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Patent 1098291 Summary

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Claims and Abstract availability

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(12) Patent: (11) CA 1098291
(21) Application Number: 297471
(54) English Title: FIXING DEVICE FOR FACE-TO-FACE UNION OF TWO PANELS
(54) French Title: DISPOSITIF DE FIXATION POUR REUNIR DEUX PANNEAUX FACE A FACE
Status: Expired
Bibliographic Data
(52) Canadian Patent Classification (CPC):
  • 85/20
  • 24/62
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • F16B 13/04 (2006.01)
  • A47G 29/02 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • MIZUSAWA, AKIRA (Japan)
  • KIMURA, SHIGERU (Japan)
(73) Owners :
  • NIFCO INC. (Not Available)
(71) Applicants :
(74) Agent: MEREDITH & FINLAYSON
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued: 1981-03-31
(22) Filed Date: 1978-02-22
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): No

(30) Application Priority Data: None

Abstracts

English Abstract


FIXING DEVICE FOR FACE-TO-FACE UNION OF TWO PANELS

Abstract of the Disclosure:
Disclosed is a fixing device which comprises male and
female members and thereby serves to bring two panels into
adjacent face-to-face union. The male member possesses all
axially spaced double flanged head portion adapted to snap into
tight engagement with a key-hole shaped aperture in one of the
two panels given to be joined and a shaft portion extending from
one face of the head portion, the shaft portion being provided
at the leading end thereof with a bulbous engaging portion
adapted to be coupled with the female member. The female member
possesses a sac-like barrel portion adapted to be inserted
through a hole in the other panel and provided at one extremity
thereof with an opening to expose the hollow interior thereof
and a head flange serving to limit the depth to which the
barrel portion is inserted through the hole. The female member
barrel portion is provided with an engaging step portion at one
level intermediate the length of the hollow interior of the
barrel portion and adapted to admit the engaging portion of
the shaft portion into freely relievable capture. The male
member has the entire shaft portion thereof, except for the
bulbous portion, shaped in a diameter smaller than the inside
diameter of the barrel portion of the female member in order
for the whole male member to enjoy freedom of swinging motion
with the bulbous engaging portion in the captured position
serving as a fulcrum, the shaft portion of the male member having
a length such that the base part of the shaft is exposed from
the opening of the barrel portion whereby a gap is allowed to occur
between the head flange formed at the barrel opening and the main
flange of the head portion of the male member when the shaft
portion is coupled with the female member whereby the swinging
motion is permitted.


Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:


1. A fixing device comprising a male member and a female
member serving to bring two panels into adjacent face-to-face
union, said male member possessing a head portion adapted to
snap into tight engagement with a hole perforated in one of the
two panels given to be joined and a shaft portion extending from
one face of said head portion, said head portion being provided
with a main flange adapted to limit the depth to which the
head portion is inserted through said hole, a neck portion
adapted to be retained in the hole and-retaining flange adapted
to engage the opposite surface of the panel and serve to prevent
the neck portion from being pulled axially out of the hole, said
shaft portion being provided at the leading end thereof with an
engaging substantially spherical bulbous portion having a pre-
determined diameter adapted to be coupled with the female member,
said female member possessing a barrel portion adapted to be
inserted through a hole in the other panel and provided at one
extremity thereof with an opening to expose the hollow interior
thereof and a resilient sealing head flange adapted to limit the
depth to which the barrel portion is inserted through said hole;
said barrel portion being continuous throughout its length and
includes a closed generally sperhical extremity opposite said
opening, said female member barrel portion provided with an
engaging step portion at one level intermediate the length of
the hollow interior of the barrel portion, said step portion
presenting an effective diameter less than said predetermined
diameter and adapted to admit the engaging bulbous portion of
said shaft portion into resilient capture, circumferentially
spaced shoulder means disposed on the exterior of said barrel
portion and axially positioned between said one level and said


16


head flange, said male member having the shaft portion thereof
throughout its entire length above said bulbous portion being
substantially cylindrical and having a diameter substantially
smaller than the inside diameter of said barrel portion of the
female member in order for the whole male member to enjoy freedom
of substantial swinging motion with said bulbous portion in a
captured state serving as a fulcrum and permitting radial inward
collapse of said barrel portion during insertion in said panel
hole when preassembled to said male member, said shaft portion
of the male member having a length such that the base part of
the shaft is exposed from the opening of said barrel portion
whereby a gap is allowed to occur between said head flange formed
at said barrel opening and said main flange of the head portion
of said male member when said shaft portion is coupled with the
female member whereby said swinging motion is permitted.


2. The fixing device according to Claim 1, wherein said
engaging step portion provided in the barrel portion is formed
in a continuous annular shape along the inner wall surface of the
barrel portion.


3. The fixing device according to Claim 1, wherein the
shoulder means are formed in the shape of the arms of an anchor
projecting from the periphery of the barrel portion and the
leading ends of the arms are opposed to the lower surface of the
head flange.


4. The fixing device according to Claim 2, wherein the
shoulder means are formed in the shape of the arms of an anchor
projecting from the periphery of the barrel portion and the leading
ends of the arms are opposed to the lower surface of the head
flange.

17

5. The fixing device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2
wherein said engaging step portion is formed of a plurality of
circumferentially spaced inwardly extending projections disposed
in annular array.


6. The fixing device according to Claim 3 of Claim 4,
wherein said engaging step portion is formed of a plurality of
circumferentially spaced inwardly extending projections disposed
in annular array.


18

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


8.~L
Background of the Invention:
-
This invention relates to a fixing device used for intimateface-to-face union of two panels. More particularly, the present
invention rela-tes to an improved plastic fixing device which is
-5 effectively used for astening to the inner wall of an automobile
body a decorative panel intended for interior decoration of the
automobile.
Generally, the decorative panel used for lining the automobile
body comprises a foundational plate and a decorative sheet such
as of fabric or vinyl leather applied to the surface of the foun-
dational plate.- When the decorative panel is fastened to the
inner wall of the automobile body, there must be adopted a device

:, .
capable of enabling the reverse surface of the panel to be directly
united with the inner wall of the automobile without ever impairing
the decorative sheet-in any way. For this reason, the fixing
device used for fastening the decorative panel o~ this class is
given a construction such that it can be planted directly in the
reverse surface of the decorative panel. Preparatory to setting
a given decorative panel to the inner wall of an automobile body,
the fixing devlce is planted in the reverse surface of the decora-
tive panel. As the decora-tive panel is brought closer to the inner
wall, the engaging leg of the fixing device is lodged in a hole
perforated in advance in the inner wall. Then, a blow is delivered
from behind the surface of the decorative panel to the flxing device
by a hammer to drive the engaging leg forcibly into the hole,
bringing the decorative panel into fast attachment to the inner wall.
The fixing device for fastening the decorative panel, thus,
can be finally driven into the hole in the inner wall by use of a
hammer to bring the decorative panel into fast union with -the inner
wall. The fixing device proposed to date has becll dirccted mainl~

to fast union of the decorative panel. It, therefore, can be
expected to provide strong attachment of the decorative panel but
~ can never be expec-ted to permit separation of the decorative

" - - 1 -

~ ,,;

2~
panel from the inner wall.
In the case of an automobile which has been lined with
decorative panels by use of the conventional fixing device~ if a
plate glass in -the door is broken or any of parts used inside the
door goes out of order, an access to the door interior for the
puxpose of replacement of broken glass or inspection of parts in
trouble must be gained by forcibly prying the decorative panel off ~;~
- the door shell. Since the foundational sheet used in the decora-
tive panel is generally made of a material inferior in strength
to the metallic sheet of which the automobile body is formed, the :
immoderate force exerted in prying the panel off the.door shell
can break the foundational sheet so seriously as to render it no
longer usable or can cause the engaging leg of the fixing device
to be scraped against the edge of the hole so heavily as to.be
~ 15 completely deprived of its function. The work of removal of the
~ decorative panel involved in such a case, therefore, has proved ~ :
`~ extremely difficult. Partlcularly since the fixed device of this
class has a function such that.attachment of one decorative panel
requires use of a plurality of such devices, the possibility of
~0 the work of removal inflicting damage to the decorative panel has
been fairly high.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fixing
device which enables two panels to be brought into perfect union
with appropriate force and, when there arises rlecessity for
~ 25 separating the panels from each other, also enables them to be
-. released from the union with no damage inflicted on either the
panels or the fixing device.itself~ ~
Summary of the Invention: :
To accomplish the object described above according to the
present invention, there is provided a fixing device which comprises I ~.
a male member and a female member serving to bring two panels into
adjacent face-to-face union, with the male member possessing a

head portion adapted to snap into tight engagement with a hole



~' - 2 -
,~ ~

2~3~

perforated in one of the two panels given to be joined and a
shaft portion extending from one face of the head portion. The
head portion is provided with a main flange adapted to limit the
depth to which the head portion is inserted -through the hole, a
neck portion adapted to be retained in the hole, and a retainlng
flange adapted to engage the opposite surface of the panel and
-serve to prevent the neck portion from being pulled axially out
of the hole. The shaft portion is provided at the leading end
thereof with an engaging substantially spherical bulbous portion
; 10 having a predetermined diameter adapted to be coupled with the
~;~ female member, with the female member possessing a barrel portion -
adapted to be inserted through a hole in the other panel and
provided at one extremity thereo with an opening to eY~pose the
hollow interior thereof, and a resilient sealing head flange
adapted to limit the depth to which the barrel portion lS inserted
through the hole, with the barrel portion being continuous through- -
out its length and including a closed generally spherical extremity
.
~; opposite said opening. ~The female member barrel por-tion is pro-
vided with an engaging step portion at one level intermediate
~; 20 the length~of the hollow interior of the barrel portion, and that
~ step portion presents an effective diameter less than the pre-
; determined diameter and adapted to admit the engaging bulbous
portion of the shaft portion into resilient capture. A c1rcum-
ferentially spaced shoulder means is disposed on the exterior of
the barrel portion and axially positioned between the one level
and the head flange. The male member has the substantially cylin-
drical shaft portion thereof throughout its entire length above
the bulbous pGrtion having a diameter substantially smaller than
the inside diameter of the barrel portion of the female member
in order for the whole male member to enjoy freedom of substantial
swinying motion with the bulbous portion in a captured state


':
: .

~ ; - 3

"

serving as a fulcrum and to permit radial inward collapse of
the barrel portion during insertion in the panel hole when
preassembled to the male member. The shaft portion of the
male member has a length such that the base part of the silaf-t
is exposed from the opening of the barrel portion whereby a
gap is allowed to occur between the head flange formed a-t the
barrel opening and the main flange of -the head portion of the
male member when the shaft portion is coupled with the female
member whereby the swinging motion is permitted.


~ 10 Brief Explanation of the Drawing:
; FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned front elevation illustrating
the male and female members of this invention as held in mutually
separated state.
FIG. 2 is a partially sec-tioned front elevation of the
fixing device of the invention as held in working~state.
FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective exploded view
of the fixing device.
FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 represent other preferred embodiments
- ~ of the present invention; FIG. 4 being a front view in centrally
longitudinal section illustrating a state in which the male and
female mer~ers already coupled wikh each other are poised partly
into the hole perforated in the supporting panel and FIG. 5
being a partially sectioned Eront view illustrating a state in
which the female member of FIG. 4 is on the verge of being ,~
fastened against the hole perforated in the supporting panel.
FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 represent still other preferred embodi-
ments of the present invention; FIG. 6 being a partially sectioned
front view illustrating the fixing device in i-ts s-tate of use
and FIG. 7 being a perspective partially cutaway view of tlie

female member.




2~

The other objects and characteristic features of the
present invention will become apparent from the descriptlon
of the invention to be given herein below with reference to
illustrated preferred embodiments.


Detailed ~escription of Preferred Embodiments:
A male member 1 is provided with a head portion 5 adapted
to come into engagement with a pyriform fitting hole 4 perforated
in a decorative panel 3 and a shaft portion 6 adapted to be admitted
by a female member 2 into fast capture. The head portion 5 is
provided with a retaining flange 8 of a small diameter and a
main flange 9 of a large diameter, the two flanges being opposed
to each other across an intervening neck portion 7 having a
circular periphery. The shaft portion 6 extends perpendlcularly
from one side o~ the main flange 9 along the axial line of the

~ .~
; 15 neck portion 7, and the shaft portion 6 is provided at~ the leading

end thereof with a substantially spherical bulbous engaging portion
,: 10.
The pyriform fitting hole 4 perforated in the decorative
panel 3 is formed of a circular hole 4a of a large diameter and
2~ a hole 4b of a small diameter, the two holes continuing partly
into each other. The large-diameter hole 4a possesses a diameter
greater than the diameter of the retaining flange ~ of the llead
portion 5 but smaller than the diameter of the main flange 9.
The small-diameter hole 4b which continues




,, .
:~ ,




~, ~,.

from the large~diameter hole 4a po3æesse~ a diameter smaller than ths
diameter of che retaining flange 8. The conætriction 4c where the two
holes 4a9 4b oontinue into each other has a width enough for permitting
passage of the neck portion 7 oonnecting the retaining flange 8 and the
main flange 9.
For attaohment of the male member 1 to the fitting hole 4, the re-
taining flange 8 is inserted from one side of the decorative panel 3
into the large-diameter hole 4a until the main flange 9 collides into
the panel surface and then, with the male member held in that ~tate, the
whole male member is moved sid6wise in the direction of the 6mall-diameter
hole 4b until it is tran~ferred past the constri¢tion 4c into the small-
diameter portion 4b. Consequently, the male member is brought into fast
engagement with the deoorative panel by the retaining fiange 8 and the
main flange 9 being brought into clinging oontaot with the opposite sides
of the decorative panel. If, in this case, the head portion 5 thus
~` reoeived in the small-diameter hole 4b is suffered to move into tha large-
diameter hole 4a~ i-t will automatically slip off the fitting hole. rrhi~
undesired slip can be prevented by ~haping the neck portion 7 o~ the
head portion 5 in a length prefixed to equal the wall thicknes~ of the
de¢oratlve panel so that, when the male mernber 1 is received in the
small-diameter hole 4b, the opposed surfaces of th0 retaining flange 8
and the main flange 9 come into clinging engagement effectively with the
opposite surfaces of the decorative panel.
.
rrha female member 2 which is to be coupled with the male member 1 ~;
has, as its main struoture, a barrel portion 11 po~sessed of the 6hapa
of a substantially inverted cone and a hollow interior and it is further
provided with a fi-tting flange 13 formed in the shape of an umbrella
along the outer periphery of an opening 12 at tha mouth of the hollow
interior~ The barrel portion 11 is provided on the outar surface thereof
with a plurality of engaging projection~ 14 terminating to confront the

-- 6 --

q~
lower surface of the fitting flange 130 In the hollow interior of ths
barrel portion 11, there is provided an annular engaging step portion 15
serving to admit the engaging portion 10 at the leading end of the shaft
portion of the male member 1 into fast captureO
In this preferred embodiment, the b~rrel portion 11 ie shaped so
that its diameter at the opening at which the outside diameter is largest
is slightly smaller than -the diameter of a hole perforatad in a support-
ing panel 16. In oontrast, the engaging projections 14 which rise from
the outer surf`aoe of the barrel portion are so shaped that the imaginary
circle drawn through the apexes thereof has a diameter greater than the
diameter of the hole 17~ At their ends opposed to the fitting flanga 13
these engaging projections 14 are provided eaoh with a step l~o Between
these steps 14' and the fitting flange 13) there are consequently formed
gaps 18 for admitting the edge of the hole 17,
The barrel portion 11 serves to admit the shaft portion 6 of the male
member 1 into tight engagement with the female member. In this preferred
~ embodiment~ the barrel portion 11 i8 shaped so as to have a dep~h enough
for receiving the entire length of the shaft portion 6 including the
engaging portion 10 At one level in the entire depth of the inner wall
surface~ there is provided the engaging step portion 15 serving to admit
the engaging portion 10 into fa3t capture. Besi.de~, the inside diameter
o~ the barrel portion between the opening 12 and the engaging step por-
tion 15 is greater than the diameter of thè shaft portion 6 and tha$ of
the engaging portion 10 so as to facilitate insertion of the two portions.
~t the same time~ the open space 19 which oocurs between the ~haft por-
tion 6 in~erted into the barrel portion and the inner wall surface of
the barrel portion provides freedom of motion for the shaft portion.
~he engaging step portion 15 i6 formed in an annular shape along the
inner wall surface of the ~arrel portion, and the surface of this portion
15 on the openi.ng 12 side i9 inclined so as to facilitata ad~ance of the

~ 7 --

engaging portion 10 past -the step portion. The opposite surface of the
portion 15 is cur~ed inwardly with greaSer sharpness so that the en-
gaging portion 10 once admit-ted into tight capture below the step por-
tion will experience greater difficulty in escaping from the capture than
when it is admi-tted into the capture. ~his engaging step portion 15 is
so oonstructed that when the engaging por-tion 10 is admitted ~nto tight
capture and its bulbou~ ~urface is pressed against the inner edge of th~
step por-tion 15, the ~haft portion 6 reaches a depth at which its ba3e
part is partially exposed from the opening 12 of the barrel portion 11
and~ when the male member 1 iæ lifted while the two member~ are in a
coupled state, the lower surface of the main flange 9 slightly rises from
the upper surfaoe of the fitting flange 13 of the female member 2. It :
goes without saying that the engaging step portion 15 is formed with an
inside diameter smaller than the diameter of the bulbous engaglng por-
tion lQ and that it expands outwardly by ~:irtue of the resiliency of its
pla~tic material so as to admit the engaging portion 10 into ti8ht oapture~
he female member 2 which is construoted as desoribed abova to cor- :respond to the male member 1 is set in position in the hole 17 perforated
in the supporting panel 16 by inserting the barrel portion 11 into the
~ 20 hole 17 and subsequently allowing it to advance until the lower surfaoe
-~ of the fitting fl~nge 13 oollides into the panel surface and9 at the same ~:
time~ the engaging projections 14 for~ed on 'he outer surface of the
barrel pGrtion oomplete their pa sage through the hole 17.
The female member 2 is at-taohed fast to the ~upporting pane~ by the
faot that the barrel portion 11 once contracted inwardly owing to 1ts
: oontact with the unyielding edge of the hole resumes its original shap0by virtue of reslliency of its plastic material and the engaging pro-
jections 14 are consequently allowed to expand to their full si~e on
the opposite side of the hole. ln this sase, the female member is pre-
vented from being pulled out of the hole by the olinging eng~gement of

. - 8 -

the engaging projections wi-th the panel. At the same time, the umbrella-
shaped fitting fl~nge 13 is spread out and pressed down against the sur-
face of the supporting panel in oonsequence of the insertion desoribed
above. Owing to the resiliency~ the fitting flange 13 cling~ to the
~upporting panel without any possibility of loosening and it also co~ers and
seals the hole 17.
With the fixing devi~le of this invention which is oonstructad as
described above9 desired fast union of the decorative panel with the
supporting panel i3 accomplished by first setting the male member 1 in
the fitting hole 4 formed in the decorative panel 3 by the method de-
soribed above for thereby causing the shaft portion 6 to rise from the
raverse side of the decorative panel and, at the same tims~ se-tting the
female member 2 in the hole perforated in the supporting panel 16 and,
subsequently to eompletion of the setting of the two members in the holes~
~ 5 bringing the dscorative panel close to the supporting panel for thereby
.~ oau~ing the shaft portion 6 protruding from the reve~se. surface of the
: deoorative panel to be posed in the openlng of the~barrel portion~ then
delivering a blow from the surfaoe side of the deccrative panel to the
head portion 5 of the male member with a suitable tool such as a hammer
for thereby oausing the engaging portion 10 at the leading end of the
shaft portion to thrust into the engaging step portion 15 within the
barrel portion 11~
FIG. 2 illustrates the male and female members in: a ooupled state.
~he barrel portion 11 in which the shaft portion of the male member 1 i8
introduoed by the blow delivered to the head portion of the male msmber
fulfils its role of joining the two members by oausing ths engaging por-
tion 10 at the leading end of the shaft portion to be admitted into
tight engagement with the engaging step portion 15. In this oase, the
engaging portion 10 is rather easily brou~ht into the engagement beoause
it is guided along the in¢linsd surfaoe on the opening 12 side of the

engaging step portion and rnade to slide ~qmoothly past the step portionO
Once it is admitted into fast capture inside the step portion, it is
pressed against the sharply curved ~urface on the opposite side of the
step portion a~d cannot easily be pulled ou-t9 Since the engaging por-
tion 10 is formed in a bulbous shape, however, the ætep portion is
rssiliently expanded outwardly to release the engaging portio~ from the
capture if the shaft portion is drawn with a force greater than the
force exerted during the preceding insertion of the engaging member.
Further in this ca~e, since the shaft portion 6 inserted in the
,:10 barrel portion 11 has a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the
barrel portion and~ con~equen-tly, the space 19 occurs betwsen the shaft
portion and the inner wall surface of the barrel portion, the shaft por-
tion enjoys freedom of swi.nging motion with the engaging portlon 10 ser-
~i.ng as a fulorum~
'~he fixing device of the present invention9 therefore, not merely
permits the decorative panel 3 to be fastened to the supporting panal 16
by the union of the male and female membsrs theraof but also allows the
decorative panel to be released from the supporting panel by oausing th~ -:
shaft portion inserted in the barrel portion to be pulled with a force
~ 20 enough to overcome tha ~orce with which the engaging step portion keep~
.~ the bulbous engaging portion in capture~ Further in this caæe, since
the shaft portion held inside the barrel portion ~njoys ~reedom of
swinging motion relative to the barrel portion~ the direotion in which
the shaf-t portion oan be pulled out of the barrel portion can bè selectsd
with proportionally ample freedom. Thus, the decorative panel can be
ssparated from the supporting panel without-exerting any unwanted load
to bear upon the male member.
Particularly, the freedom of æwinging motion which is enjoyed by the
~haft portion proves greatly advantageous with respect -to the actual work
in which one decorative panel iB fastened to the supporting panel by use

-- 10 --

of a mu].tiplicity of sllch fixing devices.
To be more ~pecific, when the decorative panel is fastened to the
supporting panel, generall~ about 10 to 20 fixing devices are used so
that the decorative panel may be attached uniforml~ throughout the
entire surfa¢e thereof to the supporting panel. When the decorative
panel is to be removed from the supporting panel as i~ invaria~ly the
case ~ith the fixing dsvice of the present invention, there is adoptad
a method whereby a proper tool su¢h as a screw driver iY in~erted through
the crack bebween the decorative panal and the supporting panel and then
wrenched. to break the union of the male and female members o~ one fixing
device after anothsr. In this case~ the fixing device is forcibly pulled
: out owing to the bending force genarated in the decorative panel~ .~
~ctually~ therefore7 th0 male member driving into the hole 17 per~orated
in the panel is drawn out not perpendicularly but diagonally relative to
the panel. Also in the oase of a fixing devioe which is so constructed
that it is directly attached to the perforated hole as well as in the
c~se of a ~lXing device whiGh is so Gonstructed that it i8 ~astened to
the perforated hole through the medium of a female member simllarly to
: the fixing device of thi~ invention~ the shaft portion inserted 80
tightly as not to give rise to a space between itself and the perforated
hole or the ~emale member encounters great resistance and oannot ea~ily
be pulled out9 Con~equently~ the fi~ing devioe itself austaina damage
3nd al80 inflicts injuries bo the decorative panely particularly to tha
edge of the fitting hole.
'rhe fixing device of the pre~ent invention is so constructed that
the shaft porbion received in the female member enjoys freedom of swing-
ing motion and freely ~elects the direction of its remov~l by constantly
corresponding to the bending motion of the panel~ with the result that
it i~ drawn out of the female member withou-t giving a change to the
force with whioh it i~ held in engagement with the female member

~hus~ the removal of the fixing devi¢e can be effected without inflict-
ing any damage to either the fixing device itself or the decorative panel
and the work of removal is easy.
In the preferred embodiment described above7 the base part of the
shaft portion 6 is exposed from the opening 12 of the b~rral portion 11
and the lower surface of the main flange 9 risea slightly abov~ the
fitting flange 13 when the engaging portion 10 is held in a state coupled
with the engaging step pcrtion 15 Thus, the shaft portion i9 permitted
to generate a swinging motion quite freely.
The preferred embodiment desoribed so far represent~ an application
wherein the male member and the female member ar~ set respeotively in
the decorativ* panel and the supporting panel. ~ecause of the con-
struction desoribed above, however~ the fixing device of this invention
accomplished desired union of the t-~o panels by another procedure whioh
comprises the steps of preparatorily coupling the male and female members
with each other9 then setting the head portion 5 of the male member in
the fitting hole 4 of the decorati~e panel and~ with the male member
held in that state~ posing the female membe:r 2 in the hole 17 perforat~d
in the supporting panel and forcing it into the hole. In this case~ the
barrel portlon 11 is temporari.ly con-tracted inwardly to permit the en
gagement of the engaging proj~otions 14 while the famale member 2 i~
being attached to the hole 17. Owing to -the inner space 19 formed a~
described previously between the inner wall of the barrel portion and
the shaft portion 6~ this atta¢hment of the ooupled members can be
effected in entirely the same manner as when the female member alone ~ :
i8 attached~ ;
: Parti¢ularly in the case of a fixing device which comprises two
members like those involved in the present invention, the fact that the
two members can be preparatorily joined to each other proves highly
advantageous from the viewpoints of management of p~rts and efficiancy

12 -

.


of operation.
FIG. 4 and FIG~ 5 illustrate another preferred embodiment.of this
invention which is modified to enhance the effects of the invention de-
scribed a~ove. Inside the female member 2, a plurality of split engaging
step portions 15 are disposed in the circumferential direotion on the
inner wall surface o~ the barrel portion 11. Substantially in an annular
shape~ the engaging step portions 15 serve collectively to keep in tight
capture the bulbous engaging portion 10 ~ormed at the leading end of the
shaft portion of the male member 1. While in this ~tate9 the engaging
portion 10 is pressed down against the bottom of the barrel portionO
The shaft portion 6 is shaped in a length greater than the depth of
.. the barrel portion so that~ when the engaging portion 10! lS admitted
into tight capture in the barrel portion, the base p~rt of the shaft
portion 6 will be exposed from the opening 12 of the barrel portion llo
~; Consequently~ a gap occurs between the main flange 9 o~ the male memberand the fitting ~lange 13 formed along the ~eriphery of the opening 12
in the barrel portion.
- The fixing devioe of the present pref~rred embodiment iB attached
to the decorative panel with the male and female members thereof held in
a coupled state as illustrated, and it is then inserted into the hole 17
. perforated in the supporting panelO Since the dia~eter of ths shaft
portion 6 is smaller than the inside diameter of the barrel portion 11
and9 consequently~ ~ space occurs between the main flange 9 and the
fitting flange 13 as decreased pre~iously, the barrel portion oah readily
be contraoted inwardly and the engaging proje¢tions 14 can easily be
brought into hooked engagement with the edge of -the perforated hole 17
while the female member 2 is attached to the hole. Also in this pre-
ferred embodiment~ the shaft portion 6 received in the barrel portion
is not held in tight contact with the inner wall ~urfaoe of the barrel
portion. Owing to the spaoe thu~ formed, the shaft portion can be

freely adjusted to the direotion of pull and drawn out with ease.
In the present preferred embodiment9 the numeral 20 denotes re-
silient piec0s disposed aslant upwardly from the periphery of the main
flange 9. These resilient pieoes 20 fulfil the function of pressing
the head portion of the male member against the decorative panel to
0nsure safe attachment of the head portion to the decorative panel.
FIG 6 and FIG. 7 illu~trate another modification of the female
member used in the fixing device of this invention. Specifically, the
female member ~ has engaging projections 21, 21 provided in the shape
of the arms of` an anchor at the forward end of the barrel portion 11
adapted to admit the shaft portion 6 of the male member.
;~ This preferred ambodiment is characterized by the fact that the
engaging projections 21, 21 serving to fasten the female member to the
hole 17 perforated in the supporting panel 16 àre not direatly provided
on the periphery of the barrel portion as in the preceding preferred
embodiment but are extended from the leading end of the barrel portion
as descrioed above. The barrel portion 11 is formed in a ~mall depth
as compared with the countertype in any o~ the preceding preferred
embodiments and engaging step portions 15 are provided in the opening
portion of the barrel portion~ At the same -time, the shaft portion 6
of the male membsr is formed in a small length so that the engaging
portion 10 formed at the leading end of the shaft portion will be admitted
into fast capture at a small depth of the barrel interior.
The engaging projections 21 mentioned above represent modified mean~
adapted to keep the female member 2 in engagement with the supporting
panel. The faat that the shaft portion 6 has a rsduced length so as to
have the engaging portion 10 admitted into oapture at a smaller depth
means that the angle in whioh the shaft portion enjoy~ freedom of swing-
ing motion is inareased as much and further that de~ired removal of the
~haft portion can be accomplished easily.

- 14 -

The barrel portion 1l in the present preferred embodiment has the
engaging pro~ections 21, 21 formed in the shape of the arms of an anohor
and has the leading ends of the projections adapted to come into intimate
contact with the hole 17 in the panel. Thus, the expansion of the barrel
portion is not restricted at all by the hole 17 and the shaft portion~
therefore~ can be pulled out of the barrel portion at a fixed amount of
foroe at all times. This is also true in the oase of the force to be
used in driving -the shaft portion in-to fast oapture.
In this preferred embodiment~ auxiliary ribs 22~ 22 are provided on
the outer surface of the barrel portion because of the neoessity of sup
porting the engaging projections 21, 21 while providing re~iliency for
the expansion of the barrel portion.
Various preferred embodiments of -the fixing devioe of the present
invent1on have been describsd. The fixing device of this invention is
90 constructsd that the male member and the female member thereof oan
be joined by inserting the shaft portion provided on the male member
into the barrel portion of the female member, whereby the two panels in
which the two members are set respectively is brought into fast union.
Then, the two members in a ooupled state oan be separated frcm each other
and the panel~ are like~ise released from each other by pulling the shaft
portion out of the barrel portion~ The fixing devioe~ accordingly~
proves highl~ advantageous for the purpose of fastening deocrative panels
and ot~er similar panels to their respeotive supporting panels as de-
soribed previously.




- 15 -

Representative Drawing

Sorry, the representative drawing for patent document number 1098291 was not found.

Administrative Status

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Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date 1981-03-31
(22) Filed 1978-02-22
(45) Issued 1981-03-31
Expired 1998-03-31

Abandonment History

There is no abandonment history.

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Application Fee $0.00 1978-02-22
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
NIFCO INC.
Past Owners on Record
None
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Drawings 1994-03-09 3 115
Claims 1994-03-09 3 122
Abstract 1994-03-09 1 53
Cover Page 1994-03-09 1 18
Description 1994-03-09 15 800