Holding element made of plastic

• US 5,448,809 A
• Filed: 03/07/1994
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW United CARR GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: TRW United CARR GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Kraus, Willibald
• Primary Examiner(s): Brittain, James R.
• Application Number:
  US08/206,976
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 24/453, 24/297, 411/508-510, 411/913, 248/74.3, 174/138 D
• US Class Current: 24/453
• 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: F16B 21/086 the shank of the stud, pin or spigot having elevations, ribs, fins or prongs intended for deformation or tilting predominantly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0621 in parallel relationship fastened by a drive-pin F16B19/1081; fastened by a device locking by rotation F16B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/913 Self-expanding anchor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/309 Plastic type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/42 Independent, headed, aperture pass-through fastener

Abstract

A holding element 1 is formed of plastic with a basic body 2 and an adjoining resilient stop 3. There are formed onto the basic body several resilient detents 4, 4'"'"'; 5, 5'"'"', located in diagonally oppositely disposed pairs with front engagement surfaces 6, 6'"'"'; 7, 7'"'"' facing the resilient stop 3. The basic body is rectangular in cross section and exhibits an open interior S. Moreover, all four side surfaces are equipped with at least one of the resilient detents 4, 4'"'"'; 5, 5'"'"'. At least two of the diagonally opposite detents respectively have a T-shape, and the transverse cross-piece 9 on the T-shape carries the front engagement surface. The vertical cross-piece 10 of the T-shape is arranged between two recesses 11, 12 located in the plane of the side surfaces of the basic body 2. Each detent 4, 4'"'"'; 5, 5'"'"' is surrounded by perforations 13 extending to the free interior space 8 in the basic body 2.

Claims

1. A holding element formed of plastic comprising a main body having at least one radially extending resilient stop and a plurality of diagonally opposite pairs of resilient detents oriented with front engagement surfaces facing toward the stop, the improvement wherein the body (2) is rectangular in the cross section with an open interior, the main body (2) having four side surfaces (A, B, C, D) each carrying one of the diagonally opposite, resilient detents (4, 4'"'"';

5, 5'"'"');

at least two of the diagonally opposite detents (5, 5'"'"') respectively exhibit a T-shape with a transverse cross-piece (9, 9'"'"') that has a front engagement surface (7, 7'"'"') and a vertical cross-piece (10, 10'"'"'), the vertical cross-piece (10, 10'"'"') being arranged between two recess (11, 12;

11'"'"', 12'"'"') positioned in the plane of the side surfaces (A, B, C, D) of the main body (2); and

,

each detent (4, 4'"'"';

5, 5'"'"') surrounded in the main body (2) by perforations (13) extending through to the open interior (8).

2. A holding element according to claim 1 wherein the resilient stop is designed as circumferential spring flange (3).

3. A holding element according to claim 1 wherein the main body (2) is square in cross section.

4. A holding element according to claim 1 wherein there are formed onto two opposite side surfaces (A, C) of the main body (2), rectangular detents (4, 4'"'"'), and the two T-shaped detents (5, 5'"'"') are in the other side surfaces.

5. A holding element according to claim 4 wherein an end region (14, 14'"'"') of the rectangular detents (4, 4'"'"') includes a thickened portion extending into the open interior on diagonally opposite sides.

6. A holding element according to claim 1 wherein the front engagement surfaces (6, 6'"'"';

7, 7'"'"') of the detents (4, 4'"'"';

5, 5'"'"') are engagement located in the same horizontal plane.

7. A holding element according to claim 1 wherein the front surfaces (6, 6'"'"';

7, 7'"'"') of the detents (4, 4'"'"';

5, 5'"'"') are positioned in at least two different horizontal planes.

8. A holding element according to claim 1 wherein above the resilient stop (3) there is arranged a connection region (16) for joining to a storage, holding, or engagement element.

9. A holding element according to claim 1 wherein the main body (2) has a slanted portion (17) at its forward end.

10. A holding element formed of plastic having a body and at least one adjoining stop member wherein there are formed onto the body several resilient detents having front stop surfaces facing toward the stop member, the improvement wherein the body has an open interior and is equipped at opposite sides with resilient detents with at least two diagonally opposite detents having a T-shape with a transverse cross-piece having the front stop surface and a vertical cross-piece arranged between recesses positioned in the plane of a side surface of the basic body;

and

each detent being surrounded by perforations extending to the open interior in the basic body.

11. In a fastening element formed of plastic and comprising a basic body with at least one adjoining stop member and resilient detents formed onto the basic body on diagonally opposite sides with front stop surfaces on the detents facing toward the stop member, the improvement wherein the basic body has a free open hollow interior and the diagonally opposite resilient detents are arranged in groups with there being at least three detents of different heights in each group and with each detent in each group being surrounded by perforations extending to the open interior of the basic body.