Push-release fastener

Claim 2

A fastener assembly for releasably securing together two members such as a movable closure member and a fixed frame member in fixed spacial relationship to one another, said assembly comprising: a. A non-rotatable drive member; b. Means securing said drive member to one of said closure or frame members; c. A rotatable member on said drive member, said rotatable member having limited axial freedom of movement relative to said drive member; d. Opposing sets of annuLar cam surfaces on said non-rotatable drive member and also on said rotatable member; e. Said opposing sets of annular cam surfaces being spaced axially and, having high points so positioned relative to the high points of the other opposing set that successive opposite axial displacements of said non-rotatable drive member relative to said rotatable member cause successive cumulation rotational displacements of said rotatable member with respect to said drive member; f. The other of said closure or frame members being adapted to engage with said rotatable member when said rotatable member is in certain angular positions and not to engage when said rotatable member is in certain other angular positions.

Claim 3

A fastener assembly according to claim 1 wherein the axial spacing between the opposing sets of cam surfaces on said non-rotatable drive member is greater than the axial spacing between the opposing sets of cam surfaces on said rotatable member.

Claim 4

A fastener assembly according to claim 2 wherein biasing means are provided for axially biasing the rotatable member toward its position furthermost from the closure member to which said support member is secured.

Claim 5

A fastener assembly according to claim 3 wherein said non-rotatable drive member is secured to said movable closure member.

Claim 6

A fastener assembly according to claim 4 wherein said non-rotatable drive member is a cam shaft.

Claim 7

A fastener assembly according to claim 5 wherein said biasing means includes a coil spring biasing said cam shaft away from frame member and biasing said rotatable member away from said movable closure member.

Claim 8

A fastener assembly according to claim 6 wherein said biasing means includes a cup washer supported on said cam shaft, and wherein said cup washer supports said coil spring between an inward end of said cup washer and said movable closure member.

Claim 9

A fastener assembly according to claim 3 wherein said rotatable member includes a latch element having a non-uniform cross-sectional configuration, and said frame member has therein an aperture having a configuration permitting said latch element to pass through when said latch element is in certain angular positions and preventing passage of said latch element through said aperture when said latch element is in other angular positions.

Claim 10

A fastener assembly according to claim 8 wherein latch element has a generally rectangular configuration.

Claim 11

A fastener assembly according to claim 9 wherein said successive opposite axial displacements of said cam shaft cause successive cumulative rotational displacements of said rotatable member in discrete steps of 45* each.

Claim 12

A push-release fastener for releasably fastening two members such as a door or other closure element to a fixed frame element, said fastener comprising: a. A non-rotatable shaft element having at its rearward end an enlarged base for securing to said closure element, b. Said shaft having a reduced-diameter portion located intermediate its forward and rearward ends, c. Forward and rearward sets of opposing cam surfaces at the forward and rearward ends of said reduced-diameter portion of said shaft, d. An annular cam element mounted for rotation on said reduced-diameter portion of said shaft, e. Said cam element having sets of forward and rearward opposing cam surfaces, f. Said forward and rearward sets of cam surfaces on said shaft being spaced apart axially by a distance greater than the axial distance between the forward and rearward sets of cam surfaces on said cam element, g. A latch element at the forward end of said cam element, h. Said latch element having a generally rectangular or other cross-sectional configuration which is nonuniform relative to the center axis of said cam element, i. An aperture in said frame member so corresponding in cross-sectional configuration to said latch element as to allow passage of said latch element through said aperture only when said latch element is in certain angular positions, j. A flange at the rearward end of said cam element and spaced axially from said latch element, said flange having a cross-sectional configuration preventing its passage through said frame aperture, k. Said sets of cam surfaces on said shaft and on said cam element having high points so related to each other that when said closure element is pushed towards said frame element to cause said latch element to pass through said aperture in said frame element until said flange on said cam element abuts against said frame element and prevents further closing movement of said cam element, continued pushing thereafter causes said rearward set of cam surfaces on said shaft to approach and to engage said rearward set of cam surfaces on said cam element and to cause said cam element and said latch element to move rotationally through a fraction of one revolution, and thereafter upon termination of said forward push and initiation of rearward movement of said shaft, said forward set of cam surfaces on said shaft approaches and then engages said forward set of cam surfaces on said cam element to move said cam element and latch element axially and also rotationally in the same direction of rotation through an additional fraction of one revolution, thereby to complete one-half cycle of motion in which said latch element is moved angularly from releasing position to latching position, and whereby a succeeding discrete push on said latched closure element in the closing direction causes said rearward set of cam surfaces on said shaft to approach and engage said rearward set of cam surfaces on said cam element to move said cam element and latch element axially forwardly and also rotationally in the same direction of rotation through an additional fraction of one revolution, and thereafter upon terminatin of said succeeding push on said closure element and initiation of rearward movement of said shaft, said forward set of cam surfaces on said shaft approaches and then engages said forward set of cam surfaces on said cam element to move said cam element and latch element axially rearwardly and also rotationally in the same direction of rotation through an additional fraction of one revolution, thereby to complete the second one-half cycle of motion in which the latch element is moved angularly from latching to releasing position.

Claim 13

A push-release fastener for releasably fastening two members such as a door or other closure element to a fixed frame element, said fastener comprising: a. A non-rotatable shaft element having at its rearward end an enlarged base for securing to said closure element, b. Said shaft having a reduced-diameter portion located intermediate its forward and rearward ends, c. Forward and rearward sets of opposing cam surfaces at the forward and rearward ends of said reduced-diameter portion of said shaft, d. An annular cam element mounted for rotation on said reduced-diameter portion of said shaft, e. Said cam element having sets of forward and rearward opposing cam surfaces, f. Said forward and rearward sets of cam surfaces on said shaft being spaced apart axially by a distance greater than the axial distance between the forward and rearward sets of cam surfaces on said cam element, g. A latch element at the forward end of said cam element, h. Said latch element having a generally rectangular or other cross-sectional configuration which is nonuniform relative to the center axis of said cam element, i. An aperture in said frame member so corresponding in cross-sectional configuration to said latch element as to allow passage of said latch element through said aperture only when said latch element is in certain angular positions, j. A flange at the rearward end of said cam element and spaced axially from said latch element, said flange having a cross-sectional configuration preventing its passage through said frame aperture, k. Said sets of cam surfaces on said shaft and on said cam element having high points so related to each other that when said closure element is pushed towards said frame element to cause said latch element to pass through said aperture in said frame element until said flange on said cam element abuts against said frame element and prevents further closing movement of said cam element, continued pushing thereafter causes said rearward set of cam surfaces on said shaft to approach and to engage said rearward set of cam surfaces on said cam element and to cause said cam element and said latch element to move rotationally through a fraction of one revolution, and thereafter upon termination of said forward push and initiation of rearward movement of said shaft, said forward set of cam surfaces on said shaft approaches and then engages said forward set of cam surfaces on said cam element to move said cam element and latch element axially and also rotationally in the same direction of rotation through an additional fraction of one revolution, thereby to complete one-half cycle of motion in which said latch element is moved angularly from releasing position to latching position, and whereby a succeeding discrete push on said latched closure element in the closing direction causes said rearward set of cam surfaces on said shaft to approach and engage said rearward set of cam surfaces on said cam element to move said cam element and latch element axially forwardly and also rotationally in the same direction of rotation through an additional fraction of one revolution, and thereafter upon terminatin of said succeeding push on said closure element and initiation of rearward movement of said shaft, said forward set of cam surfaces on said shaft approaches and then engages said forward set of cam surfaces on said cam element to move said cam element and latch element axially rearwardly and also rotationally in the same direction of rotation through an additional fraction of one revolution, thereby to complete the second one-half cycle of motion in which the latch element is moved angularly from latching to releasing position.

Claim 14

A push-release fastener according to claim 11 wherein spring biasing means are provided for effecting said return movement of said shaft.

Claim 15

A push-release fastener according to claim 12 wherein said spring biasing means is a coil spring, wherein a cup washer is supported on said shaft, and wherein said coil spring is supported between the forward rim of said cup washer and said base of said shaft.

Claim 16

A push-release fastener according to claim 13 wherein said fraction of one revolution is 45*.