Articulating fastener assembly

• US 7,435,031 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eypex Corp.
• Original Assignee: Robert Granata
• Inventors: Granata, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola; Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kennedy; Joshua T
• Application Number:
  US10/894,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20040258471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 403/DIG.1, 403/42, 403/72, 403/74, 403/76, 403/144, 403/164, 403/119, 403/179, 403/329, 403/180, 403/182, 403/121, 403/137, 403/155, 403/153, 403161-163, 243/03, 296/214, 296/215, 248/206.5, 248/317
• US Class Current: 403/74
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0206 Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings devices for fastening or securing F16B
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0225 self supporting head liners
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 11/006 by gluing gluing of plastics material B29C65/48
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/20 for bolts or shafts without holes, grooves, or notches for locking members by rings resilient in their plane F16B21/18
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/30 Dovetail-like connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0628 allowing for adjustment parallel or perpendicular to the plane of the sheets or plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/123 Auxiliary fasteners specially designed for this purpose
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/126 at least one of the sheets, plates, bars or strips having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32181 Universal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32622 Rocking or rolling contact
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32754 Variably preloaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/606 Leaf spring

Abstract

A fastener assembly securely fastens a decorative panel in spaced relation to a support backing. The fastener assembly includes a base member adapted to be operatively mounted to the decorative panel, a carrier member, and a fastening medium supported by the carrier member and adapted to operatively interconnect the carrier member to the support backing. The carrier member is operatively attached to the base member such that the carrier member is articulately moveable relative to the base member.

Claims

1. A fastener assembly for securely fastening a decorative panel in spaced relation to a support backing, said fastener assembly comprising:

a carrier member;

a base member defining an attaching face operatively mounted to the decorative panel, at least one mounting hole formed through said attaching face for receiving a fastener to operatively mount said attaching face to the decorative panel, at least one leg extending from said base member and positively engaging an opening in said carrier member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion, and at least one biasing member directly supporting said carrier member and providing swiveling articulation of said carrier member relative to said base member when said carrier member is engaged to said at least one leg; and

a fastening medium supported by said carrier member and operatively interconnecting said carrier member to the support backing.

2. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier member is adapted to swivel through varying angles relative to said base member.

3. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base member includes a pair of opposed biasing members disposed spaced relative to one another and about said at least one leg.

4. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said base member includes a pair of opposed, spaced legs and said pair of biasing members are disposed substantially perpendicular to said pair of legs.

5. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one biasing member is a cantilevered spring extending toward said at least one leg.

6. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one leg is integrally molded to said base member.

7. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least one biasing member is integrally molded to said base member.

8. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening medium is glue.

9. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said fastening medium is a magnet.

10. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said fastening medium is a magnet generating a magnetic flux to operatively interconnect said carrier member to the support backing.

11. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said magnet is made of neodymium.

12. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said magnet is substantially doughnut-shaped to define an inner side and inner diameter of said magnet and a hole adapted to receive said at least one leg of said base member.

13. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein said carrier member is substantially doughnut-shaped to define an inner side and inner diameter of said carrier member.

14. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein said inner diameter of said magnet is greater than the inner diameter of said carrier member such that said at least one leg is disposed spaced from said inner side of said magnet.

15. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base member defines a rim disposed opposite said attaching face of said base member and adapted to give structural integrity to said base member.

16. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein said rim is substantially uniform and extends substantially completely about the interior of said base member.

17. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening medium is a rivet.

18. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening medium is a screw.

19. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said fastening medium is at least one reclosable, adhesive-backed, flexible fastener.

20. A fastener assembly for securely fastening a decorative panel in spaced relation to a support backing, said fastener assembly comprising:

a carrier member defining a carrying face that includes a hole extending completely through said carrying face;

a base member operatively mounted to the decorative panel, defining at least one leg extending from said base member and received through said hole of said carrying face to positively engage said carrier member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion, and defining at least one biasing member directly supporting said carrier member and providing swiveling articulation of said carrier member relative to said base member when said carrier member is engaged to said at least one leg; and

a fastening medium supported by said carrying face and operatively interconnecting said carrier member to the support backing.

21. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 20, wherein said at least one leg of said base member includes a foot adapted to snappingly engage said carrying face of said carrier member such that said carrier member is operatively attached to said base member.

22. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said at least one leg is adapted to correspondingly depress to displace said foot toward the midpoint of said hole such that said hole can receive said at least one leg.

23. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 21, wherein said foot is integrally attached to the end of said leg opposite the decorative panel.

24. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 21, wherein said foot includes a tapered portion adapted to permit said carrier member to slide along said foot and into operative snapping engagement with said leg upon operative attachment of said carrier member to said base member.

25. A fastener assembly for securely fastening a decorative panel in spaced relation to a support backing, said fastener assembly comprising:

a carrier member;

a base member operatively mounted to the decorative panel defining at least one leg extending from said base member and positively engaging an opening in said carrier member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion and defining a pair of upstanding ribs giving structural integrity to said base member and defining at least one biasing member directly supporting said carrier member and providing swiveling articulation of said carrier member relative to said base member when said carrier member is engaged to said at least one leg; and

a fastening medium supported by said carrier member and operatively interconnecting said carrier member to the support backing.

26. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 25, wherein said base member includes a wall extending substantially upwardly from said base member and disposed about said at least one leg and said at least one biasing member, said wall being adapted to retain said carrier member when said carrier member is operatively supported by said at least one biasing member.

27. The fastener assembly as recited in claim 26, wherein said pair of upstanding ribs are disposed on substantially opposite sides of said wall and a portion of each of said ribs consists of a corresponding portion of said wall.