Fastener

Claim 2

A snap-in fastener for fastening two thin structural layers having registered openings face to face comprising, in combination, a head providing a seating surface on its underside, a relatively narrow shank projecting axially of the head, said shank mounting at its end a pair of retention legs of flat spade shape which extend back cantilever-fashion toward the seating surface on the head, each of the legs being sprung outwardly in flaring configureation with respect to one another, the presented tips of the legs being obtusely pointed as viewed in a plane perpendicular to the direction of springing movement so that each presents to the edge of the opening in the adjacent layer a pair of symmetrically angled engaging edges having a spacing, with respect to the seating surface, which lies in a range extending both above and below the total thickness dimension of the layers, the fastener being integrally molded of resilient plastic so that when the fastener is inserted into the registered openings the angled edges engage and crowd outwardly upon the edge of the opening in the adjacent layer thereby holding the fastener captive and the layers in intimate engagement with one another.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the portion of the shank adjacent the head is of oblong cross-section having a maximum diameter to substantially fill the registered openings thereby to keep the fastener centered in the openings and the openings in register with one another, but with the portion of the shank adjacent the respective legs being of reduced thickness to provide clearance for inward movement of the legs as the fastener is pushed into seated position.

Claim 4

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the obtuse angle is at least 100* .

Claim 5

A snap-in fastener for fastening two thin structural layers having registered openings face to face comprising, in combination, a head of domed disc shape providing a seating surface on its underside, a relatively narrow shank projecting axially of the head, said shank mounting at its end a pair of flat retention legs which extend back cantilever-fashion toward the seating surface on the head, each of the legs being of V profile when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the flat surface thereof and sprung outwardly in V configuration to a span which exceeds the diameter of the openings, the presented tips of the legs being of obtusely poInted spade shape so that each presents to the edge of the opening in the adjacent layer a pair of symmetrically angled engaging edges having a spacing, with respect to the seating surface, which lies in a range extending both above and below the total thickness dimension of the layers, the fastener being integrally molded of resilient plastic so that when the fastener is inserted into the registered openings the angled edges engage and crowd outwardly upon the edge of the opening in the adjacent layer thereby holding the fastener captive and the layers in intimate engagement with one another.

Claim 6

A snap-in fastener for fastening two thin structural layers having registered openings face to face comprising, in combination, a head of domed disc shape providing a seating surface on its underside, a relatively narrow shank projecting axially of the head, said shank mounting at its end a pair of flat retention legs which extend back cantilever-fashion toward the seating surface on the head, each of the legs being of V profile when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the flat surface thereof and sprung outwardly in V configuration to a span which exceeds the diameter of the openings, the presented tips of the legs being of obtusely poInted spade shape so that each presents to the edge of the opening in the adjacent layer a pair of symmetrically angled engaging edges having a spacing, with respect to the seating surface, which lies in a range extending both above and below the total thickness dimension of the layers, the fastener being integrally molded of resilient plastic so that when the fastener is inserted into the registered openings the angled edges engage and crowd outwardly upon the edge of the opening in the adjacent layer thereby holding the fastener captive and the layers in intimate engagement with one another.