Patent ID: 6874983

Claim:
A fastener for securing a panel to a substrate, the fastener comprising: a pin portion having a head from which extends a shank; a body portion, the body portion having a head from which extends a pair of outwardly expandable resiliently flexible legs, the legs being separated by an axially extending slot and being constructed and arranged for insertion into a bore formed in the substrate, an integrally formed flexible hinge portion connecting the free end of the legs, the head itself having a bore formed therethrough, such that the bore in the head is in communication with the slot between the pair of legs, and the bore in the head and slot between the legs are arranged to receive the shank of the pin portion therein so that as the shank is forced into the slot, the pair of legs are forced away from one another and into compressive contact with an interior surface of the bore formed through the substrate so as to secure the fastener, and subsequently the panel, to the substrate; and, an interference control mechanism formed as part of the exterior of at least one of the legs of the body portion of the fastener adjacent a base of the at least one leg of the body portion, the interference control mechanism acting to control the compressive strength of the at least one leg so as to limit the compressive contact between the at least one leg and the interior surface of the bore formed through the substrate, thereby controlling a required insertion force that must be applied to the pin portion of the fastener to set the pin portion within the body portion of the fastener, wherein the interference control mechanism is configured and arranged to address the interior surface of the bore formed through the substrate within which the body portion of the fastener is received, and wherein the interference control mechanism comprises a bore formed transversely through the at least one leg, the bore of the interference control mechanism acting to reduce the compressive strength of the leg in such a manner as to reduce the compressive force required to drive the shank of the pin portion into the bore formed through the body portion of the fastener.