Abstract:
A crate fastener and retainer assembly includes a fastener for assembling two adjacent panels of a box or crate, and a retainer for securing the fastener to a panel. L-shaped fasteners assemble two adjacent cleated panels or slotted panels, and retainers mounted on the panel or cleat secure the fasteners to the panel. The retainer includes a plate with a substantially closed loop on one end. The other end of the plate is mounted to the cleat or the panel. The substantially closed loop of the plate is pivotally connected to an end of the L-shaped fastener. When the box or crate is disassembled, the L-shaped fastener remains secured to one of the panels.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATE REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to fasteners for assembling two adjacent panels of a box or crate, and retainers for securing the fasteners to the panel. More specifically, the present invention relates to L-shaped fasteners for assembling two adjacent cleated panels or slotted panels, and retainers mounted on the panel or cleat for securing the fasteners to the panel. 
     The term “box” and the term “crate” will be used interchangeably throughout this document to encompass any structure with at least two panels assembled together. Many types of fasteners can be used to assemble the box or crate. The boxes and crates are also disassembled for more compact storage when they are not being used. Some types of fasteners, such as nails and staples, are damaged during disassembly and are, thus, not reusable for a later assembly. Other types of fasteners, such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,897 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,828 do not sustain damage during disassembly and are, thus, reusable for a later assembly. These reusable fasteners are generally L-shaped with tabs on each end. 
     The panels of the boxes or crates have either slots milled into the panels or a surrounding frame of four cleats around the peripheral edge of the panels. Two adjacent panels are assembled with the reusable fasteners by hooking one tab of the fastener over the edge of a cleat, or into a milled slot, of one panel, and spanning the joint between the adjacent panels by hooking the other tab over the edge of a cleat, or into a milled slot, of the other panel. The reusable fasteners are locked into place by the action of the two tabs against either the cleats or the inside of the slots. Multiple fasteners are used along the joint between the adjacent panels. When the boxes or crates are disassembled, the reusable fasteners are physically separated from the box or crate. This leads to problems such as misplacing or losing the fasteners, and exposing the fasteners to damage from objects larger than the fasteners. Since the reusable fasteners may be needed to assemble a box or crate at a later time, there is a need to prevent misplacement, loss, and damage of the fasteners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a reusable fastener that is prevented from becoming misplaced, lost, or damaged between panel disassembly and panel assembly. 
     This and other objects and advantages are provided in a fastener assembly for fastening together two adjacent cleated panels of a crate which is improved over prior devices in that a retainer secures the crate fastener to the cleated crate panel. In a first cleated embodiment, the retainer has a plate with one end mounted between the cleat and the panel, and the other end forming a loop adjacent to the interior edge of the cleat for pivotally connecting the crate fastener to the retainer. 
     In a second cleated embodiment, the retainer has a plate with one end mounted on the bottom surface of the cleat, and the other end forming a loop adjacent to the interior edge of the cleat for pivotally connecting the crate fastener to the retainer. For example, the panel may not be continuous, but instead may have gaps. In this case, the retainer may be mounted at a point on the cleat adjacent to a panel gap by mounting the retainer on the bottom of the cleat instead of between the cleat and the panel. 
     An improved fastener assembly for fastening together two adjacent slotted panels of a crate has a retainer for securing the crate fastener to the slotted crate panel. The retainer has a plate with one end mounted on the interior surface of the panel, and the other end forming a loop aligned with the panel slot for pivotally connecting the crate fastener to the retainer. 
     In addition, this and other objects and advantages are provided in a method of securing a crate fastener to a cleated crate panel which is improved over prior art methods in that the method performs the steps of forming a loop at one end of a plate, mounting the other end of the plate between a cleat and the panel such that the loop is adjacent to the interior edge of the cleat, and pivotally connecting the crate fastener to the loop. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the method secures a crate fastener to a cleated crate panel with gaps in the panel. The method is improved over prior art methods in that the method performs the steps of forming a loop at one end of a plate, mounting the other end of the plate on the bottom surface of the cleat such that the loop is adjacent to the interior edge of the cleat, and pivotally connecting the crate fastener to the loop. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, the improved method secures a crate fastener to a slotted crate panel. The method is improved over prior art methods in that the method performs the steps of forming a loop at one end of a plate, mounting the other end of the plate on the interior surface of the panel such that the loop is aligned with a panel slot, and pivotally connecting the crate fastener to the loop. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fastener assembly according to the present invention, showing a cleated crate assembled using the fastener assembly. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 1, enlarged to show in greater detail the fastener and retainer, and showing in dotted lines the position of the retainer as it is connected to the fastener in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a cut-away perspective view of the retainer of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the fastener assembly mounted between the cleat and the panel of the cleated crate and applied to the cleats of two adjacent panels. 
     FIG. 5 is the sectional view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 4 showing the position of the fastener assembly as it is being removed from the cleats of two adjacent panels of the cleated crate. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 4 showing the fastener assembly mounted to the bottom surface of the cleat of the crate and applied to the cleats of two adjacent panels. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the improved fastener assembly showing two adjacent panels of a slotted crate assembled using the fastener assembly. 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the fastener assembly mounted on the interior surface of the panel of the slotted crate and applied to two adjacent panels. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fastener assembly according to the present invention, showing a cleated crate assembled using the fastener assembly. The fastener assembly  10  is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 which shows a perspective view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 1, enlarged to show in greater detail the fastener and retainer, and showing in dotted lines the position of the retainer as it is connected to the fastener in accordance with the present invention. The fastener  20  is an L-shaped fastener of the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,897 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,828. The fastener  20  is made of spring wire and has two legs, a first leg  22  and a second leg  24 , that define the L-shape. The first leg  22  has a first tab  26  at an end of the first leg  22  farthest from the second leg  24 . The second leg  24  has a second tab  28  at an end of the second leg  24  farthest from the first leg  22 . The tabs  26  and  28  are substantially perpendicular to their respective legs  22  and  24  and extend inwardly, projecting in the general direction of the farthest legs  24  and  22 , respectively. The tabs  26  and  28  form a first loop  30  and a second loop  32 , respectively. The loops  30  and  32  lie in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the axes of the respective legs  22  and  24 . The axes of the loops  30  and  32  are perpendicular to the axes of the respective tabs  26  and  28 . 
     The fastener  20  illustrated in FIG.  2  and described above is known in the art. In accordance with the present invention, the improvement to the fastener  20  comprises a retainer  50 . In a preferred embodiment, the retainer  50  comprises a metal plate  52 . One end of the plate  52  has projections  54  substantially perpendicular to the plate  52 . The projections  54  are cut out of the plate  52  such that the projections  54  are pointed. The other end of the plate  52  forms a substantially closed loop  56 . The retainer  50  is connected to the fastener  20  by forming the substantially closed loop  56  of the retainer  50  around the loop  30  of the fastener  20 . In an alternative embodiment, the substantially closed loop  56  of the retainer  50  is formed around loop  32  of the fastener  20 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cut-away perspective view of the retainer  50  illustrating the plate  52 , the projections  54 , and the substantially closed loop  56 . 
     FIG. 1 shows the fastener assembly  10  applied to the cleated crate  100 . Each side of the cleated crate  100  is formed of a panel  110 . The panel  110  has a cleat  120  on each marginal edge of the panel  110 . Thus, each panel  110  has four cleats  120 . The cleat  120  has an interior edge  122  facing the interior portion of the panel  110 . The cleat  120  also has a bottom surface  124  as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The bottom surface  124  is the surface closest to the panel  110 . The panels  110  are assembled by mounting the fastener assembly  10  between the cleat  120  and the panel  110  and then applying the fastener assembly  10  to the cleats  120  of two adjacent panels  110 . This is more clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the fastener assembly mounted between the cleat and the panel of the cleated crate and applied to the cleats of two adjacent panels. A portion of the cleated crate  100  in FIG. 1 is illustrated with two adjacent panels depicted by a first panel  130  and a second panel  135 . The first panel  130  has a cleat  140  and the second panel  135  has a cleat  145 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the retainer  50  is pivotally connected to the fastener  20  by forming the substantially closed loop  56  at one end of the plate  52  around the loop  30  of the fastener  20 . The other end of the plate  52  is mounted between the first panel  130  and the cleat  140  of the first panel  130 . The projections  54  extend into the cleat  140 . After mounting the plate  52 , the substantially closed loop  56  is adjacent to the interior edge  122  of the cleat  140 . Adjacent may or may not imply contact. Thus, the substantially closed loop  56  may come in contact with the interior edge  122  of the cleat  140 , or the substantially closed loop  56  may be spaced apart from the interior edge  122  of the cleat  140 . In the latter case, the first leg  22  of the fastener  20  must be long enough to accommodate the additional spacing between the substantially closed loop  56  and the interior edge  122  of the cleat  140 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, the projections  54  extend into the first panel  130  instead of extending into the cleat  140 . In another embodiment, the plate  52  need not be formed of a solid piece of metal. For example, the plate  52  might be forked on each end, or there might be a segment cut out of the middle of the plate  52 . Many variations are possible as long as the plate  52  has one end forming a substantially closed loop  56  and the other end mountable between the first panel  130  and the cleat  140 . In a further embodiment, the retainer  50  is pivotally connected to the fastener  20  by forming the substantially closed loop  56  at one end of the plate  52  around the loop  32  of the fastener  20 . The other end of the plate  52  is mounted between the second panel  135  and the cleat  145  of the second panel  135  such that the substantially closed loop  56  is adjacent to the interior edge  122  of the cleat  145 . 
     In operation, the fastener  20  is applied to the cleat  140  of the first panel  130  and the cleat  145  of the second panel  135  by extending the first tab  26  along the interior edge  122  of the cleat  140 . The first leg  22  is then extended along the width of the cleat  140 . The second leg  24  is extended along the height of the cleat  140 , the height of the plate  52 , the height of the panel  130 , and the width of the cleat  145 . Finally, the second tab  28  is extended along the interior edge  122  of the cleat  145 . 
     FIG. 5 is the sectional view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 4 showing the position of the fastener assembly as it is being removed from the cleats of two adjacent panels of the cleated crate. In operation, once the fastener  20  is disengaged from the cleats  140  and  145 , the fastener  20  is free to move and would be physically separate and independent from the panel  130  if not for the pivotal connection of the substantially closed loop  56  of the retainer  50  to the loop  30  of the fastener  20 . Thus, it is seen that the present fastener assembly overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art fastener  20  by mounting the retainer  50  between the panel  130  and the cleat  140  and then pivotally connecting the fastener  20  to the retainer  50 . As a result, the disengaged fastener  20  is no longer physically separated from the panel  130 . This will prevent loss, misplacement, or damage of the fastener  20 . 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the fastener assembly of FIG. 4 showing the fastener assembly mounted to the bottom surface of the cleat of the crate and applied to the cleats of two adjacent panels. This is an alternative embodiment for mounting the plate  52  of the retainer  50  when the panel  130  is not continuous, but instead has a gap. The gap may occur adjacent to the cleat  140  in which case the plate  52  of the retainer  50  must be mounted on the bottom surface  124  of the cleat  140  with the projections  54  extending into the cleat  140 . 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the improved fastener assembly showing two adjacent panels of a slotted crate assembled using the fastener assembly. A first panel  200  and a second panel  205  have slots  210  and  215 , respectively. In addition, the first panel  200  and the second panel  205  each have an interior surface  220 . The first panel  200  and the second panel  205  are assembled by mounting the fastener assembly  10  on the interior surface  220  of the first panel  200  and then applying the fastener assembly  10  to the first panel  200  and the second panel  205 . This is more clearly shown in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the fastener assembly mounted on the interior surface of the panel of the slotted crate and applied to two adjacent panels. In a preferred embodiment, the retainer  50  is pivotally connected to the fastener  20  by forming the substantially closed loop  56  at one end of the plate  52  around the loop  30  of the fastener  20 . The other end of the plate  52  is mounted on the interior surface  220  of the first panel  200 . After mounting the plate  52 , the substantially closed loop  56  is aligned with the panel slot  210  of the first panel  200 . The projections  54  extend into the first panel  200 . The plate  52  may be mounted anywhere on the interior surface  220  of the first panel  200 , as for example, on the opposite side of the slot  210 , as long as the substantially closed loop  56  is aligned with the panel slot  210 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, the plate  52  need not be formed of a solid piece of metal. For example, the plate  52  might be forked on each end, or there might be a segment cut out of the middle of the plate  52 . Many variations are possible as long as the plate  52  has one end forming a substantially closed loop  56  and the other end mountable on the interior surface  220  of the first panel  200 . In another embodiment, the retainer  50  is pivotally connected to the fastener  20  by forming the substantially closed loop  56  at one end of the plate  52  around the loop  32  of the fastener  20 . The other end of the plate  52  is mounted on the interior surface  220  of the second panel  205 . After mounting the plate  52 , the substantially closed loop  56  is aligned with the panel slot  215  of the second panel  205 . 
     In operation, the fastener  20  is applied to the first panel  200  and the second panel  205  by extending the first tab  26  into the slot  210  of the first panel  200 . The first leg  22  is then extended along the distance between the slot  210  and the end  225  of the first panel  200 . The second leg  24  is extended along the height of the first panel  200  and the distance between the end  230  of the second panel  205  and the slot  215  of the second panel  205 . Finally, the second tab  28  is extended into the slot  215  of the second panel  205 . 
     Once the fastener  20  is disengaged from the first panel  200  and the second panel  205 , the fastener  20  is free to move and would be physically separate and independent from the first panel  200  if not for the pivotal connection of the substantially closed loop  56  of the retainer  50  to the loop  30  of the fastener  20 . Preferably the panel slots  210  and  215  are at least as wide as the lengths of the first tab  26  and the second tab  28 , respectively, to provide clearance for the tabs  26  and  28  when the fastener  20  is disengaged. Thus, it is seen that the present fastener assembly overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art fastener  20  by mounting the retainer  50  on the interior surface of the first panel  200  and then pivotally connecting the fastener  20  to the retainer  50 . As a result, the disengaged fastener  20  is no longer physically separated from the first panel  200 . This will prevent loss, misplacement, or damage of the fastener  20 . 
     While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.