Patent ID: 7207759

Claim:
A fastener comprising a pin and a bushing having a flange and having a hollow shank for insertion into an attachment hole in a member, the pin having a shank for insertion into the hollow shank of the bushing to provide a widened-diameter coupling condition in which the bushing shank has a widened diameter, wherein: the bushing shank has a plurality of pawls, the pin shank has a groove for accepting and engaging the pawls in a non-widened-diameter coupling condition in which the pin and the bushing are coupled with the pin shank partially inserted into the bushing shank and in which the diameter of the bushing shank is not widened, the pawls are formed so as normally to extend out beyond the bushing shank and have elasticity so that the pawls can be bent inward by an external force applied thereto as the bushing shank is inserted in the attachment hole, and the groove has a depth that is sufficient to accept the inwardly bent pawls so that the pawls do not impede insertion of the bushing shank into an attachment hole, wherein the bushing shank is divided into separate parts by longitudinal slits to facilitate widening thereof, and the pawls extend in corresponding slits part way along the bushing shank from the bushing flange and are individually mounted on the bushing shank for movement inward and outward of the bushing shank relative to the separate parts of the bushing shank.