Releasable fastener assembly affixable through a panel

• US 9,068,359 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• 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 LLC (Nelson A. Taylor Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Erskine, Edward J., Furlong, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koehler, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US12/494,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20090263208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 295/250.1, 295/250.2, 411/371.1, 411/371.2, 296/136.01, 296/136.07, 241/140.5, 241/144, 241/05, 24/94, 24/96, 246/91, 428/31
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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, wherein the fixing member is a screw including a screw head; and

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

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a seal 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.

3. A method 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, the securing step comprising securing the fixing member in the unthreaded hole of the button shaft.

4. A method 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, the securing step comprising threading the screw into the threaded hole of the button shaft.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a seal between the mounting button and the panel.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the mounting button is practiced by providing the button shaft of the mounting button with a hole therein, and wherein the step of securing with the fixing member is practiced by securing the fixing member in the hole of the button shaft.

7. A method of securing one part of a releasable fastener having an aperture therein to a panel having a front side and a back side and a mounting hole therethrough, the method comprising:

(a) inserting a mounting button having a button shaft into the mounting hole from the panel front side, the button shaft having a hole therein;

(b) placing the one part of the releasable fastener against the panel back side, and aligning the aperture of the one part with the mounting hole and the hole in the button shaft; and

(c) inserting a fixing member through the aperture of the one part and into engagement with the hole in the button shaft, thereby securing the one part and the mounting button to each other through the panel, wherein the fixing member includes a head, and wherein the inserting step comprises engaging the head with the one part.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein step (a) is practiced by providing the mounting button with a button head having a diameter larger than the mounting hole.

9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising providing a seal over the button shaft and positioning the seal between a head of the mounting button and the panel front side.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising forming a channel in the head of the mounting button for receiving the seal.

11. A method according to claim 7, wherein step (c) is practiced by threading the fixing member into the hole in the button shaft.

12. A method according to claim 7, further comprising forming a stepped portion at an end of the button shaft, and forming a corresponding receiving portion adjacent the aperture of the one part.

13. A method of securing one part of a two-part releasable fastener to a panel having a front side and a back side and a mounting hole therethrough, the one part including a fixing member extending from a back surface, wherein the one part is constructed to be releasably attachable to an other part of the two-part releasable fastener, the method comprising:

(a) inserting a mounting button having a button shaft into the mounting hole from the panel front side, the button shaft having a hole therein;

(b) placing the back surface of the one part of the two-part releasable fastener against the panel back side with the fixing member extending through the mounting hole and into the hole in the button shaft; and

(c) securing the one part and the mounting button to each other through the panel via the fixing member.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising providing a seal over the button shaft and positioning the seal between a head of the mounting button and the panel front side.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising forming a channel in the head of the mounting button for receiving the seal.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein step (c) is practiced by threading the fixing member into the hole in the button shaft.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein step (a) is practiced by providing the mounting button with a button head having a diameter larger than the mounting hole.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein the fixing member comprises a screw including a screw head, and wherein the securing step is practiced by engaging the screw head with the one part.

19. 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 with an integrated fixing member; and

securing the integrated fixing member and the one part to the mounting button through the panel.