Spring form captive panel fastener assembly

Claim 2

In a captive panel fastener assembly comprising a bolt having an enlarged head at one end and a nose at the other end, a threaded shank on said bolt between said nose and said head, the improvement comprising: a plurality of slots extending along said shank through the nose of said bolt; a rigid washer having a plurality of inwardly extending tabs riding in said slots, the total number thereof being related to the total number of said slots; an annular groove in said bolt adjacent the nose of said bolt and extending into the path of said slots; an internal bore in said bolt extending from said nose to a point remote from said head with at least a pair of diametrically opposed grooves formed on the inner wall of said bore extending from said nose upwardly into said bore; a bore slot in the wall of said bore communicating the interior of said bore with the exterior of said bolt; a hold out spring having an elongated portion fitting into said grooves in said inner wall of said bore with an integral hook portion extending out of said bore slot beyond the outer surface of said bolt, said washer being disposed between said curved portion and said ring portion, the downward movement of said washer off of said bolt being arrested by engagement of said washer with a stop ring mounted in said annular groove.

Claim 3

In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said spring has an upwardly extending vertical portion extending from a U-shaped portion, said U-shaped portion comprising said elongated portion with said hook portion curving from said elongated portion.

Claim 4

In the assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring is circular in cross-section.

Claim 5

In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said spring has a flat generally rectangular integral portion forming said elongated portion with a second elongated portion extending from generally the midpoint of said rectangular portion then curving back to form said hook portion.

Claim 6

In the assembly of claim 4 wherein said spring is rectangular in cross-section.

Claim 7

In the assembly of claim 5 wherein said spring is formed from a single piece of planar metallic material.

Claim 8

In a captive panel fastener assembly mounted in a grommet assembly mounted in a hole through a panel, the panel having a countersunk on the access side thereof, said grommet assembly having an outwardly flared tapered portion conforming to said hole and a bolt having an enlarged head with a tapered portion conforming to said tapered portion of said grommet assembly, and a threaded shank extending from said head terminating in a nose, the improvement comprising: a plurality of slots extending along said shank through the nose of said bolt; a rigid washer having a plurality of inwardly extending tabs riding in said slots, the total number thereof being related to the total number of said slots; an annular groove in said bolt adjacent the nose of said bolt and extending into the path of said slots; an internal bore in said bolt extending from said nose to a point remote from said head with at least a pair of diametrically opposed grooves formed on the inner wall of said bore extending from said nose upwardly into said bore; a bore slot in the wall of said bore communicating the interior of said bore with the exterior of said bolt; a hold out spring having an elongated portion fitting into said grooves in said inner wall of said bore with an integral hook portion extending out of said bore slot beyond the outer surface of said bolt adapted to bear against said grommet assembly when the head of said bolt is pulled away from said panel, and adapted to abut against the portion of said grommet assembly on the blind side of panel, the downward movement of said washer off of said bolt being arrested by engagement of said washer with a stop mounted in said annular groove.

Claim 9

In a captive panel fastener assembly mounted in a grommet assembly mounted in a hole through a panel, the panel having a countersunk on the access side thereof, said grommet assembly having an outwardly flared tapered portion conforming to said hole and a bolt having an enlarged head with a tapered portion conforming to said tapered portion of said grommet assembly, and a threaded shank extending from said head terminating in a nose, the improvement comprising: a plurality of slots extending along said shank through the nose of said bolt; a rigid washer having a plurality of inwardly extending tabs riding in said slots, the total number thereof being related to the total number of said slots; an annular groove in said bolt adjacent the nose of said bolt and extending into the path of said slots; an internal bore in said bolt extending from said nose to a point remote from said head with at least a pair of diametrically opposed grooves formed on the inner wall of said bore extending from said nose upwardly into said bore; a bore slot in the wall of said bore communicating the interior of said bore with the exterior of said bolt; a hold out spring having an elongated portion fitting into said grooves in said inner wall of said bore with an integral hook portion extending out of said bore slot beyond the outer surface of said bolt adapted to bear against said grommet assembly when the head of said bolt is pulled away from said panel, and adapted to abut against the portion of said grommet assembly on the blind side of panel, the downward movement of said washer off of said bolt being arrested by engagement of said washer with a stop mounted in said annular groove.

Claim 10

In the assembly of claim 7 wherein said spring has an upwardly extending vertical portion extending from a U-shaped portion, said U-shaped portion comprising said elongated portion with said hook portion curving from said elongated portion.

Claim 11

In the assembly of claim 8 wherein said spring is circular in cross-section.

Claim 12

In the assembly of claim 9 wherein said spring has a flat generally rectangular portion forming said elongated portion with a second elongated portion extending from generally the midpoint of said rectangular portion then curving back to form said hook portion.

Claim 13

In the assembly of claim 10 wherein said spring is rectangular in cross-section.

Claim 14

In the assembly of claim 11 wherein said spring is formed from a single piece of planar metallic material.

Claim 15

In the assembly of claim 7 wherein said grommet assembly is counterbored on the inner surface thereof where said curved portion bears against.