Fastener

• US 20070059123A1
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midmark Corporation
• Original Assignee: Midmark Corporation
• Inventors: Teufel, Rainer, Tangeman, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,491,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 411/553
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/0018 Physician's examining tables
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/02 Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation with snap-action F16B21/06; studs or coupling pins with resilient protrusions F16B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4522 Sliding or rotating element

Abstract

A fastener for releasably securing a first substrate to an apertured second substrate includes a base member and a locking member mounted for rotation relative to the base member. The locking member is rotatable between an insertion position for insertion of the base member and locking member through the aperture formed in the second substrate and a locking position for releasably securing the first and second substrates together. A resilient member is provided to bias the locking member toward the base member when the resilient member is compressed. The locking member includes at least one protrusion and the base member includes at least one detent. The detent and protrusion are configured to releasably engage each other in the insertion position of the locking member and disengage from each other upon rotation of the locking member toward the locking position.

Claims

1. A fastener for releasably securing a first substrate to an apertured second substrate, comprising:

a base member configured to be mounted to the first substrate;

a locking member mounted for rotation relative to the base member between an insertion position for insertion of the base member and the locking member through an aperture formed in the second substrate and a locking position for releasably securing the first and second substrates together upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member; and

a resilient member operable to bias the locking member toward the base member upon compression of the resilient member.

2. The fastener of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one detent provided on the base member; and

at least one protrusion provided on the locking member,

wherein the detent and protrusion are configured to releasably engage in the insertion position of the locking member and disengage upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member toward the locking position.

3. The fastener of claim 2 further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart detents provided on the base member; and

a pair of spaced apart protrusions provided on the locking member.

4. The fastener of claim 1 wherein the resilient member comprises an elastomeric material.

5. The fastener of claim 1 further comprising a fastening assembly extending through the base member and the locking member and configured to mount the locking member for rotation relative to the base member.

6. The fastener of claim 5 further comprising:

a first bore extending through the base member; and

a second bore extending through the locking member and axially aligned with the first bore.

7. The fastener of claim 6 wherein the fastening assembly extends through the first and second bores.

8. The fastener of claim 7 wherein the second bore comprises a stepped bore.

9. The fastener of claim 7 wherein the resilient member is interposed between a portion of the fastening assembly and the locking member.

10. The fastener of claim 1 wherein the base member has a bottom wall, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the base member and the locking member has a bottom wall positioned adjacent the top wall of the base member, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the locking member.

11. The fastener of claim 10 further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart detents provided on the top wall of the base member; and

a pair of spaced apart protrusions provided on the bottom wall of the locking member,

wherein the detents and protrusions are configured to releasably engage in the insertion position of the locking member and disengage upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member toward the locking position.

12. The fastener of claim 11 wherein the pair of spaced apart detents are provided adjacent the frusto-conical side wall of the base member and the pair of spaced apart protrusions are provided adjacent the frusto-conical side wall of the locking member.

18. The fastener of claim 7 wherein the second bore comprises a stepped bore.

13. A fastener for releasably securing a first substrate to an apertured second substrate, comprising:

a base member configured to be mounted to the first substrate;

a locking member mounted for rotation relative to the base member between an insertion position for insertion of the base member and the locking member through an aperture formed in the second substrate and a locking position for releasably securing the first and second substrates together upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member;

at least one detent provided on the base member; and

at least one protrusion provided on the locking member,

wherein the detent and protrusion are configured to releasably engage in the insertion position of the locking member and disengage upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member toward the locking position.

14. The fastener of claim 13 further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart detents provided on the base member; and

a pair of spaced apart protrusions provided on the locking member.

15. The fastener of claim 13 further comprising a fastening assembly extending through the base member and the locking member and configured to mount the locking member for rotation relative to the base member.

16. The fastener of claim 15 further comprising:

a first bore extending through the base member; and

a second bore extending through the locking member and axially aligned with the first bore.

17. The fastener of claim 16 wherein the fastening assembly extends through the first and second bores.

19. The fastener of claim 13 wherein the base member has a bottom wall, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the base member and the locking member has a bottom wall positioned adjacent the top wall of the base member, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the locking member.

20. The fastener of claim 19 further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart detents provided on the top wall of the base member; and

a pair of spaced apart protrusions provided on the bottom wall of the locking member,

wherein the detents and protrusions are configured to releasably engage in the insertion position of the locking member and disengage upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member toward the locking position.

21. The fastener of claim 20 wherein the pair of spaced apart detents are provided adjacent the frusto-conical side wall of the base member and the pair of spaced apart protrusions are provided adjacent the frusto-conical side wall of the locking member.

22. A fastener installation, comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate having an aperture formed therein; and

a fastener mounted to the first substrate and configured to releasably secure the first substrate to the apertured second substrate, the fastener comprising;

a base member mounted to the first substrate;

a locking member mounted for rotation relative to the base member between an insertion position for insertion of the base member and the locking member through the aperture formed in the second substrate and a locking position for releasably securing the first and second substrates together upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member; and

a resilient member operable to bias the locking member toward the base member upon compression of the resilient member.

23. The fastener installation of claim 22 further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart detents provided on the base member; and

a pair of spaced apart protrusions provided on the locking member,

wherein the detents and protrusions are configured to releasably engage in the insertion position of the locking member and disengage upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member toward the locking position.

24. The fastener installation of claim 23 further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart bosses extending outwardly from the second substrate adjacent the aperture; and

a detent formed in each of the pair of bosses,

wherein the protrusions of the locking member are configured to releasably engage with the detents formed in the bosses upon rotation of the locking member to the locking position.

25. The fastener of claim 22 wherein the base member has a bottom wall, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the base member and the locking member has a bottom wall positioned adjacent the top wall of the base member, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the locking member.

26. A fastener installation, comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate having an aperture formed therein; and

a fastener mounted to the first substrate and configured to releasably secure the first substrate to the apertured second substrate, the fastener comprising;

a base member mounted to the first substrate;

a locking member mounted for rotation relative to the base member between an insertion position for insertion of the base member and the locking member through the aperture formed in the second substrate and a locking position for releasably securing the first and second substrates together upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member;

a pair of spaced apart detents provided on the base member; and

a pair of spaced apart protrusions provided on the locking member,

wherein the detents and protrusions are configured to releasably engage in the insertion position of the locking member and disengage upon rotation of the locking member relative to the base member toward the locking position.

27. The fastener installation of claim 26 further comprising:

a pair of spaced apart bosses extending outwardly from the second substrate adjacent the aperture; and

a detent formed in each of the pair of bosses,

wherein the protrusions of the locking member are configured to releasably engage with the detents formed in the bosses upon rotation of the locking member to the locking position.

28. The fastener of claim 26 wherein the base member has a bottom wall, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the base member and the locking member has a bottom wall positioned adjacent the top wall of the base member, an opposite top wall and a frusto-conical side wall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall of the locking member.