US3842565A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Resilient buffer assembly
Assignee: Robin Products Co
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Filing: 1973-05-21
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A resilient trim or molding having integral tubular connectors. The tubular connectors have parallel side walls and concave end walls integral with the side walls. The side walls have camming projections which resiliently collapse the concave end walls inwardly upon receipt of the connector in the supporting panel openings. And, the camming projections have locking faces overlying the molding to secure the connector within the panel opening. The panel, which in the disclosed embodiment is an automotive bumper, includes a plurality of rectangular openings which receive the connectors, including a locator hole. The locator hole has a length and width which closely conforms to the external configuration of the connector to locate the trim on the support and the remaining holes have a greater length to accommodate tolerances and permit securement of the trim on a curved surface. The trim member is secured by first aligning the trim with a connector opposite the locator hole, biasing the connector into the locator hole to resiliently collapse the concave side walls and lock the connector within the locator hole and finally the remaining connectors are secured within the remaining panel openings.
Inventors
- 👤 M Brown
- 👤 L Krawczak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:40
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16B; F16B5/00; F16B5/12; F16B5/126; B; B60; B60R; B60R13/00; B60R13/04; B60R19/00; B60R19/02; B60R19/44; B60R19/445; F16B21/00; F16B21/06; F16B21/08; F16B21/086; F16B21/088; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S411/00; Y10S411/904; Y10S411/907; Y10S411/908; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/30; Y10T24/309
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A trim and panel assembly, comprising, in combination, a panel support having a predetermined thickness, a rectangular aperture in said panel, a resilient polymeric trim member having a base overlying one face of said panel and an integral hollow tubular connector disposed within said aperture and retaining said trim member to said panel, said connector having generally parallel side walls, parallel to the side edges of said rectangular aperture and inwardly concave end walls integral with said side walls, and locking projections on each of said side walls, each of said locking projections having a camming face inclined outwardly from the distal end of said connector and a locking face overlying said trim member, said locking face engaging said side edges of the aperture on the opposed face of said panel, said concave walls of said hollow tubular connector sufficiently resilient to resiliently collapse inwardly upon biasing inwardly of said locking projections, whereby said camming faces of said hollow connector engage the opposed side edges of said aperture, resiliently collapsing said concave walls inwardly to receive said locking faces against the opposed edges of said aperture, retaining said trim member to said panel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A trim and panel assembly, comprising, in combination, a panel support having a predetermined thickness, a rectangular aperture in said panel, a resilient polymeric trim member having a base overlying one face of said panel and an integral hollow tubular connector disposed within said aperture and retaining said trim member to said panel, said connector having generally parallel side walls, parallel to the side edges of said rectangular aperture and inwardly concave end walls integral with said side walls, and locking projections on each of said side walls, each of said locking projections having a camming face inclined outwardly from the distal end of said connector and a locking face overlying said trim member, said locking face engaging said side edges of the aperture on the opposed face of said panel, said concave walls of said hollow tubular connector sufficiently resilient to resiliently collapse inwardly upon biasing inwardly of said locking projections, whereby said camming faces of said hollow connector engage the opposed side edges of said aperture, resiliently collapsing said concave walls inwardly to receive said locking faces against the opposed edges of said aperture, retaining said trim member to said panel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The trim and panel assembly defined in claim 1, characterized in that said trim member is an elongated strip having a longitudinal axis and said trim member includes a plurality of said hollow tubular connectors, each connector received in a rectangular panel aperture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The trim and panel assembly defined in claim 2, characterized in said rectangular apertures having a length substantially equal to the length of said parallel side walls of said connectors and at least one of said apertures having a substantially greater length to accommodate variations in spacing between the apertures and connectors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The trim and panel assembly defined in claim 2, characterized in that one of said connectors has resilient side edges, wherein said side walls project beyond said camming projections, on opposed sides, and arcuately blend with said concave walls to provide said resilient side edges.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
161 words
A resilient, polymeric self-retaining trim member having a base adapted to be secured to a support, in overlying relation, said trim member having an integral hollow tubular connector projecting from said base and adapted to be lockingly received in a generally rectangular aperture in said support, said tubular connector having parallel side walls generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said trim member and relatively resilient, inwardly concave end walls integral with said side walls and within the projection of said side walls, and camming projections on said side walls, each of said camming projections having a camming face inclined outwardly from adjacent the distal end of said connector and a locking face overlying the base of said trim member, said camming projections resiliently biasing said side walls inwardly, in generally parallel relation about their junction with said base, collpasing said concave end walls inwardly, within the projection of said side walls, upon receipt of said connector in said panel aperture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
161 words
A resilient, polymeric self-retaining trim member having a base adapted to be secured to a support, in overlying relation, said trim member having an integral hollow tubular connector projecting from said base and adapted to be lockingly received in a generally rectangular aperture in said support, said tubular connector having parallel side walls generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said trim member and relatively resilient, inwardly concave end walls integral with said side walls and within the projection of said side walls, and camming projections on said side walls, each of said camming projections having a camming face inclined outwardly from adjacent the distal end of said connector and a locking face overlying the base of said trim member, said camming projections resiliently biasing said side walls inwardly, in generally parallel relation about their junction with said base, collpasing said concave end walls inwardly, within the projection of said side walls, upon receipt of said connector in said panel aperture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The trim member defined in claim 5, wherein said trim member base is closed and said tubular connector is open at its distal end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The trim member defined in claim 6, wherein said trim member is channel-shaped having a base and opposed side walls, said tubular connector integrally joined to said base wall and extending beyond said side walls of said trim member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
165 words
A resilient elongated polymeric trim member comprising a channel-shaped section having a longitudinal base portion and opposed longitudinal side walls, a plurality of integral tubular connectors joined to said base portion and extending beyond said side walls, said connectors each hAving opposed side walls generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said channel section and opposed relatively resilient end walls concave inwardly toward the axis of said tubular connectors, and said connector side walls having camming faces inclined outwardly from adjacent the distal end of said connectors, toward said channel side walls, and locking faces overlying said channel section base portion, said camming faces resiliently biasing the connector side walls inwardly about the junction with said base portion, toward the axis of said connectors and resiliently collapsing said concave end walls within the projection of said connector side walls upon securement of the trim member, permitting receipt of the connectors within an opening having a length equal to the length of said connector side walls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
165 words
A resilient elongated polymeric trim member comprising a channel-shaped section having a longitudinal base portion and opposed longitudinal side walls, a plurality of integral tubular connectors joined to said base portion and extending beyond said side walls, said connectors each hAving opposed side walls generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said channel section and opposed relatively resilient end walls concave inwardly toward the axis of said tubular connectors, and said connector side walls having camming faces inclined outwardly from adjacent the distal end of said connectors, toward said channel side walls, and locking faces overlying said channel section base portion, said camming faces resiliently biasing the connector side walls inwardly about the junction with said base portion, toward the axis of said connectors and resiliently collapsing said concave end walls within the projection of said connector side walls upon securement of the trim member, permitting receipt of the connectors within an opening having a length equal to the length of said connector side walls.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The trim member defined in claim 8, wherein said channel section is closed and continuous and said tubular connectors are opened at their distal ends.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The trim member defined in claim 8, wherein said connector concave end walls are arcuate and symmetric to the axis of said connectors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
193 words
A trim and panel assembly comprising, in combination, a panel having a plurality of spaced apertures of substantially equal dimension having opposed parallel side edges and a locator aperture having parallel side edges shorter in length than the side edges of said plurality of apertures, an elongated resilient trim member overlying said panel and said panel apertures, said trim member having a plurality of projecting integral tubular connectors each secured in one of said panel apertures, said connectors each having opposed parallel side walls engaging said side edges of said panel apertures in securing relation, the length of said connector side walls being equal to the length of said locator aperture side edges, each of said connectors having opposed, relatively resilient end walls, concave inwardly toward the axis of said connectors and within the projection of said side walls, and said side walls having camming faces inclined outwardly toward said trim member, said camming faces resiliently biasing said side walls inwardly in generally parallel relation to receive the connectors within said panel apertures in locking relation and resiliently collapsing said concave end walls inwardly, permitting receipt of one connector within said locator aperture.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
193 words
A trim and panel assembly comprising, in combination, a panel having a plurality of spaced apertures of substantially equal dimension having opposed parallel side edges and a locator aperture having parallel side edges shorter in length than the side edges of said plurality of apertures, an elongated resilient trim member overlying said panel and said panel apertures, said trim member having a plurality of projecting integral tubular connectors each secured in one of said panel apertures, said connectors each having opposed parallel side walls engaging said side edges of said panel apertures in securing relation, the length of said connector side walls being equal to the length of said locator aperture side edges, each of said connectors having opposed, relatively resilient end walls, concave inwardly toward the axis of said connectors and within the projection of said side walls, and said side walls having camming faces inclined outwardly toward said trim member, said camming faces resiliently biasing said side walls inwardly in generally parallel relation to receive the connectors within said panel apertures in locking relation and resiliently collapsing said concave end walls inwardly, permitting receipt of one connector within said locator aperture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The trim and panel assembly defined in claim 11, wherein said trim member is channel-shaped, having a closed continuous bottom wall and opposed longitudinal side walls engaging one face of said panel, said tubular connectors integrally joined to said base wall and extending beyond said channel side walls, and said connectors open at their distal ends.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The trim and panel assembly defined in claim 11, wherein said concave end walls of said connectors are arcuate and symmetric about the axis of said connectors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |