The patent’s assignee is Caterpillar Inc.
News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Fasteners may be used on machines, vehicles, and the like (collectively, ‘machines’) to facilitate routing of wires, wiring harnesses or cables (collectively, ‘cables’) used for electrical communications, electrical power and to facilitate the connection of non-metallic parts, such as interior trim components, to the frame of the machine, particularly the interior of the cab. Typically, such a fastener is placed on the frame and then welded to the frame. For example, in a machine cab both cables and non-metallic parts must be attached to the interior wall surface of the cab frame. To install the cables or non-metallic parts, a fastener is first welded onto the surface of the interior wall of the cab. Disadvantageously, the heat of the welding process on the interior wall tends to distort the exterior surface on the opposite side of the wall. This distortion creates an uneven appearance on the exterior wall surface that may still be visible even after the application of a coat of paint.(…)
