US Patent 9428123 Alignment and retention system for a flexible assembly

An elastically averaged alignment and retention system includes a first component having a first alignment member and an elastically deformable alignment and retention element, and a second component having a second alignment member and an alignment and retention feature. The first alignment member includes an electrical wiring harness, the elastically deformable alignment and retention element includes a hollow tube, the second alignment member includes a support for the electrical wiring harness, and the alignment and retention feature includes an aperture. The elastically deformable alignment and retention element is configured and disposed to interferingly, deformably and matingly engage the alignment and retention feature. Portions of the elastically deformable alignment and retention element when inserted into the alignment and retention feature elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration that aligns and retains the first component relative the second component in at least two of six planar orthogonal directions.