1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fasteners, and particularly to a fastener for connecting structural members using a screw.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional means for connecting structural members includes screws, clips, and adhesives. Screws are the most reliable and hence the most popular means for connecting structural members.
In general, most products are a combination of structural members that are connected to each other. If the structural members are made of plastic, it is easy to machine screw threads in the surfaces of the casing of each structural member and hence easy to connect the structural members together using screws. For example, the casing of a structural member, of a product, may be machined with a cylindrical protrusion with a hole. The cylindrical protrusion can then be used as a fastener to support a casing of an adjacent structural member. A thread is machined in the cylindrical protrusion for engaging with a screw of the adjacent casing so as to connect the two structural members together.
However, the plastic threads may strip or become damaged when a large force is used to tighten the screw. For enhancing the strength of the thread, a metallic nut, made of, for example, copper, having an internal thread is received in the hole of the plastic protrusion by means of hot press or hot melt by the following steps: heating the nut; pressing the heated nut into the hole of the plastic protrusion; and cooling the copper nut so that the nut is firmly embedded in the plastic protrusion. The plastic protrusion is also used to support the casing of an adjacent structural member so that the height of the plastic protrusion is determined according to an interval between the two adjacent casings of the structural members. Furthermore, other structural that may be between the two casing can be protected.
Moreover, precise assembly of two adjacent casings is achieved by machining the proper height of the plastic protrusion. However, during the process of pressing the heated nut into the plastic protrusion, the plastic protrusion may be distorted, possibly changing the height of the protrusion. Accordingly, the assembly precision, between the two adjacent casings, decreases.
What is needed, therefore, is a fastener, which can provide reliable support for the structural members for assembling two adjacent casings of structural members.
A fastener, for connecting two structural members, includes a base and a hollow protrusion extending from the base. At least one supporting holder extends from the base arranged around the protrusion. The height of the supporting holder above a top surface of the base is equal to or greater than that of the protrusion.
Other advantages and novel features of the present fastener will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Many aspects of the present fastener can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present light source module. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Referring to
The fastener 10 is made of plastic. The base 100 is a part of a casing of a structural member. Alternatively, the base 100 can be connected to the casing of the structural member by soldering. The cylindrical protrusion 102 extends up from the base 100. A blind hole 103 is defined in a middle of the cylindrical protrusion 102 for receiving the nut 104. The nut 104 can be made of metal, such as copper. The nut 104 can be pressed into the protrusion 102 by hot melt or hot press so as to firmly engage the nut 104 with the protrusion 102.
The four supporting holders 160 extend from the base 100, are evenly spaced around the protrusion 102, and are at a distance from the nut 104. Each of the supporting holders 160 has a supporting portion 162 and a connecting portion 164. The connecting portion 164 integrally connects the supporting portion 162 with an outer periphery of the protrusion 102 and is positioned between the protrusion 102 and the supporting portion 162. A top surface 1620 of the supporting portion 162 is used to support an adjacent structural member. The top surface 1620 is isolated from the protrusion 102 by a groove 165 defined in a top of the connecting portion 164. The supporting portion 162 has a height above a top surface of the base 100 determined according to an interval between the base 100 and the adjacent structural member in assembly. It is to be understood that the height of the supporting portion 162 can be equal to or greater than that of the protrusion 102 from the top surface of the base 100.
The supporting holders 160 are spaced apart from the nut 104 so that distortion of the protrusion 102 caused by the supporting holders 160 is minimized. The groove 165 can further minimize distortion of the supporting portion 162 of the supporting holders 160. Thus, the height of the supporting portion 162 does not change when the heated nut 104 is pressed into the hole 103. When a screw (not shown) is inserted into the nut 104 to connect the fastener 10 to the adjacent structural member, the supporting portions 162 of the supporting holders 160 provide better support to the adjacent structural member than the protrusion 102. Accordingly, the interval between the base 100 and the adjacent structural member can be kept precise. Furthermore, the supporting holders 160 can be used as a reinforced arm for the protrusion 102.
It is to be understood that the supporting holders 160 can be formed integrally with the base 100 or the protrusion 102. Also, the supporting holders 160 can be soldered to the base 100 or the protrusion 102. The number of the supporting holders 160 is not limited to four, but can be any number desired for providing uniform support for the adjacent structural member.
Referring to
Referring to
It is believed that the embodiments and their advantages, of the present invention, will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200710203071.1 | Dec 2007 | CN | national |