The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 14, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 14, 1999
James Norkus, Waterbury, CT (US);
William J Curley, Jr, Waterbury, CT (US);
Illinois Tool Works, Inc., , DE (US);
Abstract
An improved cage nut assembly for attachment to a frame, which includes a channel therein adapted to receive the caged nut assembly is provided. The caged nut assembly includes a fastener body having a female connector therein and a retainer for encaging the fastener body. The retainer provides a limited range of movement of the fastener body in at least one direction and has cutouts therein sized and adapted to allow access to the female connector within the range of movement of the fastener body. At least one detent extends from a surface of the retainer, which detents are sized and shaped to correspond to at least one notch in the channel of the frame. The detents are biased toward a normal position, but are movable against the bias such that as the caged nut assembly is forced into the channel of the frame, the detents are moved against the bias until the detents are positioned adjacent to the notches in the channel, at which point the detents are biased into the notches, thereby securing the caged nut assembly within the channel. Thus, during a crash situation, the detents may be moved against the bias and the caged nut assembly may be moved within the channel in the frame.