Fastener and assembly utilizing the same

An assembly, comprising:

• a housing;
• a ball cage;
• a power unit attached to one of the housing and ball cage;
• an implement attached to the other of the housing and ball cage, wherein the housing includes a housing cavity, wherein the housing cavity includes an inner annular recess, wherein the ball cage is disposed in said housing cavity, wherein the ball cage includes a ball cage cavity and one or more radial passages, wherein the one or more radial passages are aligned with said inner annular recess, wherein the ball cage cavity includes an inner surface forming a cage cavity diameter;
• one or more balls retained within said one or more radial passages;
• and
• a plunger movably-disposed in said ball cage cavity, wherein an outer surface of the plunger is always in direct and constant contact with the inner surface of the ball cage cavity, wherein said plunger is movable in said ball cage cavity to:
• a first position to cause said one or more balls to be displaced radially outwardly relative said one or more radial passages to seat said one or more balls in said inner annular recess to mechanically interlock said housing to said ball cage, and
• a second position to cause said one or more balls to be displaced radially inwardly relative said one or more radial passages to cause said one or more balls to be unseated from said inner annular recess to mechanically unlock said housing and said ball cage, wherein the direct contact of the outer surface of the plunger with the inner surface of the ball cage cavity provides
• means for preventing radial deviation of the plunger from an axis extending through the assembly as the plunger is moved from the first position or the second position;
• wherein said plunger includes a first axial end, a second axial end, and a side surface between the first and second axial ends, wherein the side surface includes:
• a first ball engagement surface, wherein the first ball engagement surface defines a first axial segment of the plunger having a first diameter,
• a second ball engagement surface, wherein the second ball engagement surface defines a second axial segment of the plunger to have a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter, wherein contact of the one or more balls with the first ball engagement surface results in the one or more balls being displaced radially outwardly, wherein contact of the one or more balls with the second ball engagement surface results in the one or more balls being displaced radially inwardly;
• wherein the side surface includes:
• a neck portion, and
• a shoulder portion, wherein the shoulder portion is between and substantially perpendicular to the neck portion and the first ball engagement surface;
• a spring member concentrically disposed about the neck portion and disposed in said ball cage cavity, wherein the shoulder portion provides a seating surface for a first end coil of the spring member;
• an end plug including a outer threaded surface, wherein the inner surface of the ball cage cavity includes an inner threaded surface, wherein the outer threaded surface of the end plug threadingly engages the inner threaded surface of the ball cage cavity, wherein the end plug closes out said ball cage cavity and contacts a second end coil of the spring member;
• wherein the neck portion includes the first axial end, wherein the first axial end includes:
• an axial opening defining an axial plunger passage, wherein the neck portion includes
• a radial opening defining a radial plunger passage, wherein the axial plunger passage and the radial plunger passage are in fluid communication with one another;
• and
• a plunger actuator including a string attached to an anchor, wherein the anchor is disposed in the radial plunger passage, wherein the string extends through the axial plunger passage and away from the plunger, wherein the end plug includes an axial end plug passage, wherein said string passes through said axial end plug passage.

A fastener, comprising:

• a housing, wherein the housing includes a housing cavity, wherein the housing cavity includes an inner annular recess;
• a ball cage disposed in said housing cavity, wherein the ball cage includes:
• a ball cage cavity, and
• one or more radial passages aligned with said inner annular recess;
• one or more balls retained within said one or more radial passages;
• and
• a plunger movably-disposed within said ball cage cavity, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the plunger is always in direct, constant contact with an inner surface of the ball cage cavity to provide
• means for preventing axial deviation of the plunger from an axis extending through the fastener while also limiting movement of the plunger within the ball cage cavity to be in one of a first axial direction and a second axial direction, wherein said plunger includes
• means for radially displacing said one or more balls to
• mechanically interlock said housing and ball cage when the plunger is moved in the first axial direction, or
• mechanically unlock said housing and ball cage when the plunger is moved in the second axial direction;
• wherein the means includes:
• a first ball engagement surface, wherein the first ball engagement surface defines a first axial segment of the plunger having a first diameter,
• a second ball engagement surface, wherein the second ball engagement surface defines a second axial segment of the plunger to have a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is less than the first diameter, wherein contact of the one or more balls with the first ball engagement surface results in the one or more balls being displaced radially outwardly, wherein contact of the one or more balls with the second ball engagement surface results in the one or more balls being displaced radially inwardly;
• wherein the plunger is movable in said ball cage cavity to a first position to cause said one or more balls to be displaced radially outwardly relative said one or more radial passages to seat said one or more balls in said inner annular recess to mechanically interlock said housing to said ball cage, and a second position to cause said one or more balls to be displaced radially inwardly relative said one or more radial passages to cause said one or more balls to be unseated from said inner annular recess to mechanically unlock said housing and said ball cage;
• wherein said plunger includes a first axial end, a second axial end, and a side surface between the first and second axial ends, wherein the side surface includes the first ball engagement surface and the second ball engagement surface;
• wherein said side surface includes an intermediate ball engagement surface between the first and second ball engagement surfaces, wherein the intermediate ball engagement surface defines a third axial segment of the plunger-having a frusto-conical shape;
• wherein the side surface includes:
• a neck portion, and
• a shoulder portion, wherein the shoulder portion is between and substantially perpendicular to the neck portion and the first ball engagement surface;
• a spring member concentrically disposed about the neck portion and disposed in said ball cage cavity, wherein the shoulder portion provides a seating surface for a first end coil of the spring member;
• an end plug including a outer threaded surface, wherein the ball cage cavity includes an inner threaded surface, wherein the outer threaded surface of the end plug threadingly engages the inner threaded surface of the ball cage cavity, wherein the end plug closes out said ball cage cavity and contacts a second end coil of the spring member;
• wherein the neck portion includes the first axial end, wherein the first axial end includes:
• an axial opening defining an axial plunger passage, wherein the neck portion includes
• a radial opening defining a radial plunger passage, wherein the axial plunger passage and the radial plunger passage are in fluid communication with one another;
• and
• a string attached to an anchor, wherein the anchor is disposed in the radial plunger passage, wherein the string extends through the axial plunger passage and away from the plunger, wherein the end plug includes an axial end plug passage, wherein said string passes through said axial end plug passage.