U.S. patent application number 10/794409 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-04 for low profile fastener having a repositionable handle clip.
Invention is credited to Boe, Craig L..
Application Number | 20040218994 10/794409 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25524057 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040218994 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boe, Craig L. |
November 4, 2004 |
Low profile fastener having a repositionable handle clip
Abstract
A fastener having a head integral with an elongated shank
projecting rigidly from the underside of the head. The shank has a
threaded portion extending a predetermined length outwardly from
the head, and which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the
head. The head has a first set of receiving holes and a second set
of receiving holes which are substantially similar to the first set
and are offset from the first set of receiving holes. The fastener
has a clip removably attached to the head by inserting end portions
of the clip into one of the first or second sets of receiving holes
in the head.
Inventors: |
Boe, Craig L.; (Nampa,
ID) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP
2040 MAIN STREET
FOURTEENTH FLOOR
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
25524057 |
Appl. No.: |
10/794409 |
Filed: |
March 5, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10794409 |
Mar 5, 2004 |
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09976402 |
Oct 11, 2001 |
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6746194 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
411/409 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 35/06 20130101;
F16B 23/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
411/409 |
International
Class: |
F16B 023/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A fastener comprising: a head with a first pair of receiving
holes and a second pair of receiving holes; a shank having a
diameter smaller than a diameter of the head and projecting from
the head, the shank comprising a threaded portion; and a one piece
clip having first and second end portions, said clip being
removably mounted on the head such that each of said first and
second end portions is removably retained within one of either the
first pair of receiving holes or the second pair of receiving
holes, wherein the clip is removable only as a single unit and
wherein the clip is rigidly mounted in the head, such that the
fastener can be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the shank by
placing a rotating force on the clip, and wherein the clip is
configured such that when it encounters an obstruction when being
moved to a storage position, it is removable from said first or
second pair of receiving holes and insertable in the other of said
first or second pair of receiving holes so as to avoid the obstacle
when being moved to a storage position.
2. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the fastener is adapted to be
fitted through an orifice in a first component and to be threaded
into a second component in order to secure the first component to
the second component.
3. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the clip is spring biased such
that the first and second end portions can be removed from the
first pair of receiving holes and removably inserted into the
second pair of receiving holes to reposition the clip with respect
to the head.
4. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the clip is pivotably mounted
in the head.
5. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the first pair of receiving
holes has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the
second pair of receiving holes.
6. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the second pair of receiving
holes is offset between about 70 and 90 degrees from the first set
of receiving holes.
7. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the clip is mounted in the head
such that the end portions rotate within the receiving holes so as
to pivot the clip between an in-use position and a not-in-use
position.
8. A method of changing the orientation of a clip attached to a
head of a fastener, said clip having first and second end portions,
the method comprising: attaching the clip to the fastener by
inserting and retaining each of the first and second end portions
within a first pair of receiving holes in the head of the fastener,
said clip comprising a single, unitary piece of material; removing
the clip in a single unit from the first pair of receiving holes in
the head of the fastener when the clip contacts an obstruction when
said clip is being pivoted; and attaching the clip to the fastener
by inserting and retaining each of the first and second end
portions within a second pair of receiving holes positioned in the
head of the fastener at a location which is offset from the first
pair of receiving holes.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the clip is attached to the head
such that the end portions rotate within the receiving holes so
that the clip can pivot between an in-use position and a not-in-use
position.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein removing the clip includes
exerting a force sufficient to overcome a spring bias that urges
the end portions to remain within the receiving holes.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the clip is attached to the head
such that the fastener can be rotated about a longitudinal axis of
a shank of the fastener by placing a rotating force on the
clip.
12. A fastener comprising: means for attaching first and second end
portions of a one piece clip to the fastener by inserting and
retaining each of the first and second end portions within a first
pair of receiving holes in a head of the fastener; means for
removing the clip in a single unit from the first pair of receiving
holes in the head of the fastener when the clip contacts an
obstruction when said clip is being pivoted; and means for
attaching the first and second end portions of the one piece clip
to the fastener by inserting and retaining each of the first and
second end portions within a second pair of receiving holes
positioned in the head of the fastener at a location which is
offset from the first pair of receiving holes.
13. The fastener of claim 12, wherein the clip is spring biased
such that the two end portions can be removed from the first pair
of receiving holes and removably inserted into the second pair of
receiving holes to reposition the clip with respect to the
head.
14. The fastener of claim 12, wherein the clip is pivotably
attached to the head.
15. A fastener comprising: a head with a first pair of receiving
holes and a second pair of receiving holes, wherein the first pair
of receiving holes have a diameter which is substantially the same
as the diameter of the receiving holes in the second pair, and
wherein the first pair of receiving holes are offset from the
second pair of receiving holes; a shank projecting from the head,
the shank comprising a threaded portion, wherein the shank has a
diameter smaller than a diameter of the head; a one piece clip,
wherein one side of the clip comprises two end portions with an
opening therebetween, the end portions being removably positioned
in the first pair of receiving holes to pivotably attach the clip
to the head, wherein the clip exhibits a spring bias to urge the
end portions to remain positioned in the receiving holes, and
wherein the end portions are configured to rotate axially within
the receiving holes to permit movement of the clip from an
operating position to a stored position; wherein the two end
portions are configured to be removed from the first pair of
receiving holes in response to the clip contacting an obstruction
while being moved toward the stored position, said end portions
being removed by exerting a force sufficient to overcome the spring
bias such that the clip is removed as a single unit and such that
the two end portions can be removably inserted into the second pair
of receiving holes, thereby repositioning the clip with respect to
the head.
16. The fastener of claim 15, wherein the fastener is adapted to be
fitted through an orifice in a first component and to be threaded
into a second component in order to secure the first component to
the second component.
17. The fastener of claim 15, wherein the clip is rigidly mounted
in the head, such that the fastener can be rotated about a
longitudinal axis of the shank by placing a rotating force on the
clip.
18. The fastener of claim 15, wherein the first pair of receiving
holes is offset by about 70 to 90 degrees from the second pair of
receiving holes.
19. A fastener comprising: a head with a first pair of receiving
holes and a second pair of receiving holes; and a one piece clip
having first and second end portions, said clip being removably
mounted on the head such that each of said first and second end
portions is removably retained within one of either the first pair
of receiving holes or the second pair of receiving holes, wherein
the clip is removable only as a single unit.
20. The fastener of claim 1, wherein the fastener is adapted to be
fitted through an orifice in a first component and to be threaded
into a second component in order to secure the first component to
the second component.
21. A fastener comprising: a head with a first pair of receiving
holes and a second pair of receiving holes, wherein the first pair
of receiving holes have a diameter which is substantially the same
as the diameter of the receiving holes in the second pair, and
wherein the first pair of receiving holes are offset from the
second pair of receiving holes; and a one piece clip, wherein one
side of the clip comprises two end portions with an opening
therebetween, the end portions being removably positioned in the
first pair of receiving holes to pivotably attach the clip to the
head, wherein the clip exhibits a spring bias to urge the end
portions to remain positioned in the receiving holes, and wherein
the end portions are configured to rotate axially within the
receiving holes to permit movement of the clip from an operating
position to a stored position; wherein the two end portions are
configured to be removed from the first pair of receiving holes in
response to the clip contacting an obstruction while being moved
toward the stored position, said end portions being removed by
exerting a force sufficient to overcome the spring bias such that
the clip is removed as a single unit and such that the two end
portions can be removably inserted into the second pair of
receiving holes, thereby repositioning the clip with respect to the
head.
22. The fastener of claim 15, wherein the fastener is adapted to be
fitted through an orifice in a first component and to be threaded
into a second component in order to secure the first component to
the second component.
23. A method of manufacturing a fastener, the method comprising:
providing a head with a first pair of receiving holes and a second
pair of receiving holes; and providing a one piece clip having
first and second end portions, said clip configured to be removably
mounted on the head such that each of said first and second end
portions is removably retained within one of either the first pair
of receiving holes or the second pair of receiving holes, and
wherein the clip is removable only as a single unit.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the head comprises stainless
steel, aluminum, brass, or plastic.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the one piece clip comprises
stainless steel, aluminum, brass, or plastic.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of, and incorporates by
reference in its entirety, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/976,402, filed on Oct. 11, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to fasteners, and in
particular, to fasteners with repositional clips for operating the
fastener.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Screw-type fasteners are often used to removably attach one
component to another. Often, tools such as screwdrivers are not
conveniently available, making it desirable to have a fastener that
can be installed and removed without such tools. Fasteners can be
designed with clips or rings that attach to the head of the
fastener, thereby allowing an operator to grasp the clip or ring
and rotate the fastener to either screw or unscrew the fastener
into the component. In some fasteners, when not needed for use,
these clips or rings may be pivoted to a not-in-use position so
that they do not interfere with the use of the component.
[0006] Frequently, the component in which the fastener is inserted
contains uneven surfaces proximate to the location where the
fastener is received. In these situations, it is often the case
that the clip will only lay flat in the desired not-in-use position
when it is in certain orientations. This presents a problem if the
final orientation of the fastener does not place the clip in this
preferred orientation. In that case, the clip can be obstructed by
the non-flat surfaces such that the clip either will not rest flat
against the component or will otherwise be positioned in an
undesirable orientation. Thus, there is a need for a fastener in
which the clip can be removed and repositioned to a new, more
convenient orientation without the necessity of unscrewing or
otherwise undoing the fastener.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] One embodiment of the invention is directed to a fastener
including a head with a first pair of receiving holes and a second
pair of receiving holes, wherein the receiving holes in the first
pair have a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the
receiving holes in the second pair. The fastener further includes a
shank projecting from the head, the shank comprising a threaded
portion, wherein the shank has a diameter smaller than a diameter
of the head. The fastener further includes a clip, wherein one side
of the clip comprises two end portions with an opening
therebetween, the end portions positioned in the first pair of
receiving holes to pivotably attach the clip to the head, wherein
the two end portions can be removed from the first pair of
receiving holes and removably inserted into the second pair of
receiving holes to reposition the clip.
[0008] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a method of
changing the orientation of a clip attached to a fastener without
unscrewing the fastener, the method including attaching the clip to
the fastener via a first pair of receiving holes in the fastener,
removing the clip from the first pair of receiving holes in the
fastener if the clip undesirably contacts an obstruction when
pivoting the clip and attaching the clip to the fastener via a
second pair of receiving holes in the fastener wherein the second
pair of receiving holes are offset from the first pair of receiving
holes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other objects and features of the invention will
become more fully apparent from the following description and
appended claims taken in conjunction with the following drawings,
where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally
similar elements.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a fastener according to
one embodiment of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a clip used with the
fastener of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the clip of FIG. 2
mounted on the fastener of FIG. 1 in a first pair of receiving
holes.
[0013] FIG. 4 is top cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIG. 1
taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 1
illustrating the clip obstructing a surface.
[0015] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the fastener of FIG. 5A
illustrating the clip repositioned to a second pair of receiving
holes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The following presents a detailed description of embodiments
of the invention. However, the invention can be embodied in a
multitude of different ways as defined and covered by the claims.
The invention is more general than the embodiments that are
explicitly described, and is not limited by the specific
embodiments but rather is defined by the appended claims.
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a fastener 10 having a generally
cylindrical head 12 integral with an elongated shank 14 projecting
rigidly from the underside of the head 12. In one embodiment, a top
surface 13 of the head 12 is flat and the head 12 is configured
such that a side surface 15 of the head 12 has dimensions so that
when installed in a device, the head 12 protrudes only a small
distance from the device. In one embodiment, the fastener 10 is
manufactured from stainless steel, such as 302 stainless steel,
using methods well known in the art. However, one skilled in the
art will appreciate that the fastener 10 can be manufactured from
other materials, such as aluminum, brass, or plastic. In one
embodiment, the head 12 is cylindrical in shape, however other
shapes, such as a box-shape, can be used.
[0018] In one embodiment, the shank 14 has a cylindrical spacer
section 16 which extends a predetermined length outwardly from the
head 12, and which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the
head 12. The shank 14 also has a threaded portion 18 extending
distally from the cylindrical spacer section 16. The shank 14 is of
sufficient length to pass through a portion of a component, such
that a portion of the threaded portion 18 extends through the
component and is threaded into a receiving cavity in a device,
thereby enabling the fastener 10 to secure the component to the
device.
[0019] In one embodiment, the head 12 contains a first pair of
receiving holes 20a and 20b (not shown) extending inwardly from
substantially opposing locations in the side 15 thereof. The
receiving holes 20a, 20b are positioned in the head such that they
are 180 degrees apart, thereby locating them opposite each other
with reference to the cylindrical head 12. The receiving holes 20a
and 20b can be connected such that the holes pass through the
entire diameter of the head 12. Alternately, the receiving holes
20a and 20b can each extend into the head 12 a distance less than
one half the diameter of the head 12 such that the holes are not
connected.
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a clip 22 with an opening 24 in a bottom
side 26 of the clip 22. Preferably, end portions 28a and 28b of the
clip 22 are adjacent to the opening 24 and align in a substantially
straight line. In one embodiment, the clip 22 is made of stainless
steel, such as 19 gage stainless steel wire, although one skilled
in the art can appreciate that other thickness of wire and other
materials can be used.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates that the clip 22 is attached to the head
12 of the fastener 10 by inserting the end portions 28a and 28b
into the receiving holes 20a and 20b respectively. The clip 22 is
sufficiently rigid to allow an operator to grasp the clip 22 and
rotate the fastener 10 about the longitudinal axis of the shank 14
to either thread or unthread the fastener 10 into a device without
the need of additional tools. The receiving holes 20a and 20b have
a diameter larger than the diameter of the end portions 28a and
28b, such that the end portions 28a and 28b are easily received
into the holes 20a and 20b, allowing the clip 22 to pivot with
respect to the head 12. Thus, the clip 22 may pivot from an in-use
position in which a plane substantially encompassing the clip 22 is
approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shank 14,
to a not-in-use position in which the plane substantially
encompassing the clip 22 is approximately perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis of the shank 14, such that the clip 22 can lay
flat against a surface of a component to which the fastener 10 is
attached. The end portions 28a and 28b are also of sufficient
length that when they are inserted into the holes 20a and 20b as
described above, the clip 22 can slide from one side to the other
if the clip 22 engages an obstruction.
[0022] The clip 22 is made of a resilient material such that the
end portions 28a and 28b can be pulled apart and removed from the
one pair of receiving holes. When the pulling force is removed, the
end portions 28a and 28b are spring biased to return to an unbiased
position such that the opening 24 between the end portions 28a and
28b has a length smaller than the diameter of the head 12. Thus,
the end portions 28a and 28b of the clip 22 are spring biased to
remain in the receiving holes 20a and 20b, thereby securing the
clip 22 to the head 12.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a top cross-sectional view of the fastener 10.
FIG. 4 illustrates that the head 12 has a second pair of receiving
holes 30a and 30b offset from the first set of receiving holes 20a
and 20b. The second pair of receiving holes 30a and 30b is
substantially similar in diameter and vertical placement in the
head 12 with respect to the first pair of receiving holes 20a and
20b. In one embodiment, the second pair of receiving holes 30a and
30b is offset between 70 and 90 degrees from the first pair of
receiving holes. However, one skilled in the art will understand
that various offset angles are contemplated depending on the
configuration of the uneven surfaces on the component receiving the
fastener 10.
[0024] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate that the clip 22 can be
physically removed from the first pair of receiving holes 20a and
20b and reconnected to the head 12 using the second pair of
receiving holes 30a and 30b if the clip 22 is obstructed by a
non-flat surface on the device to which the fastener 10 is attached
or is otherwise in an undesirable orientation. In FIG. 5 A, the
clip 22 is obstructed by an uneven surface 32 on a component 34
when the clip 22 is attached to the first pair of receiving holes.
In FIG. 5B, the clip has been repositioned to the second pair of
receiving holes and can now be pivoted so that it can be folded
flat against the component 34.
[0025] Providing fastener 10 with a clip 22 that can be
repositioned by changing the orientation of the clip 22 with
respect to the fastener head 12 without having to unscrew the
fastener 10 satisfies a longstanding need in the industry. In the
embodiment illustrated above, the clip 22 can be repositioned to an
unobstructed orientation so it can lie flat in a not-in-use
position. This fastener provides the convenience of a fastener that
can be installed and removed without tools and also a clip that can
be positioned in a desired orientation to reduce the interference
with the component in which the fastener is installed.
[0026] Specific parts, shapes, materials, functions and modules
have been set forth, herein. However, a skilled technologist will
realize that there are many ways to fabricate the system of the
present invention, and that there are many parts, components,
modules or functions that may be substituted for those listed
above. While the above detailed description has shown, described,
and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as
applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various
omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of
the components illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art,
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of
the invention.
* * * * *