Quick release fasteners for a vehicle console

• US 20110001328A1
• Filed: 05/07/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,066,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/24.34
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/101 fixed
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/12 of receptacles for cigarettes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence

Abstract

A vehicle console having a quick release fastener and being formed of a console frame comprising two side panels and two end panels; spaced apart mounting lip portions provided on the console frame; a face plate comprising connection portions thereof securable with a respective one of the mounting lip portions; and a quick release fastener comprising an actuator operable through the face plate adjacent to one of the connection portions, and a jaw portion that is responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between an unclamped state extended over the respective connection portion and spaced away therefrom, and a clamped state adjacent to the respective connection portion with a portion of the mounting lip portion clamped therebetween.

Claims

1. A vehicle console having a quick release fastener, comprising:

a console frame comprising two side panels and two end panels;

spaced apart mounting lip portions provided on the console frame;

a face plate comprising connection portions thereof securable with a respective one of the mounting lip portions; and

a quick release fastener comprising an actuator operable through the face plate adjacent to one of the connection portions, and a jaw portion that is responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between an unclamped state extended over the respective connection portion and spaced away therefrom, and a clamped state adjacent to the respective connection portion with a portion of the mounting lip portion clamped therebetween.

2. The console of claim 1 wherein the quick release fastener further comprises a biasing member positioned to urge the jaw portion into the unclamped state, and wherein the actuator is further operable for forcing the jaw portion into the clamped state.

3. The console of claim 2 wherein the quick release fastener is further responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between a clamping position having the jaw portion extended over the connection portion with the mounting lip portion of the console frame being positioned therebetween, and a release position having the jaw portion spaced away from the connection portion, and wherein in the clamping position the jaw portion is further responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between the unclamped state and the clamped state.

4. The console of claim 3 wherein the actuator of the quick release fastener is further configured to rotate the jaw portion between the clamping position and the release position;

and

wherein the face plate further comprises a substantially rigid jam portion positioned to engage the jaw portion of the fastener in at least one of the clamping position and the release position.

5. The console of claim 4 wherein the quick release fastener further comprises a threaded interface between a body portion comprising the jaw portion thereof and the actuator.

6. The console of claim 5 wherein the actuator of the quick release fastener further comprises a threaded shaft, and the body portion thereof further comprises an internally threaded aperture.

7. The console of claim 3, further comprising a pair of quick release fasteners, each quick release fastener positioned adjacent to a different one of the connection portions of the face plate.

8. A vehicle console having:

a quick release fastener, comprising;

a substantially rectangular support frame comprising opposing substantially rigid end panels and opposing substantially rigid side panels each substantially rigidly interconnected between the opposing end panels, each side panel further comprising a mounting lip portion inwardly projected of the frame;

a plurality of substantially rectangular removable face plates comprising opposing edge nesting lip portions positioned to mate with a respective one of the inwardly projected mounting lip portions of the side panels, and at least one of the inwardly projected mounting lip portions further comprising a fastener actuator receiver formed there through and spaced inwardly of the respective edge nesting lip portion; and

a plurality of quick release fasteners each comprising an actuator operable through the actuator receiver of one of the face plates, and a jaw portion that is responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between an unclamped state extended over the respective edge nesting lip portion and spaced away therefrom, and a clamped state adjacent to the edge nesting lip portion with a portion of the mounting lip portion of one of the side panels clamped therebetween.

9. The console of claim 8 wherein each quick release fastener further comprises a biasing member positioned to urge the jaw portion into the unclamped state, and the actuator is further configured to force the jaw portion into the clamped state.

10. The console of claim 9 wherein each quick release fastener is further responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between a clamping position having the jaw portion extended over the edge nesting lip portion with the mounting lip portion of the side panel being positioned therebetween, and a release position having the jaw portion spaced inwardly of the edge nesting lip portion, and wherein in the clamping position the jaw portion is further responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between the unclamped state and the clamped state.

11. The console of claim 10 wherein the actuator of each quick release fastener is further configured to rotate the jaw portion between the clamping position and the release position;

and

wherein each of the face plates further comprises a substantially rigid jam portion positioned to engage the jaw portion of the quick release fastener in at least one of the clamping position and the release position.

12. The console of claim 11 wherein each quick release fastener further comprises a threaded interface between a body portion thereof comprising the jaw portion and the actuator.

13. The console of claim 12 wherein the threaded interface of the quick release fastener further comprises a threaded shaft portion of the actuator and a threaded nut installed on the body portion.

14. The console of claim 12 wherein the jam portion of the face plate is further positioned to engage the jaw portion of the quick release fastener in each of the clamping position and the release position.

15. The console of claim 11 wherein the mounting lip portion of one of the side panels further comprises a plurality of detent receivers substantially evenly spaced there along;

and

wherein each of the plurality of removable face plates further comprises a detent on the edge nesting lip portion thereof that is positioned to mate with one of the plurality of detent receivers in the mounting lip portion of the side panel.

16. A vehicle console having a quick release fastener, comprising:

opposing first and second substantially rigid side panels, each side panel further comprising an inwardly projected mounting lip portion formed with a plurality of discrete openings substantially evenly spaced along a length thereof;

opposing first and second substantially rigid end panels substantially rigidly interconnected between the side panels;

a plurality of substantially rectangular removable face plates each comprising opposing edge nesting lip portions each having a detent positioned thereon to mate with a respective one of the plurality of discrete openings spaced along the inwardly projected lip portion of the side panels, and further comprising;

actuator clearance passages formed between inner and outer surfaces thereof and positioned spaced inwardly of the respective detents and substantially aligned therewith, and

substantially upright projections positioned on the inner surface between inwardly of respective edge nesting lip portions, each projection further comprising a clearance notch positioned between the respective clamp actuator clearance passage and detent; and

a plurality of pairs of releasable fastener, each releasable fastener comprising an actuator operable through a respective one of the actuator clearance passages of one of the face plates, and a jaw portion, each releasable fastener being movable by actuation of the actuator between a clamping position having the jaw portion oriented substantially transverse of and extended over a respective one of the opposing edge nesting lip portions with the mounting lip portion of a respective one of the side panels being positioned therebetween, and a release position having the jaw portion spaced inwardly of the mounting lip portion, and wherein in the clamping position the jaw portion is further responsive to actuation of the actuator for moving between an unclamped state substantially transverse of the mounting lip portion and spaced away therefrom in a position extended thereover, and a clamped state substantially transverse of the mounting lip portion and adjacent thereto with a portion of the mounting lip portion of the side panel substantially clamped therebetween.

17. The console of claim 16 wherein the releasable fastener further comprises a biasing member positioned to urge the jaw portion into the unclamped state spaced away from the mounting lip portion, and the actuator is further configured to force the jaw portion into the clamped state adjacent to the mounting lip portion.

18. The console of claim 17 wherein the actuator of the releasable fastener is further configured to compress the biasing member against the mounting lip portion of the side panel opposite from the edge nesting lip portion of the face plate.

19. The console of claim 18 wherein the actuator of the releasable fastener is further configured to rotate the jaw portion between the clamping position and the release position.

20. The console of claim 19 wherein the substantially upright projections positioned on the inner surface of the face plate further comprises a substantially upright jam portion adjacent to the respective actuator clearance passage;

and

wherein the jaw portion of the releasable fastener is further sized to pass through the clearance notch in a respective one of the first and second substantially upright projections between the clamping and release positions thereof, and is further sized to engage the substantially upright jam portion in each of the clamping position and the release position.

21. The console of claim 20 wherein the actuator of the releasable fastener further comprises a threaded shaft portion sized to pass through the actuator clearance passage in the face plate, and a drive head portion positioned externally of the outer surface thereof;

and

wherein the releasable fastener further comprises a body portion comprising the jaw portion thereof, the body portion further comprising a bore therein having the threaded shaft portion of the actuator passing there through and the biasing member being compressible therein, and a threaded portion substantially aligned with the bore and threadedly mated with the threaded shaft portion of the actuator.