Abstract: An adjustable closure bumper includes a base, a stem, a bump stop, a ratchet mechanism, and a locking nut. The base is mountable to a body panel adjacent to an opening for a closure panel. The stem is insertable into a receptacle in the base. The bump stop is attached to one end of the stem for engaging the closure panel. The ratchet mechanism allows the stem to move into the receptacle in the base to adjust a height of the adjustable closure bumper while inhibiting movement of the stem out of the receptacle. The locking nut fits over a portion of the base forming the receptacle and is rotatable relative to the base to lockout the ratchet mechanism and thereby set the height of the adjustable closure bumper.

Abstract: A method for joining by welding a weld stud to a workpiece, with the following steps: providing a drawn arc welding device and a plasma gas cleaning device; providing a weld stud and providing a workpiece including a joining surface; cleaning the joining surface using a plasma gas cleaning method including the cleaning steps of: generating in the plasma gas generating device a non-transferred arc, generating with the non-transferred arc a plasma from a compressed gas, and directing the plasma onto the joining surface to remove contaminants thereon; and then, after the cleaning steps, joining the weld stud to the workpiece by drawn arc welding using the drawn arc welding device including forming of a transferred electric arc between the weld stud and the joining surface.

Abstract: A pin and grommet fastener includes a grommet and a pin. The grommet includes a base, panel locking fingers, and pin locking fingers. The locking fingers project from the base and cooperate with one another to define a pin receptacle therebetween. The pin includes a pin head, a driving beam connected to the pin head, and protrusions. When the pin head is inserted through an opening in the base and into the pin receptacle, the pin locking fingers engage the pin and thereby retain the pin head in the pin receptable. When the fastener is inserted in one direction into a hole in a panel, the panel engages the driving beam and thereby moves the pin relative to the grommet in the opposite direction, which causes the panel locking fingers to flex away from one another and thereby inhibits withdrawal of the fastener from the hole in the panel.

Abstract: A die for deforming a workpiece material in a joining tool comprises a head with a top side partially defining a cavity in which the workpiece material is to be deformed, a bottom side opposite the top side, a lateral side arranged between the top side and the bottom side, and a stem which extends along a longitudinal axis from the bottom side of the head. The die further comprises an identification tag, preferably an RFID tag, having an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting a signal, and a storing element for storing information, and the antenna is wrapped circumferentially around the head, such that the antenna entirely surrounds the head. The head may also include a groove extending around the head on the lateral side with the antenna arranged in the groove. Additionally, the die may include a recess with the storing element located in the recess.

Abstract: An electric rotor includes a shaft, windings, a first end cap, a second end cap, and a collar. The shaft includes a head and a shank. The windings extend around the shank of the shaft. The first end cap has a first side engaging a first end of the windings and a second side engaging the head of the shaft. The second end cap has a first side engaging a second end of the windings opposite of the first end. The collar is crimped to the shank of the shaft and engages a second side of the second end cap opposite of the first side of the second end cap such that (i) the windings are clamped between the first and second end caps and (ii) the shaft, the windings, the first and second end caps, and the collar rotate together as a single unit.

Abstract: A self-piercing rivet with a head and a shank which has a shank diameter (Ds), wherein, at a foot end opposite the head, the shank has an axial recess which has an axial depth (LB), wherein the axial recess has a recess volume, wherein a ratio of recess volume to volume of the shank and the head is in the range of 0.06 to 0.08.

Abstract: A tube clamp includes an inner frame, an outer frame, and a plurality of tethers connecting the inner and outer frames to one another. The inner frame is configured to be mounted to a panel. The inner frame includes a pair of side walls and a top wall. The outer frame is configured to clamp at least one tube therein. The outer frame includes an main body and a pair of legs projecting downward from the main body. The tethers include at least one vertical tether that projects upward from the top wall of the inner frame to the main body of the outer frame.

Abstract: A sufficient sealing property of a through hole is ensured. A sealing structure includes a cylindrically-shaped body part inserted into the through hole, formed of a thin plate of a first thickness, one end of the body part being open and another end of the body part being closed, a tapered part connected to the opened one end of the body part and including a diameter gradually expanding outward as a distance from the body part increases, and a first bent part connected to the tapered part, formed of a thin plate thinner than the first thickness, and bent inward so that a protruding part protruding outward elastically abuts against an inner peripheral surface of the through hole.

Abstract: A grommet is configured to be fixed within a hole in a panel and to receive a stud to couple the stud to the panel. The grommet includes a hollow body having an inner surface and an outer surface, a flange disposed at one end of the hollow body, panel retention fingers protruding from the outer surface of the hollow body, and stud retention fingers protruding from the inner surface of the hollow body. The panel retention fingers are configured to engage a bottom surface of the panel when the grommet is fully inserted into the hole in the panel. The stud retention fingers are configured to engage an underside surface of the head of the stud when the stud is fully inserted into the hole in the grommet.

Abstract: A U-base clip component can include a pair of rib coupling barbs which can extend inwardly from two opposing clip side walls. A seal component can include two opposing aperture retention wings coupled to a central wall. A first and a second component annular seal can extend from opposite respective sides of the central wall. The U-base clip component and the seal component can define an interior rib receiving cavity between both the clip side walls and the aperture retention wings. A pair of rib coupling barbs can extend into the interior rib receiving cavity from the clip side walls and the two opposing aperture retention wings can extend exteriorly from the clip side walls. The rib coupling barbs of the U-base clip can be designed to couple fastener to the rib and the aperture retention wings can be designed to couple the dual component sealing fastener to the aperture.

Abstract: An inner housing defines a pin retaining receptacle elongated in an X-direction with entry ramps extending parallel to the X-direction. The inner housing is slidably coupled to an outer housing and extends into an interior thereof. Centering protrusions of one housing can engage the other housing to initially retain the pin retaining receptacle of the inner housing in a central position within the interior of the outer housing in the Y-direction prior to insertion of the pin into the pin retaining receptacle. The other housing can be movable against the centering protrusion to permit the pin retaining receptacle of the inner housing to move out of the central position in the Y-direction in response to engagement of the pin against the entry ramps during insertion of the pin into the pin retaining receptacle.

Abstract: A die for deforming a workpiece material in a joining tool comprises a head with a top side partially defining a cavity in which the workpiece material is to be deformed, a bottom side opposite the top side, a lateral side arranged between the top side and the bottom side, and a stem which extends along a longitudinal axis from the bottom side of the head. The die further comprises an identification tag, preferably an RFID tag, having an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting a signal, and a storing element for storing information, and the antenna is wrapped circumferentially around the head, such that the antenna entirely surrounds the head. The head may also include a groove extending around the head on the lateral side with the antenna arranged in the groove. Additionally, the die may include a recess with the storing element located in the recess.

Abstract: An outer component has an opening therein defining an outer component mating wall, and a collar is configured to be inserted into the opening in the outer component. The collar has a collar mating wall with an outer surface and including a number of protrusions. A recess can surround each protrusion so that an overall protrusion height between a base of the protrusion and a distal end thereof is greater than a protruding distance between an outermost portion of the outer surface of the collar mating wall and the distal end of the protrusion. The configuration of the protrusions, including the number thereof, can be designed to provide a press-fit insertion force of 50 Newtons or less, and to provide a friction retention force sufficient to retain the collar within the opening of the outer component under its own weight, throughout relevant tolerance ranges for the mating walls.

Abstract: A clutch apparatus for releasing the transmission of rotation from an electric motor to a spin shaft, is equipped with a rear clutch nut and a front clutch nut in order from the rear end side. The rear clutch nut transmits rotating force from the electric motor to the front clutch nut when engaged with the front clutch nut, but is disengaged from the front clutch nut by a predetermined rotation load. The front clutch nut has a cylindrical shape, so that the spin shaft can be arranged at an axial center portion, and when engaged with the engaging unit of the spin shaft, the rotating force is transmitted to the spin shaft, but the clutch is disengaged by a backward stroke of the front clutch nut and a predetermined stroke toward the tip of the spin shaft.

Abstract: An inner housing defines a pin retaining receptacle elongated in an X-direction with entry ramps extending parallel to the X-direction. The inner housing is slidably coupled to an outer housing and extends into an interior thereof. The pair of inner housing retaining surfaces can engage the pair of cooperating inner housing retaining surfaces, with the pin retaining receptacle of the inner housing extending into the interior of the outer housing, to slidably couple the inner housing and the outer housing together while permitting movement of the inner housing relative to the outer housing in a Y-direction in response to the inner housing moving in the Y-direction during insertion of the pin into the pin retaining receptacle. Associated methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A U-base clip component can include a pair of rib coupling barbs which can extend inwardly from two opposing clip side walls. A seal component can include two opposing aperture retention wings coupled to a central wall. A first and a second component annular seal can extend from opposite respective sides of the central wall. The U-base clip component and the seal component can define an interior rib receiving cavity between both the clip side walls and the aperture retention wings. A pair of rib coupling barbs can extend into the interior rib receiving cavity from the clip side walls and the two opposing aperture retention wings can extend exteriorly from the clip side walls. The rib coupling barbs of the U-base clip can be designed to couple fastener to the rib and the aperture retention wings can be designed to couple the dual component sealing fastener to the aperture.

Abstract: A sufficient sealing property of a through hole is ensured. A sealing structure includes a cylindrically-shaped body part inserted into the through hole, formed of a thin plate of a first thickness, one end of the body part being open and another end of the body part being closed, a tapered part connected to the opened one end of the body part and including a diameter gradually expanding outward as a distance from the body part increases, and a first bent part connected to the tapered part, formed of a thin plate thinner than the first thickness, and bent inward so that a protruding part protruding outward elastically abuts against an inner peripheral surface of the through hole.

Abstract: An outer component and an annular collar can be formed of materials having a Rockwell R hardness of at least 120. The outer component can have a recess, including an outer component mating wall. The annular collar can include an annular collar mating wall, including at least three protrusions. A recess can surround each protrusion so that an overall protrusion height between a base of the protrusion and a distal end thereof is greater than a protruding distance between an outer diameter of a cylindrical outer surface of the annular collar mating wall and the distal end of the protrusion. The number and configuration of the protrusions can be designed to provide a press-fit insertion force of 50 Newtons or less, and to provide a friction retention force sufficient to retain the annular collar within the recess under its own weight, throughout relevant tolerance ranges for the mating walls.

Abstract: A deformable tapping plate can include a central member including at least two mounting openings and a mounting surface wherein the mounting surface defines a mounting plane. The deformable tapping plate can also include a first attachment pad located adjacent a first end of the central member that is connected to the central member by a first connecting arm. The first attachment pad includes a first attachment surface defining an attachment plane. The first connecting arm can include a first arched portion that projects away from both the mounting plane and the attachment plane and can include a first narrowed apex having a thickness that is less than a thickness of adjacent portions of the first arched portion.

Abstract: A joining method for connecting a first component to a second component without pre-punching. The first component and the second component are positioned relative to one another prior to the connection by an auxiliary joining element, which is joined via a joining device to the components positioned relative to one another. The auxiliary joining element firstly passes through the first component without pre-punching and is then connected to the second component without pre-punching. Before the components are connected by the auxiliary joining element, the first component is thermally pre-treated at the joining area via an electric arc formed between the first component and an electrode of the joining device. A heat-affected zone is formed on the first component in the joining area, and the first component in is weakened or melted in the heat-affected zone.