초록 ▼

A fastener, such as a housing, for mounting to a structure, such as a panel, that has an aperture formed therethrough. The fastener includes a shank member and an annular nut member that is configured to align coaxially with the shank member. The shank member is inserted through aperture in the stru

A fastener, such as a housing, for mounting to a structure, such as a panel, that has an aperture formed therethrough. The fastener includes a shank member and an annular nut member that is configured to align coaxially with the shank member. The shank member is inserted through aperture in the structure and the nut member is placed on the shank member. Teeth on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member engage a pawl, such as one or more teeth, on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member to lock the nut member to the shank member. Removal of the nut member is effected by rotating the nut member to disengage the pawl from the teeth, thereby permitting longitudinal displacement of the nut member off of the shank member.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A housing for mounting to, and extending through an aperture formed through, a panel having a first side and an opposite, second side, the housing comprising: (a) a shank member having first and second ends and a sidewall with a radially outwardly facing surface for ext

The invention claimed is: 1. A housing for mounting to, and extending through an aperture formed through, a panel having a first side and an opposite, second side, the housing comprising: (a) a shank member having first and second ends and a sidewall with a radially outwardly facing surface for extending through the aperture, the first end having a head; (b) an annular nut member having a radially inwardly facing surface and a first end; (c) a spring adapted to engage the panel and one of said members and apply a bias to the panel and the engaged member; (d) a plurality of longitudinally aligned teeth separated by gaps between adjacent teeth formed on the radially facing surface of a first of said members; and (e) at least one pawl formed on the radially facing surface of a second of said members, said at least one pawl being configured to extend into one of said gaps when the first of said members is positioned adjacent the second of said members. 2. The housing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the spring is mounted to one of said members for engaging the panel and applying the bias to the panel when the panel is interposed between the head and the nut member. 3. The housing in accordance with claim 2, wherein the spring is mounted to the nut member. 4. The housing in accordance with claim 3, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 5. The housing in accordance with claim 3, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 6. The housing in accordance with claim 5, wherein the teeth are aligned in first and second longitudinal teeth regions on substantially opposite sides of the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 7. The housing in accordance with claim 6, wherein said at least one pawl further comprises first and second pawls disposed on substantially opposite sides of the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 8. The housing in accordance with claim 7, wherein the substantially smooth longitudinal regions are substantially cylindrical surfaces. 9. The housing in accordance with claim 7, wherein the head comprises a region of the shank that extends radially outwardly of the sidewall, thereby forming a shoulder for seating against the panel. 10. The housing in accordance with claim 7, wherein the nut member is radially expandable for permitting radial displacement of the pawls away from the teeth. 11. The housing in accordance with claim 7, wherein the nut member further comprises a pair of radially flexible tabs on which the pawls are formed for permitting radial displacement of the pawls any from the teeth. 12. The housing in accordance with claim 11, wherein said longitudinal teeth regions further comprise first and second elongated, longitudinal channels formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member and in which said teeth are aligned, each channel having a radially outwardly facing floor defined by channel walls at opposite lateral channel sides and at which opposite ends of the respective plurality of teeth terminate, each channel wall being inclined from the channel floor radially outwardly toward the substantially smooth longitudinal regions for permitting a tip of each of said pawls to slide radially outwardly from a gap between the teeth to the substantially smooth longitudinal regions upon rotation of the nut member relative to the shank member. 13. The housing in accordance with claim 12, wherein the pawls register with said first and second channels for guiding the nut member onto the shank member when the nut member is positioned substantially coaxial to the shank member. 14. The housing in accordance with claim 7, wherein the spring is deformable a distance greater than a tooth wavelength. 15. The housing in accordance with claim 14, wherein the spring further comprises at least one resilient flange formed at the first end of the nut member. 16. The housing in accordance with claim 14, wherein the spring further comprises a plurality of resilient fingers formed at the first end of the nut member. 17. The housing in accordance with claim 7, wherein said shank member sidewall has a radially inwardly facing surface defining a chamber. 18. The housing in accordance with claim 17, wherein said chamber houses a sound-emitting transducer. 19. The housing in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a plurality of grip-aiding protrusions formed on a radially outwardly facing surface of the nut member. 20. The housing in accordance with claim 2, wherein the spring is mounted to the shank member. 21. The housing in accordance with claim 2, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 22. The housing in accordance with claim 2, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 23. A housing mounted to, end extending through an aperture formed through, a panel having a first side and an opposite, second side, the housing comprising: (a) a shank member having first and second ends and a sidewall with a radially outwardly facing surface extending through the aperture, the first end having a head on the first side of said panel; (b) an annular nut member having a radially inwardly facing surface and a first end, wherein the panel is interposed between the head and the nut member and the nut member is attached to the sidewall of the shank member on the second side of said panel with the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member adjacent the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member's sidewall; (c) a spring interposed between the head and the nut member and engaging the panel and one of said members and applying a bias to the panel and the engaged member; (d) a plurality of longitudinally aligned teeth separated by gaps between adjacent teeth formed on the radially facing surface of a first of said members; and (e) at least one pawl formed on the radially facing surface of a second of said members, said at least one pawl extending into one of said gaps for removably locking the nut member to the shank member. 24. The housing in accordance with claim 23, wherein the spring is mounted to one of said members, and said spring engages the panel and applies the bias to the panel. 25. The housing in accordance with claim 24, wherein the spring is mounted to the nut member. 26. The housing in accordance with claim 25, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 27. The housing in accordance with claim 25, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 28. The housing in accordance with claim 27, wherein the teeth are aligned in first and second longitudinal teeth regions on substantially opposite sides of the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 29. The housing in accordance with claim 28, wherein said at least one pawl further comprises first and second pawls disposed on substantially opposite sides of the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 30. The housing in accordance with claim 29, wherein the substantially smooth longitudinal regions are substantially cylindrical surfaces. 31. The housing in accordance with claim 30, wherein the head comprises a region of the shank member that extends radially outwardly of the sidewall, thereby forming a shoulder seating against the panel. 32. The housing in accordance with claim 29, wherein the nut member is radially expandable for permitting radial displacement of the pawls away from the teeth. 33. The housing in accordance with claim 29, wherein the nut member further comprises a pair of radially flexible tabs on which the pawls are formed for permitting radial displacement of the pawls away from the teeth. 34. The housing in accordance with claim 33, wherein said longitudinal teeth regions further comprise first and second elongated, longitudinal channels formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of to shank member and in which said teeth are aligned, each channel having a radially outwardly facing floor defined by channel walls at opposite lateral channel sides and at which opposite ends of the respective plurality of teeth terminate, each channel wall being inclined from the channel floor radially outwardly toward the substantially smooth longitudinal regions for permitting a tip of each of said pawls to slide radially outwardly from a gap between the teeth to the substantially smooth longitudinal regions upon rotation of the nut member relative to the shank member. 35. The housing in accordance with claim 34, wherein the pawls register with said first and second channels. 36. The housing in accordance with claim 29, wherein the spring is deformable a distance greater than a tooth wavelength. 37. The housing in accordance with claim 36, wherein the spring further comprises at least one resilient flange formed at the first end of the nut member. 38. The housing in accordance with claim 36, wherein the spring further comprises a plurality of resilient fingers formed at the first end of the nut member. 39. The housing in accordance with claim 29, wherein said shank member sidewall has a radially inwardly facing surface defining a chamber. 40. The housing in accordance with claim 39, wherein said chamber houses a sound-emitting transducer. 41. The housing in accordance with claim 40, further comprising a plurality of grip-aiding protrusions formed on a radially outwardly facing surface of the nut member. 42. The housing in accordance with claim 24, wherein the spring is mounted to the shank member. 43. The housing in accordance with claim 24, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 44. The housing in accordance with claim 24, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 45. A fastener for mounting to, and extending through an aperture formed through, a structure having a first side and an opposite, second side, the fastener comprising: (a) a shank member having first and second ends and a sidewall with a radially outwardly facing surface for extending through the aperture, the first end having a head; (b) an annular nut member having a radially inwardly facing surface and a first end; (c) a spring adapted to engage the structure and one of the members and apply a bias to the structure and the engaged member; (d) a plurality of longitudinally aligned teeth separated by gaps between adjacent teeth formed on the radially facing surface of a first of said members; and (e) at least one pawl formed on the radially facing surface of a second of said members, said at least one pawl being configured to extend into one of said gaps when the first of said members is positioned adjacent the second of said members. 46. The fastener in accordance with claim 45, wherein the spring is mounted to one of said members for engaging the structure and applying the bias to the structure when the structure is interposed between the head and the nut member. 47. The fastener in accordance with claim 46, wherein the spring is mounted to the nut member. 48. The fastener in accordance with claim 47, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 49. The fastener in accordance with claim 47, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 50. The fastener in accordance with claim 49, wherein the teeth are aligned in first and second longitudinal teeth regions on substantially opposite sides of the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 51. The fastener in accordance with claim 50, wherein said at least one pawl further comprises first and second pawls disposed on substantially opposite sides of the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 52. The fastener in accordance with claim 51, wherein the substantially smooth longitudinal regions are substantially cylindrical surfaces. 53. The fastener in accordance with claim 51, wherein the head comprises a region of the shank that extends radially outwardly of the sidewall, thereby forming a shoulder for seating against the structure. 54. The fastener in accordance with claim 51, wherein the nut member is radially expandable for permitting radial displacement of the pawls away from the teeth. 55. The fastener in accordance with claim 51, wherein the nut member further comprises a pair of radially flexible tabs on which the pawls are formed for permitting radial displacement of the pawls away from the teeth. 56. The fastener in accordance with claim 55, wherein said longitudinal teeth regions further comprise first and second elongated, longitudinal channels formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member and in which said teeth are aligned, each channel having a radially outwardly facing floor defined by channel walls at opposite lateral channel sides and at which opposite ends of the respective plurality of teeth terminate, each channel wall being inclined from the channel floor radially outwardly toward the substantially smooth longitudinal regions for permitting a tip of each of said pawls to slide radially outwardly from a gap between the teeth to the substantially smooth longitudinal regions upon rotation of the nut member relative to the shank member. 57. The fastener in accordance with claim 56, wherein the pawls register with said first and second channels for guiding the nut member onto the shank member when the nut member is positioned substantially coaxial to the shank member. 58. The fastener in accordance with claim 51, wherein the spring is deformable a distance greater than a tooth wavelength. 59. The fastener in accordance with claim 58, wherein the spring further comprises at least one resilient flange formed at the first end of the nut member. 60. The fastener in accordance with claim 58, wherein the spring further comprises a plurality of resilient fingers formed at the first end of the nut member. 61. The fastener in accordance with claim 51, wherein said shank member sidewall has a radially inwardly facing surface defining a chamber. 62. The fastener in accordance with claim 61, further comprising a plurality of grip-aiding protrusions formed on a radially outwardly facing surface of the nut member. 63. The fastener in accordance with claim 46, wherein the spring is mounted to the shank member. 64. The fastener in accordance with claim 46, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 65. The fastener in accordance with claim 46, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 66. A fastener mounted to, and extending through an aperture formed through, a structure having a first side and an opposite, second side, the fastener comprising: (a) a shank member having first and second ends and a sidewall with a radially outwardly facing surface extending through the aperture, the first end having a head on the first side of said structure; (b) an annular nut member having a radially inwardly facing surface and a first end, wherein said structure is interposed between the head and the nut member and the nut member is attached to the sidewall of the shank member on the second side of said structure with the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member adjacent the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member's sidewall; (c) a spring interposed between the head and the nut member, and engaging said structure and one of the members and applying a bias to said structure and the engaged member; (d) a plurality of longitudinally aligned teeth separated by gaps between adjacent teeth formed on the radially facing surface of a first of said members; and (e) at least one pawl formed on the radially facing surface of a second of said members, said at least one pawl extending into one of said gaps for removably locking the nut member to the shank member. 67. The fastener in accordance with claim 66, wherein the spring is mounted to one of said members, and said spring engages the structure and applies the bias to the structure. 68. The fastener in accordance with claim 67, wherein the spring is mounted to the nut member. 69. The fastener in accordance with claim 68, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 70. The fastener in accordance with claim 68, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 71. The fastener in accordance with claim 70, wherein the teeth are aligned in first and second longitudinal teeth regions on substantially opposite sides of the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 72. The fastener in accordance with claim 71, wherein said at least one pawl further comprises first and second pawls disposed on substantially opposite sides of the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and first and second substantially smooth longitudinal regions are formed therebetween on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member. 73. The fastener in accordance with claim 72, wherein the substantially smooth longitudinal regions are substantially cylindrical surfaces. 74. The fastener in accordance with claim 73, wherein the head comprises a region of the shank member that extends radially outwardly of the sidewall, thereby forming a shoulder seating against the structure. 75. The fastener in accordance with claim 72, wherein the nut member is radially expandable for permitting radial displacement of the pawls away from the teeth. 76. The fastener in accordance with claim 72, wherein the nut member further comprises a pair of radially flexible tabs on which the pawls are formed for permitting radial displacement of the pawls away from the teeth. 77. The fastener in accordance with claim 76, wherein said longitudinal teeth regions further comprise first and second elongated, longitudinal channels formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member and in which said teeth are aligned, each channel having a radially outwardly facing floor defined by channel walls at opposite lateral channel sides and at which opposite ends of the respective plurality of teeth terminate, each channel wall being inclined from the channel floor radially outwardly toward the substantially smooth longitudinal regions for permitting a tip of each of said pawls to slide radially outwardly from a gap between the teeth to the substantially smooth longitudinal regions upon rotation of the nut member relative to the shank member. 78. The fastener in accordance with claim 77, wherein the pawls register with said first and second channels. 79. The fastener in accordance with claim 72, wherein the spring is deformable a distance greater than a tooth wavelength. 80. The fastener in accordance with claim 79, wherein the spring further comprises at least one resilient flange formed at the first end of the nut member. 81. The fastener in accordance with claim 79, wherein the spring further comprises a plurality of resilient fingers formed at the first end of nut member. 82. The fastener in accordance with claim 72, wherein said shank member sidewall has a radially inwardly facing surface defining a chamber. 83. The fastener in accordance with claim 82, further comprising a plurality of grip-aiding protrusions formed on a radially outwardly facing surface of the nut member. 84. The fastener in accordance with claim 67, wherein the spring is mounted to the shank member. 85. The fastener in accordance with claim 67, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member. 86. The fastener in accordance with claim 67, wherein said plurality of aligned teeth is formed on the radially outwardly facing surface of the shank member, and said at least one pawl is formed on the radially inwardly facing surface of the nut member.