Position-adjustable receptacle and fasteners therefor

• US 10,291,006 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrical Improvement Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Electrical Improvement Products LLC
• Inventors: Jack, Robert W., Dimas, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Pete T
• Application Number:
  US15/818,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20180175598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/12 for flush mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

A fastener assembly for joining a first part to a second part, and comprising an adjustment fastener and a screw. The adjustment fastener comprises a body including opposed first and second planar and parallel side walls, and a threaded hole extending along a central axis through the body from the first side wall to the second side wall; and a tang joined to the flat body adjacent to the threaded hole and extending outwardly from the first side wall in a direction parallel to the central axis. The screw comprises a head and an elongated threaded shank. The head of the screw is disposable against an ear of the first part. The threaded shank extends through an oblong hole of the ear of the first part, and engages with and extends through the threaded hole of the adjustment fastener, and is engageable with threads in a tab of the second part.

Claims

1. A fastener for joining a first part to a second part, the fastener comprising:

a) a body including opposed first and second planar and parallel side walls terminating at a perimeter wall comprised of recessed notches and protruding teeth, and a threaded hole extending along a central axis through the body from the first side wall to the second side wall, the central axis perpendicular to the opposed first and second side walls; and

b) a solitary tang extending outwardly from the first side wall of the body adjacent to the threaded hole and in a direction parallel to the central axis.

2. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the tang extends outwardly from the first side wall a distance of at least the distance between the opposed first and second side walls.

3. The fastener of claim 1, wherein at any location along the perimeter wall, a line segment perpendicular to the opposed first and second side walls is parallel to the central axis.

4. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the protruding teeth are radially equidistant from the threaded hole.

5. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the protruding teeth are distributed around the perimeter wall at equal intervals.

6. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the protruding teeth and recessed notches are arranged in repeating matching pairs around the perimeter wall.

7. A fastener for joining a first part to a second part, the fastener comprising:

a) a body including opposed first and second planar and parallel side walls terminating at a perimeter wall comprised of recessed notches and protruding teeth, and a threaded hole extending along a central axis through the body from the first side wall to the second side wall; and

b) a tang extending outwardly from the first side wall at a location between the threaded hole and the perimeter wall in a direction parallel to the central axis.

8. The fastener of claim 7, wherein the protruding teeth are radially equidistant from the threaded hole.

9. The fastener of claim 7, wherein the protruding teeth are distributed around the perimeter wall at equal intervals.

10. The fastener of claim 7, wherein the protruding teeth and recessed notches are arranged in repeating matching pairs around the perimeter wall.

11. The fastener of claim 7, wherein at any location along the perimeter wall, a line segment perpendicular to the opposed first and second side walls is parallel to the central axis.

12. A fastener for joining a first part to a second part, the fastener comprising:

a) a body including opposed first and second planar and parallel side walls terminating at a perimeter wall comprised of notch wall portions interspersed with tooth wall portions distributed at equal intervals around the perimeter wall, and a threaded hole extending along a central axis through the body from the first side wall to the second side wall; and

b) a tang extending outwardly from the first side wall of the body adjacent to the threaded hole and in a direction parallel to the central axis.

13. The fastener of claim 12, wherein the tooth wall portions are radially equidistant from the threaded hole.

14. The fastener of claim 12, wherein the tooth wall portions and notch wall portions of the perimeter wall are arranged in repeating matching pairs.

15. The fastener of claim 12, wherein the tang extends outwardly from the first side wall at a location between the threaded hole and the outer perimeter wall.

16. The fastener of claim 12, wherein at any location along the perimeter wall, a line segment perpendicular to the opposed first and second side walls is parallel to the central axis.