Abstract:
A fastener has provided particularly useful for mounting a panel to an underlying supporting structure. The fastener includes a socket component and a plug component. The socket component has a cup open at one end and an external spiral thread. The axis of the spiral thread is parallel with the open direction of the cup. The socket may be embedded in a predrilled aperture in a supporting structure by a rotary driving action. The wall of the cup provides a constriction or throat spaced from the bottom of the cup. The plug component has a base with an external spiral thread and a protrusion from the base. The base of the plug can be screwed into a predrilled aperture in a panel. A protrusion from the base extends substantially co-axial with the axis of the thread. The protrusion includes a head portion spaced away from the base. The protrusion is sized to enter the cup of the socket component and the head portion is sized to interfere with the throat but to be forcible past the throat. With the head of the plug component forced past the throat of the cup the plug component is engaged in the socket. The fastener provides a panel mounting solution that is easy to install and where the components can be replaced as required.

Description:
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to devices and arrangements for removably mounting panels to underlying support structures.  
         [0003]     2. Summary of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     In the luxury boat and yacht industry there is a general desire for wall and/or ceiling panels to be fixed in place but able to be removed and reinstated as necessary for maintenance and refurbishment or for accessing areas behind the panels. In a typical construction the panels are mounted to a wooden framework affixed to the hull. Typically each panel is a plywood panel upholstered or veneered on its outer face and edges. One current approach for fixing the panels to the framework involves large quantities of hook and loop fastener material such as VELCRO. Lines of the hook material are secured to one of the panel or framework and corresponding lines of the loop material are applied to the other of the panel and framework. The panel is lifted into place, positioned and pressed against the framework to engage the hook and loop components. This hook and loop attachment has the disadvantages that security of the connection can deteriorate over time, the effectiveness of the hooks and/or loops can deteriorate over repeated removal and reinstatement, the panels must be located by eye during reinstatement and can end up inaccurately mounted, the depth of mounting of the panel relative to the framework is not always consistent and a great quantity of the fastener material is required to securely hold the panels in place with an associated high cost in materials and labour.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is an object of the present to provide panel mounting arrangements and elements thereof which at least go some way toward overcoming the above disadvantages or which will provide the public with a useful choice.  
         [0006]     Accordingly in one aspect the present invention consists in a fastener for mounting a panel to a support, the fastener comprising:  
         [0007]     a socket component having a cup open to at least one end, an external spiral thread, the axis of said spiral thread being substantially parallel with the open direction of said cup, the wall of said cup providing a constriction or throat spaced from the bottom of the cup; and  
         [0008]     a plug component having a base with an external spiral thread, and a protrusion from said base extending substantially coaxial with the axis of said thread, said protrusion including a head portion distal from said base, said protrusion sized to enter said cup of said socket component and said head portion sized to interfere with said throat but to be forcible past said throat.  
         [0009]     In a further aspect the present invention consists in a tool for use with a fastener including a socket component for embedding in a support member leaving an open cup exposed, said tool including:  
         [0010]     a body shaped to engage in the open end of said cup and bear on said socket to prevent insertion beyond a predetermined depth, and  
         [0011]     a point extending from said body, positioned so as to be centrally located relative to said hollow, and oriented to extend away from said hollow, with said body engaged in a said hollow.  
         [0012]     To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation in cross section of a panel clip according to the present invention comprising a male component, with a ball, engaged in a female component, the socket.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional side elevation through panels and support structure using the panel clip of  FIG. 1 , illustrating application of the panel clip of  FIG. 1  for mounting panels to a support structure.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cutaway isometric view of mounted panels in accordance with the arrangement in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the socket of  FIG. 1  from one end.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the socket of  FIG. 1  from the other end.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the ball of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation of the ball of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a centre point insert for use with the socket of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional side elevation of the socket of  FIG. 1  with the centre point insert of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation of a tool for assisting the installation of the ball of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of the tool of  FIG. 10 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a side elevation of a tool for assisting installation of the socket of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is an isometric view of a drill for assisting installation of the socket and the ball of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]     According to one preferred aspect the present invention comprises a fastener for mounting a panel to a support. The invention will be particularly described with reference to the type of panel and type of support commonly found in luxury boats and yachts, however it would be appreciated that the invention can equally be applied to mounting panels in other situations, such as high quality interior fit-outs for buildings of various type. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the fastener is in the form of a panel clip as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The panel clip  1  includes a socket component  2  and a plug component  3 . In use one of the socket component and plug component is fitted to the supporting structure and the other is fitted to the panel for mounting on the supporting structure. Typically the panel is thinner than the supporting structure and accordingly the socket component  2  is mounted in the supporting structure and the plug component  3  is mounted to the panel.  
         [0027]     The socket component  2  is particularly illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 4  and  5 . The socket comprises a thin walled body in the general form of an open ended cup. The cup may taper, at  4  to closed end  5 . Taper  4  eases installation of the socket into a predrilled aperture, aligning the socket as it is driven into place. A thread  8  is provided on the external surface of the cup. The spiral thread  8  is preferably formed to allow self-tapping into soft and medium wood. We have found that this can also be effective to secure the socket into plastic or glass reinforced plastic. For thin section metals the socket can still be used, secured in place through an oversized hole by a nut threading onto the portion of the socket fitted through the hole. To enhance the self-tapping capability of thread  8  the thread may. be provided as a series of spiral sections, for example divided by breaks  9 . The thread may be integrally formed with the body of the socket of the same plastic. Alternatively the thread may be provided as a metal insert, making the socket even more useful where the intended substrate material is particularly hard.  
         [0028]     The open cup of socket component  2  includes a substantially cylindrical chamber  10 . An annular lip  11  protrudes inwards adjacent the entrance to cylindrical chamber  10 . Between the annular lip  11  and the open end of the cup the cup wall is formed in the shape of a hexagonal socket  12 . At the open end of the cup the thin wall of the socket component extends outward as flange  14 . The intended inward face  16  of flange  14  buts against the face of the supporting framework once the socket is fully installed.  
         [0029]     The plug component  3  is particularly illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 6  and  7 . The plug component includes a base portion for mounting to the panel and a protruding portion for fixing into the socket component. In the preferred embodiment the base portion includes a flange  20  and a substantially cylindrical body  22  extending from one face of the flange. The substantially cylindrical body  22  has an external thread  24 . The external thread  24 , like external thread  8  is preferably self-tapping into soft and medium timber. To these ends the spiral thread  24  may be a series of short sections divided as at gaps  26 . The protruding portion of the plug component extends from the opposite face of flange  20 . The protruding portion includes a head  28 . The head  28  is sized and shaped to fit within the cylindrical portion  10  of the cup of socket component  2 . The head  28  is sized and shaped to not fit easily past the protruding lip  11  within the cup of socket component  2 . The protruding lip  11  effectively forms a constricted throat. The head  28  can only pass the constricted throat upon application of sufficient force to temporarily elastically deform either the head portion of plug  3  or the body of socket  2 . It will be seen in  FIG. 1  that the minimum diameter of the cup at the annular lip  11  is somewhat less than the full width of head  28  of plug  3 . In fact in the illustration of  FIG. 1  the two components are illustrated in their unstressed form and there is seen to be some overlap between the head portion  28  and the lip  11 .  
         [0030]     In the preferred embodiment the plug component  3  is formed so as to provide for a degree of lateral flexibility to allow tolerance in the relative mounting of the plug and socket components for any given panel. In the illustrated embodiment this is provided by a cantilever support  30  for head portion  28 . The support  30  extends from the face of flange  20 . The support  30  is centrally located relative to flange  20  and is comparatively narrow relative to the head  28 . The head  28  is supported from the free end of cantilever  30 . Preferably connected with cantilever  30  adjacent the apex  32  within a cavity  34  in the rear face of the head portion  28 . Stabilising bridge portions  36  may be provided between the cantilever  30  and the head portion  28  further back from the apex  32 . The bridge portions  36  may stop general canting of the head portion  28  about the apex  32  but allow for compression of the head portion  28  during engagement into socket  2 . To these ends the head portion  28  preferably comprises a pair of curved wings  38  connected at a crown  40  adjacent the apex  32 . Viewed from above crown  40  the head portion appears as a circle with a pair of parallel segments removed.  
         [0031]     Between each wing  38  and the flange  20  the plug component  3  includes a substantially oblong upstand  46 . The upstands  46  provide a means for engaging the plug component to drive it during installation. In particular the ends of the upstands end flush with the flattened sides of the head portion  28  so that a complementary socket past over the head portion  28  can engage against the end of the upstand walls.  
         [0032]     The panel clips illustrated in their installed form in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the installation of the clip, with the plug component  3  fixed into an aperture  45  in an upholstered panel  47 . The flange  20  buts the inner surface of the panel  47 . The socket component  2  is fitted in a aperture  49  in support member  51 . The flange  14  of socket  2  has its rear surface  16  butting against the outer surface of support member  51 . The apertures  45  and  49  preferably comprise predrilled holes sized specifically to take the respective component and allow the respective component to engage in the hole by the self-tapping spiral threads. This is preferred due to its simplicity of installation and the ease with which broken or damaged socket or plug components can be removed and replaced.  
         [0033]     It is with this preferred installation method (threading to place) in mind that the socket is provided in an substantially cylindrical form, so that relative orientations of the socket component and plug component are not a factor when fitting the panel.  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  illustrates the general layout of panel clips in relation to panels on a supporting structure, with panel clips provided at intervals around the perimeter of panels.  
         [0035]     Typical installation of the panel clips will proceed as follows: 
        The un-upholstered panels will be temporarily secured in place on the underlying support. For example it may be temporarily screwed to the support as the exposed surfaces of the panel will subsequently be upholstered to obscure any resulting marks or holes.     A pilot hole is drilled at each panel clip location through the panel and into the underlying support. Alternatively the appropriately dimensioned hole for the mounting portion of the plug component can be drilled through the panel and sufficiently further to at least mark the underlying support.     The panel is then removed and upholstered or finished as required.        
 
         [0039]     Each of the pilot holes or marks in the support structure is drilled out sufficient to provide a hole to receive a socket component.  
         [0040]     A socket component is driven into each of the receiving holes in the support structure, a plug component is driven into each of the receiving holes in the upholstered panels when these return from upholstering.  
         [0041]     The panels may then be fitted by lifting to position and pressing the periphery into place to engage the protruding portions of the plug components within the cups of the sockets. The panel may be removed by prising it away from the supporting structure with sufficient force to disengage the protruding portion of the plug components from the cups of the socket components. In the unlikely event that any plug component or socket component is damaged in removing a panel it can be simply unscrewed and replaced by screwing in a replacement component.  
         [0042]     To aid in this installation process in further aspects the present invention comprises certain assisting tools.  
         [0043]     A first tool, illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9  is provided to assist where there is a requirement for installing plug components on a panel that is already upholstered. In that situation the socket components (or additional socket components if it is for the addition of additional clips for a pre-existing panel) is first installed in the supporting structure. A centre marking tool  60  is then fitted to the socket  2 . The panel is lifted into place and pressed against the socket and the marking tool  60  leaves an impression in the reverse face of the panel. This impression marks the centre for drilling a receiving hole for the plug component. The marking tool  60  comprises a body portion  62  which inserts into the open hollow of the socket. The body portion  62  preferably comprises a substantially cylindrical wall which can resiliently engage against the annular lip  11 . Preferably, like the socket component  2  and plug component  3 , the marking tool  60  is made of a hard plastic. Accordingly the cylindrical wall  62  includes a series of breaks  72  to allow some flexibility in the region of its upper edge.  
         [0044]     The cylindrical wall  62  is capped by an end  64  which includes an outwardly extending flange  65 . The outwardly extending flange  65  overlaps the flange  14  of the socket component and prevents over insertion of the tool  60  into the socket component. The tool  60  includes one or more protruding features to leave an indent in a panel that is pressed against it. Most importantly these protruding features include a protruding centrepoint  66 . This centrepoint  66  is centrally located on the face  64  so that it is centred relative to the socket component  2  with the body  62  of the tool engaged in the socket component. Preferably there is also a protruding rim  68  around the periphery of the flange  64 .  
         [0045]     To assist removal of the marking tool  60  from the socket  2  an outwardly extending tab  70  is provided extending from the flange portion  65 . A user may pull on the tab  70  and the tool  60  will come free.  
         [0046]      FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate a further tool, being a driver for installing plug components according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The driver includes a body  80  with a socket  82  at one end and a chuck engageable shaft  84  extending from the other end. The chuck engageable member  84  and the socket  82  are preferably co-axial so that rotation of the tool with the chuck engageable member  84  engaged in for example a drill, has the body  80  and socket  82  rotating about its longitudinal axis. Preferably, to substantially match the form of the protruding portion of the plug component the socket  82  comprises an oval hole of substantially constant cross-section. Preferably the overall hole has straight sides  88  separated by the same distance as the width of head portion  28  and/or length of oblong upstand walls  46 , so that in use the flat sides  88  of socket  82  drive against the ends of walls  46  when the protruding portion of the plug component is fitted into the socket  82 . The driver may also be provided with flats  86  to be engaged by, for example, a spanner, in the case that a suitable driver is not available or cannot be used due to space constraints. It will also be appreciated that a spanner may be used directly on the oblong upstand walls  46  if necessary.  
         [0047]     A further tool illustrated in  FIG. 12  is adapted for driving home the socket components of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. This driver includes a chuck engageable shaft  90 , a head  92  and a collar  94 . The head  92  is sized to fit within the cylindrical cup portion  10  of socket component  2 . It may be sized to slightly engage with the protruding lip  11  so that the socket is held in place on the driver. The collar  94  is formed to engage in the driving socket  12  of the socket component  2 . For example in the illustrated form the driving socket  12  of socket component  2  is provided as an open hexagonal socket with six flats. Accordingly the collar  94  is provided as a complementary shape and size having six matching outward flat  96 . In use the tool can be fitted and secured in the chuck of for example a cordless handheld screwdriver and socket components can be installed by, for each component, fitting the component over the head  92  until the collar  94  engages in socket  12 , driving the component into place using the cordless screwdriver, then pulling the cordless screwdriver and tool free from the installed socket component.  
         [0048]     A further tool, illustrated in  FIG. 13 , comprises a drill bit specifically adapted for installing a two-part fastening such as that of the preferred embodiment. The drill bit has a chuck engageable shaft  100 , a first drill portion  102  of a first diameter and a further drill portion  104  of a second diameter. The diameter of drill portion  102  is less than the diameter of drill portion  104 . Preferably the diameter of drill portion  102  is of the dimension required to drill a hole for mounting the plug component of the present invention and the diameter of the second portion  104  is dimensioned to drill a hole for installing the socket component of the present invention. A collar  106  is provided between the drill portion  104  and the chuck engageable shaft  100  to provide a depth limit.  
         [0049]     The drill thus described is preferably of the form having a cylindrical type body with one or more axial rebates  108 , with the cutting edge comprising the edge between a wall of the rebate  108  and the outer surface of the body. It will be appreciated in the present configuration the body is not so much cylindrical as a series of cylindrical portions connected by frusto-conical steps.  
         [0050]     The plug component  3 , socket component  2  and marking component  60  have been described as being preferably formed from a rigid plastic material. A suitable rigid plastic material may for example comprise a suitable acetylplastic. These plastic components are preferably produced by injection moulding. The other tools, illustrated in FIGS.  10  to  13  are preferably formed from a tool steel and may be manufactured in any suitable manner which will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art.