FASTENER

摘要

A fastener for fastening parts together. The fastener has a shaft, a head and movable members that spring outwardly from the shaft to firmly capture the parts between the members and the head upon insertion of the fastener into aligned holes in the parts. No threading step is necessary. The movable members may be retractable into the shaft to facilitate insertion into holes corresponding in size to the shaft. The members may have a contact surface sloping away from the head and forming a tapered space between the members and the head so that the outward spring bias tends to reduce the space and maintain tightness of the joint. The fastener may be operatively deployed by a single insertion step.

主权项

1. A fastener for inserting into a hole of at least one item, said fastener comprising:
a body comprising a longitudinally extending first body portion for insertion into the hole and a laterally extending second body portion integral to and extending laterally outward from the first body portion for contacting one of the at least one item peripheral to the proximal end of the hole; said first body portion having at least one laterally facing opening; and at least one retractable member movably connected to the body; wherein said retractable member is movable between a retracted position in which at least a portion of the retractable member is disposed in said opening, and an extended position in which at least a portion of the retractable member extends out of the opening; said retractable member having a contact surface for contacting one of the at least one item peripheral to the distal end of the hole so as to hold the at least one item between said contact surface and said second body portion.