Coupling device

• US 3,916,756 A
• Filed: 02/21/1974
• Issued: 11/04/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tohru Yoda
• Original Assignee: Tohru Yoda
• Inventors: Yoda, Tohru
• Primary Examiner(s): Britts, Ramon S.
• Application Number:
  US05/444,448
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 85/8.8,5R,DIG.2 24/216,217,28A 151/41.73 292/DIG.11
• US Class Current: 24/682.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/073 the socket having a resilient part on its inside
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/075 the socket having resilient parts on its inside and outside
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/11 Cover fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4588 Means for mounting projection or cavity portion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45885 Allows bodily movement facilitating interlock

Abstract

Disclosed is a coupling device essentially comprising a male member and a female member. A plurality of male members are fixed to one part of a thing, for instance, a cover plate, and as many female members as male members are fixed to the counter part, for instance the casing. Then, the cover plate is fixedly but removably put on the casing.

Claims

1. A plastic coupling device comprising:

a male member having a headed shank portion and a collar portion at the other end thereof, said headed shank portion including a bulbous head connected to a reduced diameter portion to provide an annular recess intermediate the bulbous portion and said collar portion, a base Plate having a raised portion on one major surface and a recessed portion on the other major surface thereof, said raised portion having an aperture at its center, the diameter of said annular recess on said headed shank portion as well as said bulbous head being smaller than the diameter of said aperture and the diameter of said collar portion being smaller than the diameter of said recessed portion but larger than said aperture to thereby permit said male member to move freely in all directions relative to said base plate and compensate for misalignment with a mating female member, said female member generally formed in the shape of an open ended hollow cylinder with a rigid annular laterally outwardly extending collar portion integrally connected to the periphery of one open end thereof, a plurality of resilient tabs formed integral with and on the other periphery of said cylinder spaced axially from said annular collar portion and converging toward the other open end in the hollow space of the cylinder, said tabs forming a split frustoconical section having a wall thickness less than the thickness of the annular collar portion whereby said tabs are capable of flexing independently of the hollow cylinder forming the female member, said hollow cylinder having a plurality of integral circumferentially spaced ramp-like projections adjacent the said other open end and adapted to engage the wall of a hollow bore adapted to accept said cylindrical female member, said member capable of independent flexing from the flexing of said tabs whereby insertion of the headed member into the female member will not disturb the cooperation between the female member and the blind bore in which it is mounted.