Patent Publication Number: US-4056275-A

Title: Closure catch assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to fastening means; and, more particularly, to closure fasteners for cabinets or the like. 
     One type of closure fastener used today in cabinetry is like that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,551 entitled &#34;CLOSURE-FASTENER FOR CABINETS OR THE LIKE&#34; and issued May 22, 1973. Such fastener includes a catch member or female component, having two middle flanges spring biased toward each other extending from a base member. The base member is connected to the cabinet by screws extending through openings in the base member. A strike component, or male component, includes a protrusion from a base adapted to be received between the two flanges of the catch component. The base of the strike component also has an opening for passing a screw to mount the strike component. Such closures typically have many drawbacks including difficulty in alignment, cost, and inability to hold alignment under rugged use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A fastener assembly in accordance with an embodiment of this invention includes a screw-like elongated strike component having a generally spherical head portion which can be adjusted in longitudinal position by turning the strike component. The fastener further includes a catch component having a U-shaped member for engaging the spherical head. The U-shaped member projects substantially perpendicularly from a cup-shaped, elongated base member having a wall spaced from the surface on which the base member is to be mounted. Elongated, longitudinal screw receiving slots extend through such wall of the base member. The wall and thus the perimeter of the slots are flexible thereby providing a flexible screw engaging means for providing a biasing force which prevents the base member from sliding and thus preventing misalignment of the catch. The U-shaped member has a pair of opposing flexible flanges or fingers extending forwardly from a connecting rearward portion thereby defining a catch which can slide over and secure to the head of the strike component. 
     The fastener is particularly advantageous because the strike component is only one item and the catch component is one item plus any mounting screws required for mounting. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, two mounting screws are used so there is a total of four pieces. Further, the pieces adjust with respect to one another thereby facilitating installation and compensating for any misalignment. The catch component adjusts longitudinally (e.g. up and down) along the slots and the strike component adjusts in and out by screwing. The U-shaped member is sufficiently long to compensate for some misalignment (e.g. left and right) of the catch component and the strike component. Further, the said wall and thus the perimeter of the slot is formed of flexible material which forms a flexible screw engaging means for providing a force restraining longitudinal movement of the catch component relative to the fastening screws. The use of the slots makes possible an easy adjustment. Without the slots, the screws would have to be removed and changed in location. As a result of the few pieces and their adjustability, the fastener can be produced at a relatively low cost and can be relatively quickly and easily installed even by persons with relatively little skill. Further, the fastener has better holding ability, i.e., the ability to hold its position on the cabinet so as to avoid misalignment of the catch with the strike. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective exploded view of a fastener in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a strike component of a fastener in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a catch component in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross section view along section line IV--IV of FIG. 3 and a side elevation view of a mounting screw in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a catch component of a fastener in accordance with an embodiment of this invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a back elevation view of a catch component in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawing, a fastener assembly 10 includes a strike component 11 and a catch component 20. Strike component 11 includes a threaded portion 12 and a generally spherical head 13 having an indentation 14 for receiving a screwdriver, or the like for turning strike component 11. 
     Catch component 20 includes two cup-shaped ends 31 and 32 each having an elongated base having a top wall 33 and 34, respectively, with depending side walls 33a, 33b, 33c and 33d and 34a, 34b, 34c and 34d, respectively. The top walls 33 and 34 have the slots or elongated openings 23 and 22, respectively. Connecting the two cup-shaped members 31 and 32 is a connecting web 35 from which a U-shaped member 24 projects perpendicularly therefrom. U-shaped member 24 includes a pair of curved flanges 25a and 25b which oppose each other and are connected by a back portion 26. 
     The catch component 20 is mounted to a cabinet or the like using a pair of specially shaped and dimensioned screws 28a and 28b. The screws 28a and 28b are formed with an enlarged head portion 29, a tapered portion 40, a neck 30 and a threaded portion 31. The diameter of the enlarged head portion 29 is slightly greater than the width of the slots 22 and 23 while the neck 30 is of slightly less diameter than the width of the slots so as to permit the neck to extend through the slots. The diameter of tapered portion 40 increases from the diameter of neck 30 to a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of head portion 29. For this purpose, the diameter of the neck is 0.164 inches and the width of the slot is .166 inches while the diameter of the head is 0.297 inches. The length of neck 30 is slightly less than 1/8 inches which is slightly less than the thickness of the two cup-shaped ends. The combined length of neck 30 and tapered portion 40 is about 1/8 inches and therefore equal to about the thickness of the two cup-shaped ends. Further, the side walls of tapered portion 40 form an angle of about 120° with respect to the side walls of neck 30. The neck 30 thus limits the extent of how far the screw is screwed into a mounting frame 90 and the extent of deflection of the top walls 33 and 34 by the screw tapered portion 40. Thus, when the screw is screwed into frame 90 so that the shoulder of the neck 30 abuts against the frame as shown in FIG. 4, the top walls 33 and 34 of the cup-shaped ends 31 and 32 are flexed causing the enlarged head 29 and tapered portion 40 to securely hold the catch in position. However, if it is desirable to adjust the catch when it is being installed or subsequent thereto, the screws are not tightened or are backed off very slightly causing the tapered portion 40 to slightly contact walls 33 and 34 permitting adjustment of the catch. While permitting adjustment, the heads by their contact with walls 33 and 34 temporarily hold the catch in each position of adjustment until the screws can be screwed in more tightly into a position where the shoulder of the neck 30 abuts against the frame or cabinet. 
     In order to provide the top walls with sufficient resiliency to permit deformation thereof when the screws 28b and 28a are tightened to their fullest extent, the catch is constructed of a plastic material such as polypropylene having a top wall thickness of 0.020 inches. The catch is preferably integrally formed of such plastic material in order to permit the deformation of both the flanges 25a and 25b and the top walls adjacent the slots 22 and 23. In this integrally formed molded component, the U-shaped member 24 is connected principally at back portion 26 to base member 21. That is, flanges 25a and 25b are free to move with respect to base member 21. Because the perimeter of openings 22 and 23 is deformable, screws 28a and 28b can be inserted any place along the entire length of openings 22 and 23 and will provide a force against slipping of catch component 20 relative to mounting screws 28a and 28b because of deformable indentations at the edge of openings 22 and 23 where screws 28a and 28b pass through. If desired, U-shaped member 24 can have interior grooves 35 generally parallel to the axis of strike component 11 for receiving and guiding head 13. 
     OPERATION 
     Installation of fastener assembly 10 is facilitated because openings 22 and 23 permit longitudinal (e.g. up and down) movement of catch component 20 after mounting screws 28a and 28b are partially inserted. As explained above, when the screws 28a and 28b are screwed into position with tapered portion 40 abutting against top walls 33 and 34, but with the shoulder of neck 30 slightly spaced from the frame of the cabinet, the catch component can be slidably adjusted and is temporarily held in position until the screws are further screwed into position with the shoulder of neck 30 tight against frame 90. Further, head 13 of strike component 11 can be positioned in or out with respect to an interior receiving cavity substantially defined by U-shaped member 24, by screwing strike component 11 in or out. Additionally, U-shaped member 24 extends substantially beyond the surface of base member 21 to provide a sufficiently long receiving cavity to compensate for minor mislocations (e.g. side to side) of strike component 11. As a result, fastener assembly 10 provides for a three-way adjustment or compensation (e.g. up and down, in and out, side to side) and makes installation advantageously simple. 
     Typically, catch component 20 is installed into the interior of a cabinet or the like by means of mounting screws 28a and 28b partially tightened as described above. Strike component 11 is then inserted into U-shaped member 24 and the cabinet door closed to see where strike component 11 should be located in the door. Strike component 11 is screwed into the door until head 13 is positioned to be engaged by U-shaped member 24. Minor longitudinal adjustment (e.g. up and down) of catch component 20 can then be made before fully tightening screws 28a and 28b. Similarly, minor in and out adjustment of head 13 can be made by screwing strike component 11 in or out. 
     Various modifications will no doubt occur to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. For example, the particular shape of the flange and of the U-shaped member vary from that disclosed herein. These and all other variations which basically rely on the teachings by which this disclosure has advanced the art are properly considered within the scope of this invention.