Plastic plug, nut and stud fastener assembly

Claim 2

A fastener assembly for securing a first member to a second member having at least one aperture therethrough, said fastener assembly including a plastic push-on stud retainer having a flange head portion adapted to be in close proximity to one side of the second member and an integral axially elongated tubular wall portion, defining a hollow crown portion closed by an end wall, extending from said flange head portion and frictionally engaged in the aperture of the second member with said end wall being positioned outward from the opposite side of the second member, said crown portion providing a throat portion adjacent said flange head portion that opens into a socket cavity within said hollow crown portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart longitudinal ribs extending radially inward from said tubular wall portion to define a stud receiving opening having an original, as fabricated, predetermined minor internal diameter, a stud fixed at one end to said first member, said stud having a shank with a series of annular retention grooves thereon extending outward from said first member to project into said stud receiving opening in said hollow crown portion of said push-on stud retainer, the major outside diameter of said shank being complementary to said minor internal diameter of said stud receiving opening whereby said first member is frictionally supported by said second member, and nut means having a bore therein provided with internal threads threaded onto said hollow crown portion of said push-on stud retainer whereby said internal threads cause the material of said longitudinal ribs of said hollow crown portion to flow radially inward into said annular retention grooves to lock said push-on stud retainer to said shank of said stud.

Claim 3

A fastener assembly for securing a first member to an apertured second member, said fastener assembly including a plastic push-on stud retainer, a stud and a nut means, said stud retainer having a flange head portion and an integral axially elongated tubular wall portion, defining a hollow crown portion closed by an end wall, extending from said flange head portion said crown portion being adapted to be frictionally engaged in the aperture of the second member with said end wall being positioned outward from one side of the second member and said flange head portion positioned for abutment against the opposite side of said second member, said crown portion providing a throat portion adjacent said flange head portion that opens into a socket cavity within said hollow crown portion, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart longitudinal ribs extending radially inward from said tubular wall portion to define a stud receiving opening having an original, as fabricated, predetermined minor internal diameter, said stud being adapted to be fixed at one end to said first member, said stud having a shank with a series of annular retention grooves thereon extending outward from said first member to project into said stud receiving opening in said hollow crown portion of said push-on stud retainer, the major outside diameter of said shank being complementary to said minor internal diameter of said stud receiving opening whereby said stud fixed to said first member is frictionally supported by said stud retainer on said second member, said nut means having an internal threaded bore for threaded engagement onto said hollow crown portion of said push-on stud retainer whereby said internal threaded bore of said nut means cause the material of said longitudinal ribs of said hollow crown portion to flow radially inward into said annular retention grooves to lock said push-on stud retainer to said shank of said stud.

Claim 4

A fastener assembly for securing a first member to an apertured second member, said fastener assembly including a plastic push-on stud retainer, a stud and a nut means, said stud retainer having a flange head portion and an integral axially elongated tubular wall portion, defining a hollow crown portion closed by an end wall, extending from said flange head portion said crown portion being adapted to be frictionally engaged in the aperture of the second member with said end wall being positioned outward from one side of the second member and said flange head portion positioned for abutment against the opposite side of said second member, said crown portion providing a throat portion adjacent said flange head portion that opens into a socket cavity within said hollow crown portion, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart longitudinal ribs extending radially inward from said tubular wall portion to define a stud receiving opening having an original, as fabricated, predetermined minor internal diameter, said stud being adapted to be fixed at one end to said first member, said stud having a shank with a series of annular retention grooves thereon extending outward from said first member to project into said stud receiving opening in said hollow crown portion of said push-on stud retainer, the major outside diameter of said shank being complementary to said minor internal diameter of said stud receiving opening whereby said stud fixed to said first member is frictionally supported by said stud retainer on said second member, said nut means having an internal threaded bore for threaded engagement onto said hollow crown portion of said push-on stud retainer whereby said internal threaded bore of said nut means cause the material of said longitudinal ribs of said hollow crown portion to flow radially inward into said annular retention grooves to lock said push-on stud retainer to said shank of said stud.