Self-locking resilient panel anchor

A one-piece anchor member of a molded flexible material for use in securing a generally horizontally disposed workpiece to an upper mating edge of a vertically disposed panel, said panel mating edge interrupted by a cut-out defined by horizontally and vertically extending rectangular-shaped intersecting slotted portions, said cut-out arranged in mirror image fashion about a vertically extending transverse plane of symmetry intersecting said panel at right angles, said horizontally extending slotted portion defining an upper pair of stop edge sections, together with a pair of vertically extending opposed side edges spaced apart a predetermined horizontal distance, said anchor member comprising:

• an elongated tubular-like body in the form of a pair of opposed arcuate wall segments defining a central through bore, said body portion adapted for insertion in said cut-out horizontally extending slotted portion with the principal axis of said bore aligned with the major axis of said cut-out vertically extending slotted portion;
• said body arcuate wall segments having upper and lower end faces and integrally joined by diametrically opposed first and second living-hinges in the form of bridged gaps symmetrically disposed about said tranverse plane;
• said first living hinge bridged gap defined by an arcuate web portion radially offset outwardly from said bore, said arcuate web portion joined to said arcuate wall segments at either side of said first gap at integral flanged segment junctures, angled flange segments extending from each said flanged juncture toward one side of said panel, each said flanged segment having an inner free edge for location juxtaposed said panel one side;
• said second living hinge bridged gap defined by a wedged shaped portion offset outwardly from said bore, said wedged shaped portion having a pair of tapered legs terminating in a lead-in nose, said tapered legs tangentially joined to said arcuate wall segments on either side of said second gap by integral outwardly offset junctures defining a pair of cam shoulders;
• wherein upon said anchor body portion being flexed inwardly about said first and second living hinges, said central bore assumes an oblong shape about said transverse plane allowing said cam shoulders to pass through said cut-out horizontally slotted portion until each said flanged segment inner edge contacts said panel one side, whereby upon release of pressure on said body portion said arcuate wall segments assume their normal shape and said pair of cam shoulders contact the opposite side of said panel fixing said anchor in said cut-out, and
• whereby upon a threaded element being inserted through the workpiece aperture and threaded in said bore securing the workpiece to the panel mating edge and wherein insertion of said threaded element in said bore prevents said cam shoulders from being pressed toward each other thereby mechanically locking said anchor member in the panel cut-out.