Patent Publication Number: US-2011067208-A1

Title: Fastening assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure generally relates to device constructions, and particularly, to a fastening assembly. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A first member and a second member are often connected by a typical fastening assembly. The typical fastening assembly can include a bolt, a spring, a latching member, and an assembly hole defined in the first member. The bolt includes a threaded post and a cap. The spring and the latching member are slidably sleeved on the threaded post. The latching member includes a plurality of teeth at a periphery thereof. The threaded post runs through the assembly hole of the first member to engage with the second member. The teeth are impelled to engage with the assembly hole of the first member by external force. 
     However, the fastening assembly cannot be separated from the first member. In addition, if manufacturing precision of either member exceeds an allowable range, the assembly holes of the first member and the second member may not be aligned such that the first member and the second member cannot be connected by the fastening assembly. 
     Therefore, a fastening assembly is desired to overcome the described limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric, assembled view of an embodiment of a fastening assembly connecting a first member and a second member. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric, exploded view of the fastening assembly, the first member, and the second member of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-section of the fastening assembly, the first member, and second member taken along line III-III of  FIG. 1 , showing the fastening assembly aligning with the first member and the second member. 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , showing the fastening assembly connecting the first member with the second member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a fastening assembly  100  is applied to connect a first member  10  and a second member  70 . The fastening assembly  100  includes a fastening unit  30 , a latching member  50 , a mounting portion  13  formed on the first member  10 , a connecting hole  11  defined in the first member  10 , and a mounting hole  71  defined in the second member  70 . 
     The first member  10  defines the connecting hole  11  and includes the mounting portion  13  corresponding to the connecting hole  11 . The mounting portion  13  includes a sidewall  131  extending substantially perpendicularly from a periphery of the connecting hole  11 , and a resisting wall  133  connected with the sidewall  131  and facing the connecting hole  11 . The resisting wall  133  is substantially perpendicular to the sidewall  131 . The mounting portion  13  includes an opening  135  defined in the sidewall  131  and a sliding slot  1331  defined in the resisting wall  133 . The sliding slot  1331  communicates with the opening  135 . In the illustrated embodiment, the sidewall  131  is U-shaped, thus defining the opening  135 . Alternatively, the sidewall  131  may be any other shape accommodating the opening  135 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the fastening unit  30  includes a fastener  31  and an elastic member  33 . The fastener  31  includes a cap  311  and a post  313  extending from the cap  311 . The elastic member  33  is sleeved on the post  313 . The cap  311  defines a receiving slot  3111  for receiving at least part of the elastic member  33 . The post  313  includes a shaft portion  3131 , an engaging portion  3133 , and a resisting portion  3135  larger than and between the shaft portion  3131  and the engaging portion  3133 . In the illustrated embodiment, the engaging portion  3133  is threaded. 
     The latching member  50  includes a base  51  and a fixing portion  53  extending from the base  51 . The latching member  50  defines an engaging hole  55  extending through the base  51  and the fixing portion  53 . The fixing portion  53  includes a plurality of teeth  531 . In the illustrated embodiment, the engaging hole  55  is threaded. The second member  70  defines the mounting hole  71 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , during connection of the first member  10  with the second member  70 , the first member  10  and the second member  70  are positioned to approach each other and align the mounting hole  71  with the connecting hole  11 . The teeth  531  of the latching member  50  are riveted in the second member  70  and correspond to the mounting hole  71 . The post  313 , sleeved with the elastic member  33 , enters and slides in the sliding slot  1331  of the resisting wall  133  via the opening  135 . The engaging portion  3133  and the resisting portion  3135  are received in the mounting portion  13 . The cap  311 , the elastic member  33 , and the shaft portion  3131  are outside the mounting portion  13 . The resisting portion  3135  resists the resisting wall  133  to prevent the fastening unit  30  from leaving the mounting portion  13  via the sliding slot  1331 . The fastening unit  30  is impelled closer to the second member  70  as the fastening unit  30  slides relative to the mounting hole  71 . 
     When the engaging portion  3133  contacts the engaging hole  55 , the fastening unit  30  is rotated to engage with the latching member  50  fixed to the second member  70 . Opposite ends of the elastic member  33  resist the cap  311  and the resisting wall  133 , thus retaining the fastening unit  30  in position. The first member  10  and the second member  70  are thus connected. The fastening unit  30  may be rotated to a position in which an end of the cap  311  resists the resisting wall  133 . 
     To facilitate separation of the first member  10  from the second member  70 , the fastening unit  30  is rotated away from the latching member  50  so that the engaging portion  3133  of the fastener  31  disengages from the engaging hole  55  of the latching member  50 . The fastening unit  30  may be detached from the first member  10  via the opening  135 , a considerably simple and effective operation. 
     The connecting hole  11  is larger than the mounting hole  71 , such that even if the connecting hole  11  and/or the mounting hole  71  deviate from functional positions within an allowable range, the connecting hole  11  of the first member  10  can still align with the mounting hole  71  of the second member  70 . The fastening assembly  100  thus presents less manufacturing precision requirements for the first member  10  and the second member  70 . In addition, a relative position of the engaging portion  3133  of the fastener  31  and the mounting hole  71  of the second member  70  can be clearly seen via the opening  135 , which facilitates operation. 
     Alternatively, the mounting hole  71  may be threaded so that the latching member  50  may be omitted. The receiving slot  3111  may also be omitted and the elastic member  33  resists an end of the cap  311 . 
     Finally, while various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.