Magnet fastener with resilient support including at least one projection

{
  "publication_number": "US9783133B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Magnet fastener with resilient support including at least one projection",
  "abstract": "A magnet fastener includes a cup, a magnet received in the cup and a carrier. The carrier receives and holds the cup while the resilient support includes at least one projection that engages the cup and provides a biasing force to prevent rattling or ticking of the cup on the carrier.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A magnet fastener, comprising: a cup; a magnet received in said cup; and a carrier including a base and a resilient support including a planar disc that receives and holds said cup, said resilient support including at least one projection engaging said cup, wherein said resilient support has a substantially flat upper surface not including any sidewalls extending from the upper surface to prevent excess rigidity to said resilient support.",
    "2. The magnet fastener of claim 1, wherein said resilient support is substantially planar.",
    "3. The magnet fastener of claim 2, wherein said carrier includes an integral stem and lock.",
    "4. The magnet fastener of claim 3, wherein said cup includes an aperture received around said stem and captured between said resilient support and said lock.",
    "5. The magnet fastener of claim 4, wherein said upper surface faces said cup.",
    "6. The magnet fastener of claim 5, wherein said at least one projection projects from said upper surface toward said cup.",
    "7. The magnet fastener of claim 6, wherein engagement between said at least one projection and said cup deflects said planar disc causing said resilient material of said disc to provide a force biasing said cup on said stem into engagement with said lock whereby said cup is securely and positively held in place so as to prevent rattling of said cup on said carrier.",
    "8. The magnet fastener of claim 7, wherein said upper surface is continuous.",
    "9. The magnet fastener of claim 8, wherein said magnet is annular in shape and includes a central opening.",
    "10. The magnet fastener of claim 7, wherein said at least one projection comprises two opposed ribs on said upper surface of said disc.",
    "11. The magnet fastener of claim 10, wherein said magnet is annular in shape and includes a central opening.",
    "12. The magnet fastener of claim 10, wherein said upper surface is continuous.",
    "13. The magnet fastener of claim 12, wherein said at least one projection projects from said upper surface toward said cup whereby engagement of said cup by said at least one projection deflects said resilient support so as to produce a biasing force to securely and positively hold said cup in place on said carrier and prevent rattling.",
    "14. A headliner assembly comprising a headliner and said magnet fastener of claim 2.",
    "15. A headliner assembly comprising a headliner and said magnet fastener set forth in claim 1."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This document relates generally to the fastener field and, more particularly, to a magnet fastener having a resilient, substantially planar base and at least one projection that essentially eliminates ticking and rattling.\n\nMagnet fasteners or clips are well known in the art and are often utilized to fasten body panels and automobile interior trim piece panels, such as a headliner, to the body or chassis of a vehicle. Such fasteners must allow for articulation in order to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and/or irregular body contours so as to provide proper fastening.\n\nU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,306,190 and 8,287,034 disclose state-of-the-art magnet fasteners. The '190 patent relates to a fastener including a magnet that is held in a carrier that is loosely fitted onto a post in order to allow for tilt or articulation as often required to provide substantially flush engagement against a substrate such as a roof to which a trim piece is to be mounted.\n\nSimilarly, the '034 patent discloses a magnet mounted in a holder that is captured on a boss. A gap is provided between the boss and the holder so as to allow relative movement of the holder on the boss and articulation of the magnet.\n\nIt should be appreciated that the magnet holders disclosed in the '190 and '034 patents are made of multiple pieces that move relative to each other in order to provide articulation. These devices must be carefully manufactured under tight tolerances to allow proper assembly and operation.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60R 13/0275",
    "A44B 17/0023",
    "A44B 17/0047",
    "B60R 13/0206",
    "B60R 13/0212",
    "B60R 13/04",
    "B60R 2011/0057",
    "F16B 1/00",
    "F16B 19/004",
    "F16B 2001/0035",
    "F16B 2200/83",
    "H01F 7/0252"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A44B 17/00",
    "B60R 11/00",
    "B60R 13/01",
    "B60R 13/02",
    "B60R 13/04",
    "F16B 1/00",
    "H01F 7/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ford Global Technologies LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "David Huelke",
    "Mike Popovski"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-09-08",
  "publication_date": "2017-10-10",
  "grant_date": "2017-10-10",
  "priority_date": "2014-09-08",
  "application_number": "US-201414479722-A",
  "family_id": "54432204",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
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}