Fastener assembly
AssigneeCooper Technologies Company
InventorXiaodong Wu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fastener assembly is disclosed for securing an object to channel framing. One embodiment of the assembly includes an elongate body such as a nut which engages inside faces of the framing at opposite sides of a slot in the framing, a washer spaced from the nut which engages outside faces of the framing at opposite sides of the slot, and a spring interposed between and connecting the nut and the washer for generating a force holding the washer and nut in clamping engagement with respective faces of the framing prior to securing an object to the framing.
Claims22
A fastener assembly for securing an object to a structure having a slot, the fastener assembly comprising:
- an elongate body having a first face constituting an inside face, an opposite face constituting an outside face, opposite sides, and opposite ends;
- a washer having a first face constituting an inside face opposing and spaced from the outside face of the elongate body, and a second face constituting an outside face;
- an opening through the washer;
- and
- a coil spring interposed between the elongate body and the washer, said spring having a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the opening in the washer, a first end affixed to the elongate body, and a second end affixed to the washer, said coil spring being axially extendable from a non-extended position to permit the elongate body and the washer to move away from one another generally along said axis, and said coil spring being operable when axially extended to urge the elongate body and washer to move toward one another generally along said axis;
- said elongate body and washer being free of contact with one another when said spring is in said non-extended position.
A fastener combination, comprising:
- a structure having a slot, said slot having a width;
- an elongate body having a first face constituting an inside face, an opposite face constituting an outside face, opposite sides, opposite ends, a length greater than the width of the slot and a width less than the width of the slot;
- a washer having a first face constituting an inside face opposing and spaced from the outside face of the elongate body, a second face constituting an outside face, and an outside dimension extending lengthwise of the elongate body greater than the width of the slot;
- an opening through the washer;
- and
- a coil spring interposed between the elongate body and the washer, said spring having a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the opening in the washer, a first end affixed to the elongate body, and a second end affixed to the washer, said coil spring being axially extendable from a non-extended position to permit the elongate body and the washer to move away from one another generally along said axis, and said coil spring being operable when axially extended to urge the elongate body and washer to move toward one another generally along said axis;
- said washer being configured to function as a handle for securing the fastener assembly to said slotted structure by holding the washer to align the length of the elongate body with the slot, to pass the body through the slot, and then, by turning the washer, to rotate the coil spring and elongate body about said longitudinal axis to a position in which the length of the elongate body extends crosswise relative to the slot and in which the inside face of the washer and the outside face of the elongate body are in clamping engagement with outside and inside faces of said slotted structure, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.