>150 may define one or more cutouts or other features to interact with the spring legs 152 of the assembly-verification plunger 108 and with the first component 104 adjacent the first opening 106 when fully assembled. In the illustrated example, the inner portion 150b of each of the pair of retainer legs 150 defines a first cutout 146 associated with the first position and a second cutout 154 associated with the second position. The retainer 116 may be fabricated as a single component using a metal stamping process. For example, the retainer 116 can be stamped from a sheet of metal using a die stamping process and then bent to assume the shape of the retainer 116 via one or more bending steps.

With reference to FIG. 2b, the lock tab 136 on the assembly-verification plunger 108 is designed to engage a first cutout 146 formed in the retainer 116, securing the assembly-verification plunger 108 in a first, or initial, position (such as a shipping position, e.g., a part-in-assembly (PIA) position) during transport of the fastener assembly 102 to the end user. This locked position maintains the integrity of the assembly-verification plunger 108, preventing any premature movement or activation prior to final installation.

During installation, with reference to FIG. 2c, as the fastener assembly 102 is inserted into the aligned first opening 106 in the first component 104 and the second opening 140 in the second component 112 as indicated by arrow 118, the inner walls of the retainer compress the spring legs 152 of the assembly-verification plunger 108. This compression causes the lock tab 136 on the assembly-verification plunger 108 to release from the first cutout 146 in the retainer 116, thereby allowing the assembly-verification plunger 108 to shift in the direction indicated by arrow 118, facilitating proper engagement and assembly verification.

This permits the assembly-verification plunger 108 to be pushed into the second position—the final assembled position. Before the assembly-verification plunger 108 is fully installed, the visual quality system 120 cannot read the installation indicator 126 (e.g., assembly verification code, such as a barcode, QR code, etc.) engraved, adhered, or otherwise positioned on the top of the assembly-verification plunger 108 on the fixed planar portion 128b and wing portions 128a. Once the assembly-verification plunger 108 is fully seated, with reference to FIG. 2e, the lock tab 136 on the assembly-verification plunger 108 is designed to engage a second cutout 154 formed in the retainer 116, securing the assembly-verification plunger 108 in the second, or final, position (such as an installed position).

Once installed, the wing portions 128a are bent to a flat position, allowing the visual quality system 120 to read and validate the correct and complete installation. As illustrated, a scannable installation indicator 126, positioned on one or more movable wing portions 128a and a fixed planar portion 128b, becomes readable only when the wing portions 128a are biased upward and compressed. This configuration ensures that the installation indicator 126 is accessible for scanning only after correct installation, confirming that the wings are properly engaged and the fastener assembly 102 is secure.

In the illustrated example, to facilitate tracking, the fastener assembly 102 includes an assembly-verification plunger 108 having a head 128 coupled to the spring legs 152. The head 128, in an installed position, defines a generally planar surface that supports and/or provides an installation indicator 126, which can be tracked by a visual quality system 120 (as illustrated and described in FIGS. 3a and 3b) and/or checked manually. When in the fully installed position, the head 128 is a generally flat structure composed of a fixed planar portion 128b (fixed relative to the spring legs 152) and one or more movable wing portions 128a. In the illustrated example, the head 128 comprises a fixed planar portion 128b and two movable wing portions 128a positioned on opposite sides of the fixed planar portion 128b.

The head 128 and/or the installation indicator 126 may be integral with the fastener assembly 102. The head 128 includes or provides the installation indicator 126, which can be a 2-dimensional fiducial marker (e.g., a barcode, quick response (QR) code, AprilTag, etc.) positioned on the wing portions 128a of the head 128. Example barcode 126a and QR code 126b fiducial markers are illustrated in Details A1 and A2 of FIG. 3a. While the head 128 is illustrated as a generally flat structure, other shapes can be used to orient the installation indicator 126 at the appropriate angle relative to the reader 122 when the first component 104 is properly inserted and seated into the first opening 106 of the first component 104 and the second opening 140 of the second component 112. In another example, the installation indicator 126 can be a 3-dimensional fiducial marker formed on the head 128.

To facilitate movement, the head 128 includes or defines one or more hinges 156 that allow the wing portions 128a to pivot, bend, or move relative to the fixed planar portion 128b of the head 128 about a pivot axis 130 as indicated by arrows 132. In one example, the wing portions 128a are configured to pivot about the pivot axis 130 between a first position (e.g., a shipped position, such as a partially assembled position) and a second position (e.g., an installed position, where the assembly-verification plunger 108 is properly seated in the retainer 116).

When the assembly-verification plunger 108 is properly inserted into the retainer 116, the retainer 116 causes the wing portions 128a of the assembly-verification plunger 108 to pivot about the pivot axis 130 to assume a second position. When the assembly-verification plunger 108 is inserted into the retainer 116 improperly (or another anomaly occurs), the head 128 would assume a third position (e.g., an intermediate position between the first and second positions, such as another non-planar position).

With reference to FIG. 3a, a first section of the installation indicator 126 is arranged on the fixed planar portion 128b of the head 128. To the right and to the left of the fixed planar portion 128b, a wing portion 128a in the form of a curved plate is connected to the fixed planar portion 128b by means of a film hinge 156 as in the first embodiment. Each of the two wing portions 128a carries a further section of the installation indicator 126. In the first position of the wing portions 128a, the wing portions 128