Patent ID: 7698799

Claim:
A method of attaching a clinch spacer to a panel, comprising the following steps: forming a clinch spacer including a body portion having an axial bore, an annular flange portion extending radially surrounding said bore having a generally planar annular face, and an annular barrel portion integral and coaxially aligned with said annular flange portion surrounding said bore having a diameter less than said annular flange portion, said annular barrel portion including an end face having an outer annular lip extending at an angle radially outwardly and axially from said end face of said annular barrel portion; forming an opening in a panel having an inside diameter greater than an outside diameter of said outer annular lip of said barrel portion and an outside diameter of said annular barrel portion, but less than an outside diameter of said annular flange portion, and said panel having a thickness less than a distance between said planar annular face of said annular flange portion and an axial extent of said outer annular lip; inserting said annular barrel portion through said opening in said panel, receiving a first face of said panel on an end face of a die member and a second face on said annular face of said annular flange portion; and substantially simultaneously deforming said outer annular lip of said annular barrel portion radially outwardly and axially against said first face of said panel, and driving an annular generally V-shaped lip projecting from said end face of said die member against said first face of said panel, deforming said panel radially inwardly driving said internal diameter of said opening in said panel against said outside diameter of said annular barrel portion and beneath said outer annular lip of said annular barrel portion, thereby permanently attaching said clinch spacer to said panel.