Abstract:
A two-piece, decorative fastener assembly for securing a license plate to a vehicle. The decorative fastener uniquely includes a threaded fastener for securing the license plate to the vehicle and a decorative cover that can be quickly and easily connected directly to the head portion of the threaded fastener.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to license plate fasteners. More particularly, the invention concerns license plate fasteners that comprise a threaded fastener for securing the license plate to the vehicle and a decorative cover that is removably connected to the threaded fastener. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    A number of different types of license plate fasteners have been suggested in the past for interconnecting license plates to the front and rear of vehicles. Exemplary of such license plate fasteners is the fastener disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,967 issued to Rosenbaum. The Rosenbaum invention concerns a bolt cap cover that comprises a locking retainer member that fits over the flats of a standard hex-headed bolt and a cap having a generally cylindrical inner surface that fits over the retainer. The retainer is made of a resilient material such as nylon and is designed such that it abuts the lateral flats of the bolt head when the cap is installed. The cap itself may be of various designs and materials, thereby permitting a variety of decorative appearances to be achieved. The cylindrical inner surface of the cap compresses the retainer against the flats of the bolt head as the cap is installed over the retainer, thereby securing both the cap and retainer to the bolt head. 
         [0005]    Another type of prior art license plate fastener is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,549 issued to Fallon. The Fallon fastener comprises a generally tubular insert or adaptor made of a resilient material structure like Nylon that includes an annular first end surface surrounded by a peripheral skirt. The annular first end surface is engageable in the manner of a washer by the head of a license plate fastener that is otherwise surrounded by the skirt with the free edge of this skirt provided with an exterior peripheral bead shaped for radial capture in an interior recess formed in a domed, decorative covering cap. A circular seat provided on the domed cap exterior is then useful and conformed to receive one of variously marked plugs to match the logo, style or mark of the vehicle manufacturer or any other style or symbol. 
         [0006]    A typical component of the prior art license plate fasteners is some type of retainer member that fits over the head of the fastener used to connect the license plate to the vehicle. The retainer member of the prior art devices constitutes the means by which the decorative cover portion of the device is affixed. In other words, the prior art devices consist of three parts, namely the threaded connector for connecting the license plate to the vehicle, the retainer member that fits over the threaded connector and the decorative head cover that is held in position by the retainer member. In sharp contradistinction, the novel apparatus of the present invention comprises only two components, namely a threaded fastener used to interconnect the license plate to the vehicle and a decorative cover that is removably interconnected directly with the head of the threaded fastener. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a two-piece, decorative fastener assembly for securing a license plate to a vehicle. The decorative fastener uniquely includes a threaded fastener for securing the license plate to the vehicle and a decorative cover that is connected directly to the head portion of the threaded fastener. 
         [0008]    Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener assembly of the aforementioned character which is of a two-piece construction comprising a threaded fastener and a decorative cover that can be quickly and easily connected directly to the head portion of the threaded fastener. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a two-piece fastener assembly in which the face of the decorative cover is provided with decorative symbols that match the logo, style or mark of the vehicle manufacturer. 
         [0010]    Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener assembly of the character described in which the configuration of the decorative cover is indicative of the logo associated with the vehicle. 
         [0011]    Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener assembly as described in the preceding paragraphs in which the decorative cover is provided with a plurality of circumferential spaced-apart, resiliently deformable gripping segments for gripping the head portion of the threaded fastener. 
         [0012]    Another object of the invention is to provide a faster assembly of the type described in which the upper surface of the head portion of the threaded fastener is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending striations for resisting rotation of the decorative cover relative to the threaded fastener. 
         [0013]    Another object of the invention is to provide a two-piece fastener assembly for securing a license plate to a vehicle that is of simple design, is highly attractive in appearance, is easy to use and can be manufactured inexpensively in substantial quantities. 
         [0014]    By way of summary, these and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a decorative, two-piece fastener assembly for use in mounting a license plate onto a vehicle that includes a threaded fastener for securing the license plate to the vehicle, the threaded fastener including a head portion having a diameter and a threaded shank portion, the head portion having a top wall, a bottom wall and a sidewall interconnecting said top and bottom wall; and a decorative cover connected to the head portion of said threaded fastener, the decorative cover comprising a body portion having a front face, a rear face and a counter-bore having a diameter larger than said diameter of said head portion of the threaded fastener, the body portion further including gripping means disposed within said bore for gripping the head portion of said threaded fastener. In the preferred form of the invention the gripping means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart, resiliently deformable gripping segments, each said gripping segment terminating in a gripping protuberance for engagement with a circumferentially extending shoulder provided on the head portion of the threaded fastener. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a generally perspective, front view of one form of the decorative fastener of the invention for use in mounting a license plate onto a vehicle. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a generally perspective, exploded view of the decorative illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a generally perspective, exploded, rear view of the form of decorative illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a generally perspective, rear view, similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the threaded fastener component of the decorative fastener interconnected with the head portion thereof. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a generally perspective, rear view of an alternate form of the decorative fastener of the invention in which the threaded fastener is integrally formed with the head portion. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  a greatly enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a generally perspective, front view of the threaded fastener component of the decorative fastener of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a greatly enlarged, generally perspective view of the area designated in  FIG. 4  as “ 8 - 8 ”. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is an exploded, generally perspective front view of still another form of the decorative fastener of the invention for use in mounting a license plate onto a vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Referring to the drawings and particularly to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , one form of the two-piece, decorative fastener of the invention for use in mounting a license plate onto a motor vehicle is there shown and generally designated by the numeral  14 . In this form of the invention the fastener assembly comprises a stainless steel threaded fastener  16  for securing the license plate to the vehicle and a decorative cover  18  that can be releasably affixed to the threaded fastener. In this regard, vehicle license plates are typically formed from a thin metal stamping that is provided with fastener openings along the edges thereof. Similarly, the vehicle is provided with a plurality of apertures that are designed to receive threaded fasteners, such as fastener  16 , that can be used to attach the license plate to the vehicle. 
         [0025]    In the present form of the invention fastener, or screw,  16  has a threaded shank portion  20  and a head portion  22  having a hexagonal wrench-receiving aperture  23 , a diameter “D- 1 ” and a height “H” ( FIG. 3 ). As best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings, head portion  22  also has a top wall  22   a,  a bottom wall  22   b  and a tapered sidewall  22   c  interconnecting the top and bottom wall. As indicated in  FIG. 3 , tapered sidewall  22   c  terminates in a circumferentially extending shoulder  22   d.    
         [0026]    The second component of the two-piece decorative fastener of the invention comprises the previously identified decorative cover  18  that can be releasably connected to head portion  22  of the threaded fastener in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 4  of the drawings. Decorative cover  18 , which is preferably formed from a moldable plastic such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), comprises a generally shield-shaped body portion  24  having a front face  24   a,  a rear face  24   b  and a generally cylindrical, centrally located first cavity  24   c.  Cover  18  can be formed in various configurations identifiable with the logos of a particular motor vehicle and the front face  24  of the cover can be provided with indicia representative of a particular motor vehicle or representative of the owner of the vehicle. 
         [0027]    Disposed within first cavity  24   c  of the cover  18  are novel gripping means for gripping the head portion  22  of the threaded fastener  20  when the head portion of the fastener is inserted into the cavity  24   c  in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 4  of the drawings. These important gripping means here comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart, resiliently deformable gripping segments  26  that cooperate to define a tapered second cavity  27 . As best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 8  of the drawings, each of the gripping segments  26  terminates in a rounded-gripping protuberance  28  for gripping engagement with the circumferentially extending shoulder  22   d  of the head portion of the fastener  20  when the head portion of the fastener is inserted into second cavity  27  in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 8  of the drawings. As indicated in  FIGS. 3 and 6  of the drawings, gripping protuberances  28  cooperate to define an opening having a diameter “D- 2 ” that is slightly smaller than the diameter “D- 1 ” of the head portion  22  of the threaded fastener  16 . 
         [0028]    With the construction described in the preceding paragraphs and as illustrated in the drawings, the threaded fasteners  16  of the invention that are provided with self-tapping threads  16 a, can be used in a conventional manner to interconnect a license plate with the particular vehicle the logo of which matches the logo of the decorative cover of the decorative cover. When the license plate is attached to the vehicle, the head portions  22  as well as the circumferentially spaced shoulders  22   d  of the fasteners  16  are exposed so that the decorative covers can be expeditiously interconnected with the threaded fasteners in the manner next to be described. 
         [0029]    Although the diameter “D- 2 ” of the opening defined by the gripping segments  26  is slightly less than the diameter “D- 1 ” of the head portion  22  of the threaded fasteners, because of the resilient nature of the gripping segments  26 , a inward force exerted on the head portion  22  of a decorative cover will cause the gripping segments to spread apart a sufficient distance to permit the head portion of the threaded fastener to be received within and seat against the lower surface  27   a  of the cavity  27 . As the head portion  22  of the cover seats against the lower surface of the cavity, the gripping segments  26  will return to their initial configuration and the gripping protuberances  28  will seat against the circumferentially extending shoulder  22   d  in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 8  of the drawings. With the gripping protuberances  28  in engagement with the circumferentially extending shoulders  22   d  of the head portions of the fasteners  16 , the decorative cover will be securely held in position on the threaded fasteners  16 . To further secure the cover  18  to the screw head,  22 , the taper of the cavity  27  and the taper of the head portion  22  of the screw  16  are strategically sized so that the cover is press-fit over the head portion of the screw. 
         [0030]    Turning now to  FIG. 7  of the drawings, it is to be noted that in one form of the invention the upper surface  22   a  of the threaded fastener  16  is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending protuberances, or striations,  33  that are engageable with the generally planar surface  27   a  of second cavity  27  when the cover  18  is in position over the head portion of the threaded fastener. These important radially extending protuberances  33  function to grip the generally planar surface  27   a  of second cavity  27  to resist rotation of the cover relative to the threaded fastener when the cover is in position over the threaded fastener in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. 
         [0031]    Referring next to  FIG. 5  of the drawings, another form of the decorative fastener of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral  35 . This form of the invention is similar in many respects to that illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4  of the drawings. However, in this latest form of the invention the decorative fastener  35  is molded in a single piece and comprises a threaded fastener portion  35   a,  which is of similar construction to threaded fastener  16  and a decorative cover  35   b,  which is of similar construction to the previously described cover  18 . As before, cover  35   b,  while shown as being generally shield-shaped, can be of various shapes and various types of indicia can be imprinted on the front face  35   c  of the cover. Fasteners  35 , which include self-tapping threads  35   d,  can be used in the same manner as a conventional threaded screw to interconnect a vehicle license plate to a motor vehicle. 
         [0032]    Referring next to  FIG. 9  of the drawings, still another form of the decorative fastener of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the  37 . This form of the invention is similar in many respects to that illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4  of the drawings and like numerals are used in  FIG. 9  to identify like components. Like the earlier described fastener of the invention, fastener  37  is of a two-part construction comprising a threaded fastener  16  that is substantially identical in construction and operation to that previously described, and a decorative cover  39  that is substantially identical to the previously described cover  18 , save that the configuration of cover  39  is generally hexagonal in shape. Additionally, the upper face  39   a  of the cover is provided with fanciful indicia  41  that can be representative of the vehicle owner or of the company that owns the vehicle. In this regard, it is to be understood that the cover of the decorative fastener can be of any desired shape and can exhibit various types of indicia has maybe desired by the vehicle owner. 
         [0033]    Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statues, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims: