Patent Publication Number: US-6336442-B1

Title: Assembly for attachment of a housing to a structural member

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an attachment assembly that can be used as a general purpose attachment mechanism to retain a housing to a structural member. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     There are many types of attachment devices to retain a member to a base. These attachment devices include clips, fasteners, flanges, and the like. Some of these attachment devices are limited in use to specific items, while others may be used with a variety of equipment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an assembly having a support structure and a body attached to the support structure by a retention member. The support structure has a pocket proximate a surface. The pocket has a wall, which defines a chamber, with a first end connected to the surface and a second end projecting away from the surface. A lip is disposed proximate the second end of the wall, and a port projects from the surface into the chamber. The body is at least partially disposed within the chamber of the pocket, and a retention device attaches the body to the wall of the pocket by engaging both the body and the lip. 
     The present invention also provides a medium supply device having a housing with a surface and a passage therein. A port projects away from the surface and communicates with the passage. A pocket is located proximate the surface and surrounds the port. The pocket has a wall, which defines a chamber, with a first end proximate the surface and a second end projecting away from the surface. 
     One embodiment of the body of the present invention includes a first member, a second member, which is axially displaced from the first member, that provides a medium receiving opening, and a diaphragm separating the first member and second member. The first member includes a first flange, and the second member includes a second flange. Preferably, a spring biases the diaphragm toward the first member, a first exterior of a spacer engages the diaphragm, and a second exterior of the spacer is exposed to the medium receiving opening. 
     One embodiment of the retention device of the present invention includes a support portion and a plurality of retention members. The support portion is disposed between the first flange and the second flange, and the plurality of retention members extends from the support portion toward the medium receiving opening and engages the lip of the wall. 
     The present invention also provides a method of securing an assembly to a medium supply device. This method includes: providing a housing having a surface; disposing a pocket, which has a wall, that defines a chamber and has a first thickness, proximate the surface; and placing a body at least partially within the chamber of the pocket. In this method, the body has a wall with a second thickness less than the first thickness. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the pocket and the first member of the body of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the assembly  10  that attaches a body  20  to a support structure  40  with a retaining device  60 . The support structure  40  has a surface  41 . The support structure  40  may be made of plastic. In the preferred embodiment, the support structure also has a housing  42  with a passage, which is a fluid supply device and more particularly, a fuel rail. Alternatively, the passage  43  may be a fuel line, fuel pump module, jumper line, or any other device that transports a medium from one locality to another. A pocket  44  is disposed proximate the surface  41 . The pocket  44  may be plastic and is, preferably, molded onto the surface  41  of the support structure  40 . The pocket  44  has a wall  45  with a first end  46  connected to the surface  41  and a second end  47  projecting away from the surface  41 . In the preferred embodiment, the pocket  44  is cylindrical in shape. A lip  48  is disposed proximate the second end  47  of the wall  45 . A chamber  49  is formed within wall  45  into which a port  50  projects from the surface  41 . In the preferred embodiment, the port  50  is cylindrical in shape and is centered within the wall  45 . Preferably, the port  50  has a passage  51  that communicates with the passage  43  of the housing  42 . 
     The body  20  is at least partially disposed within the chamber  49  and secured to the wall  45  of the pocket  44  by the retention device, or preferably, clip,  60 , which engages both the body  20  and the lip  48 . In the preferred embodiment, the body  20  has a first member  21  with a wall  21   a  and a second member  22 , axially displaced from the first member  21 , that provides a medium receiving opening  23  to the body  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the wall  45  of the pocket  44  is thicker than the wall  21   a  of the first member  21 , as shown in FIG.  2 . Most preferably, the thickness X of the wall  45  of the pocket  44  is approximately three times the thickness Y of the wall  21   a  of the first member  21 . The greater thickness of the wall  45  of the pocket  44  provides structural rigidity to the pocket  44 . A, preferably flexible, diaphragm  24  separates the first member  21  and the second member  22 . The diaphragm  24  is secured in place between the first member  21  and the second member  22 . The first member  21  is, preferably, a cover that creates a sealed chamber with the diaphragm  24 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the body  20  includes a spring  25  biasing the diaphragm  24  toward the first member  21 , and a spacer  26  with a first exterior  27  engaging the diaphragm  24  and a second exterior  28  exposed to the medium receiving opening  23 . The spacer  26  is disposed in the second member  22 , and is, preferably, a substantially cylindrical member. The medium flow allows the spacer  26  to float freely in the second member  22 . The force of spring  25  limits axial movement of the spacer  26  toward the first member, or cover,  21 . Further details of the spacer and spring are described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/438,291, entitled “Pressure Pulsation Damper Containing a Free Floating Spacer,” filed Nov. 12, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the body  20  is a damper that attenuates pressure pulsations. However, the body  20  may be a pressure regulator, fuel pump, or any other device that receives a medium. Preferably, a portion  29  of the body  20 , or more specifically, the second member  22 , surrounds the port  50 , where the port  50  projects into the second member  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the body  20  also has a seal  30  located between the port  50  and the portion  29  of the body  20 . The seal  30  is, preferably, an O-ring seal. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the clip  60  is fixedly secured to the body  20  and is a sheet metal clip. Preferably, the clip  60  has a support portion  61  and a plurality of retention members  62 . The support portion  61  of the clip  60  is disposed between a first flange  63  of the first member  21  and a second flange  64  of the second member  22 . The retention members  62  extend away from the support portion  61  toward the medium receiving opening  23  and engage the lip  48  of the wall  45 . Further details of this clip are disclosed in commonly-assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/086,084, entitled “Fuel Rail Damper,” filed May 28, 1998, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
     While the invention has been disclosed with reference to certain preferred embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents thereof. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it have the full scope defined by the language of the following claims.