Famous Patents
3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8162579 | Undetachable plastic anchor A plastic, undetachable anchor (10) to affix a component (52) to a support (54), comprising a rectangular affixing aperture (56), the anchor comprising a resilient, flange-like head (12), a hollow shank (16) subtending an ax... | 04/24/2012 |
| 7621707 | Fastener A fastener, for connecting a first component having a first hole to a second component having a second hole, includes a cage which is fitted at its end with a radial flange and further a cross-sectionally rectangular or square shank segment. This shank segment is in... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7356879 | Adjusting unit for adjusting a spacing between two members An adjusting unit for adjusting a spacing between a fixedly mounted first member and a resiliently mounted second member. The adjusting unit comprises an adjusting screw and a sleeve-like receiving member which are adjustable relative to each other via a pair of thr... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7351023 | W-base retainer A w-base retainer that may be used in many applications, including numerous applications throughout the automotive industry, includes two-stage double-snap-over w-base features with opposite w-base features for assembling moldings to a sheet metal or substrate panel... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7320157 | Resilient clip fastener A resilient clip with a plurality of twisted wings for engaging a first structure. The twisted wings provide the clip with a low ratio of insertion force to pull-out force, rendering the clip relatively easy to install yet difficult to pull out. In one embodiment, t... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7318256 | Resilient clip fastener A resilient clip with a plurality of twisted wings for engaging a first structure. The twisted wings provide the clip with a low ratio of insertion force to pull-out force, rendering the clip relatively easy to install yet difficult to pull out. In one embodiment, t... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7309200 | Arrangement for connecting a tubular first component to a second component and method for producing an arrangement of this type An arrangement for connecting a tubular first component to a second component, in particular for connecting a tensioning tube to an A-pillar of a vehicle body, has a first structural element which forms a receptacle for a screw element and is arranged at an end of t... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7308731 | Dampened slide for an anti-chucking wedge assembly A dampened slide for a wedge assembly includes a slide housing having perimeter walls. First and second alignment members connect to the perimeter walls, each having a deflectable portion. The deflectable portions extend opposite to each other and transverse to a ce... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7278189 | Spring fastener with side spacer A spring fastener characterized by a structure having a top portion and a cavity in which the rib of a first article, such as a plastic panel for example having a lower side, may be engaged, and is also suitable to be engaged reversibly in a slot of a second article... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7278810 | Grommet A grommet for an opening of a sheet member includes a shank, a head and at least a flexible locking tab. The shank includes, in a region adjacent the head and outside the locking tab, a shoulder to be placed below an edge of the opening when the shank is rotated an ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7273227 | Curtain-shield airbag clip and assemblies using the clip A clip for attaching a curtain-shield airbag to a body panel of a vehicle comprises a bushing and a pin. The bushing has a flange with a leg extending therefrom. A bore extends through the flange and into the leg for receiving the pin. Outer surfaces of the leg have... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7267361 | Airbag assembly mounting system A fastener for fastening an airbag assembly to a structural member of a vehicle has an abutment element with a front side and a reverse side. An expansion element is arranged on the reverse side of the abutment element and is designed so as to clamp the structural m... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7249415 | Method of forming members for sealing or baffling There is disclosed a member for sealing, baffling and/or reinforcing components of an automotive vehicle. The assembly generally includes a carrier, an expandable material and at least one fastener. ... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7246837 | Apparatus for attaching vehicle occupant protection member to body panel and assemblies using such apparatus An apparatus for attaching a sheet-form member for protecting vehicle occupants comprises a clip that is secured in an attachment hole in a body panel. The clip has a flange that covers edge portions of the attachment hole and has a protection member attaching part ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7246411 | Methods and systems for sliding windows and doors An adjustable mechanism for sliding panels, such as sliding windows and doors is disclosed. One embodiment comprises adjustable buttons that extend from a housing positioned in the sliding panel. The adjustable threaded buttons of the present invention provide a sur... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7237995 | Device for attaching a panel to a support A device, for attaching a panel to a support, incorporates a body with an elongated lower sector having a lower segment, an intermediate segment and an upper segment in which incuts are made to operatively engage and locate a retention bushing. The retention bushing... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7234209 | Mounting structure and mounting method for vehicle interior parts A clip engages an assist grip with an engaging portion of the clip engaged with a clip insertion hole of an attachment part. The assist grip is mounted to a body panel by engaging a first locking pawl of the clip with a rear surface of the body panel, and engaging a... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7234888 | Arrangements for anchoring items to automotive framing components An item such as a passenger assist handle is anchored to an automotive framing component by a mounting stud passing through a hole in the framing component. The mounting stud includes a shaft with a helix at a first end and a threaded portion at a second end. The he... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7226260 | Sheet metal fastening clip The present invention provides a fastener mounting clip for use in securing a fastener to sheet material having a bore hole formed therein. The fastener mounting clip is preferably formed of a single sheet of thin spring steel. The mounting clip includes a rectiline... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7222398 | Clip A clip includes: a pin having a head and a shank; and a grommet having a collar and a leg. The leg of the grommet is divided into a plurality of expansion leg pieces by means of slits extending along an axial direction. The expansion leg pieces of the leg are expand... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7222394 | Bushing for metal studs and the like A one piece plastic stud bushing having a body forming an opening through the bushing, a flange at one end, flexible holding tabs on opposite sides of the opening, the holding tabs having shoulders spaced from the flange a distance sufficient to receive a range of m... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7216860 | Bearing seat of a tension strut made of composite materials A mount support of a force connection strut is provided manufactured from plastic/metal composite materials for a chassis of a motor vehicle. The force connection strut has an elongated basic body and a sleeve (H) passing through the basic body. The sleeve (H) has a... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7210886 | Fastener for curtain airbag A fastener for fixing a curtain airbag to a body panel of an automobile comprises a screw grommet having a shank to be inserted into mounting holes of an airbag-anchor portion and a body panel, and a flange to press the airbag-anchor portion against the body panel. ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7212168 | Quick-attach automotive antenna mounting assembly An attachment assembly, useful in quickly attaching an object to a panel, is provided with a base assembly having a shaft member extending therefrom and an expandable member having a plurality of fingers disposed on one side of the panel such that, during installati... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7204666 | Fixing clamp for anchoring a component in the hole of a support plate A fixing clamp for anchoring a component within a hole in a support plate includes an anchoring part having two side walls and a transverse wall, a generally planar locating strip projecting outwardly, an expanding tab projecting upwardly that defines a window in th... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7188392 | Spring fastener with highly improved lever/angle pulling force A spring fastener characterized by a structure having a cavity in which the rib of a first part, such as a plastic panel for example, like a pillar, may be engaged, and is also suitable to be engaged reversibly in a slot of second part, such as a metal sheet for exa... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7186068 | Fixing element The invention relates to a fixing element for fixing a component to a support part. The element comprises a retaining part (1) for the component to be fixed and a hollow anchor foot (2), which is used to anchor the fixing element in a continuous bore o... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7182563 | Fastener A fastener for fastening a component having a mounting hole has an essentially U-shaped clamping region that at least partially grips around the component and has two opposing legs that are connected together as a single piece by a connecting region. The legs are pr... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7168138 | Resilient clip fastener A resilient clip with a plurality of twisted wings for engaging a first structure. The twisted wings provide the clip with a low ratio of insertion force to pull-out force, rendering the clip relatively easy to install yet difficult to pull out. In one embodiment, t... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7159894 | Snap-in roof rail air bag assembly and method of installation A roof rail air bag assembly includes an air bag module having an air bag inflator and an air bag with a plurality of cushion retention tabs. Also included in the assembly are an inflator bracket and a plurality of snap-in clips. The bracket is attached to the air b... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7152281 | Fastener and fastened assembly A fastener for connecting a first component to a second component includes a first component connecting end allowing relative movement between a first component connected thereto and the fastener during assembly and during conditions of expansion and contraction. A ... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7147419 | Element of fastening accessories to metal windows and doors An element for fastening accessories to metal window and door frames includes a monolithic metal body with a cylindrical central portion having a threaded inner hole. An insertion portion has a cone frustum shape with decreasing diameter from the diameter of the cyl... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7128734 | Apparatus and method for reverse tunneling a multi-lumen catheter in a patient An apparatus and method for tunneling a distal portion of a multilumen catheter tube in a patient is disclosed. The apparatus includes a connector having a distal end and a proximal end. The proximal end includes a first coupling portion for selective connection to ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7128512 | Panel fastener system A fastener system for mounting to a panel includes a twist-in fastener that rotatably engages an opening in the panel. The fastener includes a fastener body defining an opening extending through the fastener body for receiving a mating fastener, a plurality of facet... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7125067 | Magnesium door assembly for automobiles A lightweight automotive vehicle door assembly incorporates a modular concept having an outer door panel, an inner door panel, a reinforcement beam, and a hardware mounting module. The outer panel is preferably formed from aluminum, polypropylene or steel, while the... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7114899 | Pop-up fastener A pop-up fastener including a tubular retainer for one-way passage into a socket. A fastening member slidably extends through the retainer. The fastening member has helical threads at its top and a protrusion at its bottom. A compressed spring is positioned atop the... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7097402 | Lock nut A lock nut comprising a solid nut body having a flange, from which a neck projection extends axially, being provided at its end surface with an annular shroud, from which at least two claws extend radially. ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7086125 | Multiple stage assembly assist fastener A fastener joining an object to a panel includes a fastener plate nonrotatably receiving the object. Elastically displaceable elements, each having multiple concave shaped detents alternately engage a panel mounting aperture when the displaceable elements are insert... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7083222 | Mounting structure of weather strip There is provided a mounting structure of a weather strip comprising a weather strip 2 mounted on a door panel 1A or a body panel 1B of an automobile. The weather strip 2 comprises a fin portion 4 formed in a die molded part 3 | 08/01/2006 |
| 7073227 | Bush A bush for holding first and second members includes a shaft portion having two ends, and a flange integrally formed on one of the two ends of the shaft portion to extend radially outwardly therefrom. The flange has at least one first pressing portion capable of def... | 07/11/2006 |
