Patent US3875843A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3875843A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plastic fasteners
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1973-07-23
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Granted: 1975-04-08
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Expires: 1993-07-23
Abstract
Abstract A device comprising a female fastening member including a hollow portion formed at one end with a flange and having hingedly connected to the other end a pair of claws pivotally movable outwardly in opposite directions from an inoperative position in which the claws are disposed substantially horizontally in parallel relationship to an operative position in which the claws are disposed substantially vertically in aligned relationship, and a male member adapted to be inserted in the female member and to bring the claws to the operative position while the male member is latched to the female locking member just by inserting or by turning after insertion. The flange of the female member may be eliminated and instead the hollow portion may be provided with two pairs of claws each pair being hingedly connected to one of opposite ends of the hollow portion. In use, the female member is first inserted in openings formed in walls of boxes or other containers to be secured together and aligned with each other, and then the male member is inserted in and latched to the female member and the claws are brought to the operative position to hold the plurality of walls between the claws and the flange or between the two pairs of claws so that they can be positively and firmly fastened together.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuya Maeda
- 👤 Susumu Kusakabe
- 👤 Sigemi Fujihara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 07:47
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16B; F16B19/00; F16B19/04; F16B19/08; F16B19/10; F16B19/1027; F16B19/1036; F16B19/1081; B; B65; B65D; B65D55/00; B65D55/02; B65D55/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
347 words
A plastic fastener for detachably securing together walls having aligned openings therein, comprising a female member and a male member adapted to be detachably latched one to the other, said female member including a tubular hollow portion having openings in the peripheral wall thereof, a flange formed at one end of said hollow portion, a pair of claws hinge-connected to the other end of said tubular hollow portion at the opposite sides of said other end, said claws being movable between an inoperative position in which said claws do not extend laterally beyond the periphery of said hollow portion and an operative portion in which said claws are expanded laterally and extend substantially parallel to said flange, said female being insertable into said aligned openings in said walls with said claws being in their inoperative position until said flange is brought into engagement with one of said walls, said male member comprising a pair of laterally spaced tubular hollow portions, a resilient common wall interconnecting one end of each of said hollow portions and closing said one ends, said hollow portions having their other ends open and resiliently movable toward each other, latching projections extending laterally from the outer peripheral surfaces of said tubular hollow portions of said male member adjacent said open ends, said tubular hollow portions of said male member when inserted into the tubular hollow portion of said female member with their closed ends forward being snugly received and engaging the claws of said female member to pivotally move said claws to their operative position, the latching projections on said male member being brought into latching engagement with said openings when said male member is received in position in said female member, said tubular hollow portions of said male member being open at said other ends to allow the fingers of an operator''s hand to be inserted therein to move said open ends of said tubular hollow portions toward each other so that said latching projections are moved out of said latching engagement with said openings when said male and female members are separated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
347 words
A plastic fastener for detachably securing together walls having aligned openings therein, comprising a female member and a male member adapted to be detachably latched one to the other, said female member including a tubular hollow portion having openings in the peripheral wall thereof, a flange formed at one end of said hollow portion, a pair of claws hinge-connected to the other end of said tubular hollow portion at the opposite sides of said other end, said claws being movable between an inoperative position in which said claws do not extend laterally beyond the periphery of said hollow portion and an operative portion in which said claws are expanded laterally and extend substantially parallel to said flange, said female being insertable into said aligned openings in said walls with said claws being in their inoperative position until said flange is brought into engagement with one of said walls, said male member comprising a pair of laterally spaced tubular hollow portions, a resilient common wall interconnecting one end of each of said hollow portions and closing said one ends, said hollow portions having their other ends open and resiliently movable toward each other, latching projections extending laterally from the outer peripheral surfaces of said tubular hollow portions of said male member adjacent said open ends, said tubular hollow portions of said male member when inserted into the tubular hollow portion of said female member with their closed ends forward being snugly received and engaging the claws of said female member to pivotally move said claws to their operative position, the latching projections on said male member being brought into latching engagement with said openings when said male member is received in position in said female member, said tubular hollow portions of said male member being open at said other ends to allow the fingers of an operator''s hand to be inserted therein to move said open ends of said tubular hollow portions toward each other so that said latching projections are moved out of said latching engagement with said openings when said male and female members are separated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 1 further comprising means for stopping said male member in position with respect to said female member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 2 in which said stopping means comprise projections on the peripheral side faces of said hollow portions of said male member adjacent said open ends of said hollow portions and cooperating recesses formed in said female member in the inner peripheral edge of said flange.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 1 in which said male member has a pair of ribs formed on and extending across said closed ends of said hollow portions and said interconnecting wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
234 words
A plastic fastener for detachably securing together walls having aligned openings therein, comprising a female member and a male member adapted to be detachably latched one to the other, said female member including a tubular hollow portions having a bore therein, a flange formed at one end of said hollow portion, a pair of claws hinge-connected to the other end of said tubular hollow portion at the opposite sides of said other end, said claws having a triangular configuration and being movable between an inoperative position in which said claws do not extend laterally beyond the periphery of said hollow portion and an operative portion in which said claws are expanded laterally and extend substantially parallel to said flange, said female member being insertable into said aligned openings in said walls with said claws being in their inoperative position until said flange is brought into engagement with one of said walls, said male member comprising a substantially cylindrical portion rotatably insertable in the bore of the tubular hollow portion of said female member, cam means formed on one end of said male member and extending diametrically across said end, rotation of said male member in the bore of the tubular hollow portion of said female member moving said cam means into caming engagement with one apex of each of said claws on said female member whereby said claws are expanded into their operative position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
234 words
A plastic fastener for detachably securing together walls having aligned openings therein, comprising a female member and a male member adapted to be detachably latched one to the other, said female member including a tubular hollow portions having a bore therein, a flange formed at one end of said hollow portion, a pair of claws hinge-connected to the other end of said tubular hollow portion at the opposite sides of said other end, said claws having a triangular configuration and being movable between an inoperative position in which said claws do not extend laterally beyond the periphery of said hollow portion and an operative portion in which said claws are expanded laterally and extend substantially parallel to said flange, said female member being insertable into said aligned openings in said walls with said claws being in their inoperative position until said flange is brought into engagement with one of said walls, said male member comprising a substantially cylindrical portion rotatably insertable in the bore of the tubular hollow portion of said female member, cam means formed on one end of said male member and extending diametrically across said end, rotation of said male member in the bore of the tubular hollow portion of said female member moving said cam means into caming engagement with one apex of each of said claws on said female member whereby said claws are expanded into their operative position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 5 in which a pair of ridges are formed on the inner surface of each of said claws to form therebetween a groove which extends axially of said female member when said claws are in their operative position, said cam means comprising a cam lug having diametrically opposite end portions for reception in said axial groove when said cam lug is rotated to fully expand said claws into their operative position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 6 in which means are formed on the inner peripheral surface of said bore in said female member and the outer peripheral surface of said male member for guiding the relative rotation of said male member with respect to said female member and preventing relative axial movement of said male member with respect to said female member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
131 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 5 in which said male member has at least one axial end portion connected to and axially extending from said cylindrical portion, said cam means comprising a pair of diametrically opposite cam projections formed on said axial end portion and extending radially beyond the peripheral outer surface of said cylindrical portion, the peripheral inner surface of said bore in said female member being formed with diametrically opposite axial groove through which said cam projections can be moved axially from one of the ends of said bore to a position in which the rotation of said cylindrical portion relative to said female member urges said cam projections into caming engagement with said claws on said female member whereby said claws are forced to their operative position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 6 in which each of said claws is formed with a groove which extends axially of said female member when said claws are in their operative position, each of said cam projections having a radially outer end for reception in said groove when said cam projections are rotated to fully expand said claws.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A plastic fastener according to claim 9 in which said male portion has two pairs of such cam projections each pair of which is provided on each axial end portion of same male member and in which said female member has two pairs of such claws each pair of which is provided at each axial end of said tubular hollow portion of said female member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-07 | 1978-10-07 | 1979-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-07 | 1982-10-07 | 1983-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-07 | 1986-10-07 | 1987-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |