TeslaPatent applicationCars & transportInterest 2/10

Tesla patents clip-and-insert fastener for attaching car trim

Patent drawing from the official filing.

Tesla describes a fastener assembly that uses a clip attached to a trim piece and an insert that locks onto a post on the vehicle body. This design connects the trim to the car's structure without traditional screws or bolts.

Why it mattersThis is a routine mechanical improvement that likely aims to make car assembly faster or more secure, but it does not introduce new consumer-facing features.

In the filing’s own words

A fastener assembly for attaching a trim component to a vehicle body can include a clip securable to the trim component. The clip can define an opening to receive a post of the vehicle body at least partially therein. An insert can be positionable at least partially within the clip. The insert can be engageable with the post to couple the clip and the trim component to the vehicle body.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A fastener assembly for attaching a trim component to a vehicle body, comprising: a clip securable to the trim component, the clip defining an opening to receive a post of the vehicle body at least partially therein; and an insert positionable at least partially within the clip, the insert engageable with the post to couple the clip and the trim component to the vehicle body.

Facts

Company: Tesla (Tesla, Inc.)
Official title: FASTENER FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES
Publication number: US20260309173A1
Application number: 19173181
Filed: Apr 8, 2025
Published: Oct 8, 2026
Inventors: 2
Claims: 20

Classified under

F16B 5/0621 Mechanical engineeringB60R 13/0206 Operations & transport

Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.