244 . Additionally, the openings  236  and  238  and the width of the slot  240  are smaller than the end portions  210 , so the end portions  210  hold the side articles  232  and  234  onto the end pin features  202  and  204 .  
      Dual-ended press pins  300 ,  302  and  304  incorporating exemplary alternative embodiments of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 7, 8  and  9 , respectively. These alternative embodiments show some additional variations of end pin features and central retaining sections, and combinations thereof, that may be used in a dual-ended press pin according to the present invention. For example, the dual-ended press pin  300  includes a generally circular central retaining section  306 , a spool-shaped first end pin feature  308  and a generally cylindrical second end pin feature  310 . The dual-ended press pin  302 , on the other hand, also includes a generally circular central retaining section  312  and a spool-shaped first end pin feature  314 , but further includes a generally cylindrical second end pin feature  316  with an internal cylindrical cavity  318 . Additionally, the dual-ended press pin  304  includes a generally hexagonal wall  320  and cylindrical inner groove  322  in a central retaining section  324 , a cylindrical externally threaded first end pin feature  326  (e.g. for receiving a nut  328 ) and a cylindrical second end pin feature  330  with an internally threaded cylindrical cavity  332  (e.g. for receiving a round-head thumb screw  334 ).  
      Each of the end pin features  308 ,  310 ,  314 ,  316 ,  326  and  330  engages a side article in a different manner. For example, the spool-shaped end pin features  308  and  314  are similar to the end pin features  202  and  204 , discussed above, and may engage a side article in a rotating or sliding manner. The cylindrical end pin feature  310  may also engage a side article in a rotating or sliding manner or may allow the side article to slide on and off the cylindrical end pin feature  310 . The cylindrical end pin feature  316  with an internal cylindrical cavity  318  may also engage a side article in a rotating or sliding manner and may also allow the side article to slide on and off the cylindrical end pin feature  316 , but may also engage the side article by having the side article inserted into the internal cavity  318 . The externally threaded end pin feature  326  may engage a side article by clamping down on the side article with the nut  328 . The cylindrical end pin feature  330  with an internally threaded cylindrical cavity  332  may engage a side article in a rotating or sliding manner and may allow assembly of the side article to the dual-ended press pin  304  by sliding the side article onto the cylindrical end pin feature  330  followed by securing the side article onto the cylindrical end pin feature  330  by attaching the screw  334 . The cylindrical end pin feature  330  may alternatively engage a side article by attaching the side article in the same manner as, and in place of, the screw  334 . Having different end pin features on opposite ends of the same dual-ended press pin allows the dual-ended press pin to engage different side articles in different manners.  
      The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2-6  and the alternative embodiments shown in  FIGS. 7, 8  and  9  are not exhaustive of the potential variations for dual-ended press pins that fall within the scope of the present invention. A wide variety of other shapes, profiles, geometries, sizes and functions for end pin features and central retaining sections are possible, including those available for prior art single-ended press pins.