Self-clinching cable tie mount

Abstract

A self-clinching fastener that when pressed into a thin sheet panel provides for a strong attachment point for a cable tie. The inventive fastener relies on the self-clinching process to carry external loads and thus carries larger loads when compared to adhesive backed cable tie mounts. When installed, the self-clinching fastener becomes flush with the far side of the sheet panel.

1 . A fastener to provide an anchor point for a cable tie and to be fastened to a sheet panel, comprising: 
 a self-clinching base to self-clinch to the sheet panel and including first and second laterally extended lands; and    a body extending from said base and having a cavity to receive the cable tie, the cavity extending in a direction through said body and parallel to a surface of the sheet panel and having a non-circular cross-section;    wherein the body is adapted to enter an aperture in the sheet panel prior to the first and second extended lands.    
     
     
         2 . The fastener as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises first and second side guide walls leading to said cavity, and sloping inward of said body as a distance to said cavity decreases.  
     
     
         3 . The fastener as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said body further comprises a first top guide wall adjacent to said first and second guide walls and extending along a width of said cavity and sloping inward of said body to a midpoint of said cavity as a distance to a center of the cavity decreases.  
     
     
         4 . The fastener as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said body further comprises: 
 third and fourth side guide walls leading to said cavity, at opposite sides of a second end of said cavity, and sloping inward of said body as a distance to said cavity decreases; and    a second top guide wall adjacent to said third and fourth guide walls and extending along a width of said cavity and sloping inward of said body to a midpoint of said cavity as a distance to the center of the cavity decreases, said second top guide wall meeting said first top guide wall;    wherein said third and fourth side guide walls and said second top guide wall are respectively symmetrical about a plane including a height of said cavity to said first and second side guide walls and said first top guide wall.    
     
     
         5 . The fastener as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said body includes a first top guide wall extending along a width of said cavity and sloping inward of said body to a midpoint of said cavity as a distance to a center of the cavity decreases.  
     
     
         6 . The fastener as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said base further comprises 
 a first undercut groove adjacent and parallel to said first extended land, to receive a first portion of the sheet panel through displacement of the sheet panel by said first extended land, and  
 a second undercut groove adjacent and parallel to said second extended land, to receive a second portion of the sheet panel through displacement of the sheet panel by said second extended land.  
   
     
     
         7 . The fastener as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the direction extending through said body is parallel to the line joining said first and second extended lands.  
     
     
         8 . A fastener to provide an anchor point for a cable tie and to be fastened to a sheet panel, comprising: 
 a self-clinching base to self-clinch to the sheet panel and including first and second laterally extended lands and corresponding first and second undercut grooves adjacent thereto; and    a body extending from said base and having a cavity to receive the cable tie, the cavity extending in a direction through said body and parallel to a surface of the sheet panel and having a non-circular cross-section;    wherein the first and second extended lands are adapted to enter an aperture in the sheet panel after the first and second undercut grooves.