US 12,292,070 B2
Locking snap-in fasteners
Brian Bentrim, Furlong, PA (US); Anthony Colosi, Quakertown, PA (US); and Nicholas Marshall, Sanger, CA (US)
Assigned to Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp., Danboro, PA (US)
Filed by Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp., Danboro, PA (US)
Filed on Dec. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/392,192.
Application 18/392,192 is a division of application No. 17/735,689, filed on May 3, 2022, granted, now 11,873,853.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/185,002, filed on May 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0125342 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16B 21/06 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 21/065 (2013.01) 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fastener assembly for releasable interconnecting two objects, comprising:
a retainer having a top end and a bottom end with means at the top end for attaching the retainer to a first object and an end wall at the bottom end having an aperture;
a cavity within the retainer located between the top and bottom ends of the retainer;
a post affixed to the retainer by resilient snap fit whereby the post or the retainer is radially deflectable, said post having a captured portion resiliently received through said aperture and residing within said cavity, said post further having a bottom end with means for attachment of the post to a second object;
a locking element slidably connected to the post and unrestrictedly axially moveable between an extended locked position and a retracted unlocked position and being operative to restrict the relative radial movement between the post and the retainer such that a removal of the captured portion from the retainer is prevented when the locking element is in the locked position; and
a spring operative to bias the locking element toward the locking position and wherein the captured portion of the post is a bulb having tapered leading and trailing ends.