Articulating fastener assembly

• US 7,922,135 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• 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): Mckinnon; Terrell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marsh; Steven M
• Application Number:
  US11/978,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20080056810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 248/125.7, 248/309.1, 248/309.4, 248/316.7, 248/205.6, 403/121, 403/137, 403/83, 403/84, 403/119, 403/120, 403/166, 242/97, 244/53, 244/58
• US Class Current: 248/206.5
• 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. At least one biasing member is adapted to operatively support the carrier member and provide swiveling articulation of the carrier member relative to the base member. At least one leg extends from the base member and is adapted to operatively engage the carrier member so as to attach the carrier member to the base member in articulating fashion.

Claims

1. A fastener assembly for securely fastening a decorative panel in spaced relation to an interior surface of a vehicle body, said fastener assembly comprising:

a base member adapted to be operatively mounted to the decorative panel;

a carrier member operatively supported by said base member and including a body defining a receptacle;

a fastening medium supported in said receptacle of said carrier member and adapted to operatively interconnect said carrier member to the interior surface of a vehicle body, wherein said fastening medium is selected from the group consisting of a magnet and reclosable, adhesive-backed, flexible fasteners;

said carrier member moveably supported by said base member such that said carrier member may be articulated through continuously varying angles with respect to said base member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion.

2. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including at least one biasing member adapted to operatively support said carrier member and provide swiveling articulation of the carrier member relative to said base member and at least one leg extending from said base member and adapted to operatively engage said carrier member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion.

3. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 2, 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 2, 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 body of said carrier member is a substantially shallow and cup-shaped having a rim defining a channel interiorly to said rim and surrounding said fastening medium.

7. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein a top surface of said rim of said carrier member defines a plane that is substantially operatively parallel with substantially the entire surface of a top of said fastening medium such that the operative distance between the substantially entire top surface of said fastening medium and said plane is substantially uniform over the substantially entire top surface of said fastening medium.

8. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening medium is a magnet generating a magnetic flux to operatively interconnect said carrier member to the support backing.

9. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein said magnet is made of neodymium.

10. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 8, 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.

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

12. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 11, 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.

13. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said fastener assembly further includes a fastening member adapted to removably fasten said fastening medium to said carrier member and to further attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion.

14. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein said fastening member is adapted to be disposed through said hole of said magnet and said hole of said carrier member to removably fasten said magnet to said carrier member and to operatively engage said base member so as to further attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion.

15. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fastening member includes at least one leg adapted to operatively engage said base member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion.

16. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein said at least one leg of said fastening member is adapted to operatively engage corresponding said at least one biasing member of said base member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion.

17. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein said at least one leg of said fastening member includes a flange adapted to snappingly engage corresponding said at least one biasing member so as to attach said carrier member to said base member in articulating fashion.