Cage-nut assembly
AssigneeE & E Manufacturing Company, Inc.
InventorMark L. Cutshall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cage-nut assembly includes a nut positioned within a cage structure. The cage structure is configured to provide high torsional strength to prevent rotation of the nut. The cage structure has a flat base and an at least partially open end portion. The cage structure includes a blocking member preventing the nut from moving laterally along the base through the at least partially open end portion. The blocking member is relatively structurally weak in a direction orthogonal to a torsional rotation direction of the nut. The structurally weak blocking member is bendable when less than approximately 20 lbs. of force is applied to the blocking member to open the end portion and allow the nut to move laterally along the base through the end portion for removal of the nut.
Claims7
A cage-nut assembly, comprising:
- a nut;
- and
- a cage structure having the nut therein, the cage structure including a flat base, two side portions and two end portions, a blocking member, a plurality of standoff legs for supporting the flat base, and a bendable retainer tab for holding the nut adjacent the flat base, only one of the end portions being at least partially open, the blocking member being disposed adjacent the at least partially open end portion for selectively preventing movement of the nut through the at least partially open end portion, the standoff legs being disposed along the two side portions and the end portion opposite the at least partially open end portion, the bendable retainer tab being bendable to allow movement of the nut away from the flat base in a direction normal to the flat base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.