Method and apparatus for assembling a component to a panel
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B62D-025/12
B62D-025/10
출원번호
US-0893758
(2004-07-16)
등록번호
US-7367610
(2008-05-06)
발명자
/ 주소
Arens,Ryan L.
Niemiec,Scott A.
출원인 / 주소
General Motors Corporation
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
41
초록▼
A component is adapted for assembly to a panel at a desired location. The component includes a body and at least one fastener threadingly received in the body, the fastener having a head and a threaded shaft, the head extending outwardly from the body a predetermined distance and adapted to be recei
A component is adapted for assembly to a panel at a desired location. The component includes a body and at least one fastener threadingly received in the body, the fastener having a head and a threaded shaft, the head extending outwardly from the body a predetermined distance and adapted to be received through an aperture in the panel. The head is adapted to temporarily hold the component on the panel before final assembly, and the threaded shaft is adapted to be driven by a tool which turns the shaft in a direction causing the head to draw toward the panel. A locating member is disposed on the body at a predetermined position and is adapted to couple with a complementary member disposed on the panel when the component is at the desired location.
대표청구항▼
The invention claimed is: 1. An automotive component adapted for hands-free assembly to an automotive body panel at a desired installed location, the component comprising: a body; at least three fasteners threadingly received in the body, each of the fasteners having a head and a threaded shaft, th
The invention claimed is: 1. An automotive component adapted for hands-free assembly to an automotive body panel at a desired installed location, the component comprising: a body; at least three fasteners threadingly received in the body, each of the fasteners having a head and a threaded shaft, the head extending outwardly from the body a predetermined distance and adapted to be received through an aperture in the automotive body panel, the head adapted to temporarily hold the automotive component on the automotive body panel before final assembly, the threaded shaft adapted to be driven by a tool which turns the shaft in a direction causing the head to draw toward the automotive body panel; and a locating tab having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, disposed on the body at a predetermined position, and adapted to couple with a complementary slot having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, defined in the automotive body panel, when the automotive component is at the desired installed location, thereby aligning the automotive component with the automotive body panel at the desired installed location, wherein the locating tab extends outwardly from the automotive component body, and wherein the complementary slot is adapted to receive the tab. 2. The automotive component as defined in claim 1 wherein the fastener comprises a torque transmitting-shaped member defined at an end of the shaft distal to the head, the torque transmitting-shaped member being complementarily shaped with the tool. 3. The automotive component as defined in claim 1 wherein the locating tab is a portion of the body, bent such that the locating tab extends outwardly from the body. 4. The automotive component as defined in claim 1 wherein the aperture is a key slot having a reduced width portion, and wherein the shaft is adapted to be received in the reduced width portion, the reduced width portion having a width less than a width of the head and adapted to substantially prevent the head from dislodging from the aperture during the assembly. 5. The automotive component as defined in claim 4 wherein the at least three fasteners comprise three fasteners spaced in a desired configuration, and wherein the aperture comprises three key slot apertures spaced in a configuration complementary to the fastener desired configuration. 6. The automotive component as defined in claim 5 wherein the shafts have left hand threads defined therein and wherein the tool is adapted for driving right hand threaded fasteners. 7. The automotive component as defined in claim 6 wherein the automotive component is a latch assembly. 8. An automotive component and automotive body panel assembly, comprising: a component body; at least three fasteners threadingly received in one of the body and the automotive body panel, each of the fasteners having a head and a threaded shaft, the head extending outwardly from the one of the body and the automotive body panel a predetermined distance and received through an aperture in the other of the automotive body panel and the body, the head adapted to temporarily hold the automotive component on the automotive body panel for hands-free assembly of the automotive component to the automotive body panel, the threaded shaft adapted to be driven by a tool which turns the shaft in a direction causing the head to draw toward the other of the automotive body panel and the body; and a locating tab having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, disposed on one of the body and the automotive body panel at a predetermined position, and coupled with a complementary slot having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, defined in the other of the automotive body panel and the body when the automotive component is at a desired installed location thereby aligning the automotive component with the automotive body panel at the desired installed location, wherein the locating tab extends outwardly from one of the automotive component body and the automotive body panel, and wherein the complementary slot is adapted to receive the tab. 9. The automotive component and automotive body panel assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the locating tab is a portion of the one of the body and the automotive body panel, bent such that the locating tab extends outwardly from the one of the body and the automotive body panel. 10. The automotive component and automotive body panel assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the fastener comprises a torque transmitting-shaped member defined at an end of the shaft distal to the head. 11. The automotive component and automotive body panel assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein the aperture is a key slot having a reduced width portion, and wherein the shaft is received in the reduced width portion, while the reduced width portion substantially prevents the head from dislodging from the aperture during the assembly. 12. The automotive component and automotive body panel assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the at least three fasteners comprise three fasteners spaced in a desired configuration, and wherein the aperture comprises three key slot apertures spaced in a configuration complementary to the fastener desired configuration. 13. The automotive component and automotive body panel assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the component is a latch assembly. 14. The automotive component and automotive body panel assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the shafts have left hand threads defined therein and wherein the tool is adapted for driving right hand threaded fasteners. 15. A method of assembling an automotive component to an automotive body panel at a desired installed location, the method comprising: temporarily coupling the automotive component to the automotive body panel by inserting at least three fasteners into an aperture in the automotive body panel, each fastener threadingly received in the automotive component and having a head and a threaded shaft, the head extending outwardly from the automotive component a predetermined distance and through the aperture to temporarily hold the automotive component on the automotive body panel for hands-free final assembly; coupling a locating tab having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and disposed on the automotive component, with a complementary slot having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and defined in the automotive body panel, the locating tab adapted to couple with the complementary slot when the automotive component is at the desired installed location thereby aligning the automotive component with the automotive body panel at the desired installed location, wherein the locating tab extends outwardly from the automotive component, and wherein the complementary slot is adapted to receive the tab; and driving an end of the threaded shaft distal to the head with a tool which turns the shaft in a direction causing the head to draw toward the automotive body panel. 16. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the aperture is a key slot having a reduced width portion, and wherein the method further comprises urging the shaft into the reduced width portion after the head has passed through the aperture, the reduced width portion having a width less than a width of the head. 17. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the at least three fasteners comprise three fasteners spaced in a desired configuration, and wherein the aperture comprises three apertures spaced in a configuration complementary to the fastener desired configuration. 18. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the automotive component is a latch assembly. 19. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the shaft has left hand threads defined therein and wherein the tool is adapted for driving right hand threaded fasteners. 20. The method as defined in claim 19 wherein the fastener comprises a torque transmitting-shaped member defined at the end of the shaft distal to the head, the torque transmitting-shaped member being complementarily shaped with the tool. 21. A method of assembling an automotive component to an automotive body panel at a desired installed location, the method comprising: temporarily coupling the automotive component to the automotive body panel by inserting at least three fasteners into respective apertures in the automotive body panel, each of the fasteners threadingly received in the automotive component and having a head and a threaded shaft, the head extending outwardly from the automotive component a predetermined distance and through the respective aperture to temporarily hold the automotive component on the automotive body panel for hands-free final assembly; coupling a locating tab having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, with a complementary slot having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, wherein the locating tab extends outwardly from one of the automotive component and the automotive body panel, and wherein the complementary slot is adapted to receive the tab and is defined in the other of the automotive body panel and the automotive component, the locating tab adapted to couple with the complementary slot when the automotive component is at the desired installed location thereby aligning the automotive component with the automotive body panel at the desired installed location; and driving an end of the threaded shaft distal to the head with a tool which turns the shaft in a direction causing the head to draw toward the automotive body panel. 22. The method as defined in claim 21 wherein the locating tab is a portion of the one of the automotive component and the automotive body panel, bent such that the locating tab extends outwardly from the one of the automotive component and the automotive body panel. 23. A method of attaching a latch assembly to an automotive body panel at a desired installed location, the method comprising: temporarily coupling the latch assembly to the automotive body panel by inserting three fasteners spaced in a desired configuration into three respective key slot apertures spaced in a configuration complementary to the fastener desired configuration, the three apertures each having a reduced width portion and defined in the automotive body panel, the fasteners threadingly received in the latch assembly body and each having a head and a threaded shaft, the heads extending outwardly from the latch assembly body a predetermined distance and through the apertures to temporarily hold the latch assembly on the automotive body panel for hands-free final attaching; urging the shafts into the respective reduced width portions after the heads have passed through the apertures, the reduced width portions each having a width less than a width of the respective head; coupling a locating member tab having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and disposed on the latch assembly body, with a complementary member slot having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and disposed on the automotive body panel, the locating member tab adapted to couple with the complementary member slot when the component is at the desired installed location thereby aligning the latch assembly with the automotive body panel at the desired installed location; and driving an end of each of the threaded shafts distal to each of the heads with a tool which turns the shafts in a direction causing the heads to draw toward the automotive body panel. 24. The method as defined in claim 23 wherein the latch assembly is a lift-glass latch assembly, and wherein the automotive body panel is at least one of a tailgate and a lift gate. 25. The method as defined in claim 23 wherein the locating tab is a portion of the latch assembly body, bent such that the locating tab extends outwardly from the latch assembly body. 26. The method as defined in claim 23 wherein each of the shafts has left hand threads defined therein and wherein the tool is adapted for driving right hand threaded fasteners. 27. The method as defined in claim 26 wherein each of the fasteners comprises a torque transmitting-shaped member defined at the end of the shaft distal to the head, the torque transmitting-shaped member being complementarily shaped with the tool. 28. A method of assembling an automotive component to an automotive body panel at a desired installed location, the method consisting essentially of: temporarily coupling the automotive component to the automotive body panel by inserting at least three fasteners into an aperture in the automotive body panel, each fastener threadingly received in the automotive component and having a head and a threaded shaft, the head extending outwardly from the automotive component a predetermined distance and through the aperture to temporarily hold the automotive component on the automotive body panel for hands-free final assembly; coupling a locating tab having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and disposed on one of the automotive component and the automotive body panel, with a complementary slot having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and defined in the other of the automotive body panel and the automotive component, the locating tab adapted to couple with the complementary slot when the automotive component is at the desired installed location, wherein the locating tab extends outwardly from one of the automotive component and the automotive body panel, and wherein the complementary slot is adapted to receive the tab; and driving an end of the threaded shaft distal to the head with a tool which turns the shaft in a direction causing the head to draw toward the automotive body panel.
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