Fastener for spaced-apart panels

Claim 1

A two-piece fastener for releasably securing two members together in spaced apart relationship, each member having an aperture therethrough for accommodating said fastener, said fastener comprising: a resilient plastic body having a body head at its head end, a body shank insertable into the apertures in said members, a bore extending axially through said body head and through said shank, and a flexible end member at its insertion end; said body shank having outwardly extending inwardly depressible flexible tabs having projections axially spaced from said body head in the direction of said insertion end and said projections cooperating with said body head to define a first space for receiving one of said members each tab having a free end, said flexible tabs, when depressed, extending into said bore; said body shank further having an external shoulder axially spaced from said tabs in the direction of said insertion end; said body shank also having outwardly expandable flexible walls axially spaced from said shoulder in the direction of said insertion end and cooperating with said shoulder when expanded to define a second space for receiving the other of said members, said walls being connected to said flexible end members; said body shank further comprising flexible third-engaging means in said bore and ramp means on said flexible walls in said bore; said body shank comprising a first body shank portion on which said tabs are located and a second body shank portion on which said flexible walls are located, said second body shank portion being of smaller external diameter than said first body shank portion so that the insertion end of said first body shank portion serves as said shoulder said second body shank portion having a ramp means thereon; and a screw having a screw head at its head end a screw shank for insertion into said bore of said body, said screw shank comprising ramp engaging means near the insertion end of said screw shank to effect, when inserted into said bore, expansion of said flexible walls, said ramp means being located on said flexible walls being defined by the inner surfaces of said walls, said surfaces being sloped toward the axis of said body in the direction of the insertion end of said body when said walls are in expanded condition; said screw shank further comprising a screw thread thereon for engaging said thread-engaging means in said bore to prevent unintentional withdrawal of said screw shank from said bore; said screw shank, when fully inserted into said bore, operating to prevent inward flexing of said tabs on said body shank.