Releasable fastener assembly affixable through a panel

• US 20060062653A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Group LLC (Nelson A. Taylor Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Group, Inc. (Nelson A. Taylor Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Erskine, Edward J., Furlong, Andrew S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 411/511
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/0835 the fastening elements extending into the back side of the covering elements E04F13/0851 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0692 joining flexible sheets to other sheets or plates or to strips or bars tent fastenings E04H15/64; coping elements for swimming pools with fixing means for sealing foil E04H4/142; greenhouses of flexible synthetic material A01G9/1407; end or aperture-closing arrangements or devices for sacks or bags B65D33/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/34 Combined diverse multipart fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3497 Button fastening element including another fastener element

Abstract

A releasable fastener assembly is affixable through a panel having a front side and a back side and a mounting hole therethrough. The releasable fastener assembly includes a mounting button attachable to the panel back side, the mounting button having a button shaft sized to fit into the mounting hole and a button head with a diameter larger than the mounting hole. A seal may be fit between the mounting button and the panel back side. One part of a releasable fastener is attachable to the panel front side and has an aperture therein in alignment with the mounting hole. A fixing member secures the one part and the mounting button to each other through the panel.

Claims

1. A releasable fastener assembly affixable through a panel having a front side and a back side and a mounting hole therethrough, the releasable fastener assembly comprising:

a mounting button attachable to the panel back side, the mounting button having a button shaft sized to fit into the mounting hole and a button head with a diameter larger than the mounting hole;

one part of a releasable fastener attachable to the panel front side and having an aperture therein; and

a fixing member securing the one part and the mounting button to each other through the panel.

2. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a seal shaped to fit between the mounting button and the panel back side, wherein the fixing member secures the one part, the seal and the mounting button to one another through the panel.

3. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 2, wherein the seal comprises an O-ring seal having a diameter smaller than the button head.

4. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 3, wherein the button head comprises a channel therein shaped to receive the O-ring seal.

5. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 1, wherein the releasable fastener comprises a snap assembly, and wherein the one part comprises one of a male part of the snap assembly or a female part of the snap assembly.

6. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting button comprises an unthreaded hole within the button shaft, and wherein the fixing member is securable in the unthreaded hole.

7. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting button comprises a threaded hole within the button shaft, and wherein the fixing member comprises a screw sized to be threaded into the threaded hole.

8. The releasable fastener assembly of claim 1 affixed to the panel.

9. The releasable fastener assembly according to claim 8, wherein the panel comprises a glass panel.

10. The releasable fastener assembly according to claim 8, wherein the panel comprises an acrylic panel.

11. A method of securing a releasable fastener assembly to a panel having a front side and a back side, the method comprising:

forming a mounting hole through the panel;

providing a mounting button having a button shaft sized to fit into the mounting hole and a button head with a diameter larger than the mounting hole;

inserting the button shaft into the mounting hole;

providing one part of a releasable fastener having an aperture therein, and providing a fixing member sized to fit through the aperture; and

securing with the fixing member the one part and the mounting button to each other through the panel.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a seal shaped to fit between the mounting button and the panel back side, wherein the seal is disposed between at least one of the button head and the back side of the panel or between the fixing member and the front side of the panel, and wherein the securing step comprises securing with the fixing member the one part, the seal, and the mounting button to one another through the panel.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the mounting button comprises an unthreaded hole within the button shaft, and wherein the fixing member is securable in the unthreaded hole, the securing step comprising securing the fixing member in the unthreaded hole of the button shaft.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the mounting button comprises a threaded hole within the button shaft, and wherein the fixing member comprises a screw sized to be threaded into the threaded hole, the securing step comprising threading the screw into the threaded hole of the button shaft.

15. A releasable fastener assembly securable through a hole in a panel, the releasable fastener assembly comprising:

one part of a releasable fastener having an aperture therein;

a mounting button having a button shaft with a hole therein; and

a fixing screw extendable through the aperture of the one part and into the hole of the button shaft, the fixing screw being sized to secure the one part and the mounting button on opposite sides of the panel.

16. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 15, further comprising a seal placeable between at least one of the one part and the panel and between the mounting button and the panel.

17. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 16, wherein the seal comprises an O-ring seal sized to fit over the button shaft.

18. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 15, wherein the releasable fastener comprises a snap assembly, and wherein the one part comprises one of a male part of the snap assembly or a female part of the snap assembly.

19. The releasable fastener assembly of claim 15 affixed to the panel.

20. The releasable fastener assembly according to claim 19, wherein the panel comprises a glass panel.

21. The releasable fastener assembly according to claim 19, wherein the panel comprises an acrylic panel.

22. A releasable fastener assembly affixable through a panel having a front side and a back side and a mounting hole therethrough, the releasable fastener assembly comprising:

a mounting button attachable to the panel back side, the mounting button having a button shaft sized to fit into the mounting hole and a button head with a diameter larger than the mounting hole;

one part of a releasable fastener; and

a fixing member securing the one part and the mounting button to each other through the panel.

23. A releasable fastener assembly according to claim 22, further comprising a seal shaped to fit between the mounting button and the panel back side.