1. Field of Use
This invention relates generally to a two-piece plastic fastener comprising a body and a screw for releasably securing together a pair of panels in spaced apart relationship.
In particular, it relates to an improved fastener of the aforesaid character.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a wide variety of plastic fasteners for securing panels together. Some such fasteners comprise a body in the form of a hollow expansion nut and a pin or screw insertable into a bore in the expansion nut to effect nut expansion. In some cases, the nut is inserted into aligned apertures in two or more panels and the pin is inserted into the nut bore to effect nut expansion whereby the panels are entrapped face-to-face between the nut head and an expanded portion of the nut shank. In other cases, the nut is inserted into an aperture in one panel and the screw is inserted into an aperture in the other panel and then into the nut bore to effect nut expansion whereby the said one panel is entrapped between the nut head and expanded nut shank and the said other panel is entrapped between the head of the pin or screw and the nut head. In some cases, the pin or screw is permanently inserted and the panels cannot be detached without destruction of the fastener. In other cases, the fastener components are separable without damage to enable the panels to be detached from one another. Many prior art fasteners are designed for specific applications and their use is limited thereto. Others are more widely usable for a variety of purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,587 issued Sept. 9, 1986 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application discloses a prior art fastener comprising a hollow body and a screw which is used to secure two panels together in face-to-face relationship but which does not embody any means to secure the panels in spaced apart fixed relationship.