An elastically averaged alignment system has a first component having a first alignment member and an elastically deformable alignment element, and a second component having a second alignment member and an alignment aperture. The elastically deformable alignment element is configured and disposed to interferingly, deformably and matingly engage the alignment aperture. The elastically deformable alignment element includes a lobular hollow tube having four lobes, with a slotted retention feature on each of two opposing lobes that extend from an outer surface of the hollow tube radially inward toward a central axis of the hollow tube. Portions of the elastically deformable alignment element when inserted into the alignment aperture elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration that aligns the first alignment member with the second alignment member in at least two planar orthogonal directions. Each of the slotted retention features engages with an edge of the alignment aperture.
Lobular elastic tube alignment and retention system for providing precise alignment of components
2016-10-04
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B62D MOTOR VEHICLES , Motorfahrzeuge / B60R Fahrzeuge, Fahrzeugausstattung oder Fahrzeugteile, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen , VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR / F16B DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES , Vorrichtungen zum Befestigen oder Sichern von Konstruktionselementen oder Maschinenteilen, z.B. Nägel, Bolzen, Schrauben, Sprengringe, Klemmen, Klammern oder Keile |
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