In EP 0 556 993 is described a fastener which is frequently used in the attachment of a bumper to a car body panel.
This fastener comprises a barrel, a first head flange formed on the barrel and spaced from the first, the barrel comprising a plurality of legs extending from an end face of the barrel towards the first head flange, and a setting mandrel which extends through the barrel and has a setting head which engages the end face of the barrel. In use, the fastener is set into a hole in a car body panel by inserting the legs of the barrel into the hole until the first head flange contacts the car body panel, and then putting the setting mandrel while retaining the barrel of the fastener to cause the legs to splay outwardly to secure the fastener in the hole.
This fastener suffers from certain disadvantages. Firstly, it is inherently expensive to manufacture. Secondly firm setting of the fastener in a hole is difficult to achieve particularly if the hole is slightly oversize. Thirdly the set fastener inherently has an axial passageway through it when set. Attempts to prevent the passage of moisture through this passageway by crimping the barrel of the fastener into engagement with a portion of the setting mandrel which remains in the set fastener may reduce this problem, but the fastener requires to be sealed if no possibility of the axial passage of water is to occur.
It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved fastener which does not suffer from the above disadvantages.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds