US20050120667A1 - Captive fastener - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastener for a floor panel adapted to be secured to pedestal means wherein said fastener is operable to move to a position to fasten said floor panel to said pedestal means, and a position to permit withdrawal of said floor panel from said pedestal means while being captured by said floor panel.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION
• This invention relates to a fastener for a floor panel adapted to be secured to a pedestal wherein the fastener is held captive in said floor panel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Elevated floor structures have gained much prominence with the advent of computer systems. Such elevated floor structure can consist of access floor panels elevated from the floor wherein the floor panels are in adjacent side-by-side relation in a rectangular array. Generally speaking, the panels are supported at their corners by spaced pedestals which in turn are supported on a sub-floor. Space between the sub-floor and floor panel is available for utility lines, air ducts, computer wire or the like. Generally speaking, the access floor panels are secured to the pedestal in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art. The floor panels may be removed from the pedestals by unthreading the fasteners from the pedestals. However quite often when the access floor panels are removed the fasteners are lost, particularly when the panels are removed and turned upside down.
• A variety of fastening means have heretofore been designed including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,256,952, 5,862,643, and 5,749,616.
• Moreover U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,717 teaches a self-threading pedestal screw which passes through a plastic insulator, then penetrating a pedestal screw passage. Finally U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,242 teaches fasteners to extend through the panel exterior and interior surfaces as disclosed.
• It is an object of this invention to provide an improved fastener for floor panel to be secured to a pedestal whereby the fastener is held captive in the floor panel.
• It is an aspect of this invention to provide a fastener for a floor panel adapted to be secured to a pedestal wherein the fastener is operable to move to a position to fasten the floor panel to the pedestal and a position to permit withdrawal of the floor panel from the pedestal while being captured by the floor panel.
• It is another aspect of this invention to provide a fastening system adapted to be disposed in a hole of a floor panel for securing the floor panel to a pedestal comprising a sleeve having an axial length and adapted to be retained in the hole; a fastener co axially disposed in the sleeve and axially displaceable relative said sleeve between a first and second position, the fastener including a head at one end and a threaded end axially displaced from the head for threaded engagement with the pedestal when securing the floor panel to the pedestal in a first position; the sleeve including structure for inhibiting the fastener from being removed from the sleeve when the panel is removed from the pedestal in a second position.
• These and other objects and features shall now be described in relation to the following drawings:
DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a corner of an access floor panel showing the fastening system.
• FIG. 2 is a top plain view of the sleeve ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a finger shown inFIG. 1.
• FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the fastener.
• FIG. 5 is a view of another embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 6 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Like parts have been numbered with like numbers throughout the figures.
• FIG. 1 illustrates generally afloor panel2 having atop surface4 and abottom surface6 spaced from thetop surface4. Afastener10 is shown. Thefastener10 has ahead12 at one end and a threadedend14 axially displaced from thehead12 for threaded engagement with a pedestal (not shown) in a manner well known to those persons well skilled in the art. The threadedend14 has anexterior male thread16 adapted to be received by a female interior thread presented by a pedestal (not shown). Thefastener10 also includes ashank portion18 which has a diameter less than the threadedend14. The threadedend14 may be bevelled to assist in aligning the fastener.
• Thefastener10 is adapted to be secured to the pedestal (not shown) wherein thefastener10 is operable to move to a first or secured position to fasten thefloor panel2 to the pedestal and a second or withdrawn position to permit withdrawal of thefloor panel2 from the pedestal (not shown) while being captured by the floor panel. In other words, when thefastener10 is unthreaded from the pedestal (not shown) thefloor panel2 can be removed.
• Thefloor panel2 presents means30 to restrain the threadedend14 from being removed from the floor panel when thefloor panel2 is withdrawn from the pedestal. The restraining means30 comprises in one embodiment asleeve40 adapted to be disposed in ahole42 presented in thefloor panel2. In particular thehole42 extends from thetop surface4 to thebottom surface6. Thehole42 frictionally receives thesleeve30. Furthermore thehole42 may include a chamferedportion44 to accommodate thebevelled edge20 of thefastener10.
• In one embodiment the retaining means30 comprisessleeve40 which includes means for inhibiting50 the threadedend14 from being removed from the sleeve when thefloor panel2 is removed from the pedestal even if the floor panel is moved upside down.
• Thesleeve40 has an axial length and is adapted to be retained in thehole42. Thefastener10 is co-axially disposed in thesleeve10 and axially displaceable relative thesleeve40 between said first position and said second position.
• Thefastener10 is captive in thesleeve40. Thefastener10 can be installed into thesleeve40 by pressing thefastener10 past the inhibiting means50. In particular, in one embodiment shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and3, the inhibiting means50 comprise a spring or fingers extending into the sleeve where thefingers52 are:
• • (a) displaceable radially outwardly to permit passage of the threadedend14 past thefingers52; and
  • (b) inhibit removal of thefastener10 from thesleeve40 by presenting a barrier to the threadedend14 in a second position.
• Theshank portion18 is axially displaceable in thesleeve40 without contacting thefingers52 when thefastener10 is moved between the first position or when the threadedend14 is secured to the pedestal and a second position when the floor panel is removed from the pedestals, and thefastener10 moves to a position where the threadedend14 is blocked by thefingers52.
• More specifically thesleeve40 presents an innercylindrical surface33 which presents a plurality offingers52 protruding from the surface towards the axis A. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2 fourfingers52 are present. However any number of fingers can be used within the spirit of this invention. Thefingers52 permit axial movement of the shank between the first and second positions, but present a barrier to the treaded end in the second position.
• Furthermore thesleeve40 presents afirst end35 adjacent totop surface4 and asecond end37 adjacent thebottom surface6. Theshank portion18 has an axial length to permit thehead12 to engage the top surface of the floor panel in the second secured position whereby thebevelled edge10 contacts the chamferedportion44 where the top of thehead10 is flush with thetop surface4. Furthermore the threadedportion16 has an axial length less than the axial length between thesecond end37 of thesleeve30 and the plurality offingers52 so as to permit a threadedend14 to be received in thesleeve30.
• In this fashion thefastener10 floats freely in a vertical motion or in other words is axially displaceable between the first and second positions so as to allow the panel to be laid flat on a surface. When thefloor panel2 is laid flat thefastener10 protracts upwardly. Furthermore when thepanel10 is lifted to be put back into the floor thefasteners10 will drop down by gravity. Moreover thecaptive fastener10 and in particular thehead12 does not drop below thetop surface4 or into thehole42 of the panel and thus can not get caught inside thepanel2.
• Thefastener10 may be of a self-threading type in a manner well known to those persons skilled in the art. Moreover thefastener10 has a threadedportion14 which is long enough to engage the female threaded portion of the pedestal as previously described. Furthermore the length of theshank18 extending between the threadedportion14 and at16 may have a dimension less than the distance between thesecond end37 of the sleeve and thefingers52 as represented by the letter “H”. Furthermore the diameter of thehead12 is greater than the diameter of thehole42.
• In one embodiment the sleeve is comprised of plastic. Thesleeve40 can be pressed into theaccess floor panel2. Theplastic sleeve40 has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the threadedportion14 of thefastener10.
• The inside of the sleeve can present the fourfingers52 shown or alternatively protrusions or bumps which have an opening between them of less than the outside diameter of the threadedportion16 of thefastener10 but less than the outside diameter of theshank portion18.
• The springs or bumps50 in one embodiment are located at a distance from the bottom37 of thesleeve40 greater than the length of the threadedportion14 of thefastener10.
• The sleeve can comprise a variety of materials including nylon, plastic or metal. Furthermore thesleeve40 may act as a plug to prevent leakage from within thecavity16 of theaccess floor panel2 to prevent leakage when the panel is filled with cement, foam or other material.
• FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the invention whereby thefastener10 is captive within thesleeve40. In particular thesleeve40 includes aplastic cylinder70 which hasinternal threads72. The outside diameter of theplastic cylinder70 has a press fit or frictioned fit with theinside surface33 of thecylinder30. Alternatively thecylinder70 can be glued or integrally formed.
• Accordingly the inhibiting means shown inFIG. 5 consists of female threadedportion72 which permits rotational passage of the threaded end of thefastener10 through the female threadedportion72 but inhibits axial removal of thefastener10 in a second position, i.e., when theaccess floor panel2 is removed from the pedestal. It should be noted that the plastic cylinder can be comprised of a variety of materials other than a plastic, such as nylon, metal, or the like.
• In another arrangement as shown inFIG. 6 the fastening system has an inhibiting means which comprisesprotrusions86 disposed interiorally of thesleeve40 to:
• • (a) permit forced passage of the threadedend14 past theprotrusions86 into the sleeve so as to permit thefastener10 to be secured into the pedestal, and
  • (b) inhibit removal of thefastener10 from thesleeve40 and theaccess floor panel2 by presenting a barrier to the threadedend14 in a second or removed position.
• In particular the fastener system illustrated inFIG. 6 illustrates afastener10 which includes ashank portion18 intermediate to head12 and threadedportion14 where theshank portion18, has a diameter less than the threadedportion14, ashoulder82 presented by theshank18 and aring84 which is axially displaceable relative toshank18 between theshoulder82 and the threadedend14.
• Thesleeve40 includesmeans86 for catching thering84 so as to allow thefastener12 to move between the first and second positions. The catching means86 comprises of two spaced, centric, annular protrusions adapted to catch thering84 there between. Moreover the twoprotrusions86 define agroove87 therebetween.
• Thefingers52 illustrated inFIG. 3 may be substituted withprotrusions86 which are dimensioned so as to permit thefastener12 to be pushed past the protrusions when moving thefastener12 to the first secured position but which present a barrier when the access floor panel is removed therefrom, to prevent the fastener from being easily removed from thesleeve40.
• Although the preferred embodiment as well as the operation in use have been specifically described in relation to the drawings, it should be understood the variations in the preferred embodiment could be achieved by a person skilled in the trade without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed herein.

Claims (18)

1. A fastener for a floor panel adapted to be secured to pedestal means wherein said fastener is operable to move to:

(a) a position to fasten said floor panel to said pedestal means, and

(b) a position to permit withdrawal of said floor panel from said pedestal means while being captured by said floor panel.

2. A fastener as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said fastener includes a head at one end thereof and a threaded end at another end thereof adapted to be disposed through said floor panel for securement to said pedestal means.

3. A fastener as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said floor panel presents means to restrain said threaded end from being removed from said floor panel when said floor panel is withdrawn from said pedestal means.

4. A fastener as claimed inclaim 4 wherein said floor panel includes a hole adapted to receive said means to restrain said threaded end from being removed from said floor panel when said floor panel is withdrawn from said pedestal means.

5. A fastener as claimed inclaim 5 wherein said means to restrain said threaded end from being removed from said floor panel when said floor panel is withdrawn from said pedestal means comprises a sleeve adapted to be disposed in said hole, said sleeve including means from inhibiting said threaded end from being removed from said sleeve.

6. A fastening system adapted to be disposed in a hole of a floor panel for securing said floor panel to a pedestal comprising:

(a) a sleeve having an axial length and adapted to be retained in said hole;

(b) a fastener co axially disposed in said sleeve and axially displaceable relative said sleeve between a first and second position, said fastener including a head at one end and a threaded end axially displaced from said head for threaded engagement with said pedestal when securing said floor panel to said pedestal in said first position;

(c) said sleeve including means from inhibiting said fastener from being removed from said sleeve when said panel is removed from said pedestal means in said second position.

7. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said inhibiting means comprises spring means extending into said sleeve, said spring means:

(a) displaceable radially outwardly to permit passage of said threaded end past said spring means into said sleeve, and

(b) inhibiting removal of said fastener from said sleeve and floor panel by presenting a barrier to said threaded end, in said second position.

8. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 7 wherein said fastener includes a shank portion intermediate said head and threaded portion, said shank portion having a diameter less than said threaded end, said shank portion axially displaceable in said sleeve without contacting said spring means between said first and second positions.

9. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 8 wherein said sleeve presents an inner cylindrical surface and said spring means comprise a plurality of fingers protruding from said surface towards said axis, said fingers permitting axial movement of said shank, but presenting a barrier to said threaded end in said second position.

10. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 9 wherein said diameter of said shank is less than said threaded end.

11. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 10 wherein floor panel presents a top and bottom surface having said hole through said top and bottom surface and said sleeve presents a first end adjacent said top surface and a second end adjacent said bottom surface, said plurality of fingers disposed in said sleeve adjacent said top surface.

12. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 11 wherein said shank portion has an axial length to permit said head to engage said top surface of said floor panel in said secured position.

13. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 12 wherein said threaded portion has an axial length less than the axial length between said second end of said sleeve and said plurality of fingers so as to permit said threaded end to be received in said sleeve.

14. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said inhibiting means comprises a female threaded portion:

(a) permitting rotational passage of said threaded end through said female threaded portion;

(b) inhibiting axial removal of said fastener in said second position.

15. A fastener system as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said inhibiting means comprises a protrusion disposed interiorally of said sleeve to:

(a) permit forced passage of said threaded end past said protrusion into said sleeve in said first position;

(b) inhibit removal of said fastener from said sleeve and said floor panel by presenting a barrier to said threaded end in said second position.

16. A fastener system as claimed inclaim 6 wherein:

(a) said fastener includes a shank portion intermediate said head and threaded end, said shank portion having:

(i) a diameter less than said threaded portion;

(ii) a shoulder presented by said shank;

(iii) a ring axially displaceable relative to said shank between said shoulder and said threaded end;

(b) said sleeve including means for catching said ring so as to permit said fastener to move between said first and second positions.

17. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 16 wherein said catching means comprises two spaced concentric annular protrusions adapted to catch said ring there between.

18. A fastening system as claimed inclaim 17 wherein said sleeve is plastic.

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