US 6,280,129 B1Granted

Extensive engagement fastener

AssigneeWTPA, Incorporated

InventorsJoseph William Lowry, Eustathios Vassiliou

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Abstract

This invention relates to a fastener, which expands by the insertion of an expanding member, preferably a screw. The fastener comprises a substantially flat head and two expandable legs. The head has an upper side and a lower side, preferably separated by a gap. The head also has an oblong hole in which the expanding body engages for securing one object to another object. The oblong hole represents a plurality of regular generally round holes, so that it becomes easy for the fastener to be located in difficult positions of the objects to be connected. The oblong hole has sides on different planes, and each side has an edge. Preferably, at least one of the two edges contains arcs for better guidance of the expanding member. Additional engagement may be provided at lower portions of the fastener for improving pulling force and/or prevailing torque. Further, an elastic body may be integrally molded at least at the lower side of the head of the fastener, and preferably throughout the head of the fastener.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A fastener comprising:

(a) a substantially flat head portion having an upper side, and a lower side, the upper side having a first oblong hole being engageable to an expanding member, the first engageable oblong hole having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side being disposed at a first plane and the second side disposed at a second plane different than the first plane the first side having a first edge and the second side having a second edge;
(b) a neck having an opening and two side neck portions, the neck extending from the lower side of the substantially flat head portion at a substantially right angle with respect to the substantially flat head portion;
(c) two substantially flat legs extending from the neck, each leg having an inner surface, the two inner surfaces of the two legs being at an initial proximity with each other, the legs being expandable in opposite directions upon inserting through and engaging to the first oblong engageable hole an expanding member, thus bringing the expanding member to a contact region of the legs;
and
(d) an oblong funnel configuration in the vicinity of the contact region, the oblong funnel being commensurate the first oblong engageable hole.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.