Clip-in fastener receptacle

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In use of fasteners of the type known in the prior art one or the other of the fastener and receptacle is permanently secured in a panel opening by means of rivets. It will be readily appreciated that the operation of applying the receptacle to the panel by use of rivets requires the use of tools. To accommodate different thicknesses of panel, a supply of rivets of various lengths must be made available. In applying the receptacle to the panel, it must be relatively carefully aligned with the panel opening if the fastener is to function properly. One of the difficulties with assemblies of the prior art for securing receptacles and the like to panels is that they do not permit ready replacement of the receptacle. It is extremely difficult to remove the receptacle without damaging either the panel or the receptacle. Thus, if through inadvertence the receptacle is not properly aligned with the panel opening, then the fastener either will not work properly or the receptacle must be removed and reinstalled with resultant damage to the panel.

We have invented a clip-in assembly for mounting a receptacle or a fastener element in a panel opening in a rapid and expeditious manner. Our assembly does not require the use of tools for installing the element but permits it to be done manually. Our assembly is such as to accommodate a limited misalignment of the receptacle or the like with the panel opening. Our assembly accommodates a relatively wide range of thicknesses of the mounting panel without structural modification. It firmly holds the receptacle in position on the panel without the danger of falling away of the receptacle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of our invention is to provide a clip-in assembly for mounting a receptacle or fastener element in position in a panel opening in a rapid and expeditious manner.

Another object of our invention is to provide a clipin receptacle or fastener assembly which does not require the use of tools for its installation in a panel mounting opening.

A further object of our in vention is to provide a clip-in receptacle or fastener assembly which will accommodate a relatively wide range of panel thicknesses without modification.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a clip-in receptacle assembly which permits some misalignment of the receptacle with respect to the mounting opening.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a clip-in receptacle or fastener assembly which can readily be replaced without damage to the mounting panel.

Other and further objects of our invention will appear from the following description.

In general our invention contemplates the provision of an assembly for rapidly and expeditiously mounting a receptacle or a fastener element in a panel mounting opening in which a clip has a pair of resilient legs with flanges adapted to engage the one surface of the mounting panel adjacent the opening when the legs are squeezed together and inserted through the panel opening. A spring bears between the clip and another element having means for engaging the other surface of the panel adjacent the opening. In one form of our assembly the receptacle forms part of the element which engages the inner surface of the panel. In another form of our invention the clip adjustably carries the fastener element and is received by the other element for movement with relation thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of a clip-in receptacle assembly and its associated fastener element with parts in section.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the clip-in receptacle assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1 taken along the line 2—2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the clip-in receptacle assembly shown in FIGURE 1 taken along the line 3—3 shown in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation with parts in section of the form of our clip-in receptacle assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1 taken along the line 4—4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of a fastener element clip-in assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 4, one type of fastener which may incorporate our clip-in assembly comprises a clip-in receptacle assembly indicated generally by the reference character 10 and a conventional fastener assembly indicated generally by the reference character 12. The receptacle 14 of the assembly 10 is adapted to be mounted on a panel 16 or the like in a position in which it is aligned with an opening 18 in the panel 16. Receptacle 14 includes a base 20 provided with a pair of laterally extending tabs 22 and 24 adapted to engage one surface of the panel 16. Adjacent the upper surface of the receptacle 14, as viewed in FIGURE 1, we provide cam tracks 26 which are engaged by a cross pin of the fastener to be described hereinafter. A central opening 28 in the receptacle 14 permits the cross pin to be moved into the receptacle to a position at which it can engage the tracks 26 in a manner to be described.

Our clip-in receptacle assembly 10 includes a clip 30 having a top and a pair of legs 32 and 34 provided with flanges 36 and 38 adapted to engage the surface of the panel 16 remote that surface which is engaged by tabs 24. We form the clip 30 from a suitable resilient material such, for example, as carbon steel. The receptacle 14 may be made of a material such as silicon 'bronze.

We provide the assembly 10 with a coil spring 40 surrounding the receptacle 14 and bearing between the base

3,504,875 and the top of the clip 30. With the receptacle 14 assembled with the clip 30, the top of the receptacle, as viewed in FIGURE 1, extends through an opening 42 in the top of clip 30. Tabs 22 and 24 extend through respective openings 44 and 46 in the legs 32 and 34. As will be apparent from the description hereinbelow, spring 40 provides a force which clamps the panel 16 between the flanges 36 and 38 and the tabs 22 and 24. Opening 42 is sufficiently large to permit some lateral movement of the receptacle with respect to opening 18.

The fastener assembly 12 which is employed with the clip-in receptacle assembly 10 may be of a conventional configuration. By way of example, we have shown a fastener assembly 12 including a grommet 48 retained in an opening 50 in a door or the like 52 by means of a snap ring 54. Grommet 48 carries a spring housing 56 having an opening 58 through which a stud 60 carrying a cross pin 62 extends. A spring 64 bears between the end of the housing 56 and a head 66 on the stud 60 so as to hold cross pin 62 in engagement with a recess in the cam track 26 when the fastener is in its operative position.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, an alternate form of our clip-in mounting may be used in connection with a fastener comprising a push-button receptacle assembly indicated generally by the reference character 68 and a clip-in fastener assembly indicated generally by the reference character 70. The push-button receptacle assembly may be of a type known in the art in which a spring housing 72 is secured in an opening 74 in a member, such as a panel or the like, 76 by means of a spring washer 78 which retains a flange 80 formed on the top of the housing in engagement with a surface of the plate 76 adjacent the opening. The assembly 68 includes a cam housing 82 which is received for sliding movement in an opening 84 in the bottom of the housing 72. Cam housing 82 receives a cam assembly of a type known to the art which which we have indicated schematically by the dot-dash lines 86. Since the cam assembly 86 per se does not form part of our invention, it will not be described in detail. It is retained in the housing 82 by means of a split ring 88. A coil spring 90 bears between the bottom of spring housing 72 and the periphery of a button 92 secured to housing 82 normally to urge the button to move upwardly as viewed in FIGURE 5. A ring 94 adjacent the bottom of the housing 82 limits the movement of the button under the influence of the spring 90.

The clip-in fastener assembly includes a cage 96 having a peripheral flange 98 adapted to engage one surface of a mounting member such as a panel 100 when the cage 96 is disposed in an opening 102 in the panel. Cage 96 receives a fastener mounting clip 104 having spring legs 106 and 108. The legs 106 and 108 have respective flanges 110 and 112 which extend through openings 114 and 116 in the wall of cage 96 to permit the flanges to engage the underside of panel 100 as viewed in FIGURE 5.

We secure an internally threaded fastener carrier sleeve 118 in the base of the clip 104. This sleeve extends through an opening 120 in the bottom of cage 96 and is permitted to slide freely with relation to the cage. We screw a threaded portion 122 of a stud shank 124 into the sleeve 118. Shank 124 carries a cross pin 126 which is adapted to cooperate with the cam assembly 86 in a manner known to the art to be described hereinafter. Our assembly 70 includes a coil spring 128 which bears between the bottom of the cage 96 and the base of the clip 104.

In assembling the form of our clip-in receptacle shown in FIGURE 1, the spring 40 first is placed around the receptacle 14. Next, the clip 30 is applied to the assembly by slipping the lugs 22 and 24 through the openings 44 and 46 in legs 32 with the receptacle 14 extending upwardly to the opening 42.

To apply the clip-in receptacle assembly 10 shown in FIGURE 1 to a member, such as a panel 16 having the opening 18, legs 32 and 34 first are squeezed together by applying force to the clip legs in the regions of the ar4 rows in FIGURE 1 to move the flanges 36 and 38 to positions at which they can clear the edges of the opening 18. When this has been done, the lugs 22 and 24 are placed against a surface of the panel 16 and the clip is moved against the action of the spring 40 until the flanges 36 and 38 have been moved through the opening 18 to the other side of the panel. With the parts in this position, the clip is released, legs 32 and 34 will snap back to their initial positions and spring 40 exerts a force which clamps the panel 16 firmly between lugs 22 and 24 and the flanges 36 and 38. Not only can the clip-in receptacle assembly 10 be rapidly and expeditiously applied to the panel 16 in the manner described above but, also, it will accommodate a relatively wide range of thicknesses of the panel 16. By way of example, in FIGURE 1, we have illustrated in broken lines the position of the clip relative to the recetacle when a panel thicker than the panel 16 is used. The openings 44 and 46 are sufficiently long to permit this accommodation of thicker panels.

In use of the fastener comprising the clip-in assembly 10 and a cross pin assembly 12, the length of the stud 60 is selected in accordance with the thickness of the panel 16. When a stud of the proper length has been selected, in order to secure a member such as the door or plate 52 to the panel 16, the parts are moved together and the stud 60 is oriented to align the cross pin 62 with the opening 28. When that has been done, the stud 60 first is moved against the action of spring 64 to move the cross pin 62 through the opening 28. The stud is then rotated to move the cross pin along the tracks 26 until it moves over the high point of the tracks and drops into recesses in the tracks. Spring 64 provides a force for holding the cross pin in the recesses. Since the cooperation of the cross pin 62 with the tracks 26 does not per se form part of our invention, we have not described the structure in more detail. One of the advantages of the form of clip-in receptacle 10 in connection with the cross pin assembly 12 is that the receptacle has some degree of freedom of lateral movement, as viewed in FIGURE 1, to accommodate mounting misalignments of the opening 18 with respect to the axis of cross pin 62 in the event the opening 18 has not been accurately formed. In addition to this, there is no danger of the receptacle falling away from the frame. While we have shown our clip-in receptacle assembly in connection with a receptacle 14 having cam tracks 26, it is to be understood that we might as well apply the same clip-in mounting to an ordinary nut.

Should it be necessary or desirable to remove the receptacle 14 from the panel 16, legs 32 and 34 need only be squeezed together until the flanges 36 and 38 are clear of the lower edge of the opening 18 and then the entire assembly can be removed with ease. No damage either to the panel or to the receptacle assembly results.

In applying the clip-in fastener assembly 70 to a member such, for example, as the panel 100, the assembly is inserted into the opening 102 and the legs 106 and 108 are squeezed together until the flanges 110 and 112 clear the edge of the opening. They are then pushed through the opening and permitted to spring back so that flange 98 engages one surface of the panel 100 and the flanges 110 and 112 engage the other surface thereof. In this position of the parts, springs 128 exerts a force which clamps a portion of the panel adjacent the opening between the flange 98 and the two flanges 110 and 112. As is the case with the form of our invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 4, the assembly 70 can accommodate a wide range of thicknesses of the panel 100. By way of example, we have illustrated the relative positions of the parts in broken lines when the assembly is applied to a thicker panel. It is to be understood that the position of the cross pin 126 with respect to the cam assembly 86 can be adjusted by threading the portion 122 inwardly or

3,504 5 outwardly along sleeve 118 as determined by the thickness of the panel.

Once the parts have been installed in the manner described, the operation of the push-button fastener shown in FIGURE 5 is similar to fasteners of this type known in the art. Once the parts 76 and 100 have been disposed ⁵in contiguous relationship, button 92 is pushed to cause the cross pin 126 to cooperate with the cam assembly 86. In so doing, the push button rotates until upon release thereof the cross pin engages recesses in the cam as- ₁₀sembly. The next actuation of the push button releases the shank 124. Since this operation per se does not form part of our invention, it has not been illustrated in detail.

It will be seen that we have accomplished the objects of our invention. We have provided an assembly for 15 rapidly and expenditiously applying a fastener or a receptacle to a mounting member without the use of tools. Our assembly permits the element to be secured in a mounting opening in a rapid and expenditious manner. Our assembly accommodates a relatively wide range of 20 thicknesses of the mounting member. Our clip-in receptacle compensates for some misalignment between the parts of the fastener in their installed positions. Our assembly permits ready removal and replacement of the element. 25

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details without departing from the spirit of our inven- 30 tion. It is, therefore, to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.