US 4,531,733 A · Fastener and base using said fastener

Abstract

A fastener includes a pad element having number of connecting prongs having two locking ridges disposed thereon. The top locking ridges, which are disposed closest to the tip of the prongs, are smaller than the lower locking ridges, thereby facilitating easy alignment of the unisex fasteners of a mating pad. Back prongs on the pad are used for connecting the pad to a surface of an article having holes for receiving the back prongs such that the connecting prongs are positioned to face upwardly from the surface. The fastener is adapted for use in yieldably or separably anchoring a baseball base in place on a playing field ground support attachment having like-constructed fastener prongs whereby injury to a runner sliding into the base will be minimized due to yielding under a relatively low force or separating under a relatively high force of the fastener prongs upon contact thereof.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A fastening element comprising:

(a) a substrate having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, and
(b) a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having
(i) a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
(ii) a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge larger than said top locking ridge,
(iii) a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
(iv) a peripherally-extending locking recess larger than said upper recess and disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface.

3 more elements

An athletic contact device for minimizing the possibility of injury to a participating athlete, said device having a first fastening element attached thereto, said first fastening element including:

(a) a substrate with first and second surfaces, said first surface being planar, and
(b) a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having
(i) a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
(ii) a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
(iii) a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
(iv) a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface, said lower recess being larger than said upper recess and said bottom ridge being larger than said top ridge and wherein said athletic contact device is adapted to be severably fastened to a support by complete engagement of said first fastening element to a second fastening element on said support such that the resilience of said connecting prongs allows slight movement and springing back of said athletic contact device relative to the support under relatively low force and severance of the connecting between said athletic contact device and the support upon a participant applying relatively high force above an injury-potential threshold force.

3 more elements

An athletic contact device having a first fastening element attached thereto, said first fastening element including:

(a) a substrate with first and second surfaces, said first surface being planar, and
(b) a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having
(i) a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
(ii) a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
(iii) a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
(iv) a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface, and
wherein said athletic contact device is adapted to the severably fastened to a support by said first fastening element such that the resilience of said connecting prongs allows slight movement of said athletic contact device relative to the support under relatively low force and severance of the connection between said athletic contact device and the support under relatively high force, wherein said athletic contact device is a base member, and further comprising a lower ground support having a second fastening element attached thereto, said second fastening element including:
a substrate having first and second surfaces and a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having:
a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface and
wherein said first fastening element and second fastening element are attachable to secure said base member to said lower ground support such that said fasteners will totally sever apart when said base member is subject to a lateral force greater than an injury-potential threshold lateral force, and wherein, for said first and second fastening elements, said lower recesses are larger than said upper recesses and said bottom ridges are larger than said top ridges.

10 more elements

An athletic contact device having a first fastening element attached thereto, said first fastening element including:

(a) a substrate with first and second surfaces, said first surface being planar, and
(b) a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having
(i) a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
(ii) a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
(iii) a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
(iv) a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface, and
wherein said athletic contact device is adapted to be severably fastened to a support by said first fastening element such that the resilience of said connecting prongs allows slight movement of said athletic contact device relative to the support under relatively low force and severance of the connection between said athletic contact device and the support under relatively high force, wherein said athletic contact device is a base member, and further comprising a lower ground support having a second fastening element attached thereto, said second fastening element including:
a substrate having first and second surfaces and a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having:
a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface and
wherein said first fastening element and second fastening element are attachable to secure said base member to said lower ground support such that fasteners will totally sever apart when said base member is subject to a lateral force greater than an injury-potential threshold lateral force, and wherein said first fastening element includes a plurality of back prongs projecting from said second surface, each back prong having a peripherally-extending locking edge and peripherally-extending recessed portion and said first fastener is mounted to a face of said base member with each back prong locking edge locking its back prong in a hole in said face.

10 more elements

An athletic contact device having a first fastening element attached thereto, said first fastening element including:

(a) a substrate with first and second surfaces, said first surface being planar, and
(b) a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having
(i) a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
(ii) a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
(iii) a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
(iv) a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface, and
wherein said athletic contact device is adapted to be severably fastened to a support by said first fastening element such that the resilience of said connecting prongs allows slight movement of said athletic contact device relative to the support under relatively low force and severance of the connection between said athletic contact device and the support under relatively high force, wherein said athletic contact device is a base member, and further comprising a lower ground support having a second fastening element attached thereto, said second fastening element including:
a substrate having first and second surfaces and a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having:
a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface and
wherein said first fastening element and second fastening element are attachable to secure said base member to said lower ground support such that said fasteners will totally sever apart when said base member is subject to a lateral force greater than an injury-potential threshold lateral force, and wherein each of said connecting prongs includes a tapered head portion and is rotationally symmetric.

10 more elements

An athletic contact device having a first fastening element attached thereto, said first fastening element including:

(a) a substrate with first and second surfaces, said first surface being planar, and
(b) a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having
(i) a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
(ii) a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
(iii) a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
(iv) a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface, and
wherein said athletic contact device is adapted to be severably fastened to a support by said first fastening element such that the resilience of said connecting prongs allows slight movement of said athletic contact device relative to the support under relatively low force and severance of the connection between said athletic contact device and the support under relatively high force, wherein said athletic contact device is a base member, and further comprising a lower ground support having a second fastening element attached thereto, said second fastening element including:
a substrate having first and second surfaces and a plurality of resilient connecting prongs projecting from said first surface, each connecting prong having:
a peripherally-extending top locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending bottom locking ridge,
a peripherally-extending upper recess disposed between said top locking ridge and said bottom locking ridge, and
a peripherally-extending lower recess disposed between said bottom locking ridge and said first surface and
wherein said first fastening element and second fastening element are attachable to secure said base member to said lower ground support such that said fasteners will totally sever apart when said base member is subject to a lateral force greater than an injury-potential threshold lateral force, and wherein said base member has lower surface with a peripheral portion slanted up and inwardly and said ground support has a peripheral portion slanted up and inwardly for mating with said peripheral portion of said base member.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fastener and base using said fastener

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Fastener and base using said fastener

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25