Cage nut fastener and methods for tool-less installation of same

A cage nut fastener for installation without the aid of tools, the cage nut fastener comprising:

• a nut;
• and
• a spring cage comprised of a back wall with a wall aperture therethrough, first and second hooking arms disposed at opposite sides of the back wall, and one or more cage arms, wherein,
• at least one of the first and second hooking arms includes a lever formed from an inner portion that extends in a rearward direction behind the back wall at one side of the back wall and an outer portion that extends in a forward direction at the same side of the back wall, wherein the inner and outer portions are spaced apart from one another to define a space therebetween for accommodating compression of one of the inner and outer portions toward the other,
• each of the first and second hooking arms terminates with a hooked portion that extends inward at a front of the nut and then outward away from the front of the nut, and
• each of the one or more cage arms engages at least a side face and a front face of the nut;
• wherein the nut is retained at a caged location by at least the one or more cage arms, is prevented from rotation at the caged location, and includes a nut aperture therethrough in alignment with the wall aperture of the back wall;
• and
• wherein application of a compression force upon the lever, by compressing the inner and outer portions thereof toward one another without the aid of tools, manipulates the spring cage to a temporary compressed state to allow for positioning of a distal end of one or both of the hooked portions through an aperture of a frame member so that, upon release of the compression force, the spring cage and the nut are secured against the frame member.

A cage nut fastener for installation without the aid of tools, the cage nut fastener comprising:

• a nut;
• and
• a spring cage comprised of a back wall with a wall aperture therethrough, first and second hooking arms disposed at opposite sides of the back wall, and one or more cage arms, wherein,
• at least one of the first and second hooking arms includes a compressible lever formed of inner and outer portions arranged at one side of the back wall and spaced apart from one another to define a space therebetween for accommodating compression of one of the inner and outer portions toward the other,
• each of the first and second hooking arms terminates with an outwardly-oriented hooked portion at a front of the nut, and
• each of the one or more cage arms engages at least a side face and a front face of the nut;
• wherein the nut is retained at a caged location by at least the one or more cage arms, is prevented from rotation at the caged location, and includes a nut aperture therethrough in alignment with the wall aperture of the back wall;
• and
• wherein application of a compression force upon the lever, by compressing the inner and outer portions thereof toward one another without the aid of tools, manipulates the spring cage to a temporary compressed state to allow for positioning of a distal end of one or both of the hooked portions through an aperture of a frame member so that, upon release of the compression force, the spring cage and the nut are secured against the frame member.